204 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March ft, 1876. 



supply of pnre virgin honeycomb from the hives themselves, for 

 in hives of fourteen and sixteen bars the outside bars would be 

 often filled with pure honeycomb equal to super honey. 



It should be borne in mind that hives of any size are generally 

 in good seasons about one-third or one-fourth filled with honey 

 before the bees enter the supers placed on them. Under the 

 best management the combs of hives cannot be wholly preserved 

 for breeding purposes. The outside combs, and indeed parts of 

 all the combs, become loaded with honey frequently before 

 supers are required. Honey stored in combs of course contracts 

 the breeding spaces in the combs. Sufficient breeding space 

 should be afforded to the bees as well as store room, for if breed- 

 ing space be not given to the bees they have to destroy many 

 eggs, to their own and master's loss, and it may be they are com- 

 pelled to entertain the question of swarming. While bees have 

 room for both brood and honey, and are not overcrowded in 

 their hives, the question of swarming is not urgently pressed on 

 their attention, neither are they hindered in their work of multi- 

 plying numbers and accumulating stores. In hives of less 

 capacity than 3000 cubic inches bees have not room enough for 

 full action. By using ekes we can enlarge our straw hives one- 

 third when necessary, but with bar-framers enlargements cannot 

 be made, except of course by supering, and this is one of the 

 greatest difficulties in properly and successfully managing bees 

 in bar-framers, but the larger they are the lees the difficulty 

 will be felt. 



Nntt's collateral hives were a failure in every sense, because 

 they were complicated, or in other words bad too many partitions 

 in them. A Nutt hive consisted of a central and two side boxes. 

 The bees in the central boxes often swarmed before an ounce of 

 honey was stored in the side or collateral boxes ; but suppose the 

 partitions had been removed, making the three boxes into one, 

 how much more roomy, convenient, and natural it would have 

 been for the bees ! How few swarms would have been lost ! Nntt's 

 hive is brought into view here with the hope that those who use 

 bar-frame hives for the production of honeycomb will see that 

 pure honeycomb may be more abundantly obtained from elon- 

 gated hives than from square hives, though shape is of less im- 

 portance than size. 



For the production of both super and run honey I would have 

 frame hives with a capacity of 3000 cubic inches. Every year's 

 experience strengthens my faith in the advantages of large 

 hives, both as swarmers and non-swarmers, both for super and 

 run honey. The sooner bee-farmers begin to pull down their 

 barns and build greater the better, for with large storehouses and 

 plenty of harvesters every farmer will be both gratified and 

 satisfied with the produce of his apiary on the return of every 

 season favourable for honey-gathering. — A. Pettigrew. 



OUE LETTER BOX. 



Lice on Fowls (L. It. L. J.). — Parasites in fowls nre always the result of 

 low condition, consequent on improper food or management. To keep the 

 number of fowls you do in the space you name would require constant 

 attention if they are to be kept in health. It is impossible to do so on a 

 brick floor, assuming that no other will answer your purpose. We bhould 

 stipulate that it should he cohered with at least 3 inches of dry gravel or road 

 grit. The fowls must also have their dust bathunder cover. The addition of 

 sulphur is a good one. Tou mast treat your chickens by putting some oint- 

 ment on all the bare spots, and rubbioK some into the roots of the feathers, or 

 yonmayuse oil in the same manner. Kill-off the hird^ that are most afflicted. 

 No style of feeding is so bad or so unprofitable as that which consists in 

 giving the same amount of food at all times and under all circumstances. 

 Having fiied on the food that seems best fitted, feed with it at stated times 

 so long as the birds will eat. Leave none by them. We advise ground rats 

 or borleymeal slaked with water in themoroing; the same in tbe evening 

 or afternoon ; some whole corn or house scraps at midday. They must be 

 daily supplied with some growing grass or cieaoings or sweepings of the 

 garden. Some lime, chalk, or bricklayer's rubbish phould be mixed with it. 

 Any rubbish containing animal or vegetable hfe may be thrown in at any 

 time, and as the flooring is brick it can be removed and the place swept clean 

 every day. The history of keeping larg-. numbers in small spaces is by 

 painstaking to supply them artificially with that they would get if at liberty 

 in almost unlimited space. 



Fowls foe E-xhieition {Novice).— It seems to us that you are trying to 

 do too much for your space. It is better to keep two breeds well than four 

 badly. To breed prize birds the whole space should be given to one breed. 

 You might keep Cochins and eitherof Ihe others except Dorkiugs with hope 

 of success. Let one of the two breeds be out in the momiDg, the other in 

 the afternoon. You would then have barely room for rearing a few chickeus. 

 The case would be altered if the wire fence could be raised at intervals, and 

 the fowls have access to the grass fields. For chickens to do well they should 

 be away from the walks of the adults. When all are in the same place the 

 adults steal all the food, and either half starve the chickens or cause un- 

 necessary expense. 



Dorking Hens (Old Subscriber). — There is nothing in your description of 

 your birds that a little patience will not remedy. Curious thioga often occur 

 to a puliet while laying her first eggs. The small eggs you mention are 

 common. The desire to lay and even the petting into the nest are not un- 

 nsual. Both are unfailing symptoms of coming eggs. Your feeding is as good 

 as need be. The flagged yard would be bad if there were no other outlet, but 

 as the fowls can choose between that and an acre and a half of grass no altera- 

 tion is necessary. 



