January 24, 1867. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTURB AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



79 



College Green, to my left, alive with sliders, and beyond it the 

 cathedral, now restored, but still how inferior to the chui'ch of 

 St. Mary Eedcliffe. What a city rich in architecture, to possess 

 both a cathedral and, perhaps, the very finest parish church 

 in England ! I think of Chatterton, Southey, Coleridge, and, 

 greater than all. Bishop Butler, the author of the wonderful 

 "Analogy." 



Pressing on I am at the foot of Park Street, a fearful hill 

 always, but now doubly fearful with the frost. I see before 

 me carts locked together ; horses, whose careless owners had 

 not caused their shoes to he roughed, putting out all their 

 strength to drag forward heavy vehicles, but strength only end- 

 ing in slippiug and no advance ; foot-passengers here and there 

 falling, if ladies, to the infinite damage of their chignons. 

 Soon, but not very soon, I am at the top of this hilly, slippery 

 street, and alight in front of a new building to my right, and, 

 after walking down a corridor, I am in the Hifle Drill Hall. 



First, I would remark, that the situation of this hall is ad- 

 mirably fitted for a Bristol and Clifton show, as it stands mid- 

 way between the two places. It is convenient both for Bristol 

 citizens and Clifton residents. It is no long walk for the Bristol 

 man of business or fowl-loving artisan, and the daintiest Clifton 

 boot can reach the hall unsoiled by city mud. So much for its 

 situation ; as much may be said for its interior capabilities. 

 It is large, nearly square, the roof supported by light iron 

 arches, the lighting admirable, and, gas being burnt, the tem- 

 perature was most agreeable to man and bird. 



The arrangements of the Show were excellent, and must 

 have cost the Committee, all amateurs, much thought and 

 work. I walked round and round trying to see where I could 

 suggest improvements ; but I am unable to suggest one, and as 

 to blots there were none to hit. The pens were good and large, 

 the space between the rows was ample, more room being given 

 than is usual, neither were the pens so high as to preclude a 

 view of the hail, or of one's friends in other parts of the building. 

 Not unfrequently the pens are so high that I feel as if walking 

 between two feu banks. Then across the two ends were the 

 Bantam pens ; this was a very good arrangement. These little 

 fowls look best when separated from the larger birds, and as one 

 came down each row, there, full before one, was the whole range 

 of the fairies ; this was a very pretty feature. Along the side 

 wall were benches with backs, and between each two benches 

 a large evergreen plant or tree. Then above floated numerous 

 flags and many twinkling points of flame, which raised the 

 temperature so pleasantly. In one comer was a refreshment 

 stall, where the viands were not dear and u-cre good, and the 

 proprietor need not read " The Boy at Mugby" in " Mugby 

 Junction." Standing at the refreshment counter one saw the 

 hall to full advantage, and though fully remembering other 

 shows and my pleasure at them, yet I must dub this as the very 

 prettiest and best-arranged winter show at which I ever was 

 present. We had hght, warmth, good taste, and nearly eight 

 hundred pens of poultry. Owing to the pleasant temperature 

 the birds did not mope in corners with hanging heads and 

 rnflied plumage, but showed to advantage. 



It will be needless for me to repeat the prize list, rather I 

 will mention any features of the Show which seem to me to 

 demand particular notice. First, a word about the Spanish. 

 I was prepared to expect much at Bristol in this class, knowing 

 who resided in and near ; but the excellence of the birds sur- 

 prised me. The chickens, especially, were deserving of an 

 emphatic " Most excellent ;" they belonged to Messrs. Parsley, 

 Koue, Lane, and Jones. 



Lady Holmesdale carried off, to add to her many cups, one, 

 I think, better than any her ladyship previously possessed 

 — viz., the cup of the Show ; but it was not won easily ; 

 other pens were nearly if not altogether, to some judgments, 

 quite equal to hers. The first-prize White Cochins were again 

 most admirable ; I could scarcely leave the pen. The Par- 

 tridge Cochins were again extremely good ; next to the Spanish 

 I preferred this class. The third-prize pen of Light Brahmas 

 bore a ticket stating " These birds have been purchased by Her 

 Majesty." The Game were of varied goodness, some even not 

 dubbed. But, well ! they paid their entrance money ; but why 

 wUl people send birds to be laughed at ? I was able to feel Mr. 

 Fletcher's first-prize hen as she passed close to my hand, and 

 the hardness of feather was wonderful. 



