232 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Marcli 12, 1874. 



pull than common. "We have always found it quite safe to put a cock hack 

 when the wounds were quite healed, but not while any trace of them re- 

 mained. As a rule it is principally done by one hen. We advise you to watch 

 them or to have them watched. You will see, after they ore fed and have 

 satisfied their hun-jer, one of them will stai-e abont without any apparent 

 object, and then walk deliberately to the cock, who will, if necessary, facilitate 

 operations by loweiing his head. It may be that two do it ; remove them 

 both ; if you do not, all the others will learn the habit. As it more frequently 

 arises from theii' inability to find something of which they stand in need thau 

 from mischief, it is as well to ti-y every remedy. The first will be to supply 

 them with a barrowload of bricklayers' mbbish ; the second to supply them, 

 daily if possible, with large sods of {^-owing grass cut with plenty of earth to 

 them, also to^ive all the garden nibbish, refuse green food, path-sweepings, &c. 

 They are clever at tindin;^' food among these thinsy, and they keep them 

 employed. It all these fa;l, you most allow the cocks to run with them for a 

 couple of hours only in the morning, and then remove them till the nest day. 

 It is a habit they forget after a time. 



Turkey on Cojimon Hen's Eggs (Turkey Hen).— There is no difficulty 

 in sitting Turkeys on fowl's eggs. One will cover twenty-four or thirty. Hen 

 Turkeys sit well, but they are the worst possible mothers. If you want to 

 real' table poulti-y you wlU not require theii' help. There is no mistake so 

 great as to hatch all your chickens at the same time. This is the cause of 

 the common complaint in country houses— that they have nice tender poultry 

 for a couple of months, and then not an eatable fowl. In a very short time it 

 will be the number, not the lack, of broody hens that will annoy you. We 

 know not what your consumption is, but say you wish to have six fowls 

 weekly for table purposes. To be sure of the number put down now three 

 hens on thirteen eggs each. They will come out early in April. They will be 

 fit for the table in August. Put down the same number in April; they will 

 be tit in September, and so on, providing for each month. In July you may 

 put down a larger number, as chickens do not amvo at maturity or grow as 

 fast in the winter months. You will find this a simple and easy metliod; and 

 if you will be caieful to kill off one brood before you begin another, you will 

 never be disappointed in the quality of your poultry. 



Brahma Plumage (E. C). — The Brahma cock entirely black and brown is 

 not a pure Brahma. The only brown that can be allowed in a Brahma cock 

 is one or two brown feathers on the wing. They are better without even 

 these. They will never moult them out. From your description none of 

 those you mention arc worth keeping. It would seem as though they had 

 some Cochin blood in them. 



Fowls with Ducks {Julius). — It is always considered bad work to keep 

 Ducks and fowls together in a confined space. We advise you to give up the 

 Spanish and to keep Brahmas only, giving the hen-house and run at the end 

 of the garden where they can have grass. You may keep which Duck you 

 like, but only one. Let them have the small space. You may keep the 

 Pigeons where you like, as they will roost above the other birds, and are fond 

 of perching high. 



Buckwheat (AI. B.). — Buckwheat or brank may be obtained of any London 

 agricultural seedsman. It is grown in the eastern counties of England, and 

 would grow in Yorkshire. 



Dorchester Poultry Show.— Mr. E. Martin, of Trethowel, St. Austell, 

 was commended for Black Ecds, and was second for Duckwings, and not Mr.' 

 Martin, of Sculthorpe. 



Bromley Poultry Show.— Mr. C. W. Gedney, Hon. Sec. of this Show, 

 writes to us that we charged him and those associated with him as being 

 swindlers; then that we "manufactured a series of paragraphs," stated that 

 the managers connived at theft, that they gulled and swindled the exhibitors, 

 and palmed off upon them a prize card at one shilling each. All that we have 

 published were ?)r>H'(-,/i(i»: letters from correspondents and our reporter; and 

 as we do not know Mr. Gedney, so certainly we never attributed to him dis- 

 honesty ; and what our contributors have written was directed against instances 

 of mismanagement in the Show. 



