520 



JOUENAIi OF HOKTICULTTJEB AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. [ December 28, 1871. 



minent, Iwould have remained ignorant ot their not being true 

 queens. The hernaaphrodite bee?, in many instances, approach 

 so nearly to the one sex, that not only is the bee-keeper Bome- 

 times cheated, but the insects themselves are in doubt. The 

 description of one hive that produced nothing but these com- 

 pound bees may be of interest. They were produced in pro- 

 digious numbers, and varied from the appearance of a perfect 

 drone to that of a worker. These singular bees carried pollen 

 in large pellets in the ordinary way, but I am not aware that 

 any of the pollen was ever stored inside of the hive; it appeared 

 either to be dropped on the board or around the hive, and was 

 lying there in great quantities. Their hum was also of a 

 peculiar sound. I fully intended to have secured this queen for 

 examination, but the owner, before I was aware, crushed it 

 between his finger end thumb. 



I have, however, found queens with an ulcer on one side of 

 the spermatheca bag, and I doubt not but it is through some 

 defect of this kind that these bees are produced. Fertile 

 workers, on the other hand I believe, are raised in consequence 

 of the bees supplying the larvaj when too far advanced with 

 royal food. These fertile workers are a great annoyance to the 

 bee-keeper, as they bring many a hive to ruin and dispel his 

 hopes. They kill the fertilised queen, and the eggs put into a 

 hive which they occupy are invariably destroyed. 



I will describe the case of one that came under my observa- 

 tion this autumn. A friend brought me a hive of black bees 

 for the purpose of being ligurianised by introducing some 

 eggs ; this I did from a healthy hive and with a pure queen. 

 The bees of the black hive commenced at once and raised two 

 queen cells, but in consequence of its being aSected with foul 

 brood none of the queens hatched, and only two of those in 

 worker cells came out. One of these cells was a little convex, 

 and had almost the appearance ot a drone cell ; and although 

 I gave this hive a piece of brood comb every third day for 

 nearly a fortnight, every egg and grub was always removed, 

 and in exactly four weeks from the hatching of ' the fertile 

 worker, young Italian drones were hatched.— A Lanaekshiee 



Bee- KEEPER. 



LARGE AND SMALL HIVES— WINTERING 

 BEES. 



The size, form, and material of bee-domiciles, and the win- 

 tering of bees, are, and ever have been, fertile themes of dis- 

 cussion amongst apiarians, so that even practical bee-keepers, 

 sometimes, of no small experience, are apt to get perplexed 

 amidst the many discordant opinions and distracting theories 

 which have from time to time been propounded on these 

 subjects. 



In regard to whether large or small hives are best suited 

 to the successful and economic cultivation of the bee, it is 

 refreshing to read such sound remarks as are appended to an 

 article on this head in last number by the Editors. Yes. 

 " Circumstances can alone decide what is fitting in each case." 

 The experienced cultivator well knows that a propitious season, 

 a rich pasturage, a strong and vigorous colony, are the real 

 elements of prosperity, and according to the character of these 

 must we be guided by the size of domicile used. Independently 

 of these, it is a complete fallacy to suppose that bees can be 

 forced, as it were, to augment their sweets according to the mere 

 whim, crotchet, or caprice of their owners. In ordinary loca- 

 lities we must avoid extremes, both being equally unsuitable, if 

 not injurious. A hive too small is certainly far more damaging 

 to prosperity than one too large. In the former case there is 

 insufficient space for breeding, and, consequently, for storage 

 of honey. In the latter, on the other hand, the capacity of the 

 hive being beyond the necessity of the case, it is generally un- 

 filled with comb, and when filled, exceptionally, we rarely get 

 that purest of honey which is stored in supers. 



I have tried both extremes, and find a medium is best. I 

 shall not say what that medium is, because each locality must 

 determine that according to the elements of the prosperity I 

 have already indicated. I more than once wintered bees in 

 small hives, and found the results in every case most prejudicial. 

 The swarms emanating from these were most diminutive, and 

 the honey collected was, from inadequate numbers, as well as 

 inadequate space, necessarily very small. As a general rule, I 

 might remark, that any hive which can be filled with comb in 

 two or three weeks in summer, by a swarm ot 4 lbs. or 5 lbs. 

 weight, may be considered a suitable-sized domicile for an 

 ordinary good locality. Circumstances, however, vary so much 

 that experience is alone the safest guide. 



I mnet reserve my remarks on " wintering of bees," referred 

 to by " B. & W.," till a future occasion. — J. Lowe. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



OuE EEPOHTg.— A bookseller writes tlias to tis, " I should add several 

 aubgcribera to my list if you could give a good and impartial critical report 

 of all the principal shows in each county. There are complaints that the 

 reports are written for the great breeders, and when an amateur wins he 

 fs quite isncred " 



[Of unjust charges the above is among the superlative. Our reports 

 are usually written by men who are the best "fudges, and as far as wo 

 know, unbiassed. When coiTespondents favour us with reports we omit all 

 that we think exaggerated. It is quite impossible to notice every succesE- 

 f ui exhibitor, except in the prize list.l 



Pkeseevihg Bied Nets (Bmh). — This wag printed " birds' nests" on 

 page 500. 



Leeds Poultry Show.— For Dorking chickens the second prize, we 

 are informed, was awarded to Mr. J. White, Warlaby, and not to Mr. Kell, 

 of Wetherby. 



