324 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 2-t, 1867. 



terval to elapse before following npon the same ground, to avoid get- 

 ting the walk ' tainted,' as it is tei-med, with liability to disease." 



FEEDING BEES. 



I FiVD it stated that the right time of feeding bees is in the 

 antnmn and spring, and not mid-winter or cold weather. Now, 

 I have two hives : No. 1 is a swarm of 1860, in a common straw- 

 hive, they are apparently strong ; No. 2 is a second swarm from 

 No. 1, which came off on the 17th of June this year (the first 

 swarm I lost, it settled in a hole of an old ash tree, 20 feet 

 from the ground and 50 yards from my bee-house). No. 2 is 

 in one of Neighbour's improved cottage hives, and I fear very 

 ^eak indeed in numbers. For two or three weeks after being 

 hived the bees made little or no progress, but they have since 

 made fonr or five combs about halfway across the hive, and 

 from top to bottom nearly ; the bees from the first clustered at 

 one side close to the window, and never go near the otber side 

 of the hive. All or most of the cells that I can see are sealed- 

 Tip. None of the bees from either hive have come out for the 

 last three weeks or more, owing, I suppose, to the cold and wet 

 weather, although garden flowers are still plentiful with me. 



Now, may I ask you to say when I should commence and 

 when leave off feeding for the autumn, and when again begin 

 and leave off for the spring? Do you think that by liberal 

 feeding I can save No. 2 ? Will moist sugar (3 lbs. to 2 lbs. of 

 water), answer as well as loaf sugar for food? I live within a 

 mile of the sea, on the bleak coast of the county of Durham, 

 and I do not think there are any bees kept within miles of 

 my residence, although No. 1 was a "come-by-chance" last 

 year, but where from is a mystery. 



I suppose I can do nothing to get back the swarm lodged in 

 the ash tree ; but probably by -watching (if the bees live over 

 the winter), I may have one or more swarms from them nest 

 year. — Ans. 



[Feeding by means of an inverted pickle-bottle should com- 

 mence immediately, and be concluded as soon as possible. 

 The general rule is that all feeding should be finished by the 

 end of this month (October). The time for spring feeding 

 varies in different localities, but it may commence as soon as the 

 risk of frost and snow is past, and be continued, if necessary, 

 until the bees are able to maintain themselves. No. 2 may 

 probably be saved by the immediate administration of a liberal 

 supply of food and extra protection during the winter. We 

 much prefer lump to moist sugar for bee food. If you could 

 cut down the old ash tree you might remove the hollow part 

 with the bees to your own garden, thereby converting it into 

 what the Germans call a *' klotz-hive."] 



bee-masters would let us know what the result of this season 

 has been with them. — Denton. 



BEES IN SOUTH LANCASHIRE. 



The year 1867 will long be remembered in this part of the 

 county (South Lancashire), being one of theworst for bees ever 

 known. I began this spring with eight stocks, which are now, 

 October 14th, fifteen, all of good weight. Had it not been for the 

 heath I should have had to feed them all. 



My first swarm was on Midsummer-day, my last July 0th, 

 and this, with several others, I took to the moors on the i7th of 

 August. I brought them back on the 30th of September, and 

 just to show your readers that bees of the Ligurian strain are 

 better workers than the black bees,Imay state that the swarm of 

 July 9th, besides making the weight of the hive 30 lbs., gave 

 me a small beU-glass of 7^ lbs., which I think for so late a 

 swarm is not bad. 



I communicated to your Journal last autumn, the fact of one 

 of my queens being connected with a Ligurian drone at an 

 apiary five miles distant. That stock produced the swarm 

 named above, on July Uth. The parent stock now shows six 

 well-marked bees of the Ligurian strain t® one of the black. 

 Eefore swarming the black bees were most in number, so that 

 unless the young queen had cohabited with a Ligurian drone, 

 the marks upon the hybrids do not die out, but increase in the 

 following generation. The nearest place to mine where 

 Ligurians are kept, is five miles off. I have not seen the young 

 queen, but intend looking at her majesty the first fine day. I 

 have her in one of Ruber's improved hives, which in my ex- 

 perience, far surpasses any other kind I have yet seen for ma- 

 nipulation. I have Nutt's, Neighbour's, and Woodbin-y's 

 hives, besides straw ones. Several of my bee friends are 

 having some made from my pattern. 



I think it would gratify your readers if some or most of the 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Chickens vmn Ceooked tails (J. T. H".).— Wo have never had 

 crooked tails among our chickens without being able to trace them to 

 one of their ancestors. We Itnow of no accident to cause them that 

 would not be attended with worse results than the twist of a tail. We 

 Imow no cure for it, but we are nearly sure if close examination be made, 

 a crooked back will he found among the parents. Nothing in the way of 

 beauty, good points, or size, will justify the use as a stock bird, of one 

 with ft crooked back or tail. 



Black Bantams' Faces— Colour of Hocdans (.4h Inquirer). — Black 

 Bantams should have red faces and white ear-lobes. Houdans should bo 

 black and white splashed or spotted. It is difficult to have the cocks as 

 perfect as the hens. They may be bought at any price, from 128. each, 

 according to the quality of the birds. 



