f»a68 



JODBNAL OP HOBTICU^iqjURS-ANDjCiQyT^E GAEDBlf^p. 



[ February 18, 1869. 



quickly and easily in the hives. Mr. Dathe formerly nsed 

 frames 10 inches wide and 15 inches high, but on moving to 

 Hanover found an inch less each way better. It depended 

 , mtfch on the locality. For an early harvest smaller sizes are 

 , sooner ready, and swarm sooner, but not so continnonsly. 

 ; Several other members spoke, and the result seemed to be that 

 fox places with rich harvests, a width not exceeding 11 inches, 

 and for places with continuous though, perhaps, poor honey 

 harvests, a width not exceeding 9 inches, with height and 

 l)rea4th in proportion, was considered to be most advantageous. 

 The next question was concerning the desirability of making 

 the yearly meetings also places for wholesale dealers to pur- 

 chase honey. This has naturally no interest for English 

 readers. After this a question was raised as to the peculiari- 

 ties of the bee found in some parts of Hanover, wliich, how- 

 ever, seem to be only owing to treatment and locality, the 

 insect being identical with the ordinary bee. This we may 

 , also pass by. The same may be said as to the question whether 

 ''iftilways might not be made more use of by bee-keepers than 

 ■ 'is now done. Possibly in some parts of England, where there 

 • We large tracts of heather within reach, the same question 

 i*tmay some day be of interest. 



ij •; After this point had been discussed it was found too late to 

 ^.TSnter into any further subjects which were on the programme, 

 rf,(^d after the distribution of prizes to the various exhibitprs 

 f,)t}ie dinner followed, and thus ended the fifteenth meeting of 

 j.perman bee-keepers. 



'Ij'k. i 1 ^^^ SAGACITY. 



:^j.|,jm the middle of. a hot June day, I was standing With the 

 'Manager of our gasworks, near the large vertical pipes called 

 condensers, down which a thin stream of water flows con- 

 ' tinuonsly, when my attention was attracted to a continuous 

 I 'hum, which, from its special character I was convinced arose 

 '''faom bees. On looking up I saw that hundreds of these indus- 

 '"teions insects were crowding round the pipes, and on closer 

 inspection I found that they alighted wherever the stream of 

 aiwater was thin and not too rapid ; having satisfied their thirst 

 UiUliey ilewaway and their places were occupied by others. From 

 .iftbe large area, the numbers which availed themselves of this 

 (fj^npply of water was very great. They drank only on the side 

 I Imposed to the sun. In July these pipes were shielded by tar- 

 . ■ paulin from the direct rays of the sun, and bees atill were there, 

 - 'iDut in much less numbers, and again they drank only on tho 

 ^' parts free of shade. Mr. Anderson told me that through the 

 ''^hot weather of May and June, the bees had come in the num- 

 ^^'bers I noticed. The eelection of such a spot appeared themore 

 '^i singular, as within a short distance there is a large river and a 

 Sfldtear bubbling brook ; butno water in the thin film which alone 

 ^i'j.the instinct of the bees tells them is fitted for their use. The 

 : Ijpait of the works referred to is not exposed to clouds of steam 

 , i4^,p9»l 4ust,-TJ,^. ;B„ ^at/(. 



!t(i !(]<■. I /111 .... .. !| .1 



BWi 'i • . 1 ,;-Miii. • ' 



,8 «i ,|. ,OUR,tLEIXER BOX. 



,A Blrti.3 OF Ayi-ESBURY Bucks (iJ. P. TT*).— We aro qiiito aware that the 



j.,.|iill^ ol" Aylesi'Ury Ducks have been tampered witli. We hnve seen tb^ni 



' Ttibbed down so hard with ptimice-stone, that the blood exuded in Rtinill, 



almost minute particles; It wa3 overdone, and thoy wore disqualitied. 



j^C(j^'e,quite (iifler about the natural colour of the drake's bill ; in well-bred 



"^ iSpfcimens it shonld not be a bright yellow, it should be a "flesh colour, or 



'***a French white. AVetuow they will thanpe colour, and water will aftoct 



ViAUem; thus, the water draining from peat land will make ihem orange, 



a 'while if they are turned into meadows when the frost is on the grass, or 



i!f Ihey feed in colourless water, ruaning, where ."shallow, over very small 



.ft^^a-vei, tlieir bills become paler. "We have a place where the water is 



..ji^ftlk, and we cannot keep Aylesbury Ducks witijout taking off half their 



T'ali^e owing to the cause wo have stated, 

 '■ White CocHTN-C HTK AS— Silver-Geet DoRsrNGP (liecent Subscriber). 

