November 12, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENKK 



371 



ANTWRHP9.— First, J. W. EilRe. Second, J. Wnltcrs. 



Swallows.— First, G. F. WhituhouBe. Second, F. Salo. 



Any other Variety. —First. F. Graliam (Hunts). Second, Witlibeld. 



Antwerps.— Coot.*.— First, F. F. Poster. Second,— Bartleet, lUriuinu- 

 ham. Third, J. E. Cleveland. Highly Commended, J. E. Cleveland ; C. 

 Karnes ; J. W. Edge. 



Black Badges.— First, — Bartleet. Second, J. W. Edge. 



Bloe Badges.— Firiit, J. W. Edge. Second, A. Walthew. 



Badges (Any other colour).- Prize. J. W. Edge. 



Black Saddles.— First and Second, J. W. Edge. 



Blue Saddles.— First, A. Walthow. Second, J. W. Edge. 



Mottles.— Prize. J. W. Edge. 



RosEwiNGS AND REDBREASTS.- First, J. W. Edgo. Sccond, A. Waltliow. 



ToUBLEBS (Any other variety).— Prize, — Bartleet. 



The Judges for Fancy Pigeons, were Mr. Edward Hewitt, and Mr. 

 Henry Yardley, both of Birmingham ; and for the Flying Tumblers, 

 Mr. William Beardmore, and Mr. H. Harvey, also of Birmingham. 



ASTiniA IN CANAUIES— NORWICH AND 

 YORKSHIRE VARIETIES. 



Asthma in Canaries arises from two canses — cither from the 

 bird being kept in a room where the air is impure, close, and 

 too hot, or from a disordered stomach. The way to cnro it is to 

 feed with soaked rape seed, and bread and milk, piving the 

 patient twice a-week two drops of castor oil, and linseed tea 

 instead of w atcr to drink. Birds cannot endure an impure air. 

 More birds are killed by being hung up in a warm room where 

 gas is, when they are "puffy," than people imagine. If you 

 keep them from draughts of cold air, it is really surprising the 

 amount of cold they will bear uninjm-ed. I have known the 

 water frozen in prize birds' drinking glasses. Let " Can.vbi- 

 Exsis " put his asthmatical birds in a largo cage with wooden 

 ends and top, give them plenty of cold water to b.atho in, bread 

 and milk and soaked rape to eat, no green food — the ^vorst thing, 

 I think, for cage birds — and if anything wUl cure them that 

 treatment will. 



There is as much difference between a Norwich and Yorkshire 

 Canary as there is between a Chinaman and .a Scotchman. 

 Good Norwich birds are never seen except in a few h.ands, and 

 Derby is where they are turned out in the best foi-m. The secret 

 of the high colour (and it is a secret), is only known to about 

 twenty men in Engl.and (I do not mean dyeing or anything 

 unfair), and I do not suppose one of them would tell for £500. — 

 IIOWAKTH Akhton'. 



YORK CANARY SHOW. 



I SAW some very good birds exhibited at York, but I was not 

 satisfied with the awards ; I do not, however, blame the Judges, 

 but the system on which they based their decisions. For in- 

 stance, in the Daik-crested class the first and sccond prizes were 

 given to two inferior-bred birds, marked, ^vrctched in colour, but 

 possessing good crests. The entries in this class wore numerous, 

 and amongst them some beautiful high-bred good-coloured Nor- 

 wich birds. Mr. Tomes sent a lovely Buff bird, Mr. Blakston a 

 pair, the first and sccond at North Ormesby Show, and when I 

 say that I sent a beautiful clear Yellow first-prize bird at Sun- 

 derland, and another a third-prize bird, it is suflicient testimony 

 of their quality and all of them having very good dark crests. 

 Now, I think, if the judge at an agricultural show awarded the 

 prize to a cow in the long-horned class simply because she had 

 the largest and longest horns, quite overlooking the quality of 

 the animal, it would be as sensible as giving the prize to a 

 bird for the crest alone, and entirely disregarding all other 

 points. I wish lo know if a crest should ovciTulo all other points 

 and quality. I quite agree that the crest should rank as the 

 most important point, but I think other (pialifications should 

 also bo taken into consideration by a judge. The schedule 

 states Class N, Dark-crested Canary. 



The same remarks similarly apply to the Light-crested class 

 and the Lizards ; one single point seemed to overrule all others. 



