262 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March SO, 18^6. 



and fltormy for spring months. The buddiog hawthorn hedges, 

 rose and gooseberry bushes, have been nipped and blackened 

 by the cold winds within the last few days. Ladies and gentle- 

 men are still wrapped up in their winter clothing whenever they 

 leave their firesides. \Ve have had of late years some unfavour- 

 able springs for bees, but we do not remember one — and we do 

 not think we have had one — during the last fifty years so con- 

 stantly cold and unfavourable for beea as the present one. 



On examiniog my stocks the other day I found that those of 

 them which had been taken to the moors last year are in a 

 much better condition than those wh ch remained at home. 

 This is not usually the case, for the work on the moors is very 

 destructive of bee life. The amount of work done by bees on 

 the heather is often marvellous, but it is done sometimes at a 

 fearful cost of life. "But how do you account for the moorland 

 hives being so comparatively populous this spring?" Well, 

 last autumn was an unfavourable one for bees not taken to the 

 heather. They ceased to set eggs and multiply numbers very 

 early. The last batch and hatch of brood is rapidly dying off 

 now by reason of old age. The hives on the moors began to 

 breed again about the middle of August, and doubtless their 

 superiority in numbers now is owing to their breeding later last 

 year. If the spring months this year had been favourable for 

 breeding all the hives would have had two hatches of brood 

 perfected by this time (March 27th), and been replenished with 

 young bees, and thus renerved for a renewal of activities of all 

 kinds. 



I have two sugar-fed hives in splendid condition. In the 

 month of September last year I put 5 lbs. of bees and a queen 

 into an empty ISinch hive, and 4 lbs. of bees into a 16-inch one. 

 These had about 15 or 18 lbs. of sugar each rather rapidly. I 

 ehonld say about 2 lbs. of sugar (nearly 4 lbs. of syrup) each 

 every evening. The bees quickly built combs, and as rapidly 

 filled them with brood. The bees bred so late in the season will 

 live till May, and bees fed on sugar and water are generally very 

 healthful during winter and spring. The hives were about two- 

 thirds filled with combs, and had the swarms been one-third 

 larger when they were put into the empty hives they would 

 have filled them with combs. We invariably find that sugar-fed 

 stocks do well ; their combs being young, sweet, and clean, bees 

 thrive and multiply exceedingly amongst them. I expect that 

 the question of creating stocks in autumn by artificial treatment 

 and feeding will be very fully considered as soon as apiarians 

 have remodelled their hives and are satisfied with them as to 

 Bhape and size. I have often seen hives of proper capacity 

 become too heavy for stocks in good seasons, and if two or 

 three pounds* worth of honey can be obtained from a hive in 

 autumn, why keep it for a stock? The bees of the hive may 

 be easily driven into an empty one and therein fed. From five 

 shillings or six shillings* worth of sugar a good swarm would 

 furnish its hive with combs and food enough for the winter and 

 spriog months. Stocks thus formed cannot well be surpassed 

 for excellence ; but the pounds, shillings, and pence derived 

 from this mode of procedure will probably tempt many bee- 

 farmers to follow it. 



Those who have weak hives at present cannot do better than 

 take the advice given by " B. & W." last week — to feed the 

 bees pretty constantly and keep the hivca warmly covered. — 

 A. Pettigkew. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Heh Pecked by Cock (H. B. P.).— Your Houdaa cock does not like the 

 hen leB9, but he likes her feathers more. These irregularities do not occur 

 ■where fowls have their liberty and have plenty of natural food; but when they 

 are shut-up, and too often fed on etimulating foods to inducelaylDg, it causes 

 a vitiated appetite, an unnatural craving, and it would seem that featli':r8 

 approach most nearly to that which they lust after. We have our own 

 opinion founded on close obatrvation, and it is that the destruction of the 

 plumage is only preparatory to an attack on the fle&h. We keep almost every 

 breed largely. Our first experience was with Creve-Cceurs. We had some in 

 confinement. Eather later than this they began to eat their feathers, and in 

 a month (we left them to themfeelves on purpose) they had only wing and 

 tail feathers. The nest year the Houdansiudulced in the eame luiury. The 

 next year the Spanish moi-t determinedly set to work at the featherR, and then 

 the flebh. We consigned the birdt^ to darkness, giving themhglit only to feed. 

 We released them from their gloom at the moulting season, and they moulted 

 ■well in confinement. Our present experience is with three pens of Spanish. 

 We have had to remove four birds, because we found they were becoming 

 naked under the throat and ou the neck. The only cure wo know is to give 

 the birds their liberty. They then fiud that of which they stand in need, and 

 becoming patisfied the unnatural craving ceases. There is no cure for it as 

 long as they are shut-up togetlier, and it will run through the whole pen. It 

 may be let^sened by giving thera earth fresh dug with grass aud worms in it, 

 and by giving lettuce. Wo repeat we keep almost every breed. We have 

 known this habit with Spanish, Creve-Cceur, aud HoudauB. None of the 

 others have had it with as. 



