266 



T-URNAL OF HORTTCULTnKE \^V COTTAGE G^aDSNER. 



[ April G, 1871. 



Tii^i'ie of ^-itch i:iae, I put into it sis frames that were Lalf 

 filled with sealed honey. A swarm was then driven into !>■■, and 

 the entrance made to face the north. As the cover was only a 

 quarter of an inch in thickness, I spread a small piece of carfiet 

 on the top, and surmounted the whole with a broad slate to throw 

 off the rain. No other protection was given, yet on the 23d of 

 March, when I made an examination, I found that scarcely any 

 of the bees had perished, although the thermometer during tbe 

 winter had been several times within a few degrees of zero. Tl)e 

 little hive was as strong and healthy as the be^t protected in my 

 apiary. Its food, as I expected, was nearly exhausted, but then 

 it is to be remembered the supply to begin with was deficient. 

 The defect was easily remedied — I had only to remove the 

 pX'Prior frames, and put two well-filled ones in their places. — 

 E. S. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



PoULTRT-TAED Plax (J. K. 0.).— We do not think ynu a'-c un'lortaliiug 

 too mucli. We presume the Tun marked e for th'^ cliickens is prass. It 

 should be. A cart shed is a good place for chickeos to run in ; still better 

 if they can be put near to havricks. JIany of the fowls will roost in the 

 cart shed ; let them do so. If your roosting places c had the doors in 

 one corner it i\'ould he better than in the middle. Let the open shed be 

 Fome inches deep in road f;rit, and if anv runs have no ;^a??, supply 

 them with sods cut with plenty of earth. You will do better if you feed 

 on ^rotmd oats mixed with water in the morning, with maize at mid-day, 

 and oatmeal in the evening. 



Ko Eggs— Feeding (A. A. C. C). — The cold winds and tbe unkind 

 weather have had much to do in checking laying. Among the good 

 things you provide for your poultry, we see no mention of any ereen food. 

 If they have no grass they must be supplied with largo sods cut with 

 plenty of earth. We advise you to feed as we have recommended to 

 " J. K. O." Discnntinue potatoes, rice, and pearl barley. Instead of 

 the midday meal of maize give your house scrap?=. You may sometimes 

 vary the meal of ground o its by substituting Indinn corn. The hen with 

 the pendant crop phould be confined for a time without water, and be fed 

 with water having wormwood in it. By the terra " take their food 

 away," we fancy you feed from a trough- If you do, discontinue it. It 

 is an xmnatural way to feed nn animal that has no means of masticating, 

 and has caused tbe pendant crop of which you complain. Tbe food 

 should be thrown broadcast, that the birds may be occupied in picking it 

 up in a natural way. 



Beahma Hens kot Laytng (A Lancashire Subscriber). — Many hens have 

 not yet begun to lay. If they were pullets you might have cause for com- 

 plaint. The weather has been very unfavourable for laying. Now it 

 seems changed we have no doubt you will have eggs. We shall not be 

 surprised if you have them before you read this. Discard all such 

 notions as putting fowls before the fire. It tends only to make them fat 

 and lazy, and hinders laying. 



CocHrN Dyikg Suddenly (Subscriber of H/azii/ Years Standing). — It is 

 not uncommon for a Cochin cock to drop off bis perch dead at this 

 season of the year, and the red appearance of the breast bone has nothing 

 in it contrary to perfect health. The empty state of the crop merely 

 shows death took place some time in the moraine, but before daylight. 

 He died of rupture of the liver; but in such cases there is generally 

 much coagulated blood in the heart. The eggs will be good for a fort- 

 night or even more. Eggs may be set safely after a hen has been running 

 a week with a cock. In January a cock should have only four hens if the 

 eggs are for incubation. The number may he increased every month. 

 Now he may have ten or twelve. Buenos Ayreau Ducks do not pair. 



Duck-footed Dorking (C. M. S.) — A duck foot is a disadvantage, but 

 it is Dot a disqualification in a Dorking cock. We should, nevertheless, 

 prefer a breeding bird without it. 



Black Indian and Bouen Ducks together (AVjirfnZ).— You were rai?- 

 informed when you were told Buenos Ayreans will not cross. They do 

 so freely. We have known a drake desert all the Ducks of his own breed 

 and pair himself to a wild Duck. 



Preserving Eggs (S S).— The usual mode is to bury egg=: in slaked 

 lime and water. Be sure their shells are entire, and put them down when 

 very fresh. Place them in layers, and as fast as a layer is completed p:iur 

 on enough of the slaked lime to hide them. It will hardeu in a day or 

 two, and then you may put a fresh layer, and so till the pan is full. See 

 what is said to-day about oiling egg^. Oatmeal, green food, and shreds 

 of meat put in water are good food for young Ducks ; they should be fed 

 four times per day. 



