April 25, 1865. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOKTICULTXJEB AND COTTAGE GAKBENEE. 



331 



Mr. Beldon is mistaken in supposing that I considered his 

 showings in his daughters name an additional reason why 

 he should relinquish the office ; the reason why I introduced 

 her name was to show that the birds really belonged to Mr. 

 Beldon. My additional reason for thinking that he ought 

 to resign was, because I did not think that the owner of 

 " the most successful yard in the kingdom " should be one 

 of the persons to appoint the Judges. Still, when he enters 

 his birds in Miss Beldon's name he commits a breach of the 

 rules of every Show at which lie e-thibits ; for do not the 

 rules requii-e the entries to be made in the name of the 

 proper owner of the birds ? 



In conclusion, I confidently hope that Committees will 

 consider the advice given in my last letter, and appoint the 

 Judges themselves, and then the question of Mr. Beldon's 

 resignation or otherwise will be of very little moment, espe- 

 cially to — A LOOKEK-ON. 



ROOKS THE C^USE OF PIGEONS DESEETING 

 THEIR HOME. 



In November last I erected an excellent Pigeon-house, 

 replete with every comfort and every advantage as to its 

 aspect, warmth, size, height from the ground, protection 

 from vermiu and cats duly considered. In this house I 

 placed six pairs of Pigeons — well-bred Bald-head Tumblers 

 and one pair of beautiful Mottled Trumpeters. After due 

 confinement they were all set at liberty, and continued to 

 be quite at home all through the winter. They laid, sat, 

 and were prospering well, untU one fine morning in the 

 middle nf February one disappeared for two or three days, 

 but returned again ; soon afterwards two or three birds did 

 the same, and at last all the Pigeons during March took 

 these freaks into their heads, until my dovecote became 

 destitute of all but the Trumpeters. These remained until 

 about a week ago; they, too, are now gone — gone altogether, 

 notwittistanding inquiries, offers of reward, &c., so that I 

 am convinced they are not within miles of their home. 



I find that Pigeons have a great fear of rooks, and as I 

 have a large rookery not far from the dovecote, there is no 

 doubt that when the rooks began to come to their old haunts 

 to build the Pigeons were terrified, and at last so much so 

 as to leave their home and altogether disappear. The 

 absence of birds of prey, as hawks, which might have caused 

 the mischief, confirms still more strongly my fii-m con- 

 viction, that if there is a rookery within a quarter of a mile 

 of a dovecote the Pigeons within it during the building-time 

 of the rooks wUl mostly, if not all of them, leave their homes ; 

 whether they mean to return remains still unproved to — 

 Chanticleee. 



DUBLIN SPEING POULTEY SHOW. 



(From a Con-espondent.) 



The above Show was held in Kildare Street, Dublin, on 

 Tuesday the 18th inst. and three following davs ; and though 

 the weather was most unfavourable there ft-as a numerous 

 attendance of visitors. We were pleased to see so much 

 improvement in the different breeds. Dorkings headed the 

 list, and among them were some very good specimens. 

 There was a splendid pen of Silver-Grey chickens, the pro- 

 perty of K.. W. Boyle, Esq., which we have no hesitation in 

 saying it would be very difiieult to beat at any show. In 

 Spanish twenty-seven pens competed; the thii-d-prize pen 

 of old birds contained two hens that left the others far in 

 the shade. In Spanish chickens we have seldom seen so 

 good a pen as that whicli obtained the first prize. In 

 Brahmas Mi'. Boyle carried all before hiiu, and we never 

 saw better. In Cochins F. W. Zurliorst, Esq., had it all his 

 own way, and they left nothing to be desired. The first 

 prize went to Whites, the second to Silver Cinnamons ; and 

 if we may be allowed a remark, the prizes should have been 

 reversed. The Cinnamon cock was a wonderfullv good bird. 

 Game were only poorly represented. In rolish. White-crested 

 bixds were successful. In Ramburghs there was no merit. 

 There was no class for Bantams. Mr. Zurhorst showed a 

 mce pen of Creve-Cceu,rs. 



The prize pen of young Tmkeys was very fine. The first- 

 prize pen of Aylesbury Duoks was really good, having splen- 



did bills, and being very fine. In Eouens there were some 

 good birds, Mr. Boyle's being remarkably good. The first- 

 prize drake was the finest we have seen for some time. In 

 Geese Toulouse carried off all the prizes. Mr. Dawson, of 

 Hopton Mirfield, exhibited a beautiful pair of Egyptian. 

