172 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ H irch 2, 1871. 



had been submitted to this gentleman, he would either hare corrected 

 the nnmberlesB errors that appear in the third edition of Bevan. or 

 recommended that the interpolations should be thrown into the fire. 

 Whilst they relate nol hinf^ that is really new, they are radically defective 

 in giving little or no information upon many important subjects con- 

 nected with bee-keeping. AVhen the learner has read and digested the 

 whole work, he will find that he has both been misled and left in igno- 

 rance of much that every well-instructed apiarian knows. He will find 

 that senseless alterations, like that at page 82, where "if the swarm be 

 gathered," is put for "if the place," or as at page 2G5, where Bevan is 

 made to say in regard to bees seeing better when flying than when crawl- 

 ing, " but this is unlikely." have quite perverted and contradicted the 

 teaching of Dr. Bevan. He will be led to suppose that the evidence for 

 the doctrine of parthenogenesis is based entirely on fallacies, and that 

 Munn has given the doctrine a fatal blow by this single statement, 

 " a few drones generally remain until late in the autumn." 



We close the book before ns without any regret, save for its pub- 

 lication. It brings our knowledge no farther down than the period 

 when Major Munn first published his pamphlet, and the illustrations 

 added to it are very bad. We would recommend those who wish to 

 possess themselves of a copy of Bevan, to get the work as it emanated 

 from his own hands. 



WooDBRiDGE POULTRY. PiGEOx, ANT) Canart Show. — The entries 

 for this Show close on Monday nest, March 6th. We understand, 

 should this be a success, the Show will be continued annually. A 

 liberal prize-list offers encouragement to exhibitors. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Fo^vxs Roosting near a KrLN (W. f?.",.— We have no reason to believe 

 it injurions, nor do we believe it is. If the sulphur predominates too 

 much, increase the ventilation. We do not believe artificial heat is ever 

 beneficial. Our theory is to supply heat internally by means of food. 



Price of Eggs kear London (R. W.). — We have no doubt that near 

 London or any verv lart^e town egirs may be sold at Id. each all the year 

 round. But it is with them as with everything else produced before its 

 season; if you expect to make the largest average you must produce 

 things at the scarcest time, as it is then they realise most. Thus eggs 

 from the 1st December to the Ist February frequentlv make Sd each, and 

 when it was once knowu yours were to be depended upon they would 

 always make Id. each. You will never get two thousand eggs per week 

 on four acres of land. 



Feather-eating Hens ( W. TF.l.— Some fowls have the hateful propen- 

 sity yon mention, bat we have never found it except where they are shut 

 np. "We have never had it among fowls at liberty. We cannot help 

 thinking yonrs must have been in confinement when they began. We 

 advise you to rub all those that have been plucked with compound sul- 

 phur ointment. It they are unable to leave their roosting-house at day- 

 break and yet have daylight, they then begin to peck. If they have fall 

 liberty let their house be quite dark, so that they cannot see each 

 other. When they are let out let them be scattered about as much as 

 possible. It is probably only a small number of the birds that indulge 

 this propensity ; note them, catch them, and shut them up singly. Baskets 

 will be large enough for them. Hens are far more addicted to pecking 

 than cocks. We believe the bird that seemed inclined to pick himself 

 was more disposed to scratch on account of itching. 



Destroying the Vitality of Eggs (C. H.}.— There are many modes. 

 Some pass a needle straight through the egg, others resort to a vigorous 

 shaking; some give the end a tap just hard enough to crack the shell. 

 To put the egg in boi)ing wafer for a moment is eflfectnal; but the best 

 plan, if you want no fertile eggs, is to keep no cock. 



Creve-Cceur'b Claws (J. L.).~A Creve-Cceur fowl with five claws is a 

 cross-bred bird. 



Silver-pencilled HAiiSDRGHs' Markings {A Beginner). — The feather 

 would be better if the markings were more cleanly cut. Such a feather 

 as vou enclose has a tendency to make what is called " mossy plumage," 

 lacking distinctness. The earlnbe should not be larse, the size of a four- 

 penny-piece is Inrge enough. We should prefer the bird from which the 

 feather is tnk^n greatly to one deficient in comb and earlobe. The breast 

 should not be as dark as the back, but it should be well pencilled. The 

 more regularly the flight feathers are marked the better ; white ones are 

 a disqualification. 



