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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ February 17, 1863: 



hurghs, and the Silver-spangled of the Poland fowls. Some very 

 good Bantams were shown in their respective classes. 



The Pigeons were quite a favoured portion of the Exhibition, 

 and the collection of small singing birds was scarcely less 

 attractive. 



Great credit is due to Mr. Rhodes, the Hon. Sec, for his 

 courteous and prompt attention to everything connected with 

 the Show. 



The Judge of the poultry was Mr. Edward Hewitt, of Spark- 

 brook, Birmingham ; for the Pigeons, Mr. C. Cotten, of Crewe, 

 and Mr. C. Bowles, of Chester ; . and for the Canaries and other 

 song birds, Mr. John Ankers, assisted by the Pigeon Judges. 



As the weather proved most propitious a very great attendance 

 ensued, and the Society has even still further increased its hold 

 on the good wishes of the neighbourhood. This, combined 

 with the promise of a larger subscription list for future years, 

 betokens that the perseverance of the Nantwich Committee has 

 obtained the reward it bo well merited. 



We published the list of awards last week. 



WARNING. 



Aptee my advertisement in the Journal some few weeks ago 

 amongst other applications was one from a "Mr. Kidgway 

 Beswick Lodge, near Manchester." His second letter ran as 

 follows : — "I am in want of some good Carrier Pigeons, and 

 knowing you to keep some first-class birds, you will oblige by 

 sending me a pair each of Duns, Blues and Blacks. Send them 

 first-rate birds, as price is no object. Send me word when you 

 have sent them, also your charge for the lot, and I will remit 

 payment on receiving the birds." Then, he says, " Direct for 

 Mr..Ridgway, Beswick Lodge, near Manchester, to be left at the 

 Ashton Station until called for, a= that is the nearest station to 

 my house, and I will send my man down for them." Now, I 

 did not like this style at all, and civilly requested prepayment ; 

 but I have never heard from him since. I suspected it was a 

 hoax, and asked a gentleman who lives in Manchester to inquire 

 if there was such a name and place near. He took much trouble, 

 looking in the "Directory," and inquiring of everybody likely to 

 know, but all to no purpose, until this week, when he heard 

 from some manufacturers in Beswick, that "Beswick Lodge" 

 is a beerhouse at the bottom of Beswick Street, and several 

 inquiries have been made for " Ridgway," who is not known 

 there, but suspected to be a member of the " Long firm."-— 

 T. Cohdey. 



BEE-KEEPING IN STAFFORDSHIRE. 



The laBt two seasons with me have been very bad. The 

 spring of 1861 found me with only one stock, which Bent out a 

 swarm on July 1st, which on September 1st did not weigh 1 lb. 

 heavier than when hived ; so I determined to try superposing. 

 Having had a queenless hive presented to me, I gorged them 

 with food for several days, and at evening, about dusk, put the 

 queenless stock on the top of the Bwarm, thinking they would 

 iraterniBe with and descend to those below. Little fighting 

 ensued, not more than a score being killed ; but what was my 

 eurprise in a few days to find, that instead of the queenless stock 

 descending according to my wishes, the others had gone up to them, 

 leaving tenantless the handful of comb they had made. Think- 

 ing it best to let them remain undisturbed as the queenless stock, 

 which was a swarm of 1860, had most comb, I led them liberally, 

 leaving the part-filled hive below. They came through the 

 winter of 1861-2 in good order, and, after being provided with 

 a fresh domicile by cutting-out the top-board of the lower hives 

 with the combs adhering, and fitting it in a cap-hive, are now my 

 strongest stock ; but they are two storeyB high, the top-board 

 forming the division having two side apertures each about 

 2 square inches area. Will the division affect their future welfare ? 

 and will it prevent swarming ? As neither stock swarmed last 

 season, which was as bad as 1861, 1 shall be obliged by learning 

 the opinion of " A Rehebewshire Bee-keeper," and hope to 

 hear a better account of his apiary than I am able to give of 

 mine. — A North-Staffordshire Bee-keeper. 



Bees. — The Apiculteur, a French apiarian journal, contains 

 the following remarks : — Bees do not pass the winter in a state 

 of stupefaction, nor do they sleep much longer during that 



season than in any other — all that depends upon the work they 

 have to do. There are at all seasons some working bees alive 

 and active in a hive, and at the time when provisions are being 

 got in there are many at work day and night without taking 

 any sleep at all. Their slumber is very light at all times, for 

 they sleep with their eyeB open ; the slightest noise, a vivid 

 light, or a current of air, is enough to awaken them ; but the 

 warmer the hive is the easier it is for them to sleep : hence 

 they consume much less houey in a hive situated in a quiet place, 

 little exposed to light and air, than in one more exposed. But 

 if the outer temperature rises very high, this favours the laying 

 of their eggs, and then a larger quantity of honey is consumed. 