Eggs Thin-bhelled {W. M. O.). — Your description of your poultry run 

 ■would prepare us for failure. Much of the health of a fowl depends on the 

 scratch. Insect life and particles uueeeu by us are turned up with every 

 scratch. W'e have often wondered, aud perhaps you have done the same, 

 when we have seen the vigorous scratch given alternately with each I'-g, and 

 the busy p eking that immediately follow.^. They thus find that which keeps 

 their bodies in health and tends to make them prolific. We are enemies to 

 artificial heat. The material for the shell of the egg must be supplied, to the 

 birds, and nothing ie better than bricklayer's rubbish. This will improve the 



shells and make them harder and thicker. If with these appliances tlie 

 shells are still thin, then the birds are rot In condition. Give them daily 

 Bume large sod-* of growing grass cut with plenty of earth. If you can give 

 them a barrowful of road grit do bo. 



Spanish Cock's Face Excessive {A. E.).— There la no cure, as it muflt 

 end in blindness, and is the penalty paid for excess of merit. The only 

 possible treatment is to strap-back the excresceuce with sticking plaister 

 above and below. 



Bird Dying Suddenly {E. R. M,).— Apparently it died from cramp, and 

 if so from being exposed to cold. Not knowing whtre it waa kept or on what 

 it was fed, we cannot give a decided opinion. 



Canker in Yocng Pigeons (J. O.).— There is believed to be no cure for 

 canker in young f igeona in the nest. As you have bred nothing but cankered 

 Pigeons, and as many as seven pairs so diseased from one pair of birds, we 

 shoaid advise your destroying the old pair, as they muat be hopelessly of 

 bad constitution. 



IIoNEY Moth (J. B.).— If your hive is full o( bees as you say, the moth 

 will not do much harm. Use a little smoke to keep the bees quiet, turn up 

 the hive and brush off all the woollj-hke nest you may find on the board or 

 sides of the hive, and if any are among the combs pick them oat irith ft knit • 

 ting-needle. Your hive will prosper and do well. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



C4MDBN SqOABB. LoNDON. 



Iiftt.5l°83'40" N.; Long.0^8'0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 



BEMABK8. 



22nd.— Deep snow in the morning, but very bright at 9 a.m. ; heavy bdow at 



2 P.M., and at times till 4 p,m ; afterwards fine but cold. 

 23rd.— Beautiful moruing, fine all the early part of the day; leBs bright after 



2 P.M., hut fair all day. 

 24th. — Slight white frost in morning; fine at noon, snow not quite gone; 



a very pleasant day, more spring-like than we have had for some 



time. 

 25th.— Bright in the mcming; rather cloudy about 2 p.m., but fair all day ; 



the wind rather cold. 

 26th.— Fair but dull aud cold in the moiDiug ; a slight gleam of sun about 



1 P.M., but a dull day. 

 27th. — Dull and cold in the forepart of the day; wet evening, and very wet 



night, and early morning. 

 28th. — A beautiful day, bright and warm ; rather wet in the evening. 



Average temperature about the tame as that of the week before last. Very 

 cold night on li2nd aid 23rd.— G. J. .Simonb. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 29. 

 A GOOD supply of early vegetables is now arriving from the Continent, con- 

 sisting of Asparagus, Peas, new Curiots, new Potat es. Artichokes, aud salad- 

 ing,all of which are realieiug fair prices. Among English produce Cucumbers 

 are far in excess of the demand, and French Beans do not maintain the 

 prices of last week. Busineas generally id quiet. 



FBOIT. 



8. d. 8. d. 



Apples i eieve 1 Oto8 6 



Apricots dozen 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 12 20 



Corranta i sieve 



Black do. 



Figs dozen 



Filberta lb. 6 9 



Cobs lb. 6 9 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 10 25 



Lemons ^100 6 12 



Melons each 



8. d. 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines dozen 



Oranges ^ 100 



Peaches dozen 



Pears, kitchen.... dozen 



deseinrt dozen 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums k sieve 



(Quinces bubhel 



Kaspberiies lb. 



Strawberries oz. 1 6 



Walnuts bushel i 



ditto ^100 1 6 



OtoO 

 



d. 



e 





 

 

 















9 6 



10 



2 



T£OBTA£LES. 



Artichokes dozen 4 



Asparagus b'' lOO 6 



French bundle 20 



d. 8. 



0to6 

 10 

 

 3 2 



Beane, Kidney.... Ti*'10J 1 



Beet, Ited dozen loo 



Broccoli bundle 9 1 



Brussels Sprouts i sieve 2 6 



Cabbage dozen 10 2 



Carrots bunch 4 



Capsicums r lUJ 1 6 2 



Cauhfluwer dozen 10 4 



Celery bundle 16 2 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 2 4 



Cucumbers each 6 1 



Endive dozen 10 2 



Ftnnel bunch 8 



GarUc lb. 6 6 



Uerbfl bunch 3 



Horseradish bundle 4 



Lettuce doien 6 1 



French Cabbage .... 16 2 



Leeks bunch 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress puLuet 

 Onions Ljuchel 



pickling quart 



Parsley.... doz. bunches 



Parsnips dozen 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney dv. 



New lb. 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 



Rbubarb bundle 



tfalsaiy bundJe 



Scorzonera bundle 



Seakale basket 



shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes dozen 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows 



8. d. B. d. 



4 too U 

 1 



