208 



JOURNAL OF HORIICULTUEK AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ M arch IG, 1871. 



But we need not go back to the days of old Mr, Oarew, for 

 even in our own Canada, with all its boasted light and know- 

 ledge, and even in our immediate vicinity, not five years since, 

 I heard an old lady remarking that *' the drones are bees that 

 have lost their stings and grown fat." There are those, too, 

 among ns, who still hold that her majesty the queen bee is a 

 " he," and they continue to proclaim her ladyship a '* king," 

 also believing that the drones are females, and lay all the eggs. 

 By the experienced bee-man it will be seen at once how a bee- 

 keeper holding this long-exploded theory must fail in his 

 management of bees. But among us there are other equally 

 gross errors, such as that drones are required to nurse the 

 brood ; that young bees ordinarily elaborate wax, construct the 

 comb, nurse the bro.od, and do all the internal work of the hive ; 

 that a certain class of bees are appointed to attend the queen, 

 constituting the " queen's train ;" that only certain bees gather 

 honey; that young bees never gather honey till three weeks 

 old; that another class are appointed as guard, and are relieved 

 in regular order and at regular hours ; that old bees do not 

 build comb. These are all errors — relics of superstition, if I 

 may so speak — and whoever adheres to them is still in the fog. 

 —J. H. Thomas.— (ToroHfo Globe,] 



Steoud Rabbit Show Schedule. — This is the very best and most 

 impartial schedule for Rabbits yet issued by any committee. It is 

 framed to suit both the Lop and variety fanciers, and I should advise 

 its adoption by other committees. There is offered in all £17 10s. — 

 five classes for Lopp, first prize, .£1 ; second, 10s. ; third, 5s. ; to the 

 varieties four classes, prizes as above, and a special selling class for 

 Rabbits of any variety ; and, above all, the moderate entrance fee of 

 2s. 6d. in all classes. I understand this is the first time that prizes 

 have been offered for Rabbits at Stroud, and I trust the entries will be 

 so numerous that the Committee will not have to regret the money 

 offered. — J. Egyle, Jux. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Outrage on' Prize Birds (A Lover of Po»^^ry).— Send us your name 

 and address, not for publication. We cannot insert specific charges from 

 anonymons 'jorrespondents. 



Hen EoG-BorND ( Weill ngborough). — Repeat the application of the 

 sweet oil, being careful that you apply it to the egg-passage ; and give the 

 hen a table-spoonful of castor oil at the same time. 



Poultry Trespassing. — "Opposite our house is some land belonging 

 to another person ; it is fenced off with rails, but there is no close fence, 

 and, of course, my hers go into the field. I want to know if the rails con- 

 stitute a fence, and if I am liable to be sued for the hens going on my 

 neighbour's land ?— J, R G." 



[We think you would be liable ; for even in unenclosed lands, and in 

 adjoiuing grounds where there is enclosure, it has been decided the keeper 

 of cattle must take care that they do nnt trespass.] 



Curing Egg-eating Hens (G. T.).— Hens generally eat their egea from 

 want of lime or the material necessary for forming the shell. They eat 

 it fir.-t for the sake of the shell, in order to form that which is in course 

 of being produced. Nothing is so good as to throw some baskets of 

 bricklayers' rubbish about in their haunts. It is from want of this that 

 hens in their laying season eat the mortar from between the bricks. 

 When they eat the shell they learn to like the yolk, and then take to the 

 eg^. There is no real cure, but if they are watched when they lay, and 

 driven from the nest after the op-^ration is compete, they sometimes give 

 up the habit. Another less tmublesome plan is to obtain some very hard 

 artificial nest eggs and put them in the nests, and to lay them about 

 their haunts. They peck at them, and finding it fruitless give up the 

 habit. 



