364 



JOTJENAL OF HOKTICULTURE AOT) COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ November 3, 1863. 



saw bees work on larch cones. It is not the rule either, 

 that the colour of the flower is the colour of the pollen. 



I never had my attention called to the fact that bees will 

 not remove chiUed brood till in the last Number. Thej 

 certainly wiU remove dead bees in the p-apa state, and lug 

 them out fast enough too. They will destroy large pieces 

 of comb if it does not suit theui. I once saw a piece de- 

 stroyed iroia the middle of the hive as large as the palm of 

 my hand in a single afternoon, and the place was in due 

 time filled up with new comb. I dare say more was renewed, 

 but I can only speak to what I saw. — A Hampshif-e Eee- 



aEEPER. 



AN EXPEEIMENTAL APIAEY. 



Me. Lowe's lengthy exposition of his views with regard 

 to " an experimental apiary," which, he maintains, '• can 

 never be a thoroughly prosperous one," might very well 

 have been spared. It is to be presumed that he means a 

 purely experimental one, by which I understand an api.ory 

 estabhshed for the sole purpose of experiment. If so, what 

 then ? Who ever doubted, or could doubt, that the sort of 

 experimental apiarian whom he attempts facetiously to 

 describe, and hold up to scorn, would fail — fail, that is, to 

 obtain honey, which, according to Mr. Lowe, is the sole end 

 and object of bee-keeping ? 



No doubt, however, even the peculiar bee-keeper whom 

 Mr. Lowe has in his eye, would defend his management by 

 pm-e experiment, and maintain that his object was quite as 

 legitimate and interesting as Mr. Lowe's, and possibly as 

 useful to others in the long iim. But, after all, where is 

 the man in our small bee world who answers to Mr. Lowe's 

 description ? He has raised up a man of straw to provide 

 himself with the exquisite pleasure of knocking him down. 

 Let him enjoy his postprandial recreation. I for one have 

 no sort of mclination to grudge him the felicity of his crow. 

 If, however. Mi'. Lowe is not speaking of a purely experi- 

 mental apiaiy, then he has simply condescended to mis- 

 represent and misunderstand from motives best known to 

 himself the experiments prosecuted, and the objects aimed 

 at in those experiments, by your esteemed correspondent. 

 Mr. Woodbury. As to his "motives," Mr. Lowe himself 

 lifts up the veil, .and permits us to see them. The occasion 

 of his sarcasm, the secret of his bitterness, hithei-to un- 

 accountable, is now revealed in one short sentence of his 

 recent communication. " My tone and style," he says, " are 

 ah-eady thought by some to be too severe ; and it appeai-s, 

 though I must receive contradiction, I must not be given to 

 philippic." This gentleman has " received contradiction," 

 so at least he imagines, in regard to some matter of apiarian 

 research. Unable to brook opposition, even at the hands of 

 so kindly an opponent as Mr. Woodbury, forthwith he dips 

 his pen in gall, and we have the residt in the "philippic" 

 of caustic sarcasm and mu-epresentation which appeared 

 recently in your columns. Eeally this is too bad, and it is 

 time that a strong protest should be advanced against a 

 style and spirit so adverse to all friendly criticism. " PA- 

 dentem dicere vcrum, quid vetat ? " But this sort of writing 

 can only prevaU at the cost of all profitable and hai-monious 

 co-operation for the advancement of our favoui-ite pursuit. 

 Till Mr. Lowe took up the cudgels, or rather (to use his 

 own mataphor), commenced traversing the bee field with 

 hob-nailed boots, regardless of his neighbour's coi-ns, we 

 were at peace. Let us hope that we shfil now be suifered 

 to retm-n to peace. , 



In the meanwhile let me suggest to him to reflect upon 

 the possibility that " others see as well as you." A notable 

 instance wQl be found in this veiy question of foul brood. 

 Veiy positively he asserts that "decayed and abortive 

 brood in all stages are not removed by the bees." As 

 positively I assert from my own experience that they are 

 removed by bees. Not, of course, thoroughly in weak hives, 

 in which, consequently, I fuUy agree with him, " they must 

 remain a permanent evil," if not removed by the bee- 

 master's hand. But in strong hives the bees are fuUy up 

 to the requu-ements of the case, and remove all impurities 

 as they occur. 



With regard to artificial swarming as compared with 

 natural swarming, Mr. Lowe has not faii-ly put the case. 

 To the " lover of nature," the natural swarm is, no dox^bt. 



one of the most delightful of rural sights and sounds, even 

 should the said swarm speed away, agmine facto, beyond the 

 ken of the distressed owner. Even so to the artist's eye, 

 the dilapidated cottage, discoloured with dirt and ten.anted 

 by a ragged peasantry, is more charming than the trim and 

 cleanly dwelling of the thrifty aa-tisan. But how many a 

 disappointed bee-keeper would gladly, and does gladly, 

 learn the art by which he may secure his swarms? and 

 warmly will he thank the much-abused experimentalist who 

 puts him in the way of scientifically managing his bees, 

 especially at the awnrmiug time. — E. & "W. 



OITE LETTER BOX. 



Dorking Cock Unabl-:: to St.\nd (G. D.).—.M\ the fjniptom? and his 

 slow recovery iniimate that a small bluod-respe} is niplurttlin the head. 

 The hot, sunshine and the inflammatory action inci'ieut to moulticg were 

 the probable cunscs. 