 '( ti-iln many of the poultry books there are snch spinnings-out of un- 

 i;j necessary verbiage, and such barefaced plagiarism, that we have, perhaps, 

 ; erred on the other side, and said too little. White Coctiins should have 

 ^■the Same points as in other colours of the same breed. Their plumage 

 ■^Iskould bo quite white, and their legs very yellow. They should not be 

 ■f ulture-hocked. Silver-Grey Dorking cocks wuitt have black breasts and 

 'xail^. barred wings, white hackle and saddle, uo bufl'or red feathers any- 

 where. O/n- n-hilf Uathcr in the broast, however small, is a disqualiii- 

 pation. Tho hen mxist have black and white striped hackle, grey feathers 

 tvith white shaft, pale salmon breast, bnt the less this colour pervades 

 ^' any other pai-t of the plumage the better it is. 

 vU 'Balance Sheet of Poultry Account (J. P.).— "We B^e nothing ex- 

 i*^ t^vagant in your feeding, but we cannot come to a correct estimate 

 unless wo have the exact number of chickens that were kept at the dif- 

 ferent periods. You have had hundreds of new-laid eggs at 2d. per 

 ^)^.sdozen, and t-nongh of good Dorking fowls, at 4s. Cd. per couple. You have 

 :'',.& idded thirteen to yoir stock, all at an expense of four guineas. If you 

 ■ ^'tKftVge yoarself Id. each for new-laid eggs your yard is self-supporting. 



Gajie Baxtasi Ereedixg (F. M. IIuJke).—VCe will bear your hint in 

 mind. There is, however, little in rearing Game Bantams that differs 

 from other birds. A very important point is to keep them away from tho 

 lartjer birds. These starve them by eating their food, often kill Ihem by 

 an unkind blow, at other times by incautiously treading on them. They 

 require most care during the first fortnight of their lifea ; they alaq 

 require the best feeding at that time. We always rear|ours ofn a dxy 

 bank well exposed to the sun, and protected from the larger birds. It i& 

 necessary to keep them out of grass in wet or damp weather, op wheii 

 there is white frost, and the hen should be put under a rip wheire a audJ 

 den shriwer will not cause a pool to be formed. It is notion account ot 

 any delicacy that this is necessary, but because they aro so small. ' 



Dorking Hen and Cochin-China Cock (J. E. A/.>.-^She will not 

 breed true Dorkings till she has been some time separated from bet 

 Cochin mate. It is a disputed qaestion whether any of the present 

 laying of eggs would be pure. Gas tar is not injarious to poultry. , 



Hemp and Canaey Seeds for Chickens (Lemon iJu/n.— Hemp and 

 canary are neither of them good for chickens. The first prevents th© 

 formation of feathers, the second softens them and causes them to fail. 

 The birds want meat only occasionally, and it should be coojied. It i9 

 no longer necessary to feed after dark. ■ . ^ 



Rice Meal (M. £.).— Rice in any form is the poorest— that is, the 

 least nutritiona of food; it is merely starch. It may be mixed with 

 Indian corn meal or barleymeal to render them less fattening, anQ with 

 them mixed into a crumbly mass with hot water. 



Eggs for Hatching {S. A. A'.).— They ought not to be older than 

 fourteen days. If older they will produce chickens, but these are asnally 

 weaker than those from fresher eggs. We know of no esperiinents to 

 test the extreme length of time eggs may be kiep&)an^ ye^prodnce 

 chickens. , _ • , 



Devonshire Dorkings (Einffshridrjirjisis). — Your letter is anadvertiae- 

 meut, and a ver^- long one, too, in praise of your friend's fowl?. 



Mistake by Poultry Show Officials (Foi('?(t).^As themistaJtewas 

 made by the aervant of the committee, we consider the committee are 

 liable to pay you the £1 7 a. which you have lost in consequence of the 

 mistake. The secretary knew from the catalocuo that only rue bird 

 ought to h& in each pen. At the same time we advise you to cimipromiBe 

 tho claim, for it shonld always be remembered that all the risk and ftll 

 tho tjroubic are incurred by the imremunerated committee. 