 It is, therefore, easy to explain why in bee-hives placed close to 

 each other the consumption of honey is different during winter ; 

 and this is a circumstance not to be neglected, because colonies 

 which before winter seemed to have provisions enough to last 

 them all through the month of March, may be reduced to ex- 

 tremities before the end of January, in which case the apiculturist 

 must come to their assistance. If the bees have been able to 

 enjoy an excursion or two since Christmas they will easily partake 

 of the liquid food which may be offered them in a cup placed 

 inside the hive ; but if not, the food so administered may cause 

 dysentery. To avoid this, honeycombs full of honey should be 

 cut out of other hives where the supply is plentiful, and trans- 

 planted into needy ones. This delicate operation is performed 

 in a cellar by the light of a lantern and with the aid of smoke. 

 The colonies thus assisted must be left in the cellar, if it be not 

 too damp, until a fine day comes to allow of their flying out a 

 little. The hives from which the honeycombs have been taken 

 must also be left in the cellar for twenty-four hours at least, 

 during which the bees feed on the honey that has exuded during 

 the operation. 



OTIB, LETTER BOX. 



Death of Chickens {Alpha).— All parasites become fatal to chickens, 

 but it is seldom we find them, among the dun*. The only worm we know 

 is the tape-worm, and this is only common to Game. .Parasites in chickens 

 are two — the lice in the feathers, and tbe red- worms in the throat. The 

 first arc dislodged by dust and ashes, especially wood ashes mixed with 

 a little sulphur. There is little doubt the second are caused by impure 

 water. We fancy that living in a greenhouse and pinery they have, in 

 scratching or searching for food, found some parasitical insect chat would 

 attach itself to anything that had life. It is unquestionable these would 

 cause death by constant worrying. We doubt, however, whether they 

 are flies; even small chickens are great enemies to everything that has 

 wings. 



Buying Stock (An Old Snbsc7'iber). — If yon apply to Mr. Baily, 113, 

 Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, you will obtain what you require. 



Early-Chicken Management {Constant Reader). — Is your crate covered 

 at night? Cochins are very hardy. Tour feeding is judicious. We do- 

 not see why they should die, unless they get a chill. The nights are still 

 long and cold, and the hen cannot cover them as well at a mouth old as she 

 can when they are very young. We do not think a large crate necessary. 

 The ordinary rip that we have described so often, closed at the back and 

 both sides, but open in front, to allow the chickens to run in and out 

 between the bars is all that is required ; and has the advantage that the 

 back can always be turned to the wind, and that the front is easily covered 

 up at night. They do not want hay. We have given bruised hempseed 

 with success to young chickens, and in cold and damp weather we give 

 stale bread 6oaked in strong ale night and morning. We also give them 

 beer to drink. Chickens sometimes die at that age from vermin. If this- 

 is found to be the case on examination, a little oil put under the wings and 

 a little on the crown of the head will be the cure. The prevention will be 

 a heap of dust in their haunts. If they are exposed to cold at night they 

 perish from it. The rip bhould not be large. It should be open only in- 

 lront, and it should be carefully covered at night. 



Hens Not Laying (C. JEllis). — Hens will not lay in the winter, it is 

 contrary to their nature. Pullets will lay at that season, but only on the 

 condition they shall reach the laying age in the winter. In providing for 

 this it is also necessary to bear in mind that progress is very slow in the winter 

 months, and that unpropitious weather will hinder or retard laying. Eggs 

 have been more plentiful during the last fortnight, but up to that tirue- 

 they were unusually scarce. Cochins and Brahmas are the best winter 

 layers. If you had had either of those in your pure-bred and eight months 

 old, you would have had eggs. 



Hen Laying Soft Eggs {James Reid). — As she has, a free run, and, 

 therefore, probably finds a supply of limy substances, the evil is occasioned 

 by an over-initated state of the ovary and egg-passage. This, we hav e 

 little doubt, arises from her being over-ted. Give her a dessert-spoonful 

 of castor oil ; feed her moderately upon boiled potatoes mixed with very 

 little barleymeal, and throw some limy bricklayers' rubbish where she can 

 readily have access to it. In a week or two the soft eggs will be succeeded* 

 by hard-shelled eggs. 



Aviary {A Constant Subscriber).— The back, a brick wall covered with 

 ivy, will not be injurious to Canaries, Goldfinches, and other small birds. 

 Try, and we will hope th.it you may be able to keep the ivy flourishing. 



Incubator {Lex). — You are quite right, the rearing of the chickens is 

 much more difficult than hatching them. We will not trouble you for 

 the extract you obligingly offer. Hybridising requires too much care v 

 and the treatment varies too much to anawer under one general query. 



