416 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 4, 1868 



having for upwards of twenty years carried off the prizes at 

 the Moffat Show against all comers, holding in addition five 

 silver medals and one gold one for extraordinary specimens of 

 his skill. Dissatisfied with all English and even French glasses 

 which he could procure, he has of late years had such made of 

 the purest crystal, after an original design of his own, which 

 he found to answer the purpose admirably, and from the 

 facility they afford of storing are now being generally em- 

 ployed in hia own district. 



These glasses, although uniform in pattern, are variable as 

 to size, containing from 10 up to 70 and 80 lbs. I send you 

 herewith a photograph of one, whose weight filled is 87 lbs., 

 which is at present being exhibited for sale at his Glasgow 

 agent's, Mr. James Clark, 99, Sauchieball Street, and is attract- 

 ing considerable attention, from its great size, beauty, and 

 completeness of finish. It is better adapted for a bee-keeper's 

 drawing-room ornament, or the centrepiece of some large 

 honey-warehouse, than to be set on the breakfast-table of 

 ordinary people. These glasses are complete in three portions, 

 the body being removeable from the pedestal or stalk to set 

 upon the hive, the bees being admitted through a circular 

 aperture at bottom 3 inches in diameter, and when filled the 

 glass is replaced on the stand to set upon the table ; the upper 

 portion forming the lid, on raising which the honey can be 

 removed as required. The vase-like form of the glass, the 

 broader portion being uppermost, the reverse of ordinary 

 glasses, has obvious great advantages for supporting massive 

 combs. 



Having already encroached too much on your valuable space, 

 I must reserve till a future paper a description of the hive em- 

 ployed by Mr. Mitchell, and his mode of inducing bees to work 

 in glass, which like the glasses themselves are quite original, 

 and cannot conclude these remarks mure appropriately as to 

 the advantages of strong over weak colonies, than giving his 

 own words in a letter before me, as to the colony which yielded 

 the large glass above referred to. He says, •' I put the first 

 swarm in the box in the middle of July, added another in two 

 weeks after, and in another week put a third swarm into it, 

 then put on the large glass about the second week in August, 

 and by the 10th September it was full as you saw it, and by the 

 end of September the same. The colony yielded me altogether, 

 in addition to the large glass, six smaller ones filled, and 

 three others partly so, in all 109 lbs. of Loney of the very best 

 quality ; the box when I took it weighed 75 lbs. — 244 lbs. of a 

 harvest altogether, so you will agree with me there is nothing 

 like large quantities together. I had other swarms equally 

 good, but as they remained single the best of them did not 

 make over 20 lbs. of glass honey." 



I had the pleasure of inspecting another beautiful glass of 

 83 lbs., toeether with several smaller ones, the whole being the 

 produce of last season's work. When it is taken into con- 

 sideration that Mr. Mitchell's apiary consisted of but twelve 

 hives in all, and his situation is so very bleak, backward, and 

 cold that his stock had to be fed nearly till the heather came 

 into bloom, and that all the time he had to devote to his hobby 

 was the short intervals he could be spared from his official 

 duties — to his credit be it told, he has notwithstanding these 

 many discouragements, with a numerous family to support on 

 his weekly wages, struggled onwards to the attainment of such 

 a high measure of success as to elicit the warmest sympathy 

 and sincerest congratulations of all his apiarian brethren, as 

 well as — A Renfkewshihe Bee-keeper. 



FEEDING CONFINED BEES. 



In describing ray friend's plan for preventing his Ligurians 

 from crossing, I omitted to state that the nucleus box should 

 be Hberally fed during the period of incarceration. — M. J., 

 Lockerbie. 



[During our novitiate in bee-keeping, we once entirely de- 

 stroyed a stock in a single night by feeding it, and keeping the 

 bees confined to their hive at the same time.] 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Chickens Dying (iUissJcnncr).— We see nolbing wrong in yonr treat- 

 ment of the chickens. Give thcnl bread soaked in ale once daily. Put 

 the hen under a coop on grass during fine dnys, and on no account take 

 the chickens from her. The eggs boiled hard aie good for them, but give 

 a little cooked meat on alternate days instead. 



Game Cock's Spur Broken {North Drvon SuhHcriber). — The cock is 

 not at all injured for exhibition. That only is injurious which might be 

 done purposely to conceal a defect. 



GoLDEK-SPANGLED HAMBunon CttlCKEUfi (Constant Suh^crtbeT). — Yonr 

 feeding (custard, bread and milk, and groats), is good, and the chickens 

 can only die from some cause which is not mentioned in your letter. 

 You might add some meal slaked with milk. Are your chickens fed the 

 lirst thing in the morning, and frequently throughout the day ? Have 

 they dust in which to bask? Have they shelter from the mid-day sun if 

 they require if.' Are the coops out on grass ? Is the hen quite confined 

 in one ? If any of these things are wanting, supply them. Put worm- 

 wood in their water. 



Eggs Broken in the Hen (.V. 0.).— Your Ducks are heated. All 

 poultry die invariably from an egg breaking internally. It is impossible 

 to extract it, and the broken shell lacerates the delicate membrane of the 

 egg passage, causing death. Take a wing feather, and dipping it in oil 

 lubricate the egg passage thoroughly. It is an easy and effectual 

 remedy. 



