186 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAm>£NEB. 



i Uarch 1}, ISCO- 



having, I believe, been made, which are relied upon as demon- 

 strative of the fact that the vitality of choleraic and other 

 forms of morbiiic fangi is most speedily and effectually de- 

 atroyed by the application of some kind of acid. — A Devon- 

 SBIRE Bee-keeper. 



SUPERING. 



I AM exceedingly obliged to your correspondents " H. R." 

 and '* J. R." for the notice they have taken of my inquiry, and 

 for the valuable information given on the result of their practice 

 in superiug. Their remarks will, I think, be of much use to 

 many bee-keepers who like myself, with the advantages which 

 situation, good hives, and supers afford, fail to have a good 

 harvest of honey, but in its place swarms which are not wanted. 

 The sabject is an important oue with the approach of summer 

 in view, and I believe that the results of the experience of other 

 bee-masters woiild lead to a discussion interesting to your 

 readers, and open up much that is new to many of them. 



The plan of commencing with a small super, recommended 

 by *' J. R.," appears to have the disadvantage of causing the 

 bees to- be disturbed when substituting a larger, which in a case 

 of having to remove fallen guide combs I have found to have a 

 bad effect. It requires, besides, moro time and attention during 

 the day than many can give. A bar with brood and beep, and 

 guide comb on either side, as recommended by "H.R.," appears 

 to be an excellent plan, and so much in keeping with the known 

 attachment of bees to their young brood that it can hardly fail 

 to succeed. 



Many recommend supering early in the season, others to wait 

 until much crowding takes place, and if 8uptr3 with glass sides 

 on the Woodbury plan are used to start with wooden ones, to 

 substitute for the former when well establitihed. These plans 

 I have tried on several hivee, but with little success ; but hope 

 this year to follow the advice of your correspoudents with a 

 better result. — A. B. 



AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE. 



"They leave no stiug in the heart of memory,— no stain on the wing 

 of time.'*— The Hon. :[larsltaU P. Wilder. 



Brown Ceres one day with Pomona was meeting 



*Neath Autumn's inspiriliug smile, 

 So giving each other :i siBterly greeting, 



They eat down to gossip awhile. 

 " I hope you're quite well, dear, this eleiiant weather,-' 



"How charming the couutry,"' they said, 

 "Andhowdoyou prosper,"— both speaking together,— 



" With regard to your business and trade? " 

 " Look, where the rude thorn bush and bramble were springing, 



With fruitage the Apple tree bends, 

 The ecytho of the mower at sunrise is ewingiog, 



And the song of the reaper ascends. 

 "Let us walk hand-in-hand, for no obstacle caring, 



Till Vines o'er the mountainf5 '-.hall prow; 

 Its suit of green velvet, the brown heath be wearing, 



And deserts with plenty overflow. 

 " The gold in its mine with escitement and wonder 



May 6ammon an emigrant band, 

 And the chariot of Mars trample on in ita thunder, 



But we're the true etrength of the land. 

 "For OS, no lorn wife in her cottage is grieving, 



Earth welcomes us both in her vrimo. 

 No eiingin the bosom of memory we're leaving, 



No etain on the pinion of time. ' 



Mrs. LvDiA H. Sjgouenev. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Size of Brood3 {3*. JV.).— A "merrie man withal,** and wc hail yoa 

 heartily. A ech,jlar too ; Ave MagisUr ! May you never be ennuyi ; we are 

 sure yon will not hej'orC ennuijexu:. The number of cbickena to be under 

 a hen depen^B much on th« timo of year when they are hatched. It is 

 only in the winter we recommend a small number. We begin hatching 

 eariy and out of season, and experienco has taagbt ns that in long and 

 dark nightB we rear as many when we hatch eight as when wo hatch 

 fifteen. Now we begin putting fifteen e^-gs under each hen, ocd often 

 entrust one with one or two and twenty chickens. Thry then require 

 attention— more, perhaps, than any amateur can or will give. Wo write 

 principally lor amateurs, and must be aa careful as possible to avoid 

 giving any advice that may lead to disappointment. Greaves arc very 

 stimulating. They will make heus lay, but they induce disease, espe- 

 cially dropey. The proper way to give them, if given, ia to chop them 

 email, an-l put them into a paii or pun, pour boiling water on them till 

 they are covered, und then spread a double sack or matting over the 

 mouth of it to confine the steam. In an hour they are soft and fit to use. 



HATf-HiNG Pea Fowls Eogs (i?. P ).— A large hen will hatch three or 

 four Pea fowl's eggs, and rear them, receiving aa much help as she would 

 have for Pheasants or Turkeys. The treatment is identical. 



Egg-eating Hen (P/itZornisj.—Thero mu-t be something wrong about 

 your treatment. Now and then wc hear of a hen catmg the eggq that 



have been put under her, but it ia n very rare case. We have had such a 

 hen, but we broke her nech directly. We believe it ariees from somi^ 

 permanent organic derancjemont, of the stomach. If any should doubt 

 this, wc can only say that we know, and prove conslantlv, that an internal 

 injury will not only unsex a b^rd ia plumage, but it will reverse it, and 

 give the desires and fewthprs of the opporite sex. Believing as we do. W€' 

 advise you to kill the offmder. Wo can only understand anoiher taking 

 to it by believing that she learned it of the first. We would not be too 

 Draconian, but if she ate another she thonld die also. In the meantime 

 avoid stimulating and adopt cooling food. -uch as lettuce, \c. Hens shut 

 up, and heated in body, unablo to obtain that which Nature provides 

 them when ct liberty, eat any fjtranpo and even unnatural thing. It i« 

 a mistake io rdd any Houdan to the half-bred Brahma and Dorking. 

