468 



JOXJBNAIi OF HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGB OAKDENEB. 



t Joa* 19, ISBt. 



rRE\'ENTINCT DRONE-BREEDING. 

 In managing bees on tbo supering system drone-breeding is 

 not profitable, and unless specially required may be dispensed 

 with altogether. Now, I find that unless all the {rames in a 

 Woodbury box are tumished with comb before a swarm is put 

 into it a large proportion of the empty space will be quickly 

 filled with drone-comb ; this I have in several instances cut 

 out, but the bees obstinately refuse to take the hint, and will 

 persist in providing accommodation for those honey-consuming 

 idlers. I sliould be glad to know if there is any plan for in- 

 ducing the bees to build worker instead of drone-comb ? or if 

 not, which is the better plan — to keep cutting out this trouble- 

 some comb, or allow the bees to have their own way ? In other 

 ■words, will the difference between the honey consumed by the 

 drones in the one case, and the waste of time and material in the 

 other, be in my favour or otherwise ? and also, will the entire 

 suppression of the drones have the effect of more efiectually 

 preventing swarming ? — G. L. 



[The use of the German artificial combs, or impressed wax 

 sheets, will generally induce bees to build worker-combs. It is, 

 however, scarcely possible, and even if possible we very much 

 doubt if it would be found advisable, so to thwart Nature as to 

 attempt the entire suppression of the male element in a hive, 

 since, if no other evils result therefrom, an undue proportion 

 of drone-comb is likely to be fabricated in the super, and there 

 tenanted by the queen. We nevertheless often find it advisable 

 to impose some limits to drone production ; but when we re- 

 move superfluous drone-combs from a stock hive we do not 

 trust the bees with the fabrication of new ones, but at once 

 supply the vacancy by the substitution of worker-comb. Spare 

 combs are so valuable for this and other purposes that we pre- 

 serve them most carefully, and neglect no opportunity of add- 

 ing to onr store.] 



CUTTING OUT COMBS. 



Pleasb inform me if it be possible to cut out combs from a 

 strong stock in a common hive. The whole stock, I should 

 think, weighs at least 30 lbs. ; but the bees will not work in a 

 super. Having no bushes in our garden we lost our first swarm 

 from this stock in May, and since then we have driven a swarm 

 from it into a common flat-topped hive, where the bees are 

 working famously. The old stock seems as populous and busy 

 as ever, and we, the landlords, look on, wondering how by fair 

 means or foul we can obtain our rightful share of their produce. 

 — S.S. 



[We do not deem it good practice to cut combs out of com- 

 mon hives, especially when, as in your case, a swarm has been 

 secured in addition to the one which was lost — a measure of 

 success with which you may well rest satisfied for the season. 

 If next year you can furnish your super with some pieces of 

 clean worker-comb, the bees will probably take possession of 

 them promptly enough.] 



MUSICAL BLACKBIRD, 



MATERIALS FOR WATER PIPES AND TANKS. 



In reply to your correspondent " W. T.," I can inform him 

 that galvanised iron is unfit either for the storage or con- 

 veyance of water. Water, soft water especially, quickly be- 

 comes impregnated with the metal, which imparts to it a hard 

 quality, rendering it unfit for domestic purposes. 



The best material for pipes is the enamelled iron tubes sup- 

 plied by the Crown Tube Works, Wednesburj-. The next best 

 plan is to coat the ordinary iron pipes with a strong solation of 

 asphaltum in turpentine. The tubes require heating in order 

 to apply this mixture properly. The same may be advan- 

 tageously appUed to the inside of common cast-iron tanks. 

 In all cases the asphaltum must be used as the cement at the 

 juints in lieu of the red-lead lute that is in ordinary use. 



Common pine wood also makes an excellent aubstitute for 

 iron tanks where purity and cleanliness are essential. This 

 can be coated with the asphaltum vamish. The wooden tank 

 will last twenty years. — G. P. D. 



In answer to " W. T.'s " inquiry in your last Number as to 

 iron tanks and pipes, I beg to say, in refer«nce to the latter, 

 that some years ago we laid down iron pipes which were gliized 

 inside and out, the end of one pipe fitting into a socket in the 

 other, and the two being screwed together ; washers of gntta 

 percha were used in the sockets to keep them watertight. That 

 must be ten or twelve years ago. and we have nfiver had any 

 trouble with them since, and nothing can be cleaner. I sup- 

 pose the glass is put on in a Uquid or molten state, and th* 

 whole surface is thus enamelled over, as it were. I should think 

 tanks could be prepared in the same way. — J. K. J. 



