362 



JOURNAL OF HOETIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENBR. 



[ May 6, 1878. 



resorted to shortly after the bees of full hives cover their combe. 

 Superins, before swarming, is somewhat unnatural and artificial, 

 and in attempting it early in the season it is well to remember 

 the words of the Scottish poet :— 



" The best laid schemes of mice aud men 

 Gang aft agee." 



But still swarming is often prevented by the use of supers of 

 considerable size. If bees readily enter and commence to work 

 in large supers, they frequently fill them, appearing to abandon 

 the idea of swarming till this is done. In large supers there is 

 room for the bees, which multiply so fast at this season of the 

 year. 



" If bees swarm when their supers are half fiUed what should 

 be done?" It is difficult to answer this question. If the swarm 

 were cast back on the old hive it would probably swarm again 

 either the next day or the first opportunity. If the bees were 

 thrown back without their queen they would not swarm again 

 till the young queens were hatched. Piping and swarming may 

 take place after the birth of young queens, but by throwing back 

 a swarm with-an unfertilised queen on the front of the mother 

 hive, swarnjing would be prevented for some weeks — a mouth at 

 least. To pursue such a course is neither wise nor profitable ; 

 it is here mentioned for the sake of those who may wish to 

 appear in good form as competitors at our honey shows. If our 

 bees were to swarm before their supers were filled we should 

 hive them and remove the supers. Such supers could be placed 

 on other hives, or even on the hives of the swarms as soon as 

 they were filled with combs. If the honeycomb in supers be 

 simply for home use, and not for exhibition, it will be unneces- 

 sary to place half-filled supers on other hives. 



In supering, the bee-master's aim should be to give his bees 

 room enough in his supers to hold all the additions to the popu- 

 lation, and aid them to work heartily in filling them. By using 

 plenty of guide comb— chiefly virgin drone comb — we have 

 seldom found any difficulty in this work. It is very desirable 

 to induce the bees to build combs in supers from their tops 

 downwards. By placing a sheet of paper (with a hole cut to 

 correspond with the hole in the crown of the hive) between the 

 hive and super, the bees do not attach the combs to the hive or 

 even to the paper, thus making the removal of the super a very 

 easy matter. For wood and straw supers, as well as for glass 

 supers, we use, and advise others to use, ladders of wood from 

 the crowns of hives to the tops of supers. 



In these days of progress aud exhibitions we anticipate some 

 changes in our schedules of prizes. The clamour at present is 

 to bring this and that kind of hive into notice. The common 

 sense and growing intelligence of apiarians will settle this 

 clamour. Swarms of supers will cover our exhibition tables for 

 a season or two, and be much admired, as they ought to be. 

 By-and-by I anticipate that great results in honey and honey- 

 comb, like Mr. Hunter's big bunches of grapes, will carry the 

 day ; and for dexterity and ornamental work we shall probably 

 have prizes offered for designs aud pictures in honeycomb. 

 Some eighteen months ago the readers of this Journal were told 

 that it was thought possible to cause bees to write " God save 

 the Queen " with honeycomb in a super. If this season be 

 favourable for honey-gathering we shall try to have this inscrip- 

 tion in comb over the Manchester Exhibition of Honey next 

 autumn. — A. Pettigbew. 



Califoknu Honet. — Among the other numerous products for 

 ■which California seems destined to become famous, honey ranks 

 as by no means the least valuable item. It has already found 

 its way into the eastern markets, though so far in limited supply, 

 and is much admired for its purity and delicacy of flavour. Its 

 production is not limited to any part of the State, but at present 

 it is chiefly made a speciality in San Diego county, near the 

 Mexican border. The honey crop of that county for 1873 was 

 119,000 lbs., and it is expected it will this year equal 200,000 lbs. 

 The bulk of the honey finds a market in the East. Several car 

 loads were shipped from San Diego East last year, and found a 

 paying and appreciative market, and much more will be shipped 

 this year. The honey made in Sau Diego is exceedingly white 

 and handsome, and of flue flavour, and commands a good price 

 and ready market wherever offered. Little or no strained honey 

 can be sold during the prevalence of the green fruit season, and 

 it will not be until next fall that any great amount can be 

 moved. The total crop in California this year is variously 

 estimated at from 000,000 to 700,000 pounds.— (Economist.) 



OUK LETTER BOX. 



Fowls FEATHEE.E4TER5 tE. Smilh).~Jt arises from the lack of something 

 they would get it thoy were at liberty, and the feather is the nearest approach 

 to that for which they have the natural cravinL'. Spanish are very prone to 

 it. We have never been able to cure it entirely, but ^e have lessened it by 

 supplying them with fresh horse dung, lumps of growing grass, with plenty 

 of fresh earthworms and lettuces. 



