JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAOE GARDENER. t February 24, lb70. 



to be, however, a happy medium which experience generally en- 

 ables the practised apiarian to hit without very much difficulty, 

 and which would appear to be just the time when the bees are 

 sufficiently numerous at once to occupy the new territory, hut 

 when they have not suffered much inconvenience from over- 

 crowding. We should prefer giving additional super room as 

 required so long as honey continues plentiful, and only resort 

 to a nadir if the bees become overcrowded towards the end of 

 the honey harvest, or after the supers have been removed.l 



] rail oat a hackle feather and lay it on the wound ; 



FORCING BEES. 

 Having read in some book treating on bees, that if they are 

 kept warm they will swarm early, would the following plan do ? 

 Here (Dundee) amateur gardeners take mill-pob— that is, the 

 dust or refuse from flax, hemp, or jute in process of manufac- 

 turing, and put about 18 inches of it into their frames, pack it 

 hard, then -.vet it. and in a few days a firje mild heat is raised. 

 I propose to pack that bulk of it round a hive or two this 

 month, thinking the queens will thereby commence egg-laying. 

 I shall try it with hives having from 30 to 40 lbs. of honey! 

 My difficulties are— 1st, Can young bees be reared without 

 pollen, as there will be none here for some time ? 2nd, I fear 

 the bees will go out in search of it, and may be lost with the 

 cold. 3rd, Will the damp heat have any tendency to iiijure 

 the combs? 4th, Supposing the heat causes the queen to 

 commence laying, would her laying season finish before she 

 makes the autumn brood that survives through the winter and 

 spring ? 



I would like to hit npon some plan to get early swarms, as 

 then they have ample time to store both for themselves and 

 me, whereas, when late, instead of helping me for my trouble 

 with them, I have to help them.— H. L. 



[What you propose is a very interesting experiment, and 

 we therefore hope you will try it and report the result. With 

 regard to the difficulties which you suggest, we should say, 

 1st, that although young bees certainly cannot be reared with- 

 out pollen, we never knew any difficulty arise on that score in 

 this country, having always found sufficient of last year's stock ! 

 on hand to last until the new collection began ; it might, how- 

 ever be advisable in your case to try if the bees would take 

 meal or flour (ryemeal is considered the best), which is given I 

 them m considerable quantities during spring both on the 

 Continent and in America. 2ad, Some extra loss of bees will 

 probably take place from their getting chilled abroad, but this 

 will probably be much more than compensated by the increase 

 of young lees. 3rd, If the hives are protected by being 

 covered w:ib 5 nme waterproof material, such as oiled calico, 

 no injurious effects seem likely to arise; but this precaution 

 should net be omitted. 4th, Early breeding in spring will not 

 interfere with egg-laying in autumn.] 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



<?v NL S r , PuI:LTRY Show ( s - a - C).— We do not think that the mistake 

 of the omcii s deserves severenotice. such accidents will happen ; but he 

 who received your birds and kept them, although your address was on the 

 label, deserves a harder name than we choose to print. 



Nantwich Poultry Show— In the class for " Any variety of Pigeons " 

 we are informed that Mr. John Dutton, Banburv, took the first prize and 

 Mr._ Joseph Chesters the second. We have had some charges bron"ht 

 against the managers of the Show by "A Cheshire Subscriber:" bat 

 as he declines to give his name, we decline publishing them. 



Chickens Dying (Bcd<v\ — The intense cold was the cause of the 

 chickens being cramped and dying, probably. If thev were not fed verv 

 early m the morning that would render them more liable to suffer from "a 

 low temperature. We should cover the whole of the mud floors with 

 sand and rake ,t clean every morning. The diet seems unexceptionable. 

 Ine distorted bill might be the effect of cold. 



h^A K £? AIX1XG . n = E Ego I* 1 - °- <?• J-)— Your hen is probably egg- 

 ™E t „ „ - C 7 , ?■ Slmp L e f, nd ? asy - " is onl y B«essary to be deli- 



cate m your manipulation. Pull out a stout wing feather Quite perfect at 

 the top ; dip it in oil till it is soaked, then pa.s if up the egg'p.Lage till 

 it meets the egg, which, thanks to the oil, will be easily laid If there be 

 any difficulty you must repeat the process, dipping the feather into the 

 oil each time. Do not attempt assistance in the way of pressure, as the 

 egg may thereby be broken m the bird, and that is always fatal sooner or 



Poultry Food when withodt Vegetables IN. P.).-Givo ground 

 oats. It you cannot obtain them, give stale crusts— the stalest you can 

 nave— raspings, and sweepings of bakers' counters. Let them have road- 

 grit, and wnen the weather permits let them have some fresh mould. 



