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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t May 27, 1875. 



sound as they do in swarming, and this sound or noise soon 

 empties the super of every bee. All this may be done in a very 

 short time, and I thiak there is no better mode of ridding 

 supers of bees than the above. 



There are instruments invented and sold for this work, but I 

 have never required anything of the kind. Sometimes we have 

 not had time to contend with a few stubborn bees in the combs 

 of supers, and have carried the supers iuto a cellar and placed 

 them at a distance from the window, which was opened to let 

 the bees fly out and go home. Sometimes we have placed the 

 supers on their crowns and covered them with a bit of flannel 

 or woollen cloth. As soon as the combs became cold the bees 

 left them and settled on the woollen cloth. In resorting to the 

 cellar the process is slower, and therefore the danger of having 

 the combs spotted by the bees is greater. — A. Pettigrew. 



THE CAER-STEWAETON HIVE. 



There are this year very many modifications of bar-frame 

 hives presented to our notice and offered for sale at prices rang- 

 ing between 10s. and .50s. per hive. The modifications iu most 

 of them are so slight and unobservable that it takes an expert 

 to discover them and tell us what they are for. But the Carr- 

 Stewarton hive is a distinct combination of two hives and two 

 principles very dissimilar. 



The principle of the Stewarton hive is united to that of the 

 common bar-frame hive. The Carr-Stewarton hive is a three- 

 decker, or three-storeyed, and ia managed on the Stewarton 

 principle. The hive I saw is neatly made and pleasing to the 

 eye — far more symmetrical than most bar-framers. When all 

 its parts are put together it stands about 17 inches high, and is 

 13 inches wide inside measure. In each of the three compart- 

 ments there are windows all round, and wooden blinds or 

 shutters hung on hinges and neatly fitting. It is quite a fancy 

 hive, and likely to please ladies and amateurs. Its price com- 

 plete is about .£2 without the cover. The hive I saw has a 

 Jramework of wood very neatly filled with straw ; the materials 

 of this hive are therefore unobjectionable, but some of the same 

 kind of hives are, I believe, made wholly of wood. The hive iu 

 question contains two kitchens and a pantry, or two stock boxes 

 and a honey box. The stock hoses are 6i iuches deep or there- 

 abouts, and the stock box 4 inches deep. 



As the inventor doubtless meant it for a honey hive, he may 

 not be offended if I look at it from a practical point of view. 

 "When a box or compartment of a hive is only 6 inches deep, 

 with frames inside, the combs in the frames must be very 

 shallow — too shallow for vigorous growth and prosperity, and 

 the bees in the bottom box too near the door when they first 

 begin to breed iu spring. Shallow hives are not the best for 

 breeding purposes. Hives 10 or 15 inches deep are much better 

 for breeding in than those that measure 5 or 6 inches only. I 

 am of opinion that for great results iu honey or honeycomb this 

 Carr-Stewarton hive is too complicated and small. For honey- 

 gathering I should prefer a hive with one compartment only, or 

 '''stock box," one-third larger than both stock boxes in this 

 hive ; but the appearance and the workmanship of the Carr- 

 Stewarton are admirable. — A. Pettigrew. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Tumour in Hen's Crop (IT. H.).—Tnmoor8 such as yon describe usually 

 arise from the general unhealthinees of the fowl. As we know nothing of 

 cither the management or feeding you adopt, wo cannot advise yon. 



Kearinq Young Turkeys and Guinea Fowls (David Drake).— Young 

 Turkeys require to be fed almost like jouuj:; PheanautR. They bhould have at 

 firat bread and milk, Borne chopped egy, mixed ground oats or ground barley, 

 in which onion topf may be chopped very fine and mix'^d. In cold and trying 

 "tveathor they may have Rome beer to driuk, and some bread soaked in ale to 

 eat. They also like curd made with good milk, and they thrive on it. One 

 most important thing is that the hen should be kept in confinement, or she 

 ■will drag the poults through the dewy grass, and lose half of them. The 

 hen should be put during the day where she has the most sun; and when the 

 poults are three weeks old she may be let out, but only when the grass is 

 perfectly dry. You may treat Guinea Fowls the same ; but they may be let 

 out earlier with the hen, say at a fortnight's end, but that must be when it 

 is dry. 