White Feathkrs is "Wing of a B-ufp Cochin (J. Can-).— The white 

 "■Gathers would constitute what is called a mealy wirg-. It is not a disq-jali- 

 fication, nor is it a. serious disadvantage. Nevertheless, il competition 

 were very close a clear buff wing would be preferycd lo a mealy one. 



Cochin-Chikas Losing the Use of their Lege [C. (7.1.— The disease 

 you mention is probably cramp, and is caused by the i.amp floor. If you 

 have gravel in your ncl^libmirhood cover tlie fluoring of the house some 

 inches deep with it. When the cramp is comiog on give the fowls bread 

 steeped in strong ale directly. 



Keepivg Bantams and Spani&b Fowls Togbther (J?. ^.).— It is a dis- 

 puted point. Our opinion is that they may be kept with lEupunity. 



Rourr Poultry (S. i?.i. — Tou need not clear off all your poultry. 11 

 you did so, and intended to rest the place, it shouM be empty for months. 

 Clear off tho sickly birds such as are hopelessly ill. Limewhite all their 

 roosting-pliices. Feed them well on bread and ale. Put some camphor in 

 their water, and let all their roostintr-place fl<tors be covered with dry 

 giavel some inches deep. We believe this will cure them. If you were 

 delermiuFd to da away with them for a time you need not send away the 

 Geese and Ducts: they are not subject t) such disoiderfi. We think if you 

 had roup.ibout, the Turkeys would be sure to catchit— they huvea weakness 

 lor it. If your Gee^e, Ducks, Turkeys, iind fowls roost toj^yther you will 

 not have them healthv. Fowls should roost by themselves. Turkeys the 

 same. Djcks and Geese may consort, but fowls must be separate. 



CoLoiiRrD PI.ATF..S OF POULTRY {Coitntn/ Foultn;-Fancii-r).—The best 

 are in "The Poultry Book'' by .Mr. G. W." Johnson and tlie Rev. \V. W. 

 Vi'ingfield. It was published a few years a^o. 



"WEiGnr OP Pigeons (.H. 7*. i. A'.].— From 41bK. to 4^ lbs. is considered a 

 good weight for a pair of Kunts. I am not aware that tbere is any standard 

 weights for the other breeds. Carriers and Powters are liked large; 

 Tumblers, Turbits, Owls, J icobins, and Carmelites are preferred as small 

 as can be obtained. If wanted for the table, a cross between Dragoon and 

 Powter or Dracoon and Trumpeter will be found useful. But I expect mosS 

 profit is made by breeding first-class birds of any of the principal varieties. 

 — B. P. BaE.sT. 



Stocking a Pigk.on Loft [S. Vincent). —The furnishing of a loft for the 

 accommodation of Pigeons may be effected in the following manner : — First 

 see that the floor is sound and the door, skirting, &c., secure against rats. 

 A window or opening should be made on the south or LOUth- western side to 

 admit air and light, and an area or trap made of Uthwork or wire netting 

 should be placcil outside ^o that the Pigeons may go therein to sun them- 

 selves, and where they can also be provided with a bath. The internal 

 fittings may vary according to the taste of the fancier or the shape of the 

 loft. Separate pens provided with nests, and each being made to close, may 

 be erected round the walls, of wlrich Mr. Eaton has piib-ishcd a diagram, or, 

 if the slanting r. of comes down to the floor, the pene may t^tand back to 

 bjckin a central row. Others place shelves ag;tinst the walls 18 inches apsrt 

 one above the other, and divide them by partitions iit every yard, nailing 

 boarding down the front so as to make a recess at each end of tlie three-feet 

 divisions for the ne.atp, or to receive the r'est-pa»ts. if such are used ; or it 

 may be supplied with boxes or any other form of nest, only bearing in mind 

 that each pair of Pigeons reo^iire & pair f,t nrsts, and that each couple of 

 nests must be separated or divided from the others, so as to form a private 

 residence for the pair of Pigeons inhabiting them. Water is best supplied 

 in a large earthen fountain. Food may be given in a hopper, or, if pre- 

 ferred, by hand ; but in this case they require constant und regular feedmg. 

 Small heans, old tares, and lentils are perliaps the best food for Pigeons. 

 S. Vincent will find more details in the "Pigeon-Book for the Many."— 

 B.P. B. 



Parrot Picking out its Feathers [E. 27.).— Let it have daily a bath of 

 tepid water. This is best afforded in a soup plate. If the bird does not 

 voluntarily bathe pour tepid wafer over it daily through the rose of a 

 watering-pot, giving not a sprinkling but a good soaking. 



Lead Pipes {A Sttbscri>ier). — You can obtain sulphide of potassium of 

 any practical cbemit-t, but we do not know the cost. It cannot be dear, and 

 a small quantity would suffice for a great length of pipe. We should use a 

 hot solution nearly saturated. 



LONDON MARKETS.— NoTEMBEE 2. 

 POULTRY. 



The supply is. if anything, rather less ; but the dullness of trade prevents 



any rise in prices. 



p. 



Large Fowls 2 



Smaller do 2 



Chickens 1 



Gce.=e fi 



Ducks 2 



I Pheasants 2 



d. s. d. 8. d. s. d. 



6 to 3 Partridges 1 B to 1 



„2 G I Grouse 1 9 „2 



G „ 1 9 I Hares 1 9 „ 2 



„6 6 I Rabbits 1 3 „3 4 



„2 3 Wild do 8 ., 9 



6„3 I Pigeons 8 ,, 9 



