318 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



t April 20. 187S. 



boxes throngh the season, 156 lbs,, besides four fnll frames from 

 which to rear queens ; the swarm, from it stored 80 lbs. in a cap, 

 and on the loth of July threw off a very lare;e swarm which 

 filled its hive and stored several pounds ia boxes. Thus we 

 have 236 lbs. of box honey besides two extra large colonies from 

 a single hive, not reckoning the frames auu partlciUy filled boxes. 

 I do not thiuk a colony of the common bee ever did bu much in 

 the best season. If so, let us have the record." 



Here, then, we have the testimony of pablic bodies meeting 

 in convention, and, after full comparison of experience and dis- 

 cussion, passing resolutions unanimously in favour of the supe- 

 riority of the Italian bee. Not only so, but we have the results 

 given us by two of the moat eminent and succesafal apiarians 

 in the State-? of their own trial of these bees in the same apiary 

 along with the common English bee, side by side " in the same 

 kind of hives and treated in a similar way." These results are 

 very striking, and are to my own mind of a nature absolutely 

 conclusive as to the superiority of the Italian bee in America. 



The editor continues in his own name — "Hiving now had 

 [1873] an experience of several years with Italian bees, spend- 

 ing much of our time in the apiary, rearing queens, we find 

 them to possess the following points of superiority over the 

 common black bee : — 



** Their individual strength being greater, they fly with less 

 fatigue and are more active and successful in defendiug their 

 stores against both the moth-miller and robber bees. They 

 gather honey^especially when other sources fail — from . . , 



flowers which are seldom visited by the black bees 



They also work more steadily during the season, even when 

 there ia but little honey to be gathered from any source ; and 

 it being a well-known fact that breeding keeps pace with honey- 

 gatheriug, the result is strong stiicks, which secure a large pro- 

 duct of honey and are proof against the moth-worm and poor 

 seasons. Hence the importance of the above peculiarities can- 

 not be over-estimated, and they account in part for the following 

 characteristic differences between the two races of bees. 



"1. The Italian queens are called 'prolific breeders,' as the 

 stocks breed earlier in the season and continue later, casting 

 larger swarms, and swarming on an average about two weeka 

 earlier than the black bees, thereby gaining that much time in 

 the beet of the gathering season, and usually swarming in 

 seasons when common bees do not. 



" 2. They gather much larger stores of honey than the black 

 bee, as proven by the united testimony of eminent apiarians 

 bo'h in Europe and America. 



" 3. In opening a hive, the Italians when pure are much mora 

 peaceable than the black bees, and the queen is more readily 

 found, not so much on account of contrast la colour as from the 

 fact that with the workers she usually remains undisturbed 

 upon the combs. 



*' 4. Being more constant workers the Italians are less inclined 

 to rob than the native bees. Being hardier they are longer- 

 lived, winter more safely, and are more inclined to supersede 

 their queens when past their prime. Hence colonies are not so 

 liable to become queenless, and queenless stocks do not so 

 rapiflly become depopulated. 



" 5. Their beauty of colour and graceful form render them an 

 object of interest to every person of taste — hence they attract 

 many visitors." 



Thus much for the testimony of apiarians across the Atlantic. 

 As to some of the qualities here given to the Italian bee by the 

 author of the "Bee-keeper's Text-Book," I am disposed to 

 believe that " the wish is father to the thought." He has over- 

 done it by claiming too many good points for his favourites, nor 

 have we the same evidence in favour of them as in the case of 

 others; but making full allowance for partiality, there is evidence 

 before us quite sulficient to convince any but the hopelessly 

 prejudiced that the Italian bee has won its way to pre-eminence 

 in America by its intrinsic excellence and superiority. — B. & W. 



OUB LETTER BOX. 



Egg-eating Cochin-Chinas (Abfrde«nshire3ubscribtr).—'TheBB'bAAh3.h\i3 

 are generally acquired in confinement. If you c^n give tbe fowls their liberty, 

 even for a portion of the day, dD so. If you cannot you must watoh them 

 and frighten them cff the nest «b bgou as they have laid. It is a t:ood plan 

 to get Rome very card composition eggti and pnt them in ths ne t9, and let 

 them lie ahout in the laying place. The bens peck tbem till their heaks are 

 Bore, and making no impression they give it up as bopelesa. Macb may be 

 done by watching, and as it is poisible that ocly cue does it she may be 

 removed. The calprit may be often detected by seeing tbo yolk dried and 

 adhering to the aide of tbe beak. 



Habd Crop (A. V. L.).— Ponr a fcihle-Bpoonfnl of brandy or other spirit 

 down the cock's throat. If this does nor, atimalati the crop ar d enable it in 

 three or four honrs to pasB the food, you must open the crop in fronc with a 

 pair of Bbarp-pointed sciseors, remoTe tbe mass of food, aiid stitch up the 

 opening with fiiie thread. 



