40 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEXER. 



[ Jan nary 9, 1868. 



report tliftt I fonnd it in two of my liivcs after tIio_v had come 

 from tlie heather. It was only in one har of each, and about 

 half the size of a man's hand. I allowed it to remain to Fee if it 

 would extend further, or to see if the bees could clean it out of 

 the cells. I examined them on the 14th of December, and 

 found that all the cells were cleaned out with the exception of 

 eight or nine, aiul these were in proRress of being cleaned out 

 also. I found a large quantity of brood in all stages in the 

 hive, and all in good health. I liave never known a liive of 

 mine breeding in December before. The queen is the Ligurian 

 which Mr. Woodbury sent in a small box in 18C3. 



I cannot accnimt for the disease being in these two hives, 

 while I have other twenty entirely free from it, all being treated 

 ahke. It had occurred to us that it was possible that a liive 

 might be overheated during its removal to the lienther from 

 want of sufficient ventilation, but the hive to which I allude 

 was not sent to the heather, as I was not disposed to risk it 

 on such a rough journey. 



I had a case during the summer which I thouglit at one time 

 would go far to prove that Mr. Lowe was right in regard to 

 chill being the cause of the disease, and that those, along with 

 myself, who hold a different opinion, would require to acknow- 

 ledge their mistake. For myself I can truly say that none 

 would have been more ready to have done so had such been 

 the ease. 



In order to observe the whole proceedings in the interior of 

 the hive, I had one made with glass sides, and only one comb 

 in breadth, so that both sides of the comb could be seen at all 

 times. It was made to contain four Woodbury bar-frames, 

 which can be removed, and others substituted in their place, 

 when required. During a hot day in the summer, while 

 trying to put some combs straight which the bees were not 

 building properly, two of them broke down, and the queen was 

 killed, although I was not aware of it. Two-thirds of the bees 

 left at the time, and a quantitj- of honey was taken by the other 

 hives, but one-third of the bees remained with the brood, and 

 were rearing three young queens, when I removed the four bars 

 into my obseiTatory hive. Two of these bars had a large quan- 

 tity of brood in all stages, the other two had only a few in each. 

 There were just as many bees as covered the two bars, and 

 about one hundred bees remained with the young brood on the 

 other two, but they were unable to keep up the heat, so that 

 the grubs died, and all turned black, the bees leaving them 

 entirely. Here, thought I, it is where Mr. Lowe was right, 

 and myself wrong, and I was about to write and admit it, 

 but defeiTcd until I saw the result. When a queen was 

 hatched, and laying eggs, as the young bees filled the hive 

 they began and cleaned out all the dead black gi'ubs, leaving 

 the cells as clean as ever they were ; but although that brood 

 remained in the cells six or seven weeks after death, it never 

 passed into corruption like diseased brood : so that I am 

 more than ever convinced, that whatever foul brood may be. 

 it is something more than a chill to the young brood, and that 

 by removing the combs of foul brood as it appears, and putting 

 the bees into clean hives, it can be mastered. It is only by 

 good sanitary measures, canned out thoroughly with bees, as 

 well as with everything else of the animal kingdom, that 

 we can ever expect them to thi-ive. — Alex. She.iree, Ycatcr 

 Garden, 



[Your neighbour's experiment proves the truth of Dzierzon's 

 statement, that honey taken from foul-breeding stocks may be 

 given with impunity to healthy colonies in the autumn, because 

 during winter it is in the absence of brood all consumed by 

 adult bees. For the same reason simple excision at that season 

 may, and sometimes does, work a radical cure ; and it api'cars 

 even possible that, favoured by the cessation of breeding, the 

 bees themselves may, imaided, work their own salvation in 

 cases wherein the disease, being recent, has not progressed to 

 the virulent stage. — A Devonshire BEE-KEErEK.] 



black drones, although they have Ligurian queens. Will there 

 be any risk, by keeping them among the others, of their drones 

 crossing with the true Ligurians again, and making them 

 hybrids ?— A. W. 



[If the queens themselves arc really pure brod, they will 

 breed pure Italian drones (but mixed workers) in spite of the 

 first cross, j 



CROAVTs-BOARDS. 

 WorLD a wooden frame Ij inch thick and 2) inches broad> 

 filled inside with straw bands and sewed with cane, be 

 more suitable for the tops of Woodbury hives thou wood 

 tops ?— I. T. 



[ Straw crown-boards (if the misnomer may he allowed) made 

 in the manner you describe, would, we think, be better than 

 the ordinary wooden ones.] 



DYSENTERY IN BEES— LIGURIANS. 

 I AM, or I think I may say we are, much obliged to the 

 " DEVoNSHinE BEE-KEErER " for his able article on dysentery, 

 and I think Dzierzon is correct in many of his reasons for it ; 

 but I do not fancy that the hives have anything to do with it, 

 or feeding late, as I had five straw skeps, and all were fed 

 nearly alike, but only one suffered from this disease. I shall 

 be glad to hear from others of your correspondents upon this 

 subject. 

