March 5, 1871. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



213 



London Fancies Beem on the decline. Try the cayenne, Mr. 

 Waller! 



Lizards, as a class, were poor, but the names of Watson and 

 Fairbrass are (juite sufficient guarantee of the excellence of 

 their specimens. Mr. Dove's Golden-spangled bird, 4il, I 

 liked much. Mr. Fairbrass's -102, Broken-capped Silver, was a 

 gem ; only two minute specks in liis cap. 



Broken-capped birds really are worth a meed of praise. The 

 very best will thi-ow them, aud foul-capped birds and even 

 birds with no cap will throw perfect specimens. As a rule they 

 are generally well spangled, and a broken cap is only an excess 

 of spangle. But pied wings and tails !— that is quite another 

 thing. Save me from them. Cinnamons were numerous and 

 good. Mr. Adams's first-prize birds were fine, but I think I 

 liked 492, second, better than id'i, first. 



The judging in the next two classes was one of those things 

 nobody can understand. First, in the Marked or Variegated 

 Cinnamons first and second prizes were withheld, and third 

 awarded to a "hot" specimen of Bemrose & Orme's ; but be- 

 hind were 571, 572, and 573, three birds of Mr. Luke Belk's, of 

 which 571, a Jonque, and 572, a Mealy, at least were gems of the 

 first water. There are not six such in England. Then in " Any 

 other variety " the performance was eclipsed. First and third 

 were withheld. Second went to — I have omitted to note what, 

 hut I think a Coppy. However, there remained 5S9, John 

 Martin, a grand Coppy; 593, Mr. Hawman, a long Green, a 

 champion bird; G05, Mr. Baxter, another splendid Coppy, and 

 006, Mr. Baxter, the only Scotch Fancy in the Show, and a 

 champion bird too ! Now, if birds of this stamp are not con- 

 sidered worthy of prizes in the " Any other variety," tell me 

 what are. Poor encoui'agement indeed for men to send their 

 specialities from the far north to be so little appreciated, or so 

 little understood. 



Goldfinch Mules, with the exception of Mr. Doel's, were 

 nothing extra. Mr. Doel brings his birds up to the mark in 

 rare condition. In this respect he is almost unequalled. His 

 Jonques were fine birds, but he has shown others in previous 

 years which would have distanced them. His first Mealy was a 

 beauty ; size, colour, quality, delicacy of wing-markings (but I 

 have seen a thousand times better eyes), were all there. But I 

 was very much disappointed at not seeing my Buff friend of 

 last year, the bird with the " tail feathers all told !" It's only a 

 few weeks ago that Mr. Doel published that it was the " second 

 best Buff Mule in England," and really I did not think he was 

 the man to have deprived the world of the sight, or to have 

 parted with such a gem with the Crystal Palace Show so near at 

 hand. 



When I say that Selfs were good, and that Mr. Walter occu- 

 pied his usual place of premier among the sixes in the Norwich 

 groups, I have finished my grumble. — W. A. Blakston. 



MODEEN BEE-MANAGEMENT. 



The man who reforms abuses or who makes decided improve- 

 ments in any industry may truly be regarded as a public bene- 

 factor. Whoever improves upon any system generally gets his 

 share of abuse ; but if he has the courage in the face of sneer 

 and sarcasm to keep steadily on in the path of common sense 

 and duty, he will in the end be sure to have a large number of 

 followers. When a man stands before the world advocating a 

 system which he has thoroughly tested, he does so with confi- 

 dence, at the same time knowing that he is laying himself open 

 to criticism ; this he does not shun. 



When anyone thus comes forward, and plainly aud clearly sets 

 forth his views, and attacks long-seated custom and deep-rooted 

 prejudice, he is certain to have a swarm about his ears. We all 

 know how hard a matter it is to batter down the walls of prejudice. 

 " My father did so and so. What was good enough for him is good 

 enough for me." "My mother used the brimstone rag; if she 

 had not done so we should have had bees enough to have stocked 

 a kingdom. I want none of your new-fangled notions ; " and so 

 thousands of valuable lives have been destroyed for want ofja 

 little knowledge. Some years ago, in many parts, it was not 

 thought possible that bees in straw hives could be deprived of 

 their honey without destroying them. Another idea deeply 

 stamped upon the old bee-keeper's mind was that if you could 

 take the honey, the bees would die of starvation. Feeding aud 

 uniting were not thought of, or if so, deemed impracticable. 

 These ideas had to be assailed, aud combated with common- 

 sense arguments resting upon practical experience. Who would 

 sound the charge, come to the front, do battle for the humane 

 system, and advocate a different method without materially 

 augmenting the expense ? Was there a man who would come 

 forward and do this ? Yes. We have that man in Mr. Pettigrew, 

 who has a larger following than perhaps he himself is aware of. 

 When he published his " Handy Book of Bees " he let in a flood 

 of '.ight upon many rural districts; the walls of prejudice have 

 cruiabled before it; destroying bees is going out of fashion; 

 many bee-keepers of the old type are using their small straw 

 hives M super-covers, and are adopting the large hives. 



