314 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICDLTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 22, ISCB. 



cutting out part of the hive with a sharp knife, and either 

 placing the glass directly on the hive, or, as is better, using a 

 small a'Japting-board, with a hole in its centre, between the hive 

 and the glass, by which means the glass when tilled is removed 

 ■with the greatest ease, and without any risk of breaking down 

 the comb. 



I began 18CG with two stocks, both of them very strong. 

 I had procured, as already mentioned, other two hives from 

 Mr. Downie, on what he called the American-bar principle, 

 unfortunately not made exactly to the scale of my first one, in 

 preparation for the swarms which I anticipated from my stocks. 

 When the looked-for swarms issued I was travelling with two 

 pupil.'?, who used to accu.se me of always being on the look-out 

 for bees, and of wanting to enter every cottage garden where we 

 saw any. [We were walking through Xormandy, and saw some 

 wonderful stores of honey, and very neat cottagers' apiaries], 

 and on our return home, I found my new swarms housed in 

 the old straw hives, with plenty of cross sticks stuck through 

 them. My factotum, not, alas ! the one who had been with me 

 in my former bee experiences, did not feel equal to doing any- 

 thing with the new-fangled boxes, though he had received full 

 instructions as to what he was to do, and a villa^rer, great about 

 bees, to whom he applied for aid in the emergency, condemned 

 them ill tvto, put plenty of cross sticks into the old hives, and 

 BO hived the swarms. Of these swarms two issued on one day, 

 and went together, and so made one monster swarm, so large 

 that it filled not only a large stock hive, but also the greater 

 partof the super hive which I use to cover the bell-glasses with. 

 The second swarm from one hive was also unusually strong. 



A few days after my return home early in June, I had my 

 second bitter experience, from the perpetration of a stupid 

 blunder. A strong swarm issued from the large swarm which 

 I have mentioned above, and which I had immediately on my 

 return confined entirely to the stock hive, allowing only a large 

 bell-glass, and not the whole super for them to work in. I took 

 this swarm into a common straw hive, since it was not convenient 

 to place tho bar hive above it, as I had douo on a former occa- 

 sion. In the evening I placed the bar hive on a clean cloth, 

 propped with two or three pieces of wood, and dashed the bees 

 out oa the cloth in front of it. In a short time they were all 

 quiet in their new home ; indeed, when once the ascent began, 

 it was interesting to notice the regularity of their march. 



Si far well. Now followed my blunder. As soon as the bees 

 were settled and ciuiet, I placed perforated zinc ventilators on 

 the top of the box, and closed tho entrance also with a perfo- 

 rated zinc slide. I did this from a wish to prevent the bees 

 from flying back, as many usually do in the morning, to the 

 place where they have alighted, an object, which as I now know, 

 is accomplished by placing a new swarm in its intended posi- 

 tion as soon as possible after it has been hived. After thus 

 shutting in the bees in order, as 1 hoped, to cause them to 

 settle to work more readily, I placed the box in its intended 

 position, and did not visit it again till nearly twelve o'clock on 

 the following morning. I then opened the entrance with all 

 due precautions against a fierce outrush of eager multitudes, but 

 there came no rush, only a feeble stagger of about a dozen drip- 

 ping bees which fell to the ground at once, utterly unable to fly. 

 I had wanted to be wiser than Nature. I hope for the future 

 to follow, not to seek to direct. Immediately I took oiT not | 

 merely the zinc ventilators, but the whole top, and then I saw 

 a miserable sight indeed. Between the moveable bars the bees 

 were lying dead in a mass, and that mass nearly -1 inches deep. 

 They had been stifled in a worse than bhck hole of Calcutta. 

 Here was an evidence, the strongest possible, of the intense heat 

 engendered by bees at swarming time. When I had removed 

 all the bees I found the whole box apparently saturated with 

 moisture, dripping with wet, and yet there was more than 

 doable the ventilation there, was in the hive from which the 

 swarm had issued. I suppose from crowding round the exit 

 in the morning, and being unable to pass out, they had choked 

 the entrance, and so vitiated the air more than the little 

 circulation at the top only could pmify it. With much self- 

 reproach and many resolutions of letting well alone for the 

 future, I buried the victims of my ignorance, and I watched 

 all the more anxiously my surviving stocks, all of which did 

 well, and passed the winter unharmed, so that I have now 

 to begin upon my Ligurian expeiieuces, which date from 

 1867. — A SoMEasET Vicir. 



Homing Pigeons. — On Thursday morning, Mr. Popplestone, 

 station-master at Starcrose, received from London per rail in a 



tin box six Carrier Pigeons, which had been sent by a member 

 of a London Pigeon Club, with the request that the birds might 

 be set at liberty the same morning at 'J.30. The request was 

 complied with. The birds hovered over the Exe estuary, 

 flying round and round for the purpose of ascertaining their 

 whereabouts, and whither to direct their flight. At the end of 

 that time they seemed to have satisfied themselves of their 

 position, and darted off in the direction of Woodbury Hill, 

 across which they were seen winging their rapid flight. Mr. 

