134 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIODLT0RE AND OOTTAQR QARDENBB. 



[ February 11, 1875. 



will think this probable. The (inestion of ventilation is nest 

 touched. As I have written more than any other bee-keeper on 

 the scientific bearings of this question, I refer to what I have 

 already advanced, stating^ my willingness to debate with any 

 who approach me in a friendly manner any proposition laid 

 down if the object be the advancement of our hobby, but de- 

 clining to discuss with one whose animus is so evident, and 

 whose logic is so much at fault as to say, " I suppose Mr. 

 Cheshire will allow that the heat in a hive is generated by the 

 bees, as warm air is lighter than cold." I certainly allow the 

 first, but not on account of the second. 



" Pecchione " then adds, " ilr. Cheshire appears to be singu- 

 larly erratic in his condemnation of hives, and I would like to 

 know how he can reconcile his letter in the 'British Bee Jour- 

 nal,' pages 180, 187, and 183, with his letter in the Journal of 

 Horticulture." I have condemned no hives, and if my letters 

 are not reconcilable why does not "Pecchione" cite an in- 

 stance? The subjects of the two letters are as little connected 

 as the Baltic and the Mediterranean. I challenge anyone to 

 show that they clash. Did they, I would not hesitate to acknow- 

 ledge it, since I think it no discredit to admit that I may be 

 wiser to-day than I have been in the past. *' Pecchione " then 

 says, " May T be allowed to explain that, if my memory serves 

 me, the hive which Mr. Cheshire claims as his consisted of a 

 combination of several gentlemen's ideas, and because the one 

 improvement does not exist in his (?) he condemns it." Was 

 ever a charge made with such a proviso ? — "if my memory serves 

 me !" I can afford to leave the decision with those who judge 

 from knowledge, and would shrink from detraction upon dubious 

 memory. That I carried off all the new-invention prizes at the 

 Crystal Palace is a sufficient answer to the ungenerous insinu- 

 ation, the utter baselessness of which I may at a future time 

 clearly show by an explanation of the hive. The frame without 

 the bottom rail, however, had its birth across the Atlantic, and 

 ■was illustrated in the "American Bee-Keepers' Magazine" in 

 1872. 



"Pecchione's " last sentence is, "Why does not Mr. Cheshire 

 send his hive to the Editor of the ' British Bee Journal,' as he 

 promised to do ?" Am I to submit to the questioning of one 

 hiding himself behind a soubriquet as to my relations with a 

 journal totally disconnected from the one in which the question 

 appears ? This correspondence must close, so far as I am con- 

 cerned, by my stating that I am not aware of having made 

 any promise to the Editor of the "British Bee Journal." — 

 F. Cheshiee, Acton, Middlesex. 



[This controversy must now close. — Ens.] 



Eggs Imported. — The import of these in 1844 amounted to 

 loss than G8 millions, but in 1871 to more than 68U millions. We 

 paid less than a quarter of a million sterling for foreign eggs in 

 1854 ; in 1874 we paid nearly two-and-a-half millions for them. 



OUE LETTERBOX. 



Hen-coop fG. R.). — The dtmeDsions of Mr. Lingwood's model hen-coop are 

 £S follows: — AVidtb. 2 feet; depth, 2 feet ; height to the top of the roof. 2 feet 

 y inches. This size would of course be for the large breeds, suuh as Dorkings, 

 Cochins, or Brahinas; for Game and Hamburghs they should be made 

 smaller, and for Bantams only half the size. The laige size can be made by 

 any carpenter for about 1-is. — T. C. Bcrnell. 



Feather-eating Fowls (B. TF.).— We have repeatedly replied that we know 

 of no remedy. An American writer says a net full of hay hung up for the 

 birds to pick diverts them. They only acquire the habit in coofinemeut. 

 We have tometimes lessened the habit by supplying the run with a barrow- 

 load of fresh earth mixed with grass. We have also given fresh horse dung 

 ■with advantage. Lettuces are very good, especially i( they are run to seed. 

 Nothing, however, has evor overcome the habit, and we should be delighted 

 to know a cure. It begins about this time and lasts till after the moulting' 

 they are then safe until the nest spring. 



Pettigrew's Hives {Jane).— The hives nsed by Mr. Pettigrcw are 16 and 

 , ISiochea wide, and 12 inches deep, inside measure. In future he will pur- 

 chase none less than 14 inches deep, the sizes he now recommends. 



The Colours of Canaries (Ornis Aohalee).— The terms Jonque, Yellowt 

 and Golden are applied to the deeper or richer-coloured Canaries ; and Buff- 

 Mealy, and Silver to others. Cinnamon birds, of which there are two colours. 

 do not approach in any degree to the appearance of any of the feathers in the 

 five packets sent. Cinnamon-coloured birds resemble more the spice sold by 

 that name. Had we your birds to examine instead of the email clippings of 

 feathers, it would have been much more satisfactory to us, but the Irisb Sea 

 betwixt UB was, no doubt, the cause why we did not see your birds. The 

 dmiinutive detached feathers of Canaries examined singly is no small matter 

 to study, more especially when we found some of them possess an artificial 

 appearance, as though they were impregnated with a colouring matter. 

