168 



JOUENAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 29, 1807. 



bees obtain their food from the fields. He, indeed, recom- 

 mends bee-keepers to sow twenty acres of white clover, and the 

 same quantity of buckwheat, advice which need never have 

 been given, for ninety-nine out of every hundred bee-keepers 

 could not adopt it if they would, and the hundredth would not 

 if he could. 



From my own observation this summer, I am convinced that 

 much may be done to aid our little friends in their work. I 

 can strongly recommend every bee-keeper to sow as much Can- 

 terbury bell as he can find room for. I have not noticed this 

 plant in any list of bee-flowers that I have seen, but I was so 

 impressed with the appreciation of a large bed of it, shown by 

 my bees this summer, that I have now soma thousands of 

 seedlings coming forward for blooming next year. It was de- 

 lightful to hear the pleased, self-satisfied hum of thousands of 

 busy workers, as they flew from flower to flower, and to watch 

 them revel in an intoxication of delight, in the golden dust 

 which they found so plentifully in every bell, bearing off their 

 sweet prize to the hives close by, and returning to the feast 

 again with an appetite that never said, enough. " Thanks, 

 not any more," is an expression unknown to bee etiquette. 



In watching the labours of bees in borage and mignonette, I 

 have observed that on the former hardly a bee will be seen with 

 any propolis on its legs, while on the latter hardly a bee will be 

 found without some. I think it would be valuable to many, if 

 some of your contributors would furnish a list of the best bee- 

 flowers that bloom from April to September, distinguishing, if 

 possible, betwixt those which furnish honey only (as is appa- 

 rently the ease with borage), those which furnish propolis only, 

 and those which supply both. — John O'Gaont, Lancaster. 



Having seen in your Journal of August 15th, page 129, a 

 mode of protecting hives, I take the liberty of offering to the 

 writer's notice, and that of your other readers, a mode of pro- 

 tection which I think is, perhaps, even more simple and con- 

 venient. 



I procure an empty-flour barrel (price GiL), this I cut to the 

 height of 20 inches, having first secured with broad-headed 

 nails, clenched on the inside, the wooden hoops which are at 

 the top and middle. My cover now presents somewhat the 

 appearance of a drum with the ends out. This, placed over, 

 or rather round, my fiat-topped hives, rests on the corners of 

 the floor-board, and allows a free circulation of air inside, an 

 important point in warm weather. A flat milk-pan placed on 

 the top secures from rain, and by its weight keeps the cover in 

 its place. This is easily removed, and at once gives access to 

 the glass or super on the top. 



Certainly the cover above described is not very sightly, but a 

 little green paint on the staves, and white on the hoops, will 

 improve its appearance, and it will be found, I think, easy to 

 maie, convenient, and effective. — A Shkofshiee Bee-lovek. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Crkve CtEUR's Foot Swollen (C 6F.).— It is a much commoner com- 

 plaint with Dorkings than with any others, nlthough all heavy birds aro 

 subject to it It arises either from a bird flying from a high perch and 

 bruising the bnll of the foot, or from a small stone having penetrated 

 the skin on some similar occasion. In either case the swelling should be 

 poulticed and opened, and the bird should be shut up where it will walk 

 on grass only. After it is opened the foot should be carefully wrapped up 

 to exclude both dirt and air. 



Feeding TiaiES for Fo^xs (B. B.). — A good meal in the morning, a 

 very moderate one at midday, and another good one two liours before 

 dark. The appetite of the birds must be your guide as to quantity. 



Toui^ocsE Geese (Mrs. C). — Your need not be alarmerl. Your neigh- 

 bours are already trying to invent something to prevent the sale of your 

 Geese. We prognosticate that yours, being larger tlian theirs, will have the 

 call of the market ; and if feci like theirs, we know from long experience 

 that their flesh will be quite as dchcate in flavour, if not more so, than 

 that of smaller specimens. 



Hastings Poultry Show (Fair Play). — The treatment of your bird 

 was most unjustifiable. We can imagine nothing that would waiTfint a 

 man in bleeding a cock in such a barbarous manner; but well-meaning 

 ignorance may excuse an en'or in judgment, and the man in charge may 

 have done foolishly with good intention. As a rule, the actingcommittee 

 of a poultry show engage a m-in who is supposed to be competent to 

 superintend in every way, both as regards feeding and treatment. This 

 absolves them ; but it is to meet such a case as yours the rule is intro- 

 dured which disavows beforehand all liability of every kind. Every ono 

 who exhibits a bird or a pen of birds dees so subject to a code of rules, of 

 which this is one, and there can. therefore, be no claim against the com- 

 mittee. It will, however, alter the complexion of the case if you can 

 prove wilful and malicious damage committed on your pioperty by a man 

 in their employ. 



DoDGLAS's Mixture (H. TF.).— It should be 1 oz. of sulphuric acid be 

 weight. We are not inclined to think it would be injurious to non-moult- 

 ing fowls; but with poultry, as with ourselves, we prefer to let well 

 alone. 



Tumour on Cochin's Breast lA. B.).— We advise you to open the 

 tumour on the breast of the fowl, and, if there bo anything to remuve, to 

 remove it. They are seldom filled with water only, but have something 

 more solid in them. If the operation is deferred, it is more than probable 

 the tumour will adhere to the breast. At his present age it may be 

 removed with little risk and merely nominal pain. It will aU.o heal much 

 better now than afterwards. 



HAMBURon's Deat-ear become Streaked {GIouce8tcr!tliire).—'We 

 should be inclined to think that when the moulting is over the cock will 

 recover his deaf ear. We are often plagued in this way with Spanish. 

