Narembei 11, 1869. ] 



JODBNAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



391 



won in cocks, and the other members in hens. Of these 

 birds, if the owner have patience to keep them for two or three 

 years, ho will have birds of which a Barb-fancier might be 

 pleased to have a sight. 



Next came four pairs, each of birds of 1869. In these 

 Messrs. Jones and Headley easily vanquished the Captain in 

 the cocks, and in the hens the merit was equal. The Captain 

 cannot have too much praise for his pluck in challenging and 

 defeating the most of the members of the great Philoperis- 

 teron Society in the friendly manner he has, and the manner 

 in which the defeated members acknowledged their defeat was 

 moat praiseworthy. 



RABBITS AND THEIR VARIETIES. 



When speaking of the fancy Rabbit we always associate it 

 with being exhibited, so that as an introduction to any remarks 

 1 make in reference to any particular variety it may not, I 

 hope, be deemed out of place to say a few words respecting 

 shows, more particularly the want of uniformity in the scale of 

 entry fees. 



I fully admit that all committees think they are fixing the 

 proper charge, but I cannot understand why there should be 

 auch a vast difference in the opinions of committees ; for 

 instance, I have before me schedules containing entry fees, 

 showing the almost incredible difference between Gd. and 10s., 

 a £3 first prize being offered in the latter case, a five-shilling 

 one in the former ; the one far beyond the speculative feelings 

 and means of many would-be exhibitors, the other deemed 

 unworthy of notice. The entry fee is certain in its payment, 

 but the prize not so sure. I incline to the belief that a tenth 

 is about a fair proportion of the prize as entry fee, or what we 

 often now find — viz., a £1 prize and a two-shilling entrance fee. 

 And why, I should like to ask, do we find such ditlerences 

 made in the prizes awarded when the same fee is exacted for 

 all ■? I have seen schedules in which the Lops are to receive a 

 £1 prize, the other varieties 10s. Now justice says. Make them 

 all alike in awards if equal in entrance fee, or at least assign a 

 satisfactory reason to the exhibitor why the inequality should 

 exist. 



I often think committees to some extent fail in rendering 

 their shows so attractive to the exhibitor as might be done with 

 a little more judgment and care in fixing the scale of entries. 

 No doubt a great similarity is found in issuing a schedule of 

 entries and awards to putting forth a programme of any enter- 

 tainment. The first point is to convince the exhibitor that it 

 is worth his while to enter his stock, feeling that the entrance 

 fees and awards are proportionate to each other, leaving the re- 

 sult to the knowledge of the judge, who gives the finishing touch 

 to the weeks' or months' toil on the part of the committee. In 

 the case of the pleasure-seeker, he also wants to feel convinced 

 that his fee for admission will be fully repaid by the pleasure 

 derived from the entertainment. I think the above hints are 

 worthy of notice by committees, and that acting on them would 

 conduce to the success i f their shows. 



I will now continue my remarks on the varieties of Rabbits. 



DoTcn. — " The pretty little Dutch !" say all who look upon 

 these diminutive specimens of the Rabbit family. It is small, 

 but very attractive, wonderfully docile, and very amiable in dis- 

 position. It is originally from Holland, but is also found and 

 reared very extensively in France under the name of Nicard. 

 It is much esteemed in Old Provence, and valued for its hardy 

 and prolific nature. The does are excellent mothers, generally 

 rearing from six to eight young, and are also excellent nurses. 

 I would recommend all fanciers to have a couple of these 

 mothers having litters at the same time as their other valuable 

 specimens, for fear of accident, or there being, perhaps, too 

 many for the doe to rear, especially if intended to be "extra 

 strong " for exhibition. Then the maternal aft'ection of the 

 Dutch doe may be relied on, as she cares for the well-being 

 of the helpless progeny of another doe overburdened with a 

 large family. They are of various colours, as tortoiseshell 

 (which in the estimation of some is the perfection of marking 

 in this variety) ; blue, with a white ring round the neck ; grey 

 and blacli, with a white ring ; and at times the body is dotted 

 over with— say, blue and white, which gives Rabbits of this 

 breed a pretty appearance. The marking seems to be a little 

 uncertain, like that of the Lop or Angora. Of the former, the 

 marking is frequently made the subject for a separate class and 

 prize at shows (not forgetting other points, of course) ; whilst 

 the Angora, as I have previously stated, receives its prize 

 irrespective of colour. 



