Jaly 15, 1875. 1 



JOURNAL OF HORTIOULTUBB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



61 



of a gentleman in the city of Durham, who also prided himself 



iu exhibiting (about the Bame period) some exceedingly line 

 specimens of the Goldfinch and Canary Mules. 



Sixteen or eighteen years ago All-England Bird Shows were 

 not known much of, but still at the earliest of them the Belgian 

 Canary always held a prominent position; but of late years tho 

 Norwich Canary having come so much into favour, and being 

 generally cheaper than Belgian birds, breeders of the latter kind 

 have become few and far between. 



Most of the choicest Belgian Canaries are annually imported 

 by dealers and others into this country from Belgium. The high 

 prices asked place them beyond the reach of most fanciers. The 

 consequence is they are more scarce than other kinds, are less 

 robust in constitution, and even when some enthusiastic specu- 

 lator with " Belgian on the brain " loosens his purse strings 

 and sets himself up with a pair of high-class birds, ten to one he 

 may at the end of the breeding season have nothing to gratify 

 him beyond a solitary specimen to recoup him for his outlay, 

 and he may think himself fortunate if he succeeds in nursing 

 the old or parent birds through the moulting sickness. 



The expense and trouble of breeding and rearing is a drawback 

 to the Belgian fancy, but I have always considered that there 

 is more credit to the fancier who can breed, exhibit, and win, 

 than to those who have to purchase stock year after year for ex- 

 hibition purposes. 



The best breeders iu Belgium promote principally the breed- 

 ing of clear birds, not favouring so much those marked or 

 variegated, which are produced through crossing-in with dark- 

 feathered birds of inferior blood. It is only occasionally that 

 even-marked or variegated birds are found to possess the essen- 

 tial Belgian points which characterise clear birds. Not so, how- 

 ever, with those dubbed or known as ticked Belgians, many of 

 which are equally as good in points as clear birds ; in fact, the 

 ticked birds are invariably bred from clear stock. As with 

 Norwich birds, ticked or marked specimens will now and then 

 crop up ; but in breeding Norwich birds the practice of crossing- 

 in with the green is very common. It is done chiefly for up- 

 holding colour. 



Were it not that at many shows the classes for Belgian birds 

 are much less patronised than other kinds there would, as for 

 the Norwich breeds, be six classes wherein the birds could be 

 entered — viz., two for clear, two for ticked, and two for even- 

 marked. In some instances the clear and ticked classes are 

 combined; and in other cases, where committees have to "cut 

 according to the cloth," the Belgian birds are included in one 

 class — thus, " For the best Belgian bird." 



No intending bird-breeder should commence the Belgian fancy 

 without having made himself master of the ins and outs of the 

 practical management of other kinds of Canaries. Having so 

 fortified himself he will be more competent to manage them. 

 Belgian birds, being of a delicate breed, should not be handled 

 more than is absolutely necessary — such, for instance, as clip- 

 ping their claws, which should not be allowed to grow into a 

 sickle shape, and also for otherwise keeping them from becoming 

 crippled through being clog-footed. The compartments or cages 

 in which they should be kept should be of good size. Belgian 

 Canaries are very easily taught to run from one cage to another 

 by the aid of a small wand or cane, which should be held over 

 their heads, ever directing them to the doorplace through which 

 it is intended they should make their exit. Such lessons should, 

 if possible, be taught them during their youth, and always 

 during the daytime. 



Yellow Belgian birds generally are more racy in appearance 

 than Buff birds, but they are apt to be a little more faulty ; for 

 although possessing smaller heads, thinner necks, and being 

 better braced-up in feathers, still they show more hoUowness 

 betwixt the shoulders, and are often disfigured with tails in- 

 clined to project outwards instead of dropping in close proximity 

 to the perch, and the half-circle being continued from the 

 shoulders down the back to the end of the tail. I look at the 

 above defect as a grave one in a Belgian bird, and the heavy 

 shoulders somewhat lose effect unless thorough Belgian position 

 and form predominate. The mere fact of a heavy-backed bird 

 balancing itself upon its stilts is not good enough for the eyes of 

 a thoroughly qualified judge of Belgians. — Geo. J. Barnesby. 



the nest in which she had deposited her own egg, having crept 

 into a faggot for the purpose from which she could not return. 



While on natural history, I may just mention that I have seen 

 it stated with authority that Starlings do not eat fruit. I have 

 known a large Cherry tree with at least a hundredweight of 

 Cherries upon it, cleared in a single morning before I had taken 

 my breakfast by flocks of Starlings. They attack the Cherry 

 trees in countless thousands for their fruit. — J. Gabb, M.B.C.S.E. 



