320 



JOUENAIi OF HOBTIODLTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



t April 2S, 1868. 



of combs is consigned to the kitchen to prevent its becoming 

 chilled during the night. 



The morning after a bee-driving expedition is usually a busy 

 one, and I find my ingenuity pretty well taxed in matching 

 together and fitting into frames, from the bars of which the 

 projecting Woodbury rib has been removed, and their under sur- 

 face coated with melted wax, the pieces of " deaf " comb. These 

 are temporarily secured in their places by means of a couple of 

 strips of wood, one-sixteenth of an inch thick by three-eighths 

 wide, tacked on either side, and one or more zinc clips applied 

 at the top in a manner which will be readily understood by 

 reference to the annexed engraving. When patching pieces of 



comb together in this way I find it necessary to pare down any 

 parts that are of unusual thickness, and at the same time to 

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

 also that the " partition wall " is not only in the centre of 

 each bar, but that this part of every piece of comb is brought 

 fairly and correctly iu line with the " partition walls " of every 

 other piece with which it comes in contact, and to which it is 

 intended ultimately to be united. Crooked combs have to be 

 set straight, and if not at first sufficiently pliable to permit of 

 this being readily done, are rendered so by being slightly 

 warmed before the fire. 



Having if possible provided in this way at least six combs 

 for every new stock which I am about to form, I place them 

 in the centre of a hive from which the crown-board has been 

 removed, and deepen this at the top by the addition of another 

 of the same size, but destitute of either frames, or crown or 

 floor-boards. Conveying the whole to the stand which the 

 new colony is to occupy, I untie a hive into which the in- 

 habitants of two .iitocks have been driven, and knock out the 

 cluster of bees into the upper hive on the top of the frames of 

 the lower one, putting on the crown-board immediately before 

 the dislodged cluster has time to spread and scale the sides of 

 the hive. The imprisoned queen, with her companions in 

 captivity, remains, of course, incarcerated in the perforated box, 

 where they are supplied with a little barleysugar, and are kept 

 in a genial temperature on the kitchen mantelpiece for a day 

 or two until the safety of the queen regnant has been demon- 

 strated. The inserted hive is taken away the next morning, 

 and the day following the combs are lifted out, the safety or 

 loss of the queen ascertained, and the supports removed from 

 all the combs which are then found to be fixed, but if any are 

 not secure they are left for the present. If the queen be really 

 xnissing, which, however, is but seldom the case, her place is 

 at onee supplied by her imprisoned rival ; after which nothing 

 remains to be done but to administer a sufficient supply of 

 food, which consists of lump sugar and water in the proportion 

 of three parts (by weight) of the former to two of the latter, 

 mixed and boiled a minute or two. This is given at the 

 top by means of an inverted pickle bottle, which is filled every 

 evening until the stock reaches at least 16 lbs. nett weight, 

 irrespective of the hive. When this is attained, any artificial 

 supports which may yet encumber the combs are at once 

 removed, and the whole made snug for the winter. 



When driven bees are merely intended to strengthen stocks 

 already domiciled in frame hives, there is no necessity for 

 seeking for and imprisoning their queen, as it is so much 

 easier to remove the sovereign of the frame hive by lifting out 

 and examining the combs until she is perceived and captured, 

 when she should be imprisoned with a few of her workers, and 

 kept alive as before recommended until the fate of her suc- 

 cessor be ascertained. Her capture having been effected, the 

 combs are restored to their places, and the bees should then 



be driven upwards through the bars into the same hive with 



the previously-driven bees. " What ! " I can fancy some of 

 my readers exclaiming, " drive bees upwards through the bars 

 of a .vjuarc frame hive into a round common one ! and pray 

 how do you close the openings at the four angles so as to 

 prevent their escaping ? " To this I would simply reply that 

 I do not close them at all, it being unnecessary to do so, as the 

 majority of the bees will rapidly ascend into the upper hive 

 without attempting to escape, whilst any that take wing will 

 speedily re-enter at the hive's mouth. As soon as most of the 

 bees have ascended, the frame hive should be surmounted bjp 

 an empty one, and the conjoined cluster of bees be knocked 

 out on the bars of the lower one in the manner before de- 

 scribed. 



This, then, is the most recent mode which I have devised of 

 effecting autumnal unions, and although I am far from flatter- 

 ing myself that I have succeeded in entirely obviating all risk 

 of a quarrel, I can recommend it to the apiarian readers of 

 " our Journal " as by far the most satisfactory of the many 

 plans which have been tested by — A Devonshike Eee-keepee. 