Pigeons' Eggs U.v productive {E. B. T.). — We have no doubt j"ur failure 

 nifty be attributed to a dry heated atmosphere. The same causes produce the 

 Bame result in all hatching. Eggs want moisture to facilitate the exit of the 



bird through their Bhells. Failing it yon might as well expect the bird to 

 force its way through an indianrubber bag as through the inner membrane 

 when hardened by heat and drought. 



Rabbits for Profit (C. H.).— We know no Rabbit that will answer your 

 purpose BO well as the Hare Rabbit. It is very hardy, breeds freely, and 

 attains a good size while yet very young. Babbits have never sold so well as 

 during the last twelve months. 



Collateral IIives {Inquirer). — There are various objections to collateral 

 hives which have prevailed to discard their use almost entirely. We had 

 large experience of them in our days of novitiate as bee-keepers, and althoagh 

 the bees worked in the collateral boxes on Nutt's and White's principle 

 (two or three boxes side by .side), we found by experience that there was 

 no siogle advantage alleged in favour of the collateral box which wa^ not 

 more than matched or compensated for in the use of the storifying principle. 

 A great objection to them is the increased room required on stands or ia 

 bee houses. 



Wa^ Gcides for Combs (F. J.). — As it appears that you have no bars to 

 your hives, it will be sufficient for you to form a single ridge of wax found- 

 ation. If, as we take it, your object he to oblige your bees to work in a par- 

 ticular direction, for this purpose one guide comb will be found sufficient. 

 Sir. Cheshire's invention appears to be an excellent one, though we have no 

 experience of it. A^ Mr. Lee of Bagshot manufactures and sells Mr. 

 Cheshire's hives and other bee apparatus, we advise you to apply to him for 

 the information you require. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Camden Square, London. 

 Lafc.61°82'40"N.; Long. 0- 8' Q" W.; Altitude. Ill Jeet. 



BEMABKS. 



1st. — "Very rainy all day, except for short intervals; at times the rain was 

 rather heavy. 



2nd. — Fine early, but rain before 10 A-5I., and fine again before noon ; fine in 

 the afternoon, but shght rain in the evening. 



3rd.— Damp and dull at a-m.; fine in the middle of the day, showery be- 

 tween o and Op.m., but very bright evening and night. 



4th. — Very fine morning, but rain anl hail just after mid-day; fine afternoon 

 and evening. [day. 



5th.— Rain early; fine from 9 to 11 a.m., though showery all the rest of the 



6th.— Stormy early ; very fine and bright by 9 a.m., though the wind con- 

 tinued, and it was showery all day, but fine though still windy afe 

 night. Lunar halo 10.3LI i'.m. 



7th.— Fine (except slight showers) all day ; the wind high, and the son 

 bright- Lunar halo 10 to 11 p.m. 

 Temperature very similar to the previous week, vegetation advancing 



rapidly, strong westerly winds. — G. J. Symons. 



CO'VENT GARDEN MARKET.— Mahch 8. 

 A scperabcndance of Broccoli from the west and Channel Islands has 

 caused prices of vegetables to have a downward tendency. Quotations for 

 best sorts of Apples are higher. Cobs are in fair demand. Business quiet. 



FRDIT, 



B. d. B. d. 



Apples J Bieve 1 0to3 



Apricots dozen 0" 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 12 29 



Currants j sieve 0" 



Black.. 



do. 







Figs dozen 



Filberts lb. 6 



Cobs lb. G 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 5 u u 



Lemons ^ HW C 12 



Melons each 









 















9 



9 







a. d. B d. 



Mulberries lb. OtoO 



Nectarines dozen 



Oranges %* 100 6 12 



Peaciiee dozen 0" 



Pears, kitchen..,, dozen 



destjcrt dozen 3 12 



Pine Apples lb. 1 



Plums 4 sieve 



Quinces bushel 



Kaspberries lb. 



Strawbemes lb. 





 

 U 

 

 12 u 

 4 Q 



e 







s 







Walnutg. bushel 4 10 



ditto. ^100 1 6 2 



VEGETABLES. 



B. d. 8. d. I fl. d. B. d. 



Artichokes dozen 4 Oto6 Leeks bunch 4loO 



A8Dara"U8 t'- 100 10 Mushrooms pottle 10 2 6 



aaya^Of, ,. , _ j, _ ,,, ,, n r ««.,„..,-^ f. ^i-^o., ^.^....^t n O 



5 







4 

 

 



5 



6 



French bundle 18 



Beans, Kidney.... t^lOO 1 6 



Beet, Red dozen 1 6 



Broccoli bundle 9 



Brusselb Sprouts ) sieve 2 6 



Cabbage dozen 1 



Carrots bunch 4 



Capsicums ^100 1 6 



Cauhfluwer dozen 1 



Celery bundle 1 6 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 2 



Cucumbers each 1 



Endive dozen 1 



Fennel bunch 8 



Garlic lb. 6 



Herbs bunch S 



Horseradish... ... bundle 4 



Lettuce dozen C 



French Cabbage .... 1 6 



, Mustard & Cress puouet 



2 6 Onions bushel 2 



8 1 pickling quart 6 



1 6 , Parsley.... doz. bunches 2 

 Parsnips dozen 



2 Peas quart 



8 Potatoes bushel 2 6 



2 Kidney dc. 8 



4 New lb. 1 6 2 6 



2 Radishes., doz. bunches 10 16 



4 Rhubarb bundle C 10 



2 6 Salsafy bundle 9 10 



2 Scorzonera bundle 10 



Seakale basket 16 2 



e Shallots lb. 3 6 



Spinach bushel 4 6 



Tomatoes dozen 



1 Turnips bunch 4 6 



2 6 Vegetable Marrows 



