April 5, 1877. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



261 



The Polish Rabbit is very prolific. Like its little conain the 

 Dntch, its fecundity is really astonishing ; the litters are fre- 

 quent, and from six to nine may be expected in each. The doe 

 makes her nest in the darkest and snuggest corner and watches 

 her young with anxious and jealous care. She decidedly objects 

 to any intrusion, being evidently more than usually suspicions. 

 The young will want every care and attention to be expended 

 on them, as they are by no means overstrong, but with care 

 they may mostly be reared. They should not remain with the 

 doe too long, or they will reduce the doe to a state of weakness 

 before many weeks have elapsed. 



In disposition the Polish Rabbit may be said to be extremely 

 docile and quiet; in fact, it may sometimes give the appearance 

 of being perhaps a little too much so, as it (foes not possess the 

 bold front so much to be admired in the Rabbit of another 

 species, even though it be almost as diminutive as itself. It 

 may be fairly described as being the pet of the fancy, not be- 

 cause it is exactly unhealthy, but because it is generally feeble 

 and fragile. 



The distinction and resemblance between this breed and the 

 common prick-eared white Rabbit may be tabulated for the use 

 of auy fancier anxious to purchase a specimen of the breed, 

 which, as I have already observed, are extremely rare. In the 

 first place the fur of the Siberian is the softer and shorter of 

 the two, and generally somewhat thicker. The eye, too, is 

 generally of a lighter shade. The head is generally a little 

 smaller, the ear not quite so muscularly strong, the body more 

 compact though generally well shaped, the legs shorter and 

 weaker, and the general appearance more pleasing and attrac- 

 tive. — Geta. 



CANARY BREEDING. 



After the great Show at the Crystal Palace, the next im- 

 portant move amongst Canary fanciers is the puUing-down of 

 breeding partitions, bringing into operation whitewash and 

 other brushes, cleaning-out old breeding-cages, which after 

 being renovated are replaced all spio and span, and the sundry 

 pairs of birds " put up " to breed. Then comes an anxious time 

 to fanciers, some of whom rejoice whilst others are not over- 

 sanguine with their four-months operations in bird-breeding, 

 which may be considered to terminate at about the close of 

 July. During that period there are many ups and downs — the 

 latter in most cases predominating. From various causes other- 

 wise than the fault of the parent birds, eggs become addled — 

 viz., from a continual prying curiosity, cold north-east winds 

 which Lave a very great effect upon the eggs, and also the hens 

 whilst sitting upon them, the slamming-to of doors, or the 

 mmbling of thunder, &o. With a view of giving a hint or so as 

 to the manner of procedure of our forefathers, we extract a 

 chapter from Mr. Hervieux's old bird work, referring more par- 

 ticiUarly to Canaries' eggs and how they may be known to be 

 good. 



" It is to be observed that almost all hen Canary birds differ 

 from each other in laying. Some do not lay at all, and those are 

 called barren hens. Others are such ill-breedera that they lay 

 eggs but once or twice in a year ; besides, after they have laid 

 their first egg they often rest the next day, and do not lay the 

 nest egg till two or three days after. Others lay only three times, 

 and are regular in each time of laying, having three eggs at 

 every sitting without any day's intermission. There js a fourth 

 sort which may be called common, being very numerous ; they sit 

 four times and every time lay four or five eggp, but they are not 

 always regular in laying. There are still others that have more 

 eggs than all those I have mentioned ; they sit five times, and 

 would do it oftener if they were permitted. Every time they 

 lay six or seven eggs.' When this last sort of Canary birds feed 

 well they are excellent, too much cannot be made of them, they 



are worth mere than six others of the common sort 



I shall only take notice, that if you let them go on laying — that 

 is till the moulting time, they will in a year lay thirty-five eggs 

 at least. 



" As for the knowing of the eggs it is easily learnt. Some say 

 they know whether an egg is good the very moment the hen 

 has laid it, before she has sat upon it, which is false. They 

 weigh it iu their hand and find it, as they say, somewhat heavier 

 than another egg they suppose to be addled, and upon this con- 

 ceit they decide on the goodness of the egg. If a man were to 

 lay a wager upon that trial only he would be as likely to lose as 

 to win, bf cause it is mere chance and not knowledge that deter- 

 mines. Yon may !<s well affirm that the eggs are good as soon 

 as they come from the hon without having been sat upon, 



" When you have some pairs of Canary birds from which 

 you have found no addled eggs to come, and other pairs on the 

 contrary which have never produced any good eggs, you may 



be almost sure to win any wager you lay upon them ; and 

 those who shall happen to lay wagers with such curious persons 

 will be fully persuaded that it is the weight they find in the 

 eggs which makes them distinguished between the good and the 

 bad, and yet you see they would be grossly mistaken. Do not, 

 therefore, depend upon that gross way, which may often occasion 

 you to throw away an egg you suppose to be addled, which 

 would have been good if sat upon. To avoid being deceived you 

 must follow the common rule, which is to look upon the eggs 

 when the hen has sat upon them six or seven days. Take the eggs 

 then from under the hen and view them against a candle or 

 the sun. If you perceive that those eggs are thick and grow 

 heavy, it is a sign that the little ones are forming in them and 

 that they are good ; if, on the contrary, you find they continue 

 as clear as they were the first day you gave them to the hen to 

 sit upon it is a certain sign that they are addled, and then, 

 especially if you examine them the seventh day after the hen has 

 sat on them, you may without any scruple throw them away, 

 for they wiU only serve to tire the hem to no purpose. 