 Popplestone, we are informed, received a letter from the sender 

 of the Pigeons on Friday morning, stating that one bird returned 

 to its loft at Clerkenwell at 1.3.5 p.m. the day before, four 

 others were found in the loft at two o'clock, and the last made 

 its appearance a few minutes later. The Pigeons were only sia 

 months old. Between London and Starcross the distance by 

 road is about 180 miles, which one of the Pigeons must have 

 accomplished in little over three hours and a half. — (Eietcr 

 Gazet:e.) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Books (Brahma).— Yon can bave "The Poultry- Keepers' Manual" a 

 our office. It contains souud iuformation from none but practical meo 

 You will Bee an answer about roup given to-day to another correspondent 



SiLVER-ftpANGLED Hamburghs' FEATHERS (J. W.). — The feather yon 

 sent is a foul one, and does not belong to a Spangled Hamburgh. It is 

 the result of some distant cross, or of breeding out for want of fresh 

 blood. On no account breed from such a bird. We would not use a wry- 

 tailed cock. We have long known that defects are more certainly and 

 more easily transmitted than merits or virtues. Wry-tail and crooked 

 hacks are among those that are certain to be reproduced. 



Weight of Cuff Cocnn? Cockerel (Lemon Buff).— Ten and a half 

 pounds at seven months old are more than a good weight, itis uncommon 

 at the age. being growth at the rate of 1^ lb. per month. Cockerels stil) 

 grow after that aae if they are kept from the hens ; but if they run pro- 

 miscuously they furnish, but become little larger or heavier after eight 

 mouths. 



Breeding Age or A Gander (II. F. C). — The gander of last May 

 should be all yon require for next season. They are capricious birds, 

 and will not sometimes take to their Geese. Where that is the case get 

 rid of the ofi'ender, and buy or borrow another. 



Farnworth Poultry Snow (F. E. R,). — We printed the entire prize litt. 

 If you write to the Secretary he might tell you about the Turkeys. 



Roup(G-H-). — Wash the head daily, or twice daily, with tepid wateis 

 Sulphate of copper, one grain, daily, mixed in oatmeal mashed with ale. 

 and plenty of green food. Separate the fowl from all others. If not 

 better within a week kill the fowl. 



DrCKwlNG Game B.antams (Cousin Jda\— Look to tho prize list of the 

 Chelmsford Show in our last number. Prices vary witti the degrees of 

 excellence. 



Brahma Pootras not Roosting (J. il/.). — The run you describe is an 

 excellent one. The birds you have bought, have probably been accustomed 

 to roost on the ground. They will take to the perch after a time. They 

 do not require straw, it only serves to harbour vermin. The only pest 

 they will require are some square pieces of plank nailed to the wall. The 

 earth will form the bottom of the nest while the hen lays, and it should 

 be the same when she sits. The piece of wood to form the nest may be 

 12 inches every way ; such pieces nailed to the wall at distances of 

 12 inches will make the nests ; a little straw should be put in the nest, and 

 it is well to have a bead to prevent the eggs from rolling out. 



Fowls Tre.si'assing (J.H.P.), — Your Bantams going into your neigh- 

 houf's garden and scratching there, or even going there without scratch- 

 ing, commit a trespass ; and if sued in the County Court you would be 

 liable to a fine and the costs. You must either coutiue your Bantams, or 

 have a wire-net fence so high that they cannot fly over it. 



Mr. Pettiguf.w's Large Hives (C. M. Major). — Twelve inches deep 

 by 1.', inches, 18 inches, and 21 inches in diameter, according to circum- 

 stances. We hope shortly to be enabled to give some details of his mode 

 of managing these apparently huge hives from Mr. Pettigrew's own pen. 



Bees in Stewarton Hive (A .Suhncriber).~'U the bees did not extend 

 into the second box, and that not having any comb iu it, remove it for 

 the winter. If the upper box. even, has not been filled with combs, the 

 swarm could not have been "a strong one," as supposed, and we would 

 advise feeding. 



Canaries' Tail Fe.athers Bent (T. C. C).— The tail can be brought 

 straight again by dipping it in hot water; but it will in all probability 

 assume its proper shape as it grows to maturity. When a young bird 

 damajjes any portion of its tail, pull the latter entirely out. If the birds 

 be kept in a large cage, three sides wood, with the perches screwed to the 

 back, and not touching the wires, they will not rub their tails. 



Food for Exhibition Canaries (Idem). — " Canary seed, 1 lb. ; Summer 

 rape seed, lib. ; Unseed, Alb.; groats, about li ozs., mixed, and chopped 

 egg twice a-weeli, are all tliat are required for conditioning birds. — W. A. 

 Blakbton." 



CoDVE TEONcnuDA.— " E. D."' wishes to he told how to cook the mid 

 ribs of the largo leaves of Couve tronchuda. His cook cannot make 

 them tender, and especially asks. Are they to be peeled '.' 



POULTRY MARKET.— October 21. 



f. ;d p 



Large Fowls 8 to 3 



Smaller do 2 G S 



Chickens 1 9 2 



Geese 6 7 



Ducks 2 2 



d I B. 



6 Pheasants ...^*.>. 2 



I Partridges . . . . . 1 



Hares 2 



Rabbits 1 



6 Wild do 



d s. d 

 6 to 2 

 G 1 9 

 6 2 9 



4 15 

 8 



Pigeons 8 9 I Grouse S 3 6 