Bran as Poultry Food (fl'^rmii).— We have the greatest objection to 

 bran as food ; it is worthless, and therefore it is immaterial whether it is 

 mixed with hot or cold water. It is about equal to a meal of sawdust for 

 ourselves. Give cround oats or barleymeal morning and evening, and 

 some whole corn for the "uidday meal. 



Cochin Pullet Unable_ to Move (Lemon Bu_f).~-The pullet is in all 

 probability egg-bound. It is a common coraplnint with pullets, especiallv 

 with their first eggs. Pull out a flight fenther, dip it in oil, pass it down 

 the egg-paeeoge till it meets the egg; keep on lubricating the feather and 

 introducing as much oil as you can till the egg comes away. You may 

 ascertain by feeling that the epg is in the passage, but it must be done 

 gently, as a broken egg is almost always fatal. You must be very careful 

 you put the feather down the egg-passage, as otherwise the operation is 

 nselees. If old Cochin hens are very fat, reduce the food ; they will not 

 lay while they are very fat. 



Breeding Sebbight Bantams (E. T-).— If the lacing be quite distinct 

 the lighter colour may be only the result of the two breeds. Golden and 

 Silver being kept together ; this is frequently done. But if the lacing is 

 getting faint and indistinct you want Iresk blood. Your friead h*8 

 advised you rightly, but it is a long and troublesome process, r.nd we 

 advise you to get a Sebright cock, a dark one, from some one who breeds 

 carefully and makes up his breed as he Roes on. From the frequent in- 

 troduction of these black hons it is almost certain you will buy fresh 

 blood. All you have to do is to see you get a dark one. 



Ground Oats for f owls.—" T.'H" informs us that they are sold by 

 Mr. C. Dowlen, Flanchfora illll, Reigate, Surrey. 



Fowls Dying Suddenly (S. fl".).— The time of feeding (9 a.ii.) is not 

 the cause of death. Probably the birds are too fat; you say they are 

 " full of flesh." Give them barleymeal mashed with water; the mixed 

 barley and rye just before roosting time. Do not give the fat yon name. 



Chickens' Lrgs Cramped (J. J.). — Keep them dry and warm, give a 

 dessert-spoonful of castoroilif constipated, and feed on oatmeal moistened 

 with ale. 



Blue Rumps in Carriers and Dragoons (F. C. Hassard'\. — X full 

 answer to tbis question was given in our number for January 26th, which 

 see. 



Hating a Whole-coloured Blue Jacobin Hen (K. P.).— If we under- 

 stand you aright, your bird is entirely blue-head, wings and tail included. 

 We are utterly at a loss to help you, not knowinfi anyone who has such 

 birds. A pair of whole-coloured Blacks were exhibited at the great show 

 at the Crystal Palace last December ; perhaps the owner could help you. 

 If you matched with an ordinary coloured Blue bird, we fear the produce 

 would be broken•c^pped, and impure flights and tail, yet the experiment 

 would be worth trying, and patience might be at length rewarded. We 

 cannot undertake to put a price to birds. A pair of good birds would be 

 valuable ; one is useless. 



Canaries at the Crystal Palace Show.— Several letters relative to 

 our criticisms have reached us, some agreeing with our remarks, some 

 dissenting from them, but we cannot insert them. We will readily insert 

 opinions, however contrary to our own, upon any characteristics of 

 Canaries, but we cannot insert criticisms upon criticisms, which neces- 

 sarily lead to replies. 



Amebican Cheese Boxes for Nadirs M, J. i^ ).— We should be glad 

 if any of our readers who have used these boxes would state if fiiey 

 require any special cleaning. 



METBOROLOGtCAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden. Square, London. 



Lat. 51=* 3-2' 40" N. ; Long. 0° 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



Date. 



9 A.H. 



Is THE DAT. 









Hy^ome- 

 ter. 













1871. 





Direc- 



Temp. 



perature. 



Temperatnre 



a 





s-s s 



tion of 

 Wind. 



of Soil 

 at 1ft. 







!i 



Feb Sr'S-J 







M 





bS = 



Drj. 



