182 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



( March 2, 1876. 



and active men of the bar-frame school have been won over to 

 the Bide of capacious hives for their bees. It appears to me that 

 they will require no more stimulus from our school. They will 

 speedily find that the adoption and use of large hives will put 

 them on the high road to great success in bee keeping, or in 

 other words to large harvests of honey. 



The remarks I ventured to make lately on the proposal to have 

 a standard bar-frame hive have been well read and understood. 

 From a private sonrce I have learned that Mr. Abbott's bar- 

 framers are now 17 icches square by 11 inches deep inside 

 measure, containing 3179 cubic inches of space. I am pleaeed 

 to know this, for Mr. Abbott holds an influential position among 

 apiarians, and his hives and example will be extensively copied. 

 Hives of this size will hold a great many bees and do much 

 work. The size of hives is of greater importance than their 

 shape. Every bee-farmer, on finding that his bees have power 

 and scope to yield large harvests of honey, directs his attention 

 to the most profitable mode of management and the hesf. shape 

 of hives for that mode. The shape of Mr. Abbott's hive is suit- 

 able for swarming and superiug, but very unsuitable for furnish- 

 ing the breakfast table with bars of pure virgin honeycomb. 

 From hives of 3000 cubic inches of space much pure honejeomb 

 may he obtained, far more than from smaller hives; hut I mean 

 whole bars of honeycomb w^ould be more abundantly obtained 

 from the hives if they were considerably longer than they are 

 broad, but of this more will be said at another time. Mean- 

 while we would like to encourage all active apiarians, whether 

 they keep hees for profit or pleasure, to have hives about the 

 size of Mr. Abbott's, and of any shape they like. In the remarks 

 I have referred to on " a standard bar-framer," and suggested 

 that the size should be 3000 inches at least, but I scratched out 

 the words " at least," lest some should be frightened from 

 going in the right direction. But seeing that the bar-frame 

 school are now in the van as to size of hives, I shall take care 

 not to scratch out these words again. 



It is very gratifying to know that the Bcience and art of bee- 

 keeping are making very rapid strides. Testimonies and 

 evidences of this come from all quarters. Application for stocks 

 of bees are coming here thick and fast. Three or four have 

 come within the last few days, and one of these for twenty 

 hives. I mention this as a hopeful sign of the increasing 

 interest that is taken in bee-keeping, and also with a view to let 

 it be known that at present I have no stocks on sale. All I had 

 to sell were disposed of last autumn; indeed, the stocks were 

 reduced in number to two dozen. I had resolved to reduce them 

 to ten hives and keep these simply for experiments, but I 

 have changed my mind, and will again increase the stocks both 

 in number and size. Almost all that apply to me for stocks of 

 bees ask for " the largest hives," and sometimes 20-iuch hives 

 are specified. All this is pleasing and encouraging to me, and I 

 mention it to encourage others. Everything indicates advance- 

 ment and a successful future. 



As for honey, I can sell it readily both in the cnmb and out. 

 I get Is. and Is. 3(Z. per pound for run honey, and Is. 3d. and' 

 Is. Oil, for honeycomb. I have had greater diiSculty this year in 

 selling grapes than honey, and bees are far less costly to keep 

 than vineries. — A. Pettigbew. 



exceed the a^e of one year old. Breeders abould be careful in examining the 

 claws f.f all hens before xititting them up to breed from. Accidents may be 

 prevented — such for infitance aa when a hen suddenly starts from her nest 

 and drafjs with her the nestiug material containing eggs or young hatched 

 birds. The claws when long and twisted cannot bo so easily freed from the 

 nest as when short, aud the eggs and young are frequently injured through 

 the hen endeavouring to extricate or disentatig'e her claws from the nest. 

 As a natural consequence long claws tend to bring about sore feet, owing to 

 the nnnatnral twisting and strain upon the joints of the feet. If there be 

 even a slight accumulation of dirt ab .nt the feet soak them in lukewarm 

 water and carefully clemee them. But we imagine your cages to be kept 

 scrupulously clean, for you say " the percbe^' are clean, so that cannot be the 

 fault" of the stu'e feet. You ask for a remedy; we are pleased to give one. 