I also wish to Icnnw if, after the judges have awarded a prize, 

 and the show is open to the public, the secretary has an}' right 

 to remove the prize card and place it on another cage ? The 

 case is — I made an error in entering a Buff Belgian bird in the 

 Yellow class. According to the rules this disqualifies me from 

 taking the prize (the money I suppose) ; but on entering the 

 room I found my bird placed in the right class, and removed 

 from the Yellow birds, and the first-prize card .attached to the 

 cage by the Jvidges. After the Show was opened this card was 

 taken away and placed on another cnge. The rules state 

 "There is no appeal from the decision of the Judges," and my 

 bird was awarded the first prize by them. Should not the cari 



have remained where it was on my cage ? or does not the fact 

 of the officials removing the Buff bird from its number in the 

 Yellow class, and placing it amongst the Buffs and in the right 

 class, correct the error I made in the entry, and entitle me to 

 the prize ? 



The ofBco of judge is always a thankless one at best, and I 

 will here thank the Judges on this occasion for their courtesy 

 and the friendly way they received any i-riticisms made to them. 

 I write especially to gain information myself, and in the hope 

 that some day our Canary judges will possess standard and uni- 

 form rules to go by. It was tho first Show held in York, open 

 to all England, &c., and allowances must be made ; but I have 

 no doubt the experience gained will enable the worthy President 

 and Secretaries to get up a very superior exhibition of birds 

 next year. I for ono shall hope to support them, as I have no 

 other motive in writing than the object of benefiting Canary 

 shows and Canary judges by obtaining a system of standard and 

 uniform rules. I suggest a conference at the next Sunderland 

 Show. — W. DiNSTEY Skelton, jun., Leeds. 



[\Ye think the Judges did wrong when they removed the 

 Canary to the class in which it ought to have boon exhibited ; 

 and that the Committee were right in removing the prize card. 

 By being exhibited in the ■wrong class the bird was disqualified, 

 and though from the judgment of the Judges " there is no 

 appeal," that judgment is restricted to the merits of the birds. 

 If a bird is exhibited in a wrong class they should pass it over 

 unnoticed ; and if the Judges in any way exceed their powers, 

 the Committee only do their duty if they correct the mistake. 

 —Eds.] 



TRANSFERRING BEES. 



I HAVE abotit sixteen stocks of bees, which did pretty well 

 on the depriving system this year. I found, however, great 

 difficulty in preventing some of the stocks, which are in small 

 straw hives, from swarming, and as these are also getting old, 

 I am anxious, if possible, to transfer them to ^VoodbQry bar 

 hives, which, from experience, I find the best. 



To do this, I purpose next spring reversing the hive, and 

 having fixed it with the mouth of the hive level with the 

 former landing board, placing a temporary bottom board, with 

 a hole cut out nearly the size of hive, and over it a bar hive. 

 By this plan I think the stock will leave the old hive gradually, 

 while it will leave them time to store their new home and bring 

 out the brood, which otherwise wotild be lost. When, from in- 

 spection, I find them well settled in the bar hive, I can cut oS 

 the communication between them and shake out the bees still 

 in the old hive, when they will, of course, join the others. 

 From your experience can yon tell me if this is likely to suc- 

 ceed ? As I have not nearly enough of guide comb, and cannot 

 buy it, perhaps yon can tell me if your opinion is the same as 

 some of your correspondents, as to the use of wax sheets. 

 Also if the whole frame must be filled with them, or only a 

 strip at top ? — ScPEn. 



[Although wa have had no direct experience of the plan 

 which you propose, we think it will fail in this way: — The 

 bees of the inverted hives will, probably, take possession of 

 the bar hives, which yon propose placing over them, just as 

 they would take possession of any other kind of super, and 

 proceed to fill them. The combs which they place therein are, 

 however, likely to be for the most part drone combs, or combs 

 with elongated cells, in either case quite unfit for breeding, 

 which will, probably, continue to be confined to the lower hive 

 and in this way your intentions will be frustrated. We should 

 much prefer transferring the bees and combs directly into 

 frame hives in the following manner ; — Towards the latter end 

 of April, or as soon as the stocks become populous, and during 

 the forenoon of a fine day drive all the bees into an empty 

 hive, and put them on their accustomed stand. Take their 

 original hive in-doors, and cut out all the combs whole. Fit 

 these into frames, and support them therein by strips of wood 

 three-eighths of au inch wide, and one-sixteenth thick, tacked 

 at the top and bottom, two on each side of every comb, and by 

 zinc clips when necessary. Thick combs must be pared down, 

 but take care that the cells on either side are of equal length, 

 also that the " paitition wall" is in the centre of each bar. 

 Crooked combs should be set straight, and if not sufficiently 

 pliable may be slightly warmed before the fire. It will be 

 found convenient to remove the projecting Woodbury rib from 

 the bars, and the bess will attach their combs to them with 

 greater facility if their under surface be coated with melted 

 wax. Having completed the job and arranged the combs in 



