310 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ September 30, 187f 



to witness the event wlien it takes place unfler the normal 

 conditions of the hive. That they do fight and destroy each 

 other was demonstrated by Huber, and his views are corro- 

 borated by a practical bee-keeper and accurate observer, Mr. 

 E. Golding, who describes the combat which he witnessed, the 

 clergyman of the parish being also present. The account ia 

 given in the shilling bee-book, a valuable little manual, now 

 unfortunately out of print. At the same time it is remarkable 

 that a disabled queen never has the appearance of suffering and 

 distortion which the workers when stung exhibit. May it be 

 that the venom from a queen's sting is of a less acute nature, 

 or does the constitution of a queen resist to some extent the 

 virus of the poison? 



That a princess at liberty does destroy other princesses in 

 their cells was also proved by Huber, and I have witnessed the 

 process in an observatory hive from which the old queen had 

 led a swarm. Having no intention of swarming again, the bees 

 permitted the first-hatched princess to open the side of the 

 remaining royal cell. Its destruction occupied about two hours, 

 the bees around offering no opposition, and when the immature 

 young queen was fully exposed the victor retired, leaving the 

 workers to remove the royal nymph. 



It is agreed by apiarians that one queen only is allowed to 

 remain in a hive, but that to this rule there are exceptions, 

 apparently when the old queen is superannuated and ceases 

 to lay eggs. My impression has always been that super- 

 numerary queens have been disposed of before the reigning 

 sovereign takes her flight. But this year my observations in 

 regard to this fact have puzzled me, and perhaps some of your 

 apiarian readers may be able to solve the mystery. I will 

 explain the difficulty. 



Number 4 hive was determined to swarm with its young 

 queens. Its owner was determined they should stay at home, 

 and after each attempt returned the swarm the same evening, 

 capturing the queens, which were required for other purposes. 

 When this was no longer necessary the next swarm was kept 

 off one night and one day, the result being that two mature 

 queens and two royal nymphs not arrived at maturity were 

 cast out. This was evidently the clearance of supernumeraries. 

 Four days afterwards the young queen took her flight, the same 

 the day following, when she returned with the evidence of 

 fecundation. Next day about noon there was some crowding 

 and sensation at the mouth of the hive, and a fresh good queen 

 was brought out just dead. It was equally inexplicable that 

 the healthy young queen of the previous day should have died, 

 or that another queen should have existed after the ejection 

 of the two nymphs; and there was no unusual excitement or 

 distress apparent in the bees. Two days after a fertile queen 

 was presented, and left in a cage forty-eight hours, and then 

 admitted to the hive. As nothing was seen of the queen alive 

 or dead the following day, it was supposed she had been grate- 

 fully welcomed, and here unfortunately the observations were 

 interrupted, and the hive removed; but a few days later a dead 

 queen was found on the ground under this hive, leading to the 

 inference that the throne had not been vacant nor her services 

 required. The hive is now in good condition, but I have not 

 had an opportunity of ascertaining if it contains brood. — A. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Vaeious (Dark Brahma). — No. 1 is the best feather. The yellow tinge 

 in No. 2 is very objectionable. When they sneeze you may give bread and 

 ale, and yoa may also pnt some camphor in their water. It is an excellent 

 thing at this time of year. Creve-Co?ars will not be confined by a fence 

 5 feet high. They are excellent layers, especially in winter, and their eggs 

 are large. Their chief merits are they do not sit and they will bear confine- 

 ment. 



FoTsxs Dying (A. B. O.)-— Tour fowls die of disease of the liver. Where 

 fowls are in low condition changes of temperature will cause it. The same 

 result will follow feeding on substances that are not sufficiently nutritious. 

 Potatoes frequently cause it ; we may say always where they form the prin- 

 cipal food. We wish you had stated what their food in. The grass run at 

 the back should do much towards keeping them healthy. Feed them on 

 barleymeal or ground oats slaked with water morning and evening. You may 

 give them whole com or household scraps at mid-day. Give no prepared food 

 of any kind, but confine yourself as closely aa possible to a natural diet. 



Errata. — In the article last week on " Cups and Entry Fees " read *' decep- 

 tive " for "acceptive," and "sop" for "loss," and in report of Stamford 

 Show read "raw" for "rare." 



Uttoxeter Show. — Mr. L. Norris, Trumpington House, Cambridge, had 

 two pens of pullets which were highly commended at the above Show. 



Bath Poultry Snow {Gi'iia). — We agree with you in applauding the Rev. 

 G. F. Hodgson for insisting that " an exhibiting reporter should have 'no 

 admittance ' until the conclusion of the judging." 



Keeping Pigeons (Anxious). — You can keep ten pairs in perfect condition 

 in a loft 13 feet 4 inches by S feet 6 inches, roof 9 feet high, and oven a few 

 more pairs if kept very clean. The best flooring is made of hot tar, over 

 which fine gravel should bo lifted. When cold another layer of each. We 

 know nothing impervious to rats. 