 ,_ Two cf my Ligurian stocks have turned out crossed with 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



W'F.ionT OF DoRKiSG CocKS {ConstaHl Ittadcr}.—" Upwnrds " certainly 

 means " above " 10 lbs. 



Dorking Cock's Comb (Cluitfau Vallon). — The two combs, boUow in 

 the middle, but joininp at the poiuts, form what in eiilled n cup comb. It 

 was very eounnon ol old, and is so now in the poultry districts. It was 

 not fii^bionixblf, and was therefore discounij^ed at exhibitions. It is not 

 only no disqualification, but occurs in birdb as pure bred ab any bavin}^ 

 single or double combs. 



Pea Fowls (6*. !>.). — Pea fowls are always considered d^ructive in a 

 garden. 



IsxrBATOR {Tiicho). — The incubator we have spoken of lately is not yet 

 advertised. 



Shiftint. Fowls {F. B.) — We do not think your fowls would be injurc<l 

 by being removed in a basket every night, but we would suggest str;iw at 

 the b.ittom instead of paper. The plumage maybe washed with soap and 

 wati-T, put on and wiped off with a sponge. The outer part only of the 

 feather wants washing ; and when it is clean the bird should he put in a 

 basket with clean hay or straw, and placed before the fire till quite dry. 

 Some use soda, but it is found to be injurious to the feather. 



Spanish Cock's Comb Falling 0\-fr (Sptini-hL — .\lteration in diet 

 will sometimes have .on effect upon the combs. Old fanciers used white 

 peas for the purpose ; they are said to harden plumage and comb. It is 

 more often the result of breed. Some are more prone to fall over than 

 others. AVe would never breed from such. 



Cochin-China Fowls Deficient in Size (.VoriV^I.— Chickens to be 

 large must be well fed when yonng, but over-feeding is no advantage to a 

 fowl at any age. When, however, you say all take their luck together, 

 what luck is it ? Do they live in a farm yard ? Have they means of 

 obtaining any other food than that given to them by hand? We advise 

 you to keep all together, and to feed well, then to select the best for ex- 

 hibition. Slaked meal morning and evening, whole corn at mid-diiy. 

 grass, lettuce, table and kitchen scraps, constitute good feeding. 



Bantam Hen (3f. .9.1.— She is overfed. The soft egg. Ac. arc evidence 

 of over-fatuess. Feed her by herself very moderately; chiefly boiled 

 potatoes and plenty of lettuce leaves. 



Dorking Cock's Wing Brown (J. H. Irimy). — Xo colour can disqualify 

 the bird you mention unless he were black or white. The dark brown on 

 the wing is not even a disadvantage. Dorkings have no special colotir 

 unless they are shown as Silver-Greys. 



" C, E's" letter is received, and will bo noticed next week. This and 

 some other subjects are unavoidably postponed till our next Number. 



ArsTR.u.iAN Grass Parroqcet Panting (.-t. .V. F.). — The panting cf 

 your bird arises from its being too fat. We would recommend you to with- 

 draw the maw seed, it is too stimulating and binding, anil let it have 

 Canary and a small quantity of millet; scald some oats for about twenty 

 minutes, and let it have a few, also a few not scalded and a turf of the 

 longest grass you can obtain ; ti7 also a little soaked bread and milk. 



Cleaning FLOOR-Ro.\rj)S (J. li. i?.). — Your'stock being well pro\isionc<l 

 and populous was the reason of so many bees congregating on the floor- 

 board, aud in such ft case there was little need to disturb them, so sli"ODg 

 a colony being well able to deal with impurities as they arise. The 

 middle of a fine day is tlie best time for changing floor-boards, as well as 

 for perfonning most apiarian operations, and your mode of procccdin.'^ 

 was a verj' good one. 



Bee-food iProfpfrn'i. — We f:nd lump sugar dissolved in water, in the 

 proportion of three parts \hy weight! of sugar to two of water, and boiled 

 a minute or two, an admii-able substitute for honey in fecdirg bees. 

 '* Fruit Gardening for the Many " can be had free by post from our ofiico 

 for five postage stamps. It contains directions for xicach-pniniug. 



POULTRY MARKET,— .TAxuiKv s, 



TtiERE is a good supply of poultry, and a fair demand. I 

 very plentiful, and tell badly. 



s. d. 8. d 



6 to 4 Grouse , 



G „ 3 Partridges 



9 „ 2 Hares 



„ 6 C Babbits 



„ Wild do 



, 2 i Pigeons 



Large Fowls 3 



Smaller do 2 



Chickens 1 



Geeso 6 



Ducks 



Pheasants , . . . 2 