NoETHEEN CoLUMBAEiAN SOCIETY'S SHOW. — We have received several 

 letters replying to "Faibplat's" criticisms, but we cannot insert them. 

 It would be a mere contest of opinions. iMr. Justice, Salford, we are in- 

 formed, took the second prizes for Black and Any other coloured Jacobins 



Teedegae Pohltey Show.— Mr. Thomas May, Wolverhampton, in- 

 forms us that he gained the second prize for Golden-spangled Hamburghs. 



PLr:ilorTH Poultry Show {Wcsternman). — We are obliged by the de- 

 tails you send us. Such proceedings must put an end to the exhibition. 

 No wonder it was unsuccessful. We shall make further inquiries and 

 warn exhibitors in time. 



DuEHAM Show (J. F. B.).— You are not the only one who has written 

 to complain of the judging. Representations should be made to the 

 Committee. 



Matchtsg jACoErss (Captain).— 'We have seen very good coloured 

 Jacobins bred from Blacks crossed by Beds, and their progeny, if two be 

 mated of the same colour, throwing back the other colour. Black and 

 yellow are not so good to cross ; these colours often produce a kind of 

 strawberry colour not at all worth having. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



Ca^iden Square, London. 



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



Date. 



9 A.M. 



In the Day. 





1871. 



Barome- 

 ter at 321 

 and Sea 



Level. 



Hygrome- 

 ter. 



Direc- 

 tion ot 

 Wind. 



Temp, 

 of Sou 

 at 1 ft. 



Shade Teta- 

 perature . 



Radiation 

 Tempera- 

 ture. 



a 



Dec. 



Dry. 



Wet. 



Max. 



Min. 



In 

 sun. 



On 



grass 



m 



We. 20 

 Th. 21 

 Fri. 22 

 Sat. 23 

 Snn.24 

 Mo. 25 

 Tn. 26 



Inches. 

 29.851 

 29.964 

 29.S71 

 30.142 

 30.165 

 29 967 

 29.766 



42.3 

 36,S 

 88.6 

 40.5 

 40.1 

 40.5 

 45.3 



deg. 

 41.5 

 S5.5 

 38.4 

 40 2 

 S8.S 

 39.1 

 45.0 



S.W. 

 N.W. 

 N.E. 

 N.W. 

 S.E. 

 S. 

 S.W. 



deg. 

 41.5 

 41.3 

 41.0 

 41.2 

 41.0 

 40.6 

 41.0 



deg. 

 48.9 

 44.2 

 44.3 

 42.0 

 44.S 

 44.2 

 46.8 



deg. 

 36.0 

 34.0 

 36.2 

 S7.8 

 37.1 

 38.4 

 42.5 



a eg. 

 50.0 

 47.2 

 44.0 

 44.2 

 54.1 

 44.6 

 47.7 



deg. 

 83.4 

 SO.O 

 83.7 

 33.1 

 »2.1 

 33.5 

 39.5 



In. 



0.180 

 0.020 

 O.OIO 



0.405 

 O.OoO 



Means 



29.961 



40.6 



80.8 





41.1 



45.0 



37.4 



47.4 1 33.6 



0.665 



REMARKS. 

 20th. — Deep roseate sky at sunrise, overcast by 9 A.ai., rain at 10 A.3I., and 



at intervals all day; fine evening. 

 21st.— Fine morning, but soon clouded over, slight rain between 1 and 



2 P.M., and at intervals afterwards. 

 22nd.— Overcast, dark and foggy, wetting mist but no rain, fine at night. 

 23rd. — Dark and foggy morning", clearer after noon, but overcast through- 

 out. 

 24th.— Fine morning, with bright sunshine about noon, lunar halo from 



7.55 to 8.20 P.M. 

 25th.— Fair but overcast in the forenoon, slight rain began about 4 P.M., 



and continued at intervals till 9 p.m., fair till 10 p.m., and steady 



rain till midnight. 

 26th.— Heavy rain until 5 a.m., slight until 7.S0 A.M., fair till evening, 



sharp shower at 7 p.m. ; a damp muggy day. 

 Owing to the generally overcast state of the sky, and the great damp- 

 ness of the atmosphere, the temperature this week has been singularly 

 uniform, and though rather less than in the previous week, is still nearly 

 4^ warmer than usual. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.- Decembee 27. 

 With the exception of the influence of Christmas on the demand here 

 we have nothing to report worth notice. The supply of everythmg but 

 Apples and Pears is ample, the importations having been moderate from 

 the Continent lately, and confined to Glou Mori;eau and Easter Beurre 

 Pears. Potato trade heavy, with large stocks of inferior descriptions. 



Apples jsieve 2 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnnts bushel 10 



Con-ants Jsieve 



■ Black do. 



Figs doz. 



FUberta lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Grapes, Hothouse lb. 2 



Gooseberries quart 



Lemons *^100 8 



Melons each 2 



d. e. 



Oto4 

 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. u 



Oranges ¥^100 4 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 2 



dessert doz. 2 



PineApples lb. 3 



Plums Jsieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Quinces doz. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



ditto 1*100 1 



B. d. 8. 

 OtoO 







4 10 







2 4 



2 6 



3 6 

 

 

 







25 



2 



-t4>- 



