4G 



JOURNAIi OF HOKTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( July 9, 1871 



A bee vp-ill freqaently tike up its positiia ia a cell beside an 

 egg aud remain motionless for hours. Whether it is to rest or 

 Eletjp, or to give heat to the egg, I cannot saj ; I only Btate the 

 fact. 



I had an opportunity the other diy of testing the white jelly 

 from a queen cell, imagining it to be albumen or starcb, a-i in 

 appearauce it is like these substances ; but it did not coagulate 

 by b jiliug, but partly became soluble. Instead of giving a blue 

 colour by the additiou of a solution of iodine it indicated a 

 bro'A'nish colour, so that it is neither albumsn nor starch. 



I was always uuder the impression that the bees deposited 

 the honey in the cells by means of the sucker, but I fiud I am 

 ■wroug. It is from the mouth proper that it is expelled. Wheu 

 in the act of expelling it the mouth seems large in proportion, 

 in the form of an oblong square with the corners rouuded. As 

 the bA-4 or stomach gets emptied air-bubbles are expelled at 

 last, as if one pressed liquid from a bladder. The same occur- 

 rence takes place when they are putting the white jel>y in the 

 cell. It was seeing them patting in the jelly which first drew 

 niy attention to the fact. 



lu these observations I am fortunate in having a good micro- 

 scope at my service. — A. Shearer, Tester. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



DoNCASTER Show. — Mr. A. A. Vaader Meersch took the second prizs for 

 Jacobins, aud not Mr. Bamford. 



DoHK[NO Cock and Bosemevl (H. F. H.) ~l am sorry to say I cannot 

 remeoibrir anythinif about " H. F. H 's " bird. If, is almosit impossible for any 

 one to rec'iilBct a single bird at a show unless it had Bonn "erv special mark, 

 or WAS in the Any variety class, where, perhaps, only one bird o( a sort ap- 

 pears. Mo^t likely " H F. H.'n" bird was not lartje enough; all the prize 

 D likings are the la^ge.■^t of the class, other pri)pertie3, of course, being good. 

 B ineinual is of no use except for chiikens of large breedfi, and not tt) them if 

 they have a range where they can get all the^ need The proport'on Uised is 

 an oun'-.e with every half-pint of dsj meal before adding the milt or water. — 

 ■Wiltshire Rector. 



Mr, ToDMiN's Partrtdob CocHiNa (E.). — Wd have received more than 

 one Ci)m'n*iiiio*tion on ths subject, all stating that the criticiura was written 

 by one eiiher ignorant or negligent. We have inserted Mr. Tndmau's state- 

 ment and Mr. Hewitt's refutation of the criticism. No one who knows any- 

 thing of poultry will con>*ider the critic's opinion id of the slightest value 

 Compared with Mr. Hewitt's opinion. 



Ground Oats (J. E). — They are advertised in oar columns every week. 

 Prepared as you say, th*y would make go- id cakes for greyhounds when out of 

 traioiog Make the meal into a stiff dough, dry the cakes thoroughly, and 

 then if kept in a dry place they will remain strviceable for months. 



Pheasant Fowls iJane). — The Golden-spangled Hamburghs were formerly 

 called the Pheasant Fowls. The name did nut arise frum any similarity of 

 shape, but bucauue there was a likeness in the dark spots or moons at the end 

 of eaoh feather common to each breed. There have been enthusta-'ts who 

 have bulieved such community of leather has been the result of contact 

 between the two breeds ; bat it is not the fact The h.vbrid between any two 

 birds is quite distinct from eithar of them, and is also sterile. 



Preserving Eggs i Flycatcher). — We hold it to be something to get eggs 

 for puddings all through the winter. We always save ours in lime. We 

 have them sumetimes fit for breakfast, but we are yet seeking a method of 

 preserriug eggs that will keep them new-laid t 



Lice on Fowls (H.B.). — The presence of vermin is always accpted as a 

 pro.. I of low condition. It is especially the result of ric«-feediiig and of 

 accnoiulated dirt in their houses aud hauntn. The probability is the corners 

 of their h'tuse want cleaning out with a stiff brush steeped in strung prepur- 

 atioQ uf ime. The best way to get rid of them ia to put in their haunts, 

 and even, i( their houtia is a large one, in their h mse. a heap of duat or wood- 

 ashes with which may be mixed some hla :k sulphur, a pound to a bushel. 

 The birdri will baak in this, and it will be found a cure. Where an immediate 

 cure is wanted, the patient may be caught and a drop or two i f oil may be 

 put at the back of the poll, on the middle of the backbone, and under the 

 wings. 



Stove for Fowl Hoose [E. B.).— No stove is needed. 



Fowls Crooked-breasted (Tyrol,— The cause is in most instances that 

 the birds are too highly fed, and are f. reed alon^so fa:»t that the bones cannot 

 Bujiport the weight of the body. lu roosting, the grasp of the feet ia not 

 pufficjently powerful to eteady and support the body on the perch, and the 

 brtartt therefore rests upon it. Beiug in a cartilagiuoua sta'^e, it adapts 

 itself to the Khape of it, and becomes crooked. Large fowls like Brahmas 

 should not roost at the a:^e you name. If you let them roost on the ground 

 you will keep straight breasts 



Drawing Honey (An Ai>iarian Subscriber). — As yon arenowin possession 

 of a hundredweight of honeycomb in bars, and likely to have a great deal of 

 run htmi^y, we thiiik your better way will bo to go yourself with your bars to 

 some mart for honey, and theie sell what you have, aud make arrangements 

 with t^'tiue dealer for the rectptijn of your future supplies. It is hardly fair 

 tu t-xpei.;t us to mention the names of buyers, but we may say that you will 

 have no dithcnlty in finding plenty of them at the prices named. You will 

 pleuse to bear in mind that the wholet-ale house in Ireland which you have 

 beeu ireatmg with have probably to sell the honey to wholesale hou:-oa in 

 England, and t>>ese to retailers at wholesale prices. As to packing your bars 

 to travel Bufe by road or rail, we think you will d>J well to put them in their 

 natural position in a bar-frame hive, or some such contrivance, to avoid the 

 friction or prejiHure of comb against comb. The modes of taking honey from 

 combs will be noticed in ourtirht number for August. 



