Feiruary 12, 1871. 1 



JODBNAL OP HOBTICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



157 



•oats, with a handful of cut hay (clover if to be had), and when 

 green food is scarce a small piece of carrot or turnip. If I can 

 get fresh clover I dispense with both hay and roots. lu using 

 green food never give it while wet. My custom is to cut it and 

 let it wilt before using; cut it when dry, and keep one day's 

 supply ahead. Occasionally I give for the morning feed whole 

 Indian corn ; in the winter or in cold weather coarse Indian 

 meal stirred into scalding hot milk, and covered closely for half 

 an hour until it is steamed through ; this mess must not be soft 

 or mashy, but crumbly. Peas soaked a few hours, and then 

 drained, make another good change for the morning food; once 

 a-month, or oftener, a little linseed oil cake may be given with 

 the Indian meal, but it should be quite sparingly used. Vege- 

 tables I use very little of, and only after being somewhat wilted. 

 Ijettuce is too cold and wet. Cabbage is somewhat better. In 

 their season beet and carrot tope and pea haulms help along the 

 bill of fare ; but all these greens are only given as relishes, and 

 that with a sparing hand. The too free use of very green or 

 wet vegetable food will be certain to produce the most disastrous 

 results : Pot-belly, dropsy, and other diseases are sure to follow. 

 Dandelion tops are greedily devoured, and are a most excellent 

 feed. This is an almost certain cure of the disease known as 

 red water, and is an excellent corrective of other ills. Plantain 

 leaves are also a safe and good feed if not used to excess. 

 Potatoes roasted dry are also esteemed a most wholesome feed. 

 All kinds of meal — oatmeal, barleymeal, and middlings are used 

 by English fanciers, and recommended. 



An English writer, quoted by Bement in his work published 

 twenty years ago, says that the words "dry food" "should be 

 printed in large letters, and placed in a prominent position in 

 every rabbitry." In the observance of the teaching of these two 

 words lies the key to success in this fancy. No matter what the 

 provender consists of, always give a preponderance of dry food. 



Some writers have recommended keeping a cup of water where 

 the Rabbits can have free access to it ; but this I cannot endorse. 

 In extremely hot summer days I have given each animal a few 

 spoonfuls of water morning and night; and my breeding does 

 are given perhaps half a gill of water or milk for two or three 

 days before and after kindling. I prefer to give milk when it 

 can be had, as it is nourishing as well as thirst-quenching. At 

 other times I never allow them to have water. A very little 

 salt once a-week mixed with their feed is beneficial. 



For condiments to tempt the appetite I use fennel, sweet 

 marjoram, parsley, aniseed, chicory, and tea leaves dried; but 

 these also should be used in small quantities, and more as a 

 tonic than as a regular diet. 



I thing I had nearly omitted the importance of removing all 

 grain or food from the feed cups before putting in a fresh snpp ly 

 After having breathed on the feed and nosed it over, the Rablait, 

 who is a dainty animal, will not eat it unless compelled to by 

 hunger. A very little attention wiU soon learn the amateur how 

 much each of his pets will consume, and he can regulate the 

 feed so that none or scarcely any will be left. The feed cups 

 should be often washed, for cleanliness is one of the indispens- 

 able adjuncts to success. The same cup or vessel should not bo 

 used for both wet and dry feed, unless thoroughly cleaned and 

 dried after being used for the former. 



Does with young should be more liberally fed, and with more 

 nourishing diet than others. A slice of bread dipped in milk is 

 a dainty treat for them, as well as being very nutritious. The 

 amateur will find, however, that Rabbits, as well as himself, 

 have their likes and dislikes, and while one will greedily devour 

 some kind of provender, another will refuse to touch it. In such 

 eases better humour the tastes of the animal rather than risk 

 loss of flesh and sickness in trying to force upon it a distasteful 

 dish. 



To sum-up, my rules for feeding are : Ist, Dry food mainly; 

 2nd, Frequent change of diet; 3rd, Regularity in feeding; 4th, 

 Cleanliness. — A. M. HiiSTKD. — (Pet-Stock Bulletin.) 



HONEY AND BEES AT SHOWS. 



I ADMiEE the straightforward and thoroughly honest way in 

 which your valuable contributor " B. & W." has put his views 

 about shows ; but I think it these views prevail, the day of shows 

 will fast pass away. 



I trust my last letter did not convey the idea that trickery 

 " was perfectly understood " to be resorted to. What I intended 

 was that the extraordinary things exhibited had been obtained 

 by extraordinary means, and that it was " perfectly understood " 

 that it was so ; and I trust that neither my voice nor pen will 

 ever be used to say one word in favour of " cheating or dis- 

 honesty," much less to defend it. 



The point is, Is a show of necessity demoralising ? I think it 

 is not. Cannot an article be what it is represented to be, and be 

 represented as what it really is ? Where, then, is the harm ? — 

 no one is cheated or deceived. I would advise a rule to be made 

 for all shows, and in the most stringent manner possible, that 

 any article placed for exhibition being misrepresented, whatever 

 that article might be, it should ba forfeited to the committee ; 



that the exhibitor should for ever be debarred from exhibiting 

 again, and that the case should be published in the report. 



