SS8 



JOtTENAL OF HOETICULTtTRE AMD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 25, 186S. 



HIVES AFFECTED BY DAMP. 



MYbeesIi\e on the north-east coast ol Norfolk in flat- 

 topped straw hives, placed on a sheltered little lawn sur- 

 rounded by tall trees, though uot overhung by them. The 

 stands are 18 inches from the ground. Last summer I took 

 tut little honey. Only two hives out of six swarmed; I pre- 

 vented the others swarming. In September and October I 

 fed all with barley-sugar, and placed glasses on the top to 

 avoid damp. When they were weighed, in the beginning of 

 winter, the eight hives each weighed from 20 to 31 lbs., boards 

 and hives. When I examined my hives in the beginning Of 

 February I found some hives with only .a few bees, some 

 empty, only one at all strong. Only two have been saved, 

 and all the hives but the strong one were damp and mouldy ; 

 some were well supplied with honey and pollen. How am I 

 to account for damp destroying so many, and yet one hive 

 not being in the least damj], though placed with the others, 

 and treated exactly like them ? Is the sea coast a had place 

 for bees ? Should I cover my hives with any cement ? How 

 can I further guard against damp ? These bees came from 

 a village eight miles from London, where I had excellent 

 success, and I hardly ever lost a hive in winter; but since the 

 change to Norfolk the bees have degenerated. — M. H. M. 



[The mischief you describe appears to have arisen from 

 internal moisture, probably aggravated, if not entu-ely pro- 

 duced by, the means intended to obviate it. If the flat tops 

 of your hives are made of wood it will go far to explain the 

 mystery ; if not we should be disposed to refer it to con- 

 densed moisture running from the glass into the interior of 

 the hives. When glasses are applied in this manner during 

 the winter thty should stand either iu feeding pans or in 

 circular metallic troughs, specially adapted to the purpose; 

 but, in the case of hives made entirely of straw, we believe 

 them to be quite unnecessary. That one hive should escape 

 uninjured under exactly similar circumstances is not at all 

 unusual, just as one member of a family frequently remains 

 healthy when all, or nearly all, the rest are stricken down by 

 disease. The sea coast may not be so favourable a locality 

 for bees as your former residence, but we see no reason why 

 they should not prosper, although not, perhaps, to so great 

 an extent.] 



EANCIDITY OF BUTTER. 

 I HA.VZ no doubt that the bad flavour of " Cochin's'' 

 butter was caused by decayed vegetable matter of some kind. 

 Some years ago the butter produced on a neighbouring farm 

 was found to be of bad quality in consequence, it was said, 

 of the cows being out of condition. It being autumn and 

 severe weather setting it, the cows were housed for about 

 ten days, and the next churning was of the usual good 

 quality. A few days of fine weather coming on the cows 

 were again turned out to grass. The butter was again of 

 an unpleasant flavour ; the cause of the bad flavour was then 

 thought to be the cows eating grass that was in a state of 

 decomposition, as i'o often is alter frost or severe weather. 

 It could not be from the cows eating tree leaves of any kind, 

 as the fences round the field were all stone walls, and there 

 was not a tree within two hundred yards of the iield except 

 one small tree with a stem about 2, inches in diameter. 

 Butter and mUk will be found to have a bad flavour if the 

 OOWB are allowed to eat decayed vegetable matter of any 

 kind. 1 have seen a cowkeeper who was noted for good milk, 

 cut up hia turnips by hand, and in doing bo cut olf every 

 piece that was decayed. Decayed garden refuse of any kind 

 eaten by cowa will cause the butter to bo bad, especially if 

 there be any onion.^ in it. A farm labourer in cleaning up 

 his master's garden wheeled into the farmyard a bariow- 

 load of onions, the milcli cows ate them all up, the result was 

 butler not fit to eat. Cows will often give bad butter if fed 

 on hay and grass. An old farmer nov/ deceased would never 

 allow hia cows to eat grass and hay both on ono day. All 

 lands of horned cattle will often suli'cr from indigestion, and 

 be swollen almost to boiating, if allowed to eat decayed 

 vegetable matter. A simple remedy in such cases is a 

 handful of common salt dissolved in warm water, and given 

 to the cow or other animal. Turnips and hay will produce 

 bad butter. I have not, like your correspondent "T. G.," 