Eakly Swakms of the Common Bee. — A cottager of Llan- 

 rinio, Montgomeryshire, up to the 11th inst. has had two 

 swarms. They are from the large, old-fashioned straw hive. — 

 J. C. D. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Makking Chickens (N. E. H.).— The easiest way to mark a chicken, 

 takinR it for granted an external mark is not required, is to perforate 

 tbe web of the wing with a hot iron, or tn mark it with worsted tied 

 throURh it. The first is unseen, indelible, and almost painless. We have 

 used it for years. 



Markixg Chickens and Ducklings (B. E. H.).— You >Yill find in the 

 preceding answer our method for marking chickens. The same coarse 

 may be adopted for Ducks, substituting the web of the foot for the web of 

 the wing, or they may be safely and efficaciously marked by notches cut 

 In the side of the bill when the birds are young. 



Cochin-China Chickens Dying in the Eggs (Subscriber from Begin- 

 iiin()).— The chickens die iu the shell owing to the eggs being kept too 

 dry. The inner membrane becomes as tough and dry as indiarubber, 

 and the chickens cannot penetrate it. Those that do, come Into the 

 world exhausted. It is a natural and beautiful provision, that as the 

 period of hatching draws nigh the shell used by the three-weeks sitting 

 becomes thinner, allowing the heat to pass more readily to the impatient 

 embryo, and making egress easier. As a rule, the Cochin egg, like all the 

 dark ones, has a thick shell. 



Spanish CocKEnEE's Comb Drooping— Dorking Hens Eocpy (Young 

 Brutol). — We are very glad you are more successful than many of onr 

 correspondents in hatching chickens. We have several letters, alike 

 cheering, that seem to be provoked by our remarks. We have small 

 hope of the comb of yonr Spanish cockerel. It is the unusuiil develop- 

 ment that causes it to fall over, and we know no system that will raise it 

 up. Training can only be resorted to after growth has ceased. Yon 

 must give vour Dorking hens plenty of broad and ale, and some camphor 

 pills. It is, probably, only cold from rain and frosty nights. 



Roup (B. B.).— Y'ou do not mention the breed of your fowls. Dorkings 

 will not bear confinement, almost any other should bear that yon men- 

 tion. Lime whiting is most efl'ectual. Now that the nights are becoming 

 shorter and warmer shut up the house if there is any other place where 

 they can roost. Disinfect the house with chloride of lime, have the floor 

 picked up and re-made, mixing lime with the earth. Have all the perches 

 thoroughly scrubbed with scalding water, and let the house be untenanted 

 for some weeks. When you get any fresh birds treat them daily for a few 

 days with a pill of camphor the size of a pea. 



Docks' Eggs Unfertile (C. P.).— It is common for Drakes to be 

 accidentally disabled. It was, doubtless, the case with yonrs. That has 

 nothing to do with the number of eggs the Ducks lay. Either their eggs 

 are not" found, or else they are taken by rats or some other depredators. 



Silk Fowls (J. D.).— Silkies are not large eaters. They like green 

 food and frequent change. They want no different treatment from other 

 fowls. All fowls want fresh aii-, especially at this time of the year. 



Barndoor Fowls (J. Hall).— Any higgler in the counties you mention 

 would supply you ; or advertise for the large number you need. 



Boiled Jerusalem Artichokes (Z.).— They are as good as boiled 

 potatoes for fowls, and might be mixed with ginnnd oats or ground 

 barley. You will have seen that one or two con-espondeuts. and they are 

 practical men. approve of buckwheat as food for fowls. It is not much 

 cultivated in this country. 



Hens Eatfng their Eggs (C/wmiciw).— There is no better mode ol 

 curing them of this habit than that you propose— namely, having none 

 but artificial eggs left in the inests, and taking away the newly-laid eggs 

 as quickly as possible. 



Epitaph on a Dock {G. A. S.).— We are obliged by your warning, 

 but we did not promise a comer permanently, and must not admit any 

 more verses for months to come. 



Almond Tdmblees (A Corutanl Header).— Vfc cannot inform you. Yon 

 had better advertise for what you require, and see any birds offered 

 before you buy them. 



Stewarton Hive (W. F. T.).- We do not know who makes this hive 

 now at Stewarton. If there is a maker there he should advertise. 