" W. T." wishes for information about galvanised-iron pip«B 

 and tanks. Having had a great deal to do with them I can re- 

 commend him to put down earthenware pipes if possible ; if the 

 hft is not great they will convey water better than anything 

 else. I have water brought over a little valley with a lift of 

 15 feet. If the water " W. T." has is hard, common iron pipes 

 will answer perfectly ; if it is soft, they must be galvanised or 

 lined with pottery, as they do now-a-days ; for soft water rusts 

 the pipes, but hard coats them with lime, and renders them 

 durable and cleanly. If " W. T." has water constantly mn- 

 ning, lead pipes will answer his purpose better than anythuig, 

 but lead will not answer if the water has to stand. Cast-iron 

 cisterns may be painted inside, and will last without another 

 coat for years. — A Soldiek. 



I SHOULD recommend wrought-iron pipes heated and dipped 

 in raw linseed oil while hot, having laid some treated in this 

 way about twelve years since, and upon examination a few 

 months ago they were fotmd to be in a very perfect state. 

 Some galvanised branches had to be taken out, and oiled pipes 

 fixed in their places.^J. W. 



Is reply to Mr. Hewitt's letter, which appeared in your issue 

 of the 5th inst., I beg to inform him that our groom has a 

 blackbird which whistles " 0, Susanna," very distinctly, though j 

 it seldom goes through the tune without a break, its favourite 

 bar being " Don't you cry for me." 



It is the only blackbird I have ever seen that could whistle a 

 tune ; but our groom tells me that he once knew a blackbird 

 which whistled " The girl I left behind me " perfectly. He 

 also says that blackbirds are best taught from a flageolet ; but I 

 must say that our blackbird's accomphshments are not much 

 to my taste, and are in no way to be compared with the song 

 of its wild brethren. — James Snow Whall, Worksop. 



P.S. — I never before heard of a talking blackbird. 



Eakly Swarms. — A man in this part (South Durham), had a 

 first swarm from a hybrid queen on the 19th of May, and the 

 second and third on the 4th of June. This is very early for 

 this part, as we seldom have any before June 7th, and it would 

 therefore appear that the hybrids are a good cross. Another 

 person had a swarm from a crossed Ligurian queen (crossed last 

 year), on the 30th of May, a very large swarm ; and there can 

 be now no doubt that, could the Ligtirians be kept pnre, they 

 surpass the black bees.— A. W. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Spanish Fowls at the Bath and Webt of England Societt's Show* 

 —The third prixe was awarded to Mr. R. Wright, Kalloway Boad, Lon- 

 don, and not to Mr. Parsley. 



Brahma Pootras Breathing with DiFFicTn,TT (S. M.), — We are large 

 Brabnia breederH. In damp weather we have known tbeni rattle in ihs 

 throat for a few days, hut have had no such visitation as you describe. 

 It would not in any way affect them for table purposes. It is possible 

 that the new-mown gras^ may affect them throuph the nostrils, and caiue 

 inflammation of the windpipe. We hazard this opinion bec.iuse Ham- 

 burghs are not affected by it, and they are far more prone to disease than 

 Brahmas. Remove every vesti^'e of the Rrass. Malie your nests afresh 

 on the ground with very little hay, and keep the cccfs moistened. Pat 

 camphor in all their water. A warm sun for a week will probably CTire 

 them. The fowls seem so well that we do not adv-ise treatment. Yon 

 cannot do better than leave well alone. 



Lakoe Variety op Pigeons (G. Bradford). — Your Pigeons from Malta 

 are most likely one of the varieties of Italian Runts. — B. P. Bbent. 



Diseased Pigeon iA Young Faticier). — Your Powtor cock has a core or 

 tumour in his crop. With a sharp knife or scissors cut the crop open, 

 cut the tumour out, wash the crop clean, and tew it neatly up ; do not 

 give the bird anything to cat or drink for a few hours, and sparingly at 

 flrst. The bird may then recover, bnt much depends on cutting oat the 

 whole of the tumour, otherwise it will form again.— B. P. Bbent. 



Pigeon Dealebs (A Constant Beodtfr).— You will And such in the 

 neighbourhood of Seven Dials, Club Row, and Hare Street, and Kent 

 Street, Borough, as well as Leadenhall Market, and many other places. 



Rearino YotjNO Larks I A Subteribfrt. — Put the nestlings in a large 

 cage, keep the bottom thickly covered with any sand or earth, and feed 

 them on bread and cheese made into a stiff paste. You may add hard- 

 boiled eggs and crashed hempseed occasionally. You can often pick ont 

 a cock bird by comparing it with its fellows, but the surest way is to wait 

 till they begin to sing. The feathers on the Cochin's legs are most likely 

 nibbed off. and will come again when the stumps fall out at moolting- 

 time.— B. P. B. 