Swarm Forsaking its Hive ( W. E. M.).— We do not thiuk your driven 

 "bees Hwarmed out of tbe hive in which you placed them because of the logs 

 of their queen, otherwiae you would never have caught them again as a swarm, 

 which we infer waa the case, as yo t say you '' united thera tu another." Had 

 their queen been lost they would have simply joined riome other hive, not un- 

 ikeiy their old compaoiood. Wa beUeve thera u do remedy for the loss of a 



qneen on her honeymoon trip except substitating another queen for her, or 

 furnishing the hive with brood comb out of which to rear a queen. We do 

 not like Mr. Payne's plan; it is too unceitain of succesB. There is nothinfj 

 like drivinii both awarina or stocks into a common third hive, as discovered 

 by •■B. & \V." 



Pigeons iT. O. J.).— Mr. Fulton's address is Duke Street, Deptford. 



C \NE FOR Hives {A. B. \. — Wo do not know a house where caue can be had 

 in Loudon. Most baaketmakers have it, and almost every toy shop sella it. 

 Neighbour & ?Siina, who are lirge dealers in hives, may ttU you where it can 

 bd obtained at wholesale prices. The price of honey and h-.neycomb ranges 

 between Is. and Is. Qd. pnr lb. 



Bee-dress {B., Breconshire). — Probably any of the dealers in hivea who 

 advertise in our columns could supply you with one. If you have <>ne home- 

 made, a very simple aud convenieut one ia formed of green leuo, and so maia 

 as to enclose the bead, neck, and shoulders; indeed.it is like a bag, with 

 sleeves to tie at the wrists. The sleeves are made of green glazed cambric 

 With its aid the most difficult operation may be performed without the 

 possibility of b^'mg string. 



Melted Combs— ^hading (J R. B., Chichester). — Shading should alwuya 

 be had rocourae to in such weather as that of the middle of July, and more 

 especially so for ewarm>< of the year. In those cases where it has unfortunately 

 taken place, it will be better lo nhade immediately and nothing more, leaving 

 the rest that ia to be done entirely to the bees. Should the weather prove 

 very hot and sultry, it will be necessary to phade newly-hived swarma for a 

 few hours in a day, say from ten tid two o'clock ; a green bough answers very 

 well for this purpose — that from the fir trees, perhaps, is the beat, as well as 

 the most durable. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Cauden SQaARE, London. 



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



REMARKS. 

 1st. — Rainy morning, but a beautiful day afterwards. 

 2ud. — Very warm, pleasant summer day. 

 3rd. — Fine day, rather cooler, the wind being high. 

 4Lh. — Fme raurniug, rain from noon till 4 p M., after that time fine, except a 



shurt sharp shower between G aud 7 P.M. 

 5th. — Very fine during the wnole day. 

 Gwh. — Fmo morning, but lookiu^' very stormlike at noon, and again between 



six aud eight in the evening, but no raiu fell ; bright fine night. 

 7th. — A very hue day throughout, but with a falling barometer. 



A Week of pleasant weather, the wind at times rather high, and the sky 

 looking stormlike, but gradoal.y clearing without either thunder or raiu. 

 Temperature higher than during the previous fortnight, and that in sua very 

 high.— U. J. axMONS. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— July 8. 



Markets remain firm at last week's quotations, with the exception oC 

 Eugli>h Pines, wnich are now much cheaper in consequence of the large im- 

 poriaLiou of foreign ones. 



FRUIT. 



8. d. s. d. 



Apples 1 sieve toO 



Apncuta uoz 



Uherr es t-- lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 



Currants i oieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filoertd lo. 



Coos lb. 



Gooseberries quart 



(jrapes, hothouse.... ID. 1 



Leuiuus *- 100 



Melons each 



Mulberries ^ lb. 



Nectormes doz. 



Oraugea ¥^100 4 



Peaches doz. 10 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



desaert doz. 



PiueAppies lb. 2 



Plums i sieve 



Quiuces tloz. 



Kdapborries lb. 



Strawberries ^Ib. 1 



Walnuts buabel 10 



ditto ^'lOO a 



S. d. B. d. 

 OtoO 



VEGETABLES, 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagis V 100 



Kruuch 



Beans, Kidney.... ■»»' 10 



uroad buahel 



Beet, Ked dua 



Broccoli bundle 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums V iuO 



C-*rrotB bunch 



Caaittlower duz. 



Celery bundle 



Colewurta .doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pieKliug doz. 



F.ndive doz. 



Fennel boiich 



'iarlio lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



Leekd. bunoh 



s. d. a. d. 

 tl Oto6 

 8 6 



Lettuoe doz. 



MusnroomB pociie 



Mustard & Cress. .pnnnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bauches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



New ^ lb. 



Kadishes.. doz. bunohea 



Rhubarb bundle 



dalsafy bundle 



8eorzonera bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoea doz. 



Turuipa bunoh 



VegetabU Marrows ..doz. 



ad s. d. 



1 0tu2 U 