 They are perfect in May, doubtful in June, middling in July, worthless 

 in August, and first-rate in November. All white faces are affected by 

 the condition of the body. Stimulating fuod, violent exercise— anything 

 that causes an upward rush of blood, will interfere with them. There is 

 a red skin inside the white one. The wax was doubtless a scab formed 

 on the face and the white skin, which it may have injured. Or it may 

 have been caused by the hens. They are very fond of pecking the cock's 

 face. We should expect to see him regain all his beauty. It will be well 

 to keep him away from hens at present. 



Matching Game Bantams for Exhibition {Old Suhscriber). — A prize 

 is awarded in Game Bantams, as with any other fowls, to the most meri- 

 torious pen. Matching is essential, and it would, of course, be sought by 

 an exhibitor ; but the fact of all three birds having a doubtful merit, or a 

 positive defect, would not be lessened in its consequences by their all 

 having it. We prefer a red ear-lobe in a Game fowl. 



Crossing Fowls (N., Liverpool). — Your fowls are two-thirds Dorkings 

 If you continue they will be three-fourths, and if you go on agnin many 

 will come pure Dorkings, so far as appearance is concerned. They will, 

 however, always be liable to throw back, and to produce part Brahmas, 

 when Dorkings are most needed. 



Allerton Poultry SHow.^The first prize for Golden-spangled Ham- 

 burghs, and the first prize for Fantail Pig eons, was awarded to T. C. and 

 E. Newbitt, Epworth, near Eawtry. 



Dubbing Scissors (G. D.).- -The scissors used by grooms for clipping 

 horses answer well for dubbing, as they have the necessary curve. 

 Saddlers and cuttlers all sell them. Priest, in Oxford Street, London, 

 sells excellent ones. 



DiARRHtEA IN PiGEoNS (Oiclu — We have not heard that this disease is 

 more prevalent than usual among the fancy stock. All Pigeons kept in 

 confinement are liable to diarrhoea, especially Pouters. When Pigeons 

 fly about miref^trained they secure themselves from disease. Cleanse 

 and limewash their house thorougbly ; well sprinkle the woodwork with 

 chloride of lime. Feed the birds (cram them if necessary), only on old 

 beans. Put down their throats each day three bits of old mortar, each 

 the size of a pea. It would be well to put the birds into a fresh house 

 for a while ; at any rate, separate the diseased from the healthy. But 

 try to remove the cause, then you will remove the disease. 



Pigeons Diseased IJ. T. E.). — Your Pigeons have the wet roup owing 

 to cold or damp. Probably they are confined, and their loft is draughty, 

 and they have little sun. Give them three pills of cayenne pepper and 

 bread daily, and keep them warm. 



Canary not Singing (L. B.). — Change the food of your C.mary which 

 has not sung for two years, gi\ing it mawseed with hemp, boiled egg 

 chopped fine, and plenty of green meat ; also, change the situation, and 

 place the cage where another Canary is in song. Many German Canaries 

 lose Iheir song after the third year. 



Canary with Legs Cramped (S. B. H.).—Yovit bird, we fear, is too old 

 to derive any benefit from our advice. Hold the legs up to the thigh in a 

 cup of wai-m water for two or three minutes occasionally, and place a 

 saucer of water in the cage on a warm day for it to bathe in, also change 

 its food. Give millet and mawseed mixed with canary seed and boiled egg 

 chopped fine. 



A Drone with a White Head (E. ,5.).— The insect you enclosed is 

 very i-emarkable, from the colouring matter being almost entirely absent 

 from both the simple and compound eyes. It is not unlikely that the un- 

 fortunate drone was afiiieted with partial, if not total blindness, resulting' 

 from this defect. 



Hives Without Bees (James Smith). — It is just possible that the 

 population of the three colonies, now without bees dead or alive, may have 

 dwindled and ultimately become extinct, either from the death of queens 

 or from foul brood. We should, however, be much more inclined to 

 heUeve that they really perished during the winter, and that the dead 

 bees were removed by scouts from other hives, whose presence also may 

 have deceived you into the belief that the stocks were still tenanted long 

 after all their inhabitants had become extinct. 



Uniting Stocks (A. avd B.). — If, as wo imagine, the three nuclei are 

 queenless, the union will be readily efi'ccted by simply lifting out the 

 combs, bees and all, sprinkling them with peppermint-scented syrup, and 

 placing them in a full-sized hive. A day or two after, and when any 

 exciteuieut has subsided, a queen may be added, and as under these cir- 

 cumstances she will most probably be well received, she may be simplv 

 immersed in liquid honey slightly warmed, and dropped into the hi^e 

 through the hole in the top, or introduced with all the precautions which 

 you will see described by Mr. Woodbury, in our Journal next week. It is so 

 'difficult to insure the safety of an Italian queen under these circum- 

 stances, that we have abandoned the practice altogether. 



Removing Supers (S. £. I'. Z>.). — i super should be taken off when it 

 is filled, or as soon as the honey hnrvest is over; but this varies so much 

 in dilVtrent locahlics, nad even in the same locality iu different, stasuns, 

 that no precise rule can be laid down. When honey is sealed over in the 

 combs at tlie back of n. liive. the prob'xbility is that the bees are well pro- 

 vided with food, but it by no means follows that the whole of the combs 

 are sealed. 



Husiele Bee (J. Ti. Pearson) — The union of the queon and drone 

 humble bee is but Sftdnm seen; Mr. F. Smith, the eminent IivmonoT^'e- 

 ristof the British Museum, being so far as we kuoiv the only British 

 1 observer who has previously wituesi^ed it. 



