April 10, 1866. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



231 



Game Baktams (Any other colour).— First, Miss Aglionby. Second, 

 E. Tate, Leeds. Highlr Commended, S. H. Stot, Rochdale. 



Bantams (Any other'Tarictv).— First, R, BuiTow (Gold-laced). Second, 

 H. Beldon (Jar'.inese). HicWv Commended, J. R. Jessop (Black and 

 White) ; S. & R. Ashton, Mottram. , , ,. 



Docks (Aylesburj-).— First, M. Birbet, Brown Rigg, Amstablo. Second, 

 T. Piiterson, Melrose. . 



DccKS (Rouen).— First and Second. G. HetherinRton, Curthwaite. 



Docks (Any other yariety).— First, T. C. Harrison (Mandarins). Second, 

 J. R. Jessop (Carolina). Highly Commended, H. Beldon (Grey Call); T. 

 Dyson, Halifax (Teal). Commended, T. White, Greenwood (Wild Ducks) ; 

 E. Young, Wigton (Wild Ducks). 



PIGEONS. 



Cabhiers.- First, H. Yardley, Birmingham. Second, Withheld. 



ToMBLERs.— First. H. Yardley. Second, T. Long, Wigton. Highly 

 Commended, H. Beldon : J. Fielding, Rochdale. 



Powders.— First and Second, H. Y'ardley (White and Rod). 



Faxtails.— First and Second, H. Yardley. Commended, J. R. Jessop. 



J ICOBINS.— First, R. Thompson, Moresdale Hall. Second, H. Beldon. 



Nuns.— First, T. Patcrson, jun., Melrose. Second, H. Yardley. 



Barbs.— Fh-st, H. Beldon. Second, R. Thompson. Commended, H. 

 Yardley. „. , , ^ ^ , n 



TcRBiTS.— First and Second, H. Yardley. Highly Commended, K. 

 Thompson. Commended, H. Beldon. 



Owls.— First, J. Fielding. Second, W. Towerson, Egremont. Com- 

 mended, H. Y'ardlcv. 



Trdmpeters.— First and Second, I. Monkhouse, Kendal. 



Any other Variety.- First. H. Beld.ui iRcd MagiJios). Second, W. 

 Towerson (Black Magpies). Highly Commended, H. Yardley (Spots) ; 

 J. E. Jessop (Blue Swallows). Commended, H. Yardley (Black Magpies 

 and Isabels). 



Extra Prize.- Gnm.- Po^'it.- First, W. Stobbart, Middleton-one-Row. 

 Second. H. Beldon. Third, J. Fletcher, Stoneelough. Highly Com- 

 mended. R. Pickering. Culisle. Coclvrcf.- First, J. Geldcrd, Kendal. 

 Second, J. Fletcher. Third, T. MandueU, Aikhead. Highly Commended, 

 T. Robinson, Wigton. 



Codnty Prize.- Game Coci.— First, W. James, Bolton Gate. Second, 

 Withheld. Coc;.frfI.— First, T.-Manduoll. Second, J. »!. Armstrong. 

 Highly Commended, T. Robinson ; J. Wallas, Highmoor. 



Hen Eggs (One Dozen).— First, A.Henderson. West Woodside (Cochin- 

 China). Second, T. L. Jackson. Bust Ewes (Dorking). Third, M. B. 

 Hopkirk, Browhead (Spanish and Dorking). Highly Commended, Mrs. 

 Bowman. Wcstficld. Commended, H. Beldon (Spanish I; J. H. Wilson, 

 St. Bees (Game and Sp.anish). 



Dock Eggs (One Dozen).— First, Miss Borthwick, Flimby (Rouen). 

 Second, J. Rooke, Rosley. Highly Commended, J. Ross, Beckfellican 

 (Rouen). Messrs. Gunson & Jefterson, Whitehaven. 



Selling Class.— First, J. H. Roberts. Preston (Dark Brahma). Second, 

 E. Bnrrow, Longtown (Golden-pencilled). Commended, Messrs. Bowman 

 and Fearon (Black Spanish). 



The Jndge was Edward Hewitt, Esq., of Sparkbrools, Bii-mingham. 



WHY PREFER "WHITE PLUMAGE? 



In the Number of March 13th, Mr. Brent says — " I am a 

 great advocate for white plumage, it keep the birds warm in 

 winter, and cool in summer." Is this true ? As a winter 

 covering I have no doubt white is best ; but as a summer plu- 

 mage, is not a darli colour better? If not, how is it that so 

 many animals and birds become dark in the summer ? The 

 negro can stand a tropical heat where a \vhite man cannot, and 

 I know that white pigs blister in the sun, while dark oifes do 

 not. — John Wilson. 