" If you have several pairs of Canary birds where the hens 

 have laid near about the same time you may take away the 

 addled eggs from every hen, and of three leave only two sitting, 

 giving five or six eggs to an able strong hen, because very often 

 some one of the little ones die in the shells and receives no 

 nourishment, and by that means you bring the third hen, the 

 eggs of which have been given to the other two, to fail to work 

 about making another nest." — Geo. J. Babnesbt. 

 (To bo continued.) 



* In corroboration of what Mr. Hervieas states as to some hens lading so 

 many en^fi at one time, wo know of many instances of seven eggs being de- 

 (lOBited in a nest, and by a Belgian hen of all others; and in other cases we 

 have heard of eiLThte^'gahavinc: been laid. We conld give the name of a breeder 

 whose pair of Canaries reared seven fine healthy birds from one sitting. 



PROGRESS OF APIARIAN KNOWLEDGE.— No. 4. 



The disputes which have existed relative to hives have been 

 of long standing, and are probably interminable. Some prefer 

 hives of straw, others contend for the superiority of wood. Let 

 every apiarian please himself. It matters absolntoly nothing 

 whether the one material or the other is selected, provided the 

 hives are well made and well protected. I have used both, and 

 been as successful with the one as with the other so far as 

 relates to the production of honey and the well-being and corn- 

 fort of the bees. I confess that appearances are generally in 

 favour of straw hives. For snugness and picturesqueness they 

 are unrivalled ; at the same time wooden hives are equally 

 good for honey and will last a lifetime, which cannot be said of 

 straw hives. They have the advantage also of greater faciUty 

 of construction and nicety of adaptation to the innumerable 

 freaks of apiarian fancy. This being so, I have discarded straw 

 hives these many years from my ovm apiary. 



The question of straw or wood has nothing to do with the 

 relative value of different methods of management. The most 

 advanced apiarian of the day can work his system, whether of 

 " fixism " or " mobilism," equally well with the one as with the 

 other. Given a perfectly constructed wooden hive, or a per- 

 fectly constructed straw hive, and he may adopt any size, shape, 

 fashion, system, or method of working, and the result will be 

 the same. I say therefore again, let every apiarian please him- 

 self. In saying this I apprehend no broken bones thus far, be 

 shillelaghs ever so plentiful in the "battle of the hives." But 

 when we go a step further and attempt to discuss improvements 

 in shape of hives, or as to whether " fixism " or " mobilism " is 

 the best principle of management, we get at once into the thick 

 of the melee. However, one must make the best of it, and not 

 shrink from the encounter. I have no hesitation in couching a 

 lance in favour of " mobilism," by which is meant the use oi 

 moveable bars or bar frames (whether in straw or wooden hives) 

 by which the combs may be lifted out and replaced at pleasure 

 without interfering with the active work of the hive or injur- 

 ing the combs of honey or brood in any way whatever. 



If you consider that in the old-fashioned hive there is no poesx- 

 bility of knowing even what is going on, much less of rectifying 

 mischiefs that may be breeding in the interior of the stock with- 

 out breaking up the combs, that consequently all is darkness and 

 uncertainty, which was the state of things universally in Great 

 Britain till within a comparatively recent period, it will be seen 

 how great is the progress that has been made in this particular. 



First of all bars were invented, regularly arranged in parallel 

 rows under a moveable top board. This was a great improve- 

 ment where guide combs were carefully aflixed to the bars ; for 

 in this case, in most instances by the help of a little patience 

 and ingenuity, every comb could be got at, examined, altered, 

 renewed, or replaced, as well as transferred from one hive to 

 another, and so generally speaking all the higher operations of 

 bee management fell under the power and manipulation of the 

 bee-master. Artificial swarming, by the help of such transposi- 

 tion of combs, became easy and simple, not to speak of the other 

 infinite and more or less delicate and interesting operations 

 common now in every scientifically managed apiary. This 

 moveable bar was in use fifty or sixty years ago, as may be seen 

 by reference to Dr. Sevan's book, but it did not become gene- 

 rally adopted for a quarter of a century later. It was soon 

 found, however, that the simple bar was not perfect. Ihere 