It was really quite pleasant to see so many pens of Polish, 

 birds always attractive at a show ; may I beg many a breeder 

 to have at least one sitting of eggs this spring ? 



Among the more recently imported varieties I would decidedly 

 state that the Houdan is much the handsomest breed, and ' 



worthy of becoming more gonorally Imo-wn ; by the way, it 

 might be well to print the names of these new kinds In the 

 catalogue. 



The Bantams, seen so well at this Show, were also well worth 

 seeing. The first-prize Duckwingg were admirable ; and Mr. 

 Cambridge's Blacks were first, and the cock, perhaps, the very 

 best I ever saw. It pleasedme to see the old-fashioned Speckled 

 Booted. Horace Walpole frequently mentions, " I first fed my 

 Bantams." He was an early riser, and I apprehend his were 

 these Booted Speckled — the best known in the last century. 

 Let me press upon readers having but a small yard or garden 

 to go in this year for Bantams ; nothing is a prettier pet. 



Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys — happy Geese and Turkeys to 

 have survived Christmas — abounded. The Brown Call Ducks 

 pleased me extremely, perhaps the prettiest of the smaller 

 Ducks, though apt, if allowed to fly, to be shot by mistake for 

 wild Ducks. The little Blacks are very nice for a small piece 

 of water, and may be kept like Bantams where larger birds are 

 unsuitable. 



I spent the chief part of a too-brief winter's day in the Eifle 

 Hall, and though I have no blot to hit nor improvement in 

 arrangeqjent to point out, yet I would in conclusion remark, 

 that the first few days in the New Tear are not good days for 

 exhibitions ; people's heads are full of visiting, Christmas is 

 scarcely gone, indeed, I found that neither lectures nor penny 

 readings were well attended so soon in the year ; Paterfamilias 

 is also grumpy, owing to those bills, always larger than he 

 expected, and instead of, as at other times, fobbing out five 

 shillings with a smile for all his family to go to the poultry 

 show, he, with the youngest in his hand, now says, " No, girls, 

 we must economise; think of what those bonnets of yours 

 cost me." This is all I can suggest, as the Secretary told me 

 there were to be Pigeons next year — Pigeons that cost so little 

 for carriage, that a great number may always be relied upon as 

 sure to be sent. Trusting that the Bristol Show may be an 

 annual one, and ever be well attended, I heartily thank the 

 Committee for the pleasure they have given me. — Wiltshike 

 Eeotoh. 



AMERICAN BEE-KEEPEES' INSTITUTE. 



A Bee-keepees' Institote has been established on Kelly's 

 Island in the state of Ohio, where an association which claims 

 to be " composed of the best apiculturists " proposes for "a 

 small compensation " to educate its patrons in the science 

 and art of bee culture. Advantage has also been taken of its 

 position to introduce the Italian bee into Kelly's Island, where 

 it is stated to be separated by a distance of twelve miles 

 from any native bees. Queens of this variety are advertised 

 for sale at eight dollars (about £1 13s.) each, with a reduction 

 on taking a quantity. 



SHIFTING STOCK HIVES. 



One of the most important principles to be attended to in 

 practical bee-keeping is. Never to shift stock hives, but to allow 

 them to remain, as De Gelieu says, "fixed to the spot as the 

 ancient oaks." Many people imagine they may be safely 

 moved a few miles in winter, but in my opinion, this is a very 

 improper time to change their situation. However gently 

 handled, a certain amount of disturbance necessarily takes 

 place, and then the bees, which were previously inactive, begin 

 to consume food, which will inevitably be attended with evil if 

 the weather be such as to confine them to their habitations for 

 any length of time. Of this I have had indubitable evidence 

 on several occasions. 



Two years ago, on a comparatively mild day in January, I 

 had a hive in excellent condition carefully conveyed on a pole 

 by two men to the distance of a mile, but the commotion in- 

 duced by the carriage made itself felt during the remainder of 

 the season. On account of the inclement weather that followed, 

 the bees were unable to leare their hive for several weeks, and 

 the frequency with which they approached the entrance without 

 daring to venture out, showed the deep distress they were in. 

 Numbers fell down on the floor-board and died ; those that did 

 go out never returned, and in a short period every bee would 

 have perished had not an- exceptionally fine day seasonably 

 arrived, which permitted an airing to be taken. Other hives 

 which had not been interfered with did not appear to suffer in 

 the least during the period of confinement referred to. 



On another occasion, pecuUar circumstances led me to rouse 

 a hive into complete activity about the beginning of December. 