THE CUCKOO. 



With regard to " our friend the Cuckoo," without question- 

 ing his friendship or utility, allow me to inform you and your 

 readers who are desirous of information on the subject that he 

 does eat birds' eggs ; that whilst birds' eggs are to be found they 

 are his main food ; that as these become scarce he takes to less 

 dainty diet ; that I have when a lad, fond of birds'-nesting, found 

 him more than once in the act of eating the eggs; and that he 

 is not over-particular as to their freshness, having no objection 

 to the chickens in them. It is a curious fact that the female 

 Cuckoo does not eat the eggs from the nest in which she deposits 

 her own. I never found more than one Cuckoo's egg in a nest 

 with other eggs, bat I once found a female Cuckoo dead upon 



DARI. 



A QUESTION was asked a week or two ago by one of your cor- 

 respondents. What is dari, and where can it be procured ? I 

 have anxiously looked for a reply, but all I have seen — i.e., Mr. 

 Elgar's letter, only tells as to its value and effect. Will someone 

 say where it can be bought ? No corn-chandler about here 

 knows anything of it. — H. G. W. 



[This is Indian millet, and ought to be procurable of any corn 

 merchant.] 



BEES IN lEELAND. 

 I, IN compliance with request from "B. &W." in your last 

 week's number, forward a report of my bees for this season up 

 to 1st July, and you will see that word for word it agrees with 

 "B. &W.'s" experience. I may be permitted to say that anything 

 signed with the above initials I have a high appreciation for, 

 as the matter comes from an experienced apiarian, at least so I 

 judge, without in the least knowing who " B. & W." may be. 



REPORT OF BEES. 



Locality, Co. Wicklow. 



Pasturage, grazing land, with abundance of white clover and 

 splendid lime trees. 



Stocks, all unusually strong in ten frame hives. 



Weather, cold and wet during May and June, with bright daya 

 at intervals. 



Honey, not an ounce in the supers, and hives as a rule light. 

 By same date last year I had over 100 lbs. weight in supers, and 

 hives all full. 



I find that an early and dry summer is the best for honey- 

 gathering, as although the fields are now white with clover, the 

 bees either do not gather it with the same industry, or else it 

 is not so plentiful in showery weather as during a long spell of 

 hot dry weather. — E. Walpole, jun. 



THE BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



Will hold their second great Exhibition of bees and their 

 produce, hives, and bee furniture, and honey fair, at the Crystal 

 Palace, Sept. 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 1875. The schedule is com- 

 prehensive and the prizes are liberal. There are classes for 

 hives, bees, honey, cottagers, comestibles, &c. 



Honey F-ur. — In addition to the prize exhibition, a distinct 

 counter will be appropriated for the exhibition and sale of honey 

 in comb and in glasses, and in this department sales will be 

 permitted and goods delivered at all times during the Show. 

 The Association will provide salesmen. All money must be 

 paid through the hands of the clerk in attendance, and will be 

 afterwards accounted for, less Id. in each shilling for commis- 

 sion. Every exhibit at the sale counter must have distinctly 

 marked on it the weight and the price, which must include the 

 package which contains it. The Association wUl not undertake 

 to break bulk. 



No exhibit entered for competition will be allowed to be re- 

 moved until the close of the Show. 



Every intending exhibitor must register his name with a fee 

 of one shilling (which shall be the entry-fee for one exhibit iu 

 any class) by September Ist; any additional number of entries 

 may be afterwards made on or before September 15th on pay- 

 ment of an additional fee of one shilling each. The amount of 

 counter space that will be required for the exhibits must also be 

 stated. 



Each exhibitor and member may have a ticket of free entry 

 to the Show on application to the Hon. Sec. prior thereto. 

 Donations in aid of the prize fund will be thankfully received. — 

 John Hunter, Hon. Sl'c, Eaton Mise, Ealinr/, Middlesex. 



ITALIAN SWITZERLAND. 



In my rambles last summer I visited the Lago Maggiore, and 

 made a short stay in the Canton of Tessin. I hoped to hava 

 gained much information relative to bees, but not understand- 

 ing Italian I could do but little among the natives. I found out, 

 however, that the demand for Italian bees was a good thing for 

 the bee merchants. " Mercanti d'api," as they are called, who, 

 I soon learnt, carried sharp stings. I do not know that this pro- 

 pensity is confined altogether to that part of the world, for even 

 here in England the rival authorities on bees like to sting each 

 other at times. 