CAPctNisiNO (A. O.).— Wonevcr allowit to be practi.<ed; and cannot publish 

 directions for one of the most cruel of operatioos. A well-fed pullet is superior 

 for table to any capon of the same variety. 



Various (Amateur''. — If you wish na to reply the same week, you must 

 send your queries earlier. May-hatched pullets should lay in November or 

 December Feed them on ground oats or l)arl8y meal. Keep et;gs where they 

 will be lieither heated nor chilled. If you wish to keep them through the 

 winter, you mast put them up fresh, and cover them in slaked lime. If for 

 sitting, you may keep them three weeks or a month, but recollect the fresher 

 the eggs when put under the hen the stronger the chickens. In most cases 

 a hen banliied from sitting lays again in from six to eight weeks if during the 

 laying season. To prevent fowls flying the flight feathers may be tied 

 together, or the wing fastened in a brace. 



Abtificul Swabmino if. J.). —We do not advise yon to swarm yonr bees 

 by putting an Italian (jueen into an empty hive, and placing it on the stand 

 of the old hive with a view to gather-up outside workers, and thus form an 

 artificial swarm. Neither queen nor bees would be disposed to remain in 

 their new habitation if treated in this manner. If the old hive be placed 

 near the old stand most of the bees would find the way to and remain in it. 

 Better and safer it will be for you to drive a swarm into an empty hive, and 

 place the mother hive and swarm some feet or yards to the right and left of 

 the old stand, and if you wish to introduce an Italiau queen into your apiary, 

 it could be easily done by giving it to the old hive twenty-four hours after it 

 has swarmed. By that time the bees of the old hive wouid be found search- 

 ing for their lost queen, and willing to accept another properly introduced 

 to them. Driving is the most easy, natural, and efficient mode of artificial 

 swarming. In fine weather a swarm may be driven into an empty hive in 

 four minutes. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camoen Sqoare, LoNnoN. 



Lat. 51° 82- 40" N. ; Long. 0» 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. 



REMAEKS. 

 28th. — A most boantifal day throughout, very bright and warm. [wards. 



29th. — Rather dull early, but Rfion cleared off; cloudy at ncou, but fine after- 

 30th. — A warm fine day, rather cloudy about 6 p.m. ; but fine eveniDg, and 



bright starlit night. 

 May Ist.— Cloudy at 2 a.m.; sharp short ahower at 5 a.m., and Blight rain 

 more or lees all day; very thick and dark about 3 p.m. ; a dull damp 

 day. 

 2nd.— Fioe morning, but not very bright till after noon; hazy at night. 

 3rd. — Beautifully One all day and all ni;<ht. 



4th. — Very fine early, but cloudy by 9 a.m., rather stormlike Hoon alter, and 



once or twice during the afternoon, the sun shiuiug but little. 



A Tory bright pleataut week, with the esijepti m of May-day, which, for 



dai'kuesB and discomfort might have beeu November. The mean temperature 



at 9 AM. about 8^ hii:,'her than last week; the uuderji'oond temperature also 



rose from 46.1° to 50.8\— G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— May 6. 



The suppHes have much impmved and bneiness rather better, good hofc- 

 house produce being more inquired after as the season advances. Very heavy 

 consignments of Asparagus and salading frjm the Continent have arrived 

 during the last few days. St. Michael Pines are getting less plentiful. 



Apples i sieve 2 



Apricots dozen 



rherries lb. 



ChfBtDuta bushel 10 



Currants j sieve 



Black do. 



Figa dozen 8 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 1 



Grape«, hothonae.... lb. 8 



Lemons IMOO b 



Melons each 



Artichokes dozen S 



Asparagus ^ 100 3 



French bundle 2 



BeanH. Kidney.... li^' 100 2 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red dozen 1 



BroccoU bundle 



Brussels Sprouts ^ sieve 



Cabbage dozen 2 



Carrots bunch 



Capsicums T;>^ 100 



Cauliflower dozen 4 



Celery.. bundle 1 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 4 



Cncambora each 



pickling dozen 



Endive dozen 2 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



FRUIT. 



8. d. 



d. 



6 to 8 6 











20 











12 







2 



2 



15 



12 







B. d. B. d. 



Mulberries lb. OtoO 



Nectarines dozen 



Oranges ^100 5 14 



Peaches dozen 15 24 



Pears, kitchen.... dozen 2 3 



dessert dozen 8 12 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums i sieve 



Qiiincea dozen 



Raapberries lb. 



Strawberries . lb. 



Walnuts bushel 



ditto ^100 



VEGETABLES. 



Oto6 

 6 





 



Leeks bunch 



Let-uce dozen 



Muflhrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickUng quart 



Parsley doz. bunches 



Parsnips dozen 



Peas ' q aart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rbubarb bundle 



Salsafy bundle 



Scorzonera...... bundle 



Soakale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tiimatoes dozen 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows. .doz. 



e. d. 8. d. 



4to0 



1 







