48 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICDLTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ January 8, 1874. 



Dun Carrier at Glasgow precisely as he Mmself woulcl have 

 done. — Tour Eepoktek. 



Obanges fbom St. Michael's.— The British Consul at St. 

 Michael's has sent to the Foreign OfBce, in a recent report, an 

 account of the value of the fruit trade of that island with Great 

 Britain, year by year, from the year 1747, when it commenced, 

 down to 1872. The first export of oranges thence to this country 

 is recorded in 1751, when 3J boxes at 900 reis per box, amount- 

 ing in all to little more than 3 milreis, were sent. The trade 

 grew and multiplied; and 120 years afterwards, in 1871, the 

 export comprised 2ljl,!)25 boxes, at KilO reis per box, or 426,U32 

 mih-eis in all. In 1872, the Consul's returns show that there 

 were 250,451 boxes of oranges exported from St. Michael's ; their 

 value was i'80,705, and the export duty produced £599. Pine- 

 apples, and bananas are also cultivated. Our own Custom-house 

 returns state that in 1872 we received from the Azores oranges 

 and lemons of the value of £329,342. But though Great Britain 

 absorbs almost the whole of the foreign trade of the Azores and 

 imposes no duty upon the import of their fruit, these islands 

 treat us with scant com-tesy, for France and Prussia are allowed 

 an invidious exception in favour of their merchandise, and an 

 additional ad valorem duty is imposed upon British wares ex- 

 clusively. Owing to this heavy duty French goods, which are 

 favoured, are to be purchased at lower rates. The Consul has 

 to state that tourists should be advised to visit St. Michael's in 

 July and August only. The climate has been described as offer- 

 ing a uine-moutha rainy spriug, and as a winter station St. 

 Michael's is, as compared with Madeira, deficient in the comforts 

 of life, and has not an enviable climate.— (Tjoies.) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Books (J. £.).- Taylor's "Bee-keeper's Manual," publisheil by Groom- 

 bridge & Song. 



MiLLOM AND Bkocghton Show (Q.).— It must have been a local Show 

 not being advertised. ' 



Northern Columbarian Society {TF. C. 

 conclude it was a local Show. 



Dumfries Show (- 

 intended to be local. 



It was not advertised so we 

 ). — It was not advertised, so we conclude it was 



Leeds Poultry Show.— Mr. J, Mason informs us, that in the class for 

 old Black Red Game he obtained the tirst prize, 



Lewes Pouetry Show.— Mrs. G. Meek should have been credited with the 

 second prize for Dorking hens. As the Dorking, Dark Brahma, French, and 

 Any variety classes w ere exceedingly good, those esMbitors whose specimens 

 were very highly commended will receive an extra piize— viz.. Viscount 

 Tumour, Mrs. Brassey, Mrs. J. G. Hepburn, The Eev. T. Cochrane, Mr. H.W 

 EevUle, Mr. J. Walton, Mr. G. W. Hibbert,Miss P. L. Blencowe, Mr. A.Wood. 



Bromley Poultry Show (IF. H.).— We agree with "An Exhieitoe," 

 that the names of the Committee should be published. All your suspicions 

 are unfounded. 



Beahma Vultuee-hocked [0. A.). — Judges consider vulture bocks ob- 

 jectionable, we do not know why, but not a disqualification. The "Poultry 

 Chronicle " was long since incorporated with this Journal. 



Poultry-keeping (J. Woolhm).—U you enclose seven postage stamps 

 with your address and order "Poultry-keeping for the Many," it will be sent 

 to you post free, and it contains all the information you mention. 

 _ Packing Eggs for Travelling (W. B.).— Eggs should always be packed 

 in dry moss, as it is not affected by shaking, and the eggs do not then move 

 from the position m which they are packed. Almost any other material 

 moves from the shaking consequent on travelling, and often leaves a layer of 

 eggs, bare of any protecting substance. A basket, flower-pot shaped, with a 

 lid, we believe to be the best form of package. 



Breeding In-and-in (J. B. £.).— Brothers and sisters are worse mating 

 than parent and offbpring. The yearly change is only a positive necessity 

 when something more than eggs and "table poultry are wanted. You may 

 breed two years from the same birds, using the same cock, and eating or 

 se'Jing the young ones. If, however, you should breed one or two of surpass- 

 ing merit, you might do away with the old bird, and run the young one with 

 the hens. We repeat, these nice points want only to be observed where exhi- 

 bition and perfect birds are wanted. 



