342 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ AprU 20, 1875. 



comts cut out and removed -with the bees into a frame hive, 

 and then their old quarters being bricked-up I had no doubt all 

 would go well. 



The plan being agreed on I volunteered to undertake the job, 

 which was then adjourned until the hive was ready and the 

 weather a little warmer. This happy conjunction of circum- 

 stances having at lenglh occurred, I and my friend Mr. 

 Cheshire, who iindly offered to aesisfc, last Saturday com- 

 menced operations. A phicky bricklayer being in attendance 

 duly attired in a bee-veil, the bricks were quickly removed and 

 disclosed three fine combs about 30 inches by 12 each (as well as 

 some odd pieces), the first of which I soon cut out; and while 

 Mr. Cheshire was cutting and fitting it into the frames I sought 

 for the queen among the large living sheet of bees disclosed to 

 view on the second comb, but without success. This was next 

 cut-out and examined on the other side, then the next, and the 

 next, but still no queen was seen — plenty of brood, and an im- 

 menee number of bees ; but, alas ! our new Crystal Palace prize 

 hive did not tempt them to stay, for although we kept the 

 combs the bees flew back, and it became evident her majesty 

 remained in her old quarters. Again and again were the bees 

 swept off and the queen sought each few minutes, showing us 

 the number of bees visible was sensibly diminishing, and it 

 became evident tbey were disappearing under the roof-plate. 

 A slate or two removed disclosed no tidings of the lost bees, 

 and we began to think our operation would result in a lament- 

 able failure, and the large quantity of brood we had already iu 

 the hive was in imminent danger of perishing, when a happy 

 thought struck me : If the mountain will not come to Mahomet, 

 Mahomet must go to the mountain ! I ran briskly up the ladder, 

 and the full frames being handed up we made a frame hive of 

 the wall by hanging-up the frames in their old quarters, feeling 

 sure the bees would descend and take possession, save the 

 brood, and be handy to remove another day. Then covering 

 all np snug with some garden mats we left them for forty-eight 

 hours* rest. 



On my second visit I found the plan perfectly BuccesBful. The 

 combs were well covered with the bees, the queen among them, 

 and having quietly placed them in the new hive without dis- 

 turbance, bad the satisfaction of finding not more than half a 

 pint left behind, which ran up to the roof plate as before, and so 

 were obliged to be left. The wall was then quickly bricked-up, 

 leaving a small aperture till to-morrow for the prisoners' exit. 

 The colony we thus obtained was quite equal to a large swarm 

 in May, and being well furnished with brood and combs I have 

 no doubt will thrive. A few pounds of surplus honey was also 

 obtained for use in the house. — John Hunteb, Eaton Bise, 



British Bee-keepers' Apkoctation. — This Association will 

 hold a convereazione at Burlington House, Piccadilly, in the 

 rooms of the Linnean Society, on Wednesday evening May 5th, 

 when the prize echednle of the next show, which is arranged 

 to take place at the Crystal Palace, September 2l8t, 22nd, and 

 23rd, will be discussed. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Poui,TRT- KEEPING ARRANGEMENTS (T. M. B.).— There would have been 

 no occneion to give a large price for a Brahma cock uuless you wanted a prize 

 bird. Yonr description of their roontinR place is that of a bad one. If yoar 

 fowls roost on the bricks or etone ehell tbty will all have cramp, and many 

 die. Two laying boxes will be enough for six or eight bena. They ehonld be 

 24 incbee eqiiare, have a bend in front to prevent eggs roUing out. and pbouid 

 be divided by an upright board 12 inches high. They Bhould be well filled 

 with straw, or the eggs will be damaged if laid on stone. The sitting hens 

 muBt have a separate place. You will only have trouble and disappointment 

 it you let tbem fiit in the layiog house. You may keep a cock and live hens 

 in the ppace you name, but ynn cannot rear chickeua in it. The perches 

 Bhould he within 24 inches of the ground. If your tirds persist in roosting 

 on the ground, you must put down eome straw; but we believe if you put 

 proper perches they will take to them. Ground oats or barlejmeal ore the 

 best food, varied with a little Indian meal, and if their run has no grass the 

 bii'ds most have large sods constantly thrown to them. 



Canary Notes {Oroundfel) —1. The wish to obtain Canary eggs from 

 fanciers in the like manner that sittings of eggs are obtained from fowl 

 breeders is in "another street " entirely. The breeders of ca;^e birds are not 

 furnished with eggs in the same proportion as fowl breeders, tberefure how 

 ■would it be possible to supply them when the few eggs the Canaries lay over 

 each nest are required for the birdnto nit upon ? There would be considerable 

 risk in transmitting eggs from England to Ireland, or elsewhere, either by 

 poster otherwise. 2. We never recommend dealers, and for you to become 

 acquainted with the tip-top fanciers in England we should advise you to 

 purchase the catalogues of some of the principal cage-bird exhibitions held. 

 From time to time yon will find the announcements of the shows in our ad- 

 vertisiog colnmna. 3. As to the price of pairs of Belgians, Norwich, and 

 Scotch Fancies, much depends upon the quality and breed, and likewise the 

 particular periods and circumstances under which a bargain may he struck. 