 angled in the Washboui-n, but 1 know that in the lower 



pai-ts of Wharfedale, when cows are fed on turnips, straw 

 is given to lessen the taste of the turnips. The taste is 

 always bad when the cows feed on hay and turnips. A 

 farmer who often milks upwards of twenty cows, assures me 

 that his butter is always bad when the cows ai-e fed with 

 locust beans, so bad that he hxs given up churning. 



I hold an opinion that ergoted grasses will give a bad 

 flavour to milk or butter. The last year produced ergot 

 (Spermoedia clavus. Pries) in abundance, and of large size ; on 

 roots of Lolium perenne (perennial rye grass) I picked 

 spurs nearly an inch long. In districts where ergot abounds 

 there will always be a great number of barren cattle. I am 

 informed on good authority, that a cattle breeder for ex- 

 hibition last year lost ^6300 from abortions caused by his 

 cows eating ergoted grasses. Will some one of your scien- 

 tific readers of The Journal of Hokticultbee, have the 

 kindness to tell us the best way to get rid of this pest to 

 agriculture? Drainage is not always a sure remedy, as I 

 find it growing iu well drained laud. — Eobt. Smith, Dews- 

 bury. 



OUE LETTER BOX. 



Eggs Failing to [Iatch (5 ZT.).— We (-houUl be more disposed to attri- 

 bute the failure of the egi^ri to the unkind weather we have had than to any 

 other c iuse. TboiisaadB of e^ga have fulled fioiii being Jrost-bitten. Try a 

 elitiDR of those laid since ihe change ui wunther. Te^t them at the end of 

 a vteek, and i( they liave no lite Iu them jjtocurc aiiothev cock. 



Fowl's Necr Swf.lling ( ir. li. D. A.). — Such swellings as you mention 

 ore more coinnioD among Spiinish tbu'i any oUiei" breed. They should be 

 tdken out when they first appear. When tbcy h^irdon they become full of 

 cheesy matter, and pervade ihi wiiole system. It id a b;id ease. 



Chickens Dyino in Hatcuino (D. (7.)— We have no doubt yonr chickens 

 die in ibe phed irom the e^ga being luo dry. For a week before hauhing 

 ihiy should be wetted ev'ery morning, (ir at any time wlien lUt- hen is off 

 the net>t. F.iiling this assisiiince the inner membrane of tho egg becomes 

 as hard, tough, and brown an Indian rubner. Few chickens can get through 

 it. When ihe hen i« off dip your hand in water and wring It over the egg 

 freely. 



Dobking's Facr Swollen (Old baling). -It may be only a cold, but lh« 

 swelling you mention it* like ih"^ beginning of loup. Wash the swollen 

 part wiih colli water and vinegdr. Oive eastor oil, a tablc-spooniul at a 

 lime, and feed on bread txud ale. It in disputed whether It is contagious or 

 not. It ibBOt undoubtedly, to sickly birus, but h'^a thy ones seem to rai^et It 

 with impunity. Ii it is the only bird affected and not very valuable, put 

 her away. 



Pbeservino Eoo9 {W. y.).— We keep eggs for months in very good 

 condtiiun, even for the break'at^t rable, by putting them in wetted lime in 

 a common bread-pan, aliernati; liyera of lime and eggn. They will keep 

 for a longtime it they are covered wiUi butter a-* soon &=• they are laid. 



Reddbuino a Game Cock {Old Subscriber).— Yon run no risk whatever 

 in redut)' ing tlie cock. Use a pair ol very shdrp clipphig sclssorei, and cut 

 from Iront to back, as cIobc as )J0■'^lble, without laying theekull bare. 