Buckwheat for Fowi-s (Idem).~~'Sone of our English fowls do well on 

 buckwheat, although it is the staple poultry food of France. We have 

 tried it thoroughly without success. Tailing wheat is in our opinion ex- 

 travagant food for adult fowls. It does for chickens as part food and 

 part play, but it is not good for adults. It is not good enough. We know 

 no food' equal to ground oats, slaked with milk if possible. You must 

 judge for vourself how much food thev require. A good green Goose 

 should weigh 6 lbs. Oatmeal is very good food for fattening ducklings ; 

 a little meat helps them. — B. 



HouDAN Chickens (E. H. P.).— Yonr Houdan chickens should be 

 hatched black and white. They should have five toes ; six are too many, 

 Ijut they are not so objectionable as four. A Houdan with four toes 

 cannot compete ; it may with six. We will sliortly give all the points of 

 Houdansin detail. At present wo can only say they should be square- 

 bodied heavy fowls, have black and white speckled five-toed legs, top-knot 

 and beard. The cocks mav have straw-coloured feathers, but positively 

 no red ; the latter disqualify. Neither legs nor plumage should be en- 

 tirely black. 



Bantam Chickens (G. X. /r,).— Bantams require to be longer with the 

 hen than other chickens. Much depends on the time of year. Now, 

 when there is scarcely any real night, and no cold or chill, the cbickens 

 are verv independent of their mother. Still, as the brooding is heneficial, 

 we leave them as long as she cares for them. Toooften thebcn is spitefnl 

 towards them at this time and in this weather. It would seem as though 

 she knew her cares were of less value than when the elements arc 

 cnntrnrv. If the hen will keep them they should not be taken away till 

 thev are ten or twelve weeks old. A Dorking hen should not be dis- 

 qu.aUflcd for any accident, but the loss of part of a toe is qrite immaterial 



Cocks Fighting (Peace).— There is no possibility of preventing cocks 

 fighting at times. Wo allow them to have it out, and the 0™*^° 

 bird has generally discretion enough to choose a walk of his owu. When 

 thev arc bent on fighting we generally tie a bag or an empty pillow case 

 to the end of a hng polo or rod, and as tlio birds spar before they attack, 

 we buffet each of them, striking right and left. If this is continued for 

 a short time they generally give it up. If not. there is little risk ih 

 allowing them to take their chance ; they are never, or very seldom, killeo. 



Spanish Corn not Crowing (.7. B.).— Give him bread and ale, and 

 of camphor pills one every day. the size of a pea. If wo could bo assurea 

 of their health, we often wish the cocks had lost their voices. 



Poultry in Confinement {mack Berf).— Wo quite approve your place 

 and vour food. Still we thinit you might have more change without in- 

 curring expense ; chopped kitchen scraps, bread and milk, are not en- 

 pensive. We think von might allow your chickens to run in the garden 

 if vou shut the hen in her rip. We have had the gravel paths of the 

 kitchen garden studded with rips, in which the hens were conuucd wnue 

 the chickens r.an about. Until the fruit begins we think they do far more 

 good than harm in the kitchen garden, and thn animalculfc. of wnicn 

 they rid the place, agree with them marvellously. The plainest answer 

 to vour question will be to advise von to provide in coutinement as nearly 

 as bossible all that fowls like and get when at liberty : dust for the bath, 

 clean and cool water, sods of growing grass cut with plenty ollresn 

 earth, and an occasional lettuce. It miist be borne in mind, fowls do not 

 like their food cut up. Thev want all green food in such form that its 

 weight will afford sutBcient resistance to enable them to tear it in 

 pieces. 



Breeding Age of Eouen Ducks (Su!)scri6er).— Rouen Ducks may be 

 bred from till they are three or four years old. With Ducks of that age 

 we prefer a young drake. The run wiU do perfectly well for HaraburgliB, 

 and they will be good egg-producers. Those fowls will thrive best that 

 have the first half of the day for their liberty. 



Short-faced Tumbler Diseased (Incyiuro).— We fear your bird is 

 very old. The season, however, is in his favour. Let him have plenty ot 

 sunlight, bathing, and wanning food, such as hempseed. Watch for in- 

 sects. We greatly fear that in spite of all care and pains your bird win 

 he useless, and, perhaps, after a short time will die. 



Pigeons Unsettled {A. U. B. ,1/.).— We should think that your Pigeons 

 are alarmed by hearing or seeing rats or cats, and are consequently 

 unsettled. Wo judge from your drawing that tlie Pigeons for which yoa 

 want a name are red-shouldered Turbits, or, if not, some of the many 

 modern German Toys. 



BuLLFiNcn Conr.niNG (.Vnrdiierife).— There may be a possibility of 

 curing a bird of a cough and shortness of breath by putting a little 

 saffron in the water, and removing the bird to a warm, but not too hot 

 temperature. Birds wiU not do weU kept in a room in which gas or a 

 coke stove is used. 



Caxary with Long Claws (Mary Peck).— The nails of the bird should 

 be cut with a pair ot sharp scissors ; but care must be taken not to cut 

 too far, as it would cause the toe to bleed. Too-deep cutting can be 

 avoided by holding the bird up between you and the light whilst you are 

 operating. 



Capping a Hive (N. G.).— A cap may be put ou about three weeks 

 after the swarm was hived, and the bees are likely to take possession of 

 it more readily if furnished with guide combs. 



