JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 14, 1666. 



trast much more favoarably than here in the uncongenial 

 north, a Mav sw.irm being a rare sight I have long longed for, 

 but have yet to see. In my experience of the two systems the 

 swarming and the storiiying. the latter has invariably been 

 the most pleasant, least troublesome, and decidedly (from the 

 greater yield of the finest comb) by far the most profitable. 

 In a poor year swarms yield nothing, but require feeding, 

 and the year is poor indeed that a well-handled depriving- 

 hive does not make some return ; in a good season the gain 

 is proportionately great. 



In a cold wet summer the immense population of a strong 

 storified stock keeps up an invariably high temperature, 

 and breeding goes on uninterruptedly ; when odd fine days 

 occur the amount of honey then collected is amazing; 

 indeed, to look on such a colony in fuU operation on a warm 

 day to the enthusiatic apiarian is a sight most pleasant to 

 behold, wlule, during similar cold backward weather the 

 inmates of a half-filled box, continuing to swarm, instead of 

 increasing in a simQar ratio, have enough to do to keep up 

 a sufficient temperature for comb-building. 



I recollect of calling on an old farmer (a very experienced 

 bee-keeper of the old school) during one of the late bad 

 seasons, and in passing through his garden asked him how 

 his bees were getting on, he told me he was feeding his 

 swarms to keep them alive. I then put the question. How, 

 he being in a much better locality and only three miles off, I 

 should be getting from while he was giving to his bees ? He 

 seemed incredulous. I was only quizzing him. I invited 

 him to come and see. The genuine delight of the old man 

 on inspecting and carefully weighing between his hands a 

 handsome octagon super just taken off, and his attempts to 

 raise the high pile of octagon boxes from whence it had 

 been removed, the greatest bee marvel of his life, was quite 

 a treat to its owner. — A Rentbewshire Bee-keepee. 



would, therefore, be quite an experiment ; still it is one that 

 we should have no hesitation in trying in such a house as 

 yours, and with little doubt of its success, if the hives be 

 shaded in summer. 



It is generally rather difficult to obtain both swarms and 

 honey in the same season ; but we should begin by putting 

 on smaU supers (to contain, say 6 to 8 lbs. each), in April. 

 These will have little, if any, effect in delaying swarming, 

 and may very probably be filled. Moderate supers may 

 possibly be obtained fi-om the first swarms, if the season be 

 a good one, and you may also put supers on the old stock as 

 you propose, but these cannot be relied on to prevent the 

 issue of after-swarms. Should any such result, their stores 

 may be appropriated at the end of the honey harvest, and 

 the bees united to those stocks which are intended to stand 

 the winter.] 



BEGINNING BEE-KEEPING. 



I DESIEE to attempt bee-keeping, and would feel obliged 

 for some information as to how to proceed. I have com- 

 menced by buying a swarm of the 1st of May of last year in 

 a common straw hive. — Toekshike. 



[Payne's hives are very good, and may be obtained at a 

 moderate price of Messrs. Neighbour, 149, Regent Street, and 

 124, Holbom. We prefer them somewhat larger than Mr. 

 Payne recommends. 



If you want to increase your stock by swarming you must 

 not put on a super. If, on the other hand, you wish to get 

 honey and would prefer purchasing what swarms you require, 

 a fall-sized super should be put on in April. Do not attempt 

 to transfer the bees to another hive. 



A plug of hard dry wood should be tightly fitted into the 

 upper end of each glazed pipe, and fixed with white lead. 

 To this should be screwed a wooden platform of sufficient 

 size to support the floor board (which should be of wood, not 

 stone) and hive without risk of a capsize. Let the hives 

 face any point from south-east to south-west, but when once 

 fixed never vary tKeir aspect either summer or winter. 

 Neither must you remove the milk -pan, which is quite as 

 necessary for protection from the summer's sun and showers 

 as from the winter's rains and snow.] 



EANCIDITY IN BUTTER. 

 Among all your correspondents who have written upon 

 the subject of rancid butter, I do not see that any has 

 suggested a remedy which I have fctand efficient. I always 

 when setting the milk put into each pan a pinch of nitre 

 (refined saltpetre) ; also in winter put water just sufficient 

 to cover the bottom of the pan, and in summer cold water. 

 I have continued this system for many years, and my butter 

 is, and always has been excellent. — G. A. E. 



BEES IN A GREENHOUSE. 



I HAVE a greenhouse with a glass roof and front, iouth 

 aspect, and a glass end with a full east aspect. May I use 

 the eastern end of the house for a bee-house, making a suf- 

 ficient entrance between the bricks for each hive — say tlirce ? 



