3£0 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ November 2, 1871. 



put in a bee-house they would sometimes stand a good chance 

 of being blown over, for I presume you have little idea in 

 England what windy weather is like in this boisterous country. 



I attribute my success to using large boxes for housing my 

 bees. I consider giving the bees a large house to work in is 

 doing them good service. I think bee-keepers at home cannot 

 form any conception of the quantity of honey harvested in 

 Canterbury alone annually. I notice that my bees work very 

 little during the extremely hot weather which we experience, 

 but remain outside their bouses night and day by the thousand, 

 fanning each other with their wings ; at the same time, from 

 the heat, the honey is running out of the comb like water. In 

 hot weather I now take the precaution to shade them from the 

 piercing rays of the sun with some spray. To finish my gossip 

 about my management of bees, I usually place during the 

 winter months a large board on the top of my bee-boxes quite 

 flat. This board is much larger than the box, to prevent the 

 dripping from our heavy rains, which occasionally last for three 

 days at a time. 



Can any of our learned bee-masters at home tell me when 

 the queen bee deposits the first egg, and when she deposits the 

 last egg? Anything I have written I do not think new. They 

 are only notes of my fourteen-years experience with bees in 

 Canterbury, New Zealand. — Williaii Swale, 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Beahka Chickens {Medicus).~-i:he Tceiglit of your birds is good, and 

 they ■^nll lioZd their own in competition. The twisted flight is a dis- 

 qualification. It is useless to exhibit any bird having it. The white in 

 the tail is quite immaterial. The vulture hock is a very serious fault. 

 The brown on the wings may be passed over. If you have one cockerel — 

 and you surely should have one out of sis — without any twist in the 

 flight, and without vulture hock, you may show him safely Pullets 

 seldom have twisted flights; they are subject to vulture hocks, but as 

 you do not mention them we hope they wiU be eihibited satisfactorily. 

 Their weights are good. 



Bantam Cockehels Dting (A Suhscriber). —There is something about 

 the place that is injurious, if notpoisonous, to the fowls. There is every 

 appearance of poison. Tar water is often beneficial to fowl?, but tar 

 itself is very injurious, and has much the efi'ect on the throat of a bird 

 that a large dose of birdlime would on that of a human being. It pre- 

 vents from swallowing, and the neck is kept stretched out to diminish, 

 if possible, the discomfort of such a state of things. The reason why 

 only one bird gets it is, there is only enough for one. We know no cure. 



White Cochins Vultctie-hocked (H. E. P.)-— Vulture hocks are bo 

 common among White Cochins, that if they were always a disqualifica- 

 tion many classes would afford no competition. Where they are shown 

 against birds free from this defect, those having it are disqualified. The 

 committee of a show make the most advantageous terms they can for the 

 carriage of birds to and fro. So far, however, from paying the expense 

 of their going to and fro, it is always a stipulation that carriage shall in 

 all cases be paid by the exhibitor. The only exception is where birds are 

 sold ; they are returned at the expense of the purchaser. There is no 

 expense incurred by an exhibitor while his birds are at the show. 



PotTLTBT Food (W. C. Z>.).— We advise you to give up the boiled pota- 

 toes, and to supply the liver sparingly. Give them plenty of green food. 



Breeding Ducewing Game (i?. P.).— As a rule the manufacturers of 

 Game fowls do not publish their prescriptions. In all poultry-making 

 the manipulator is only guided by the fact that he must seek a bird pos- 

 sessing in excess that which his fowls lack. The commonest cross is 

 with a Black Red to get brilliancy of colour. Your best plan will be to 

 buy a sitting of eggs from some weU-known prizetaker. Mr. Baily, of 

 Mount Street, is a very large importer of Antwerps, we advise you to 

 apply to him. 



Non-closing of Beak (Brown Red).— Wash the cockerel's mouth with 

 alum and water. Remove any part of the excrescence that will come 

 away with your nail, and then use caustic to it freely. 



Preventing Flying (r. E. £".).— Tie the flight feathers together with 

 a piece of wire. As you may be in doubt as to what constitutes the 

 flight, we will call it the first eight feathers of the wing. 



Ground Oats {B. H.).— By ground oata we mean the whole of the 

 com, husk and all, ground up so fine that it will mix like flour. We do 

 not wonder your fowls did not like the ordinary ground oats ; when 

 mixed they have the appearance of chaff wetted up together. In Sussex, 

 and in some parts of Surrey, they have stones dressed on purpose, and 

 the consequence is the whole of the com is pulverised, and mixes into a 

 rough dough ; there is no occasion to sift anything. All animals like it — 

 pigs, cows, horses, and poultry thrive upon it. It should not be mixed 

 with barley or any other meal. It should be slaked with cold water. 