ERAH5IA Hens Feathe^less (TF. J.). — You are perfectly right in your 

 evplanation of bare backs at the end of the summer, but we do not think' 

 it is the case in the first week of JIarch. Closer observation will show 

 yon the attentions of the cock are much more violent in the summer 

 than they are now. and in a well-managed yard the number should be 

 redficed as the season becomes more advanced, and the weather warmer. 

 Perfect breeding is from the largest possible hen, and from a moderate- 

 Bized cock possessing every desirable point. The very heavy cocks cause 

 the lacerations you mention. We tad the last week one of the best La 

 Fleche hens we ever had torn fearfully. Judging from your description 

 you have too many cocks, one to twelve hens will be enough now. 



Chiceens Dying in the Shell (.J. B ).— The sis chickens hatched in 

 spite of you. Your eggs r.re toa dry. and the young cannot make their 

 way out of the shell. The eggs should be wetted every day for ten days 

 before hatching. When they are within two days of hatching they should 

 be put in a pail of warm water for ten minutes. Their movements will 

 tell you which are alive, and the moistening of the shells will facilitate 

 the exit from th^m. 



Blue Gj.3IE Cocks (A Yoinig Beginiicr). — There are no real blue Game 

 cocks, but some years ago there was a breed called the Blue Duns. We 

 have seen few of them lately. They were very vnluable on account of 

 their hackles, which were much used for salmon flies for fishing. They 

 had light blue bodies, with darker saddle and hackle. They were kept in 

 the neishbourhood of Liverpool. We do not profeps to tell the sex of an 

 egg. Those who do, tell you the pointed eggs produce cocks, the round 

 ones pullet?. We cannot explain the cause, but oiir experience tells us 

 more cocks are hatched from early than from late eggs. 



Buying Chickens (S»^.irri6»:r).— Chickens are ewsily distinguished 

 from hens by the fineness of their faces, the delicacy of their legs, by the 



absence of wrinkles in their skins, and by the want of rotundity in their 



figure. Buy of some one you can believe, and do not be above asking 



particulars of the birds you are about to buy. You will find your question 



about eggs answered previously. 



Various (fl". B".).— It is not in any way injurious for fowls to run toge- 

 ther if their eggs are not wanted and the cocks are not too numerous* 

 There will be no security unless they are separated for a month. The 

 houses and runs you name will answer your purpose very well for a short 

 time. They are better adapted for four than for sis fowls. No covered 

 place is necessary or even desir<ible. You may safely double the number 

 of hens if you wish it. Sitting hens should be by themselves, and pro- 

 tected from intrusion. 



Parasites on Fowxs fJ.JR.).— You may destroy the pests by putting oil 

 at the back of the head, on the backbone, and under each wing. Supply 

 your fowls with a heap of road grit, and mix some black brimstone with 

 it. They will dust in it, to the discomfiture of their inhabitants. 



White-necked Creals (/. S.).— We think if you substitute barley for 

 wheat you will do better. You will improve more if you give a daily meal, 

 or even two, of ground oats slaked with water. Your birds should all be 

 double-combed. The cock should be light all over with a dark tail, each 

 feather silvered on each side. All must have double combs and white 

 deaf ears. 



Pigeon not Paid for {R. Eey).-~We cannot insert your letter. The 

 transaction is not clearly fraudulent. 



Archangels and Turbits {A Subscriber}— The principal points in 

 Archangel Pigeons are — beak pale brown, the eyes gravel or orange red, 

 the head rather long and narrow, tail as black as you can get it, tuft 

 pointed. As to colour, the head, neck, and breast of coppery red, very 

 glossy, and reflecting an orange tint. In Turbits — beak, the shorter the 

 better ; the eyes large and of a dark hazel colour ; head broad and some- 

 what angular ; shoulders of one colour, the rest of the body white ; gullet 

 well developed ; tuft pointed ; size, the smaller the better. In Archangels 

 we are not aware that size is a point, but we like to see them of a good 

 size ; they look best as fine birds. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camben, Squake, London. 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Lona. 0' 8' 0" W. ; Altitnde 111 feet. 