 TiVhen we opened packet No. 4 we opened our eyes wider, although our \-ision 

 IB strong. We suggested to ourselves the question — "Pepper?" No! 

 Farther examination dispelled the idea. Upon the webbing of the part of 

 feather from the right wing of the Canary distinct patches of colour were 

 very distinctly visible. This is quite unnatural. The tail feather from the 

 left side was also of very high colour. The small feathers taken from the 

 body of the bird were likewise of strong colour. We carefully examined each 

 packet. No. 1, To ail appearance the feathers from a blooming Buff or 

 Mealy hen Norwich. No. 2, Feathers from a Mealy bird, but not an entire 

 Green specimen, as two or three light-coloured small body feathers were 

 saixed with the dark ones. No. S, Apparently from a Jonque Green, the 



feathers being stronger in colour, but, like No. 2, not of a decided green to 

 qualify the bird being shown in a Green class, owing to a email light- coloured 

 feather being amongst the rest sent. Green birds vary much In appearance. 

 A Norwich Green is a very dilTerent bird to those exhibited at some of the 

 north of England shows. No. 4, Feathers of exceedingly high colour. At first 

 sight we imagined them to have been taken from a very high-coloured Yellow 

 specimen. We tested the greater portion of the feathers, and finding two or 

 thi'ee of the small body feathers to be tipped with a mealy fringe, we are in- 

 clined to think they have been taken from a strong-coloured Buff cock bird. 

 After our test the portion of the feathers tested appeared of a very different 

 and much paler colour to the others, which appear the same as when for- 

 warded. No. 5, Feathers from a Variegated kind, but would not make a very 

 showy bird, owing to its being so very heavily variegated, and, as you state, a 

 hen. If any of your birds have been washing in, or had access to, any colour- 

 i ng fluid, do not exhibit them. 



Moving a Hive (IF. S.). — It is always advisable in removing hives from 

 one site to another to wait until the spring, when the bees have attained 

 vigorous flight. It is even then prudent to proceed cautiously, shifting the 

 hive gradually a very few feet at a time, allowing a period of at least one good 

 working day to elapse between each removal. In first moving a hive from 

 the bee-houee, stand it exactly in front of its previous entrance, where it can 

 be easily seen by the bees, afterwards shifting it a little right or left as may 

 be required. By these precautions removal may be effected with little loss. 



Distempered Terrier {Aljjha), — We know of no cure ; and the treatment 

 differs according to the symptoms. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Sqoare, London. 



Lat. 51^ 32' 40" N, ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. 



BEMARES. 

 8rd. — Dark morning and dull all day, but no rain fell, and it was starlight 



at night. 

 4th.— White frost in the morning; beautifully bright all day and night, 

 5th.— Bather hazy the early part of the day; damp and cold in the after 



part. 

 6th. — Foggy damp morning, splendidly bright at noon, but a wet nigh{;. 

 7th. — Dull and damp, though noi rainy moiuing; a ehght shower just after 



noon, fair but not bright afterwaide, and much colder towards 



night. 

 8th.— A fair but frosty morning; verj- fine in the middle of the day; cold 



and frosty throughout. 

 9th.— Cold morning; snow at 9 A.m. quite covering the gi'ound, but soon 



ceasing and disappearing ; fair the remainaer of the day. 

 Temperature very much lower than last week, and frost every morning. 

 The enow of Tuesday was not of a measureable amount.— G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— February 10. 

 Quotations remain much the same, and business remains ia much the 

 same condition as last week. 



FRUIT. 



B. d. s. d. 



s. d. a. d 



Apples J sieve OtoO , Mulberries i^lb. OtoO o 



"■ " " - ' Ncetarmes doz. t) 



Aoricuta doz. 



( h err lea vlb, 



Chestnuts bushel 10 20 





 





 do. 



Currants 



Blacb 



Figs doz. 



FUbertB lb. 1 



Cobs lb. 1 6 



GooseberriGs quart 



Grapes, hothouse.... lb ~ " 



Lemons i' 100 8 12 



Melons each 















1 6 



2 

 



l'> 



Oranges ^^100 8 12 i> 



Peaches doz. 



Peara, kitchen duz. 2 8 



dessert doe. 2 4 



PineApples lb. 2 4 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces doz. U 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries ^Ib. 



Walnuts bushel 8 12 



ditto ^100 1 1 iJ 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus 5MnO 



Frencb.. ..per bundle 

 Beans, Kidney per 10) 



Broaii bushel 



Beet, Red doz 



BroccoU bundle 



Brussels Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Carrots bunoh 



Capsicuras ^ 100 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



VEGETABLES, 

 d. B,d. 

 0to6 

 10 







S 









 6 





 2 

 

 2 

 n 8 

 6 

 3 

 



Leeks 



Lettuoe doz. 



MuaUruoms pottle 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Putatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsafy.. bundle 



Scorzonera bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows .. doz. 



a. d. B. d. 



8 too 



1 a 





 



s 





 4 





 



