252 



JOURNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 31, 1863. 



which it is proposed to carry (hem out. Discussion on these 

 points could not fail to be beneficial. What I have been able 

 to gather from your paper, and from a friend or two who were 

 at the private meeting of the Poultry Club, has by no means 

 favourably impressed me. 



If I am correctly informed, it is intended to frame a series of 

 rules by which birds are to be judged — a course of procedure 

 which could not fail to bring the Club into collision with those 

 who have to perform the duty of judges. What gentleman of any 

 standing as a poultry judge, would, if he had any self-respect, 

 submit to the kind of dictation implied in placing in his hands 

 a code of rules drawn up by parties Ibbs conversant with the 

 subject than himself? Besides, there are points in connection 

 with the merits of different birds for which no rules can provide, 

 and any one who is not capable of judging poultry without the 

 aid of printed rules, has no claims which qualify him to fill the 

 office, and ought not to aBpire to it. It would be interesting to 

 hear the opinion of some of our best judges on the subject. If, 

 as I also believe is the case, it is the intention of the Club to 

 appoint the judges at some of the principal showB, I should like 

 to know how Mr. Hewitt would feel on the matter, if his ap- 

 pointment should be accompanied by a number of rules to direct 

 him in the exercise of his office. It is very problematical whether 

 he would accept it under such conditions. 



That there is great room for improvement in poultry ex- 

 hibitions is undeniable ; but it is questionable, not simply 

 whether such an arrangement would work advantageously in 

 promoting that object, but whether it would be practicable. 

 Whatever improvement is to he effected, it is certain it must be by 

 the mutual concurrence of both judges and exhibitors, without 

 which the most promising arrangements would fall through. — J. 



EXOTIC HONEY BEES-SIZE OP THEIE 

 CELLS. 



I AM indebted to the kindness of Mr. Charles Darwin, for 

 specimens of bees and comb of two foreign kinds of honey bees, 

 which differ in many respects from either of our European 

 species. The first is a bit of virgin comb and bees sent by Mr. 

 Mann, either from Fernando Po or the opposite mainland of 

 west Africa. The bees, as far as I can identify them, are Apis 

 Adansonii, and are much smaller than their European brethren, 

 but with this exception appear nearly identical with theLigurians, 

 possessing the same orange-coloured abdominal rings. Their 

 comb, on the other hand, differs in no respect from that of the 

 common hive bee, if we except a reddish tinge, due, probably, to 

 the colour of the honey which it once contained, and from which 

 it had originally been secreted. Although, as before stated, the 

 bees themselves are notably smaller, their cells are of precisely 

 the same diameter as those constructed by the European species. 

 Secondly, I have a piece of brood-comb and bees of the species 

 Apis testacea, brought by Mr. Wallace from the island of Timor, 

 in the Eastern Archipelago. Those bees and the allied species, 

 Apis dorBata, are about one- third longer and stronger than our 

 English honey-bee, and are indigenous to Borneo, Ceylon, Hin- 

 dostan, and the islands of the Eastern Archipelago. Their ex- 

 traordinary size is evidenced by the sealed brood-comb, wh ich is 

 no less than an inch and one-third in thickness, whilst sealed 

 brood-comb of Apis mellifica, at any rate during the first year, 

 is barely an inch thick. The great area of their wings, an d the 

 length of their abdomen, appear to me conclusive as to their 

 wonderful powers of flight, and great honey- gathering capa- 

 bilities ; but I was amazed to find that the most careful mea- 

 surement resulted in establishing the fact, that their cells like- 

 wise were of precisely the same diameter as th ose of the European 

 species. — A Devonshire Bee-kebpeb. 



WOODBURY FRAME-HIVES MADE IN 



STRAW. 



The advantages possessed by straw over wood as a material 

 for the construction of bee-hives have often been pressed upon 

 my attention by apiarians whose great experience entitles their 

 opinions to the utmost respect, whilst the course of events in 

 my own apiary has been Buch as often to give weight to their 

 suggestions. One obstacle, however, has always stood in the 

 way of my adopting straw hives, and this has been the difficulty 

 of procuring them of the perfectly square form required for the 



reception of frames. When last in London I drew the attention 

 of my friends, Messrs. Neighbour & Son,* to the advantages 

 possessed by straw, and suggested that they should endeavour 

 to produce a straw hive which would meet my requirements. 

 I have now much pleasure in announcing that they have per- 

 fectly succeeded, and manufacture Woodbury-hives in straw, 

 equalling wood in firmness, squareness, and stability, and 

 which, in (act, leave nothing to be deBired ; whilst their mode- 

 rate price is an advantage by no means to be despised. I have 

 already many of these hives in use in my own apiary, and I 

 think few will regret following in this respect the example of — 

 A Devonshire Bee-keepee. 



