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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 27, 1863. 



of the Journal have the benefit of his experience. It is my 

 intention to do so, if I can fit up a suitable room for the purpose, 

 and whatever the result may he, I shall be happy to communicate 

 it, and it will afford me very great pleasure to be compelled 

 to modify the opinion here expressed adverse to keeping bees in 

 dwelling-houses and analagous situations. — S. Bevan Eox. 



BEES in CHURCHES and oihee BUILDINGS— 

 THEIR DELIGHT IN RETIREMENT. 



I hate long been convinced that bees are fond of quiet and 

 retirement, having for some years watehed their movements in 

 secluded spots. The first colony I noticed was fixed in the 

 end of a building at Willoughbridge Wells, near Market Dray- 

 ton, Salop, the property of Mr. Meynell Ingram, of Temple New- 

 sham, then in the occupation of his agent, the late Mr. Samuel 

 Harding, and which building had in days of yore been occupied 

 as a cock-pit, but was subsequently converted into more pious ser- 

 vice and used as a chapel by Mr. Harding. I was informed the 

 bees (which were 7 or 8 yards from the ground), had been there 

 for years, and a more powerful colony I have seldom witnessed ; 

 but in the course of one severe winter they died, not without in 

 the following summer another generation laying claim to and 

 taking possession of the residence, there being no inmates to 

 dispute their title thereto. 



I was told by those who had noticed their movements, that 

 they were several summers ere they became as formidable as the 

 original tenants, but that they swarmed, pillaged, and destroyed 

 as the decayed nation had done before them, and were in fact a 

 standing menace to all the smaller bee-states for some distance 

 round, as in the case of the bees at Hough Hall. 



My attention was subsequently directed to several swarms 

 which took up their abode in smaller buildings, but from some 

 cause unknown they did not survive the winter, and having 

 recollected that when a boy at the Acton Grammar School my 

 attention had been drawn by the Rev. Mr. Wilson to some bees 

 working over the porch (he himself being a close observer and 

 ardent admirer of this interesting little insect), curiosity led 

 me two years since to visit the scene of my boyish exploits, and 

 there, to my astonishment, I found the bees in full work. Now, 

 whether there had been any interregnum or not I was unable 

 to learn, but the colony was of amazing strength. It is about 

 10 or 12 yards from the ground, the entrance being between the 

 cracks in the stones of the church wall. 



Since then I was told there was a colony of bees at Shrew- 

 bridge Hall, near this town, the residence of W. H. Hornby, 

 Esq., the member for Blackburn, where, I believe, they had been 

 for a dozen years ; but I found some enemy had destroyed them, 

 although Mr. Hornby's intelligent gardener seemed to think the 

 domicile would he in the forthcoming summer tenanted again ; 

 the distance would be 8 yards from the ground. 



There were several colonies in the trees of Doddington Park, 

 the residence of H. Akroyd, Esq., which were carefully watched 

 during the swarming season by the workmen for the swarms, 

 but from inquiries made I was not able to discover a Bingle 

 colony left. They were generally fixed about 10 yards from the 

 ground. 



In Cholmondeley Park, the residence of Lord Cholmondeley ; 

 and at Combermere Abbey, the abode of the venerable hero of 

 Bhurtpore and Salamanca, I hear of several colonies in the 

 oak trees there, but the last summer having been 30 very un- 

 propitious I was not able to follow up my inquiries. 



Generally bees in this state are not to be approached with im- 

 punity, but the most extraordinary circumstance which has 

 attracted my attention was at Sound Heath, near Nantwich. 

 In the thick part of a walnut tree there is a strong colony of 

 bees. This tree was originally growing at Wrenbury-cum-Frith, 

 and was cut down last winter (and the fall of the tree would not 

 be Bmall), and its present owner obtained permission from the 

 timber merchant who bought it to sever the portion of the tree 

 which contained the bees and bring it home, a distance of three 

 miles, when he placed it in his garden, having stopped-up all 

 crevices. 



When I visited the garden where it stands, this summer, I 

 ascertained that the bees, which were then remarkably quiet and 

 strong, had experienced no ill effects from the rough usage, and 

 had every year previously Bent out a swarm when the tree was 

 growing, and it was stated to me they had had undisturbed 



possession of their tenement for a dozen years at the least. Any - 

 body acquainted with the particular odour emitted by very 

 old families of bees could soon perceive upon approaching 

 that it was one of considerable standing, and I came to the 

 conclusion it was the age and toughness of the comb which 

 had preserved the family from complete destruction, as the 

 repercussion of the falling tree was likely to smash the contents 

 to atomB. 