 . Lice in Spanish Fowls {Tfiro). — Dust under the feathers with flowers 

 of sulphur, so that it reaches the skin of the fowl. Let the fowls have a 

 heap of dry ashes under shelter to bnsk in, and nwx with the ashes ^onje 

 flowers of sulijhur. 



Roup in Pigeons (P. H. and TIoupl.— There i's no doubt that thifs 

 rainy and hence damp winter has greatly increased this disease among 

 Pigeons, hence so many inquiries a3 to a core for roup- It is of tho 

 nature of a bad cold; its cause— damp, cold draughts, manure left on 

 the floor of the loft in wet weather, Ac. Roup cannot occur without a 

 cause, hence seek out the cause and remoreit. prevention is better than 

 cure. When birds are affected with this digoase remove them into a 

 warmer place, feed them extra well, adding hcmpsoed, and givintr a few 

 peppercorns every other morning. It is kind and also roasonable to 

 cleanso tho poorbird's mouth and eyes with warm water, using- a very 

 small piece of sponge. Pigeon fanciers differ as to whether or not roup 

 is contagious. We recommend separation in order to be on the safe side. 



Walworth Pigeon-flYing Clue (Lso).— We do not know oither the 

 name or address of the secretary. 



BupEprosiNG [A. .S.).— You totally misapprehend the gist-of Ihesuper- 

 po.sing tale, at poge 9^, the sole object being the supply of a queen to the 

 hybrid stock, heUce the c:xpa!sion. Tho "glittsriog ItaUans ' were 

 mertly mentioned as a proof of the ascent and amalgamation. _Vou may 

 not be aware that a considerable proportion of the ofi'.-ipring of a 

 hybridised queen— that is, a pure Itahan princess impregnated by a black 

 drone. \ie in brilliancy of colour and marking with the puxe-brod variety. 

 You will tiud the sequel in another column. 



TnAN6 hEisG Bees (.Siujiiti).- Fayuc's Improved Cottage Hive, made 

 somew I nrger than described in " Bec-kceping for the Many," say 

 Ifi inch ^- in diameter, by 8 or 9'inohes deep inside, is probably the 

 cheapest azxd beat for you to.tcansferithe be^3,into icofu j^,cpiumoa pt^w 

 iiive. , ■..,(.,,, . -.,. i , .:."..■■,[ ..,, ", ■, . ,( 



Bone a>t> Qat-crushing Machines (G.B. P.).— W its to two or three 

 of the gi-e.at agricultural implement makers, tell th.dm \that ytWirnqaiie, 

 and ask tb«m to send a list of prices. ' s %,..'■ , ^ 



lNI>i.A.N Corn Meal foe Pigs (A BuhscrihcT).—li you have any small 

 or waste potatoes, including the parings of those usrd at tabic, you may 

 boil them and mix the whole with the meal for such pigs as are in a 

 growing rather than in a fattening state, and as they^advauce towards 

 the latter gradually withdraw the potatoes, and give more muHl ; as it is 

 better to Kive harder food towards the last. We have not had any^- 

 pericnce with turnips, but if the pigs like the food of which tbey con- 

 stitute a part give it to them, ending as above with meal alone. . , . 



Drinking Fountain (TT. Srown).— li your contrivance differs from 

 others already patented, or registered, there would be no obstacle to yonr 

 patenting or registering it; but we ad%-isG you to do neither, tli0 demand 

 woiild not repay your outlay. 



POULTRY MARIvET.— February 17. '^U' 



Our supply is getting short, and it is not impmbablc that we niayhave 

 high prict-s for a short time, for the best qualities. The mild^ weather 

 that will bring us early chickons, will also cause Ihe winter poultry to get 

 hard, because it will he as forward as the season. 



.p. d 



Large Fowls. ... 



Smaller do". ..;....... 2 6 



ChickenS' .^;. a. ...... ^ 



Goglines'..,..v....^.^.... ,7 



Du'cklingsi .■...\.^r'.;v.i'3 



Pigeons 9 



s.d 



7 

 ?, 

 10 



a. d e. d 

 ,...3' 6 tea 

 ,5.- 0. -0. 



Hares.:,.,.vfVMf(" J-5 

 Rabbits...... -..'...--■ 1' 4 



wnddo,\;V.^iW.^..; oj9 , ^ 



Grouse . . -a!K«>.?<-Vi".-**oA^: 



3 6 to 4 ^Guinea Fowls.; 

 S I Partridges uusj 

 8 

 6 

 G 



0' 



-i;: 5 

 *©10 



