484 



JOURNAL OF HOitTlCULTURE AND COTTAGE GA^DENEE. 



[ December 15. 1863, 



in Yorkshire. My diseased iiive of this year was not ex- 

 perimented upon. I do not see how its "brood could have 

 become chilled. The bees were in a small hive of thick wood, 

 placed in a bee-house well protected with asphalte, and 

 packed round in the interior with hay not removed till the 

 swai-ming season. My bees are all of the English sort. I 

 say, therefore, to "Inquirer/' and others, that I range on 

 the side with those who imagine that a foul disease exists 

 and rages at times amongst oui* favom-ites, and that our 

 thanks are due to those who have opened our eyes to its 

 existence. There can be no question either, but that most 

 of the pollen lately gathered has been from the ivy. Such 

 a profusion of bloom on that " rai-e old plant, the ivy 

 green," as exists this year, has never before been remarked 

 upon by — A Hampshire Bee-keeper. 



If Mr. Lowe in his late escapade awkwai-dly trod upon 

 sensitive corns, I am sure, from the kicks received on every 

 side by himself, he has fuUy atoned for the tone of his 

 articles. I cannot believe that 3Ir. Lowe meant to offend ; 

 and no one from his remarks, which were more empiric 

 than logical, and more facetious than hurtful, will think 

 one whit less highly of Mr. Woodbuiy and his scientific 

 apiary. But when truth is to be investigated, statements 

 must be met by coimter- statements supported by evidence. 



And now that Mr. Lowe has amused us with a fling at 

 experimentalists, I should like him to measure his strength 

 with Mr. Woodbiu-y in facts and arguments on the ** foul 

 brood " affection, which has a very disagreeable odour to all 

 lovers of bees, and carries along with it a most irritating 

 virus. 



Mr. Lowe has a good case, let him apply himself to it; a 

 vast mass of evidence may be adduced in support of his views. 



On a less important subject than " foul brood," I would 

 not object to a little kind abuse j but where extermination 

 is threatened, by all means let our energies be applied to 

 the cause, extent, and cui-e of the evil. — A Looeer-on. 



HOW TO REMEDY CEOOKED COMBS IN A 

 FEAME-HIVE. 



Will the "Devonshire Bee-keeper," or any of yova* 

 correspondents inform me which is the best way to secure 

 straight combs in Woodbury-bar fi-ame-hives, when guide- 

 combs are not obtainable ? I have run melted wax along 

 my ribbed bars, and I thought this would cause the bees to 

 build straight combs, but to my great disappointment the 

 bees have built crooked combs, as though there had been no 

 bai-s, which makes it difficult to extract the bars from the 

 hive. — S. H. 



[You have afready adopted the best means of insuring the 

 formation of straight combs when guide-combs are not ob- 

 tainable — means that would probably be successful in nine 

 cases out of ten. As, however, they appear to have failed in 

 the present instance, you had better leave matters as they 

 are till next year. Dm-ing the middle of a fine day in April 

 the bees should be driven into an empty hive, when such 

 combs as requii-e it may be cut out, straightened, and 

 arranged symmetrically in the frames and replaced in the 

 hive, to which the bees should then be rettu-ned. Full direc- 

 tions for pei-forming this operation were given in No. 75 of 

 The Journal of Horticulture. — ^A iSevonshike Bee- 

 keeper.] 



OUR lettek box. 



BoASDED Floors for rouLXRY-iiousKs {21. R. i*.),— They arc objection- 

 able, ibecause all hard flooring upon which fowls have to descend from the 

 perches is liable to cause corns and other injuries to their feet. Our 

 charge for advertisements is 6d. per line. 



VuLTiRE llocKs (An //ijuiVpr),— Vulture-hocked fowls have feathers 

 projecting f[nm below the knee joint, and sticking out behind, as the 

 vulture and some other birds of prey. It is considered a fault in Brahm.i 

 PootrHB when much developed. In many good specimtns it exifte in a 

 trifling degrcf and is not then much noticed. 



Early Chickens 'i:xcc!sior).~U you intend your fowls for the London 

 market, you must contine yourself to the Dorking, and must have vour 

 chickens ready for sale ironi the middle of April till the middle of June, or 

 the beginning of July. They should he from eighteen to twenty weeks old, 

 and pr .vided they are not older, the larger they are the better. Cochins 

 ■will not do, because they have yellow legs, nor will any do that have hiack, 

 bue, or gteen legs. They should he fasted, killed and picked clean, sent 

 up very fresh, and packed in a butket or crate with stiff wheal straw. 



Colour of Rouen Duck's Bill {A Constant Reader).— The Sonen Ductals 

 bill should be the fac-slmile of the wild Duck's. It should be yellow at the 

 tip aufi round the edges, brown in the centre — in colour, but not in shape, 

 like the Bean Goo?e, and it is said that bird gained its name from the bill 

 bting coloured like a horse bean. 



Birchen Grey Game Fowls {Duhitator) .—When Judges look at Biichen 

 Greys they do not ask themselves how they are bred. They are birds of 

 colour, and unless correct they are passed over. We have seldom seen 

 more than two or three pent; of such at birmingham, and the compeittion is 

 too hard for them. Th'^ Birchen Grey may be bred between the Bla:k Red 

 and the Silver Duekwing. 



Dorking's Feathers Changed in Colour \A. N. ff.).— Fowls will eport 

 in moulting. We have had Spanish moult partly white, and re-moult blaok 

 There is no reason why your Dorking hen should not do the same. When 

 a fowl is becoming white from age there is no hope of any return to dark 

 plumage ; but at any other period it may be looked lur. 