CocK-CROWTNG ANNOYANCE 1,0. M. F.).— We kuow uo brccd of non-crowing 

 cocks, and it is the habit of bright Chanticleer to proclaim the day, which 

 now, we are thankful to say, gets earlier weekly. Many expedients, such aS 

 straps round the throat, have been tried, but all were failures. We do not 

 think your neighbour can compel you to put away your crowing cock. Magis- 

 trates differ, and so do their decisions. The majority decide that cock-crow- 

 mg is not a nuisance, especially when only one is kept. We give this opinion 

 under correction, and with diffidence, believing with our old friend Sir Roger 

 de Coverley, " Much may l)e said on both sides of the question." There is, 

 however, one way of doing away with early crowing, and that is to confine 

 the cock in a dark place. Come to an understanding as to un hour when the 

 crowing shall cease to be a nuisance, and till then conlino the bird. He may 

 be put in a hamper, large basket, or box. He must be in the dork in a dry 

 place, free from draught, till his hour of release, and need not suffer in eon- 

 dition from it. 



Docks M. T. TF.).— The only profitable Ducks in the Variety class are Man- 

 darins and Carolmas. Tbey breed freely, and their produce is always sale. 

 a ble. The ^\ histling Ducks Jo not breed as freely, and are not so popular. 



Bantams with Ceive-Cleurs {Jack).— Yon may keep Black Bantams and 

 CrcveC (turs together safely. Wo have done it for years, and it is our opinion 

 Jt may always be done, especially where all ai-e of the same colour. 

 Thin-shelled EoosM/jj/ia).— Have a heap of coal ashes and bricklayers' 



limy rubbish mixed together under shelter, where the fowls can bask ani 

 obtain more chalky ingredients. 



Destroying Bees (/(jnornmus).— Cottagers usually suffocate bees when 

 taking their honey, but it is a barbarous and unprofitable custom. Good 

 bee-keepers use hives which enable them to take part of the combs, and yet 

 leave a sufficient store for the bees. You can have a book, " Bee-keeping for 

 the Many," if you enclose live postage stamps with your full address ; that 

 win instruct you. 



Bees Dying (Jnmea <Jrc.ij).— The comb you have sent for inspection hag 

 doubtless been taken from a damp hive, or from one standing in a damp 

 place or on a wet boai-d, otherwise it would not have been so mouldy. Tha 

 contents of the cells were covered with mould, and like puddle. It is im- 

 possible to state with certainty what has been the cause of the death of all 

 the bees in one of your hives, and how those in another have been so greatly 

 reduced in number. The cause may have been one or more of the following : — 

 Foul brood, the loss of queens, their failing to meet drones at the proper 

 time, or want of food. If, as you think, foul brood is in your other hives, 

 they will not thrive. The bees should at once be placed among sweet combs. 

 The comb which we noticed above has no diseased or foul brood in it. 



Skeletonising Leaves [J. E. K., Baltimore).— Yfe believe Mr. Kaye is a 

 respectable man. Perhaps his book is out of print. We wish that some one 

 at Dewsbury would bring this reply to liis notice. 



METEOEOLOGICAIi OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. 61° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 

 Dee. 31st. — Rain in the morning, fine at noon, but dull after. 

 Jan. 1st,. — Foggy early, but fine at noon ; rather dull after, though fine at 



night. 

 2ncl. — Windy night, rainy morning, and at intervals all day, but fine at night 

 3rd. — Rainy at intervals all day, though bright at times. 

 4th. — Very bright occasionally, and, with the exception of a few flakes of 



enow at 3.30 p.m., fair all day, but much colder. 

 5th. — A very slight covering of snow in the morning. A beautifol winters 



day ; bright though cold. 

 Gth. — Rather foggy and frosty early, but a beautiful day. 

 Mean temperature of the week much the same as last, caused by the warmth 

 of the earlier pait overbalancing the increased cold of the last few daj-s^ 

 which may be said to have been the first fine winter days that we have had. 



The total rainfall of 1873 here was il3.67, being neaily 2 inches (or about 

 10 per cent.) below the average. — G. J. Symons. 



COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— Jancaey 7. 

 A VEKT fair supply is well kept up, both out-door produce and that fx'onj 

 under glas.s being sufficient ; indeed, there is a most unusual supply of Grapes- 

 in the market, comprising retarded Hamburghs, Alicante, Gros Gnillaume». 

 Lady Dowue's, and Muscat of Alexandria. Our home Pine-growers will now 

 meet with a most formidable competition from those in St. Michael's, who are 

 sending a splendid lot of Cayennes, completely putting the others in th© 

 shade for size, appearance, and quaUty, and which ore sold at very moderate 

 rates. Potatoes aiu a heavy trade, and large quantities at the depots. 



FRUIT. 



