40 



JOURNAL OP HORTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



(IJnly 8, 18;6. 



ends. In an instant the bees ont of the hive comprehend their 

 situation, and tly about the hive and rot to their lighting place. 

 The same is true if a tin-pail, the light basket, or other re- 

 ceptacle has been used to bring the bees to the hive when 

 placed on the ground, or other plan has been used to hive them. 

 Now, immediately take out the hiving cloth from beneath the 

 hive, and adjust the hive in its permanent shape or height, or 

 other place and form it ia to have. 



Reader, the process I have described is often done by me, 

 so that in twenty minutes from the emergence of the swarm 

 the whole has been completed ; and rarely does it take over 

 thirty or forty minutes. And its advantages are that it gives 

 the bees no time to be angry, saves your own time and care, 

 and ia such that you, as I, can do it alone, without the least 

 assistance. 



5th, Remember to shade the new hive from the sun until the 

 hatched brood is in the new combs. Last summer friend said, 

 "See here, doctor, these two hives are deserted with some 

 combs in them." I said they were not shaded. He replied, 

 " Yea, they are ; see these two boards on the west side of them." 

 There were two small boards, but quite out from under a peach 

 tree they stood, with the unobstructed broiling sun from the 

 west of a hot afternoon blazing on them. Shade effectually all 

 new-hived swarms. — [Germantown Telegraph ) 



[Let me here say that Dr. Parker cannot speak too strongly 

 in pointing out the folly of making noises from horns and tin 

 kettles to prevent bees from going off. Such noises do no good 

 whatever, and may do some harm. Bees in a swarm follow the 

 noise they themselves make; and all such sounds as come from 

 bells, horns, and kettles tend to confuse and confound bees in 

 swarming. The doctor ia quite right in saying that swarms 

 seldom go 200 feet from their old stand. 



We think he is wrong in saying that if beea are hived as 

 soon as they alight on a tree they may not know that they 

 are hived. ■ They are not so stupid, and know well when they 

 are comfortably housed and protected. Generally speaking, we 

 let the bees of a swarm alight' and cluster, and speedily shake 

 them into a hive, and place the board over them for about half 

 a minute; then turn the hive over in its natural position. All 

 this is done in less than five minutes. A platform erected or a 

 table placed near for the swarm to stand on is quite unnecessary 

 in this country. If a swarm alights ou a high branch of a tree 

 the branch is cut and let down, and hived with the swarm — that 

 is, the hive is placed over the swarm. If the branch cannot be 

 out, the swarm should be hived aloft, covered with a cloth, and 

 let down.— A. P.] 



have combs in which to deposit their burdens of pollen they will not carry 

 them out of the hive or drop them on the board. 



Canaries Turned into a Room iA Constant Readtr). — The tnriiing of 

 the two-months-old birds into a room wtinld sooner tend to increase their 

 Bong than otherwise, and the birds would become strnnger thereby, especially if 

 suppUtd with a daily bath. The change would not prevent tbemagaio siouing 

 when ca;^ed off in the winter. But why cage them off in the winter ? They 

 would do as well in a room during winter as in Bummer. Keep the old birds 

 in cages, for, nidike the youug of this season, they will have to cast the whole 

 of their feathers, wings and tails included, whereas the young birds will only 

 throw off their body feathers. If old and young were kept together the ap- 

 pearance of the quills shooting forth about tbe wings and shoulders of the 

 old birds might induce the young to draw blood. The habit once commenced 

 would become troublesome, and the mutilation would very much distigure the 

 birds. Nothing but parting them would cure the mischief, but *' prevention 

 is better than cure." Where you have not space at your command to keep 

 ola and young separate you must keep the room in a state of semi-darkness, 

 especially during the time tbe birds are moulting. This ia best done by 

 covering up the window with a cloth, leaving just sufficient light for the birds 

 to find their food. It will not prevent them singing, for they will soon 

 become used to the darkness. 



Tarragon Vinegar (Alicia). — Take some tarragon; dry it in the snn, 

 and then put it into a jar which Gil with vinegar. Let it infuse for a fort- 

 night, then draw it off, express all the liquid from the dregs, and filter the 

 whole ; bottle it, cork tightly, and keep in a cool place. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Age of Chickens (Puzcled). — The age of cbickena exhibited depends 

 mnch on the time of year when the exhibition ia held. Tlie age of cbickens 

 IB not connted by the time that bas elapsed since they were hatcbeJ, but tbey 

 are, altboueb hatcheJ durinf^ the first week in January, chickens till the 

 fcIlowlnR New Year's-day. Thus, in November, in the class for " chickens 

 of 1875," there maybe two pens side by side, one hatched in <TuneQve mouthe, 

 and one batched in January eleven months ohl ; both equally eligible, but tbe 

 oldest have all tbe advantai^e. lu tbe old days of csbibiiinc; a pen consiated 

 of a cock and two bens. If you were to write to a dealer for a pen of fowls 

 he would not send you less than three hens or pullets, perhaps foar. Tbe 

 Bath and West of Enjjland Show is always held in June. 



