June 11, 1868. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTDRE AND COTTAGE GARDEllrE^l 



"4Sl 



him without giving him a kick in the shape of a pluck at his 

 feathers, which, as often as they are replaced by a rapid and 

 more handsome growth, continue to fall victims to the depraved 

 appetites of his persecutors. An hour or two is amply sulli- 

 cient to lay hare the back of a bird, if the attacking party make 

 good use of their time, which, rely on it, they will do. When 

 you notice a bird moving along the perch in a quiet, easy, olt- 

 hand sort of way, making for a place next to some unsuspect- 

 ing, plump, well- feathered individual, who, possibly, has taken 

 up his quarters next the wall to protect at least one side, bo 

 sure that gentleman has an eye to business of a fraudulent 

 kind, and the way in which he will help himself to a few 

 feathers from his neighbour's coat is the perfection of cool 

 impudence. The quill end of these he will nibble with infinite 

 satisfaction, and if they be young and contain a little blood, so 

 much the better, and the more delicious they will be. There is 

 generally a ringleader in those games, and the best plan is to 

 remove him, and such as appear likely to become victims to 

 his bad example, to separate cages, when the remaining birds 

 will most likely conduct themselves decently. 



I think that birds moult better, and on the whole do better 

 in all respects (especially show birds), when confined separately, 

 though Mr. Walter, of Winchester, one of our most noted ex- 

 hibitors, who always brings his birds out in the bloom of high 

 condition, assures me that he moults a number, say twenty, 

 together. I do this myself with ordinary birds, but those 

 which show promise of becoming stars of greater or less mag- 

 nitude, I prefer to separate. My young birds all receive the 

 same treatment as regards food, itc, whether intended for exhi- 

 bition or not — indeed, I do not see how you can well determine 

 what are fit for show and what are not till they are moulted, 

 since some apparently promising birds disappoint one, while 

 others of less pretentious appearance turn out gems of the 

 first water. 



We labour under great disadvantages here in the north in 

 our large manufacturing towns as regards moulting Canaries. 

 Iron works, spelter works, gas works, chemical works, glass 

 works, and bottle cones, with huge chimneys continually pour- 

 ing out dense volumes of smoke, are not in a general way very 

 conducive to a clear atmosphere ; and while our southern 

 friends can keep their birds an entire season almost as clean as 

 when fresh moulted, ours in an incredibly short season become 

 like little sweeps. To guard against this we are obliged to 

 have recourse to various expedients to keep them clean, cover- 

 ing them up with sheets and other appliances, in spite of which 

 they will get dirty. A friend of mine uses cages with glass 

 fronts and small ventilators, but the everlasting smoke creeps 

 in through the smallest crevice and tarnishes the gilding of our 

 gems. 



One thing is essential as a means of inducing a high colour, 

 and that is keeping the birds from the light. As soon as they 

 begin to strike out new feathers cover them up immediately. 

 If they are in separate cages cover the front with brown paper, 

 leaving only sufficient light at the bottom to admit of the birds 

 seeing their seed and water, or darken the window. Under 

 any circumstances exclude the light, cover up from dust and 

 smoke, feed high, and you may expect good results. 



There are not many men, except a few of the Norwich and 

 Derby schools, who can bring out a Norwich bird in his glory. 

 I have conversed with many on the subject, and find that 

 opinions as to mode of treatment differ widely. Some prescribe 

 one thing and some another ; but the above treatment and a 

 skilful application of soap and water will bring a bird out fit to 

 meet all comers, provided only that the quality is there to 

 begin with. I should recommend beginners to try Crested 

 Norwich. In the first place they are very beautiful birds, are 

 rapidly rising to a very high place in public estimation, and 

 the chances of obtaining prizes with them are much greater 

 than with clear birds, since the points requisite to constitute a 

 first-class bird are distributed over a larger area. It is true 

 that the classes for these birds have hitherto been somewhat 

 circumscribed at many of our great shows, but I see no reason 

 why that should not be remedied. — W. A. Blakston. 



STRONG vERsu.s WEAK SWARMS. 