[In reply to Mr. John Wilson's note, I beg to say my reason 

 for believing that white plumage is best for resisting the 

 changes of temperature, is because white reflects heat. Thus, 

 if you lay your hand on a white surface on which the sun has 

 been shining, j'ou will find it comparatively cool ; if, on the 

 contrary, you were to place your hand on a black body also ex- 

 posed to the sun, you would feel it very hot. 1 had two goats, 

 one white and the other black. The white one seemed quite 

 comfortable in the sun, when the black would pant and seem 

 so much distressed by the heat, that I had often to move her 

 into the shade. Drive a black and a white horse together on a 

 hot sunny day ; the white will remain tolerably cool, when^the 

 black is all in a lather. I think white poultry very pretty, 

 and iiuite as hardy as coloured. Lastly, white feathers are 

 more valuable for feather beds. These are my reasons for ad- 

 vocating and keeping white poultn-. — B. P. Bkent. 



P.S. — According to Mr. Darwin's theory it is quite right that 

 birds should be white in ^vinter, and dark in summer, because 

 then they would assimilate to their habitation, and be less 

 easily seen by their enemies.] 



THE VARIOUS CARRIER PIGEONS. 



In reply to your correspondent, Mr. W. Townshend, I will as 

 shortly as I can explain the differences. 



The Enghsh Carrier is a large, slender, handsome-made 

 bird, one of high caste or high fancy, and bred to a standard of 



properties ; long beak, straight head, and a large wattle ; colour 

 usually black or dun. 



The Horseman is a similar bird, but coarser, less elegant in 

 shape, with a crooked bill, and is generally black or white. 



The Dragon is smaller, shorter, and has less wattle, being 

 crossed with the Tumbler, and it was much used for homing 

 before the introduction of the Antwerp. 



The Antwerp was a variety of flying Pigeon formerly im- 

 ported from Antwerp, and is probably a cross between Tumb- 

 lers and the Dove-house or Rocks. 



These have been superseded by the Belgian Carriers, which 

 are now considered the very best of homing birds. The Belgians 

 train them to come home from a distance of 5C0 or COO miles. 

 They are supposed to have originated in crosses between the 

 Owl Pigeon, the Volant, and Le Pigeon Camus ; the Volant 

 being the same as the old Antwerp, and the Camus very much 

 like a Barb. 



Any one of the above being of a blue colour, would of neces- 

 sity be a '• Blue Carrier." — B. P. Beent. 



BEES IN THE HOLY LAND. 



I AM desirous of correcting the mistaken impres.sion respect- 

 ing the Ligurian species of honey bee being indigenous in the 

 Holy Laud which is conveyed by the extract from " Tristram's 

 Journal of Travels in Palestine," which appeared in page 266. 

 The fact is, that the native bee of Syria is an entirely different 

 species from that of Italy, being identical, or nearly so, with 

 the Egyptian bee. Apis fasciata of Latrielle. This species 

 (like Apis ligustica), has bright yellow bands on the abdomen, 

 but is of smaller size, and makes smaller cells than either 

 A. mellifioa or A. hgustica, being, moreover, distinguishable 

 from the latter by the colour of its pubescence, which is silvery 

 white instead of yellow. Its habits and natural history are 

 correctly described in the extract referred to as being very 

 similar 'to those of the common honey bee, but it has no 

 yeUow bands on the thorax, nor are its antennaa of remarkable 

 length. — A Devonshire Bee-keepek. 



A "HUNGER SWARM." 



Ton know the proverb about " a swarm of bees in May." 

 What do you say to a swarm of bees in March ? A neighbour 

 of mine had a swarm to-day (March 29th), about half-past one 

 o'clock. It flew to my apiary, and simultaneously commenced 

 entering four or five hives out of the twelve that it contains. 

 Noticing a larger number of bees at one hive than at any of 

 the others, I went up to it, and on the stand I saw and caught 

 the queen in my hand. I was showing her to my gardener, 

 when on opening my hand too far she took wing and flew away. 

 Some fighting took place, and while I stood watching them, 

 I saw several bees dead or dying on the ground. Some few 

 were literally pinned together by their stings, and in the expir- 

 ing effort to disengage themselves, drew their intestines out 

 with the sting. . 



Do you apprehend any mischief resulting to my hives from 

 this unexpected and unseasonable addition to them ? I hope 

 they are sufficiently well provisioned to support the surplus 

 population thus forced upon them. The hive from which the 

 swarm issued is about 30 or 4U yards from my apiary. 



I shall be glad to hear from you or from any of your corre- 

 spondents, whether it is on record that a swarm of bees 

 has ever taken place in England on the 29th of March ; or 

 whether any has issued earlier than this. An answer in " our 

 Journal " will much obhge.— T. B. Drake, Fittleworth Vicarage, 

 Petworth. 



[This was not what is properly called a swarm, but was, 

 doubtless, a complete exodus of the whole of the inhabitants 

 of the hive. Many similar instances are on record, and they 

 are generally attributed to the approach of famine at a tirne 

 when the bees are unable to find sufficient food to maintain 

 themselves. For this reason they are called by the Germans 

 "hunger swarms."] 



BEE DYSENTERY. 



As so much was said in your columns a short time since upon 

 dysentery, and so many were inquiring for a remedy, I fear 

 from the silence which has prevailed of late upon the subject 

 that those whose bees were suffering from the malady have 