Date. 



9 A.M. 



In the D.vy. 





1871. 



■ §1 es 



Hygrome- 

 ter. 



Direc- 

 tion of 

 Wind. 



Shade Tern- 

 Temp, perature. 

 of Soil 



Radiation 

 Tempera- 

 ture. 



.a 



March. 



at 1 ft. j 



Max. 



Min. 



m 



Enn. 



On 

 grass 





Dry. Wet. 





We. S 

 Th. 9 

 Fri. 10 

 Sat. 11 

 Sim. 12 

 Mo. 13 

 Ta. U 



Inches. 

 29.S99 

 30.293 

 30.105 

 30.137 

 29.S8S 

 29.676 

 29.S76 



.0 

 3 



des. 

 42.4 

 41.3 

 41,9 

 49.0 

 46.5 

 44.8 

 41.3 



W. 

 S.W. 

 S.VV. 

 S.W. 

 S.W. 



W. 



W. 



deg. 

 42.2 

 42.2 

 41.5 

 41.3 

 42.3 

 42.8 

 42.5 



dep. 

 52.9 

 49.4 

 53.0 

 59.1 

 56.9 

 52.4 

 60.6 



def;. 

 41.6 

 32.7 

 86.8 

 42.2 

 46.5 

 43.9 

 38.2 



des. 

 96.6 

 73 1 

 8?.5 

 103.2 

 94.3 

 86.5 

 89.8 



deg. 

 3S.3 

 29.9 

 34.1 

 38.7 

 42.7 

 40.2 

 34.8 



In. 



0.052 

 0.263 

 0.037 



0.042 

 0J61 



Means 



29.975 



4G.5 1 «.9 





42.1 



53.5 



40.3 



90.4 1 36.9 



C.S35 



REMARKS, 

 8th. — Rain in afternoon. 



9th. — Gale from S.W. from noon to 5 p.m. with heavy rain. Lunar halo 

 after midnight. 

 10th.— Fair in the morning, slight shower between 7 and 8 p.3I. 

 11th. — Rain in very early morning, fine afternoon. 

 12th. — Rather dull in the morning, but beautiful afternoon. 

 13th.— Hailstorm at 9-10 a.m., only lasting twelve minutes. 

 14th. — Fine morning, sharp shower at noon, another between 3 and 4 p.M.^ 

 about 5 P.M. very dark, followed by another heavy shower, colder at 

 night. 

 The temperature again considerably above the average, with S.W. 

 winds and moderate rain. — G. J. Symoss. 



COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— Makch 15. 



The late improvements have been maintained, and general rates rule 



much as last week. Cornish produce has now largely increased, and a 



consequent reduction has taken place. Cucumbers have also been very 



abundant during the last few days. 



Apples i sieve 1 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



s. d. s. d j 



ChestnutB bushel 10 



Currants i sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 2 



Gooseberries quart 



Grrapea, Hothouse.... lb. 

 Lemons ^'lOO 



ilelons each 10 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarinea doz. 



Oranees 'l* 100 6 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 2 



dessert doz. 3 



Pine Apples lb. 6 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries oz. S 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do t^lOO 1 



d. 9. 



ton 



TEGETAELES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Aflparapna i^ 100 



Beans. Kidney ....1^100 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. . J sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsiomna VIOO 



Carrots bunch 



CauUflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Colewort3..doz. bunches 

 Cueumbera each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseardiah .... bundle 



B. d. 



Ot 



7 

 

 

 

 9 

 

 

 

 4 

 

 6 

 

 9 

 

 



s. d 



)0 



10 



8 







3 



1 6 



4 



2 







8 



5 



2 



6 



2 























5 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard A Cress.. punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley eieva 



Parsnipa doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kAle basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



TomipB bunch 



Vegetable Marrows.. doz. 



B. d. 8. 

 4tQ 

 10 2 

 1 



4 e 

 4 



5 

 9 



