272 



JOUKNAL OP HOKTICULTURE AKD COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ April 11, 1867. 



of Bnmmer when both drones and queens fly far from home, 

 must be left to chance. The bee-keeper may, however, do 

 something to further true impregnation by encouraging those 

 stocks which have the most Italian drones, as well as those 

 with young queens, to a simultaneous flight rather early in the 

 day, whilst other drones remain quietly in their hives, which 

 may be done by giving them liquid food either in the ordinary 

 way or by injecting it into the hive." 



Having thus endeavoured to convey information on every 

 point that has occurred to me in connection with the multipli- 

 cation of the Italian variety of honey bee, and having thereby 

 replied to the queries of numerous correspondents, I need only 

 add that I shall be most happy to supply any deficiency that 

 may be pointed out. — A Devonshire Bee-keeper. 



PREVENTING SWARMING. 



Is there any practicable and easy method of preventing bees 

 from swarming ? Two years ago I began bee-keeping for profit, 

 and had a house made capable of holding three stock hives, 

 and two supers on each'if requisite ; the boxes are of wood, 

 with two glass sides in each, so that I may be able to watch 

 the movements of the bees ; the flight-board of the stock hives 

 is all that can be seen on the outside of the house, which is 

 under lock and key. After all my care and attention I find 

 myself up to the present time debtor to cash. 



The difficulty which I cannot master is this, when I see my 

 bees likely to swarm I place a super on in hopes of retaining the 

 workers by increase of room, but to no purpose, for it appears 

 that when all is ready off they go. I still leave the sujier 

 on, hoping that as a further increase takes place the super may 

 be filled with honey, but no, they seem to prefer taking them- 

 selves off with their new sovereign, and the super, the access 

 to which is through three holes, each 2 inches in diameter, re- 

 mains empty ; thus the season passes over, and leaves me 

 minns of honey. Some will perhaps say you must destroy the 

 young queens as they are hatched, and the evil will be remedied. 

 That is easier said than done, especially in a stock hive. The 

 queen may be captured while swarming, or after the swarm is 

 taken, and the bees will return to the hive only to wait further 

 orders; but all that is attended with danger and difficulty. 

 But when they fly off. what then ? — catch them if I can I sup- 

 pose. Well, that is the trouble I want to prevent. 



At the end of last year I successfully applied chloroform to 

 two small swarms, and joined them with two others ; they are 

 now well and strong. I did not find either of the queens. — A 

 Novice. 



[No system of management can be depended upon for the 

 absolute prevention of swarming. Sufficient room should be 

 given in good time, and the temperature of the hives care- 

 fully attended to whilst the supers are filling, recours? being 

 had to increased shade and ventilation immediately the bees 

 show signs of being oppressed by heat. In spite of all these 

 precautions swarms may issue, and if the combs be fixtures 

 in the hive we deem it better to accept them without further 

 demur. If, however, the combs are moveable, the swarm 

 should be temporarily hived in a common skep ; and the young 

 queen, if any, being removed, and all royal cells excised 

 (a task which the deserted condition of the stock hive will 

 render sufficiently easy), the swarm may be returned with 

 every prospect of no further issue taking place until the super 

 be complete, even if the intention to swarm be not altogether 

 frustrated.] 



AMERICAN BEE PLANT— Cleome integrifoi.ia. 



This plant has been cultivated to some extent in this neigh- 

 bourhood for several years past, and proves one of the best 

 and probably the very best honey-producing plant known. It 

 was introduced by the writer about the year 18C0 as a new 

 annual flowering plant, from the Rocky Mountain region, but 

 its great value was not at that time known and was not dis- 

 covered until a year or two after, when the writer was sur- 

 prised to see the plant covered with bees, while other flowers 

 in the immediate neighbourhood were quite neglected. The 

 next year a much larger quantity of this plant was grown, and 

 it was found that the honey stored in boxes at the time that 

 this plant was in bloom was of a much finer quality than any 

 other. Every succeeding year of its cultivation, confirms this, 

 and I find that while this plant is in bloom nenily all other 

 flowers are discarded ; even the Buckwheat, which every one 



knows is a great favourite with the industrious little fellows, is 

 quite deserted. The honey stored from this plant is positively 

 the finest both to the eye and the palate, of any that I oversaw. 



The plant is of easy culture and looks well in the flower gar- 

 den. It is a strong grower, and much branched like the common 

 Mustard plant, though its flowers are a bright purple, and are 

 produced from midsummer until frost destroys it in autumn. 



It will grow on any soil, though a rich one suits it best, and 

 may be sown in drills, or broadcast if the ground is clean. 

 Autumn is the best time for sowing as it comes into bloom 

 sooner. It has already acquired the local name of " Bee 

 riant," in this vicinity (Chicago) and as it is indigenous I pro- 

 pose that we call it the Great American Bee Plant. — H. A. 