I am only a young bee-master ; having bought two stocks 

 last autumn, 1 wish to work them this summer on the de- 

 priving system, and I also wish to increase them to four 

 stocks this season. Can I, after they have each thrown oil 

 a swarm, cut the hole in the top of the straw hive, and affix 

 an adapting-board with super, and bo obtain some honey 

 this season from the stock hives, as well as from the swarms, 

 should thoy be early enough ? or must I wait until the 

 second swarm comes off, if I find there is a probability of a 

 second swarm coming r — W. H. 1'., Orfxml. 



[We have nercr known bees kept in a greenhouse, and it 



OUE LETTER BOX. 



EuMKiN Bantams ( W. S. J.).— yam Bantams, about tliesize of Partridges, 

 without tails, round as balls, hens buff and rose-combed, cock orange red, 

 are Trhat were called " Kumkia " Bautams, and were far more common 

 years ago than they are now. They have always been considered excellent 

 layers. 



Ceeve CmuES (J. Marsdcn).—WTite to Mr. Baily, 113, Mount Street, 

 Grosvenor Square, stating to him what you require to conTey to America. 



ExHiBiTi.vo ONLY ONE Game Hes.— " Y. B. A. Z.," in your impression ol 

 the 28th ultimo, in his endeavour to enlighten the minds of others, sayi : — 

 " Gradually it has become an established rule to limit Game heue to one. 

 Bradford has set the example in all the breeds.'* Now, the same thiog has 

 been carried out by this Society eince 1861. If " Y. B. A. Z." will send me 

 his address I shall be glad to furnish him with prize Hats and catalogues for 

 1861-2-8-4.— WiixiAM lEnsK, Secretarij, Halifax and Calier Vale Agri- 

 cultural Association. 



Eggs aftee a Freezi.ng Tempeeatohk [Blue Minorca) .—Whta water 

 freezes eggs will chill, and, if you were to break one, you would find a 

 partial fusion of the yolk and white. They spoil without pickling in such 

 weather as we have had. 



Fowls in a Confined Space (Delta).— Yqmt feeding Is good ; but one sod 

 of growing grass is worth a dozen Cabbages for the health of fowls. You will 

 find ground corn, twice per day, more economical and more nourishing than 

 whole corn. The golden rule of feeding is to give so long as they will run 

 after it, and never to allow a morsel to He on the ground. They are discretf 

 animals, and know when they have enough. 



Ukmated rouLTUv [J, C. i,).— All poultry lay at a certain age (being in 

 good health and condition), in obedience to the law of nature, whether 

 there be a male with them or not ; but it does not increase their fecundity 

 to withdraw him. The period at which Ducks begin to lay is a question of 

 condition, after eight or nine months. The second year la generally the 

 best. The Aylesbury lay soonest. Greaves promote laying. Many lay in 

 the winter, CJ-pecially the Aylesbury. You may safely set the eggs after a 

 week. 



Fkeding Fowls foe Kxuibitisg (^m;/).— Ground oats, mixed with milk, 

 are the best food ; if the bird is low in flesh, and time presses, melt some 

 Buet, and add to it. The out-growing spur is a disadvantage. It is not a 

 disqualiilcatlon ; but, if two birds were in close competition. It would turn 

 the scales agalUHt the bird. 



M. BE Sora's Poultry Estaelibhmknt (C/mn^cfsfr).— It is said a man 

 fished in the Seine for gudgeon with such uniform want of success that he 

 wrote a book proving that the fish in question wiis as mythological as the 

 phtcnix and salamander. We have sought M. dc Soru all over France, and 

 wc believe he Is either a myth, or has effectually concealed himself under a 

 " noin dc plume." 



Poui.Tnv Clvu (E. /i.),— You are mistaken in supposin;; W(! are partisan;^ 

 of any party in the poultry world. We endeavour to hold ail even balance, 

 and aa impartial hand, li the Poultry Club be for the good of the pursuit, 

 we winh it all succef-s. We cannot tell you bow many remained at the 

 Club meeting at Birmingham, whcii the vote of censure was passed on the 

 judges. We only know Mr. Kowlcr wrote us that he and many more had 

 left before anything of the sort was mentioned. 



LiuuKiAN Bkks (C. W., Kingsland, Shrnrsbary) .—V/ rill: to T.Wood- 

 bury, Ehq., Mount Kadlord, Exeter. Wc shall be glad to receive the con- 

 tributlona you refer to. I'-i ».',;^.> w,----- 



Stewaetoh Hives.— Mcbstk. Neighbour & Son inform us that we were 

 wrong In stating that these hive* are not to be purchased in London. They 



hav e them .it their shops in Kegcnt Street and Holborn. .__^_. 



PioKiYE ( If. L. A.).— Any carpenter can construct one, and. if made of 

 wood, the frame juiiited, only resting on a row of bricks, not fixed to them, 

 and the roof covered with asphalt felt, It could be readily moved. 



