March 3, 1S70. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



177 



004 (H. Asliton), was a Mealy bild and not a Jonque. Five entries, 

 and a poor class. 



Class 22, Buff Goldfinch Mule.— The winner, 609 (J. Doel), was a 

 fine bird, but had dark thighs ; ho earned his position fairly, as 611 

 (J. Young) (Snowflake, and winner of the cup at Sunderland) was ill, 

 and could not pull himself together better than to earn a second prize, 

 which he shared equally with 012 (J. Yonng), an absolutely clear hen. 

 I am sorry to say both these beauties died during the Show, whether 

 from the severity of the weather, or from the many ills to which 

 Canary flesh is heir, I cannot say ; but I am happy to take this oppor- 

 tunity of bearing testimony to the great care and attention bestowed 

 by Mr. Wilkinson's assistants upon the sickly members of the flock, 

 and the careful measures taken to tight the cruel cold outside. 



In Class 23, Variegated Yellom Goldfinch Mule.— Mr. Doel showed 

 two such birds as I never saw, nor anyone else. 631 and 632 (cup), 

 equal first, will come between many a man and his wits for some time 

 to come. In Jonques they reigned supreme ; there was nothing near 

 them. I should have eulogised the equal second, third, and very 

 highly commendeds, but these two throw them so far into the shade 

 that I cannot find them. 



Class 21, Variegated Buff Mule. — No. 669 in this class was what 

 Mr. Doel's were among the Jonques, a prince among Mules. He is 

 as good a Buff as they are Jonques ; they are more lightly marked on 

 the wings, but his marking is exactness itself, while the pencilling of 

 the eyes is such as never was seen on a Mule before — black as jet, and 

 as clearly defined as if done to order by one of the guild of " painters 

 and stainers.'' Each is tho type of perfection in its class, but since 

 Jonque among Mules seems to bear a higher relative value than in 

 other classes, there should be a cup for each class, or there is no 

 possibility of a Buff winning, even if the balance of points (bar 

 colour) be in its favour. The other winnerB and " mentioned " birds 

 were first-class, hut I think there was an oversight as regards 619 

 (Ashtont ; it was worth a very highly commended. 



The Dark Jonques and Dark Mealy Mules were very fine, and I am 

 still of the sime opinion that Moore & Wynn's bird is the best Dark 

 Jonque " out." 



In Linnet Mules, 720 (Young) and 715 (Ashton) distanced the rest 

 completely, and in " Any other variety of Mule " Mr. Stansfield was 

 first with his Bullfinch and Goldfinch — a great beauty. In this class 

 Mr. Y'oung exhibited a Bullfinch and Canary Mule, or what is alleged 

 to be such, and though it has been passed over more than once as 

 being a " Variegated Canary," that is no proof that it is not what it 

 is represented to be. So far as reliance can be placed on human 

 statements, it is a hybrid between the Bullfinch and Canary. Mr. 

 Harrison Weir recognised a great resemblance to the Bullfinch head 

 and beak, especially in the formation of the lower mandible. How- 

 ever, its reproducing capabilities will be put to the test, and if an 

 impostor, both bird, and breeder and seller will be exposed. 



I hurry past the groups, each good in its kind, and remarking that 

 the British birds formed the best collection I ever saw, and regretting 

 that I have not time to notice them, I leave them and the rest of the 

 eleven hundred entries, in the hope that some eloquent pen well versed 

 in bird-lore will descant upon their merits. 



A hearty shake of the hand from friends one only meets once a-year, 

 and we turned our backs on the " Derby " of 1870, crossed the tran- 

 sept just in time to see the clown in the pantomime make his bow, and 

 in a few minutes were Hying back to town — in an hour or two flying 

 back to home. 



There are two or three sunny memories connected with my visit. 

 I made the personal acquaintance of the Editors of " our Journal," 

 and was duly initiated as a member of the happy family connected 

 with our little serial. I wish I had time to give a few details of my 

 visit. Those who know them best could best appreciate what I should 

 have to say, but I should require a large stock of words indicative of 

 kindness, geniality, refinement — just such qualities as you might ex- 

 pect to find at the head of " our Journal." And I went home, too, 

 where I was nursed when I was a " raw gobby ;" that is a sunny 

 memory. And I had a regret too. I looked forward to meeting 

 " Wiltshire Rector," but a severe domestic affliction prevented his 

 leaving home : my disappointment was not greater than the regret I 

 felt at the intelligence, in which I am sure every reader of "our 

 Journal " will join. — W. A. Blakston. 



therein I placed or> the top, and secured the two hives by a 

 band of cloth tightly tied round the part where they joined. 

