306 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AKD COTTAGK GARDENER. 



[ October 17, 18OT. 



BoccessfuUy cultivated in that country, is nevertheless com- 

 pletely sterile owing to the absence of its natural fertiliser the 

 humble bee. Under these circumstances it is of course appa- 

 rent that no red clover seed can be matured in the colony, but 

 that all that is required must be imported from Europe at a 

 very considerable expense, which might be almost entirely 

 saved by the naturalisation of the humble bee. 



My first proposal was, that a number of queens should be 

 songht for and collected as soon as they commenced hybernat- 

 ing, and that having been packed in moss they should be 

 placed in the ice-room of a fast ship, there to remain until 

 they reached the Antipodes, where it might be hoped they 

 would arrive in sufficient time to admit of their forming nests 

 and propagating their species during what remained of the 

 Australian summer. Tire realisation of this apparently very 

 promising scheme is, however, as I am informed, rendered im- 

 possible by the fact that there are now no ships going out 

 fitted up with ice-rooms, the only ones fitted in this way having 

 been those in which the salmon ova were sent out, and, of 

 course, at a very heavy expenditure. 



This idea being for these reasons entirely impracticable, in- 

 formation is now sought as to whether there is any possibility 

 of securing humble bees in some sort of package in which 

 ample food might be contained, and in which they might make 

 the fbyage. I confess that this project does not seem to me 

 very feasible ; but as a great many readers of " our Journal " 

 are probably much better posted-up in the natural history of 

 the humble bee than myself, I should be greatly obliged by 

 their opinion upon the point, as well as by their suggesting 

 any other mode by which the desired end might be obtained, 

 advising us also as to the selection of the most valuable 

 species,' and the best mode of, as well as the most favourable 

 localities for, capturing them. — A Devonshire Bee-keeper. 



DRIVING BEES. 



Will you kindly describe the surest method of driving bees 

 from one hive into another ? I have attempted it four times this 

 year, and partially failed. Although I succeeded in getting the 

 combs from the hives, I had to drown many of the straggling 

 bees that would not leave. 



I am at a loss to understand what is meant in page 59 of 

 " Bee-keeping for the Many " where it commences, " All is now 

 finished until an hour after sunset,'' and so on until it ends in 

 "peace and harmony." Am I to understand that the hive 

 which is to be put on the top of the full inverted hive is an 

 empty one ? and that I am to let the bees remain in that until 

 an hour after sunset, then take the hive containing the bees 

 only, and put it opposite the hive which I want them to enter, 

 place it on two sticks, and then give a smart stroke, and knock 

 the bees out between the two sticks, and they wiU then enter 

 the previously inhabited hive, and that will do until next 

 Bummer ? Wdl not the bees that have been driven into an 

 empty hive from a full one, and kept there tor six or seven hours, 

 desert it, having left a full home for an empty one ? 



I will now explain how I proceeded to drive my bees, and 

 failed to a certain extent. About six o'clock in the evening I 

 turn the hive which I want the honey from upside down, 

 putting one occupied with bees and partly filled with combs on 

 the top of it, and I tap gently on the bottom one for about 

 twenty minutes ; then I leave it for a while, but find en return- 

 ing that they have not yet left the bottom one. I have thus 

 left the hives for the night as they were, one on the top of the 

 other. Early the following morning I go to them, but find a 

 great number of bees still in the bottom hive with the honey. 

 Being afraid of the bees, I take the top one oft', and put it on the 

 floor-board, and then I am sorry to say, I have been obliged to 

 drown the bees that will not leave the hive, in a can full of 

 water, and knock them out on the ground, worthless. I have 

 of com-se an objection to mixing the honey with water, which 

 I think is wrong. 



I am very anxious to save the bees, and by joining weak 

 hives to make them strong in the following summer. Many of 

 Jny neighbours would be glad if I could put them in the right 

 way to save their bees ; but I, not having much practice, am 

 rather timid. I have joined four stocks this summer ; but not 

 with perfect success. I should like to be able to drive them 



T-t^'' Wm. Jardine, in the volume on "Bees," of " The NaturaUsts' 

 fiiprary, states that " npwards ot forty different species are described as 

 anaabitauts of Bntaan."' 



without any loss of life if practicable, and am most anxious fat 

 information on the point. 



I am also at a loss to account for my Ligurians carrying in 

 white pollen, and being covered all over with white powder, like 

 a miller's coat.— T. H., Muntfionury. 