Fowls Dipoeuered {Itcignfe). — There \n no reason why your lowlsshould 

 be fiek so far as we can judnte, unletts they are overfed. "Scraps from the 

 kitchen *' is a wide term, and may eatiily nuau more food than is good for 

 them. Keep them for a few days ou meal mixed with milk, and feed 

 sparingly. 



Soil «)F Fowl-yard (7*. W. R.).—Yn\\ will iind the smell disappear. 

 Sprinkle chaicoal powder over the surl'ace, keep it well raked, and you may 

 bury s-Mne pieces ni lime an inch ur two below It. 



Eoo-pABSAUE I'uoTRJoiNO [R. B. P.) —It Is more than prob-iblo the 

 pullets have nut laid till now. ihe tir^t egg, an>l Home'imes up to tho third 

 and fourth eggs are luid with dlflii-ulty, often cau&ing bleeding and pro* 

 truslon of ilio eeg-pussaKe. The utlur hens ure attriteted '-y it, and pick 

 and puM It; lienje rieaih. If there be any difli ul y alter the first, the 

 cause ii internal (ever, and the cure, moderate leeding iind plenty of green 

 food, lettuce il possible. All difficulty in laying is pio vented \i the fowl 

 cin be watched, and the egg pas-age thoroughly lubricated with a leather 

 dii>ped in "il. It is no dihease. 



GoLDKN-PKNCiLLKD IIamburoiis {Ilamhiirffh). —Tho ordinary food for 

 oiher chickens la that which Hamburglm renuire, honed eggf^, bread and 

 milk, bruised wheat, lublu uer.ips, lat and skin chopped fine ; curd. Chickens 

 require bi;er when they are hatched very early in 'ho year, or when the 

 cold is cevere ; aUo during strong eiisterU wind'*. Th<-y prefer beer at all 

 times, but they do not alwayu want it. Wht*n a comb turnM black, it ts from 

 stoppage in tho crop or clsewhi-rc, o. Irom t afing poirioiious or poisoned 

 food. Give a table-(»pooniul of cn-'tor oil every other day for a week. The 

 bijrlp c nnot he in lieallh with a UUoW unmh. 



liANTAM Laying Soft Eogs {A A. E. H.). —The secretions are at fault, 

 and the desire to ca'. the eggs shown a «iia -idered state. Give a table- 

 Dpoonlul of east tr oil twice, ai t,wenty-four hour-' iniervul. Put some falac 

 eggs — very hard ones— I;* ht-r no^i. If you Hnd hUv strains in layinR dip a 

 winti-leuther in -oil, and lutnicatu the egg pusi'age with it. This will 

 remedy all. 



TouLOUBi: Gev--i: iL. C , A Subscriber). -'To\\\oiino Oeeso are marvellous 

 Inyerfl, but we cimsliler ihom non-Kitters Yourt* liun laid fifty-three eggs, 

 but on>; of ourn lia^ laid Mbove ^ixty eggs, iind s<-iMns Inclined to keep on. 



AUKiVAL OP Tiiiv NioiiTiNOALK AN1> Cucituo {Bishopsto/ci').— The Nightin- 

 gale prccedeti Ihu (Cuckoo. In tlie MXith ot Kii^luiul thL< former arrives In 

 the llfht h.ilf ot March, but the Cuckoo not until alter Iho mlildlo of April. 

 'Ihe d.ites of tirrivnl vary a few days in e ich year. 



'I'KAcniHo Ui.'LLViNcn>M TO I'n'K {Juhti Forr). —Look ont for some uoste 

 next iiionlh, »hcn the yonni: ones are ten 'lays nr a fortnight old, tako 

 tluin nnd i.ring them up by hiind, put thc:n into a covered bit-ket, and after 

 each meal play or wblHile the lune over to them which you wish them to 

 learo. Continue tho same for live or six monibs.— B. l\ b. 



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