180 



JOURNAL OF HORTICTDLTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ August ID, 18S7. 



as it is not fastened to the lower, but merely rests upon it, 

 being kept in position by tbe hoop. 



Thus, at the cost of a few copper? — if, inileed, provision 

 merchants would make any charge for the boxes — bee-keepers 

 who, like myself, have to do as they can, and not as they would 

 like, may secure for their hives a neat, simple, and thoroughly 

 efficient protector. As I do not suppose bees are partial to the 

 odour of cheese, it will be necessary to rub the interior with a 

 bunch of thyme or other sweet-sweiling herb. It would also 

 be advantageous, perhaps I should say necessary, to fit over the 

 entrance a piece of zinc or tin, in order to throw off the rain. 



Is it advisable to assist the bees in killing the drones, or can 

 they manage this best themselves ? — John O'Gauht, Lancaster. 



[You do not state how you rendered the top of your hive- 

 cover weatherproof, which is a very important point. 



We believe it to be advantageous to limit drone production 

 by permitting the existence of only a small proportion of 

 drone-comb, which can readily be done in frame hives, but 

 when once drones are hatched we consider it of little import- 

 ance whether the workers are left to expel them unaided, or 

 are assisted in the operation by the bee-keeper.] 



LOSS OP QUEENS— HONEY DISCOLOURED. 



How easily queens are lost if nucleus boxes 'are placed too 

 near together. I have indeed found it so this siimmer. Most of 

 them hatched, but they were all eventually lost. In one nucleus 

 a queen attained forty-two days old, ni-ver laid an egg, then dis- 

 appeared. In another nucleus a queen lived three days, and was 

 then lost, never to return. In a third a fine queen lived seven 

 days, and I never saw her afterwards. 



I send a small bo.x containing a sample of honey. I removed 

 a Woodbury super from one of my strongest stocks on the 10th 

 inst., the only honey I have taken this year, which is darker than 

 I ever saw honey before. Can you explain it > I shall be very 

 glad to know the reason you can assign for its extraordinary 

 colour. Co you think it can be clariHed, or will it do for bee- 

 feeding ?— D. D. 



[ The honey is certainly of a most extraordinary colour — so 

 dark as to appear almost black, whilst it greatly resembles treacle 

 both in taste and smell. We should really fancy that the bees 

 must have ohtaintd access to some refuse treacle, very highly 

 coloured by the emanations from the numerous chimneys of 

 Sheffield. Clarifying will not improve it, and it really appears 

 as though it could only be used for feeding bees.] 



HIVING BEES ESTABLISHED IN A ROOF. 



There has beeu a colony of bees established for some years 

 in the roof of the dwelling-house here, and it is desired if 

 possible to establish them in a hive. The best time of year to 

 attempt this, and any information as to the best method of 

 doing so, will be received with many thanks. I might state 

 that the roof is covered with slate ; under the slate, boards ; 

 and the bees are betweeu the boards and the ceiling of the 

 attics. — J. G., Strcatham Gummnn. 



[The present time is as good as any. Access must be ob- 

 tained to the combs, which, when the bees have been quieted 

 by means of smoke, should be cut out and arranged in a frame 

 hive. If the queen and some of the bees can then be swept 

 into the hive on the top of the frames, the crown board should 

 be put on and the whole left as close as possible to the old spot, 

 in order to collect the remainder of the bees, until the evening, 

 when it may be removed to a new position. If the queen 

 cannot be at once secured, the bees should be allowed to 

 cluster together and then be swept into the hive. In all these 

 operations it is easy enough to obtain the combs ; the difficulty 

 is to secure the bees also.] 



CONSEQUENCES OP SELLING FOUL BROOD. 



In reply to some observations which have appeared in recent 

 numbers of The Journal of Horticcltuee, we beg to sty 

 that having imported stocks of Italian bees in order to insure 

 a supply of the true race without mixture of black bees, we 

 have been much surprised that in soma instances they are con- 

 taminated with foul brood. 



We are at a loss to account for thejorigin of the disease, ex- 

 cept it be that the heat consequent on confinement during a 



long journey has had the effect of engendering an atmosphere 

 prejudicial to the brood. 



No one can regret more than ourselves that, after the expense 

 and trouble we have incurred in the endeavour to secure pure 

 Italian colonies, we should unintentionally have been instru- 

 mental in conveying diseased stocks to a single apiary. 



We have discontinued the sale of these stocks, broken up all 

 the combs, had a thorough cleansing of the hives and frames, 

 and have another apiai-y in a new locality, with fresh hives and 

 bees. 



