49S 



JOTJKNAIi OF HORTICULTTTKE AJfD COTTAGE ftABDENEE. 



[ Junt 37, 18SS. 



but after their commotion a swami issued again from each 

 hive, and now they have quite deserted the bee-glass, and 

 to-day seem likely to swarm again. — Keotor, Kent. 



[We fear you must now accept the swarms, and forego 

 the attempt to obtain honey this season by supering your 

 old stock ; but the glasses may yet be filled if you transfer 

 them at once to the two first swarms.] 



BEES AFTER SWARMmG. 



About four week since there issued from a plain straw 

 hive of mine a very heavy swarm. For some days previously, 

 not only did the bees hang in clusters about the entrance, 

 but they almost entirely filled a Taylor's super placed over 

 the hive. After the swarm had left the super became empty, 

 though it appeared that while crowded together in the super 

 the bees had contrived to continue the comb through the 

 aperture at the top of the hive, some 5 inches upwards, 

 into the super. There was honey in some of the newly- 

 contructed cells, but the bees must either have consumed 

 it or taken it away to store the main hive, for it soon dis- 

 appeared. 



Xow, the drones which previously to the swarm issuing 

 bore but a moderate proportion to the working bees in num- 

 ber, have become relatively so numerous, that during the 

 few hours that the drones take the air they seem to be about 

 one to three of the workers, and I can discern no progress 

 whatever, so far, certainly, as the super is concerned. — 

 C. H. H. 



[What you describe is exactly the normal state of things 

 after the issue of a swarm. The super is not likely to be 

 again occupied in force this season, and one or two more 

 swarms may probably issue, whilst the drones will have 

 their fling until the juvenile monarch of the old stock com- 

 mences egg-laying. Soon after this event takes place, these 

 idlers will have notice to quit, such notice being speedily 

 followed up by a summary process of ejectment on the first 

 unfavourable change of weather, or possibly even earlier.] 



VARIOUS QUERIES. 



1st. What is the best way and time to change a hive of 

 bees from an old hive to a new one ? 



2nd. Is it wrong to put the bee-glasses on a new hive 

 and fresh swarm (this year's) before the bees fill the under 

 part of the hive with combs and honey ? 



3rd. How should the glass be prepared for the bees ? 

 Should there be a cross stick as well as an upright one, and 

 is there any fixture to be put on the top of the glass to give 

 the bees air ? — A Subscbiber. 



[Your hive should swarm at least twice in such a season 

 as this. Three weeks after the issue of the first drive aU 

 the remaining bees out of the old hive, and unite them to 

 the second swarm. The contents of the original hive may 

 then be appropriated, and will be found free from brood. 



There is no objection whatever to putting a moderate- 

 sized super on a swarm, and it is best done before the stock 

 hive ia quite filled with combs. 



Glasses should be furnished with some pieces of clean 

 worker comb, and an upright and such cross sticks may bo 

 used as are necessary to support them, taking care that 

 those props are as little visible as possible. No contrivance 

 is necessary for ventilation at the top of the glass.] 



THE LIGURIAW BEE AND THE VINEYARDS. 



I HAVE been asked to confute a very absurd paragraph 

 under the above heading, which has been copied from a 

 Melbourne paper into several of our English newspapers, 

 and which declares that mach damage has been done to the 

 vineyards in Australia by the new bee. I need only state 

 that no complaint of the kind appears ever to have been 

 made in Italy, where this beo is indigenous, nor has it 

 arisen in the Khine provinces of Germany, into which the 

 Ligorians have been extensively introduced, whilst nothing 



that would in the. slightest degree tend to give even a colour 

 to the imputation has ever come under the observation of->- 

 A Devonshjbe BbE-KEEPJ5B. 



SHEEP DYUSTG AFTER SHEARING. 



What is it that sometimes causes sheap to die after 

 shearing ? I had my little flock of twenty sheep and thirty 

 lambs shorn last week. On going out to look at them in the 

 evening one ewe looked iU, and I asked the man who has 

 charge of them what was the matter. He said one sheep 

 with two good lambs had been looking very ill after being 

 shorn. They had bled her in two places and given her 

 castor oil. I directly ordered gruel with gin in it, but before 

 it could be given the poor animal died. Three men sheared 

 the sheep and lambs, they began at half-past three o'clock 

 and had finished soon after six. Do you not think the sheep 

 must have been injured by the haste and roughness used? 

