310 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 27, 1876. 



to attend to the observatory hive, that on examining them in 

 the middle of August I found few bees and no Btores, so I now 

 liberally supplied syrup and our friend Mr. Pettigrew's much- 

 despised artificial pollen. Bare fan was it to see the little 

 fellows awakened to renewed activity ; one set loading them- 

 selves with the meal, another storing the syrup, and a third 

 busy in attendance on the qaeL-n and her rapidly-becoming- 

 numerous progeny, so that by the Show time I had the hive 

 fairly fall again, and I hoped it would stand a fair chance with 

 so many young bees to winter safely. The hive was placed in 

 a window, permitting the bees egress through the window frame 

 to the outer world, and all went well until the cold weather of 

 early December set in, when the number of bees so rapidly 

 diminished that I became convinced that unless the state of 

 affairs was remedied, the advent of Christmas would find the 

 colony among the things that were. Close observation soon 

 told me that a fine morning tempted the bees abroad, but few 

 returned ; and numbers could, by diligent search, be found 

 motionless on surrounding objects evidently chilled, from which 

 they never recovered. The bees on December 9th were reduced 

 to about a pint, when I determined to close the outer entrance 

 and try and save those left. A thermometer being placed within 

 the hive away from the cluster at ten o'clock a.m., when I was 

 enabled to look at it, never showed lower than Ai" nor higher 

 than CU° all through the winter ; but 44° to 50° was quite low 

 enough to chill many bees to insensibility. Each morning on 

 the floor of the hive bees were found apparently dead, which 

 I had carefully gathered up, their number with temperature 

 registered, and the fire being lit, the comatose insects were 

 placed in a chip box on the mantelpiece. It astonished me 

 to find how large a proportion revived, especially in the early 

 winter. I have the table before me, from which I give the fol- 

 lowing summary : — 



Chilled. Bevived. Dead. 



Decemljcr (23 day.s) 175 141 84 



January 256 193 63 



Ftbruai-y 103 56 47 



Marcli las 114 74 



722 504 218 



These statistics are highly suggestive of the fearful mortality 

 ■which must take place in winter from the stocks in the garden 

 when the bees venture abroad, and to test this I several times 

 gathered a few apparently dead bees from the floor-boards of 

 the hives in the garden, and found on the like application of 

 warmth a large per-centage revived. But what astonished me 

 still more was the inability of my observation bees when absent 

 from their hive to bear even a temperature of 50° to 55°. In 

 order not to deprive them of exercise, when the sun shone or 

 the fire had warmed the room I opened some of the little 

 windows and gave the bees their liberty. At first every bee 

 flew to the window, flattering against the glass until exhausted ; 

 but they very quickly became educated to their altered circum- 

 stances, and would happily take flight about the room and find 

 their way home ; but woe betide those unlucky bees that hap- 

 pened to get into a draught from the window or door ; down 

 they dropped as if they had inhaled chloroform, and every day 

 at shutting-up time there was plenty of work to gather up the 

 helpless. 



It is astonishing how tame and harmless these bees became. 

 My son and I handled them daily, taking all manner of liberties 

 with them, which they never resented. At first when a window 

 was opened they seemed inclined to show fight, but very soon 

 they gave no sign of excitement or astonishment whatever. I 

 had great hopes that the warmth of the room would induce 

 early breeding, but January and February passed without any 

 larvso making their appearance. The bee bread of the hive had 

 all been consumed, and, according to the savants, larva; could 

 not be reared without some. The queen laid eggs daily, but 

 next day they surely disappeared. Meal was supplied, but no 

 bee would touch it, and March came and went without an egg 

 hatching. The Ligurian queen was evidently prolific, and I 

 thought it a pity to waste her time when she might be at the 

 head of a strong black stock I was anxious to ligurianise. 

 BO I determined to make an exchange, which I did, carefully 

 caging both queens. Alas ! now comes the catastrophe. On 

 releasing the black queen the Ligurians fiercely attacked her. 

 She was rescued and again caged, and released next day as 

 before, immediately encased, once more secured, and next day 

 found dead in the cage. Now for the Ligurian queen caged with 

 the black stock in the garden. I released her after two days' 

 confinement, and immediately to my surprise and disgust she 

 flew right away and was lost ; so now my two colonies are 

 orphaned, and will have to wait for the coming of the drones 

 before the royal larvx the stronger colony is now rearing from 

 Ligurian eggs supplied to them can occupy with advantage the 

 vacant thrones, before which time I fear my little lot of Ligurians 

 will be very much dwindled. 