By the junction of Italian queens lo healthy English .stocks, 

 and substituting these for all infected hives that have emanated 

 from us, we hope to give satisfaction to our friends. — Geo. 

 Neighbour & Sons. 



[We are glad to find that Messrs. Neighbour frankly admit 

 that they have been vending foul brood. It appears, moreover, 

 that they have had recourse to palliative measures. Having 

 regard, however, to the subtle and malignant character of the 

 malady, as well as the very great difficulty and uncertainty of 

 effecting its eradication by any known means, it may perhaps 

 be doubted whether, after selling foul brood during three suc- 

 cessive seasons, they would not have best consulted their own 

 interests, to say nothing of those of their customers, by 

 declining any longer to incur the risk of disseminating so 

 terrible a disease.] 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Cooked Meat for Fowls IJ, S. E.). — We considGr cold conked meat 

 very pood food for a change. It is too stimulating except for change 

 find where fowls have a good grass run they do not require any animal 

 food. 



HoTTBANS Sdffering FROM A CoLD {G. N.). — Your fowls are suflFering 

 from what you say, and we do not anticipate any evil result from the 

 attack. We should say of them as people often say of themselves. It is 

 only a cold. The treatment is by stimulants. Notbins is better than 

 bread soaked in strong beer. A pill of camphor the size of a t;arden pea 

 is a capital and effectual medicine It is also good when there is any 

 disease among fowls to put camphor in the vessels that hold the water 

 they use in common. You should not take the hen away from her 

 chickens unless sbe ill-treats tbem ; and at their age they would do better 

 if she were kept under a rip, which should be put on a gravel walk or dry 

 hard spot, close to vegetables which will afford food and covert. You 

 will find bread and milk a good change for chickens, and an inespensiv© 

 food. 



Hen Affected with a Swelling (J. B.).— We have several hens 

 similarly afflicted to that you mention. They have been so for a long 

 time, but it is only now perceptible because they are moulting, and the 

 old worn-out plumnge failR to cover it. You may, if it be such a swelling 

 as we imagine, cause it to decrease by depriving her of water, except in 

 small quantities three times per day. The Robin would not cause it. 



Brown Red Game with White Wing Feathers (Tr(?^A,li/ Subscriber). 

 — The occurrence is a very common one in all dark-feathered breeds, and 

 the white feathers are always in tbe flight. In Spanish it is almost the 

 rule. The cliicken feathers are white, but they invariably change to 

 black when they assume adult plumage. 



Creve CfEPR wt:th Two Nails on One Claw (Young Exhibitor).— It 

 is a peculiarity which we have not before noticed. It is not desirable ; 

 but if tbe bird is good in otber respects we should not get rid of \ier. As 

 toeB and nails are not among the important points of a Creve Coaur hen, 

 we doubt whether the judges would discover or notice the superfluity. 



Trumpeter Pigeons at I^ewsbttry Show.— " Your reporter says the 

 prize birds are directly descended from Ulr. Mewburn's birds. This I beg 

 to deny. I bred both pnira, two of tbem from a cock and ben I bought of 

 Mr. Baily. imported bii-ds ; the other two were from the above cock, and 

 two hens which were in no way connected with Mr. Mewburn's birds. 

 The excellency of the birds is evidently derived from the cock, the hens 

 they were bred from being only of moderate quality.— John Hawlby, 

 Bingley, Yorkshire." 



Changing the Floor-boards of Hives fCnroZw;*).— The occaslona 

 purification of flnor-boards is doubtless advantngeons, but can scarcely 

 be deemed absolutely necessary, since we have frecjuently met with 

 stocks of several years' standing in perfect health, the floor-boards of 

 which had never been cleaned from the commencement. Many bees die 

 from natural causes at this season ; but an exceptionally high rate of 

 mortality would argue that something was wrong. Has the stock been 

 attacked by robbers? and is it amply supplied with food? We cannot 

 undertake the labour of answering correspondents by letter. 



POULTRY MARIiET.— August 14. 



Although the Grotise season will have commenced when this is before 

 onr renders, yet the necessity for fjoing to press prevents us from ffivinp 

 any nccoont of their appearance, or of the early supply. Pou)try will now 

 get to its lowest price, and the demand for a time will be nearly nominal. 



8 d. B. 



Large Fowls 2 to 2 



Smaller do 1 9 2 



Chickens 1 6 1 



Geese G 6 



Ducklings 1 9 2 



Hgeons 8 



B. d 



B.d 



Pheasants OtoO 



Partridges 



Grouse 



Guinea Fowls 



Rabbits 14 IB 



Wilddo 8 9 