 All then being in readiness, I commenced a series of drumming 

 or beating, by means of two sticks about 2 feet long, in the 

 opposite direction of the combs. This in a very short time 

 had the desired effect, and the bees might be heard in great 

 consternation ascending to their new domicile. No fear need 

 be entertained of the queen not being amongst them, as she is 

 always one of the first to ascend. The point then to settle was 

 how many bees to leave in the old hive to rear another queen. 

 I therefore lifted the hive gently about an inch, and saw a fine 

 cluster hanging from the new hive, which I estimated at about 

 half the number of bees the old hive originally contained. This 

 was so far satisfactory. The hive in which was the new-made 

 swarm was then removed to the stand of the old hive in the 

 place of hive No. 1, and the bees which had accumulated there- 

 in were unceremoniously shaken out in front of the artificial 

 swarm, which they soon joined, and on the return of the bees 

 still abroad made a goodly number. To treat with the old hive 

 was the next step ; that was carefully wrapt up, merely per- 

 mitting enough space for ventilation, and not for the egress of 

 the bees, and placed iu an odd corner of the bee-house for 

 two days, to enable the bees to lay the foundation of a new con- 

 stitution. At the expiration of this time the hive was placed 

 in an advantageous situation, and the bees released. Both 

 hives prospered, and in the ensuing season I took more than 

 one glass of honey from the artificial swarm. But, however 

 successful I may have been in this case, I do not recommend 

 the method being tiied on a stock which will throw off natural 

 swarms.— A. R. R. 



ARTIFICIAL SWARMS. 



Observing in your columns of the 17th alt., a letter from E. 

 Walpole, jun., wishing information on the above subject, I 

 submit my experience for his guidance. 



On the 11th of June I had a common country straw hive of 

 bees which had obstinately refused to swarm for two seasons ; 

 I therefore determined to attempt the formation of an artificial 

 swarm, for which purpose I provided myself with two empty 

 common straw hives — Nos. 1 and '2; and about 10 a.m., after 

 puffing a few whiffs of a cigarette under the hive containing 

 the bees to be operated upon, I removed it about 10 yards, and 

 placed the empty hive, No. 1, in its place to amuse the many 

 rovers on their return. The populated hive I reversed on a 

 pail or tub, and hive No. 2, with some worker comb attached 



SWARMING. 



It is our intention to explain this more fully when we come 

 to the practical part of this work. Though it is one of the 

 most interesting parts of bee history, swarming, with all its 

 adjuncts, is very difficult to explain, or put in a tangible form. 

 The building of drone combs, and the formation of royal cells 

 long before they aie wanted, indicate that swarming is a law 

 amongst bees ; it is an instinct of their being, and tends to 

 their preservation. 



In the spring months hives have not very much honey in 

 them. The combs then afford plenty of scope for hatching 

 brood; and young bees are produced faster than they die. 

 Hives soon become "choke full." Sometimes clusters of bees, 

 like bunches of grapes, hang outside. They are ready to swarm. 

 Preparations are made for the important event. The bees well 

 know, long before it comes to pass, that the queen (call her 

 the old or mother queen) goes with the first swarm. What 

 about a successor to the throne? When the swarm shall have 

 gone, there will be no queen in the hive, and no fresh-laid 

 eggs. These wonderful creatures know all this, and, there- 

 fore, never fail to set eggs in royal cells, and thus have young 

 queens on the way, before they send off a colony. Generally 

 the eggs for young queens are set about four days before 

 swarming takes place. Inclement weather may prevent the 

 swarm leaving at the usual time, and, therefore, the young 

 queens may be nearly ripe and ready to leave their cells ere 

 tho old queen and swarm leave the hive. Sometimes these 

 young queens, by reason of wet or cold weather, are torn out 

 of their cells, and when this takes place swarming is post- 

 poned for a week or two. The weather may become more 

 favourable, and a second time preparations are made for 

 swarming. As the time draws near, the bees send out scouts 

 to find a place for the swarm to go to. Like a queen wa^> in 

 spring seeking a place to build her nest, these scouts go from 

 bush to bush, and up and down the hedgerows in their own 

 locality. When the spot is fixed on, there is in some way or 

 other a consultation about it in the hive, for messengers are 

 seen going straight to and from the place some short time 

 before the swarm leaves. It may, and sometimes does happen 

 that two places may be selected, half the swarm going to the 

 one, and half to the other. But let us return to the hive, and 

 we shall find there something to excite our admiration. Thirty 

 or forty thousand bees are about to leave the place of their 

 birth, and the comforts of home, never to return. Home- 

 sickness is a feeling unknown to emigrant bees, provided they 

 have a queen amongst them. The signal for departure will 

 soon be given, but not before these thirty or forty thousand 

 bees have well filled their bags with honey. Which Great 

 Bee gives the signal to go will never be told, but unquestion- 

 ably a signal is given, for in a moment the swarm gushes pell- 