I never have exhibited anything myself, but had intended to 

 do so at the Manchester Show, and should have so done, but for 

 a mishap a few days before the time ; and here is a casein point. 

 A schedule of prizes was sent me, and I resolved to try in 

 class A. I purchased a 20-inch straw hive. I placed a piece 

 of guide-comb in it about 3 inches square, and six cross sticks, 

 and on the 29th of May I put a good swarm of bees in it; and I 

 venture to say that no one would have been l)6ttor pleased than 

 myself if my singing workers had accomplished the task I had 

 set out for them without any further trouble or artificial aid. 

 But the weather was against them, there being scarcely two fine 

 days together ; so I fed with syrup to promote comb-building, 

 still hoping the good time was coming when the cells, so beauti- 

 fully constructed, would be filled with honey. I united a small 

 swarm to it on the 16th of June, and another on the 19th, when 

 I placed an eke underneath 5 inches deep, for the hive (20 inches 

 by 12) was nearly full of combs. (As the weather continued un- 

 favourable, I commenced giving honey instead of syrnp.) The 

 bees increased in numbers amazingly, and commenced clustering 

 outside, although my hive was 20 by 17. On the 3rd of July I 

 gave them another 5-inch eke, and discontinued regular feeding, 

 only giving them food now and then when there were several con- 

 secutive wet days, depending upon the heather in August ; but 

 in that I was disappointed by the same cause — bad weather. 

 August Cth I artificially swarmed the hive, so that it might be 

 free from brood when taken to the Show. August 12th it weighed 

 148 lbs. gross, and I took it about three miles from here to tha 

 moors. On the 16th I weighed it again, and it had lost 8 lbs. On 

 the 20th I weighed it again, and it had regained 6 lbs ; but as it 

 only wanted a fortnight to the Show, I brought it home, and re- 

 solved to give itwhathoney it would take for a week, and from the 

 Friday night until the Thursday following it took nearly 80 lbs. 

 On the Thursday at noon I was going to take ofi the bottom eke, 

 as it was not quite full of comb, when I had the misfortune to 

 break some of the combs, and afraid I could not make it look 

 nice, concluded not to exhibit it. 



Now, all this was not done in a comer, for everything was 

 open and aboveboard. I explained to everyone who came to 

 my garden what I was doing, how I was doing, and what I was 

 doing it for ; and had the hive gone to Manchester it would have 

 been as truthfully represented there. Am I to any extent 

 demoralited by this performance ? I think not. But if it had 

 been done with an intention to deceive either the Committee or 

 the public, I would denounce it as vigorously and as unhesitat- 

 ingly as " B. & W." So I come to this conclusion : That if we 

 are to have shows, there must be something really grand to look 

 at, otherwise visitors will not come ; but it need not be at tha 

 expense of " reality and truth." Let there be a properly-defined 

 schedule of prizes, require truthful representation, and then we 

 need not fear the result. — T. Bagbhaw, Longnor, near Button. 



EDUCATING PAEBOTS. 



Of all the feathered pets. Parrots best repay the time and 

 trouble bestowed on them. They can be taught to imitate the 

 human voice perfectly, and when properly educated can repeat 

 phrases, and even long sentences. 



The Mexican, or yellow-headed Parrot, is the best talker, while 

 the grey or African is most celebrated as a whistler, though 

 nearly all varieties are susceptible of some instruction, la 

 selecting a bird for education, it is important that it should be 

 young and healthy. Treat it gently until it becomes accustomed 

 to your voice and handling. When the bird receives lessons let 

 it be in a dark room, where no other sounds can be heard but 

 the voice repeating very distinctly over and over again the words 

 to be learned. 



As soon as the bird makes any attempt at imitation it should 

 be rewarded with a nut, some fruit, or a piece of sugar, of all of 

 which it is very fond. The teacher must not be discouraged if 

 several weeks elapse before his efforts are rewarded. Parrots 

 learn slowly at first, and should be taught to pronounce two 

 words distinctly before receiving a second lesson. After being 

 taught several phrases in this way they catch words and even 

 sentences themselves. It is said they never forget anything 

 once learned. 



Strict attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the cage, and 

 a plentiful supply of fresh sand provided every day. Their food 

 should consist principally of stale bread dipped in water, squeezed 

 dry, and a Uttle milk poured over it. They are fond of nuts, 

 raisins, and all kinds of sweet fruits. A few hempseed may bo 

 given occasionally with advantage. They eat vegetables of all 

 kinds, and drink coffee. Animal food should be avoided, as it 

 injures the plumage. — {Pet-Stock Bulletin.) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Books {Mrs. Wahh).—T:he price of Wright's "The Brahma Fowl" iij 5s 

 Any bookseller can obtain it for yoo. 



