Jannary 25, 1877. ] 



JOUBNAL OP HOETICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



73 



and vhe. R. A J. Eorovd. 9. W. Walton. 3, J. Gardner. Long-faeed.— Cocks — 

 1 and S. W. Ellis. 2. J. C. Waterhoase. vhc. R. & J. Ecroyd (21, W. Ellie, l. C. 

 Watcrhouse (al. Ben— I, W. Ellis. 2 and S. J. C. Waterhouse. u/ic, W. Ellis, 

 B. 4 C. Ecroyd Amy otbee ViEiETY.— Coi^fc or Ben — I, R. * J. Ecroyd. 2, W. 

 J. Lacas. S, MissL Eeldon. Wic, H Yardley, W. J. Lucas. Selling Class. 

 -Pair.— 1,3, and rftc.'W. J. Lucas. 2, Miss L. Beldon. Likeliest Bied for 

 Fliiso PoEPosEB.-I, G. Haydock. 2, J. Gardner. 3, B.WestaU. rtc.G. Hay- 

 dock (2), W. J. Lucas (2). 

 Judges. — Messrs. E. Hatton and W. Sefton. 



THE BELGIAN HAKE KABBIT. 



The Belgian Hare Eabbit claims much attention owing to its 

 value as food, as it averages a larger weight than most other 

 breeds. Its average weight is from 8 to 10 lbs. 



Its original home is on the Continent and it is not, as the narue 

 might seem to imply, a cross between the Hare and the Rabbit. 

 Such crosses have been occasionally attempted, but have never 

 been successful, the progeny, whenever the cross has been 

 efit-cted, being an unfertile mule. The name Hare seems rather 

 to be present as a sign that resemblance to that animal must be 

 cnltivated in breediug. The breed is now kept to a considerable 

 extent, although till lately it has not been popular. 



The Belgian Hare should possess a large bony frame, well 

 proportioned, bnt slightly inclined to be lengthy ; the head of 

 fair size, and the face long and nose sharp. The colour should 

 resemble that of the Hare— rf ., it should be of a brown grey 

 colour, or more correctly speaking a red grey. The animal is 

 alw*ys of one colour, though of course the shade will vary. The 

 back and rump will be darker than the sides, and this may be 

 considered an advantage rather than otherwise. The iinder 

 parts will be much lighter, in some cases approaching pure 

 white. However this may be, it is imperative that there should 

 be no white vicible when the animal ie either standing or reclin- 

 ing. If there be any it will most decidedly destroy the animal's 

 chance of sncoess at any show. The legs, in accord.ince with 

 the shape of the body, should be firm and well set. In colour 

 the ontfides should be grey and also the insides up to the first 

 joint ; above this the colour is generally lighter, and sometimes 

 almost white. Neck long and of a uniform grey colour. The 

 head and face is also of this colour, the throat being generally 

 a trifle lighter than the face. Ears long, but quite upright; 

 they are of a dark grey shade, and there is a black streak going 

 ap one side. This streak is very important, as both showing 

 off the animal and indicating breed. 



The specimens of this breed should possess a fair-sized dewlap. 

 There has been much controversy on this head, but the majority 

 of fanciers seem to be breeding in this direction. A glance at 

 the merits and demerits of it may not be amiss. In the first 

 place, it is urged against it that the Hare never has a dewlap, 

 and that the merits of a Belgian consist in the resemblance it 

 bears to this animal. Thia is true no doubt, but the advocates 

 of the dewlap reply. Neither does a Hare arrive at the weight of 

 10 aud 12 lbs., and if the dewlap is to be done away, reduce the 

 size npon the same principle. No one will be disposed to do 

 this latter, and hence the question of dewlap is undecided. 

 Then, again, is not dewlap the result to some measure at least of 



good food and attention ? Take two ynung Lops from the same 

 tterand let them be reared by two different persons, one by an 

 experienced Lop breeder, the other by an embryo connoisseur, 

 and when twelve months old compare tliem. Number 1 will 

 be fat and well dewlapped, while number 2 will be thin and 

 without any signs of that appendage. Are we then to condemn 

 the natural results of good care and attention ? Both the dewlap 

 and increase in size are simply and solely the result of domes- 

 tication, and they must stand or fall together. If the dewlap is 

 wrong, size is wrong too, and the objectors to the appendage 

 will hardly care to have the latter done aw.iy with upon the 

 same principle as the former. 



The general appearance of the Belgian Hare is thus very easily 

 described — a large roomy frame, large head and legs, long but 

 upright ears, a clear full eye. The colour we have eaid is grey. 