Zkbea FiNCEras and Zebra Parrakekts (M. HX—In reply to your ques- 

 tions we presume that the interestiog remarks of our corre-poodent referred 

 to Finches known by tbe term of Zehra WmbilU, and not, Zjbra Patrakeetfl, 

 ■which latter beloug to a distinct species of the Parrnt tribes, numberinR up- 

 wards of siity, and the Grass Parrakeets b^iug one of the prettiest of the 

 entire number. Thoy prineipally Inbabit tbe southern parts of AastraJia, 



and were first introduced into England by Mr. Gould nearly forty years ago, 

 sioce which period nnmberlesa others have been imported We know of 

 several iantaaces of the Zebra Grass Parrakeets haviog been brad sacc^ga- 

 fuUy iu England, one case in particular by a resident of Farebam. In 

 Australia these bird^ are also reoagnised by the term of " Betoberryji^h." or 

 " Budgeriger," as called in this country, the latter term hein^ a cirrupUm 

 of the former. Tbe Grass Parrakeets are very easily recognised by ttieir 

 lovely markings, made up with three colours — green, prettily and very pre- 

 cisely pencilled with yellow and black, and are of close plumage. Some- 

 what aBin to Love Birds the sexes are Tery affectionate to each other, bat 

 they become somewhat vicious if placed with Canaries. Whether this is 

 generally the case we will n^t asFert. However, we will state a case in piint 

 of a pair of Grass Parrakeets having been packed up with about a score (A 

 Canaries in a lar«e cage for conveyance to an exhibition. When unpacked 

 nearly all the Canaries had been slanghtered. Tbe Parrakeets in their 

 natural clime feed mostly upon tbe seeds of grasses, although they will live 

 apparently contented and happy in their wiry abodes upon canary seed. 

 They will freely breed in rooms or aviaries if sucii places be fashioned to 

 their requirements, and this may easily be effected by bringing iuto use the 

 hollow stump of some decayed tree, with bark or virgin cork for the rest of 

 tbe make-up. The seies do not much vary in size, each poesest-ing long tail 

 feathers, and the male bird may be distinguished by the strong blue tint 

 immediately above the upper maodible. In flight they are very fleet, bat 

 graceful in action, although 8'>mewhat troublesome to capture if they 

 should by chance gain their liberty in a large room or hall. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



CAMDau SQDAaa. London. 



Lat. Bl°83'40" N.; Lonij.O^S'O" W.; Altltade. Ill feet. 



REMARKS. 

 12th. — Cloudy at times and very cold ; thunder at 2.10 p.m., and with light- 

 ning at 2 2d and y.30 p M. while snow was falling ; very heavy snow &t 



6 P M., and at times all day. 

 IS th.— Snow on the ground at 8 A.M., and fresh snow falling at intervals all 



day, 

 14th.— Ground white with snow at 8 a.m.; snowing at 9, bat fine by noon 



fine afcernuon and 8tarl:t night. 

 15tb. — Fine morning; very bright afternoon, evening, and night. 

 IGth. — F.'ne all day, but rather cloudy towarJs and during the night. 

 17th. — November darknecis from 8 am. to 10 a.m., most intense about 9 30, 



not clearing off till noon ; not bright at any time during the day, but 



very clear at night. 

 18th.— Cloudy early ; frequent very slight ahowers during tbe day ; barometer 



very low at night. 

 The week has been especially remarkable for the frequent fall of snow in 

 the earlier part. Falls have occurred later in the year, bat they have asually 

 been of sliort duration. — G. J. SiiioNS. 



OOVENT.GARDEN MARKET.— April 19. 

 No improvement to quote since last report. Trade very quiet, soarcely any 

 buflin"ss doing m best kinds of goods owing to the holidays. A heavy supply 

 of French vei^etables of all sorts beginning to arrive. 



Apples j sieve 1 6to5 



Apricots dozen 



Cherries lb. 



Cbestnuta bushel 12 20 



Currants t sieve 



Black do. 



Figs dozen 



Filberts lb. 6 



Cobs lb. 6 



Gooeeberriea quart 



Grapes, hothonse.... lb. 6 20 



Lemons i^*" H>0 6 Ti 



Melons each 



FHUIT, 

 . d. 









 















9 



9 











B. d. B. d. 



Mulberries lb. OtoO 



Nectarines dozen 



Oranges %*■ 100 6 12 6 



Peaches dozen U 



Pears, kitchen.... dozen 



dessert dozen 3 



Pine Apples lb. 1 



Plums.,. i sieve 



Quinces bushel 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawbernes oz. 



Walnuts.. bushel 4 U 10 











i:^ e 



4 















1 



ditto.. 









 ^100 1 6 3 



Artichokes dozen 



Aaparagua ^ 100 



French bundle 



Beans. Kidney.... ^ lOJ 



Beet, Red dozen 



Broccoli bundle 



Brnssele Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbage dozen 



Carrots bunch 



Capt'icuma ^ I'JO 



Cauliflower d'zeu 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doa. banchea 



Cucumbers each 



Endive dozea 



Ft-nnel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish...... bundle 



Lettace dosen 



French Cabbage .... 



s. d. 

 4 



3 

 6 



1 



1 6 



9 



2 6 



1 



4 



1 6 

 1 



1 6 



2 



TEQETABLES. 

 S. d. ; 



to6 j Leeks bnneh 



10 I Mushrooms puttie 



17 6 I Mustard & Cress puuuet 



2 6 I Onions bushel 



8 pickling quart 



1 6 I Parsley.... doz. banchea 



, Parsnips dozen 



2 I Peas quart 



8 Potatoes bushel 



2 Kidney do. 



4 New lb. 



2 Radishes.. doK. bunches 



4 Rhubarb bundle 



1 6 Salsaty bundle 



2 Scorzonera bundle 



Seakale basket 



ShallatB lb. 



Spinach bushel 



1 Tomatoes dozen 



1 I Turnips bucnh 



B. d. s, 



4 too 



1 



a 



2 

 6 





 

 



6 _ , 



1 ti 2 6 I Vegetable Marrows . 



