452 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



mast have been the cause, as on the day of attack there was a 

 keen east wind, and the snn was very hot, and I always find 

 bees are more inclined to sting in each weather. 



Now for driving bees oat of one hive into another. I re- 

 member reading about it in the Journal some time ago, bat 

 cannot find the page now ; and having a very weak swarm in 

 one of Neighbour's hives with three supers, which my employer 

 kindly brought me, I thought of the experiment of driving 

 them. My first plan was to take off the top and supers, and 

 elose the super holes with the pieces of zinc sent with the 

 hive for the purpose. I then, with the aid of a young man, 

 endeavoured to drive the bees by means of a pipe of tobacco, 

 unclasping the floorboard, turning the hive bottom upwardB 

 on the ground, and closing a common small hive on the top, 

 but the bees would not stir. In the morning I replaced the 

 hive and tried another plan, by driving the bees with tobacco 

 at the entrance hole through the super holes to the top hive, 

 as I thought, but it did not answer, and I am afraid it is easier 

 said than done. Will any of .the readers of the Journal advise 

 me how to do it ? for it is very annoying, after having a fine 

 super from a common box hive, not to be able to get one now. 

 I see no chance of the bees filling the hive, much less getting 

 a super. I believe it was only a late cast that was put in the 

 hive' I might say all this was done without a sting. 



The box hive spoken of, I have found answer better than 

 any I have yet tried. It is about a foot square, with two sliding 

 doors to afford a view of the bees when working, and seven 

 bars of wood let-in as joists of a floor, and made to take a bar 

 of honey out at pleasure. There are four holes at the top, about 

 an inch square, for the bees to go through to the super, and by 

 placing a small straw hive over the super you can remove it at 

 pleasure. I claim for it that it is the cheapest and most con- 

 venient hive in use, and it is the invention of a much-respeeted 

 clergyman in WaleB. — J. Elcome. 



Eaklv Super. — Seeing in " onr Journal " the account of an 

 " early super " being taken on June 4th, I thought it might be 

 worth while recording that I took a super on the last day in 

 May, and which super I had v 'ihit on exactly fourteen days pre- 

 viously. The straw super and hooey weigh just over 8 lbs. 

 I put on an empty glass on taking off the straw super, and the 

 glass is now fall, and ready to take. — W. Fabren, Cambridge. 



■ Four Hours at Taunton " — Erratum. — In my report of the T — law 

 Show there is a printer's error, which if not corrected may eaoao the 

 archaeologists to smile. "By the Saxons it was called 2\t*fKa w (out 

 Tanteen as printed), "pronounced so still by the inhabitants, showing 

 how a pronunciation will linger though the spelling may change." — Wilt- 

 hhirf. Rector. 



Transferrins Bees {Pater). — The best mode of transferring; stocks 

 from straw to frame hives was described in our number published on 

 the 22nd July last. Our experience of chloroform when applied to bees 

 is by no means favourable, bat we are nuahle to state whether it would 

 or would not be injurious if thrown into the hives in the form of spray. 



Bees not Swarming (Glasi %ive). — We cannot tell why your bees have 

 not swarmed, but this we do know, that it is by no means an unprece- 

 dented occurrence. Why not make an artificial swarm by driving all the 

 bees of one stock into an empty hive during the middle of a fine day, 

 and putting them on the old stance ; then shift tbe second colony to a 

 new position, and put the deserted hive in its place to be re-peopled by 

 the returning bees ? 



Swarm in a Hedoe [J. C. L.). — The Bwarm is yours only in the event of 

 itB not being claimed by the owner. As its value depends upon its size, 

 the earliness of the season when it issued and the usual price of swarms 

 in your locality, it Bhonld therefore be appraised by some competent 

 judge upon tbe spot. It requires a much more definite description of tha 

 "square box" in which theyjhave been hived, to enable as to state 

 whether it is adapted for the occupation of bees or not. 



Ligurians (0. C. O.).— It they are first swarms (May 21 and Jane 2) 

 both may yet work supers, but we should not expect a second swarm to 

 do so. If, when a super is removed, the stock hive remains rather light, 

 it is always easy to make up the deficiency by feeding. 



Moisture in a Hive {J. E., Bath). — The internal moisture which yoa 

 perceive condensed on the window of yonr wooden hive is at this time of 

 no importance whatever, whilBt ventilation wouM at this seasoa be likely 

 to do far more harm than good. We doubt whether either of the swarms 

 will work supers this year, but yon may try them with small ones, which 

 will contain, say, about 8 lbs. each, and which may be put on at once. 