Wet. 





lIlx.JMin. 



San. Grass. 







Inches. 



dec 



deg. 





der. 



detr. 



deir. 



deg. 



deg. 



In. 



We. 2-2 



SS.430 



35.2 



34.5 



W. 



41.0 



49.7 



:o.3 



81.1 



29.2 







Th. 23 



S0.3S4 



44.0 



42.3 



R.W. 



40.8 



54.8 



S5.4 



102.4 



92.2 



__ 



Fri. 24 



30.422 



4S.0 



41.S 



S.W. 



40.3 



4V.3 



36.2 



63.3 



38.0 







Sat. 25 



.10.366 



43.8 



40.9 



S.W. 



40.5 



47 



41.8 



71.3 



39.2 







Sim. 26 



30.077 



3S.5 ; 33.3 



SE. 



41.0 



il.1 



38.0 



66.3 



36.9 



0069 



Mo. -27 



29 751 



011.4 , 49.1 



S.W. 



41.5 



56-2 



89.4 



S5.0 



39.3 



0.&4X 



Tu. 23 



29.S4.) 



51.0 , 47.8 



W. 



42.S 



52.9 4S.3 



66.2 



46.1 



0.02S 



Means 



30.181 



43.7 ; 4.'.7 



1 





41.1 



51J 1 S8.6 



76.5 



36.5 



0.13S 



REMARKS. 

 22nd. — White frost in the morning, fine day, 

 23rd. — Vety fine day. 



24th. — Dull morning, and during the day, windy at night; 

 25th.— Cold dull day. 



■26th. — Dull morning, fine afternoon, windy after 9 pm. 

 27th. — Rain with wind in morning, wind increasing to a gale at night. 

 28th. — Wet in morning, fine about noon, rain again at 2.45 p.m., and til2 

 night, barometer rising sharply. 

 Another mild week, temperature considerably above the average, and 

 again nearly equal to that of the first week of April.— G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— MARCH 1. 

 We have but little alteration to report ; the improvement noticed last 

 week has continued, and the present fine weather has materially altered 

 for the better the character of tho99 articles raifled under glass, impart- 

 ing to them both quality and colour. A fair amount of business is doing. 

 The Potato trade is steady at the following rates per ton — Flukes, IOOj?. 

 to r20s. ; York Regents, SOs. to 100«. ; Scotch, 70s. to 90«. 



s. d. s. 



Apples Jsieve 1 6 to 3 



Aprie«t8 doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Cheatnats bushel 10 18 



Ourrants i eieve 



Black do. 



Fi^rs doz. 



Filberts lb. 2 



Cobs lb. 2 2 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, Hothouse.... lb. 6 12 



Lemons ?-100 6 10 



Melons each 10 i 



FRUTT. 

 d I 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges ^100 6 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 1 



dessert doz. 3 



Pine Apples lb. G 



Plnma i sieve 



Quincea doz. 



Raapberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do i?-100 1 



d. 8. 

 too 

 



■V-EGETABLES. 



5. d. B. li 



Artichokes. doz. to o 



AsparapUB v^ 100 7 10 



Beans, Kidney ...."P' 100 2 SO 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 2 8 



Broccoli bundle 9 16 



Rrusaela Sprouts.. i sieve 8 4 



Cabbage doz. 10 2 



CapBioums 1*100 



Carrots bunoh 4 



Cauliflower doz. 2 6 



Celery bundle 16 2 



Coleworts . . doa. btmches 8 6 



Cucumbers each 16 S 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 3 



Fenn«l bunch 8 



Garlic lb. 8 



Herbs bunch 8 



HorseiirdiBb .... bundle 3 6 



Leeks bunch 



LettucB doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 1 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 



Onions buahel •% 



pickling quart 



., Parsley sieve 3 



Parsnips doz. 



Peoi quart 



6 Potatoos buehel 2 



Kidney do. 3 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 



Rbabarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 1 



Sea-kale basket 3 



Shallots lb. 6 



Spinach bushel 3 



Tomatoaa doz. 



Turuipa bunch 



Vegetable Marrows. .doz, 



, d. s. 

 4 to 

 2 

 2 

 9 

 

 4 

 

 9 

 

 

 

 6 

 9 

 6 

 



