20 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 4, 1878. 
Woodbury, It was only an average swarm. Pitching on an 
espalier it was easily hived in the large Woodbury-Phillip’s hive, 
with capacity for lateral extension, now to be tried. I had given 
them a lot of sectional supers in May, which had some nice comb 
of last year’s make in them. Of course in such a season as this, 
although crammed with bees for weeks, not a particle of honey 
was found in them, nor had any addition been made to the comb. 
Bees began piping immediately, and on the 17th a second swarm 
issued. This was nearly as large as the former and hived in a 
Woodbury of my own make, with good comb adjusted to alternate 
bars. The parent hive was examined at the same time, every bar 
taken out and inspected, and every royal cell extracted save two 
or three recently sealed-up, which were left for precaution’s sake, 
although a fine young queen was observed. Ten royal cells were 
destroyed. All was carefully readjusted, the combs being more 
conveniently re-arranged. Not a pound of honey was visible in 
the large hive, but an immense quantity of brood all through the 
combs was noted with satisfaction, giving promise of future 
success. 
On the 15th a prime swarm, not large, issued from a hive in my 
tool house, where is a large window looking into the garden facing 
8.S.E., where is accommodation for six stocks. This swarm settled 
on a bush apple tree 4 feet fromthe ground. A tap brought them 
down en masse, and in five minutes they had possession of an 
Abbott-Woodbury, and were shifted off immediately to their 
permanent stand in the open garden. 
From this hive, too, issued a second swarm only three days later. 
Evidently in both cases the bees had been delayed in their plans 
for swarming by the bad weather so long continued. Piping was 
observed immediately after the issue of the first swarm. I hived 
it in a box containing a good lot of empty comb and put it in 
place of the parent hive. The swarm was in the act of returning, 
and its queen (offspring of a fine Italian queen imported last 
October) was caught on the alighting board, and of course given 
to the cast: So many royal cells were found in the parent hive 
on examination, some open and many sealed, that it is probable 
there were other young queens flying about who may have been 
with this swarm and caused uncertainty in their movements. 
Ten of the sealed royal cells were cut out and destroyed, also 
several young queens found about the combs of the parent hive. 
The presence of so many royal Italian princesses tempted me 
to substitute one of them for the only degenerate queen in my 
apiary. Accordingly the same day we drove the hive of which 
she was the mother, and having secured and removed her the 
bees were restored to their hive, over which was set a small super 
containing three of the royal cells still unsealed ; and to make 
assurance doubly sure I was also able to provide them witha 
fully grown princess. 
All these various operations have succeeded well, and the bees 
in all hives are working away vigorously. Still I cannot now look 
for any large quantity of honey with all these divided populations. 
One strong hive and two weaker ones now recovering from the 
eflects of the tedious spring are all that are left to me unswarmed. 
It remains to be seen what they willdo. Hitherto there has been 
nothing but disappointment this year. 
I may mention as one of the curiosities of the year’s experience 
that in one of the royal cells which we opened were found two 
young fully fledged but quite dead common bees. They were 
sealed-up in the usual way. Has anything of this sort been ob- 
served before ? 
Also I may record that in an apiary not far off a hive swarmed 
and straightway entered anadjoining hive. Fullas were the bellies 
of the swarming bees, they were far from kindly welcomed by 
their neighbours. A fierce pitched battle resulted, in which many 
Puen perhaps thousands, of the combatants were killed.— 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
BOOKS (Z£. Dillistone)—You must apply to the publishers. (P. H. G.).— 
Consult our “ Poultry-Keepers’ Manual.” 
BIRD LOSING ITS FEATHERS (F. F. Foster).—At this time of year when 
the plumage is getting ragged, Spanish hens seem to be beset with the 
desire to eat every feather that can be got from the body of the cock. It is 
fair, however, to say it is only those that are in confinement that do this. 
The treatment you mention is very bad. If the bird in question is at 
iberty, and has not lost his plumage by the act of the hen, it has come 
about by fever of the skin. This should be treated with cooling food and 
with emollients. Rub the naked parts of his body with citron ointment 
varied with salad or castor oil. Feed on ground oats if you have them, 
slaked with milk or water, and let the bird have plenty of lettuce. If gone 
to seed so much the better. We advise you to separate him from the hen. 
If, however, you think it necessary he should run with her, turn him down at 
times for a short time. Spanish chickens are naturally very naked in their 
early youth. We have often had them with only tail and wing feathers, 
the rest of the body naked, but perfectly healthy. Give the chickens bread 
and milk, ground oats slaked with milk, and if they are not on grass let 
them have a large sod with plenty of earth given to them every day. Ifyou 
cannot get ground oats use barleymeal. 
BEES CLUSTERING (Hankelow).—You say your bees are clustering out- 
side their hive, even to the extent of filling up the corner of their stand, and 
you want to know the causeand remedy of this. Some hives that have pre- 
pared for swarming by setting queens and haye been prevented by weather 
from swarming at the time become somewhat morbid and sluggish after- 
wards. The bees of such hives cluster for weeks, it may be months, before 
they set queens a second time, and thus prepare for sending off swarms. We 
have known bees hang outside their hives till the combs inside were filled 
with honey. Some hives severely affected and afflicted with foul brood are 
covered with bees in hot weather. The stench of the foul brood drives them 
outside their hives, and there they commence building fresh combs. Artificial 
swarming, so easily performed, is the best remedy for the clustering of stocks. 
that will not swarm. Bees should not be permitted to waste their time by 
clustering outside. After the swarming season is past eking, nadiring, and 
supering are resorted to in order to let the bees have playroom enough inside. 