Mb. Woodbury (4.).— We do not know if any of his writings will ha re- 

 pubUshed. 



Hive Deficient in Honey (Welli/igton), — Your hive i^ like thousands of 

 other hivea in having no food for the winter. Give it 14 lbs. of sugar boiled 



in twelve pint.s of water as fast as the bees will take It— say four pints of 

 syrup every night. If the hive is healthy in other respects such treatment 

 will make it a strong good stock for next year. Commence at once to feed it. 

 Keeping Cock and Hen Canaries Together (A Suhicriher).^la a sufifi- 

 ciently .spacious aviary cage you miy keep a number of birds of both sexes 

 together all the winter, or at least until the turn of Cbristmi^, when those 

 for breeding purposes may be sorted out and the cock birds kept separate. 

 If you intend breeding with the birds the hens may ba kept together until 

 paiiiug time, when yuu can match them according to the 8tii':k you have and 

 as your fancy directs. Of course you would not think of pairing yellow birds 

 together. 



Preserving Unripe Figs (E. d- IF.).— Take some half-ripe figs, prick 

 them near the stalks, and blanch them. When half cold throw them into 

 cold water, and then drain them; boil some clarified sugar to perl^^. put in 

 the fi™8, and give thera three or four boils with the pan covered closely; then 

 take them from the fire, skim them well, and, having poured the whole into 

 a pan, set it in a stove for the night. The next day drain off the syrup 

 without removing the fruit, boil it up ten or a dozen times, and then pour 

 it on them when no more than lukewarm. On the ensuing day, having 

 drained off the syrup, boil it to graiule jierlc ; then add the figa, cover the 

 preserving pan closely, boil the whole up once, skim it well, and put it into 

 pots, &c., for use. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONB. 



Caudek Sqcabe, London. 

 Lat. GV 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude, 111 feet. 



REilARKS. 

 22nd. — Dull and dark nearly all day, and rainy after 7 p.m. 

 23rd.— Cloudy and dark all day ; heavy rain between 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. 

 21th.— Dull morning, rain before 10 A.M ; fine after part of the day; lightning 



at night. 

 ■25th.— Thuuierstorm heaviest about 1 A.M. ; a dull morning, but clearing off, 



and fiae afternoon and night. 

 26th. — Rather dull day; rain after 9 p.m.; wind rising, and very strong at 



midnight. 

 27th. — Fine at 8 a.m., rather dull forenoon ; fine in the afternoon, but the 



wind still very high ; and rain at night. 

 2Sth. — Showery all day, very heavy latn at times, bat fine and starlit between 



ten and midnight. 

 A dark, dull, cloudy week. Showers more or less heavy every day; very 

 little sun, and temperature in all cases, except the minima, 6- beloir that of 

 the preceding week. — G. J. Symons. 



OOVENT GARDEN MARKET.— SEPTEaiEER 29. 

 We have very little alteration to quote this week, except that the glut of 

 common fruit will soon be over. Jersey Grapea are now coming very poor, 

 but good samples of Dutch Hamburghs have taken their place, yet have not 

 prevented a slight recovery in value of English hothouse Grapes. Quotations 

 for Kent Cobs and Filberts are slightly lower this week. 



Apples i sieve 



Apricots. dozen 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 



Currants i sieve 



Black do. 



Figs dozen 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse. ... lb. 1 



Lemons 1^100 8 12 



Melons each 10 6 



I Nectarines dozen S 8 



! Oranges.. 



s. d. B. d. I s. d- s. d. 



1 Otol 6 I Malberries lb. 6tol 























6 



5 



5 







2 



9 



U 9 



%► 100 12 20 



Peaches dozen S 12 



Pears, kitchen.... dozen o 



dessert dozen 10" 



PineApples lb. 8 



Plums i sieve 1 



Quinces dozen 



Raapberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bushel 8 



ditto ^100 1 





 6 

 2 6 

 

 



u 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes dozen S 



Asparagus it^ 100 



French handle 



Beans, Kidney, . . . J sieve 1 



Broad j sieve 



Beet, Red dozen 2 



BroceoJi bundle 



Brusaels Sprouts 1 sieve 



Cabbage dozen 



Carrots bunch 5 



Capi-i'tums ^101 1 6 



Cauliilower dozen 2 



Celery bundle 1 6 



Coleworts,. doz. bunches 2 



Cucumbers each 3 



pickling tdozen 1 



Endive dozen 1 



Fennel bunch 3 



Garlic lb. 6 



Herbs bunoh 8 



Horseradish bundle i 



0to6 











2 6 







4 



9 16 







Leeks bunch 



Lettuce dozen 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard i& Cress punuot 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley.... doz. bunches 



Parsnips dozen 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes., duz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsafy bundle 



Scorzonora bundle 



Seakale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes dozen 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows doz. 



s. d. 

 4 too 



