440 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ Juno C, 1S85. 



are still of opinion that the drone-brood which existed in all 

 stages of development, was due to the presence of a living 

 queen, although the statement as to the diminutive size of 

 the one which was expelled, so far misled us as to make us 

 believe her to be a young princess, instead of which it ap- 

 pears she was really the old original queen with the torn 

 wing. We have, however, now no doubt that she was an 

 exhausted queen incapable of laying any but drone eggs, 

 and that the drone-brood found in the combs was laid by 

 her. Whether living or dead, it is admitted that she was 

 in the hive when the union was effected, and with such 

 strong prittia facie evidence of her existence before your eyes 

 as the presence of di'one brood in all stages, we still consider 

 that a great mistake was made by introducing a second 

 queen without instituting such an examination as would 

 have insured the previous discovery and expulsion of the old 

 one. Unless you possess the gift of claii-voyance and are 

 thereby enabled to watch the proceedings of every other 

 apiarian however distant, we should not be surprised to find 

 you also mistaken in asserting that you have joined more 

 stocks during the last year than any other person.] 



EAETH CLOSETS. 



Allow me to thank your correspondent "G. S." for the 

 kind and ooui-teous expression of feeling towards myself 

 contained in the Number of your Journal for May 23rd, and 

 at the same time to call his attention to the mistake into 

 which he, in common with Mr. Wilmot, has fallen, of either 

 regarding the form of closet which he has used as the only 

 form, or of supposing the defect in that form of which he 

 speaks as irremediable. The truth is that the larger use of 

 these closets had brought that defect so forcibly before my 

 mind, and at the same time I was led to see so clearly that 

 in order to effect one very great object with myself — namely, 

 that of getting this system introduced into sick rooms ajid 

 hospitals, there must be something simpler and less expen- 

 sive contrived, that I once more turned my attention to 

 machinery. The result is a contrivance which is certain in 

 its action, and which almost rivals Mr. Wilmot's scoop in 

 simplicity. I have it in full use in a tolerably large family, 

 and the more carefully I examine it and observe it? use the 

 better satisfied I am that the failure of which " G. S." 

 speaks cannot in it occur. I hope Messrs. White & Co. will 

 exhibit some specimens at the coming exhibition at Here- 

 ford. — Henet Moule, Fordington Vicarage. 



Mt attention has been called to a letter in your Journal 

 of the 16th May from the Rev. Henry Moule on the earth- 

 closet system, in which I am alluded to. I should be sorry 

 that either Mr. Moule or any of your readers should suppose 

 that I consider ashes, or rather the small dust obtained 

 by riddling ashes, as a better deodoriser than simple dried 

 earth or clay. 



I do not think that anything I have written can bear out 

 this assertion ; but, at any rate, my view is this, that, admit- 

 ting simple dried earth to be the best deodoriser, it is still 

 wisdom to use that sort of dried earth which comes most 

 convenient in any particular situation — for instance, to bring 

 dried earth into a town in the dog-days seems unnecessary, 

 aa there is likely to be a sufficient quantity of dust in the 

 streets and houses which must, at any rate, be removed, and 

 the dust obtained by riddling cinders, or the flue-sweepings 

 from adjacent manufactories or foundries, is always avail- 

 able. I believe the more the particular article to be used is 

 dried and pulverised the better, and in this way both dust 

 and closet soil can be made portable and removable without 

 offence. I do not think tlie earth-closet system could be 

 well carried out in any place where there was not a good 

 system of sewerage, as it is the wet and damp in most 

 places which makes the present water system offensive and 

 unhealthy. I am a great advocate for water as a means of 

 personal cleanliness ; but if the same skill and attention 

 which was applied thirty years ago to the water-closet 

 system had been given to the earth-closet system, when 

 cesspools were very rightly abolished, our agriculture and 

 bills of health would have been benefited in an extraordi- 

 nary degree. 



Mr. Moule will be glad to know that his earth system is 



extending in many quarters. It has been adopted in Dor- 

 chester Castle, which is, I believe, a county gaol, on the 

 recommendation and example of the Derby county gaol. It 

 is also on trial at the Belper union, and I heard the other day 

 of the secretary of a water company who has now esta- 

 blished one or two earth closets as an experiment, as he 

 found the water was wasted under the other system. In 

 another fjuarter it is found convenient to use the refuse 

 sand from an adjacent foundry, as it can be got dry with- 

 out trouble, and also because it contains charcoal. As a 

 general rule I believe sand is not a very efficient deodoriser, 

 but I find it convenient myself to use it instead of straw 

 for bedding in certain cases ; and my gardener, who has an 

 eye to his jjotting plants, is very glad to use my dried sand, 

 especially when he has converted it into guano by reusing 

 it in the earth closet belonging to his particular department. 



