20 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r July 7, 1870. 



that age, October -will be soon enough. The curd was f ally described in 

 one of oar early numbers of " Rational Poultry-keeping" (see page 365 

 of last volume). If yon do not mean to breed again from the parent 

 cock, the sooner he is removed the better. 



Inflamed Egg-organs (Ipswich).— We cannot better answer your 

 question than by giving the following quotation from the " Poultry- 

 keepers' Manual" : — " Symptoms, the hen going on to the nest without 

 laying ; having a straddling gait ; laying shell-less eggs ; dropping eggs 

 from perch or elsewhere. Cause, overfeeding. Another cause is eating 

 the seeds of grapes, or grain affected with ergot. We once knew a yard 

 of Dorkings having an extensive grass ran. They all laid shell-less 

 eggs, and the pallets evidently had over-escited egg-organs, the eggs 

 were distorted, and addled eggs, almost without exception, characterised 

 every sitting. We believe the seeds of the grasses were affected with 

 ergot. It may be necessary to explain to some of our readers that ergot 

 is a fungoid substance, which completely changes the composition of the 

 grass seed which it attacks." 



Eggs of Pigeons for Sale (Gls—^e). — We have only known Pigeons* 

 eggs to be bought by boys at the bird shopB, the dealers not wishing the 

 Pigeons to breed in the cages. We should scarcely think valuable eggs 

 are to be bought, as the bird laying but two,- there are none to spare. 



Exhibiting Diseased Pigeons (Constant Header). — We think that 

 diseased birds, of whatsoever sort they be, ought not to be exhibited for 

 many reasons, such as fear of contagion, unsightliness, &c. The Carrier 

 alluded to must have been by far the best bird, so the judge acted rightly. 

 It was for the committee to have interfered, as they make the ruleB. 



Carrxees at Spalding.— Mr. Massey says we printed his notes erro- 

 neously, and that the line commencing " I rather gave the preference, 

 Ac," refers to Mr. Ord's bird, and not, as it now reads in the printing, to 

 Mr. Fulton's. 



Cock Carreer Pigfons at Spalding (An Exhibitor). — Perhaps it was 

 a mere mistake of the printer of the prize catalogue, and it oaght to 

 have been printed thus — " three years," instead of " three months." 



Food for Young Skylarks Feeding Themselves (A Subscriber).— 

 German paste, stale bread crumbs, and the yolk of hard-boiled egg, mixed 

 together ; fresh water should be given separately, and as they grow larger, 

 supply occasionally two or three mealworms and a few ants' eggs. Barley 

 meal should not be given. 



Young Nightingales (Idem).— The yolk of hard-boiled egg, raw beef 

 chopped fine, stale bread crumbs grated fine— the Bame as put on fried 

 soles — mixed together, and about two mealworms a-day ; occasionally a 

 few ants' eggs. As they grow older they will require more mealworms. 

 There are very few British and foreign birds that will agree together in 

 an aviary. 



Canaries not Singing (T. S. J.).— The fact of the Canaries being 

 placed so that they can see each other ought not to interfere with their 

 singing. On the contrary, if they are in health and "fresh," they should 

 sing one in opposition to the other, rather than maintain a prolonged 

 silence. You can solve the question for yourself by altering the position 

 of the cages ; or if that be inconvenient, nothing can be more simple than 

 to cover one side of either cage so that the respective tenants cannot take 

 stock of each other. In their privacy they might be induced to compare 

 notes — that is very nearly a pun ! Discontinue the bread and milk, and 

 boiled carrot and egg — in fact, all messes. More birds are injured by 

 over than by under-feeding. Give only canary and rape, with such green 

 food as may be in season. — W. A. Blakston. 



Cock Goldfinches Tapping the Eggs (0. S. Be Witt).— The nest 

 suggested by our transatlantic correspondent is a modification of one long 

 in use among Mule-breeders here. I refer to what is known as a " drop- 

 nest." It is simply an ordinary circular tin neBt box, in the bottom of 

 which there is a hole, and to the bottom is attached a tin box containing 

 cotton wool, swan's down, or any soft material, into which the egg falls. 

 This box or canister is easily detached from the nest, and the egg can 

 then be removed. I would not advise the substitution of a cloth recep- 

 tacle, for both birds will be unceasing in their attacks on it, one in quest 

 of a shred or two for her nest, and the other from sheer mischief. The 

 first contrivance of the kind I attempted was a combination of a tin 

 nest and the leg of one of " Jacky's" stockings, which I purloined for 

 the purpose. I thought my apparatus was perfection : unique it certainly 

 waB. Next day I found my little stocking hanging in threads sur- 

 mounted by a very neat nest manufactured from the ruins, but no egg. 

 My impression was then and is now, that the Goldfinch knew something 

 about the disappearance of that egg. He was in fine voice that morning 

 (of course, owing to the raw egg), and as he Bat on the edge of the nest, 

 woven with infinitely more skill than the poor little stocking, he gave 

 Buch Bly looks and such whisks with his tail, that one was driven to the 

 conclusion that he was crowiDg over the demolition of the bag and the 

 abstraction of its contents. No one ought to attempt Mule-breeding 

 without having his head phrenologically examined, and if patience and 

 hope be not largely developed, do not begin. Too much care cannot be 

 taken of a Mule egg. Who knows what it may produce ? I never yet 

 knew one to be broken bat a prize bird was considered as lost. The 

 hatching of each succeeding nest gives rise to the wildest surmises as 

 to the value of its contents. Daily and hourly the faintest dark speck is 

 looked for, and I have even surprised an enthusiast in his saactum 

 making microscopic investigations. But nothing can exceed the happi- 

 ness of that man who, after a fortnight or three weeks of most anxious 

 suspense, can quietly compose himself in his arm-chair, coolly comb his 

 beard, sip his coffee, and announce to eager inquirers " One even-marked 

 and two clear in one neet I" And who shall tell the disappointment of 

 the man who has— this season— bred fifty dark ones ?— W. A. Blakston. 