 It is not au uncommon occurrence for j;3 to £5 or more to be paid for a 

 single specimen of a Belgian birl. A pair vt Norwich birds of fair breed 

 miipht be purchased for 25s. and upwards. Sometimes exhibition birds 

 realise fabulous prices. Wo know an instance last season of ten guineas 

 having been paid for a single Nor«vich bird. Even if you purchase a pair at 

 a somewhat moderate fi^jure, and breed frum the same, you will have to study 

 cayenne before you make headway at a shov. Scotch Fancy birds, by tlio 



same rule as other breeds, vary much in price. 4. It will not matter about 

 the heij Finch being in the same room as the Goldfinoh and Canary, which 

 you say are " caged off." If the Gnldduch becomes paired to the Canary 

 hen, the ben Finch will not draw away his affection for his ladv-love. By 

 taking a Canary cock away from a beo he was paired to, and placing a Gold- 

 finch to that same hen at the time she wis sitting a nest of eggs, you run 

 the risk of having the nest gradually pulled to pieces by the Finch, and 

 possibly the eggs to become destroyed. Goldfinches are very fond of tapping 

 eggs with their sharp beaks. You will be lucky if you escape all this, and 

 the hen you have taken the cock from doe^ not forsake her nest througli 

 gripf for her first love. May will be early enough for Mule breeding. 



Parrot Self-pldcking (E. C. 0).— Give it no bones, meat, or stimulants 

 of any kind, such as capsicums. Feed on bread and milk and fruit only, 

 Iiet it bathe daily in a dishful of water, hut if it declines bathing give it a 

 shower bath daily by pouring over it tepid water through the rose of a water- 

 ing-pot. 



Canary or Mule fiJfv. S. A. B.).— The ben which fights her mate, whether 

 a Mule or a Canary, is of no use for brefrding purposes, and the sooner a sepa- 

 ration takes place the better,nrthe cmtiuual fijhtiug may terminate in death. 

 A want of thorongh practical knowledge is the reason why you cannot " tell a 

 hen Mule from a heu Canary." Mule hens will go to nest, and exercise their 

 architectural skill in the like way as Canaries, and will deposit eggs in their 

 neats the same size as Canary eggs ; but tbey will be found to be unfertile at 

 the end of the thirteen days' sitting. All Goldfinch hen Mules have a flush of 

 colour on their faces, around their beaks, of a bronze-like tint, wliich point 

 alone is sufficient to decide the matter whether the hen is a Mule. It is not 

 an uncommon occurrence for the uninitiated to suppose a marked or varie- 

 gated bird to be a Mule. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Sqdarb, London. 



Lat. Bl'' 82' 40" N. ; Long. 0= 8' 0" W. ; Altitude. Ill feet. 



REMARKS. 



21st. — Very misty morning, dull after ; rain commenced at 7 p.m.; middle of 

 the day warm ; but much cooler in the evening. 



22nd. — Rain at times all day, cold and dull. Extraordinary fall of tempera- 

 ture since yesterday. 



23rd. — A fine dav, though rather dull at timee, and cold. 



24th.— Fine all day, but still cold. 



25th. — Fine early, and till 10 a.m. then gradually getting more and more 

 thick and dark, till at 10.30 a.m. it was so dark as almost to require 

 artificial light in the house; this lasted only for a short time, but it 

 was thick and dark all the morning; but from 1,80 p.m. it was fine, 

 and the night starlit. 



26th. — Rather hazy early, but soon cleared off, and fine all the remainder of 

 the day. 



S7th. — Again hazy early, but soon bright and fine. 

 A fine week ; the decrease of temperature on the evening of the 2lBt bwng 



the most remarkable feature. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— April 28. 

 We have experienced a slight improvement in the amf>nnfc of businesa 

 transactions; orders from the northern and midland counties being more 

 extensive. The supply of French Asparagus is now becoming large, especially 

 from the south, and advices report a continuance of it. Salading of the 

 usnal description is excellent. Heavy consignments of Broccoli are to hand 

 this week, with some abatement in the price among the wholesale dealers. 



fruit. 

 B. d 



B. d 



AppleB ^ sieve 2 6to3 6 



Chestnuts bushel 10 2'1 



Figs doz. 8 15 



Filberts, Cobs lb. 2 



Grapes, hothouse lb. 10 20 



Lemons ^>100 8 12 



Oranges %*■ 100 5 H 



B. d. B. d. 



Peachosi doz. 18 0tu36 



Peara, kitchen aoz. 2 3 



dessert doz. 8 12 



PineApplea lb. 2 6 



Strawberries" lb. 8 16 



Walnuts ^ lOU 8 12 



ditto bushel 10 16 



Artichokes dozen 8 



Asparagns %** 100 4 



Fren<?h bundle 3 



Beans, Kidney ^ lOO 2 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red dozpu 1 



Broccoli bundle 9 



Brnssels Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbage dozen 2 



Carrots bunch 6 



Capsicuma ^100 



Cauliflower dozen 4 



CL-lory bundle 1 6 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 4 



Cucumbers each 8 



pickling dozen 



Endive dozen 3 



Fennel bunch 8 



Garlic 11). 6 



Herbs bunch 3 



Horseradish bundle 



vegetables. 

 d. B. d. 

 0to6 

 



16 

 

 

 

 6 

 

 



Leeks bunch 



Let'.uce dozen 



MucbroomB........ pottle 



Mustard d: Cress. .punnet 

 Oniuns bushel 



pickhng quart 



Parsley.... doz. bunches 



Parauiye ... dozen 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsafy bundle 



Scorzonera bundle 



Seakale basket 



bhallots 10. 



Spinach bushel 



ToniHtoes dozen 



Turnipd bunch 



Vegetable MarrowB..doz. 



d. B. d. 



4toO 

 2 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 6 

 9 

 

 

 

 4 

 

 

 

 