Bantams with Dorkings [Idem). — We keep B.mtanis \wth large breeds 

 without any difficulty. We believe you may do the same, but not with the 

 smaller, as Game, Hamburghs, &c. 



Pullets (G. Whittingioji].~'Vh<^y are probably of no value. Put thtm 

 up for sale at one of Mr. Stevens's auctions, and then yon will asceitain 

 what fanciers think of them. 



White-booted Bantams [F. H. i*.).— They may be double or single- 

 combed. The former are preferred always. They isbould not be vultuie- 

 hocked. The latter appendage belongs to what are called Booted Bantams. 

 They are feathered to the toes and very vnlture-hocked. 



Scotch Bakies (J. W.). — The "Poultry Book" is to be hid at our office. 

 Bakies are now very scarce. The best we have seen or know of, beloiig to 

 the Hon-IGeorginade Flahault, Tally jll;m, Kincardine-oa-Fonti. 'that lady 

 may have eome to spare. They aie good layers, and excellent sitters and 

 mothers. 



Black Bantams.— -4n OTfordshirc Rector presents his complimeute 

 to " \ Wiltshire Rector," and th;niks him for his letter. He wou'd not 

 like to make such a proposal to the Editors as that referred to, as in carrying 

 out the arrangement an unwarranted confidence might be induced. 



Pen of Gaaie Fowls ( n'. J.).— 7wo pullets must match in every par- 

 ticular. A Black-breasted Red cock must not have one red feather in the 

 breast. 



Dorking Featherless under the Beak [JF. J* P.).— Rub the bare 

 place with compound sulphur ointment. We do not think it comes irom 

 insects. It it does, and the bird has not access to dust, piovidehim with it. 

 It will kill vermin. 



Ducks and Geese at Birmingham ^Quack).—^\e do not know who 

 judged the Ducks at Birmingham. We thought tbera a very fine cla^^s, and 

 well judged. The Rouen according to our idea, should be in colour the 

 counterpart of wild Ducks. At this treason of the jear it is easy to get 

 wild Ducks and compare them. We believe ihe prizes are given for Grey 

 and Mottled and in these pens the gander is almost always white. Weight 

 is an essential point in Geese, and but a lew years ago any approach to 

 white w.ts held superior to grey. The iiitroduction ot the Toulouse has 

 altered this, but in any market where Geese are sold for the table, a Grey is 

 less valuable than a White or Pied bird. Geese are table, liot feather birds. 

 High condition is impressed on the Judges as desirable, and so far as we 

 could judge, the first-prize peu enjoyed it. 



Black Hamburghs and Dvcks at Birmingham (A Suhscriber),—yic 

 saw the classes in question, and were perfectly satisfied with them. It ;s 

 very possible that sometimes Ducks are mixed with ducklings, and old 

 fowls with chickens. Subicribe?- would hianself be deceived sometimes. 



Norfolk Ornithological Societv.— I should feel greatly obligeo if you 

 would correct an error which appears in your Number ot November 2Uh 

 —viz., in the undermentioned awards -. — Canaries, ^c— Norwich (Clear 

 Yellows). —First and Second. Norwich (Clear Bulf,.— First. Norwich 

 (Marked and Variegated Yellows).— First. Goldfinch (Mules, Mealy).— 

 First. Goldfinch (Jonque).— First, and Second. British Birds —Skyliuk 

 and Goldfinch, Siskin or Aberdevine. Dirdgn Birds,— 'Wd\ Bill. FouUi if 

 (Class 123). — Game Bantams iDuckwinss).— Second. All •.he!=e are pUutU 

 to the creditor Mr. S. Waters, of Ipswich, instead of myself.- W. Walikh, 

 Hyde Street, Winchester. 



Parrot and Dog [An Old Subscriber).- With reference to the Australi-in 

 Parrot we fear not much can be done except keeping it w:.rm, and most 

 probably it will regain its feathers. The djg should be kept shoit of food 

 in order to reduce its fat. Instead of meal give it bread and milk, and a 

 little broth in turn, and occasionally a toivpoontut <if castor oil. 



Wants of Amateurs {i:i/omet}.—\Yp have lead yuur communication, 

 and communications from others, upr)n the subject of setting apart a column 

 for amateurs to make known Ihuir Wiintii fo each other, but find there are 

 insuperable difficulties. Our .idvertihing columns must be open lo ail 

 without any attempt at distinction ; and no amount of remuneration would 

 induce us to shnction the belief that all who were included in f.n ;imateur'B 

 column were trustworthy. An advert!?enient ia the legiiiniate mode «f 

 m-tking known the requirements of either the buyer or the seller, juiU 

 ntither the one nor the othtr need be wclimised if ccmn.on caution be 

 adopted. As suggested in our ci'.hinni3 lo-day, a thiid party mitiht hold 

 the money until inspection had been abtitincd and the i:Cgociation was 

 concluded. 



Egomet. — We have no objection to insert your communication, but the 

 time has come when it isdesirihlc for us to have your real name and 

 address. 



LONDON MAEKETS.— Dkcwubeb 14. 

 POULTSY. 

 There is a slight improvement in Hk iniirtet. Ttie supply, as in ulMiiyn 

 the case before Chribtmas, is much le«s, ;tn.l go^d iiuahty finds a ready bale 

 at belter prices. 



p. d. s. d. s. d. s. (1. 



Large Fowls 8 to 5 CI Partridges 2 to 2 ;i 



Smaller do 2 C „ 3 | Grmse 2 „ a (i 



Chickens 1 9 „ 2 U | Hares 2 „ 2 (i 



Geeae 6 „C C I Rabbits 1 4 „1 j 



I)uok» 2 „2 3 Wild do 8 „0 U 



Phcaeaots 2 3 „ : f | Pigeons 8 „ 1) 