 Fowls like whole Indian com better than the meal made by grinding it. 

 It is bad to make a pot-pourri of all your food, because you then tie your 

 hands, and put a change of diet cut of your power. 



Fowls Suddenly Sneezing (TF'.i*'.).— Yours is not an uncommon case. 

 Diiving rain and cold winds often affect a whole yard. You need not be 

 afraid of your dietary being too exciting. Bran and sharps are not high 

 feeding, and may counteract the effect of the barley and Indian meal. 

 You need not be uneasy about them. Let them have their liberty, and 

 give them stale bread steeped in strong ale tiU the attack has passed. 

 Discontinue the bran and sharps. 



Warming a Pigeon-loft (YorfcsAire).— We do not approve of warming 

 a loft by fires of any kind. Almond Tumblers, the most chilly of all 

 Pigeons save African Owls, have lived and prospered in Canada. The 

 damp may beat be cured by good drainage ; covering- up damp only in- 

 creases it. Secure a well-drained place, good walls, and well-fitting doors, 

 yon need fear nothing. It is not cold, but damp and draughts that 

 Iniore Pigeons. The temperature yon name is not a bad one. 



Kaebit Nets (T7. Sfteppard).— We know of no makers, most country- 

 men know how to make them. The dealers in birds, &c., in St. Martin's 

 Lane, could probably supply you. 



Tortoise Management (K. Nutt). — They live upon lettuce leaves, 

 sow-thistle and other succulent vegetable produce. If there is a heap of 

 leaves in the garden your tortoise will bui-y itself in that heap ; if not, 

 bring it in-doors and place it in a cool cellar or cupboard, covered, but 

 not wrapped up, by a piece of carpet. It will remain torpid until spring. 



Grape Jam. — I think it is not generally known that excellent jam can 

 be made from unripe grapes. At this time of year, vines in unfavourable 

 positions are displaying numerous bunches of grapes that have no chance 

 of ripening, and it is a pity to let them be wasted. The jam should be 

 made" like that from any other fruit. A pound of grapes to three-quarters 

 of a pound of sugar. If well boiled the jam will become firm when cold, 

 with a flavour very like guava jelly.— E. D. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



DiTE. 



9 A.3I. 



In the Day. 





1871. 





Hygrome- 

 ter. 



Direc- 

 tion of 

 Wind. 



Temp, 

 of Soil 



at 1 ft. 



Shade Tem- 

 perature. 



Radiation 

 Tempera- 

 ture. 





Oct. 



Dry. 



Wet. 



Max. 



Min. 



la 1 On 

 sun. grass 



P3 



We. 25 

 Th. 26 

 Fri. 27 

 Sat. 28 

 Smi.29 

 Mo. SO 

 Tn. 31 



Inches. 

 30-351 

 30.337 

 30.057 

 29.837 

 29.598 

 29.616 

 29.766 



deg. 



13.8 

 41.2 

 63.7 

 61.4 

 48.9 

 50.2 

 60.8 



deg. 

 47.5 

 41.2 

 51.9 

 49.S 

 44.7 

 48.4 

 49 



N.W. 

 Calm. 



S. 

 S.S.E. 



S.E. 

 N.E. 



S.E. 



deg. 



43.8 

 43.2 

 48.6 

 49.4 

 49.8 

 49.4 

 49.4 



deg. 

 54.8 

 5-2.7 

 53.2 

 55.4 

 57.5 

 61.8 

 66.6 



deg. 

 S6.4 

 S4.8 

 40.5 

 47.0 

 42.6 

 47.1 

 45.8 



deg. i deg 

 84.0 35.2 

 55.5 i S1.9 

 70.0 , 40.6 

 83.3 42.2 

 80.9 i 39.0 

 55.0 42i2 

 91.3 j 43.9 



In, 

 0.05O 



Means 



29.937 



49.3 



47.5 





49.1 



65.3 



42.0 



74 .3 1 89.3 



0.06O 



REMARES. 

 25th. — A very fine day ; though rather foggy at night. 

 26th. — Very foggy all day ; clearing off towards night. 

 27th. — Warmer and clearer, a tolerably fine day. but rather oppressive ; 



and very slight rain occasionally; fine night. 

