124 



JOUENAL ( V HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Angast 18, 1868. 



One of the most potent articles for correcting putrefaction is 

 eharcoal, which I find is used in China, being sifted over the 

 worms. Another powerful agent is chloride of lime, and this 

 at the present day is becoming more generally naed, since 

 atrophy appeared among silkworms, but it must not touch the 

 worms. 



In general I have found that well-directed ventilation, good 

 food, cleanliness, and diligent care in removing from among the 

 healthy any infected worms, will prevent most of the complaints 

 to which the insects are subject, although sometimes insuffi- 

 cient, especially when the worms increase in size after their 

 fonrth change of skin. 



The atrophy and calcine diseases of silkworms seem to be 

 hereditary, and contagious also, for when the infection is not 

 in the eggs it may be brought to the worms even from a dis- 

 tance. Various species of caterpillars in the open country are 

 stated to be attacked by the calcine d.'sease, and they may even 

 communicate it to silkworms — at least, this is stated by several 

 Italian authors. 



When eggs are suspected of being infected, the use of spirits 

 of wine and water in equal quantities, in which to soak them 

 before detaching them from the napkin on which they have 

 been laid, is said to prevent any evil effects. I have never 

 tried this, but I think it an unnatural process. 



When a silkworm house has been infected, it is a good plan, 

 before using it again, to clean or disinfect it, and everything 

 connected with it should be placed in the air. The walls of the 

 room might be whitewashed, and the stages and other materials, 

 having been thoroughly cleaned, should be placed in the sun- 

 shine, and then kept in an airy situation till March. They 

 may then all be placed in the rearing room, and be disinfected by 

 fumigating with flowers of sulphur, mixed with a tenth part by 

 weight of nitre. Having secured the windows and closed the 

 chimney, ventilators, &c., the mixture is divided into six or 

 eight parts, and placed in earthen pans in different parts of 

 the room. Having placed some shavings on the mixture they 

 are to be set on fire, and the room immediately left, closing the 

 door and all holes to render the fumigation more complete. 

 The room may thus remain from twelve to twenty hoars, after 

 which door and windows are opened to admit the air. 



Young silkworms should be observed attentively, and if any 

 are found affected with the calcine disease they should be 

 removed. If its extinction is not effected, the removal of all 

 dead worms must be continued, putting them in a vessel half fall 

 of unslacked lime, or the caustic lye of potash, and afterwards 

 burying them together in the earth. If after the fourth sleep the 

 quantity of dead worms be more than can be collected before 

 calcination, then, in order not to spread the infectious powder 

 about, it is advisable to remove the beds from the stages only 

 after the healthy worms have all repaired to spinning quarters, 

 which should be done by lightly rolling up all in the papers, 

 and transporting these from the room. 



It has been recommended some time before hatching silk- 

 worms' eggs to prepare a solution formed of a hundred parts 

 of water and five of the sulphate of copper, in which to dip 

 everything which is to be used during the rearing, washing 

 well with the same solution aU the woodwork, &o., in the rear- 

 ing room. — Leonard Harman, jcn.. Old Cattmi, NorwicJi. 



MANAGEMENT OF FEREETS.— No. 1. 



Most persons residing in the country have either a hobby 

 or some sort of pet. If a lady can pet a snake, why may net 

 Ferrets be petted ? 1 have seen persons turn from them as if 

 they were too horrible to be looked at, and call them " disgust- 

 ing creatures," but the same individuals would not approach a 

 harmless toad. 



Now, I am not ashamed to acknowledge that I am very fond 

 of these little creatures, and as I have heard they are difficult 

 to rear, I offer a few remarks on their management. They are 

 as easily reared as kittens, and very free from disease if properly 

 treated. 



Avoid breeding from relations, as this will make them less 

 hardy. The breeding hutch should be roomy, and well made 

 to resist the weather. They will do well out of doors, even in 

 winter if sheltered from cold winds. The hutch should measure 

 at least 3^ feet by 2J feet, and be nearly 2 feet in depth. The 

 roof should slope toward the front, to allow the rain to run 

 off, and if long-continued rains penetrate, the top may be 

 protected by some waterproof material. The back and front 

 should have a few holes bored near the top for ventilation. 

 The floor should also have two or three holes to allow water to 



run through, as Ferrets require to be kept dry. A portion of 

 the front of the hutch may be wired to admit light and air, 

 both being essential to their well-doing. The floor should be 

 littered with clean straw, and soft oat straw is better than hay 

 for their sleeping boxes in summer ; in winter I prefer hay, as 

 they can get under it, and lie snug and warm. I put a little 

 clean straw on the floor nearly every day, that the feet of the 

 young may not get damp, and the hutch should be frequently 

 cleaned, and washed out. I believe the diseases to which 

 Ferrets are subject arise from dirty hatches and damp litter. 

 They are naturally very clean animals, and it is cruel to keep 

 them in confinement and neglect them. — Louisa B. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Japanese Bartaus (Jn^uirfr).— Truly-bred Japanese arc pI vftriouB 

 colours, one of the most usual beincta generally light-coloured pluin»ge all 

 over the body, but marked, exactly as Lipht BraLmae are, on the neokB 

 and tnil feathers. Another variety ie entirely Cuckoo-coloured ; and, agaiD, 

 ft third ia precisely like a dark-foathered Houdan fowl in feather. The 

 birds of both the biBt-uiimed colours are nsuallv by far the niobt beavily- 

 feathered on the 'ie.fis and thighs, which makes them appear uincb closer 

 to the ground than they really are. The feather itself ol a true Japanese 

 Bflntam is ainiilar to that of fowls in general, the ftUkberanot being at 

 all broken up as in the Silky fowl. 



