JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 21, 1871). 



deal of matter which Mr. Pettigrew quotes in support of his 

 theory from a former edition of the American work : not only so, 

 Mr. Quinby pointedly modifies his original views by recasting 

 the concluding paragraph on the subject in such a manner that 

 he may be said in fact virtually to have recanted them. The 

 truth is that it has been abundantly demonstrated that bees' 

 eggs when deposited in the cells are of two kinds, fecundated 

 and unfecundated — that the former invariably batch into fe- 

 males, either perfect or imperfect — i.e., queens or workers, and 

 the latter into males ; that all eggs are alike imperfect when 

 they first leave the ovaries of the queen, but that in the case 

 of those eggs which are destined to hatch into female bees, 

 whether they are developed into queens or not, they become 

 fecundated as they pass from a fertilised queen. The perfect 

 mother-bee, however, has alone this power of fecundating eggs, 

 which, indeed, she seems to exercise at will. 



We observe that Mr. Pettigrew gives scant praise to the now 

 fashionable Ligurian or Italian Alp bee. He allows it but one 

 merit, that of beauty, from which, however, he detracts by, let 

 ns say, odious comparison with that of the wasp. Herein he 

 differs from the general opinion which prevails among bee- 

 keepers who have really given the Apis ligustica a fair trial. 

 Mr. Quinby is quite as warm in his admiration of its superior 

 qualities as any of his brother bee-keepers, German, English, 

 or American, who in this respect follow the high authority of 

 dear old Virgil, himself a practised bee-keeper. We will 

 venture to say that Mr. Pettigrew knows nothing by full 

 personal experience of this charming and useful bee. 



A singular statement occurs at page 47, where Mr. Pettigrew 

 asserts that bees " carry home as much haney as possible 

 during the day, and that during the night they re-swallow it, 

 when it undergoes a thickening process, and thus becomes 

 honey proper." Is this more than a fanciful theory assumed 

 to be fact » 



We have thus criticised a portion of Mr. Pettigrew's book, 

 not in an unfriendly spirit, but in the interests of science, 

 which will admit nothing as fact which has not been satis- 

 factorily proven by patient investigation and repeated ex- 

 periment. 



A further notice shall be given upon the second part of the 

 work, which deals with the practical management of the apiary. 

 — B. &W. 



(To be continued.) 



Bees in California— Some of the fruit- growers of California 

 are unjustly very angry with the bees, which they believe de- 

 stroy their grapes and ripe fruit. These insects, like everything 

 else in this wonderful country, have increased marvellously, 

 and afford a striking instance of the enormous powers of 

 reproduction in animal life when introduced into a genial 

 climate. It is said, and I believe with truth, that before 

 1853 not a honey bee ever crossed the Sierras to the Pacific 

 Slope. In that year the first hive was introduced, and the 

 bees multiplied so rapidly that bee-producing soon ceased to 

 pay. The insects took flight to the mountains and forests, 

 and now the Mexican hunter and the digger Indian can gather 

 their wax and honey for nothing. Bee-culture is mostly con- 

 ducted in the ordinary rough way, and I could obtain no good 

 information about the products. One man told me that from 

 a new hive he reckoned he took 30 or 40 lbs. of honey, but that 

 his bees swarmed so often that he had given up looking after 

 them. One hive threw off eight or ten swarms every year, and 

 as he had no room or time to bestow on them he let them 

 go.— (Correspondent of Exeter Gazette.) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Anonymous Correspondents [P .C.).— We know a very great majority 

 of our correspondents ; and one chief reason for not signing their rea'l 

 names is that when they do they are liable to be pestered by private 

 communications. 



Barnstaple Prize List (H. Lemortliy).— There cannot be two opinions 

 on this list. It ib very imperfect— only one class for Cochins; Malays 

 are not Indian Game ; French varieties all in one class ; Polands, any 

 variety ; Ducks, Rouen and Ayle9bury Ln one clasB, are such mixtures 

 that no judge could do justice to exhibitors. 



Brahma Cock Lame (Lame Brahma).— As we do not know the amount 

 of injury, nor where it is, we cannot give an opinion aB to the probability 

 of recovery. Keep him by himself without any roost, and out of sight of 

 all companions. 



Black Spanish with Face Diseased (W. .¥.).— Purge with castor 

 oil ; follow it np with Baily's and camphor pillB. Wash his face with 

 vinegar and water, and feed entirely on meal and green food till he has 

 recovered. 



