70 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEK 



t Jnly 43, 186a 



Mitchell, and fonnd it bad ocearred to himself some years ago, 

 been tried, and found wanting. 



The usual diBinclination bees display to begin work on a 

 gmooth surface, such as glass, and the persistence with which, 

 when started, they sliok to one comb or side of a glass, is a 

 chief cause of the slow progress made. This difficulty Mr. 

 Mitchell, like every worker in glass, experienced, and at last 

 overcame by a very ingenious contrivance, by which, instead of 

 beginning one comb the bees can be induced to start several 

 simnltaneously in a regular figure, both downwards and up- 

 wards. This is effected by the construction of a little frame of 

 very thin wood, consisting of three pieces crossing and attached 

 to each other by means of a little broad-headed wooden pin in 

 the centre, as shown in the annexed sketch. 



To each division of the frame, and on both sides, points of 

 pure guide comb are attached, and it is suspended by means of 

 a thread passing through the hole in the knob on the lid till 

 snoh times as the combs are fixed to the sides of the glass, 

 when the thread is drawn up. 



Another most important point is the thorough shading of 

 the glasses, and keeping up an equable warmth, best effected 

 by means of thick plies of woollens, or if wool can be had 

 it answers capitally. By neglecting shading, Mr. Mitchell, 

 when in his novitiate, lost thirteen young swarms in one hot 

 season, the bees abandoning their hives, and going off after 

 three weeks' occupancy, which miehap, together with the loss 

 tte same season of a large order of glasses from London, save 

 one, through bad packing, he expressively added, " About 

 finished me ;" and yet he perf evered, avoiding similar blunders, 

 and by the use of good roomy stock hives, and combining 

 several swarms, admitting only the honey-gatherers of the end 

 oombs into the glasses, he has at last attained such wonderful 

 resnlts. 



The glasses are made by Messrs. James Conper & Sons, at 

 the City Flint Glass Works, Glasgow, and can be had of any 

 sise, from is. Gd., to hold a few pounds, up to the monster 

 glass illustrated, which cost £1.- — A Renbewshtre Bee-keeper. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



ExHiBrnNo Malays and WniTE DoREiwoa {Fair Platf).~A Malay 

 oombtbat has been tampered with is a disqaalification. A parely bred 

 Malay wants nothing t'lken off, nor can he spare anylhlns withoat posi- 

 tive detriment. The White Dorking cook would not Ijo disqualified by 

 the hollow comb, as it la not a breed in whioh comb is of any import- 

 ance. The spurs on the onteide of the legs are a deformity, and should 

 dlBqoalify. 



Preservino Eggs (W. if.) — Bggs may be kept perfectly fresh and fit 

 for any purpose by being put in an earthen pan, and covered with lime 

 worked with water inio a paf«te; alternate layers may be pat in till the 

 Tessel is full. Care most be taken that the eggs be always covered, and 

 tb«y must be fresh when put in. The process is preservative, not prepara- 

 tive. We have eggs now fit for any culinary purpose that were preserved 

 last year. 



Points op Silver-Guey Dorkimos (SiI»«--Or«y).— It fswrnng foryonr 

 aUver-Grey puUots to have black heada. It is atill worse for them to 

 have grey mottled breasts. The last ia a positive disqaalifieation. 



Chickehs* Featherikg /.D. S.)-— a chicken never moults; that is an 

 operation of mature ago ; bnt the chicken's feathers drop, and are re- 

 pincRd by those that will last till the first repnlur moult comes. An 

 April chicken should be in full and perfect feather in October and 

 November. 



Krahmas for ExiTiBiTioK {A. E. H.)— Your Brnhma.'? nre hatched to« 

 Inte fur early showing, as they are only just now getting their pIumagQ, 

 It will be months before they mo'ilt. The weiuht is satisfattory, apoun4 

 per monlh is a good average. There is nothing that will promote tb* 

 growth of feathers The twist is not so important in the cnmb of a 

 Brabmi as an inclination to fall over. Deficient feathering of the leg 

 is a irreat fault. You will be more ensily understood by ihose who know 

 poultry, if yon leave out the word neck before hackle. A fowl has but one 

 hnckle. that is the neck ; the other long feathers form the snddle. The 

 cocks will not crow yet; nol till they are past four months old. Judging 

 from the weights you quote, we believe you would be suoceshful in show- 

 ing against breeds of the same age. If you thow against older ones, your 

 chances of success would be diminished. 



Preparing Game Fowls for ExetEiTioN f.\f. J*.).— Game fowls should 

 always be penned some days before exhibition, for several reasons. Oc* 

 very important one is to see whether tHe cock will agree with the bens, 

 and whether they will agree together. If you exhibit a pen, the members 

 of which are always quarrelling, there is no hope of success. They 

 .should not he put in a warm room. An out-house or shed, with protection 

 from draught, is all they want. They should in their pen be able t« 

 perch. If there are signs of fighting, remove the weakest bird at 

 once. No food has so much effect on the plum^ige in making it hard, as 

 good white peas. Most exhibitors and cockers have favourite foods ; tbas, 

 some feed their Game cocks on raw yolk of ege ; others give rump-steak 

 scraped for f.iod, and allow old ale for drink ; oihers sive rusks and stale 

 crnsts steeped in port wine. There is no doubt a little of these is good 

 and very instrumental in producing high condition, but it also developed 

 their pugnacious propensities to an ext'^nt that often desti-oys any chance 

 of success. Their legs and faces should be watched sornpulously clean. 