 The only parte that can legitimately be of any other colour are 

 the niider portions of the body extending sometimes slightly 

 down the inner sides of the legs, the lower portion of the tail and 

 Bome parts of the throat, although this latter must not be of 

 sufficient quantity to bo visible except on close examination ; it 

 is, in fact, best away altogether. The following is an eaey scale 

 of points ; it takes in most of the properties, bat if any reader 

 can suggest an improvement, if he will kindly write a short 

 note on the subject he will be doing a good deed, as the pro- 

 perties are by no means thoroughly acknowledged among 

 fanciers nor are the relative yalnes cf them plainly fixed : — 



Colour 1.5 



General shape 10 



Shape of head 5 



Ears 7 



Eyes 5 



Underparts 3 



Condition 5 = 50 



The Belgian Hare is not a Rabbit that wonld be selected aa a 



pet so much as several cf the other varieties, because in the first 

 place it is not particularly docile, and in the second place because 

 although it is handsome it is not by any means pretty. The 

 breed cannot be said to be very prolific, the jitters not being 

 large or frequent. The young are pretty hardy at birth and 

 grow very rapidly, and after a few days become strong and 

 hardy. They are not so much subject to the usual infantile 

 complaints that work such slaughter among yonug Rabbits in 

 general. The litters will average from three to six, and the doe 

 will breed three or four times a year. They can then only be 

 spoken of as not prolific in a comparative sense, as twenty young 

 ones maybe annually reared from each pair ; and although double 

 that number can be produced from some does, I think but few 

 will raise a greater number. For a few weeks the young present 

 the appearance of ordinary hutch Rabbits, and it is not till they 

 are a couple of months old that the ear tippings are apparent, 

 and these are the great indicators of the breed. — Geta. 



HIVES AND LOCALITIES. 



Your correspondent Mr. Lowe is quite right in saying that 

 the question of hives crops up to the surface now and then, and 

 as it is one of some importance, often viewed from different 

 standpoints, the discussion of it generally commands the atten- 

 tion of a large circle of readers. Amongst practical bee-keepers 

 the subject is always interesting if handled in good temper. It 

 is to be regretted that parties differing in opinion have not al- 

 ways abstained in their diecustions from the use of harsh words. 

 If it is beyond the power I'f apiarians to keep foul brood out of 

 their hives, surely it is not beyond their power to keep it out of 

 their communications. 



It is well known that I use hives that are capacious and com- 

 fortable, simple in construction, low in price, and passable in 

 appearance. Hives possessing these points compass all I want. 

 In the breeding seasons bees should have room for setting and 

 hatching the eggs laid by their queens, and apace enough for 

 honey as well. As for comfort and convenience I have never 

 seen any better than good siraw hives. I have never found 

 hives made of other mateiials that allowed the moisture of bees 

 to escape readily and without injury to the combs. At certain 

 seasons materials other than straw condense the moisture on 

 their inner surfaces. Many plans and experiments have been 

 tried to prevent the condensation of moibture on the inner sides 

 of wooden hives. " The Qailt," which is an American idea, has 

 been tried in this country without success eo far as I know. 

 Mr. Yates of Manchester felt sure that he would succeed by 

 covering his wooden hives with boiler felt, which is warm stuff 

 about 2 inches thick. This did not answer. Ventilating holes in 

 the sides and crowns of hives have been tried with greater but 

 not complete success. I helieve that the question of ventilation 

 will receive greater attention by-and-by than it has done in the 

 past. During the summer, whtn the heat of hives is very great, 

 their internal moisture is driven out through their doors by the 

 heat and natural ventilation of the bees ; but in spring and 

 autumn the sides of wooden hives are often streaming with con- 

 densed moisture. I hope that a cheap and satisfactory mode of 

 ventilating wooden hives may soon be discovered and made 

 widely known. 



A few weeks ago the readers of this Journal were favoured 

 with the records of capital results in bee-keeping from hives of 

 various kinds. Mr. Briscoe of Albrighton obtained 1441bs. of 

 super honey from a Stewartoo hive. The story of his success 

 appeared in the Journal of October 12ih. The week following 

 Mr. P. H. Phillips of Hitchin t;.ld us through the same channel 

 how he obtained ISli lbs. of honey in supers from a straw hive ; 

 both gentlemen are advanced and clev^-r bee-keepers. It will 

 be observed that the straw hive was 12i lbs. short in super honey 

 of the Stawarton hive. Now let me here say, that if the Stewar- 

 ton had been 12 or 20 lbs. short of the straw hive I would not 

 have ventured to eay that the gi eater result was duo to the hive, 

 for one hive may have been stronger at the commencement of 

 the season, or it may have fed on better pasture than the other. 

 A small field of white clover near one of the hives may have 

 given it the advantage and victory. Rain often hinders bees in 

 one county, while suosbine helps them in another. The hives 

 of both gentlemen swarmed in ihe middle of summer or honey 

 season, and as both gentlemen are experts they cut out the royal 

 cells containing young queens (from the mother hives) and re- 

 turned the swarms to them. This operation of cutting queen 

 cells out of hives after swarming is easily dnne. 



I will now attend to the following question : — "You have been 

 comparing hives that belonged to gentlemen living in different 

 parts of the country; will you please to notice the difference of 

 the results between the S'ewarton and the straw hives of the 

 ' Renprewshihe Bee-keeper.' " In 187.') the Stewarton hive 

 of this gentleman yielded 68 lbs. of snper honey. The straw 

 hive standing beside it yielded only 21,i lbs. The straw hive 

 after yielding the 21 lbs. of super honey was, we are told, in a 

 starving condition. When I read the letterof your Renfrewshire 

 correspondent it struck me that the one hive was healthy and 