Commencing Bee-keepisg (Marian). — Purchase from any neighbour- 

 ing bee-keeper one or more first swarms which isflued in May. It. will, 

 however, be best to defer their removal until autumn ; but if you are too 

 impatient to wait, they should be tied op in cloths of open texture 

 (cheesecloth), and removed very carefully in the cool of the evening. Ii 

 you can asrree with the vendor to do this at his own risk, so much the 

 Better, as the combs, being at this time new and heavy, are liable to fall 

 if the hives are roughly handled. 



Supeeing at the Time of HrvTNG (A Regular Subscriber).— Much 

 depends upon the Bize of the super. If it be but a small one, you have 

 only followed the example of many apiariaos, who advise its being pit 

 on when the swarm, is first hived. We, however, th ink it be-t in any case 



to defer it for a few days after hiving, so as to insure the new colony 

 first commencing operations in the stock hive. The super should be 

 removed when full, or at any rate as soon as the honey harvest is over, as 

 it would do more harm than good to allow it to remain on during the 

 winter. If, when a super is removed, the bees which it contains soon 

 fall into confusion, and begin to return to the stock hive, all is probably 

 right; but if, on the other hand, they remain quiet, whilst a commotion 

 arises in the hive itself, the queen may be presumed to be in the super, 

 which in this case should be returned, and the operation deferred until 

 some more favourable opportunity. 



Artificial Swarm (T. Jacobs).— What we advised was to form an arti- 

 ficial swarm by driving all the bees of one stock into an empty hive, and 

 then to repeople the deserted hive by putting it in the place of another 

 stock. What you appear to have done is to drive out a part, or, perhaps, 

 nearly the whole of the bees, withoat taking any steps towards recruit- 

 ing the exhausted population. Under these circumstances it is difficult 

 to predict the ultimate result. From what you state, it seems most 

 likely that the queen accompanied the expelled' bees, and therefore if the 

 remainder of the season be favourable, there seems no reason why the 

 swarm should not do well. With regard to the old Btock, the matter is 

 far more uncertain. If sufficient bees remain to hatch out the brood, a 

 queen will, probably, be reared, and all may be right. If, on the other 

 hand, the remaining population is too scanty, most of the brood will 

 become chilled, and the colony will be ruined. Should the stock survive 

 until the autumn, it will, doubtless, be benefited by adding to it the bees 

 of a condemned colony. 



Drone Slaughter (Dawlish). — A general massacre of drones shows 

 that the honey harvest is now at a standstill, but it does not prove that 

 the cessation is more than temporary. 



Successful Swarm (R. B. N.).~~A swarm hived on the 2nd of Junei 

 and having gathered 24 lbs. of honey and wax by the 22nd, has done well. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 In the Suburbs of London for the week ending July 5th. 









THEBHOSCETEB 





















Date. 







Eartn. 



■Wind. 



Rain. 





Max. 



Mm. 



Max. 



Min. 



1ft. 



2 ft 





Wed... 29 



29.991 



29.971 



76 



43 



62 



58 



N. 



.00 



Thurs. . SO 



29 977 



29.961 



72 



41 



62 



58 



N.W. 



.00 



Fri. ... 1 



29.945 



29936 



68 



36 



61 



58 



N.W. 



.00 



Sat. ... 2 



29.937 



29 896 



72 



37 



59 



57 



N.W. 



.00 



Son. . . S 



29 884 



29.817 



64 



52 



59 



57 



N.W. 



.04 



Mon 4 



29.9*6 



29.728 



81 



61 



6t 



57 



W. 



.00 



Tues. . 5 



29.910 



29.803 



71 



59 



64 



58 



w. 



.10 



Mean.. 



29.941 



29.S73 



72.00 



47.0J 



61.14 



57.57 



•• 



0.14 



29.— Very fine ; cloudy but fine ; clear starlight. 

 30. — Cloudy; fine, heavy clouds ; densely overcast. 



1. — Fine, cloudy ; fine ; slight showers. 



2.— Overcast ; cloudy but fine ; clear and fine. 



3. — Densely overcast throughout ; rain at night. 



4.— Densely overcast ; damp ; cloudy ; overcast. 



5. — Densely overcast ; drizzling raiu ; overcast, Btrong wind. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— July 6. 

 Markets are generally well attended, and a fair amount of business 

 doing, the supply of soft fruit having much improved durirjg the past 

 week. Hothouse produce is ample, Pines and Grapes being largely sup- 

 plied at lower prices. Continental goods comprise Peaches, Nectarines, 

 Apricots, Melons, Cherries, and Figs. 



FRUIT. 



Apples i sieve 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries... lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 



Currants $ sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, Hothouse.... lb. 



Lemons ^100 



Melons aach 



b. d. B. 

 1 6to2 



Mulberries quart to 



Nectarines doz. 6 12 



Oranges ^ 100 7 14 



Peaches doz. 10 8 25 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 3 8 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Rasoberries lb. 6 1 



Strawberries lb. 6 2 



Walnuts bushel 10 o 16 



do ylOO 10 8 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus . »*100 



Beans,Kidney do. 



Broad ... bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. . 4 sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums "■* 1'") 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower. doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts..doz. buuohea 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling ...doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunnh 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



, Horseradish .... bundle 



B. d. B. 



S 0to6 



8 



1 



4 



s 











2 







4 



6 



6 2 



6 



6 1 



4 







3 



8 



LeekB bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress . . punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips duz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes .. doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea- kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



TomatoeB doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marro ws . . doz. 



s. d. s. 



4 to 



6 1 



S 