 This is a matter of some consequence to many of your 

 clerical country readers. — E. E. 



[We incline to the opinion that your sheep died from ex- 

 posure to the great cold which characterised the nights at 

 the time they were shorn. If you do not live in a southern 

 district, you had better have waited until July before you 

 had them clipped. Bleeding and castor oil hastened the 

 catastrophe, if the sheep were ill from exposure to the cold. 

 The men, if expert, did not work too fast. A good clipper 

 will shear from fifteen to twenty and even more sheep in a 

 day.] 



OUE. LETTER BOX. 



Complaints Against thf. Decisions of Judges. — These complaints are 

 always steps in the wrong directioD. We are aware that It Is difficult to 

 sabniit with dig-oity to defeat, but silence under the revcr^^e is by far the 

 wiecBt course. It fo happens that the complaints we have recently 

 received we know to be groundless, for good judges in no way eunnected 

 with those who gave the awards approved of the awards appealed aerainst. 

 Some of the complainers have had the bid taste to abuse llie Judg-^s in their 

 absence, and to write to them very ill-advisedlv- And to them, and indeed 

 to ail exhibitors, we say, If you c;innot lose with good temper never send a 

 pen of fowls to an exhibilion. We refrain from mentioning names, and 

 will conclude by saying that unless evidence is placed before us that an 

 award has been founded on dishonour ible motives we never will assail it. 



Roi'PT Fowl {M. A , JFalthamstoxv).— Give it one grain of powdered 

 sulphate of copper mixed in a little soft fo«d dally. Feed on oatmeal 

 moistened with ale. Allow it to have as much Rreen food as it will eat. 

 Separate it from all the other fowls. If not better in a week kill it, 



Pole Pigeon-House (F. T. ff.).—Any carpenter could muke yon one. 

 If you prefer one ready made yon had better advertise, stating size, &c., 

 that you require. 



Food foe Yodno BcLLFiKcnES (ifatilda).—Ef^g boiled hard, and 

 chopped fine, shell and all, with a little crumb of stale breid crumbled 

 small, and a sprinkle of mawaced. Use for your melons, &c., the water 

 which has been placed in the sun. 



Book Adodt Poultry (/n^uirer).— A very copious and fully illustrated 

 work on poultry will be published at our office In the course of a few weeks. 

 No book th it we know treats of capons, nor would we quote it if we did. 

 Caponlsing is a barbarous and totally needless opu-ration. 



Back Number (A. T., Noirmant).—V poa the re«elpt of four postage 

 etamps with your directions, No. IGl will be forwarded to you by post. 



Charoe for Geaziso (C€crops).—M\ depends upon the abundance of 

 the herba^'e, sunply of water, and other clrcnmBtanees of which wt- have 

 no knowledKC. You had better consult some farmer in your neighbourhood; 

 no one at a dl-ttancc can advise you reliably. 



Building Cow-housf (TF. B. A.).— It is quite Impossible to answer such 

 queries. You had betti-r sttite to one or two carpenters in your ncighbnur- 

 hond, or elsewhere, the accommodation you require in the oow-bouMe, &o., 

 and then obtain an estimate. In No. 2 of " Fullarton't* Home and Foreign 

 Agricultural Miscellany." juhtpubliaied, there are full particulur.s rtlat^ /c 

 to cow-houses. Any of the hothouse builder.s neiir London w.U send you on 

 eftimate; we cannot recommend one In particular. 



Eakwiqh {O. C.).— We fear you have no remedy but to kill them when- 

 ever you see them. You peibape, are not aware that they lly. 



Bkks Dkcekasino {L. jD.I-— There can be little doubt thattlio dwindltng 

 stock has lo^t its queen. The readiest mode of restoring It to prosperity 

 ^ould be by adding to it a iiuall swarm. 



LONDON MARKETS.— JoNB 20. 



POULTKY. 



s. d. B. d. 



I-arRO Fowls 



3 



2 



to 4 

 C „ 3 

 !) „ 2 

 „ 

 „ 3 

 „ 





 



Chickens 



1 







Green Gccflc 













3 



fi 



Oalnca KowU 











Groune to 



P«nrldKC8 „ 



Ilar.i8 „ 



Rabbits 1 4 •> 1 



Wild do 8 „ 



rigooDs 8 II 



^ 



