JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ September 24, 1868. 



for example I may state that I know some of my fellow fanciers 

 who will be glad tobuy good birds of this season at from £leach ; 

 that is some difference from the 9s. per dozen of the half-bred. 



And now a word about the exclusion of dealers from shows. 

 I say it is quite impracticable, because every dealer will find a 

 Bubstitute to serve the same object, but let every fancier's 

 Toice be heard against dealers undertaking the duties of judges ; 

 and it wiU be for the advantage of both dealers and exhibitors, 

 as one of the greatest dealers said to me, that " Judging is not 

 a pleasant office, as to do my duty I must offend some cus- 

 tomers, which is contrary to my interest." 



My next communication will be on the comparison and 

 merits of the long and short-beaked Pigeons in general. I 

 will also report the result of the roup pills as I promised. — A 



FoBEIONER. 



THE HONEY HAEVEST— LIGURIANISING. 



I Av at a loss to account for having such a bad season this 

 year, only taking 60 lbs. off nine hives, whilst last year I took 

 56 lbs. from a Woodbury bar hive, and 41 lbs. from one and 

 50 lbs. from another common straw hive. All my neighbours 

 complain, but two of my friends at four miles distance say it 

 is the best season they have had since keeping bees, one 

 having taken 158 lbs. from six hives. Is it that there are too 

 many kept round me ? I can count nearly one hundred hives 

 within a radius of three-quarters of a mile. 



I have to relate a curious occurrence which I saw last year. 

 I was requested to hive a first swarm that had just left one of 

 my friend's hives, and was surprised to see the bees settle on 

 the neck and shoulders of a boy who was passing down the 

 street. I told him to take his coat off, on which were the bulk 

 of bees, and shaking them off on the ground, I then placed over 

 them a hive, which they still occupy. The boy was not once 

 stung, but was very much frightened. It was a strong swarm, 

 weighing about 4 Ibe. 



Would it be too late to join a Ligurian queen in October ? 



Last year I had a very weak stock, the weakest of seven. This 

 year I was surprised by taking more from it than any other. 

 Could the old queen have died in the summer, and a young 

 one been raised? — A Tcnbkidge Wells Bee-keeper. 



[The honey harvest has been very capricious, varying much 

 in different localities, and in some only short distances apart. 

 Overstocking can scarcely be the cause of your comparative 

 failure, seeing that you did so well last year. 



October is certainly not too late for putting Ligurian queens 

 at the head of stocks of common bees. In fact, there is less 

 than the usual amount of risk at this season. 



It is by no means impossible that your whilom weak stock 

 may have raised a young queen, although such a change of 

 dynasty would be more likely temporarily to retard than im- 

 mediately to advance the prosperity of the colony.] 



BEES DECAMPING. 



Two strong healthy swarms of bees in Stewarton boxes that 

 had made abundance of fine honey in supers, which were taken, 

 each weighing 24 lbs. and 25 lbs., and were left with an ample 

 supply to last them till next honey season, disappeared sud- 

 denly, leaving the combs quite empty. — Gadoirth. 



[We should be disposed to ascribe this remarkable desertion 

 to one of two causes — either you were deceived in the supposed 

 amplitude of the supply of honey, and when provisions ran 

 short the bees quitted their hives as " hunger swarms," or the 

 desertion was not quite so sudden as you imagine, in which 

 case it may possibly have arisen from the loss of queens. We 

 have known instances of this kind in which stocks have been 

 plundered of every particle of honey before their proprietors 

 have become aware of their loss, the systematic operations of 

 active bands of freebooters having been in the meantime mis- 

 taken for vigorous working on the part of the lawful but really 

 dispossessed inhabitants.] 



EXHIBITION OF BEES. 

 Not having seen in " our Journal " any account at any time 

 of bees having been exhibited at poultry shows, I send the 

 list of the winners in that class. I think if prizes were given 

 at most of our shows for best collection of bees in improved 

 hives, also for best bellglaeses of honey collected in the year, 

 it would encourage bee-keeping, and be a source of pleasure 



and profit to the working man. All shows held after the 1st of 

 September would; suit bee-keepers to exhibit both bees and 

 honey, 



I may say that I have acted as Judge at the Middleton Show 

 for two years for bees. There were nine entries. The follow- 

 ing are the names of the winners :— Best collection of bees, 

 First prize (£2), J. Hall, Tonge, Lancashire. Second (£1), 

 C. Turner, Foxdenton, Lancashire. 



Last year there were prizes for the best bell-glass of honey, 

 &c. — SoDTH Lancashire Bee-keepbk. 



OUR LETTER BOX, 



Moulting {J. A. Bantam). — Relative to promotinpmonltinp, the follow- 

 ing is stated iD our " Poultry-Keeper's Manual •"--" All birds reqnire 

 more warnitb and more generous diet durinp this time of drain upon 

 their system. This is especially the case with old fowls. Do not let 

 them out early in the morning if the weather is chilly, but feed them 

 under cover, and give them warm soft food chiefly, such as bread and ale, 

 milk porridge made very thick with oatmeal, a little boiled meat, such ae 

 liver, &c., cut tmall, potatoes mashed up with pot liquor, and a little 

 ground pepper mixed daily in their mess." 