Seed for Bullfinch {Subscriber). — Summer rape seed crushed or steeped 

 now and then in water all night, and afterwards dried in a cloth. It is more 

 Euitable fhau cauai? seed. Occasionally give a little hempiteed, also a little 

 crushea plain bitscuit and green food, auch as watercress or small salad. No 

 sweets. The buds from tiie aah, oak, or pear trees may be given. A part 

 vegetable diet will tend to rectify the bird's syetem, and cure it of the hoarse- 

 ness. The bird's stomach is evidently out of order. 



Postponing IIiving a Swarm (J. B. Z>.). —Shading a swarm as it hangs on 

 B, tree does not prevent the bees from seeking a more comfortable home, and 

 one in which combs can be built ; and it does not prevent them from going 

 to one as Goon a^ it is found. You should have hived your swarm as soon as 

 possible after it settled on the tree. In about ten days after the hive swarmed 

 you may have a second swarm. For three days and nights before a second 

 ewarm itssues the young queens may be heard piping. 



Pbe\'Enting Second Swarms (-^.S.).— It is an easy thing to prevent hives 

 ftom casting ofT second swarms. Young queens generally come to perfection 



in about ten days after the old queen has left the hive with the first s'sarm. 

 As soon as piping commences or one young queen is hatched, all the royal 

 cells may be cut out of the hive. When this is done un after-swarming will 

 take place. If all the royal cells contaiuing queens cannot be seen or reached 

 the beoR of tiio hive could be wholly driven out in a few minutes, aud thus 

 the bee-master caa do what he likes. But the simple operation of driving the 

 bees out generally sets at liberty the confined princesses. They are. in a 

 sense, prisoners in cells, and when their keepers and attendants are alarmed 

 and scared by the drumming and tumult of the hive they bolt out of their 

 cells. If all the queens thus bolt out no after-e warming will take place, even 

 if all the queens be thrown back with the bees into their hive. If any of the 

 princesses remain in their cells they could be cut out before the bees are 

 cast back. 



Feeble IIite (Amateur).— "Wq much fear that your feeble hive is not 

 worth the trouble aud expense of nursiog. It would be far better to fumigate 

 the few remaiiiiug bees and obtain a new swarm to put in their place. They 

 would pay you in the end far better. It is quite clear from y lur account 

 that they have lost their queen through old age or some accident. Before 

 you put a swarm into the hive examine the condition of the comb, and cut 

 out any of it that looks defective or moth-eaten. 



METEOROLOGICAL 0B3ERVATI0NB, 



Cajuden Sqoare, London. 



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



REMARKS. 



19th. — Sometimes very bright, sometimes dark; loud thunder and vivid light- 

 ning comraeucing at^ 2.10, but it was neither near nor long-continued; 

 very bright night. 



29th. — Fair but overcast in morning, rain at intervals, and much colder 

 towards eveniog. 



2lBt. — Fine morning, showery afternoon, fine evening and night. 



22nd. — Dull morning, fine at noon, showery afternoon, fine evening; but the 

 wind high all day. 



23rd, — Very fine and pleasant a'l day, rather cool at night. 



24th. — Bright pleasant day throughout. 



25th. — Auother fine, pleasant, but not hot day. 

 A pleasant spring week ; temperature a little lower than in the preceding 



week.— G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— May 26. 

 There is no particular change in the condition of the markets since last 

 report, supply and demand being about equal. The only deficiency worth 

 noting are the usual good samples of Peaches and Nectarines that are to be 

 seen at this season. EngUsh Pines have been in better request, but heavy 

 consignments from St. Michael's ind Lisbon are in the river, and will be 

 sold in a few days. Potato trade heavy ; large consignments from Jersey and 

 Guernsey on hand. 