 I HAVE read with considerable interest the paper under the 

 above heading in page 413, and shall be glad to learn how it is 

 that Mr. Mitchell, of Abington, manages to obtain glasses of 

 honey of 70 or 80 lbs. weight without bee bread or larva;. I 

 find in my own practice that it is difficult to obtain supers of 



C> or 8 lbs. without brood and bee bread ; and any information 

 which would enable mo to come at all near Mr. Mitchell's 

 results would be gladly received. 



Of the advantages of strong swarms over weak ones I hava 

 long been convinced, and generally (in the case of second 

 swarms universally), I pin two and sometimes three together 

 in the manner advised by Mr. Taylor in the various editions of 

 his "Bee-keeper's Manual" (page W-i of the last edition). 

 This plan applies to the common cottage hive. With improved 

 systems I have had little or no expeiience, except with Nutt'S 

 collateral hives, but I could not prevent swarming, nor brood 

 in the side boxes, and gave up the plan. I shall be exceedingly 

 glad to be taught a system which will prevent swarming, and 

 give me CO or 80 lbs. of pure honey from each hive. 



I learned from a neighbour how great are the advantages of 

 strong swarms. He said he knew a man who kept bees, and 

 who had two hives which swarmed at the same time in May, 

 and united. Chancing to have a very large hive, ho shook 

 them into it, and the season being a remarkably fine one, the 

 bees filled the hive in eight days to such an extent that the 

 new combs were not able to sustain the weight of the honey, 

 and broke down, and he had to drive the bees into a new hive ; 

 but in those eight days they had gathered such a store that he 

 obtained CO lbs. of clear honey from the hive besides what was 

 wasted by the breaking down of the combs. This seems to be 

 a marvellous story, but I have no other reason to doubt the 

 truth of my informant. 



I think the advantages of strong swarms are self-evident. 

 Suppose it requires five thousand bees to keep up the tempe- 

 rature of a hive to the point necessary to secure the health, 

 and progress of the brood in the combs, and that the swarm 

 is a second or third swarm consisting, say, of seven thousand 

 bees, there are then, according to supposition, only two thou- 

 sand to carry on the work of the hive ; but suppose we add 

 another swarm cf six thousand to this hive, there will then 

 bo the five thousand to keep up the temperature and carry on 

 the internal work of the hive, and eight thousand for out- 

 door labour, or four times as many workers in one case than 

 there are in the other. — T. G. 



RAISING QUEENS. 



In forming the nuclei to raise queens, given in The Joubnai, 

 OF HoBTicCLTUnE of April, ISQtT. it is said. " All this must 

 not, however, be left to chance." I have twice failed this 

 spring, the bees would not start royal cells. In that case what 

 am I to do with the nucleus? Are the spare combs to be 

 empty ones or full, that are placed on either side? — J. E. F. 



[The passage which you quote refers to the number of bees 

 remaining in the nucleus, which if insufficient should be re- 

 cruited in the manner described afterwards. When the brood 

 comb is well covered with bees, they scarcely ever fail sooner 

 or later to start royal cells. Should they, however, neglect 

 doing so until the whole of the brood in the comb is sealed 

 over, it should first have all the bees brushed off it, and then 

 be exchanged for another comb containing brood in all stages, 

 which with the adhering bees should be put in its place, and 

 on this queen cells are pretty sure to appear. In certain rare 

 cases the expected production of royal cells may be frustrated 

 by the presence of fertile workers, whose existence is evidenced 

 by the appearance of new-laid eggs in the cells. The presence 

 of these abnormal creatures throws so many difficulties in the 

 way of queen-rearing, that when once their existence is as- 

 certained it is better to start another nucleus rather than lose 

 time in persevering. 



The spare combs are better if either wholly or partially filled 

 with honey. When they are empty, feeding often becomes 

 necessary to save the embryo colony from starvation.] 



SILiaVORM-REARING IN ENGLAND.— No. 11. 



Third Period and .lleeji. — At the completion of this period 

 the worms will occupy about 80 feet of space on the stages. 

 From 90 to 100 lbs. of' leaves, cut somewhat larger than during 

 the two previous periods, will be required. The worms having 

 been transferred to their fresh papers, or calico if the latter be 

 used, are again fed every five hours. The wooden trays will now 

 begin to be required for transporting the papers of worms from 

 one stage to another, as also the steps or ladders to reach the 

 upper stages. ' ■■'■■■■■' ...... ■■■ ^ ,— .,..~ , 