* 149, Regent Street, ana 127, High Holborn. 



EVENTS OF THE SEASON. 

 There was a nest of young Thrushes, nearly fledged, in 

 Leadenhali Market last TueBday. 



Silver Pheasants began laying March 17. 



The first Plover's eggs were sent up to London March 24th. 

 The usual day is on the 25th. In 1862, the first came in on 

 the 21st. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Diaut of the Dairt, &c, [A Gardener). — Its publication has been 

 abandoned, we believe. 



Cbeve Cieur Hens Dying {M. J.).— The symptom, "swelling of the 

 abdomen until it touches the ground, becoming red and death ensuing," 

 intimates that the egg-passages are inflamed, probably from the birds being 

 overloaded wilh fat. Give them a table-spoonful of castor oil, no hard 

 corn, very little barley or other meal; but plenty of boiled potatoes and 

 lettuce leaves. 



Management of Californian Quails {Constant Reader}.— There is 

 little difficulty in keeping and breeding the Californian Quail. They 

 require only a small space. Their food is simple— oats, barley, and green 

 meat. They are very prolific, laying from twenty to thirty eggs, a few of 

 which they may be allowed to rear themselves. A very successful breeder 

 who keeps many pairs, has them in different divisions round a yard ; one 

 pair in each cage or pen, which is about 6 feet in depth by 3 wide. Each 

 pair in turn has the run of the whole yard or eaclosuve, which is more than 

 halt greensward. This, it is said, prevents the hens from getting too fat, 

 which is dangerous for them in the laying season, and often fatal. There 

 is really no art in keeping them ; all they require is gravel, dry dust, oats, 

 barley, and green food, with as good a run as may be convenient. 



Chickkns with colds (P. W. T.). — If the chickens which snuffle and 

 have mucus in their nostrils roost on the stones of the stable, they are 

 suffering from chill contracted from it. They must not roost on board, 

 brick, or stone. If they have taken to the stable they will not be satisfied 

 elsewhere. Make up a warm corner for them, and cover it so deep with dry 

 gravel or sand they shall not feel the damp through it. The best treat- 

 ment for the snuffle, is to feed three times per day with stale bread soaked 

 in ale. You may give, if that fails, small pieces of camphor half the size of 

 a pea. 



Malay Fowls' Legs (F. J. C.).— We do not at all agree with you about 

 the legs of Malays, and we repeat our opinion that the colour is not essen- 

 tial. 



Breeding Canaries [R C. B.).~ Keep the birds together a little longer 

 — say a fortnight — and give them egg, mawseed, and hemp, and provide 

 them, if not already done, with building materials. Do not take out the 

 slide, the pans will be better separated. If at the end of the fortnight the 

 birds do not agree, we would advise you to change them; but we think 

 that they will be sociable after a time. 



Rkal Spring Chickens (A Subscriber).— The fowls that produce the 

 "real spring chickens" are to be had in Sussex only, about Handcross, 

 Cuckfield, the neighbourhood of Lewes, and East Grinstead. The Brahma 

 Pootra is the fowl you want, as they will rear themselves in any weather. 



Preventing Hens Sitting {H. JV. D., Woolwich),— There is always 

 more or less of cruelty in preventing hens from sitting, as it is a natural 

 operation. The most humane plan is to shut them up in a bare place, 

 where there is neither hay, straw, bos, basket, nor hole. They will look for 

 something or somewhere to sit upon, and, failing it, at the end of a fort- 

 night, may be turned out with the others. 



Cock Dhoop.ng (A. H.). — We fear some internal organ is chronically 

 diseased. Give a dessert-spoonful of castor oil, and offer him some bread 

 soaked in ale. 



Keeping Fowls (M. Godfrey).— Your space will do for a cock and three 

 hens of Buff Cochin-Chinas. The place under the ftairs would do for a 

 roosting-place, if enclosed. The wire-netting had better be 5 or 6 feet high 

 and no rail along the top. Have «ome limy rubbish in a corner, and the 

 floor of the roosting-place covered with 3 inches deep of sand. 



LONDON MARKETS.— March 30. 



POULTRY. 



There is but a small supply of poultry at market ; but the trade is so bad, 



there is aa much as is required. 



s. d. s. d. 



Large Fowls 4 to 4 6 



Smaller do S ,, 8 6 



Chickens 2 6 „ 8 



Goslings 6 „ 6 6 



Duckings 5 „ 5 6 



Guinea Fowl 2 6 to 3 



HareB „ 



Rabbits 1 4 „ 1 



Wild do 8 „ 8 



Pigeons 7 „ 





