414 



JOURNAIi OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



i May 31, 1877. 



In breeding, too great care cannot be taken in selection of 

 the stjck — in fact, almost everything depends npon the parent 

 birds. Turkeys do not reach their fall size aad vigour until 

 their third year, and it is reasonable to conclude that the beat 

 raaults are to be obtained by breeding from fully matured speci- 

 meng. Experiments in breeding from three-year-old and from 

 yearling birds have almost invariably resulted iu a larger per- 

 centage raised and a greatly increased weight in favour of the 

 former. There is one diealvantage in breeding from very heavy 

 Toms — the liability of having the backs of the hens skinned and 

 torn. But this may be in great part avoided by penning the 

 gobblers up before the breeding season commences, and re- 

 ducing their weight. Turkeys are great reamers, and it is 

 almost impossible to have good success with them unless they 

 have their liberty and ample range. Early iu April the hen 

 begins to wander around, searching a secluJed place for her 

 nest. We found that old barrels turned down in a thicket, 

 under the side of a stone fence, or in a clump of broken rocks, 

 often provided the sought-for spot, and prevented the hen from 

 stealing her nest in some more hidden place. Never disturb 

 the hen when laying, or let her know you have found her neat, 

 for if she suexjects you she will quit the old nest and make 

 another. 



The early-laid eggs had better be put under common hens, 

 letting the Turkey hen ait later in the season. 



A few days before the birds hatch the hen should be dusted 

 with flowers of sulphur. When the chicks are twenty-four hours 

 old grease their heads with the following ointment : — 1 oz. mer- 

 curial ointment, 1 oz. pure lard, and \ oz. crude petroleum. 



When hatched i^at the mother in a roomy coop facing the 

 south on the sod. Feed little at a time and often. Hard-boiled 

 eggs are good for the first two days, after which give card 

 in which mix onion tops or sives, chopped or cut fine with a 

 knife or scissors. When a week old add coarse Indian meal to 

 the feed well scalded. After three weeks give them cracked 

 corn, wheat, ttc., once a day or oftener. Keep fresh cool water 

 by them at all times. 



The first three weekq is usually the critical time with the little 

 "Turks," and if kept dry and warm with abundance of insect 

 food within their range and reach, there will be little trouble in 

 raising them. It is not best to give the mother her liberty until 

 after this period, and even then it is well to limit her range for 

 another fortnight. They should be shut up at night and not let 

 out until the dew is off the grass, until they are six to eight 

 weeks old. — (-4me?*ica» Pet Stock Bulletin ) 



THE UNFAVOURABLE SPRING. 



The spring months of the last few years have been very nn- 

 favourable for bees. " Thore is no difference now-a-days between 

 the weather of winter and that of spring," said a gentleman in 

 a railway carriage yesterday morning. The cold weather of 

 late years has continued throughout the spring months, which 

 has been very disappointing to bee-keepers. And what spring 

 season has been more disappointing and worse than the present 

 one ? For very many weeks we have had in this neighbourhood 

 cold north-easterly winds, which checked and often blighted 

 vegetation, driving the blossoms from the trees as soon as they 

 appeared. Honey-gathering has been out of the question. Bees 

 have been living on last year's stores or what has been given to 

 them artificially. Yesterday {May 25th) the wind veered round 

 to the west, when our bees for the first time this year gathered 

 honey enongh to supply their own wants fur the day. 1 daresay 

 it has been otherwise in the south of England. In ordinary 

 seasons swarming with us begins about the 10th of May. This 

 year it will be later, but after all we may have a year of honey. 

 It is well to look forward hopefully. The sycamore trees are in 

 full blossom, and the apple blossoms are not all gone. Rasp- 

 berry and brambleberry bo rich in honey are coming forward ; 

 so are field mustard (ketlock) and field beans, which yield honey 

 plentifully. Then we shall have white clover, the best of all 

 honey plants, which continues a long time in flower, also lime 

 trees and the heather of Grouseland. The first half of last 

 season — ■until the middle of June — was very discouraging to 

 young apiarians, afterwards their bees gathered considerable 

 stores of excellent honey. I am hopeful that 1877 will be better 

 than 1S7G.— A. P. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Colour of Fowls {W. F.).— In ailult poultry any part of the skin that, 

 can be seen is sure to be rei. Ic is rather an indication of health and 

 Btrensth than otherwise, bub we do not think it i^ quite so red as the comb 

 and gills. Hens at this time often become naked behind, tbey are always 

 red. So in the naliei parts of a Malay they are always very red Those 

 parts of a fowl's body that are most liable to be stripped of their feathers are 

 aleo thf; most exposoi and the roughest. ThiJ will account for the colour. 