Crossing Brahmab (Forest Bill).— Your friend should be put " in 

 durance vile " before he makes such a blunder as crossing Brahmas with 

 Spanish. Wc dislike all crosses, but if there is a cross to which we par- 

 ticularly object it is one between sitters and non-sitters. It destroys the 

 good qualities of both. Keep the Brahmas pure. 



Non-flyino Fowls (E. O. M.).— Ciesar and Pompey are very mncb 

 alike. If the Spanish fly over so will the Houdans. They are sure to 

 prefer the garden because they should not go there. Men and fowls are 

 perverse. A very celebrated "Blue-nose " was asked if be had any idea 

 why his forefathers originallv camp into North America. He said he had 

 no doubt because "they were wanted in England." Just so, if it were 

 possible to make fowls understand, and you could explain to them they 

 were wished to go into the garden, then they would go the other way. 

 Brahmas or Cochins will suit you — no others. 



Eogs Tasting Musty (J. S. IF.).— Your fowls must get at something 

 that giveB the flavour to the egg. Nothing is more easily influenced in 

 taste than an egg. If anyone would try it for experiment's sake, let them 

 feed a fowl on garlic, and the eggs will taste of it ; onions the same, malt 

 duet the same. The only answer wo can therefore give is, that the taste 

 is from without and not from within. 



Overfatness and its CONSEQUENCES (H. J. H.).— Your Game Bantam 

 pullet which has occasionally laid during this last month, and has twice 

 lately been found lying down, apparently having lost all use of her legs, 

 and moving abont on her wings spread out, and gasping, but after a few 

 hours seemed as well as ever, getting up and cackling, and each time 

 laying a soft fall-eized egg. is suffering from an inflamed egg-passage, 

 the consequence of overfatness. Give her no corn nor any other hard 

 food, but meal and boiled potatoes, and lettuce leaves. 



Mr. Hotsh (W. A. A'.).— He died in 1850. AU the queries you put have 

 been discussed in former volumes of our Journal. 



Queen's Supposed Death (G. £.).— Blow a few whiffs of smoke under 

 the edges of the hive all round during the middle of a tine day, and then 

 boldly turn it up and examine it. If when the bees are dispersed from 

 the combs by a few more puffs of smoke no brood ia visible, the hive is 

 probably qneenless, and its inhabitants should be expelled by driving 

 and united to the next stock. 



Neighbocr's Hive Untenanted (J. E. E.).— We do not think it posBible 

 to tenant your unoccupied Neighbour's hives and obtain glasses of honey 

 from them by June. We should advise you to have patience and stock 

 them with swarms in the usual way. 



Bees all Dead ID. Stewart).— Your bees probably died owing to the 

 protracted winter, or they may have dwindled away from the death of 

 their queen. We have ourselves lost one stock under very similar cir- 

 cumstances, and, indeed, never expect to be entirely exempt from oc- 



casional casualties of this kind. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— April 20. 



We are unable to report a continuance of the improvement we noticed 

 a fortnight ago, the trade generally having fallen off. Large arrivals 

 of foreign goods have had much influence in their particular department. 

 Old Potatoes of choice quality are still in request, notwithstanding the 

 importations of the new from Malta, the West Indies, Lisbon, and Prance, 

 are now assuming a large bulk ; prices varying from 2d. to 4<i. per lb. 



FRUIT. 



b. d. e. 



Apples J sieve 3 6 to 6 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



CheBtnnts bushel 14 



Currants 4 sieve 



Black do. 



FiKB doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 9 1 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, Hothouse.... Ib. 8 15 



Lemons ^100 6 10 



Melons each 



8. d. 8. 



Mulberries quart Oto 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges & 100 



. doz. 



7 10 



Raspberries lb. 



f 100 1 2 



VEGETABLES. 



, Kidney do. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. . 4 sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums ^ 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



ColewortB..doz. bunches 



Cucumbers each 



pickling d> 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish .... bundle 







.00 00 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress. . punnet 



Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys. „ doz. 



Sea-kale . 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



basket 2 SO 



Vegetable Marrows.. doz. 



POULTRY MARKET.— Aprh. JO. 



Large Fowls 4 to 4 



Smaller ditto 8 6 4 



Chickens 2 6 S 



Goslings 6 6 7 



Turkeys 



Ducklings S 6 4 



Guinea Fowls 2 



Pigeons 



Hares , 



Rabbits 1 



Wild ditto 