At present our judges seem at a loss as to the points of the 

 Dutch, and at times I think it wonld bo well if committees 

 would have two classes for them — say one for tortoiseshell, 

 and the other for any marking, as a blue, grey, or black body, 

 with a white ring round the neck. This ring is at times 

 not complete ; a few hairs, perhaps, behind the ears, of the 

 same colour as the body, forming a kind of buckle as if to 

 attach the white collar. The perfection of this ring might 

 be the point of excellence, if the specimen were perfect in 

 other respects. 



I am glad to find that this variety is now receiving the 

 attention its beauties deserve. At some shows a distinct class 

 is given for it. I should be glad to find all the fancy Babbits 

 represented at such periodical gatherings, and have no hesita- 

 tion in saying that if properly invited by a distinct class, they 

 will be in prompt attendance for the judges' opinion. 



By breeding in-and-in this variety may be reduced to a very 

 diminutive size. This by some is considered a point of excel- 

 lence. I have heard of specimens weighing less than 1 J lb. I 

 do not wish for them of less weight than 2' lbs., and cannot 

 perceive the advantage of reducing them to a weight so much 

 less than the natural size. 



The Himalayan and Silver-Grey will form the subject for a 

 few remarks ere long. — Chables;R4Yson, York Mount, Prest- 

 wich, near Manchester. 



SPURIOUS HONEY. 



I HATE directly not a word to say regarding this controversy, 

 as to the merits of which I am indeed profoundly ignorant, but 

 I wish to confirm what has been stated by " A Manchester 

 Man " regarding Mr. Pettigrew, who is to my own knowledge a 

 bee-keeper of very many years' standing, and of great practical 

 ability. He is also, as most of us are aware, a man of original 

 ideas, which, although they may not invariably be correct, he 

 does not shrink from propounding openly, and advocating 

 earnestly, fairly, and honestly. It must, therefore, be apparent 

 that it is simply absurd to say of such a man that he should 

 not assume to give information to others on the subject of 

 bees, and I should be very sorry if anything which has trans- 

 pired should tend to discourage his contributions to "our 

 Journal." For myself, I can only state that I have always 

 perused them with pleasure not unmingled with profit, and 

 that I have reason to know that they have proved instructive 

 to many others as well as to — A Devonshire Bee-keepek. 



AN OLD STOCK '.IN A COLLATERAL HIVE. 



I have a stock of bees which I want to transfer, increase, and 

 manage better. When I attempt to do anything with them 

 the points at their tails keop one in mind of their powers for a 

 few days, for though I encase myself in a bee dress, itc, being 

 close to a road, very frequently I have heard parties wish 

 them gathering honey in some other place but there. I have 

 this season taken off some 4.5 Ihs. of honey from one swarm, 

 which I do not consider bad. They have been in the same box 

 about ten years, and I fancy the combs are too full to leave 

 space enough for a large brood, although, as far as I know, they 

 are healthy and strong. When I take them off the stand, is 

 there any plan by which I could cut any of the comb, as I fear 

 their active attacks will spoil my pleasure, I knowing of nothing 

 to stupefy them, and so remove them? The centre box I 

 keep full of honey; it weighs about 40 lbs., it has slits on each 

 side, through which the bees pass into two side boxes ; these I 

 take eft every year, and this with 4.5 lbs. is no exception — I 

 have done the same for years. They have never swaimed but 

 once, and that swarm I have had no honey from for two ^ears. 

 Where can I procure a Woodbury hive ? I will then with in- 

 structions try to put the swarm into it, and if I procure a 

 Ligurian queen, should I have any chance of uniting it to this 

 stock ? — October. 



[_We fancy we should leave the bees alone in the old hive 

 (which appears to be a Nutt's collateral, and to have been an 

 old and faithful servant), if it were only to see how long bees 

 will thrive in the same combs. As soon ai ilie colony osaia 

 becomes populous — say towards the end of A|iiil, or in May, 

 according to the season, you may, however, transfer the beia 

 of the swarm to a Woodbury hive in the man"er defciibed in 

 page 72 of our present volume. Messrs. Neiebbour, 149, 

 Regent Street, and 127, Holborn, and Jlr. Pettitt, of llover, 

 supply Woodbury hivep, or you may write diicct to Mr. Wood- 



