72 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 25, ifier. 



larVfB and nymphB in their cells, quickly proclaimed to one's 

 organs, both of sight and smeU, that foul brood had attacked 

 the hive. 



My first impression was to destroy the stock as soon as 

 evening should have brought the dwindled family together ; 

 but observing that four of the frames were well covered with 

 bees and with plenty of brood in all stages, and quite fragrant, 

 I restored these latter, burying all the rest. The result of this 

 change in the interior economy of the hive was quickly per- 

 ceptible in the increased activity of its inmates, and on the 

 7th of July I again took off the crown-board and examined the 

 fonr frames, finding them in most excellent condition in every 

 respect. 



On the 14th of July I again commenced the inspecting pro- 

 cess ; but the moment I exposed the interior of the hive to 

 view the bees rushed out and assailed me so vigorously that I 

 was satisfied all was going on well, and lest any diminution of 

 numbers should result from loss of stings, I restored the 

 crown-board to its place again. 



The inference I draw from the above facts is that foul brood 

 is in some cases caused by an insufficiency of bees to keep up 

 in the hive the amount of warmth required to mature the 

 rising generation, especially when very hot weather encourages 

 egg-laying in all parts of the hive, only to be followed by cold 

 of an unusual degree. The comb being then deserted by the 

 bees, the grub dies and putrifies, becoming feculent, and soak- 

 ing more or less into the wax surrounding. Instead of increas- 

 ing the strength and activity of the colony, the decomposing 

 brood becomes a double source of weakness — negative by the 

 non-increase, and positive by the bad effect upon the bees, 

 whose strong dislike of noxious odours of any kind must be 

 well known to every apiarian. 



In two other instances lately at a friend's apiary, foul brood 

 may be traced to precisely similar causes, in these, unhappily, 

 involving the total loss of the stocks. — C. H. Hodgson. 



[This appears to be a case, not of foul brood but chiUed 

 brood. Virulent foul brood is highly infectious, and cannot be 

 cured by excision. Its cure by any process is, in fact, so 

 troublesome in practice and so uncertain in its results, whilst 

 the risk of spreading the disease is so great, that it is far better 

 to treat it like the cattle plague and " stamp it out " without 

 delay as soon as its existence is ascertained.] 



BEES IN A DECAYED STRAW KTVE. 

 I HAVE an old straw hive full of honey and bees. It is fall- 

 ing to pieces. It has a second hive on the top of it, put on 

 last year to protect it for the winter. This makes matters 

 worse, as it also is fiUed with honey and bees, and the bees 

 are, besides, clustered all over the hive outside. I cannot leave 

 them in this state for the winter. What would you advise me 

 to do ?— S. D. K. 



[The bees will all betake themselves inside the hive as soon 

 as the nights become chilly. We should then drive, and unite 

 them to another stock in the manner described in page 59 of 

 the last edition of "Bee-keeping for the Many." Do not use 

 chloroform. ] 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



EcBV PocLTKY Snow.— Mr. J. p. Bott, Cartiflelds, Hatfield Peveril, 

 near Chelmsford, iurorms us thnt be received high commendations in 

 class 1 for Coloured Dorkings, and class 18. 



Spanish Fowls too Fat (D. H.).— As the food of your fowls is lying on 

 the floor, they are overfed. They should not be fed in the house, and 

 food should be given only so long as they will run after it. They are 

 feverish, or they would not lose their feathers. Reduce their nllowanee 

 of corn, and give lettuce, growing grass, and peat earth. Laving fowls 

 are always subject to sudden death when they are too fat. 



HoCDAN Cock Lajie (M. A. F.).— Wo have not found Houdans get 

 bumble-footed like Dorkings, nor do we think they will be so. We believe 

 that on examination you will find some injaiT. Try whether pressure 

 gives pain. We prefer dark cooks to breed ft-om, and'think the chickens 

 should bo darker than adults. It is one of the breeds in which there is 

 a tendency to become lighter as the birds grow older. 



SEARPiG GcrsEA Fowf.s (E. C. W.)— Guinea chicks want to be fed like 

 young Pheasants on curd, dough, boiled eggs chopped fine, and bread 

 and milk. The hen should be kept in confinement. Nothing is so pre- 

 jadioial to chickens of all kinds as to be kept in a room. It is productive 

 of cramp, it is bad for the feet, and yields no food. 



Extensive PontTBY-BnEEDiNc; (Pos«iro1.— Ptinltry-breeding on a large 

 scale has never yet been found protiUable. It. has not succeeded at 

 Bromley. It will pay as an adjunct to an agricultural establishment, but 

 it.9linnot stand alcine. 



