342 



JOCKN'AIi of horticulture and gottage gardener. 



[ Ootober 30, 1SJS. 



of worker comb, and the ccmmunicatiou opened. The bees 

 poured into it in a sort of jet, rather than the steady over- 

 flowing characteristic of the blacks. They whirled swiftly 

 round and round, striking against the comb with such force 

 that though supported by a stout splint run through its length, 

 it almost immediately broke away. Next day, finding the glass 

 empty, it was removed, and another substituted, well covered, 

 as in the former case, to exclude the light — again, a rash oi 

 angry bees, but this time the comb was smaller and tougher, 

 and it withstood the first assault. On examination the day 

 following, the bees were hard at work, and two more glasses 

 were put on. These three glasses were two-thirds filled with 

 comb, or more, and one of them half filled v.ith honey in the 

 course of three weeks, though dnring that time scarcely any 

 progress was made by my other stocks, the supply of honey 

 being prematurely cut short. — F. H. West. 



EXCHANGE OF QUEENS. 

 I am glad to say that aLigurian queen sent me by Mr. 'Wood- 

 bury has been successfully joined to a black stock, but at a 

 heavy loss in population. I removed the black queen with the 

 comb on which she was, on the Friday morning, and suspended 

 the box containing the Ligurian queen within the hive. The 

 commotion in about half an hour was extraordinary, the bees 

 hanging out on the landing-board, and in front of the hive, as 

 densely as if waiting to swarm. After several hours of vain 

 search they fell into that depressed listless state which in- 

 dicates despair, and numbers dropped on the ground, crawling 

 about there, and, doubtless, perishing. This continued for 

 three days, and was, doubtless, aggravated by there being no 

 brood in the hive. — W. 



anywhere. Nothing occurred to interfere with this opinion for 

 some days, but they soon showed unusual keenness on being 

 approached too closely. Meanwhile the rate at which they 

 worked, and the masses of pollen they brought in, gave me the 

 highest opinion of their value. 



On the 24th of May the hive was opened to note progress. 

 It was very populous, and the combs were completely filled with 

 eggs and brood. I removed one comb to form a nucleus, in- 

 tending, also, with the addition of other combs, to transfer the 

 whole to a large hive ; but this was reckoning without my 

 host, for after the first few moments of consternation on the 

 sudden removal of the top, the bees attacked me like ten 

 thousand furies. Notwithstanding the smallness of the hive 

 their number seemed countless, and their rage implacable. 

 After inserting an empty comb in place of the one removed, 

 and shutting hastily up, I beat a retreat, followed by a cloud 

 of the little wretches, who would not be got rid of. It may be 

 as well to state here, that the brood-comb, swept clear of bees, was 

 immediately placed between two empty ones in a nucleus-box, 

 and for the present placed on the stand of a populous black 

 hive ; but a number of Egyptians on the wing would not be 

 denied the comb, and I was compelled to let them have their 

 way. They settled upon it again and again, and took posses- 

 sion of the box. On my return home at night, things remained 

 apparently in statu quo — that is to say, a hundred or two of 

 bees were the sole tenants. It had been a fatal day, however, 

 for this Spaitan band had held their Thermopylte against a 

 perfect array of blacks, who had, according to a maxim of 

 modern warfare, been beaten in detail, and whose corpses 

 covered the ground ; an example, by the way, of the disadvan- 

 tages of those bee-keepers who are compelled to be absent from 

 home all the day. 



Some readers will undoubtedly say that this is a very clumsy 

 piece of work. So it was ; so I thought it ; but then — 

 Ye gentlemen of England, who live at home at case, 

 Say what experience ye have had of these Egyptian bees. Bristol Pocltrt. Show. — The Committee, we are informed. 



Though you be encased in armour of proof, and to all ap- jj ave established a guarantee fund against loss. The hall 

 pearance invulnerable, they will get at your wrists and neck; therein will be the Exhibition, is a magnificent place, built 

 they bounce against your soft veil like peas shot out of a pop- ; {or tne Volunteers, and fully capable of holding 1500 pens, 

 gun, and it is odd, if they do not plant a mark on either nose or , T i ie Committee are said to be hard workers, and determined, 

 chin ; they assail you by sap as well as by storm, and steal 

 their way by twos and threes up the covered way of your 

 trowsers. You may walk, or run, ' or stand still, but they are 

 not to be shaken off. They wait their chance with strange per- 

 tinacity. They persevere and calculate like sentient beings. 

 If you shut yourself up in a dark outhouse, they will hover 

 about outside for an extraordinary length of time, wailing for 

 your re-appearance, just as the sheriff's officer waits to pounce 

 upon the Hon. Seedie Flash. Having at length effected your 

 escape, it is only to find confusion reigning throughout the 

 neighbourhood, dogs howling, foaming at the mouth, tugging at 

 their chains, and literally half mad ; men, women, and children 

 alike severely stung, and all new systems of bee-keeping at a 

 serious discount. Mr. Woodbury's picture is no exaggeration, 

 and it was with a "satisfaction" not exactly "melancholy," 

 that I heard of so distinguished a companion in misfortune. 