Pigeons in Canada.— Mi-. Herbert, of Ottawa, writes:— "I sent £2 to 

 W. Crook, of Swansea, who advertised in our Journal. I have heaid nothing 

 of money or Pigeons since I sent the money. May 9th. In November I sent 

 to H. Yardley for two pairs of High-flying Tumblers, for which I paid 33s.. 

 they arrived here in good condition; they can fly about as well as tame 

 Ducks." 



Pigeon Trap (W. Raiidall). — If you mean one to keep your own Pigeons 

 in as you may wish, there is a fair sketch of one in ''Bison's Dovecote," 

 page 88. 



Bees Eating Roasted Bibds (R. P., Subscrih€r).—Yoii say that "there is 

 no mistake whatever about giving bees roasted span-owa to eat, and that the 

 bees do eat them;" yet you say you have "not seen them do so yourself, nor 

 have you ever taken the trouble to give your bees such food." Now we must 

 confess ourselves to be altogether sceptical on the subject. Such food is 

 wholly unsuited to bees, and foreign to their nature. But our advice to you 

 is, Try yourself whether or no roasted sparrows will feed bees; "seeing is 

 believing." If you find they devour them up let us know, and we will try 

 the evidence of our own senses on the subject. As we are at present utterly 

 incredulous, and believe that stones are as suitable food for En^disb men as 

 roasted sparrows for Irish bees, we feel indisposed to give our cook the trouble 

 of preparing this unusual bee-food, and running the risk of oar sons taking 

 out a commiesion against us de lutuUifo ingiiirendo. The trial will do your 

 bees no harm, for their own sagacity will save them from any risk of danger 

 in that direction. 



Stocks of Bees Dead (A Young Beginner). — It is dilficultto say positively 

 why your bees have died. But most probably they lost their queen last 

 summer, if they have not suffered from foul brood, or been unable to get out 

 ol doors through tho choking-up of the entrances. Starvation is out of the 

 question this mild winter, as they had sovei-al puunds of honey in each hive. 



Bee-keeper's Dress— Hivb Vabnished- Management (A Moiimouth- 

 shire Lady Bcc-kctiKv). — We really know of no better material than leno for 

 a bee-dress. Anything which confines the au* must needs be hot, but leno is 

 as good as anything for the pui-pose. We feai- you must submit to the incon- 

 venience from which we ourselves have often suffered. By all means scrape 

 off the vai-nish if there is any smell, or else your bees will make to thomselvus 

 wings and fly away, especially your swarms. Fresh paint is equally bad. We 

 never think of using anything but the native wood or straw, taking care to 

 cover well. Your bees will doubtless often find then- way in by the side open- 

 ing you speak of, but you mi-^'ht keep them out by means of a veil of leno, 

 which would withstand a considerable current of air. Now is the vei? best 

 time to shift your bees if they are actually in the observatory hive, but it will 



hardly do a week later. If it is now tenantless we should prefer to wait for a 

 swarm to hive in it in May. By all means keep a thick cloth or liannel cover 

 over your glass hive. Bees will work in the light, but it is not their custom, 

 and, besides, it is important to prevent the escape of as much warmth as 

 possible. In shifting hives as you propose, with aviewto artificial swarming, 

 it is advisable to have your stocks as far apart as you can, else they will often 

 disappoint you by the bees going into the wrong hives. No doubt you could 

 raise an " artificial queen " in your glass hive, but we should prefer to raise 

 her in some other stock. Obser^'atory hives are good for little else but obser- 

 vation. WTien searching for the queen you may shift it on one side as you 

 propose ; but the queen is not looked for in the open air. 



