460 



JOCENAIi OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 18, 1868. 



tree, when it is more difjficult to get them off without irritating 

 them. They should be well sprinkled, and very carefully 

 brushed off with a wing or quill feather into a dish, and carried 

 to the hive as before slated. An inexperienced person or novice 

 should in this case wear a bee-protector. It will give them 

 courage, and they will move more carefully. 



This plan of hiving will be found much better than the old 

 method of shaking the bees into a hive and then turning it 

 over upon a table or board. I have known the queen to be 

 killed by turning over the hive, and more or less bees are 

 always killed in the operation. If moveable comb hives are 

 nsed, they should be so constructed that the bottom board may 

 be dropped at the rear of the hive for the purpose of putting 

 in the bees when hiving. Swarms should never be allowed to 

 stand where they are hived until evening, as is the practice 

 with some, but should be moved at once to their stands, as 

 eome of the bees will go into the tield to work in ten minutes 

 after they are hived ; and if left until evening large numbers 

 will have commenced to work, and having marked the spot will 

 return there the next day, and not finding the hive will wander 

 about, and many will be lost. Second swarms are generally 

 far more irritable than first or top swarms, hence these are far 

 more likely to sting ; but cold water will soon quiet them, and 

 they may then be hived with safety. — (American Paper.) 



SILKWOBM-REARING IN ENGLAND.— No. 12. 



The ?Iouiit and tlie Crop. — On the first appearance of ma- 

 turity among silkworms, the " mount " has to be provided 

 for. Silkworms are termed " on the mount " when full-grown, 

 and seen crawling to the materials among which they are to spin. 



Towards the period when the worms mount, the most for- 

 ward should have been removed to the top stage but one, and 

 Bo in succession lower down for the later ones. This might 

 be done at the previous change, or clearing-off of the refuse, 

 &c. The insects must not be handled roughly at any ti*e, 

 especially when large, and near spinning. Care must be taken 

 when placing them in their spinning quarters not to let any 

 fall to the ground, or they might buret, letting out the silk- 

 lorming fluid. 



Whichever of the systems I have before described be adopted, 

 the upper stages next the ceiling are to be first prepared, and 

 the others in succession, by placing the spinning materials in 

 rows across them, at 18 inches apart, so as to give easy ad- 

 mission to the trays, when placing the worms between. 



In using brooms according to ancient custom, their tops 

 should be sufficiently long and elastic to bend beneath the 

 ceiling or stage, forming an arch, their bottom part standing on 

 the cross pieces of the compartment of the stage below, and not 

 on the paper on which the worms are, for that should be left at 

 liberty, bo as to be removed with all excrements, &c., after the 

 mounting. None of the brooms must m the least extend or 

 lean outside the stages, otherwise many worms might fall to 

 the ground. Their branches should spread out in fan fashion, 

 as well to allow of the free circulation of the air as to afford 

 room for the insects to labour. 



Having placed the brooms in position many ripe worms will 

 easily find their way into them, but any not doing so may be 

 gently placed near them, and this is a necessary attention 

 during the entire mount. 



Several Italian authors recommend laying light, dry branches 

 or twigs of oak, elm, &c., over the worms for these to crawl on, 

 then to bring the branches near tlie feet of the brooms. During 

 the mount give the worms between the rows frequent light 

 meals, in order to hasten their spinning. As soon as the greater 

 part of them have mounted, clear away the refuse, without dis- 

 turbing the spinning materials, placing the remaining insects 

 in a smaller space, otherwise too many leaves will be wasted in 

 feeding them. 



I would impress on the rearer the necessity of constant ven- 

 tilation during the mount, and the expediency of using fire 

 heat if the temperature falls too much below 70' ; for the worms, 

 if subjected to much cold, cannot eje^t the silken thread in 

 consequence of the silky matter being hardened. 



As I have previously described the various ways of arranging 

 the spinning materials, it is unnecessary to say more now, 

 but I particularly like using laths for placing the brooms on. 

 The bridge system, and that in which the materials are already 

 partly arranged, are good, and so, doubtless, is that of Count 

 Delprino. Whichever of the first methods be adopted, it is 

 desirable at each end of the stages to form a kind of fence 

 3 QX 4 inohea vide, by simpl; Uying materials up to the stage 



above, and so securing it firmly from falling. All the most 

 forward worms should be mounted in one of the castles, and 

 those that are two or three days later consigned to the other. 

 None, in fact, should be allowed to mount in the same castle 

 after the fourth day. Any so much behindhand will be better 

 removed to a temporary stage apart from the others, perhaps at 

 the side of the room, and rather nearer the stove, there to be 

 supplied with food and spinning materials, the latter placed in 

 rows about IH inches apart, and covered at top with paper, 

 under which the worms will work. It is customary with the 

 best Italian rearers to transport these backward worms, called 

 "pigri," or lazy, to another ventilated room, where they are 

 treated to a temperature of 75^ or even 80°, placing them be- 

 tween the rows of materials ready prepared on the requisite 

 number of stages. The most suitable material to use in this 

 case would be a mixture of shavings, dried spear grass, and pea 

 haulm, in which the worms work readily. 