 It ia always wrong t-) mix Bitlij.h'and non-sitting brefid- where anvthing 

 more is required th.on the mere supply of C£gs. We have found tlie beat 

 preventive for e^fg-jaters is to put hard composition ecas, about which 

 they peck till they are tired ami their be ks are sore, when thev t;ive up 

 the practice. Your Bmhrnr's shonld have laid earlier; well-fed pullets of 

 that breed should certainly lay at seven months old. If bran i? part of 

 your food, give it up. 



Bran as Poultry Food (Jik/-.). -The nutriment in bran is said to he. 

 very great. Analysis sho^vs this, and some go to the lensth of saying 

 it is more Dutritive than the Cour of wheat. Brown bread is ( crtainly 

 fattening, yet we believo very little in bran as poultry food, and fc give 

 none. 



Mortality among Chicrekb [W. B. B.).— If your chickens are well 

 housed, covered at night, kept dry and from draughts, are on the earth, 

 and not vexed with wootlon, stone, or brick flooring; fed ear'y and late 

 on chopped egg and cooked meat, bread and milk, a few crumbs, supplied 

 with ale to drink, and dust to bi'.sk and roll in, with fresh Growing sods 

 of grass to eat, they will not die. If they are on artificial flooring, or if 

 any of the principal of these conditions are omitted, then they live iu 

 spite of it, if they Kve. (J)'j,bsi.'ri?jt:r).— Read the previous answer. Take 

 your chickens out of the room— that ia the cause of death — put them in a 

 bam or a garden, or where you will, feed and treat them as you say yo3 

 do, and they will do well. On b^ard flooring they cann-it scratch, their 

 feet are always unnaturally spread onl, the boards are damp, affording 

 neither food nor warmth, and th j fowls die of cramp and paralysis. 



Thin-shelled Eggs (Fido).—\i your hens have free access to lime* 

 mortar grit, and the materials which ff.) to form egg-shell, then tbcy art 

 out of health and muBt bo treated. If they have not, then they dimply 

 want the material, and being supplied with it, the complaint will cease. 

 The double eggs will hatch t-ometimc3, and produce two chickens. If 

 you have been feeding tn stimulating food, reduce it, and give green 

 meat. 



Fowls Unnoticed at Pechham (H. S. P.).~ks your birds were com- 

 mended elsewhere, and hy competent judges, you may safely breed from 

 them. Ko judge will allow himself to be questioned. 



Kent and Surrey Podltry Show.— Spanish: Second and Third, E.' 

 Corke. Highly Commen led, K. Wright, Holloway. 



Early Chickens (r. D.— You havoboen unfortunate. Give your rc- 

 mainine chickens bread soaked in ale. The following, which we'extra«t 

 from "The Poultry-keeper'^' Manual," may be sugKcstive for the future : 

 — "For the first f'jrtnight chickens are best kept upon alternate feedings 

 of Indian meal, bread orambri, and eg;,'g boiled hard, chopped tine, and 

 mixed with a little crnsho I hempseed. Tho Indian mf-al should be only 

 so far moistened aa still to remain crumbly. After the first fortnight, 

 and until large enough to feed with the older fowls, ^'ive them daily, in 

 addition, a feed or two of eithe: bruised wheat, or bruised grits. From 

 the very first days of their life continue, without fail, to cive them daily 

 fre^h green food. Cabb.'^ge and lettuce leaves, and mowings of grass are 

 best. Remember, abov« all thiuga, that a little food eivpn often— every 

 two hours is not too frequently — is the chief rule for chicken-rearing." 



Chicks Dead in the Shell fSulicriber).—Kz the chirks were perfect, 

 and no chill could have been incurred, we know ot no probable cause o' 

 their death, except that th- y wore w^^ah, and had not etrength to break 

 the shells. This is liable to happen if the eggs were stale. 



Whitehaven Poultry Suow (Q. PQ:indsr).—lx yon can pr^vc tha' 

 your not receiving the labels until too late for you to send your birds was 

 from a def jult of the Committe?, or of their Secretary, you mifiht recover 

 your entrance money; bat if the default was one of the General Post, 

 you could not recover your entrance money. 



Age op Canaries, Kc. iE. 8. P.).— The average afje of Canaries is fiv*?. 

 or six years, but when kept for breeding leas. Your Doves, perhaps, are 

 not a pair ; if they are, tho hen is barren. A hen tatinn her e gs is pro- 

 bably from the want of cilcareons mcvttei*. Wo know of no certain cure 

 but to fatten her for thn table. An effg filled with mastard and cayenne 

 pepper, and placed ia the nest, might probably cure her of her vicious 

 propensity ; or an egg boiled hard, ^vith a little of the shell broken and' 

 given to her quite hot, if she peeked it, would probably cure her. 



Detecting a Parrot's Age (H. 2/.).~It is rathsr diflB -ult lo decide 

 the age of a gi'ey Pan-ot upwards of three or four years old. One about 

 three or four years old would have the beak slender and black, and not 

 very ranch hooked. The c aws also would be thinner and fresher-looking 

 than in an older bird, and the white round the eye? not so plentiful nor 

 so white. If under two years old there would appear somo dirty-looking 

 feathers on the shoulders. To ascertain the sex is also very JifficuU. 

 The cock bird ia larger, and has a larger head than the hen. 



POULTRY MARKET.— Makcu H». 



We are gradually approaching scarce timss, and the prices rise aecoid- 

 ingly. We may look for it now, and for (some weeks, till the poultry of 

 the year make its appearance in forco. 