I have tried almost everything that Mr. Pettigrew has re- 

 commended in the second part of his book, and have found all 

 practicable and easy— artificial swarming, driving, the use of 

 surplus queens, itc. There is this merit in the book — that it is 

 written for the " benefit of those who are entirely ignorant of 

 the subject on which it treats." So plainly and clearly is the 

 subject treated on, that anyone with nerve, without any other 

 teaching, may manipulate his hives; swarm, drive, or spoon his 

 bees to his heart's content. 



Far be it from me to disparage wood and fancy hives ; but the 

 price alone would deter mauy from keeping bees if they had to 

 purchase these costly boxes. The straw hive is within the reach 

 of most people ; and now that Mr. Pettigrew has made it clear 

 tliat it can be so easily handled, I doubt not that his system of 

 management will bo gradually extended throughout the length 

 aud breadth of the laud. It we want pure run honey, or if we 

 want beautiful supers, we can get them from straw hives as well 

 as from the most expensive boxes. An old bee-keeper told mo 

 that if he had known of Mr. Pettigrew's system before, "it 

 would have been pounds in his pocket." — J. Oliver, Hartiiigton, 

 Derbyshire. 



THE BEE-KEEPEE'S CALENDAR FOE MARCH. 



Mr. B. — I have taken your advice, and bought a couijle of 

 stocks of bees. The hives are rather small and old-fashioned in 

 shape, but no others could be found on sale in our neighbourhood. 



Mr. P. — If the stocks are in good condition, they will be ready 

 to swarm early in May, when the swarms could be put into hives 

 not only of greater size and symmetry, but more suitable as 

 habitations for bees and storehouses for their honey. In May 

 and June every bee-keeper may transfer his bees into any kind 

 of hive he may prefer, and do it without making any sacrifice. 

 By-and-by you will see how simple and advantageous the j)ro- 

 cess is of ridding our apiaries of hives that are unsuitable in 

 shape and materials, and giving to the bees houses that afford 

 them space for their breeding powers and the accumulations of 

 their industry. Meanwhile, let us examine the hives you have 

 bought. Lift them gently off their boards, and turn them up, 

 so that we can see in what condition they are. 



Me. B. — I would not venture to turn them up for twice their 

 cost — the bees would sting me to death if I did. 



Mr. p. — Oh, no ! If the hives are healthy, the bees will not 

 at this season stir much before we shall have seen whether they 

 have bees and honey enough. Let me turn up the first one, and 

 please to notice how easily and quietly it can be done. Do you 

 see the bees sitting closely among the combs in the centre of 

 the hive '? This Mve contains wiiat is technically called four 

 seams of bees — that is, four lots of bees may be seen, each about 

 the size or breadth of a tea-cup saucer, and separated by three 

 combs. This hive is apparently a good one, and in an ordinary 

 season it will swarm early in May. Now, Mr. B., please to turn 

 up the other hive, that we may see whether it is in as good con- 

 dition as this. 



Mr. B. — I never saw bees handled aud looked at in that way, 

 aud I am astonished that they have not punished you for dis- 

 turbing them. I suppose I shall have to manipulate my hives 

 sometimes, and therefore may as well begin now. 



Mr. p. — The combs in this (second) hive are very black, and 

 it contains only three seams of bees — it is not equal in value to 

 the other one. But let us examine them more minutely. Here 

 is a bit of old corduroy roUed together; please to hold the end 

 of it against a red-liot cinder tUl it smokes. Now blow the 

 smoke into the hive we first lifted till you hear the bees making 

 a noise. Turn it up. See how the bees are running in all 

 directions. The smoke has mastered them. Blow a little more 

 on that cluster in the centre of the hive covering the brood. 

 Look ! I see two patches of sealed brood about the size of the 

 mouth of a tea-cup. These patches are at least ten days old, for 

 brood is always about nine or ten days old before it is sealed-up 

 or covered with lids. Doubtless there are in the hive eggs and 

 younger brood which we cannot see at present. These patches 

 of brood become larger and more numerous till they reach to the 

 extremities of the combs. 



Mit. B.— WeU, if I had not seen with my own eyes how hives 

 can be handled and examined with ease and safety, I would 

 hardly have believed it possible to do so. How peaceable the 

 bees are ! Here is a comb with larger cells than the rest ; aud 

 on the edge of the comb against it I see two cells quite different 

 in form from all the rest — are these royal cells 1 



Mr. p. — Yes, that is drone comb, and these are queen cells. 

 I am glad, Mr. B., that you have already so much courage as to 

 examine for yourself. By examining your hives thus every now 

 and then you wUl soon understand the mysteries of bee-keeping, 

 and become an expert in the manipulation aud management of 

 your hives. By using hberally the smoke from old corduroy or 

 fustian you may do anything you like with your bees. If they 

 ever become courageous while you are at work, give them an 

 extra dose of smoke, and this will take the courage and friski- 

 ness out of them. Give this hive a few puffs more, and then 

 carry it round the garden open aud exposed, while I get some 