Li Flbci^. Cook's Comb {Lemon Buff ).— The comb of a La FlPch© 

 cock should have but two jirincipal points or spirals in front. Embryo 

 points between them are unimportant, but a third as large as the other 

 two would be a decided disadvantage, if not a disqualificatjon. II the 

 bird is a chicken, we should remove it. 



Game Bantams' Legs {Subscriber).— "No. The colour of the lefts of 

 Game fowls is immaterial, but no rule in judging is so imperative as that 

 which makes it neceFsary for all in a pen to be of the eame coloor. 

 Yours would be disqualified anywhere, and they do not form a pen. 



Crossing Black Spanlsh and Speckled Hamburghs (B. A. 5.),— We 

 do not think the crofcs would be a good one. We should rathn advise 

 you to keep Creve-Cceurs. Their eggs are as large as the Spanish. 



Hens Pecking their Eggs (Amatenr), — The habit is supposed io arise 

 in the first place from the lack of the necessary material for forming the 

 sbeD of the egg. It is in that case prevented by supplying their run or 

 house with plenty of bricklayers' rubbish, such as old oeilings. mortar. 

 &c. If they have this and still peck their eggs, it ie from a had stnte of 

 the body. The only cure we know, ia to put some very bard composition 

 eggs in the nest. They peck them till their beaks are Boro, and become 

 tired of it. 



FowiiB OvERFAT (BraztlcrtiM).— Whon fowls are very fat, and begin to 

 fall away, the flefh disappears ftiBt. Jice is bad food. Feed on oxtmea) 

 and whole corn, but, above all, let them have plenty of green food and 

 fresh earth. We should think, from your description, yon fed them on 

 Indian corn. That makes fat. hut no flesh. When you say that a fowl 

 of 6 lbs. becomes less than 4 Ihg. when cooked, you mean perh.ips thattho 

 comparison is made between the fowl as it is when first killed, and as it 

 is when dressed or trussed for dressing. If so, that explains itself. The 

 head, neck, wnd inside, that are removed in the operation, will make more 

 than that differenco. Do not over-feed. 



Game Fowls not Digesting theib Food {F. P.. JT.)— There seetna to 

 he nothing in your feeding to cause the appenrances you name. They 

 will not thrive while they have no appetite. Discontinue their evenisg 

 meal, also the potatoes altogether. Give them their bread dry. Feed 

 often, and give very little at a time. 



Turkeys Suffering from Cold {Constant Suhiteriber). — Vouj Turkeys 

 are suff from cold, which if neglected will probably f ud in roan. It 



has bee i ■ rvght when following the hen about in the early dew. A hen 

 Turkey is not fit to be trusted with her brood. iShe will leave ten behind 

 and go contentedly on with three, or will drag ibem through high wet 

 grass on the first appearance of day. Wash the eyes of the patients with 

 vinegar and cold water. Feed them on bread steepi-d in strong beer. 

 Keep them in a dry place, on loose sandy floorii g, and I'o not give them 

 their liberty till the sun ia up. and vegetation is dry. The cold of which 

 they are now feeling the effects was probably caught some weeka feince. 



Hambubgh Cock Roupy {Franl-).—It ie incipient roup. We do not 

 dread it as we used to do, and we are not bent on pepsrating every sickly 

 bird, neither do we ever allow it to go on. We treat bad caPcs most aac- 

 cesefully with Baily's pills. Milder forms are cored by washing the face 

 with vinegar and cold water, feeding on stimulating food, as brea^ and 

 ale, and keeping the patient as much as possible on di-y ground, and in a 

 dry atmosphere. 



Removing Bees (Constant Jieadcr).— If the hives are well stored and 

 populous there is no especial riek of the bees dying merely because they 

 have not ^ warmed this vear. You should select a cool evening for re- 

 moving them, and lake care that the cloths used are of open texture— 

 cheeseclolh is the best. If you want to keep both colonies you must not 

 meddle with their stores, nor should yon drive them unless with the 

 view of transferring thtm to frame hivea. A flat stone is a bad floor- 

 board. 



Uniting Swaems {H. C, Bfpi^?/).— We should cspel the bees by driving 

 about the beginning of beptember, if there is no late pasturage near, 

 such as heath, by which they might yet increase thfir stores, and in snob 

 aseas'-n as the present should expect by that time, little or no brood 

 remaining. 



COMMDNICATIONS BETWFEN HiVES AND SuPERB TOO SmALL {E. Leeek). 



—"It is evident that the commnnication afforded by Mr. Pettitt's gratings 

 is too restricted, and that large numbers of bees have perished from not 

 being able to find their way through them. I have known the same 

 thing occur when commuulcation with a ftuper has been by a ceutr^ 

 aperture of unusually small dimensions. Boney can only be prevented 

 from oryfetaUifiing by being kept in a warm place.— A DBVo.«aHiflE BEe- 



KEEPEE." 