[Mr. Woodbury gave a very full description of the entir* 

 process of driving bees in No. 139 of our new aeries, and we are 

 now promised another contribution from his pen which will 

 embrace and enter minutely into all the details of the same 

 subject. ^Yith regard to the meaning of the passage to which 

 you refer in " Bee-keeping for the Many," it is intended that 

 bees shall remain in the empty hive set on the old stance, from 

 the time at which they are driven until the evening, when they 

 are to be knocked out on a cloth and surmounted by the in- 

 habited hive which they are intended to enter. Your attempts 

 at driving seem to have resulted in partial failures, owing to 

 lack of experience, and from not persevering long enough. The 

 articles to which we have already referred will afford you foil 

 information on all points. We are quite at a loss as to what 

 flower affords your Ligurians such abundance of white pollen 

 at this advanced season.] 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Me. M. C. Harbison, Southport.— As my last notice appears to have 

 been overloukert by Mr, Harrison, I have again to ask him to furnish 

 me with bis full address. A communication which I attempted to 86b4 

 to him by pott has come back through the dead-letter office.— T. W. 

 WooDECRV, Mount Radford, Exeter. 



MoHiEY PoDLTEY Show — The sccoud prize for Black Bantams wa8 

 awarded to Messrs. S. & K. Ashton. and not to Mrs. Staunton, ay reported 

 in the list. 



Promoting RAprn Groivth {Partridje Coc/iiiil.— The best course is to 

 give good ground food mixed with milk ; cooked meat chopped fine. 

 Food to be constantly changed and given frequently, a little at a time. 

 To this add warm roosting, but no artificial heat, a good run, and plenty 

 of growing gieeu food. The Partridge Cochin cock should weigh 8 lbs. 

 when nine months old, and the pullet of the same age 6 lbs. If more, so 

 much the better. 



Rabbits with Diseased Lrrass (TubercU:\—YoaT Rabbits have 

 suflfered from hereditary disorder of so serious a nature, that one of the 

 parents should be got rid of. Disease of the liver in Rabbits is very 

 common, but generally the tumours that project from the surface of the 

 liver, and that are also to be found in the interior of it, are of a carti- 

 laginous, almost a bony character. They also suffer from "fluundera," 

 Uke sheep. In wild Rabbits, these appearances of the liver follow a long, 

 wet, and damp time. It is against their health or nature to do well with 

 wet fur. Over-feeding on green food or wet green food will always cause 

 disease. The cheesy matter that forms the tubercle is a common disorder, 

 generally supposed to be inherited from the buck. We have known it to 

 be in large lumps between the skin and flcbh, so large as to be easily felt 

 by the band. We have been successful Rabbit-breeders, but we always - 

 followed one plan, which was never to allow a doe to rear more than fonr 

 young ones at a time- We then never had any disease or weakness among 

 them. If they are bred for table purposes only, she may rear all she 

 brings forth, but care must be taken to supply f'ood in proportion to the 

 number. All these diseases will appear where breeding in and in, es- 

 pecially between parent and produce, is practised. 



Feeding Bees (J (^'onstant Reader). — Lump susar dissolved in water 

 in the proportion of three parts (by wtight) of the former to two of the 

 latter, and boiled a minute or two, forms a cheap and excellent bee-food. 

 It is best administered by means of an inverted bottle, the mouth of 

 wh ch should be tied over with a bit ot coarse leuo, or cap net, and the 

 bottle-neck inserted in the hole which often exists, or, if not, can be 

 easily made with a sharp penknife, in the crown of a common hive. 

 The bottle, which must hold at least a pint, should be refilled every even- 

 ing until the hive attains a sufficient weight to stand the winter. No 

 time must now be lost, as the entire supply ought to be given before 

 winter seta in. 



Canary Management (rrotter).— The cause of young Canaries pecking 

 their feathers arises from the want of amusement to draw their attention. 

 Hang several small swings in the cage, and some pieces of cuttle fish and 

 millet seed, which will amuse them ; also throw a little mawseed at the 

 bottom of the cage ; give likewise a little green food. If you find that 

 will not cure the pecking, separate them for a short time until they have 

 well recovered from their moulting. Canaries wiU not stand cold below 

 46^' Fatr. To colour breeding cages, put a piece of lime in a basin, and 

 add hot water to slacken it, let it be about the consistency of cream, and 

 put it on with a hard brush. Some persons use whitening with a small 

 quantity of size. 



Skylark's Beak Growing too Long — Effect or Food on Plchage 

 {K. P.). — There is no remedy for preventing the growing of the upper or 

 lower beak of the Skylark. In your case nothing can be done but to cut 

 it. taking care not to cut the quick. If the food of the bird is changed 

 and less hempseed given, the natural colour will most probably be re- 

 stored at the next moulting season, if the bird be in the open air; if not, 

 it is very doubtful if the colour will alter. Young cock bulUinches show 

 the red feathtra on their breasts in their first moult. Early birds should 

 now show their colour. 



Destroying Insects is Bird Cages (JB. Smi(/i).— Turpentine wonid 

 destroy the insecis, but would be injurious to the Canaries. Cleau the 

 cages and give them a good wash of benzine, which would destroy all 

 vern in. Place them in the open air tmtil the smell goes off before re- 

 placing the biids. 



