42 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 13, 1303. 



the proprietor, on plundering several of the roof-hives, required 

 to employ washing-tubs to contain the mass of combs of 

 various hues. The roof of the Lord of the Manor, as recorded 

 in No. 9, possesses quite a talismanic influence, and is a standing 

 terror to all tho surrounding cottage bee-keepers. I related in 

 that Number the chase of one after a swarm. It is, however, 

 fair that I should mention it has since come to my knowledge, 

 that although the details of that story were as related, still my 

 informant was not aware that the Btook from which the swarm 

 proceeded was placed at a farm standing nearer the manor-house 

 a good deal than his own dwelling. 



The last laird had a great likiDg to the bees, but failed to 

 induce them to work-out into boxes fitted-up for their reception 



very likely from not having sufficiently contracted the space 



where they were located — but consoled himself by having always 

 the lath and plaster removed from the divisions where the bees 

 established themselves, boards kept in their place with small 

 buttons being substituted ; so that, with the aid of a little smoke, 

 the butler could promptly procure, when ordered, a piece of 

 beautiful honeycomb fresh from the hive to sweeten the repast 

 of his friends. His successor being no apiarian, and fearing the 

 bees might penetrate to the very nursery, had them removed 

 and the seams papered-up with stout paper ; but notwithstand- 

 ing, the following season brought as usual a large prime swarm, 

 which, nothing daunted, occupied the favoured site, having 

 cut a suitable entrance through the paper. They survived last 

 winter, and were very strong in Bpring, when they were merci- 

 lessly banished — not, however, without inflicting signal vengeance 

 on their destroyers. The whole slates were removed from the 

 north end, which was covered with roofing felt before they were 

 replaced ; and it now remains to be seen if this prove a sufficient 

 preventive against the inroads of our indefatigable little favourites. 

 — A Renfeewshibe Bee-keepee. 



BOTTLE-FEEDERS FOR BEES. 



One Who Has Sees would like to know what kind of bottle is 

 used for feeding, and how it is applied to straw skeps having a 

 four-inch opening on the top, with the combs built across it. 



[Any kind of bottle will answer the purpose, but those with 

 short necks and of a squat shape are the most convenient. For 

 occasional feeding in spring, nothing answers better tban a 

 common four-ounce or six-ounce medicine-phial ; whilst for 

 copious feeding in autumn, an ordinary pickle-bottle leaves 

 nothing to be desired. The best arrangement for straw skeps 

 with a four-inch opening, is that recommended by " A Devon- 

 shire Bee-keepee " for wooden hives, and delineated in Vol. 

 XXV., page 42. The opening in the top of the hive is 

 covered with a piece of perforated zinc, on which is placed a 

 block of wood 5 inches in diameter, with a central hole to 

 receive the bottle-neck. The bottle filled with liquid food, and 

 bavin" its mouth covered with a piece of coarse cap-net, the 

 meshes of which are not less than a sixteenth of an inch in 

 diameter, should be quickly inverted over the opening in the 

 wooden block, so that any food that escapes may run into the 

 hive, and its neck being inserted therein, it will stand steadily 

 in an inverted position, whilst the food remains perfectly sus- 

 pended by atmospheric pressure without a drop falling, until 

 the whole is appropriated by the bees. If very rapid feeding 

 be desired, the net may be drawn out after the bottle is inverted, 

 thus bringing the food more completely in contact with the 

 perforated zinc, and enabling the bees to remove it in a wonder- 

 fully short time. The points to be attended to in adapting the 

 perforated block to a bottle are, first to make the hole suffi- 

 ciently large to admit of the neck passing freely in and out 

 when enveloped in the neck ; whilst the block itself Bhould be 

 of such a thickness that, whilst the bottle-mouth rests on the 

 perforated zinc underneath, the upper side of the block fits 

 close to the surface of the bottle. This is very important ; 

 because, if strange bees or wasps are able surreptitiously to 

 obtain a taBte of the forbidden sweets from the outside, serious 

 injury, or even the total destruction of the colony, may very 

 probably result from a combined attack, which few stocks are 

 able successfully to resist. In conclusion, we may add that a 

 long and very extensive experience warrants us in fully endors- 

 ing the conclusion of our able and esteemed correspondent 

 " B. & W.," that the inverted bottle is indeed the ne plus ultra 

 of bee-feeders.] 



EVENING THOUGHTS IN JANUARY. 

 (From the German of Adalbert Beatjjj.) 

 By "A Devonshire Bee-keeper." 

 Wit bin my little garden 



Stands also a bee-house, 

 And bees therein protected 



Prom sly tomtit or mouse. 

 How quietly they're sitting ! 



And little trouble give, 

 Beyond the needful watching 



That undisturb'd they live — 

 That all, indeed, are living 



In strong unbroken health, 

 And, in the brood-nest hanging, 



Consume their hoarded wealth — 

 That in the dwindling store-room 



Sufficient stores remain, 

 Until the rape-plant donneth 



Its blossom dress again ! 

 Thus daily do I visit 



My garden and my bees, 

 Neglecting thereby often 



My dinner and my ease. 

 Thank God ! they all were humming 



Within their hives to-day ; 

 Nor could I find a symptom 



Of hunger or decay. 

 And yet -what ardent longing 



I feel, O Spring, for thee ! 

 My darlings' gleesome frolics 



Are happiness to me ! 

 How would this anxious longing 



Consume my very breast, 

 But for a little being 



So full of love and jest, 

 In heat or cold that prattles 



Around me ev'ry day, 

 And stills the throes of longing 



By commune blithe and gay. 

 Ye bee-keepers can value 



A joy that is complete ; 

 It is my wife — the darling 



Whose lips are honey-sweet. 

 With e'en the richest bee-stand 



Were joy and pleasure gone, 

 If my heart's queen were wanting 



And I left here alone. 

 Thus her I love and honour, 



No difference have we, 

 But oft-times go together 



Our little pets to see, 

 Her kisses sweet removing 



All sorrow from my breast, 

 And honied joys surrounding 



Proclaim us highly blest. 



— T. W. Woodbury, Mount Radford, JSxeter. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Poultry Diary (-4. Barker). — Its publication has ceased. We ure an 

 interleaved copy of " Johnson's Farmer's Almanac," which may be had in 

 a cloth binding; for 2s., and we rule the blunk leaves according to our own 

 requirements for eggs. <fcc, 



Spanish Cockerel Lost at the Crystal Palace.— "Not having- re- 

 ceived back the single Spanish cockerel which I sent to the Crystal Palace 

 Show ; and Mr. Houghton, although he has taken great trouble, having 

 been unable to ascertain what has become of him, I am induced to inquire 

 whether this sort of loss has ever happened to any other of your readers. 

 It is true that a bird was returned to me, but it was totally unlike the one 

 I sent. Mine was bred by me from birds highly commended at Manchester, 

 was the pick of about fiity chickens, and was itself commended at the 

 Crystal Palace Show. The bird returned to me was worth about 2s. 6<£, — 

 R. B. Postans, Breritwood.'" 



The Manchester Show Prize List.— The first prize for old Spanish and 

 Duckwlng Game chickens, we are informed, should be " Johu Martin, 

 Claines, Worcester, 1 ' and not "John Martin, Bingley," as stated in this 

 Journal. 



Boys' School (Paier).-Wc advise you to send your sons to Dr. BehrV, 

 Winton House, Winchester. We know several youths who have passed 

 excellent public examinations after being under his charge; iind they all 

 speak most highly of the kind household treatment of Mrs. Behr. 



