October 9, 18G6. 1 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



287 



Black Spanish fowls were far superior to anything wo have yet seen 

 this season, ami the winners secured thoir success against a very close 

 competition. The HamburgfanttM far better than any hitherto shown 

 at Oswestry, and attracted ranch public attention. The Brahma 

 Pootras, excepting the prize birds, were not perfect, the whole proving 

 to have been bred in gross irregularity of feather. Ono sport of 

 plnraage in this < hiss, however, is well worthy of mention, as it attracted 

 much attention from those visitors who viewed the collection rather 

 for its beauty than its perfection. A pullet was shown having the 

 whole crop and breast as regularly and perfectly laced ou every feather 

 as a Sebright Bantam. This, combined with the fact of the ground 

 colour being white, produced a singularly striking effect, and was un- 

 questionably pretty. Tho fellow pullet, however, showed but a slight 

 approach to this very singular development of feather. The Bantam 

 Game class was not so good as might have been hoped, but good 

 Sebrights and Black Bantams were exhibited. 



Even at our largest shows of poultry the Aylesbury Durhs and 

 Geese could not have been excelled. In these classes perfection of 

 characteristics was almost universal, the scales were therefore brought 

 into requisition, and Mrs. Seanions's present triumph is to he attri- 

 buted entirely to careful management. This lady's Toulouse Geese 

 were first, Embdens second ; and ill the Ducks, when it became a ques- 

 tion of weight, both prizes were easily secured by birds from her yard. 

 The Rouen Ducks were not so good as we expected, and the Any other 

 variety class of Ducks was so indifferent throughout, that both prizes 

 were withheld. The Turkeys were undoubtedly good. The Selling 

 class, open to all varieties, was not only a large one, but many very 

 cheap pens were shown. 



In Pigeons, Mr. Yardley, of Birmingham, had it all his own way, 

 he baring on this occasion sent an ample stock of his best birds, evi- 

 dently taking the Oswestry Pigeon-fanciers quite by surprise. 



A very excellent collection of the most popular varieties of French 

 fowls was exhibited by Mr. James Cooper, of Limerick, and although 

 not entered for competition, by the generous concession of the Os- 

 westry Managing Committee prizes were awarded to them of the like 

 value to those in the general classes. 



CHICKENS. 



Game (Black or Brown-breasted Red). — First and Second, J. H. 

 Williams, Welshpool (Black-breasted Red). Highly Commended, W. 

 Gamon, Thornton-le-Moors (Black-breasted Red). Commended, J. Heath, 

 Nautwich (Game). 



Dorking. — First, Mrs. Bailey, Shooter's Hill, Longton (Coloured). 

 Second, Miss Davies, Chester. Highly Commended, F. W. Zurhorst, 

 Donnyhrook ; J. Heath (White). 



Cochin-China (Brown or Partridge),— First and Second, E. Tudnian, 

 Whitchurch. 



Cochin-China (Cinnamon or Buff).— First, J. Nelson, Heaton Mersey 

 (Buffi. Second, F. W. Zurhorst (Buff). 



Spanish.— First, J. R. Rodbard, Aldwick Court, Wrington. Second, 

 C.Barber, Walsall. Highly Commended, Miss Davies; J. R. Rodbard. 

 Commended, T. Ace, Ystalyfera, Swansea ; J. C. Cooper, Limerick. 



Hamburgh (Silver or Golden-pencilled). — First, J. Skinner, Newport 

 (Silver-pencilled). Second, E. Shaw, Plas Wilmot (Golden-pencilled). 

 Commended, F. D. Mort, Moss Pit House, near Stafford (Golden- 

 pencilled.) 



HAMBimon (Silver or Gold-spangled).— First, S. & R. Ashton, Mottram, 

 near Manchester (Gold-spangled Hamburghs). Second, T. May, Wolver- 

 hampton (Gold-spangled Hamburgks). 



Brahma Pootra.— First, Mrs. M. Seamons, Aylesbury. Second, R. 

 Roberts, Chirbtiry, Salop. 



Game Bantam.'— First, J. Atkins, Walsall. Second, W. F. Entwistle, 

 Chapel Allerton, Leeds. 



Bantams (Any other variety).— First, S. & R. Ashton. Second, E. Cam- 

 bridge, Bristol (Black), 



Turkeys.— Poults.— First, Miss Davies, Chester. Second, E. Leach, 

 Rochdale. Highly Commended, E. Leach. 



Goslings. — First and Second, Mrs. M. Seamons. Highly Commended, 

 W. Gamon, Thornton-le-Moors. Commended, J. C. Cooper. 



Ducklings (Aylesbury).— First, Mrs. M. Seamons. Second, H. Jones, 

 Dinton, Aylesbury. Highly Commended, E. Leach. 



Ducklings (Rouen).— First, E. Leach. Second, J. Nelson. Highly 

 Commended, J. R. Rodbard. 



Game (Class 18, Black-breasted).— First, G. Owen, Park Issa. Second, 

 J. Cooke, New Marton. 



Dorking (Class 19).— Prize, E. Shaw, Plas Wilmot. Second withheld. 



Ant Age or Breed.— First, E. Shaw (Spanish). Second, H. Yardley, 

 Birmingham (Buff Cochins!. Third, H. Crutchloe, Oswestry (Black- 

 breasted). Highly Commended, H. Mason, Walsall (Black Spanish) ; J. 