An observatory hive such as I have been using is capable of 

 affording an endless source of amasement and scientific instruc- 

 tion, but to keep the inhabitants in health requires unceasing 



attention and care — more, indeed, than most persons can afford 

 to give. — John Hunter, Eaton Bise, Ealing, 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Spanish Cock's Face Excessite (A Subscriber). — There is only one 

 treatment, and that is not withonb its disadvantages. It is to put two 

 HmaU straps of sticking or adhesive plaieter on the skin, compeliing enough 

 ol the eye to keep open to enable the bird to see. There is no core for it, 

 but relief is sometimes a£Forded b; frequent use of a strong solution of alum 

 in water. Vinegsir may be used for the same purpose. 



Eggs FLAVorRED by GiaLic (L. C). — We have no doubt the wild garlic 

 will impart its flavour to the eg^s, and probably the flea'a of the poultry. It 

 has been often tried, and the result has always been the same. Fowls are 

 very fond of malt dust ; when fed on it the eggs after a few days taste strongly 

 of malt. The celebrated canvas-backed Ducks are believed to get their juici- 

 ness and deUcate flavDur from the wild celery that grows on the banks of the 

 American river where they are killed. 



Australian Zebra Parrakeets (E. F. L.). — It 19 annatural for your 

 birds to be " continually moulting." The cause may be partly attributable 

 to the varied temperature, especially if the birds have been kept where arti- 

 ficial heat is produced either from fire or gas. Rape and hemp seeds are both 

 very heating to the birds' system, and you must discontinue the free use of 

 it during the summer months. Continue with canary and millet. 



VARNisHraaoR Staining Honey Boxes (F. J.]. — If your boxes are exposed 

 to the weather we should paint them. Varnish will not stand the wear and 

 tear of sun and rain, aud staiuing is useless. But if your boxes are well pro- 

 tected from the weather we should let them be, especially so near the honey 

 and swarming season. Bees dislike strong smells about their hives, inside 

 or outside. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Cauden Sqoare. London. 



Lat.6I°32'40"N.; Long.0^8'0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 

 19th. — A very showery day, the rain at times, and the atmosphere dark. 

 20th. — Rain in early morning, but fine soon after a.m., and fair all day, ba 



nut bright, and the wind rising gradually all day. 

 2l8t. — Rather cloudy at times, but a very pleastint day, especially the after 



part. 

 22ud. — Fine morning ; a warm pleasant day throaghout. 

 23rd. — Fair but cloudy, and very dark between 9 and 10 A.M., then clearing 



off, and followed by a very fine day and night. 

 2Uh. — Very fine early, hut duU about 11 a.m. ; fine after ; a very Blight Bhower 



at 7 P.M., and a cloudy nigbt. 

 25th. — Beautifully fine early, dull for two or thi-ee hours, sharp but short 



bhower about 11 a.m., and very fiue after. 

 A very pleasant week— sunny, little rain, although southerly wind. — 

 G. J. Bymons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— April 26. 

 Business somewhat improvoi, and a good supply of all classes of goods. A 

 large quantity of St. Michael Fines hive again arrive 1, but of inferior quality, 

 and show evident signs of their season being nearly over. 



Apples i sieve 



Cbestuuts bushel 



Filberts, Cobs. lb. 



Grapes, hothouse lb 



Lemons V' 100 



Melons each 



Oranges VlOi 



Artichokes dozen 



Asparagus %>' 100 



French bundle 



Beana, Kidney ^lOJ 



Beet, Red dozen 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbage dozen 



Carrots bunch 



Capsicums %»• lOJ 



Cauliflower dozen 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz. buaches 



Cucumbers each 



Endive dozeu 



Fennel buncb 



GarUc lb. 



Uerbs bunch 



Uorseradish bundle 



Lettuce dozen 



French Cabbage .... 



s. d. B. d. 



Peaches doz, OtoO 



Pears, kitchen doz. Q 



dessert doz. 3 12 



Pine Apples lb. 1 



Strawberries oz. 3 



4 

 1 



Walnuts 1*100 16 2 



ditto bushel 4 10 



TEQETABLES, 



d. B. d. 



0to6 

 10 



6 



6 







6 











17 



Leeba bonch 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley.... doz. bunches 



Parsnips dozeu 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney dc. 



New lb. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsafy bundle 



Scorzonera bundle 



Seakale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes dozen 



Turnips bucnh 



Vegetable Marrows 



B. d. s. 

 4 too 

 10 2 

 2 

 2 6 

 6 

 2 4 

 

 4 6 

 2 6 6 

 8 6 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 1 

 