It was, however, a matter of necessity to transfer the bees 

 to a full-sized hive, and this was shortly accomplished, though 

 at the cost of many stings to myself and my neighbours. They 

 dc not confine their attacks to'the actual intruder, whoever he 

 may be, but set off wildly in all directions, attacking every one 

 they meet, and that not with the slow and well-considered 

 anger of the burly black bee, who, moreover, gives fair warn- 

 ing, but with a swiftness of movement, and an uncontrollable 

 fury that makes them appear to be things that are "nae 

 eannny." It is, however, to be remembered, that all hybrids 

 are more vicious than pure breeds, and the pure Egyptian may 

 be more manageable. Something may also be set down to tiie 

 climate, which differs from their own in humidity, tempera- 

 ture, and, doubtless, in other important respects, and causing 

 proportionable changes in pasture. One can hardly imagine 

 that honey should be so abundant, and so easily taken through- 

 out Syria, Egypt, and Palestine, if it is defended as these the 

 nearest representatives defend their treasures here. 



Nevertheless, I have formed the idea that the species is a 

 valuable one to the practical apiarian, though, perhaps, the 

 opinion is formed on too slender grounds. For the sake of my 

 neighbours, I refrained from intei fei iug with the stock in ques- 

 tion until the 29th of June, when, seeing the hive full to over- 

 flowing, I put on a glass, rather with the intention of affording 

 room Than in the expectation of any store of honey so late in 

 the season. The glass was furnished with a handsome piece 



if possible, to make the Show a success, not only as to support, 

 but that there may be no complaints. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



To Correspondents.— Many communications are necessarily post- 



PO Woodbbidge X Pour.TRT Show.— Some letters relative to this came too 

 1 t, tor this week's Journal. One letter Bays-" A gentleman with whom 

 fam acquainted sued the Secretary in the Comity Court, and was paid. 

 Let your correspondent, Mr.Hose.and all others take the hint. Another 

 letter says — " It would be well after nil that has come out. to state the 

 nanies of those who acted as Stewards for tfai 

 mittee) in voor paper. Some exhibitor, in t 

 brid'eare feeling that everything emanating from Woodbnd ge 

 c™demned. I subjoin the list on their poultry catalogue for 

 Chairman of Committee, Mr. J. Wright. Vice-Chairman, Mr. G. Bamus- 

 ter Ttewards, W. Syson, Esq., Mr. F Kent, Mr G. Kemp, Mr. B. W. 

 Allen Honorary Secretary. Mr. J. Dallenger, Woodhridge. 



Incubator (C . S.).-We can give no other reply than .. -I week 



to a sfrraia? application. Write to Mr. Brindley, Derby, and inquire ot 



"Scff CncHIN-CHTNA Coce's Plumage ( T. B.).-The wing of a Cocbin- 

 Cjfina , be of the same colour as nearly as possible as the rest 



of his plumage. It was one of the 1 until I of the old strains- 

 tor instance— that the cocks were eyen-colourcd ; 



Andrews's 

 More recently lenicn 



bird v ere shown that were perfect in colour, but such are now never 

 sea- A most every bird is mealy, and those that are not have dark 

 nearly red wings. The Buff Cochin i m ' . n. and 



still dreamT should have bnt one col. , 

 an 1 hack™ Vhould bo uniform. In tl, 



priL taking pens of onr time would have been disqualified because the 

 eoeka and pullets did not match. , . 



Southampton Show.-" Allow me to correct an error that arose at the 

 bocTH-,MiTON _m, Light Brobmns of all ages), 



true as regards the pullets, but the co< k was an old bird. The „ 

 arose from mv omission to make a memorandum of , .ge fa . at the- 

 wndine- the entry and my being eonsi .inently under the impression that 

 no pa«1euher age? bad been stated on the entrance pa Pares, 



P VARtET»" ; rlcNN.Vo TOGETHER U Sl>ta<T.»«r, .Stoiwrt.-^he Earelnm, 

 ii .™«l,m» with the three larger varieties yon nam. -The 

 may safely rmdojj^ ,yhi.'h can 1 

 £$3£"3£taX U &l»» Ton seel,., and h,n directions for 



i-^.e^riSs'^nirtandlrdofExeellenee 

 and well-known corrc- 



• 'Newmarket' is glad that Ms strictures on the! 



,e I,,;', ed the approval of that 



Sclent of the Journal-the , • Wrr-TsmnK . B* uxor 



have 

 spondent 

 Booes (C. 



' which vou can 



«#>— "The Poultry-Keeper's Mumml," 

 I ha ve-free by pi '- " Tll€ r ^ E ' v ''~" which **«**"• 



similarly for 1). 8 I. 