 28th.— Fair day, but only fitful sunshine, the air warm and much clearer 



than it has been lately. 

 29th. — A very beautiful day, warm, clear, and bright. 

 80th. — Finetill noon, then dull and slight rain soon after, and occasionally 



during the remainder of the day. 

 31st. — A very similar day, being fine in morning ; and dull in the after 



part. 

 A damp autumnal week, with frequent mist and fog, but only a sprinkle 

 of rain. A similar remark applies to the whole month of October, which 

 has had less rain than usual, and yet has been one of the dampest for 

 many years.— G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— November 1. 

 Among the general trade there has been a fair attendance during the 

 past week, and prices remain much the same. Continental goods of 

 first-class quality are barely sufficient for the demand, but last quotations 

 have been the rule, and while the weather remains open we shall not 

 expect much advance. Potato trade heavy, with large stocks. 





. i sieve 



s. 

 2 

 

 

 10 

 

 

 

 

 

 1 

 

 8 

 2 



s. 

 

 

 

 

 2 

 

 2 

 1 

 1 

 

 3 

 1 

 2 

 

 2 

 2 

 

 

 

 3 



d. B. a. 



0to4 

 

 

 20 

 

 

 

 6 10 

 6 10 

 5 

 

 12 

 5 



VEGET 

 d. B. d 



4 too 6 

 

 3 

 

 3 

 6 10 

 S 

 2 

 6 2 

 6 

 0-6 

 6 2 

 4 

 6 10 

 8 

 

 3 



5 

 3 

 4 



ni. 



Mulberries 



Nectarines 



Oranges 



Peaches 



Pears, kitchen... 



dessert 



Pine Apples 



Plums 



lb. 



. . . doz. 



.. ?>100 



doz. 



.. doz. 



... doz. 



.... lb. 

 J sieve 

 lb. 



s. d. 

 Ot 

 



5 



6 

 2 



2 



3 

 3 



e 







1 

 10 



1 



B. d. 

 St 



8 



1 

 2 



2 

 6 



3 

 9 







1 6 

 S 

 6 







1 

 S 6 

 6 

 3 



2 

 3 

 



erect 



. d. 

 8 to 

 6 

 9 

 



8. a 



oO 



Apricots 



... doz. 

 lb. 







Chestnuts 



CmTants 



Black 



Figs 



Filberts 



. bu3hel 

 . i sieve 



.... do. 



doz. 



lb. 



12 

 



4 

 6 



5 





lb. 



e.... lb. 



.. quart 



.. qj-ioo 





Grapes, Hothous 





lb. 













Lemons 



Walnuts 



ditto 



ABLES. 

 Leeks 



bushel 

 .. WOO 



..bunch 



25 

 8 



Artichotes 



Asparagiis 



Beans, Kidney.. 

 Broad 



... doz. 



...1*100. 



..i sieve 



bushel 



s. a 



oO 6 

 1 



Mnshrooms 



Mustard & Cress. 

 Onions 



pickling 



Parsley 



Parsnips 



Peas 



Potatoes 



Kidoey 



. . pottle 

 .punnet 



.bushel 

 .. quart 

 . sieve 



.. doz. 



..quart 



bushel 



rJn_ 



2 

 9 

 4 



Broccoli 



Brussels Sprouts 



Cabbage 



Capsicums 



Carrots 



. bundle 

 ..J sieve 

 . . . doz. 



. . . ^100 

 .. bunch 



8 



4 



1 



11 



5 



Celery 



Coleworts.. doz. 

 Cucumbers 



. bundle 

 bunches 

 each 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



1 







1 6 



5 











Fennel 



Garlic 



Herbs 



Horseradish 



. bunch 

 .... lb. 

 ..bunch 

 . bundle 



POUL 

 ght impr 

 tn price. 



s 



Spinach 



Tomatoes 



Turnips 



Vegetable Marrov 



bushel 



...doz. 



bunch 



78.. doz. 



I. 



eatherw 



s 

 



3 9 

 

 9 

 



These is a sli 

 there would be 



IRT MAEK 

 ovemcnt in 

 We may, h 

 d. s. d. 

 to S 6 

 2 6 

 9 2 

 7 

 2 6 

 6 3 



ET. — NOVEMBEE 

 trade, and, if the n 

 owever, look for it 



)oIer, 



s.'d 

 19 









1 



1 6 













10 









s 



8 6 





2 



2 





1 



I 9 



FtaeasantB 



Grouse ,.• 



1 



a 