Hatching Bantams (Philornis).— If yon wish to breed very small 

 Bantams, hatch them late, in the end of June or in July. If you want 

 strong birds reared with little trouble, hatch them in April or May. 



Fowls' Evening Meal— Influence of Hatching Hen (Idem).— It 

 fowls will not leave their perch for food, they do not want it; never 

 attempt to coax or force them. Your informant is either very creduloua 

 himself, or he thought you were. It is utterly impossible the breed of the 

 sitting hen should have any eflfect whatever on the produce of the eggs 

 she hatches. 



Fowls Eating Sheep's Dung {E. A. S.).— All birds like to scratch and 

 pick in the way you mention, and on the same material. It is harmless, 

 but pleasant neither to see nor think of. 



Spanish Cock Blind {SuhicrihcT). — Spanish cocks and hens are sub- 

 ject to the swelled face you mention, and it always ends in the loss of the 

 eye ; but we have seldom, if ever, known it attack both sides of a face. 

 It is incurable. 



Grey and Tcfted Bantams {A Novice).— The Bantams, grey and 

 tufted, are not Game Bantams, and mu6t be shown in Class 3. "Any 

 variety except Game." There used to be a breed of Lark-crested Game, 

 but they had no tuft between the ej'e and ear-lobe. Such were called 

 MuflFtees. They were once admired, but are now seldom seen. All 

 Bantams are now so much noticed, that we should expect those you have 

 to be very attractive. 



The Poultry Club (Egomet). — We believe the Poultry Club ranks 

 among the things that have been. We know not the source whence come 

 the cups at the Birmingham Show, unless they were the legacy of the 

 defunct, or of some members who wish to embalm the memory of the 

 deceased. As two poultry clubs have died a natural death, we do not 

 think it likely there will be a third. 



Brewers' Grains for Chickens (X. X. X.). — We have tried brewers* 

 p-ains as food for poultry. We found it too stimulating, except for laying 

 hens. We believe the grains are injurious to all poultry, and have a 

 tendency to produce dropsy. We sometimes give grains mixed with meal, 

 one part of grains to two of meal, but only in hard weather. 



PiGi-oNs (J. T. C). — We do not know where Mr. Eaton's work can be 

 obtained. It is one of the crudest of books. 



Hartlepool Poultry Show. — " In reply to Mr. Hawkins respecting 

 the decision of the Judges in 'Any variety not named above,' the first 

 prize was given to Brahma Pootras, not Houdans There were only two 

 pens of Houdans exhibited, both mine, one with crests, whiskers, and 

 beards, the other only with crests. The second prize was given to the 

 inferior birds only with crests. The better birds bred from a cock and 

 hen which won the first prize last year at Preston, and which I sold for 

 £3, were awarded no prize. My Eouen Ducks were second to Mr. Leach's 

 when Mr. Dis.in, of Bradford, was Judge, Of those which were awarded 

 the second prize at Hartlepool, the Ducks had white feathers in their 

 necks, and it is well known that Rouen Ducks ought to be similar to the 

 wild ones. — J. G. Milnee, Bellerhy Vtcararje, near Leyburn." 



Erratum. — In the fifth line of the second paragraph of the article in 

 page 214 on the Manchester Poultry Show prize list, for " do little," read 

 *' do battle." 



"Bee-keeping for the Many" (S. £.).— A new edition (the seventh), 

 is just published, and may be obtained of any bookseller, or direct from 

 this office for five stamps. 



Hives and Bee Appliances (Mrs. Francis).— Of Messrs. Neighbour, 

 149, Regent Street, and 127, High Holboin ; also of Mr. Marriott, Tropical 

 Department, Crystal Palace. 



Tomato Jam.— "In answer to ' 7*. W. TT.' who wishes to know my 

 receipt for making tomato jam, it is as follows : — To every 3 II 'S. of fresh- 

 gathered ripe tumatoefi, add the juice and tinely cut rind of two lemons. 

 Boil together half »nh>>ur, then add 4 lbs. i»f ki.^f sugar, and a little crushed 

 ginger, and buil the whole during another half-hour. — Loveapple," "The 

 request of a cnn-espondent for a receipt for making tomato jam induces 

 me to give our experience in making this really delicious preserve. The 

 red tomato, to keep well, requires much boiling, and close cnreful tying- 

 down with bl.tdder. Take note of the weight of the dish, fill it with five 

 ripe tomatoes, and put it in a moderately warm oven fnr several hours, 

 until they will pulp without difficulty. Either before or "fter this taking, 

 remove the skin. Weigh the torn itoes, add to tbem half iheir weight of 

 sugar, and the juice of a lemon for every 4 lbs., boil them in a preserving 

 pan until the juice will set, put the jam out io jars, and fi<sten them down 

 securely. I believe the small cherry tomatnes are the best of the red 

 kinds ; but all thef^e require a good deal of boiling. The f^niall yellow 

 variety requires no more cooking than plum jam, and is very fine in 

 flavour.— E. W." 



