198 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 10, 1870. 



ult., I may state that I have seen two instances. The first 

 occurred twenty years ago. A weak hive was attacked by 

 robbers in the autumn, and the bees fortified their entrance 

 with a dark grey waxy substance, leaving a round hole in the 

 centre so small that a worker bee only conld pass. The last in- 

 stance happened in the autumn of 1868, when the bees of a 

 Strong old stock nearly built up the entrance of the hive, but a 

 slit in the bottom board gave sufficient passage underneath. 

 — Geo. Wilson, IVhallon. 



AN OLD ERROR REVIVED. 



Ix a resent letter from the special correspondent of the Daily 

 News I find the following revivification of an oft refuted blunder : 

 — "That the praises I have vented on the Californian climate 

 are not exaggerated may be inferred from this circumstance. It 

 was some time after settlers had flocked here from other parts 

 of the American continent and from Europe, before the honey 

 bee was introduced. This useful little insect soon made itself 

 at home, and filled hives with honey. Af'er a year or two had 

 elapsed the store of honeycomb was diminished to a minimum. 

 The bees found that as flowers were in bloom all the year round, 

 there was no necessity for laying up a large supply of honey 

 against a barren and blossomless winter season. Consequently, 

 arrangements had to be made to deal with the bees as with hens, 

 abstracting the honey in small portions in order that the forma- 

 tion of the honeycomb may go on uninterruptedly." 



The true explanation of 'the latter part of tho above paragraph 

 may probably be found in the fact that moveable-comb hives, 

 and with them an improved system of bee-keeping, have recently 

 been introduced and very generally adopted throughout Cali- 

 ornia. — A Devonshire Bee- keepek. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Tailoring (Xovus Amicus). — Your remirks would lend to more in- 

 justice tbnn thoBe you animadvert upon. There are many persona stvled 

 11 Reverend " who are not in the clergy Hat. 



Game Bantams' Legs (Yellow).— There is no colonr for the legs of *a 

 Game Bantam that is more correct than another. We believe the most 

 popular colour is the willow. Yellow is quite as correct, and more rare, 

 but it is not so much liked. 



Brahma Cock Single-combed (A Friend). — A single comb is a great 

 disadvantage to a Brahma cock, and if the bird were pitted against pea- 

 combed it would act as a disqualification. The crooked bill is probably 

 an accident, and would be regarded as such. It is a great defect for a 

 Brahma to be small, but that must be overlooked on account of the pea- 



Spanish Hen with Tumours under Eyes (Nix).— Spanish are sub- 

 ject to the disorder you name, and it is almost always incurable. Open 

 one of them; if it is full of cheesy matter there is no cure for it. It 

 will close the eye, and eventually "destroy it. Bathe it freely with hot 

 water. 



Bbahmas' Legs (B. P.).— Your letter arrived too late to be answered 

 last week. Brahmas' legs should be feathered all the way down. The 

 points of both Dark and Light are alike as regards shape. The latter in 

 colour should be dead-white, with flight and tail black, and hackle 

 striped black and white. The legs should be bright yellow. Vulture 

 hocks are not admissible. 



Game Bantams' Toes (Idem). —The Game Bantam cock cannot be 

 pure tred with all but five toes on each foot. It is more than a serious 

 fault, it is a disqualification. Get rid of him, or else, as fault3 are more 

 surely transmitted than merits, his produce will have five toes on each 

 foot fully developed. 



Points of Golden-pencilled Hamburghs (Cheshire Subscriber). — 

 The Golden-pencilled Hamburgh hen should have a clear hackle. The 

 body Bhould be pencilled all over. Perfect feathers should have ten 

 spots on each, five on each side of the shaft. These, when laid one on 

 the other all over the body, form the pencilling. The deaf ear must be 

 round and quite ahite ; the comb full of points, turning up behind, and 

 firm on the head. The tail should be pencilled to the end, and the whole 

 body pencilled. Any running of colours or mossing must be avoided. 

 The pencilling should not be very large. The legs of both sexes should 

 be taper and leaden blue. The co'ck should have the comb and deaf ear 

 like the hen. He should be red-brown ah over ; the tail and sickle 

 feathers should be black, edged with bronze. The cock has not re- 

 covered tho operation. It takes a long time to do so. 



White Polands with Black Crests (J. Bruce).— We are very sorry 

 we cannot help you in any way. We believe they are not to be had. 



Dark and Light Brahma Pootras (T. S. J.).— It is a matter of fancy, 

 and one is as pure as the other. For choice we prefer the speckled, but 

 not the whitewashed breasts, and, if compelled to give an opinion, we 

 should give them first place. 



Hens not Broody (Idem).— There have been no broody fowls, because 

 the severity of the season has stopped their laying, and they are not 

 broody till they have laid all their eggs. You need only a little patience. 

 and you will be seeking the remedy to prevent their becoming so. Your 

 feeding is very good, but as the weather becomes warmer you may dis- 

 continue the beer. 