Dobbhig a Game Bantam (Hero).— Dnb the cockerel with a pair of 

 curved scissors. Cut from the front to the back of the comb as closelv as 

 is possible without layingthe skull bare ; then take the gills and deal ear 

 They suffer little from the operation, but sometimes bleed a good deal' 



When this is the c 

 it stays the bleedii 



Various (QuerUt). — To your first question we answer you can buy Love 

 Birds at Hawkins's. Bear Street, Leicester Square. Tiles are worse than 

 wood for the floor of a poultry house. Both are bad. The only good and 

 proper flooring is earth— clay, soil, or gravel, the latter preferred. There 

 is no great difficulty in rearing Bantams in March. They want only a 

 little extra care and more frequent feeding than they would later in the 

 year. 



Andalusian Cock's Face (An Amntcur).— Specks of white are not even 

 a serious disadvantage to an Andalusian fowl. We are not lovers of 

 patent foods, and our experience is that ordinary food properly given is 

 by far the best. 



Pullets not Laying (Julia).— We have no doubt von have overfed the 

 birds. Feed rather less : discontinue the rice and the meat; give them 

 ground oats and whole barley, nothing more, Thev will then lay ; now 

 they are too fat. 



Game Pullets Drooping (a. w. IF.).— Like many other people yon 

 are erring on the side of kindness. Your poultry bill of fare is too ela- 

 borate. They do not want sheep's paunches at all. Thev fatten to an 

 injurious extent, they interfere with all the functions of the body, and 

 that is why the eggs are laid shell-less and the birds droop. Give your 

 birds at daybreak barleymeal or ground oats mixed with water. Give the 

 same at night. Feed in the middle of the dav on whole corn or Indian 

 W - e ti '<f r , 8cra P 5 of llead and tabl o refuse. Let them be well supplied 

 with fresh earth. The food for young chickens is boiled egg, bread and 

 milk, cooked meat chopped fine, and bread and ale. Curd is also verv 

 good. 



Points ra Various Pigeons (John A. Vmour).— W« would advise you 

 to procure Brent's " Pigeon Book " free from our office for twenty stamps, 

 as it contains all the information you require. 



Wing Disease in Pigeons (G. A. and J. 0. H.).— The original cause 

 01 this disease would most naturally seem badness of blood and consti- 

 tution. As in the human subject'all eruptions, sores, So., arise from 

 within. Wing disease is a form of scrofula, and brought on by bad food, 

 unclean water, crowding, and want of air and exercise. It is said that 

 tincture of iodine applied at the early stage absorbs the matter in the 

 lump ; afterwards a cure is impossible. Destrov the birds if not very 

 valuable, as scrofula is hereditary though not infectious. A hen with a 

 still mug may be bred from, but not a cock. 



Blue-headed Nuns.— "B. T. K." wishes to know where any of these 

 Pigeons can be obtained. 



Antwerp Pigeons (B. A'.).— You had better write to some one who has 

 exhibited them. If those who have any to sell would advertise them, 

 they would find customers. 



Birds for an Aviary (A. C.).— Ten birds might be kept in a verandah 

 aviary 13 feet high at the back, 2 feet 3 inches deep, and 7 feet long, 

 whether heated or unheated, provided a sheltered place for them to roost 

 in at night were erected. If possible, the birds should be in pairs, as they 

 agree much better. They may be selected from the following— viz., 

 Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Bramblefinch, Bunting, 

 Yellow Bunting, Cirl Eunting, Snow Bunting, Linnet, and Twite. 



Canary Catarrh (Lnnnc).-Keep the bird in a warm place, and give it 

 a few drops of sherry in the water occasionally. 



Dog Biscuits.—" A. L:' wishes to know of what thev are made. The 

 best food for a dog. we consider, is oatmeal made into thick porridge with 

 either milk or pot-liquor. A dog should be fed once dailv. and an ounce 

 of food allowed for every pound he weighs. If he become thin on this 

 diet, give him a little more ; if he become fat. give him a little less. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— February 23. 



Quotations remain nearly the same as last week, business being of 

 a very quiet character, and we have no novelties worth mentioning. 

 Foreign and home-grown produce is quite sufficient for the demand. A 

 trifling advance in the first-quality Potatoes has been obtained, but only 

 to a limited extent. 



Fr.UIT. 



Apples } sieve 3 61 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 8 



Currants J sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 6 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, Hothouse lb. 7 



Lemons t'100 6 



Melons each 2 



Mulberries quart 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges y 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do flOO 1 



GO e 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes — doz. S 



Asparagus ^- 1O0 10 



Beans. Kidney ......do. 5 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Efd doz. 2 



Broccoli bundle 1 



Brnssels Sprouts..! sieve S 



Cabbage doz. 1 



Capsicums 'p-lOO 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 3 



Celery bundle 1 



IV1, worts. .doz. bunches 3 



Cucumbers each 2 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 2 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ....bundle s 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce score 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress, .punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes . . doz. bunches 



PJmbarb bundle 



Savoys... doz. 



Sea- kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows . .doz. 