Feathers Quill-bound {Lancashire). — A cooling diet is very essential 

 in such a case, and we know nothing Vtetterthan lettuces, especially such 

 as have run to seed. We have found so much benefit from these this 

 season, that we have determined to grow some next year for the purpose. 

 We always use compound sulphur ointment on bare spots. It will some- 

 times happen that from injury to the skin, familiarly called "barking," 

 the surface will assume a dry shining appearance, and be. in fact, as hard 

 as goldbeater's skin. In this case the end of the feather will be unable 

 to penetrate, and will, consequently, grow inwards between the skin and 

 the flesh. Pass a stout needle under the feather as near as may be to 

 the quill, make the opening as small as you can, and carefully draw the 

 feather out. Avoid meat feeding and all stimulants. 



Characteristics of Houdans iSubscriber). — Houdans must have the 

 small spikes; also crests or small receding top-knots, whiskers, and 

 beards. Failing these, they are not Houdans, and if properly judged 

 should not take a prize ; certainly not against those that possess them. 



Hen with Male Habits (Harriet). — The bird you mention as calling 

 like a cock, is passing into an imnalural state, and we ad\ise you to con- 

 sign her to the stock-pot. The appearances you note will increase daUy 

 till they become an insufferable nuisance. The cause of the change is 

 an injury that precludes the possibility of any future profit being derived 

 from her. 



Cross Between White Spanish and Dorkinct (J(^'^0.— Spanish is 

 never a good cross with Dorking. The only advantage the latter could 

 gain would be a slight increase in the number, and a considerable in- 

 crease in the weight of eggs. The sacrifice would be, loss of symmetry 

 as a table bird, and loss of merit as an excellent sitter. 



Coloured Fowls and Pigeons (J. iU"., Wellington). — We do not know 

 the means by which "tricksters" colour poultry and Pigeons; and did 

 we possess a luiowledge of this secret we should hesitate before we pub- 

 Hshed that of which a dishonest use might be made. 



Incubators (J. E. Newman). — You must write to those who have ad- 

 vertised. 



Golden Pheasant's Plumage Fading (P. Pictm).— There are three 

 causes for a fading plumage such as you descrihe. First, bad health and 

 want of condition : second, extreme age ; third, having been frequently 

 pulled for the sake of the feathers. The topping and tippet of the 

 Golden cock Pheasant when he is in full feather is worth nearly the 

 value of the bird, and it is not uncommon to have one plucked twice or 

 thrice a-year. After this the producing power is lessened, and a plumage 

 such as you describe is produced. 



Foul IBrood — Collateral Hive (G. W. D.). — Foul brood is, as its 

 name implies, a disease of the brood, a portion of which dies at a certain 

 stage, either immediately or soon after the previously coiled-up worms 

 have extended themselves in their cells and have been aealed-up hy the 

 bees. These defunct larv^ appear to undergo a peculiar kind of decom- 

 position, by which their bodies are converted into a brown liquid, which 

 gi-adnally thickens by evaporation, until it attains the consistence of 

 bird-lime, and emits a very unpleasant smell. At first only a few die; 

 but, as these are not removed by the bees the infection spreads, and the 

 mortality increases until the brood-combs become mere disgusting 

 masses of putrid larvse ; and the stock, after for some time giving off an 

 offensive odour, which may even be perceived at a distance, ultimately 

 perishes from the births failing to keep pace with the deaths among the 

 population. This disease, being very iofectious, is the direiit calamity 

 which can befall the bee-keeper, and is best treated like tlie cattle plague, 

 by being at once "stamped out" by the destruction of the colony or 

 colonies in which it first appears. We Imow of no mode of distinguishing 

 it in common hives until it has made such advances that its presence 

 becomes manifest by the emission of that repulsive odour which is pecu- 

 liar to the disease. It is, however, very fortunately not so prevalent in 

 England that you need fear to purchase bees from an apparently pros- 

 perous apiary in which none of the hives emits an unpleasant smell. The 

 entrances to the different compartments of your contemplated " acht- 

 beuter," as it would be styled by the Germans, are much too near to- 

 gether, and by their close pi-oximity would cause constant quaiTcls and 

 incalculable waste of life. Neither should the bars be surmounted with 

 glass, which would condense a very injurious amount of internal mois- 

 ture. Hives are best kept as far asunder as may be convenient. Wo 

 like the entrances to be at least 4 feet apart, and allow more whenever 

 practicable. 



H\"ERiDisrNG Birds {DicJcey) — A Lark and a Canar\' will not pair. 



Burning Coke in an Aviary iTrottfrs). — If there is a pipe-chimney to 

 the stove, so that the fumes of the burning coke would all pass into the 

 open air, no injury would occur to the Cnnaries. If the fumes escaped 

 into the aviary they would injure, probably Idll, the bints. 



Gold Fish {U. F. M.)- — There is no certain time at which this species 

 of Carp assumes its golden and red colours. It varies according to the 

 fish's constitutien and rate of growth. 



POULTRY MAFJvET.— October 23. 



Small things resemhle larger ones, and as gloom seems to be the 

 characteristic of all markets, so ours is no exception. There is a meagre 

 supply and no trade. 