 Geese, which were commended. Mr. Boyle's first-prize 

 gander weighed 30 lbs. The pens used were Turner's, of 

 Sheffield, and they gave every satisfaction. The following 

 ia a list of the awards : — 



DORKiNos (SiUer Grey).— Firnt, Second, and Tllira, C. P. Leslie. Chickenl 

 — First, R. W. Boyle, Dundrum. Second, K. P. Williams, Dublin. Third, 

 C. P Leslie 



Dohkinos (roloured).— First, R. P. Williams. Second, P.. W. Bovle. 



Spamsh —First, A. Cnmyns. Second, Miss Do C. Drevar. Tbiid, R. W. 

 Boile. Hishly Communded, De C. Drevar. ChUkciis.— Vint, R. W. Boylo. 

 6ecoiid and Third, A. Comyns. Comineiided, W. Peirin ; R. P. WiUiama. 



HRMiai* PooTitA.— First. Second, and Third, R. W. Boyle. Chickens. — 

 First, Second and Third, H. W. Boyle. 



rocHiNS.— Flr>t, 'iecond. and Third, F. W. Zurhors'. Chickcna. —Tiratj 

 Second, and Third, F. W. Zurhorst. 



Gamk — Prize, C. H. Peacock. C/ti6-7i:cn*.— First, Mis3 Langtry. Second, 

 C. H. Peacock. 



Poi.ANns. -Fir^t and Second, Miss De C. Drevar. Highly Commended, 

 R. P. Wiliams. 



Hamburgh (Pt-nc'lled).— First and Second, Mrs. Kemmis. 



HAMBoitGii (Spangled). -First, R. P. Williams. Second, C. E. Cooper. 



Crkvk-^ tEiiRS. - 1 rize, P. W. Zurhorst. 



TuiKEvs.— Prize, R. W. Boyle. 



Gkese — Fir?t, Second, and Third, R.W.Boyle. Commended, W. Daw- 

 son, Hop'oii, Miifield. 



Ducks 'Aylrshury). — First, R. W. Boyle. Second, R. P. Williams. Highly 

 Coiiuneiioed. A. Warburton. 



D( cKs (Itouen). — First and Second, R. W. Boylo. Highly Commended 

 E. P. Williams. 



Mr. Stanton, of Dublin, officiated as Judge. 



STOEIFYING— INFLUENCE OF SEASONS ON 

 THE PEODUCTION OF SWAEMS. 



I BEG to return my thanks to " A Eenekewshire Beh- 

 KEEPEE," for his friendly comments upon my storifying pro- 

 ceedings last summer, and hope that his observations may 

 I prove serviceable both to myself and others. I have been 

 I long aware that bees will gladly avaU themselves of accom- 

 modation afforded in the shape of a nadir ; but have also 

 j feared that such accommodation would, if offered to a 

 supered hive, divert their attention from the super. Perhaps 

 " A Eenfrewshiee Bee-eeepek " will kindly detail Hs 

 I mode of procedure in a future Number of your Journal. 

 As long as I had English bees to deal v.'ith, I found a 

 single super was almost always sufficient to prevent the 

 issue of a swarm ; but with Italian bees, both storified hives 

 and also first swarms have almost invariably sent out 

 swarms, though the latter have always been nadired, and 

 sometimes supered into the bargain. 



Observation has convinced me that the fecundity of the 

 queen bee is much greater than has been generally supposed, 

 and that the population of a hive is frequently much re- 

 stricted from want of proper accommodation. Dr. Sevan 

 says wet seasons are generally productive of swarms, and 

 dry ones of honey; but last summer demonstrated that 

 dry seasons may be productive of sv/arms, if they also prove 

 unproductive of honey. My three first swarms last season 

 were — May 15, a natural swarm ; May 16, an artificial swarm ; 

 and May 18, an artificial swarm. These all progressed very 

 well for about a fortnight, collecting honey from the'applo 

 trees and sycamores (which were covered with a great pro- 

 fusion of blossoms), so that the hives were nearly filled with 

 eomb by the end of May, and contained a good deal of sealed 

 honey. June was excessively dry, and upon examining the 

 swarms at the end of the month I found all the combs almost 

 full of brood, with very little honey, nearly every availab'e 

 cell containing either sealed or unsealed brood. The hives 

 were all nadired and wore full-sized Woodbury-bar, or bar 

 and frame-hives. 



All these swarms sent out swarms in spite of nadirs ; and 

 one of them did so although it was both supered and 

 nadired, after all the royal cells had been once excised. This 

 hive after the return of its swarm worked very vigorously, 

 and continued in pretty brisk action after all the other hives 

 had almost ceasei to work. I believe they were gathering 

 honey from honeydew. They yielded 8 or 9 lbs. of very 

 fine-flavoured honey from a shallow super, but it was dark- 

 coloured although stored in virgin comb. The bulk of the 

 honey I obtained was very much lighter in colour. — J. E. B. 