Swollen Toes in Fowls iA. W, S.).— We have never seen the disease 

 you mention, except in La Fleche cocks. It is common to all birds in 

 frosty weather, but then the naUs come ofF, and the toe heals, remaining 

 only a little swollen. If you have either stone, wood, or asphaltum pave- 

 ment in your house, it may have te do with it. 



lNT»rrrNO Hens to Lay in Winter {H^. — .\nimal and other stimulating 

 food will make fowls lay in the winter. The same may be aoeouiplished 

 by getting fowls of the proper age without resorting to undue or improper 

 feediug. We are certain that the purchase of some thousands would be 

 a losing investment. You can only ascertain whether eggs are clear or 

 fecundated after they have been under a heu for five or six days. 



Poultry is a Small Enclosure [A Coitu'tcr). — Yon can keep a score 

 of hens and rear chickens from them on 500 square yards. If it is not all 

 grass, you will have to supply them with helps. They must always have 

 plenty of green food and dust. A broody hen may be made to sit in a 

 strange place, by being put on her eggs at night in the dark, and shut 

 down so closely that she cannot leave them. After a day or two she will 

 keep to them. 



Food for Young FHEi.s\NT^ (Constant Subscriber). — Buy Baily's boot 

 on " Pheasants and Pheasantries." You should not give ant's eggs till 

 they are wanted, by doing so you have deprived yourself of a resource in 

 youi' time of need. Feed on curd, dough, bread and milk, and boiled 

 eggs. Keep them dry, and keep the hen shut up. 



" W. S., Shrewsburn." We have a letter for you if you will scud us your 

 full address. 



Ground Oats for Poultry {M. A. F. and G. P.). — We know of no 

 place where these can be obtained except at Mr. Agate's, Slaugham 

 Mills, near Crawley, Sussex. 



Young Turkeys with Swollen Heads iYounp Befjinner). — Give your 

 Turkeys directly some bread steeped in the strongest ale you have. Put 

 a strong solution of camphor in all the water they have to drink. Wash 

 their eyes with celd water and vinegar. Keep the hen constantly shut 

 up under a rip ; it must be one that will .tIIow the poults to run in and 

 out. Feed generously on oatmeal mixed with milk, and with green onion 

 tops chopped fine, and mixed with it. Put the hen in a di-y sunny place, 

 and spare neither ale nor camphor. If you neglect the disease, all your 

 poults will die. 



Sale of Eggs f^. H. E.). — The best purchasers are the vendors of eggs 

 in your neighbourhood. Fresh-laid eggs are always more sought after 

 than those imported, and readily command a higher price. 



Kemoving Bees to a Distance [A. S.).— We should certainly defer 

 the removal until the autumn. The season is now too far adv.-mced to 

 render it probable that the bees will again take to the super, and in this 

 case we do not see how you can obtain any profit from them this year 

 without deteriorating the stock. 



Payne's Hive (Inquirer). — The best answer we can give is the follow- 

 ing extract from " Ee^-keeping for the Many,"' which you can have free 

 by post from our office, if you enclose five postage stamps with your 

 address : — " Procure a supply of Payne's Improved Cottage Hives ; also, 

 of small hives, 8 inches in diameter and 7 inches deep, flat at the top. 



with a bit of glass in one side covered by a shutter. This hive is in 

 shape the same as the large one, and with a hole in the top, covered with 

 a piece of straw-work in the same manner." 



Silkworms (F. S. F.). — The beet works on their management are 

 Italian. We published a translation of one by M. Ricii, in the Tenth 

 Volume of our first series. 



GiSHURST Compound (If.).— If your pet dog ate any of the Gishurst 

 compound it may have killed him. We do not know the composition of 

 the compound ; but as it kiUa insects, in larger quantity it may bo fatal 

 to a dog. 



Raspberry Vinegar {E. S.). — One quart of Raspberries to be put into 

 a quart of the best vinegar ; let them remain aweek, stirring occasionally ; 

 then add 1 lb. of loaf sugar, boil very gently for twenty minutes, strain, 

 and when cold bottle it. 



Brewing iSrcu-er). — We know of no reason why wrought-iron boilers 

 should not be used, though copper boilers arc employed. We do not know 

 what information you seek by asking, " Who is the best brewer '.'" 



POULTRY MAKKET.— July 2L 



Sultan, Viceroy, and Belgians ore all gone. Trade feels it, and senders 

 may now expect very ditfercut retui"ns. 



s d. s. d ) : s. d 8. d 