Mr. Moule asks, Where wiU Mr. Wilmot find his coal ashes 

 in India ? If he will refer to the tenth page of my pamphlet 

 he will see that I particularly refer to the facilities for obtain- 

 ing di'ied earth in that country. 



Ml'. Moule, by first originating a particular system, and 

 then by his untiring energy in following it up, has made 

 himself a public benefactor ; but he must not quarrel with 

 those who, in endeavouring to follow in his steps, may some- 

 times think they can venture to try and improve on it. 

 Should he at any time visit this part of England he might 

 see his system caiTied out without the mechanical aid he 

 advocates in a very large manufacturing establishment, both 

 in-doors and out, and in a crowded room. In the Derby 

 county gaol urinals are used with galvanised iron pails 

 beneath, and the contents are poured over the gaol guano 

 store (which is, of course, kept under cover), much to its 

 improvement, and still without causing offence. 



The writer who signs himself " Upwards and Onwards " 

 rather implies that I must be opposed to the use of sewage 

 as a means of irrigation. On the contrary, I am watching 

 with great interest the trials of its application to land by 

 gravitation, and have just read an interesting pamphlet 

 lately out on the subject, by Mr. Lucius Spoouer. I do not 

 pretend to judge of the extensive operations now on trial, 

 but I am of opinion that in railway stations at any rate, 

 and in most public establishments, the dry earth system 

 might be adopted with great advantage, and I do not think 

 the night soil belonging to such places should find admission 

 into the public sewers, but people must be first taught to 

 appreciate the value of what they waste. — E. Wilmot, Mil- 

 ford, Derhj. 



[Here the discussion must cease in our pages. — Eds.] 



OUR LETTEE BOX. 



llESH NOT Laving ( IF.).— There is no cause apparent in the acciunt you 

 plve that should pieveiit the fowls from hiving. It may bo thpy liave laid 

 out for the present. Your twelve Hamburphs did well, when they provided 

 nine epgB per dav. Ttie Cochins have, probablj-, none otr from change of 

 food, fioil, &c. They wlil, doubtless, lay apiiiii, but you mnf»t not. be sur- 

 prised if they are broody. Ic is not unconiinon In June. The henn are in 

 an infiammatury state. Give them aome lettuces to eat and withhold all 

 whole corn. Let them have meal, 



MoHTAMTv AMONG CiiicKKNS (G. F. If.).— Your food is not good enouKh 

 to rear cliickens ujinn. Give pround outs mixed with milk ; boiled egg 

 chopped tine; bread ami milk ; cbopited, bulled, or roahti-d meat ; curd, Ac. 

 Add a littlo ROHd beer to drink, and they will soon do better. They are 

 Kuflering from poverty. Itjce and polalocs arc the worat of fouil for young 

 cltlckenH. 



Chickkks DrrNo whilst IIatcbixo (/./'.).— Wc believe your chickens 

 (lie In the slicll, becHUse the egKH are kept too dry. It is well and profitable 

 to moiHten them for a week before Ijitchliip. When tUc hen is otV, dip vour 

 hand In water and wring it over the nest., uprinklinic ihe eggn thoroughly. 

 HeU'* of cveiy breed, when in ii Btate of nalurc, leave their m-st In the 

 morning, and return to it draggl*;d with dew— wet as If they had gone 

 through a river. It in for thii ruiiHon all their eggs hatch, but if Ihey are 

 kept hot and dry the inner membrane boeomc« as tough us Indian- rubber, 

 and the chickenn, unable to gtt through It, die in the shell. 



Mick in Nki^th {Pcrcii C'ross).~li is very likely some of the cggB were 

 broken and the chickens killed by the hen In atlacking^hc mice. Anything 

 that disturbs the hen when sitting puts the eggi in jeopardy. 



liKAitiNo YoiiNit SwAN.s (R. i/.).— Wlicn the Swans are first hutched, 

 tliey should be fed with meal put in water. When ihoy are older, they may 

 (eed out of a ve8«el come Inches deep. The bottom should be covered with 

 a fO'I of gra-H j on this put »omc meal, whole corn, und scrapn of bread if 

 you have any. They will often feed greedily In this way, when in any other 

 they reject food. 



I'lo Fooo [It. A. ./.).— A pig fattens equally well upon corn either ground 

 or crushed. There are miichinu-* which grind corn Into (lour. Your query 

 about stocks it auHwered last week, in replying to anoih<r correspondent. 



likK Glasskk ( ir/(i7/7iurc/i).— Look at Messrs. Phillips & Co.'s advertlHC- 

 mcnt. Their warehouse ih 180, BlKhopsgate Street Without, London. Write 

 to them, and toll them what you need. 