 With a thatp penknife or scissors pare off the superfluouB portion of the 

 nai:d, but be very careful not to cut quite close to the led ray or vein which 

 runs about two-tl'irds up the claws, and which may be seen by holding the 

 bird's feet against a strong light. If, however, you should by accident draw 

 blood, bathe the fee' in Silt and water. An occasional bathing of the feet 

 in the solution will also tend to effect a clue of the sore feet. It the bird's 

 feet appear very sore, place until healed some moss or soft hay upon the cage 

 bottom. 



District for Bees (W, AT. S.). — Anywhere .in Kent would be suitable. 

 About Cbislehurst we know of good apiaries. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Egg Yolks Dabk-colodred (E (). — The appearances yon mention may 



arise from different causes. They are not uncommon in the first eggs of a 

 pallet, but the colour of the yolk is then generally very lifiht. In hard-boiled, 

 epgs the outer skin of the yolk is always dark. Our opinion if that the colour 

 will disappear by degrees. We advise you to alter your feeding by the snb- 

 Btitutionof barleymeal cr ground oats for the mornin^^aud evening meals. 

 Slake it ■with water. Give whole corn for the mid-day meal, and discontinue 

 potatoes entirely. They tend always to induce disease of the liver in fowls. 



Artificial Incubation {J. F.).— We know of no special volume on the 

 subject. There is a relative chapter and drawings in our "Poultry-keeper's 

 Manual." 



Silver-spangled Hamburghs (Mrs. Forbes}.— Vie should prefer writing 

 to some prizetakers in the north. 



Doe Rabbits not Nest-makers fA Peruser).— We have never been losers 

 in the way you describe when our Rabbits were properly lodged and attended 

 to. We like the kindling place to be contrived so that it (shall be nearly dark 

 and quite out of bight. When the time is at hand they ebould be supplied 

 with hay, with which they will make their nests, added the tieck from their 

 own coats. The does as the kindling time comes on should be raoderately 

 supplied with green food and have a little water at times. This keeps them 

 free from fever. 



Hen Canary with Overgrown Claws and Sobe Feet (Avia). — Acci- 

 dents in varinns forms occur to hen Canaries when their claws or nails are 

 overgrown. Long nails which assume the shape of a sickle prevent birds 

 hopping freely from perch to pprch, or from the perches on ^o tho boitom of 

 the cage; in fact, wo have koo^^n several deaths to occur solely through birds 

 being unable to free themselves from thtir perches and wires of the ca'.^eH. 

 In each instance the bird was found suspended head downwards either Irom 

 the perch or the wire-!. Birds when their nails or claws are neglected lose 

 mnch of that eprightliness of action which cheerful birds should poesess 

 when in good health. If birds are to be imprisoned for man's pleasure they 

 ahould be attended to, for it is impossible they (the birds) can keep down an 

 overgrowth of homy substance either in their nails, and sometimes their 

 beaks, when not proTided for in the Fame way os birds are in a natural state 

 of freedom. Bnt it is rarely that Cauaries" noils require clipping until they 



aiETEOROLOaiCAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Camden Sqoarb. London. 



Lat.6l^3a'40'N.: Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; AltUnde. Ill feet. 



REMARKS. 



23rd. — Very bright hut rather stormy morning ; showery about 2 p.m., and 



occasional slight showerti during the afternoon, and very windy ; bright 



starlight night. 

 2ith.— Very fine morning, but much colder; fine and bright all day, but the 



night not so bright aud clear as the night before. 

 25th. — Raining more or less nearly all day, aud very heavily at night. 

 26th. — Beautifully fine morniLg, and till 4 p.m., then showery and stormy at 



night. 

 27tb. — Ruin at 9 a.m., but fine before 11 ; rain again soon after noon, but fine 



sunset and bright nitjht. [evening. 



28th. — Rainy early, but suuuy before noon ; fine afternoon, but showery 

 29ih. — Rain commencing between 7 and 8 a.m., and continuing very slightly 



for threo or four hours, but very fine afternoon and evening. 

 Temperature slightly lower than last week. Rain daily, but occasionally 

 very bright between the showers. Sun mas. considerably higher than that of 

 the preceding week.— G. J. Symuns. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 1. 



The market is beginning to feel the scarcity of best fruits, good samples of 

 late Grapes are realising better prices. Among forced vegetables we are well 

 supplied with Asparagus, Seakale, frame Potatoes, and French Beans, all of 

 which are making fair average prices. Trade rather better. 