Hens P'ighting (Subscriber). ~To.]\P- away the strangers, they willnever 

 agree. The safest plan when you wish to introduce fresh birds is to put 

 them on the perch with the others at night when it is quite dark. In 

 time they would become reconciled, but it is not worth doing during the 

 laying season. 



Fowls Trespassing (F. Wood). — It would be illegal to shoot them; 

 Your neighbour is bound to keep his fowls from trespissing ; send him a 

 written notice that if he do not you will sue him in the County Court. 

 Galvanised-iron netting, 2 feet high, without any bar at the lop, placed 

 above the wall would prevent the intrusion. 



Poultry Keeping (E. Robinson).— A.s you do not understand how to 

 manage them, enclose seven postage stamps with your address, and order 

 the "Poultry-Book;" you will have it sent post "free, nnd find in it the 

 information you ask for, and much more that you ought to know. 



Poultry Judgixg at Woodbridge.— We have received a long letter 

 from Mr. Douglas in reply to Sir. Watts. The essence of the reply is that 

 Mr. Watts's birds were out of condition, and the prize birds were better. 

 We can insert no more on the subject of this Show, and regret to find so 

 many complaints about it. 



Mr. F. Graham's Pigeons.— We bear from one of the Secretaries of 

 the Crystal Palace Show, that Mr. Graham's Pigeons did not arrive there 

 until the judging was nearly over. 



DnoNEs OM Lady-Day (E. .T/iZLj).— Yoar drones are early, and their 

 appearance probably predicates an early disposition to swarm. You may 

 certainly put on a super in April, if the hive appears crowded and the 

 weather be favourable. 



Bees Fighting (R. Jf.).— If the hives are too clos3 together the bees 

 mfiy mistake their homes on returning, which would account for the 

 fijhting of which you complain. The remedy in this case would be to 

 shift them gradually farther apart, little by Tittle, until the quarrelling 

 ceases. Or the same end would be more quickly obtained if you could 

 move one of them for a few weeks to a new position not less than a mile 

 and a half distant, taking care not to again place them too close together. 



METEOROLOGtCAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. oV 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0^ S' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



REMAKE -5. 



29th.— Cloudy and damp in the morning, and slight rain at 8 p.m., heavier 

 in the city. 



33th. — Dull morning, but fine in the after-part of the day. 



31st. — Fine and warmer, but windy at night. 



April 1st.— Overcast in the early part of the day, but fine in the afternoon. 



Sod. — Dull morning, brighter about noon, but cold and dull at night. 



3rd.— Shower in early morning, fine, but not much sua, except at in- 

 tervals. 



4;h.— Dull in morning, fine at noon, beautiful evening, occasionally very 

 warm sun. Fine sunset. 

 Another dry week, only three-hundredtha of an inch of rain having 



fallen. Temperature very near the average.— G. J. Stmons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— April 5. 

 So5iE very good new Grapes have made their appearance, at from 20s. 

 to 25s. per lb. Of Strawberries there is a much larger supply than is 

 want' d, and they are a drug on the market, not bringing more than from 

 Is- to Is. 6d. per oz. There is a better supply of French vegetables this 

 week. We have no further alterations to report. 



s. d. 



Apples i sieve 1 



.^^pricots do3. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



Currants i sieve 



Black do. 



Fisa . 



FUberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 2 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, Hothouse.... lb. 10 



Lemons ^100 6 



Melons each 



s. d 



to 3 











18 r. 











n 



2 



2 6 







20 



10 (1 







s. 1. 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges i* lou 6 



Peaches doz. 



Peara, kitchen doz . 2 



dessert doz. 3 



Pine Apples lb. G 



Phims i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries oz. 1 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do VlOO 1 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



AsparafTus ^100 



Beans, Ividney ¥*' 100 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. .Jsieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums "^100 



Carrots bxmch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bnndle 



Colewort3..doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickUng doz. 



Endivf- doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horeeradish ....bundle 



3. d. B. 



4 Oto 6 



Leets bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress.. punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bxmdle 



Savoys.- doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marr«ws.. doz. 



d. a. 

 4 too 

 2 



POULTRY MARKET.— April 5. 

 There is a great scarcity of young poultry, and prices are very high. 

 It will no doubt last for some time, as we are paying the penalty of the 

 long winter. The laying and sitting were nil for some weeks. 



Large Fowls . . . . 

 Smaller ditto 



B. 



.... 6 

 .... 5 

 .... 4 



a. s. 



to 6 

 5 

 4 

 6 

 9 

 



a 

 c 



6 

 G 

 6 

 

 



Pitreons 



Rabbits 



B. 



.... 

 1 



d. s. d 

 9 to 10 

 5 16 











Pn^^HiTifn , , 



.... 6 



.... 8 



Hares 













Guinea Fowl 



Grouse 



.... 3 

 .... 



3 G 



Pbeasanta 



.... 







J 