Bees in Alton Hives (E. S. J. 3f.).— It seems to us that both stocks 

 ' have done, and are doing, verv well, only one has refused to accept the 



Iaditional space offered to it. The consequence of putting a drawer full 

 of bees from No. 2 into No. 1 would probably be a furious mi Ire ending in 

 the massacre of the intruders. The dirty substance at the edge of the 

 drawer may be due to the wax-moth, and had better be cleared away. 



To Teach a Jackdaw to Tais (fiurffcml.— A Jackdaw does not re- 

 quire tbe tongue to be cut to enable it to talk : it is absurd to suppose 

 that would make it do so. The Jackdaw is a mimicing bird, and may 

 sometimes be taught, like the Starling, to say a few words. 



Spuriods Honey. — A New York paper says that not one 

 pound in ten of the honey sold in that city ever knew a bee! 



Waterproofing Cloth. — Place a sheet of thin gutta percha, 

 procurable at any chemist's, between two pieces of calico, and 

 then iron it with a flat iron hot enough to make the oohesion 

 perfect ; it is waterproof and light-proof too, and very easily 

 made. — (English Mechanic) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



i the dimensions of 

 a confinement ; it 

 i not strong 



Chickes Management [Novice).— You do not give 1 

 the house, but we do not wonder at chickens dying 

 affords none of the elements of health, and they an 

 to make much use of garden refuse. They want the dust, grit, and 

 animal life of liberty We should not expect to rear in confinement. 

 We do not like your "feeding. It is not good enough for chickens. We 

 do not hnow what chicken grits are. We always feed ours on the best 

 food. We give curd, chopped meat, chopped egg, bruised wheat, and 

 bread and milk. We do not give whole corn, nor do we think chickens 

 can profitably digest it. Our opinion is lit is not a general one), that a 

 ben and chickens do no harm in a garden. A hen under a rip on a gravel 

 path, and the chickens running among pens, potatoes, and beans, are 

 sure to do well. We have found them great vermin-eaters and disturbers- 

 Put yonr survivors out and they will do well. If you cannot do so, then 

 we advise you to put a barrowload of road grit in their houso in the dry, 

 to keep it always clean and fresh turned, and to feed as we have advised 

 above. 



Remuneration for Rearing Tcrkeys {W. 8). — Yon should have 

 4£d. per week for bringtng-up the Turkeys, that would make each Turkey 

 four months old cost tis. At that age it is worth it. If hatched now they 

 would be just fit for the barley stubbles by-and-by. In namitg this sum 

 we suppose you find everything. Arrangements about death must be 

 separate, as the fall amount is not paid for losses. In some places those 

 only are paid for that are prodnced alive at the end of th i stipulated 

 time- At the above price the birds are to be kept not only in health but 

 condition. 



Coch's Beah Curved (J. if.).— It is not a common malformation, and, 

 like most other distortions, is not to be accounted for. 



Washing Pigeons fob Exhibition (H. Bargrearea).— Give them a pan 

 of water in the nun, and they will wash themselves ; or, failing that, wipe 

 gently the outside of the fet. there with a Bpou-ge, and afterwords put the 

 birds in a basket in the ean. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Jcne 22. 



A large influx of goods has taken place during the week, and auction 

 Bales of foreign consignments are held three or four times a-week. This 

 procures a much larger number of buyers than would otherwise attend. 

 Prices generally are lower, and bush fruit from Kent and other places 

 will soon occupy a large portion of the stands. Strawberries are good in 

 quality, but not over-plentiful. The Potato market is active, both for oW 

 and new. 



FRUIT. 



. d. b. d 

 ) OtoO 



Chestnuts buBhel 



Currants $ sieve 



Black do. 



Figs . 



Mulberries quart n OtoO 



Filberts . 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 



GrapeB, Hothouse.. 



lb. 



Peaches doz. in 



Peara, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 4 



Plums i sieve y 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do VMO 1 





 8 

 U 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus ^100 



Beans, Kidney do. 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts . . i sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums ^100 



Carrots. bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts..doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



piekling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish .... bundle 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress . . punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes buBhel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes .. doz.bunchea 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys ...doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots Tb, 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows . .doz. 



8 



POULTRY MARKET.— June 22. 



Markets are exceptional in very hnt weather. A few fresh goods nxftke 

 large prices, and many of equal quality are spoiled. 



£. d. f . d . 



Large Fowls 4 



Smaller ditto 3 



Chickens 2 



Ducklings S 



Goslings 6 



Turkeys ..» 



6 Guinea Fowls to • 



Pigeons 9 



Rabbits 1 4 



G Wild ditto 9 



Hares 



1 Partridges * 



