JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ July 18, 188S. 



smart showers was all tliat could be deBired. The Belfast Committee 

 give ft ten-gniuea challLUge cup to the exhibitor who obtains the 

 greatest nnmbor of first prizes, the cup having to bo won three years 

 in snccession before it becomes the property of the winner. This cup 

 has proved finch an inducement that it brouglit the best collection of 

 poTlltry together that has ever been witnessed in Ireland. Last year 

 the cup was won by Mr. Beldon, of Yorkahii-e, who beat Mr. Boyle of 

 Dublin, by a single point, and the same two exhibitors again tried their 

 Btcength this year, but the Yorkshireman proved too much for his 

 opponent, being the winner by two points ; but it certainly is highly 

 creditable to Mr. Boylo when it is considered that he only exhibited 

 fifteen pens to his opponent's twenty-live. Mr. Beldon has but to be 

 once more successful to win the cup. 



Of the various breeds fir.?t on the list came Dorhin'js, all the pi-izes 

 going to Silvcr-Greys. The cock in the first-prize pen was a really fino 

 bird. In Dorldng chickens there was only a moderate display. In 

 single Dorking cocks the iinality was only moderate. Next came 

 the Spanish. Here Mr. Beldon was an easy first with a pen shown 

 in beautiful condition, and with fine pnre faces ; but they should have 

 been larger. Mr. Boyle's thii-d-prizo pen, I thought, was much better 

 than the second. In Spanish chickens Mr. Boyle was first with the best 

 pen of youngsters that I have seen this season. In .single Spanish cocks 

 Mr. Beldon was again successful with a very fair specimen. In Span- 

 ish hens Mr. Boyle won with a really fine pair. , , . 



Next came the r'ocA7n-r'/i('»n.s, in which all coloiirs competed to- 

 gether ; the first prize went to a pen of Partridge-coloured, the second 

 prize went to a middling pen of BniFs, the third went to a splendid pen 

 of Whites. The Bnthnws afforded another triumph to Mi-. Boyle'syard, 

 this gentleman winning both fii-st prizes with splendid birds. His'first- 

 prize pen contained the best pair of hens I remember to have seen. 

 The shape was equal to the best Cochins, and the pencUUng the best I 

 ever saw, the cock was a beautiful bird in size, purity of feather, and 

 magnificent condition ; the bud was perfection. Then came that 

 beautiful variety the Ilamhurghs, these classes afforded easy triumphs 

 for Mr. Beldon, that gentleman taking all the prizes. The Game was 

 very indifferent ; the class in my opinion did not contain a single 

 good pen ; the same may be said of the single cock class. In Game 

 Bantams Mr. Boyle was first with a remarkably small pen. In 

 Bantams, any other variety, Gold and Silver Sebnghts took first and 

 second. There wore three classes of Polnnds : here again Mr. Beldon 

 ■won the first in a veiy easy manner. There was also a class for tl'o 

 best six chickens for the table, Mr. E. P. Williams took first wiih 

 Dorkings. 



Next on the list came Turlccys ; here Mr. Znrhorst was more fortu- 

 nate, wiiniing the first prize with large good birds. In dfcse Mr. Boyle 

 was unapproachable, winning first and second with bii-ds of large size. 

 In Aylesbury nmls Mr. Boyle was first, hard pressed by Mr. Williams ; 

 the latter gentleman, however, made up for it in young" Aylesburys. 



DoEKrNGS.— First. F. H. Lewis, Nettlefleld, Belfast. Second and Thu-d, 

 Col. Leslie, Glasslongb. Highly Commended, W. C. Seymoiu--HiU, Dun- 

 mor>-. CViicJYn-s.— First, W. C. Seymour-Hill. Second and Third. Col. 

 Leslie. Coci.— First, J. Borthwicii, Prospect, Can-ickfergus. Second, 

 F. H. Lewis. Highly Commended, R. P. '(Villiams, Clontart, Dublin. 

 Bew!.— First and Second, F. H. Lewis. Highly Commended, Col. Leslie. 



Spanish.— First, H. Beldon, Giistend, Bingley, York. Second, C. E. 

 McCUntock. Third. P.. 'W. Boyle. Gnltrim House, Bray. Highly Com- 

 mended, R. P. Williams. C/iicttiis.— First, R.W.Boyle. Second, C. E. 

 McCUntock. Thud, R. P. WiOiams. Coct.— Fii-st. H. Beldon. Second, 



E. W. Boyle. JTfBs.— First, R. W. Boyle. Second, F. Lewis. 

 CoCHlK-CHrNA (Any colour).— Fli'st, F. Lewis. Second, H. Beldon. 



Third and Highly Commended. F. W. Zurhorst. Belville. Donnvhrook. 

 ffciw.— First and Second, F. Lewis. Highly Commended, P. W. Zurhorst. 



Bbahma Pootra.— First and Third, R. W. Boyle. Second, H. Beldon. 

 Highly Commended, H. Hawkins, Sydenham, Belfast. Hens.— First, 

 R. W. Boyle. Second, F. Lewis. 



Hakbukoh (Silver-spangled).— First and Second, H. Beldon. Third, 

 R. W. Boyle. Highly Commended, F. Lewis. 



Hamedegh (SUver-penciUed).— Fust and Second, H. Beldon. Third 



F. Lewis. Highly Commended, H. Hawkins. 



Hambuegh (Golden-spangled).— First and Second, H. Beldon. Third 

 F. Lewis. 



HAMBtTRGH (Goldcn-pencilled).— FiTst aud Second, H. Beldon. Third 

 and Commended, F. Lewis. 



Game (Any colour).— First, H. Beldon. Second, F. Lewis. Third, C. E. 