 But age has a great deal to do with it. The older fowls get the coarser and 

 the more coloured doetj their flewh become. 



Vermis on Fowls (C. B.).— Your description of the effects of fleia and 

 other parasites on vouuk chickens is graphic and true, but we have never 

 found their actioi,* so lart^ely on the appetite. Chickens Cannot be reared if 

 they are suffering from vermLa. The visitation may arise from being in a 



damp place, where a dust bath is an impocsibility ; or from lack of tone and 

 condition, caused by improper or insuflioient feeding. The first may be 

 remediei by placing either road tirit or woid ashes in their haunts in per- 

 fectly dry places. They will dust themselves iq them. If you use road 

 grit it will be well to mis a handful or two of black sulphur with it. From 

 the time they begin to use the dust bath the cure has betjun. Another 

 remedy is to drop with the finger a drop of sweet oil on the poll of the head, 

 one under each wing, and one ou the back. Your food should consist of 

 bread and milk, boiled ej?g chopped fine, ookod meat chopped very fine, 

 crushed wheat. Give them beer to drink. Use no other foods. If they have 

 been kept indoors put tbem out. Wooden, stone, or brick floors are very 

 favourable to the growth of vermin. They form preserves for it. We have 

 no doubt either of these plans will rid you of your pests. 



Canker in English Owl {New Suhsrrihrr). — Clear away the secretion on 

 the diseased parts, aad anoint by means of a camel-hair pencil with carbolic 

 acid one part to glycerine eight parts. This remedy can be apphed to either 

 ear, tbrDat, or mouth, but if to the mouth and throat one-half less of the acid. 

 There is a great doubt as to canker being contagious, but separate your bird 

 from therast for fear. Be most careful with the water vessels, and see that 

 they are clean, and also that no dung gets mised with the food of your birds. 



Hive Dying in Ma? (Btmr).— We should judge that your bees have been 

 simply starved to death. We cau see or imagine no other caose for the hive 

 being in the condition described. Nor should we be surprised to hear that 

 many other bee-keepers have shared your ill experience. We lost one hivo 

 about a fcrtnight ago from the same cause, and should have lost several 

 others if we had not kept up a supply of food. Four of our stocks were fed 

 until May 25t.h, when the weather improved aud the feeding was discontinued. 

 Sach a season must be rare in the recollection of the oldest apiarian in 

 England. We advise you to feed at once any hives of which you stand in 

 doubt. 



Bees (M. J. S.).— We only publish our manual ou beea— namely, " Bee- 

 keeping for the Many." 



METEOROtiOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Caudem SqcABE, London. 



Lat. 51-^ 32' 40" N. ; Long. D^ S' ' W. ; Altitada, 111 feet. 



I at times, but not enongh to 



warm the air. 

 24th. — A fine day. aud rather warmer; a very slight shower about 7 P-H.; fine 



sunset and starlit ni^^ht. 

 25th.— A fine day, getting gradually warmer as tlje day advanced. 

 2Gth.— Slight haze about'9 A.M. bat fine war 

 27th.— Very flue all day, but the wind getti: 



night ; very high at midnight. 

 28th.— Terrific wind in the early morning ; 



during the day; unusually dark betwt 



heavy rain for a short time; the wind having gradually subsided, 



splendid rainbow lasting only a few minutes immediately after the 



rain. [pleasant day. 



29t.h. — Very bright morning; some very slight showers, but ou the whole a 

 Fine bright week, very windy on 28th. Range of temperature rather 

 greater than in previous week. — G. J. SvaioNS. 



Kidney 5*- 100 1 



Beet. Red dozen 1 



Broccoli bundle u 



Brussels Sprouts. .J sieve 



Cabbage dozen 1 



Carrots buDch 



New do, 1 



Capaicuuis •> lOJ 1 



Cauhdower dozea 2 



Celery bundle 1 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 2 



Cucumbers each 



Endive dozen 1 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Lettuce dozen 1 



Leeks bunch 



Ouii 



Parsley.... doz.bunchea 



Faranips dozen 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



New 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



RQubarb bundle 



Salsaf y bundle 



lb. 2 6 



Seakale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spiuach.. 



He 1 



do. 3 



Vegetable Marrows o 