Pettigrew's Hives {T. C. H.). — Mr. Pettigrew's hives are round with flat 

 tops, 16 and 18 inches wide, and 12 inches deep, sides perpendiculai-. The 

 holes in the centre of their crowns for supering are 4 inches wide, and the 

 doors on the flight boards are 4 inches wide and 1 inch high. Four and five 

 cross sticks are put in each hive. 



Wearing a Bee-dress {Bcutcn hut not DUmayed). — In examining hives 

 Mr. Pettigrew never wears a bee-dress. In siunmer, or when the bees are 

 actively at work, it is necessary to use smoke from fustian rags in all examina- 

 tions and operations. By using plenty of smoke the most timid and inex- 

 perienced bee-keeper may become courageous and expert in the most difficult 

 operations of bee-management. The removal of the hive from the board does 

 not hinder honey-gathering. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London, 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. Q^ 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



REMARKS, 



4th. — Rather dull morning, and till noon, then pleasant, though not much, sun. 



5th.— Another thick morning, but a very pleasant day, at times very bright, 

 and vei7 little wind. 



6th. — Slightly damp in the morning, but soon cleared off, and very bright by 

 noon. A remarkably fine "mackerel" sky just before sunset ; during 

 the day the sun was hot, but the wind cold. 



7th. — Wliitc frost in morning, but followed by a beautiful spring-like day. 



8th. — Fair but foggy early ; a very fine bright day, but with a cold wind and 

 rapidly falling barometer. 



9th. — Slight rain in early morning, dark and snowing before noon for more 

 than an houi-, bat not remaiuing on the ground; after that fine, but 

 snow again in the evening, and which rt-mained all night. 

 10th.— Very bright morning, hut heavy snow before noou, and still heavier in 

 the afternoon. A complete wintry day ; the snow fell very thickly, some 

 " snowballs " fell, and some of the fiakes of ordinary snow were un- 

 usually largo ; bright star-lit night. 



Temperature about 4^ lower than last week, the 10th being very cold, ground 

 covered with snow. — G. J. Svmons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Mabch 11. 

 We have no alterations here worth fjuoting, tho general business of th© 

 markets being very little influenced by any increase of business or other 

 causes. Large stocks of Potatoes are on hand, both at the depots and elsewhere. 



d. 8. d. 

 Oto2 6 

 





 20 







Apples 4 sieve 1 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries T--*- lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



Currants i sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 1 1 



Cobs lb. 1 1 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse. . . . lb. 2 7 



Lemons *^ 100 4 12 



Melons each 



Mulberries ^ lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges ^100 4 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 2 



dessert doz. 3 



Pine Apples lb. 4 



Plums 4 sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Kaspberries lb. 



Strawberries '^\h. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



ditto ^100 2 



B. d. a. d. 

 OtoO 

 





 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus li^-lOO 4 8 



French 18 25 



Beans, Kidney.... ^c 103 2 



Beet.Red doz 10 8 



Broccoli bundle 9 16 



Cabbage doz. 10 16 



Capsicums t^*- 100 



Carrots bunch 6 



Cauliflower doz. 3 6 



Celery bundle 16 2 



Coleworta, . doz. bunches 2 6 4 



Cucumbers each 10 2 6 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 2 



Fennel bunch 8 



Garlic lb. 6 



Herbs bunch 3 



Horseradish bundle 3 4 



Leeka bunch 8 



Lettuce doz. 10 4 



VEGETABLES. 



d. s.d. 



0to6 



8 



25 







Mushrooraa pottle 1 



Mustard & Cress. .pumiet 



Onions buahel 4 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 4 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 3 



Kidney do. 



Round do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 1 



Rhubarb bundle 9 



Salsafy bundle 1 6 



Savoys doz. 1 



Scorzoncra bundle 1 



Sea-kale basket I 



Shallots lb. 3 



Spinach bushel 2 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 8 



Vegetable Marrows «•..•■ 



d. B. d. 



0to2 

 2 