Poultry for Table and Latino {-in OUl Hiibseriber).—li you have 

 plenty of room and fields for one breed, you have enoush for two. if you 

 manage them aright. Y^u should keep Dorkincs for the run, and Brnh- 

 man for confinement. The latter will do well in a small space. We 

 believe you very candidly and naively give us the history of your disap- 

 pointment ae regards eggs, when you qu te the winter laying of twenty 

 Dorking h^ns, and five dark Brabmas. Hens do not lay in the winter, 

 chickens do. Winter laying may be made a certninty by keeping proper 

 breeds of proper ages. Dorking pullets hatched in April. Brahma pullets 

 hatched in Mav or early in June, will be laying in the winter. The poor 

 mongrel that did lay, did not do so becaune it wns a mongrel, but in spite 

 of it When pullets attain a certain age they must lay, because the time 

 is come, and this nets independently of season or temperature: but it is 

 onlv once in a lifetime. Afterwards, they are hens, and produce eggs only 

 in the natural season. Substitute pullets for hens and you will have eggs. 

 Eschew flues, and all artificial heat ; they will only cause you trouble, and 

 will make no return in any profit ible way. Do not cross between Dork- 

 ings and Hambnrgbs; no mistake can be greater. Hanibnrghs are non- 

 sitters. It is yet time to save some of our early pullets, and we advise 

 you to save the handsomest for winter layers. They will not disappoint 

 one. 



CARRren Pigeons Flttno aki> Egos not Hatching (A Young Faneler), 

 —Do not let your Carriers fly yet. wait until the young ones are a month 

 old ; then put them and food on the landing-board, and the old birds after 

 their first fly will be enticed home, especially if you let them oat when 

 hnng7-y. Be sure you do not drive thera out, but let them come out ae, 

 and when, they please. Meanwhile have a good-sized wire front on the 

 landingbonrd eo that the birds each Jay ran walk about, sun themselves, 

 and get a knowledge of the locality, also feed them there. As to your other 

 question we are not quite sure that wo rightly understand you. This hot 

 and dry weather has been very bad for all hatching. We have before now 

 had eggs fail uf, owing to their being bruised, when chipped, between the 

 bird's body and the floor, on which just under the egcs there happened 

 to be no nest, and bo the young were not hatched. Are your birds 

 liberally fed ? After a little longer trial and re mating we should kill sncb 

 disippointing Pigeons. As a last thought, you may.have too many birde 

 in Tour loft; if so. a fancier never succeeds. 



Teaching Bullfinches to Pipe {H. T.). — Their education consiste 

 in keepinsr them from hearing any other birds, placing them in a small 

 basket, feeding them every two hours or thereabont, and after each meal 

 covering tkem up to prevent their attention being diverted, and playing 

 or whiBtl:ng their lesson over to them two or three times ; and even after 

 tbev feed themselves it is necessary to continue their tuition incessantly 

 for nine months. Some birds can learn as many as three tunes, but it is 

 rare for them to pipe them without fault, nnd it is often necessary to 

 whittle their tunes over to them after the moult, to prevent their for- 

 getting them. One tune well piped is, perhaps, better than three im- 

 perfectly. 



Sale of Young Canaries (Spot).— Try Mr. E. Ilawkinf, 11, Bear Street. 

 Leicester Square, though Canaries of "no particular breed" are not 

 much in demand. 



Australian Paroquets (Luelan). — Without seeing the birds we can 

 only judge from the description you have civen that they are the Bud- 

 grigars or Australian Grass Paroqueli^. They eat canary seed, oats, and 

 millet; a handful of fresh gathered (jrass with seed on, should be given 

 frequently, also water to drink. They are easily tamed with caret nl at 

 tention. 



Changing Floor Boards (A Novice).— It is immaterial at>hat season 

 you substitute moveable floor boards for fixed ones. 



Profitable Beekekp'NG (A Chethirc Bee-kcfper). — We doubt whether 

 the average wholesale price of run honey exceeds the offer whicli you have 

 already rer-eived (8!/i per lb.), although it appears but a low figure for so 

 fine a q'^ali^y as yours is described to bo. You may. however, obtain a 

 much better price fir super honey by selling it in the comb. Messrs. 

 Fortnnm & Mhbou, Piccadilly, and Messrs. Neighbour, 149, Kegent Street, 

 and 127, Ho'bom, are large purchasers of honey, and either of these firmfl 

 would inform you in what kind of vessels it should be forwarded to them. 



Fining Wine (J. R .fl/.l.— Take the whites and shells of three fresh' 

 pffgR, beat them in a wooden vessel till they bpoome a thick froth, add 

 thereto a little wine, and whifk it up aenio. If the onsk be full take out 

 fo!ir or five gallons, nnd give it a good stirrins ; next nh'sU up the 

 Pnings. and put ihem in,nfter which t-tir the whole well ; drive in the 

 bong, bore a hole for a vent^ and in about three days close it with a peg. 



