362 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTUBB AND COTrAGB GARDENER. 



( May 4, 1876. 



while fitty-Bix stocks of common bees did not yield an ounce. 

 At a convention of Amerioin bee-keepera in 1S8G it wa3 anaai- 

 mously admitted that Lignri'ins are saoftrior to common beee. 

 After makino these statements " B. & W." favours us with the 

 opinions of the editor of the " American Text-Book of Bees " as 

 to the superiority of Ligurians. They possess greater individual 

 strength, fly with less fatigue, woik wben other bees are idle, 

 suck honey from flowers whicb others do not visit, work more 

 steadily during the season, breed earlier in spring and later in 

 autumn, cast off earlier and larger swarms, live longar than 

 common bees, are always so busy thit they have no time or 

 inclination for robbing, and they dethrone their queens and pre- 

 pare successors before old age overtakes them. Hanoe Italians 

 are seldom queenless. They are more peaceful, graceful, beau- 

 tiful, attracting many visitors. 



Does anybody in England believe this American trumpery ? 

 I do not think that it would be possible to find a respectable 

 person in either England or America that would endorse the 

 mischievously extravagant statements of this American editor. 

 Even _"B. & W." who has quoted them says that he has over- 

 done it by claiming too miny good points, and the wish has 

 been father to the thought. Some ten years ago we had one or 

 two quack dealers in England who said as many extravagant 

 things about Ligurians as this editor. Things have changed a 

 little, and we are not now favoured pablicly with a list of their 

 excellences. And even in America in a o invention of bee- 

 keepers held some years after 1866, the year referred to by 

 " B. & W.," the question of the superiority of Ligurians was 

 discussed by the most able men of that country; and so far as 

 I could judge, the bulk of disinterested evidence was not in 

 favour of Ligurians, and objections were m-tde by honest men 

 to their bee journals being edited by dealers or interested 

 parties. Bat I attach no importance to American evidence. 

 Charles Dickens, who went to America to learn the character 

 of the country and its people, wrote it afterwards in these few 

 words :— " I would paint the American eagle as a bat for its 

 blindness, as a bantam for its brng, and as an ostrich from the fact 

 that it sticks its head in the mud and fancies nobody sees it." 



Ligurian bees have beei in this country about twenty years, 

 why then go to America f jr evidence of their superiority ? Is 

 there nobody can prove their superiority in this country where 

 the weather greatly hinders other bees? His honey been ob- 

 tained from them when common bees could network? I am 

 visited by respectable bee-keepers from all parts of the country, 

 and those who keep Ligurians as well as tbose who live where 

 they are kept tell me that they are no better than common 

 bees. I am not prejudiced against them in any way, and shall 

 be pleased to see evidence of their superiority from any trust- 

 worthy quarter; but nothing but fac^s are admissible as evi- 

 dence. When these are produced I will ppesdily rid my garden 

 of lazy bees, as my object in bee-keeping is profit. We shall be 

 abundantly gratified if satisfactory evidence be presented to the 

 readers of this Journal and the bee-keepersiof Great Britain that 

 a superior bee is amongst us. In my search for evidence of the 

 superiority of Ligurian bees I have been unsuccessful for ten 

 years. Perhaps we shall be more fortunate during the present 

 season. 



As we do not mean to allude again for some months to the 

 questions of hives and Ligurians, but turn our attention to 

 matters of practical minasjement, we shall be ?lad to help young 

 bee-keepers over any difficulties they may find in their pathway 

 if they let the Editors know what they are. — A. Pettigbew. 



THE BEE AND THE KOSE. 



In your impression of the 20th ult. I notice poetry headed 

 'The Hen and the Hmey Bee." In the first verse and third 

 line are the words, "Espied a bee upon a rose." Now, I have 

 been a bee-keeper for so^ne years, and in all my experience never 

 saw a bee upon a rose. Can you tell me whether the composer 

 of the piece was a bee-keeper or was he only a poet ?— Apis. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



FEiTHERB 'OS Brahma's Leos f^maieur!.— Birds have lost more Icg- 

 featherioR this year than asnal on acjouot ot the continuance of snow. It 

 IB often the case that undue imp >rtanoe is attached to leg-featherins, bat it 

 IS not the less necessary thai wh^re it is a feature of the breed it should bo 

 luUy developed. Under anycircnmstanc-s birds that are for hard compatition 

 should be in dry pens lor some time before they are 8h.iwn. and in wet 

 weather u la necessary they should be in confinement. Id soma cases they 

 are kept on ttraw. It; must be recollected the oooliLement only preserves 

 the feathering; it d es not citiee alditional growth. A scantUy-leathered 

 bird wai not become amply furnished because he is confined. 