There is no cure for foul brood. The sooner bees are removed from hives 
affected with this terrible disease the better both for them and their owners 
Two SWARMS UNITING (D.).—Swarms that issue from separate hives in 
the same garden at the same time generally unite and alight together in one 
cluster on a bush or tree, and it is not uncommon for a single swarm to 
alight on two separate bushes. When this happens there has been a mis- 
understanding or divided opinion among the bees before they left the hive. 
Part of the swarm goes to one place, and part to the other. Those without 
the queen go to the rest. Probably this was the case with yours, though you 
ped them separately. You may remove the super now from the mother 
ve. 
WINE-MAKING (J. H. Walford).—Cooley’s “Encyclopedia of Practical 
Receipts.” 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 32’ 40" N.; Long. 0° 8’ 0” W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
9 AM. IN THE Day. 
Hygrome- Shade Tem-|_ Radiation | 4 
ter. perature. Temperature.) 3 
EaePes aye TRPUN paaig poct es, ij 
Dry.| Wet 
.| deg. | deg. 
54.6 | 52.3 
69.4 | 63.6 
REMARKS. 
26th.—Fine, hot, sunny morning, rather cloudy in afternoon, distant thunder 
in W. from 4.51 to 5.30 P.M.; clear fine evening. 
27th.—Bright, hot, sunny day, rather more wind than on 26th; very fine 
night. 
28th.—Another bright sunny day, dusty ; fine, clear, starlight night. 
29th.—The last of the hot days, and not so warm as its predecessors. 
30th.—Dull close morning, but 12° cooler than on the 29th; dark storm 
clouds in S.E. from 10 A.M., thunder first heard at 11.20A.M., and 
became heavy about 1.10 P.M. Measurable rain began at 0.43 P.M., 
and in the first quarter of an hour 0.3linch fell; rain continued 
steadily until 7 P.M., when 1.13 inch had fallen. Although far 
inferior to the storm of the 23rd, even this was a heavy storm. 
1st.—Fair all day, but at times very dull and heavy, dark very early in the 
evening. 
2nd.—Dull morning with spots of rain, fair afternoon and evening; very 
cool. 
Four hot days, a thunderstorm, and one very cool day.—G. J. SYMONS. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—JuLy 3. 
OUR Market has been generally active during the past week, and clearances 
have been readily made. Cherries do not show to best advantage this season, 
and good samples rule high, while Raspberries bid fair to be a good crop. 
All hothouse fruits are in good demand. 
FRUIT. 
s.d. s. d. s. ad. sa 
dsieve 0 Oto0 0 4 (told 0 
dozen 10 3 0 4020 
ica 06 I 6} 3.010 0 
bushel 10 0 20 0 4018 0 
Zsieve 0 0 00 00 00 
¢sieve 00 0 0 00 00 
dozen 6 0 12 0 soo) We 0 
Pb. 0 0 0 0} tsieve 0 0 00 
Cobs. D et 0 0 O 0O| Raspberries.... Pib 00 00 
Gooseberries .. quart 0 6 O 9) Strawberries .. etb. 0 6 10 
Grapes,hothouse #ib 2 0 8 0O| Walnuts ...... bushel 5 0 8 0 
Lemons ....... . #100 G6 0 10 0 ditto. ........% e100 00 00 
VEGETABLES. 
gs. d. s. d. SAGE eat 
Artichokes...... dozen 2 0to4 0|Mushrooms.... pottle 1 6to2 0 
Asparagus...... bundle 2 0 6 QO} Mustard & Cress punnet 0 2 0 4 
Beans,Kidneyforced #100 0 6 2 0/| Onions ........ bushel 2 6 3 0 
Beet, Red ...... dozen 1 6 38 0) pickling...... quart 0 4 0 6 
Broccoli ........ bundle 0 9 1 6 doz.bunches 2 0 0 0 
Brussels Sprouts #sieve 0 0 0 0 ae dozen 0 0 0 0 
Cabbage ........ dozen 1 0 2 0 quart 0 9 16 
Carrots bunch 0 6 0 9 bushel 3 6 7 0 
Capsicums 3 #100 16 20 bushel 5 0 7 0 
Cauliflowers. dozen 3 0 6 0 . doz.bunches 1 0 1 6 
Celery -- bundle 16 2 0 hs . bundle 0 6 0 9 
Coleworts..doz. bunches 2 0 4 0| Salsafy ... 09 10 
Cucumbers . each 0 4 1 0) Scorzonera . 10 00 
Endive 10 2 0} Seakale ... 00 00 
Fennel.. 0 $ O 0} Shallots . 03 40 
Garlic .. 0 6 O 0} Spinach . Bi Gi Ar 10 
Herbs .. 0 2 O Oj Turnips... bunch 0 6 0 9 
Leeks .. A 0 2 O 4} Veg, Marrows.. each 0 0 0 0 
Lettuce ....... Be Qa OY 