 McCUntock. Commended, C. Peacock. 



Game (Single cock).— First, C. Peacock. Second, H. Beldon. Com- 

 mended, F. Lewis. 



Game Bantams.— iPirst, E. W. Boyle. Second, H. Beldon. Commended 



F. Lewis. 



Bantams (Any other breed). — Fii'st and Second, F. Lewis. 



POLANDS (White-breasted),— First, H. Beldon. Second, F. Lewis. Third, 



G. Martin, Glenview, Belfast. 



PoLANDS (Silver-spangled).- First and Highly Commended, H. Beldon. 

 Second, F. Lewis. Third, B. P. WUliams. 



Rolands (Golden-spangled i.— First and Third, H. Beldon. Second, F. 

 Lewis. Highly Commended, R. P. Williams. 



Best six Chickens Suitable tor the Table.— First, R. P. Williams. 

 Second, C. E. McClintock. 

 ,_ TnBKEYS.— First, F. W. Zurhorst. Second, R. Mohaffy. 



Geese.— First and Second, R. W. Boyle. 



Docks (Aylesbury).— Fust, R. W. Boyle. Second, R. P. WUUams. Third. 

 J. Wilson. 



Ducklings (Aylesbury).- First, R. P. WilUams. Second. R. W. Boyle. 

 Thud, W. 0. Seymour. 



Ducks (Rouen).— First, G. Martin. Second, E. W. Boyle. Third, H. 

 Beldon. Commended, J. Dickson. 

 Ducklings (Rouen).— First, R. W. Boyle. Second, R. P. Williams. 



The names 'o^the Judges did not transpire. 



[We are obliged to our correspondent for his commnnication ; but 

 we have omitted all the laudation and vituperation, because too 

 apparently coming from friendly Ijias towaids one of the exhibi- 

 tors. — Eds.1 



BEE-HOUSE— APIARIANS VEIL. 



AssivERs to the following questions in The Jouenai. of Hor- 

 ticulture will obUge. My bee-shed is 6 feet 8 inches high at 

 b.ick, and 5 feet in front, with a width of 5 feet from fi-ont to 

 back, and G yards long. I want more room : will it be better to 

 double the length of the shed, or have outer covers made for 

 the hives ? The latter will be by far the most expensive plan. 

 My present shed is closed only at the back, and in hot weather 

 I have an opening of a foot the whole length. If the shed be best, 

 should there be any partition between the hives, such as a thin 

 board on edge '? What distance shoidd there he between the 

 hives ? In the case of nucleus-boxes would it be desirable to 

 place some distinguishing mark in fi-ont, say some decided 

 colour, imtil the queen is fecundated ? If my hives are all 

 brought to one form there will be much sameness for returning 

 bees. How do you prepare rags or paper for smoking bees? 

 I have used brown paper steeped in a weak solution of salt- 

 petre. Do you usually take advantage of a guard for the face ? 

 What is best ! I do not care much about my hands, cats in 

 gloves, (tc. Hitherto I have used nothing. In looking for 

 queens I want to have a'clear -vision. — E. B. 



[We think you cannot do better than double the length of 

 your present bee-house. At the same time it wiU be well to 

 keep the hives as fiu- apart as possible (s,ay, if practic.ible, not 

 less than 3 feet), and it will also be advisable to vary the 

 appearance of neighboiu-ing entrances as much as you can by 

 diversifying them both in shape and colour. We do not deem 

 it necessary to interpose any pai-titiou between the hive's unless 

 the bees themselves should prove it to be so by travelling from 

 one hive to another. Whenever we find it convenient to use 

 a little smoke we charge oiu- fumigator with cellar fimgus, and 

 protect our face when necessary by means of a bag of black 

 net, of a taper form, put on over the hat, and buttoned under 

 the coat. Gloves we very seldom require, but photographer's 

 indiarubber ones are by far the best.] 



FORMING STOCKS FR03M CONDEMNED BEES. 



A BEE-KEEPER iu my neighbom-hood who keeps to the old- 

 fashioned mode of destroying the bees for the honey, has 

 offered me the bees this autumn if I can take them by any 

 other process, he being the recipient of the honey of course. 

 Would you kindly teU me in yom- next impression how to go 

 about it, whether, should I succeed, it would answer my pur- 

 pose, and what food to give them during winter ? I am think- 

 ing of biulding a house of my own after the fashion of a 

 successful apiarian here, with Ijoxes attached to one another, 

 but with commimications between them to allow of artificial 

 swarming, &c., and supers or beU-glasses to each, &c. Can 

 the bees be at once placed in them ? They will be perfectly 

 protected from frost and cold. Can the old combs be saved in 

 the abstraction of honey, and will Ihey be useful in the boxes ? 

 Or, again, bad I better winter this lot in straw hives, and wait 

 until the spring before I put them in the box-house ? WTiose is 

 the best book for a bee-keeper who wants to study the art 

 deeply ? — W. C. D., Calverton. 



[We drive condemned bees into common hives in the way 

 described by Mr. Woodbury, in page 423, of Vol. V., bring them 

 liome in the same, and transfer them to frame-hives the next 

 morning by knocking them out on the top of the exposed frames, 

 having previously removed the crowTi-board and deepened the 

 hive about an inch by a square frame of that depth and the 

 same diameter as the hive laid on the top. This prevents 

 crushing the bees when the crown-board is replaced, which 

 should be done almost instantaneously after the cluster is 

 knocked out and before it has time to spread. One or two 

 more swarms should be added to each hive in the same way a 

 few days aftenvards, and the stocks fed* up to from 16 lbs. to 



* Lump sugar and water in the proportion of 3 lbs. of sugar to 2 lbs. of 

 water, is a cheap food and will answer the purpose. 