Now, it strikes me that were some of your numerous and able 

 correspondents to take up the inquiry in the several part3 in 

 which they reside, we should soon hear of instances similar to 

 those I have before narrated, as I read that in the year 1834 

 a swarm of bees housed themselves on the top of Chichester 

 Cathedral, having taken up their quarters below the weather- 

 cock ; and I remember in the year 1850 (July) , during one 

 whole week the officers of Chester Castle were prevented from 

 locking the gate leading to the little Roo Dee, and they were 

 compelled to employ a whitesmith to remove the lock, when to 

 their great astonishment they discovered a swarm of bees had 

 taken possession of the lock, every ward of which was completely 

 filled with honey and wax. 



The height and aspect of bee-hives has for some time engaged 

 my attention. My own are in a room well ventilated, S. by 

 S.E., the entrances made of wood plugged in the wall 8 feet 

 from the ground, well protected from winds, and free from 

 noises of every description, but I am not in a situation to brag 

 they do one bit better than those which are placed on a common 

 bench uncared for. I, however, remember a friend who kept 

 two colonies in his bedroom,'working them through the window- 

 frame, which did remarkably well for years, and he has been 

 known to take a couple of eight-pound glasses from each stock, 

 but the master and servants are now gone. 



It is almost impossible to account for the singular places 

 where bee3 will fix themselves. I have myself tried nearly all 

 places, heights aud aspects, but I am puzzled to find out a 

 remedy to guard against the damp ; and I am afraid our friend 

 the " Noeth Staepoedshiee Bee-keepee," will learn, as many 

 have done before him, that no aspect or height will evade the 

 penalty imposed upon us by that dread enemy, humidity. — 

 Ed. Wyndham Jones. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Fowl and Cow-keeping (E. M. J).).— You can have from, our office, 

 free by post, " The Poultry Book for the Many," if you send seven stamps 

 with your direction. For thirteen stamps, you can similarly huve "How 

 to Farm Two Acres Profitably," which contains fall directions for manag- 

 ing not only a cow but pigs. 



Shell-less Eggs (Nidus).— As the pullet has abundance of burnt shells, 

 we think you feed her too highly, and there must be some inflammation or 

 excessive irritation of the egg-organs. Do not give her Indian corn or 

 animal food; but only baileymeal and boiled potatoes. It is very likely 

 that those pullets which do not lay are over-fat. 



Game Fowl Peizes at Kendal and Manchester (Fair Piny). — More 

 than one expression of reprehension of the decisions at Manchester have 

 reached us, and we shall keep our attention fixed on certain facts. We 

 would observe, however, that the classes at Manchester were generally 

 more strongly represented than at Kendal ; and we would further observe 

 that no man should consent to be a Judge at a Show where a near relative 

 is to exhibit. He may be honest, but his awards will be liable to bias, and 

 certainly will be suspected. 



Promoting Laying (Susan). — Warm food is not absolutely necessary to 

 make hens lay well, if by warm food is meant that mixed with hot water, 

 or boiled and given before it is cool. The warmth should be the result of 

 better and more nourishing food. Good ground oats mixed with milk, 

 scraps of cooked meat, and an occasional handful of hempseed, are all good 

 for the purpose. Any stimulating beyond this we hold to be hurtful. 



Quantity of Food Required by Fowls (A. B. If.).— Your question is 

 difficult to answer. The quantity of food consumed will depend on the 

 condition of the birds, and the manner in which they are fed. It is utterly- 

 impossible to say how much ninety-five head of poultry should eat. For 

 instance, birds in low condition and cjming from a bad home or run, will 

 eat twice as much for a time as those that have been well fed, and are pro- 

 portionably comfortable. We do not much approve your feeding. We 

 would advise for Turkeys and fowls ground oats giveD by hand as long as 

 they will eat them, for the Ducks and Geese whole oats. Where food is 

 thrown down whether wanted or not, much will always be wasted; but 

 where only a certain quantity is given just so long as they will eat with 

 appetite, you will soon be better able to judge than we to inform you. You 

 may vary the ground oats with some whole corn now and then. 



Pheasant Hybrids {Lex).— See an article in this week's paper treating 

 of the subject. 



The Singing-bird Manual (Bird). — It will be published this spring, 

 and the price will be very moderate. 



Parrot Picking out its Feathebs (Gertrude).— Put a soup-plate foil of 

 tepid water daily, where the bird can use it as a bath. If the bird does 

 not bathe in it, pour tepid water over it through the rose of a watering-pot. 