 Teeey. — {Pmiric Farmer.) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Hens Eatino theih Eggs (B. B.}. — There is no remedy. The remain- 

 ing eggs should be put under another ben, and the culprit should become 

 soup-meat. 



PrANisH Cockerel (A. H. D.).—1he mopinp and blistered face intimate 

 he has suffered from the lonR winter, and is only now recoveriuR. While 

 the ground was covered with snow, we did not see our fowls ; they kept 

 in-doors and in shelter. Kow, when the weather is finer, we ourselves 

 feel more cheerful, and expeet to sec everything flourishing. Give him 

 bread steeped in strong ale, some lettuce if you have it. If he has no 

 grass, give him some sods, and let him have fresh earth every day. Let 

 him have ground food, no whole corn. 



Poultry Runs (J. S.). — Cover the surface 8 or 4 inches deep with road 

 drift. Have a hejip of ashes and liuiy rubbish under cover, so that the 

 fowls can have a bath and the raw material of their cgR-shells whenever 

 they wish. Ground oats and boiled potatoes in equal proportions form a 

 good diet for all fowls. It would be well to let each variety have a few 

 hours' run in the field daily, rather than one whole day and then miss two. 



Fowls Eating each other's Featbers (An Amateur Poultry Breeder). 

 —The facts you detail are all indicative of internal in-itation in the fowls. 

 Give them no whole corn. Feed chiefly on barlcjTneal and boiled potatoes ; 

 give as much of lettuce leaves as you can ; and let there be a heap of dry 

 ashes mixed with some limy rubbish under cover that the fowls can have 

 access to all times. Do not omit the limy rubbish. 



White Dorkings (J. Steven). — We cannot interfere under the circum- 

 stances. Give notice for the post-oflicc order not to be paid, and wait to 

 see if legal proceedings are adopted. 



Caponising {C. E. G.).— We know of no work upon this cruel and need- 

 less practice. 



Desirable Fowls ffl. J. H ). — As eggs, chickens, and good appearance 

 are required, we think you had better adopt Dorkings. They are average 

 layers, good sitters and mothers, and beyond contradiction the best birds 

 for the table. It is ncces,sary they should have a run. and you can give 

 it to them. If you object to this breed you can have Cochins, Brahmas, 

 or Game. We know no others that will suit you bo well as one of these, 

 because they each possess all the quahtics, while many of the best layers 

 do not sit. 



Poultry (J. R. Beyton). — Wo should keep Brahma Pootras in prefer- 

 ence to Houdans if having your object in view ; but you must not expect 

 to obtain high prices until your stock is noted for pri;!etaking. Chickens 

 hatched in April will not be old enough for exhibition in July unless very 

 precocious. 



Asthma in Canaries {A Suhncrihcr). — We should prefer not breeding 

 from a Canary liable to the disease ; but if he be mated with a perfectly 

 healthy hen the risk of an asthmaticai progeny will bo very small. 



Aviary. — There was a misprint in our -lournal of Thursday last in 

 answer to the inquiries of " Changeable." We said that in an aviary 

 ■'2 yards square and 1 yard high" fourteen kinds could be kept. It 

 should be '2 yards square and 3 yards high. An aviary of the height we 

 mentioned would not contain fourteen birds for breeding. 



Hives iC. a. -Dwan).— Apply to Messrs. Neighbour & Sons, Regent 

 Street, or to Mr. Pettitt, Hive Manufacturer, Dover. 



Flowers for Bees {Index). — You may sow Mignonette, Borage, and 

 Mclilotus leucantha. 



Artificial Swarms — Production of Queens (J. H.). — Whou making 

 an artiflcial swarm by putting a hive containing a Ligarian brood-comb 

 iu the place of a stock of l)lack bees, the Liguriiin bees should remain on 

 the comb. Our earliest successful queen was hatched on the 20th of April. 

 Putting a royal ceil in a cage when presenting it to a queenless stock, is 

 not only quite unnecessary but is absolutely useless. 



Ventilating Hives — Nadirs {Suffolk Bee-keeper). — In ventilating hives 

 kept in a bee-house, it is not essential that the air admitted should come 

 from the exterior of the house. We should much prefer supering to any 

 system of nadii'S. 



Ligtirian BEEsfFoWTif; Soldier). — See the observations of " A Devon- 

 shire Bee-keeper " in our Jom-nal to-day. 



POULTRY MARKET.— April 10. 



Good young poultry is very scarce, and meets a reiidy B^le nt large 

 prices. Inferior qualities arc not in demand, and find a heavy sale. 



d 

 

 



LarfTO Fowls 4 



Snol'fir do 3 



CLiekeus 2 



Goslings 7 



Ducklings 3 



PigeouB 



too 







Pheasants 



Partridges 



Grouse 



Guinea Fowls 'J 6 SO 



Rabbits 14 15 



WUddo 8 9 