Vulture-hocked Brahma Hen (Brahma Pootra).—An answer in our 

 last number will tell you the probable results of breeding from her. Like 

 will produce like in all organised creatures. 



Time Occupied in Sitting IJ.Y.).— The hen of all kinds of gallinaceous 

 fowls, from tho Bantam to the Cochin-Chioa, sits for twenty-one days; 

 Ducks of the usual breeds twenty-six to twenty-eight days; Muscovy 

 Duck often thirty-five days, but the time varies ; Goose, from thirty to 

 thirty-five days; Guinea fowl, from twenty-eight to thirty days; Turkey, 

 twenty-eight days; Peafowl, from twenty-eight to thirty days. 



Sky Tumblers (J. Messenger). — Mr. Crook will publish a series of 

 notes upon these Pigeons in our Journal: his first article you will find 

 in a previous column. We presume that you overlooked our weekly 

 notice that our correspondents are not to be troubled with private 

 letters; information required from them can be obtained through oar 

 columns. 



Multc Canaries Barren (A. H. G.).—" They will not breed.— W. A. B." 



Song of Exhibited Birds (G. H.Baynor).— The birds are judged for 

 beauty of plumage, quality, and condition, and not for singing. It does 

 seem strange to many that one of the most interesting features in the 

 character of what are essentially "Bong" birds should be ignored, but 

 the fact is that the musical department is in the hands of a separate 

 branch of the " fancy," whose whereabouts may be ascertained from the 

 columns of Bell's Life, where may be seen announcements of copper 

 kettles to be sung for by Goldfinches, " most ones in the month," what* 

 ever that may mean. With such we hold no fellowship. Bechstein, 

 speaking of the Hedpole (page 260), says, " It is a very affectionate bird, 

 constantly caressiftg not only its own mate but even Linnets, Gold- 

 finches, Siskins, and Canaries, If confined in the same cage. It seems, 

 therefore, not improbable that it might be induced to pair with some, if 

 not all of these." It is not too early to begin to breed in the middle of 

 March. 



Hybrid Goldfinch and Bullfincfi (A Subscriber).— Pair the Gold- 

 finch and hen Bullfinch early in the season, tbat they may become ac- 

 quainted with each other. Furnish the hen with a nest-box suitably 

 large, but at the same time at or about the time when you may expect 

 her to lay, fill the bottom of the cage with soft chaff, as she will be as 

 likely to lav her egg there as in the nest. Remove the Goldfinch, too, when 

 you are satisfied his company is no longer requisite, or he will speedily 

 demonstrate that it is neither requisite nor desirable, for unless he be a 

 most discreet bird he wilt assnredly break every egg. Remove the eggs 

 also, and place them under a Canary holding a first-class certificate as a 

 nurse. Feed with egg and bread crumbs, or egg and crushed hempaeed, 

 and look forward hopefully to rearing a winner in the "Any other va- 

 riety" class of Mules. 



Raw Silk (S. 0. S.).— Write to Mr. Leonard Hirman, jun., Old Catton, 



Bacon (A Subscriber).— If it melts away in frying, it probably is owing 

 to the pigs being fed largely on milk. The fat is made firmer by feeding 

 partially on peas. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 9. 



We have no change to report, as the supply is about adequate to the 

 requirements of the trade, and the provincial markets are quiet. The 

 varieties of dessert Pears are now few, and consist chiefly of Xe Plus 

 Meuris and Beurre de Ranee. Apples comprise American Newtown 

 Pippins and the English varieties i 



s. d. 



Apples J sieve A t 



Apricots doz. t 



Cherries lb. ( 



Chestnuts bushel 10 ( 



Currants i sieve ( 



Black do. ( 



Figs doz. ( 



Filberts lb. r 



Cobs lb. i 



Gooseberries quart ( 



Grapes, Hothouse.... lb. 8 ( 



Lemons V100 6 < 



Melons each ( 



.artichokes doz. 



Asparagus *+ 100 



Beans, Kidney do. 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. . i sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums v* 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.„doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ....bundle 



Mulberries quart 



Nectarines doz. 







dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums 1 sieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries 02. 4 



Walnuts bushel lo 



do ^-10J 1 



VEGETABLES. 



. d. 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard x Cress.. punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



4 8 



i Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



. doz. 16 2 6 



6 

 5 



Vegetable Marrows.. doz. 



POULTRY MARKET.— March 0. 

 There is an indication of a rise in prices, a-id the severe weathi 

 doubtless, make young poultry scarce for some time. 



p. d. 

 Partridges to 



LargeFowls 3 6 to 4 



Smaller ditto SO 3 



Chickens 2 2 



Goslings 7 7 



CockTurkeys 



I Ducklings 3 6 4 



Pheasants 



Pi',' 



9 