Deith of a BEEEDisa Hen CtNARif ( O. C.).— Wc have made a post- 

 mortem namination of the deceased Carary hen yon forwards i, and we give 

 as our veidict that death resulted throiigti iuflammation brought abont by 

 ner being eiposed at an open window at the time she was laying her egRS. 

 Ihe ovary gave evidence of considerable inflammation having etistcl. The 

 doBO of 088ti)r oil. and the outward application of oil, were the neans of 

 temporary relief. When »ke did not follow up laying after the egg on the 

 Batniday morning, you should have Bapolied her with sweetened bread and 



milk. Castor oil, in addition to a warm bith, is necessary when a hen is egg- 

 bound, bat whea Nature has freed it^ielf s incvhit ease and quietude is 

 essoutial without the repetition of medicine. The second dose of castor oil did 

 harm by briogiDg on increased exhau^itiou. C*nary heus breading in a house 

 should be oat of all draaghc, and if the sun's rays can shine in the room 

 during the day so much the better. Open exposure to the sun does more harm 

 than otherwiee, al'hou^h maoy who keep Ciuaries place their birds outside 

 of either door or window when the fall p jwer of the sttn is on. This should 

 never b3 doue without the roof of the ca;^e being well covered. Birds in their 

 wild free state, whose constitutions can nope with the varied changes of the 

 wearher, eajoy life altoi^ether d ff-reut to those caged up and subject to a 

 paitly-artiticial temperature, sjmetimes 2J° higher than at others. A part 

 vege.able diet is necessary for breeding Cioaries, bat jast now dandelion ia 

 preferable to anything else. As the seison advances groundsel will become 

 more seedy and lit f.ir birds. Get another Buff hen, and at once mate with 

 the cock bird, for there is time yet for two or three nests, and if you til the 

 birds out of the drau.(ht you may bs more Euocessful. 



Tdrkev's Eggs Spotted iDayit* Drake). — It ia a very common thing for 

 both Turkeys and Guinea Fowls to lay eggs spotted with white — lime or soma 

 such material; it is, however, only for a time, and the eggs hatch well. It ia 

 more common in the fir-t eggs than in any other, and arises from temporary 

 derangement of the secretions. 



Hive with List Yeab's Comb [A Founj Jptarian).— Hive a swarm into 

 it without hesitation. 



Skating Ri.nk [R. t.). — We cmnot give you any information about the 

 floor. We presume it is asphalted. 



MEIEOBOLOOICAIi OBSEBVATIONB. 



Caudbn SquABB. LorfDON. 



Lat. Bl°3a'40''N.; lii>ag. U 8' 0' W.; Altitado, Ulfeet. 



REMAKK3. 

 26th. — Brilliant morning; ver? fine all day; bat rather heavy and close in 



the evening. 

 27th. — Rather dall all day, and early datb; rain between 9 and 10 p.m., but 



fair before midaight, 

 28th. — Bright sanny morning; thander soon after noon, hail at 1 p.m , and 



lightning at 1.13, wind S.W.; storm over before 2 p.si. ; more rain ia 



the afternoon. 

 29th. — Slight shower in morning, fine at noon and the remainder of the day. 

 30th. — Sdght raio between 10 and 11 a.m., and at times all day ; in fact, a wet 



disagreeable day. 

 May l8t. — Fioe morDiaa; elight fihower about 11 A ii., two or threa showera 



during the day. otherwi-e fine but cold. 

 2ud. — Another cold day; showery all day, but di'jing up quickly between 



the showers. 

 About 4° lower temperature than the preceding week, and frequently rain- 

 ing ; the last day beiween 8^ and 9' colder than the firtjt. Some snow and 

 hail on the 1st and 2nd of May. On the 2nd the temperature fell beloT the 

 freezing point.— G. J. Symons. 