With all the care exercised in placing the spinning materials 

 on the stages so as not to extend beyond the sides, it often 

 happens that some worms do fall to the ground, and to prevent 

 their destruction by breaking the fall, it is proper to place 

 straw, shavings, itc, on the floor round the sides of the castles, 

 and there cocoons will be produced which otherwise would be 

 lost. Some rearers make the middle and bottom stages of the 

 castle 2 inches wider than the rest in order to catch the falling 

 worms, and this is not abad precaution. — Leo>'aedHaii3Ian,jun. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Dur-K Laying InREOur.ARLV {Ditck^. — Ducks, like fowls, form the egg. 

 but they want help for tlie shell. Fowls sec-k for pieces of challi, failing 

 which, they pick mortar from between bricks. The skin of oats contains 

 much lime or chalk, and is therefore good to give. In a state of inflam- 

 mation the etrgs are often obstructed. The application of the oiled 

 feather was proper and successful. It should have been repeated. The 

 egg would then have been laid iu due course, although the shell was 

 weak, unless it were broken. A broken egg in the passage is certain 

 death. Have your Ducks access to water? if not, make them a puddle; 

 put in gravel and a few oats. They will then get right. 



Hens for L.aying only (Quite a Brpjnnrr). — Hens will lay quite as 

 many eggs without a cock as with him. Some say they lay more ; we are 

 not able to dispute or affirm that. Cocks are needed only to render eggs 

 fertile, and have nothing to do with the production of them. 



Errata. — In seventeenth line from bottom of first column, page 429, 

 *' fine match cocks " is printed " fine March cocks." Also, in the article 

 in the Number of May Slst, second colun^n, twentieth line from top, 

 page 382, " Btrstins of the same colour" is rendered "strains of the 

 Game colour.'' 



Book (C. 2". >.— Taylor's " Bee-keeper's Manual." Get also " Bee-keep- 

 ing for the Many," price 4^.. and "The Gardener's Almanack" for 1868, 

 price Is. Either or both of these may be had free by post direct from 

 this office at the cost of au extra stamp for each. 



Driving Bees (Suatex Bcc-ttfrjifr).— We cannot tell why you failed to 

 drive your bees, but should advise you to " try again," as we have known 

 a novice succeed under precisely siiailar circumstances. When bees 

 return to their hive after having swarmed, it is generally found that thexi" 

 queen is missing ; but we know of no reason why this accident should be 

 more common in the present than during former years. 



Treatment of Weak Stock (A Lover of Bt-cs). — We do not Bee that 

 you can do more for your bees than you have done. The stock will pro- 

 bably raise another queen, and may next season be a strong one ; but the 

 rapid increase of buildings around you is by no means conducive to Bue- 

 cessful bee-keeping. 



Feeding Confined Bees (M. J.. Lockrrhie).— 'When you directed beee 

 to be confined " for two or three days," stating afterwards that they 

 " should be liberally fed during the period of incarceration," there can 

 be no doubt that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, you did in 

 point of fact recommend tlie liberal feeding of confined bees. Not being 

 now in our novitiate there was of course no risk of our being misled into 

 following your instruction-!, and rt-o related our early experience in order 

 to put others on their guard. If yoa intended to convey any other 

 meaning than that which your words implied, you should certainly have 

 been more explicit. 



Pigeons Sitting for Weeks IPoiiffr fanriiv). — We fancy the hens 

 yon mention are very old ones. We meet with nothing of the sort among 

 ours. 



Pigeons (Fred. TT^i/l.— You were treated ill by the party who returned 

 the hen after having kept her long enough to have eggs from her; but 

 you received her back, and have no remedy. 



Young Doves Dying tFnntaUi-'.)^ If young Doves or Pigeons are 

 found dead in the nests with their crops full, they have died from cold ; 

 if with their crops empty, from starvation. Feed your old birds on wheat 

 and canary seed. Tares though excellent for Pigeons are fatal to Doves. 

 Avoid henipseed, except a very litUe iu cold weather. Perhaps you have 

 given this to your birds too freelv. 



Canaries (FK.D.S.).— Mr. Blackston's address has been published in 

 this Journal. It is 22, Norfolk Street. Sunderland. Vou can have Brent's 

 " Canary, &c.," from our office, free by post, if you enclose twenty postage 

 stamps with your direction. 



Teaching a Goldfinch to Rijjg (.^ .SH6^cn7>*'r).— We never heard of r 

 Goldfinch being taught to whistle a tune. We imagine it is a bird that 

 could not be taught to do so. In Germany Bullfinches are taught by 

 constantly playing a small bird organ to them. 



Death of Canary I A Yotinp Soldier).~\Vecon\dnoi detect the cause of 

 death ; decomposition is rapid in this weather. There is nothing amiss 

 with the seed and sand you enclosed. Birds are benefited by green food 

 daily. Brent's " Canary and other Cape Birds'' can be forwarded to you 

 free by post if you enclose twenty postage stamps with your address 



Rewaed {J. Wright).^YoxLT proposed advertisement is a libel. 