Deformed Comb (H. B.). — Your cock bas that which is called a lop comb* 

 It is a very seri mu defect if tbe bird is wanted for exhibition. It amounts 

 almost to a disqualification. It is of no importance if the bird is used 

 merely as a domestic fowl and food-provider. Sometimes a comb will fall 

 over, especially in theflpriog and summer, from sheer development, the result 

 of good keep and condition, and afterwards, when the cold weather sets in, 

 it will shrink and nhrivel, and resume its former shape. This is, however, 

 only an exception. If you wish to breed perfect or exhibition birds you will 

 not do so with him. A defect is generally hereditary. If, as yon say, te bas 

 no other fault, you should find a ready sale for him; he is probably worth 

 12s. or 14,s. 



Docks CaANaiNG Colour {Tarpa\. — Ducka of unqaestioned purity during 

 many generations, belonging to a black breed, never become suddenly white. 

 Degeneracy from interbreeding shows itself by occasional white feathers, then 

 white spotp, at last by a pied plumage. " No Duck becomes suddealy white." 

 If such a thing should occur it would happen only to one, it could not be tbe 

 case with a number. On the other hand, if there be a bad drop in one of the 

 parents, if at some time or other one of tbe progenitors formed a vu}saUiaucf 

 and contorted with a white Duck, the produce, although themselves perfectly 

 black, may at times have a white descendant. It is a very rare event, and 

 occurs only ju**t often enough to show there is a Nemesis for thoee who 

 dicta^ie to or play with nature. We have always been grateful that we read 

 the very useful paper in the Spectator, wherein the reputation for depth of 

 cbaraiiter and great knowledge was gained for Sir Rn^er de Coverley by a 

 certain shake of the head, and wLeu referred to on a knotty case, faying, as 

 Chairman of (Quarter Sessions, " Gentlemen, there is much to be said on both 

 sides of tbe question." We echo his opinion; but, we think all the Ducks of 

 the same colour are veiy nearly related. 



ScPERiNG {Triceps). — The slits between your nadir and top hive are too 

 narrow for the loaded bees to pass through. Some of tbe pellets on their 

 legs are knocked off while tbe bees are attempting to pass through the slits, 

 and some of the bees wander about, going in and out with tbe pollen on their 

 legs, not knowing what to do with it. Remove tbe zinc with the slits, and 

 let the beea have a free open passage between hive and hive, and they will not 

 be found leavuig their hive with yellow balls on their thighs. When bees 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Caudbn Sqc&rb, London. 

 Lat. 61o 82' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 

 30th.— Dull but fair till 2 p.m., from which time till 5.30 frequent showara 



(some of them heavy) ; fair afterwards. 

 July let. — Showery all day; rather liner towards the evening; and a starlit 

 night. 

 2nd. — Fine all day, but still not warm for the time of year. 

 Srd. — Wet morning, and showejy all day; thunder at 8.40 p.m. and for some 



time after; finer towards the evening. 

 4th. — Wet early, but cleared up before 10 a m., still rather doll till 5 p.m.; 



very fine tbe rest of tbe evening, 

 5th. — Fine all day, but rather cloudy between 5 and 8.30 p.m. 

 6th. — Another very fine day, though still cool ; very clear at night. 

 A cool summer week, with heavy rain in the earlier part. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Joly 7. 

 We have now a very full aupply, of soft fruit in particular, which in bnlk 

 is selliog low. Hothouae Grapes and Pines have also experienced a con- 

 siderable decline. 



FRUIT. 



B. d. 8. d. 



Apples k eieve OtoO 



Apricots box 16 4 



Cherries lb. 6 16 



Chestnuts bushel 



Currants j sieve 2 8 



Black do. 2 6 3 C 



Figs dozen 8 12 



Filberts lb. 



Cubs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 4 6 



Grapes, hothouse.... lb. 2 6 8 



Lemons ^100 8 12 



Melons each 2 5 



Malberries lb. 



Necarines dozen 



Oranges ^100 8 



Peaches dozen 



Pears, kitchen.... dozen 



dessert dozen 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums t sieve 



Quinces dozen 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts buahel 



ditto q^-ioo 



vegetables. 

 d. 8. d. 

 0to6 



Artichokes dozen 



Asparagus %»■ 100 4 



French bundle 



Bean-*. Kidney T^ 100 2 



Br.iart bushel 6 



Beet, Red dozen 2 



Brticcoli bundle 9 



Brussels Sprouts j sieve 



Cablmge dozen 1 



Carrots bunch 6 



Capsicums V 100 



Cauliflower dozen 3 



Celery.. bundle 16 2 



Cidcworts.. doz. bunches 2 4 | 



Cucumbers each 6 10 



pickling dozen 



Endive dozen 2 



Fennel bunch 3 



Garlic lb. 6 



Herbs bunch 3 



Horseradish .... bundle 4 











t) 





 4 



1 6 

 



2 

 8 

 

 6 



Leeks bunch 



Letluce dozen 



Musbrooma pottle 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 

 unions busbel 



pickling quart 



Parsley.,., doz. bunches 



Parsnips dozen 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Ra hsbes.. doz. bunches 



Kbubarb bundle 



Salsafy bundle 



Scorzunera bundle 



Seakale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes dozen 



Turnipa bunch 



Vegetable Marrows. .doz. 