 Skinner, Newpnrt, Monmouthshire (Silver-pencilled Hamburghs). 



Pigeons. — Carrier. — First and Second, H. Yardley, Birmingham. 

 Powfer*.— First and Second. H. Yardley. Jacobins.— First and Second, 

 H. Yardley. TurblU.— First and Second, H. Yardley. Owls.— First and 

 Second, H. Yardley. 



Extp.a Poultry.— First, Second, and Highly Commended, J. C. Cooper, 

 Limerick (La FlOche, Creve Coeurs, Houdan, Malay, White Geese, Grey 

 Geese). 



Edward Hewitt, Esq., of Eden Cottage, Sparkbrook, -Birmingham, 

 officiated as Judge, and expressed himself much pleased with the 

 arrangements throughout. 



not know how to close tho holo in tho top of tho hive, as the 

 hees have worked the comb up to a level with the top of the 

 hive. Would it be a good plan to fasten a sheet of cork about 

 half an inch thick over the opening ? Would not the cork help 

 to ventilate the hive? and will tho bees thrive in the opon air 

 through the winter with only a pan or something of the sort 

 for a covering. — G. H. B. 



[We cannot possibly estimate the weight of the hive and 

 floorboard which we have never seen. You, on tho other hand, 

 can readily do so by weighing an empty hive and board of 

 similar thickness and construction. If the combs are new, a 

 nett weight of 15 or 16 lbs. may bo sufficient ; if ono year old, 

 20 lbs. ; if older than this, 2 or :i lbs. more for every additional 

 year. We close the central apertures in the tops of our hives 

 by simply covering them with a flat block of wood 4 or 5 inches 

 in diameter, which the bees soon cement down. There is, 

 however, no objection to the plan you propose. If the pan 

 keeps the hive completely dry the bees will need no further 

 protection.] 



STORIFIED HIVES. 



WEIGHT OP HIVES FOR STOCKS. 



Would you kiudly inform me what weight a hive of bees 

 ought to be to live through the winter, including a common 

 straw hive and floorboard ? Is 22 lbs. a sufficient weight? 



I have taken one or two glasses of honey this year, and I do 



I regret that circumstances prevented my noticing at an 

 earlier period your esteemed correspondent "J. E. B.'s" re- 

 marks at page 54 as to his storified colonies. My opinion 

 coincides with the observation of Dr. Bevan as quoted by your 

 correspondent, that " storified hives seldom swarm," and not 

 with " J. E. B.'s " unfortunate experience, that " they almost 

 invariably swarm in spite of every precaution.'' I cannot 

 recollect of ever having had a swarm escape from a storified 

 colony, peopled either with our old black favourites, or yet with 

 the more prolific Italians, and, therefore, must look rathev to 

 your correspondent's'manipulation than to the system for so 

 undesirable a result. While making these remarks I am fully 

 aware that possibly few storifiers may have had the like good 

 fortune in this respect, as sometimes, although rarely, a swarm 

 may emerge despite every effort on the part of the bee-master 

 to prevent it. 



I have not a doubt that "J. E. B." might easily have pre- 

 vented the escape of swarms by a timely and large extension of 

 breeding-space. It is quite a mistaken idea, often entertained 

 by apiarians beginning storifying, that by the addition of a 

 nadir or two, or at most nadiring with a second breeding-box, 

 they may super on ad infinitum, and by adopting a fixed or at 

 least a limited breeding-space, they can thereby compel the 

 honey to be all stored in supers. The result invariably follows 

 that swarms will escape, as in three out of the four of your 

 correspondent's stocks, or it is as recorded by him of another 

 denied the requisite accommodation below, " the queen got 

 into the super and laid there a vast quantity of brood." 



By providing ample breeding-space as required, it naturally 

 follows that swarming is prevented, and from the larger popu- 

 lation hatched out in this extended area of comb, supers will 

 be more speedily and beautifully completed, free from either 

 pollen or brood. I never attempt to keep bees on the depriving 

 or non-swarming principle without allowing them at least three 

 body boxes, or, in other words, a depth of breeding-space equal 

 to 21 inches. 



The plan alluded to by " J. E. B." of placing a shallow 

 super over instead of under the filling one, has been attended 

 with the best results since I adopted it in my own apiary, 

 as well as in those of parties who at my suggestion gave it a 

 trial. Take, for instance, the case of my friend "R. B., 

 Greenock," who, although located in a town suburb, took off 

 last year from one storified colony of black bees five octagon 

 supers in succession, each weighing 20 lbs. nett, to which is to 

 be added the upper seven-inch breeding box removed early in 

 spring with 30 lbs. nett, giving a total nett weight of 130 lbs. ; 

 this, added to 94 lbs. taken from the same colony the preced- 

 ing season, as reported by himself at page 478, Vol. VIII., 

 gives a total yield of 224 lbs., exactly 2 cwts. from one colony 

 in two consecutive seasons — a honey harvest, I am given to 

 understand, yet unapproached with the most skilful mi nipula- 

 tion on the clover fields of Ayrshire, and only equalled by a 

 strong Italian colony of my own. This in a like rnauiu r gave 

 me also five octagon supers, but on removing the upper breed- 

 ing-box in spring, I found it so badly infected with foul brood 

 as to necessitate my appropriating its entire contents, putting 

 the bees through the " purgatorial process," and they have 

 since prospered. Singularly enough this was the only colony 

 bred off my Devon diseased stock which escaped contaminaticn 



