424 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 24, 1870. 



so made a large queen cage as directed, and placed them in it 

 along with the queen, and then put them upon the bars of the 

 hive, where they remained the allotted time, after which they 

 were liberated. 



A day or two afterwards I was unfortunately taken ill, and 

 could not leave my room for some weeks, and no other eye but 

 mine could detect anything that might be wrong. The first 

 time I could get into the garden, of course I went to look at 

 the Ligurians, and standing a minute before the hive remarked 

 at once, "There's something wrong here." I was too weak to 

 examine them that day, but a day or two afterwards I went, 

 and taking off the crown board, saw at once that my fears were 

 but too well founded ; the swarm had evidently decreased, and I 

 could only account for that on the assumption that the queen 

 was lost. I carefully examined every comb, but could find no 

 queen, nor a single egg or grub ; so concluded she must have 

 gone on her wedding flight, and either been lost or killed. 1 

 immediately placed a brood comb from a black stock in the 

 hive, and they raised a fine queen, and she proved prolific 

 enough, but the swarm never recovered itself sufficiently to 

 stand the winter, and so has lately been united to the next. 

 I think this should be a caution to others not to buy second 

 swarms of Ligurians in the expectation of thereby securing a 

 pure strain. Many — I may say all — who have not frame hives 

 would be quite unable to manipulate the swarm in any way 

 on its arrival ; and as I feel sure that in nine cases out of ten 

 (if I am wrong I hope Mr. Woodbury will correct me*), the 

 queen would not be impregnated before starting, and the buyer 

 would at best only get a stock of hybrids, and the whole affair 

 end in vexation and disappointment. 



I have united the weak stock before mentioned to the swarm 

 of this year, and so have made up two strong stocks in Wood- 

 bury hives; and as I never like to be beaten, I have two fine 

 imported Ligurian queens, and placed them at their head, and 

 so hope, if spared another season, to be successful yet in estab- 

 lishing Ligurians in my apiary. I have also the black stock 

 in the old straw hive, which I trust will prove useful in spring, 

 as I intend to let the Ligurians swarm and then remove the 

 stock to the stand of the black stock, removing it to a new one, 

 and thus multiply the Italians while I try to keep down the 

 black race. My honey harvest only consisted of four combs 

 (the outside ones in the Woodbury hives), but they were mode- 

 rately well filled, weighing nearly 14 lbs. — J. R. J. 



* Presuming the swarm to be shot up on the evening of the day of issue 

 and despatched to its place of destination, I should say you would be right 

 in the tenth case also.— A Devonshire Bee-keepee. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Great Horton Show.— The Secretary informs ns that Messrs. W. and 

 C. Burniston's prize was the only one overlooked, and has now been paid. 



Awards — Trimming (Fair PZay).— Your remarks are far too personal — 

 both parties are writing to establish truth, not merely to have the last 

 word. We are informed that Mr. Wright purposes a rejoinder. 



Turkeys' Heads Swollen (Constant Reader). — When the weather is 

 fine, especially if it is sunny, let the Turkeys be out a longer time. If 

 their run be one where they can get under ricks or into out-houses, let 

 them be out all day. Grind some oats with the barley, mix green onion 

 tops chopped fine with tbpin, and if you can do it, mis with milk instead 

 of water. Wash the swelled face with cold water and vinegar, and give 

 to the affected birds two pills of camphor night and morning, each pill 

 the size of a horse bean. If you can separate the sick from the healthy 

 birds yon will be wise to do so. 



Bantams Dying {F. jLT.).— What sort of roosting house have your 

 Bantams ? What is the nature of the flooring ? If it is brick, stone, 

 wood, or asphaltnm, it is probably the cause of your birds being out of 

 condition. If not, then the birds are suffering from severe cold or roup. 

 Wash their faces and nostrils with cold water and vinegar. Supply them 

 scantily with water, give them lettuce and growing grass, with plenty of 

 fresh mould, feed only on soft food, discontinue the meat and Indian 

 corn. Give Baily's pills. If yon have them not, or till you get them, 

 give pills of camphor night and morning, two for a dose, each the size of 

 a garden pea. If they seem sinking, give them some bread steeped in 

 Strong ale. The floors of poultry houses must be of earth. 



Black Red and Grey Duckwtng Game Crossing (C. IT.).— The cross 

 you mention is often U3ed, and serves to throw much brilliancy of colour 

 into the progeny. In tilver Duckwings it adds the copper saddle. The 

 best way to breed either Black Reds or Duckwings pure, is to breed from 

 pure parents on both sides. There is always more certainty in Black 

 Beds than Duckwings, because experiments such as you speak of are 

 often tried with the latter. You are quite right in setting eggs in Febru- 

 ary, and will have no trouble in rearing the chickens. 



Brahma Moulting (T. F. A.),— It it is onlythe hackle that is at fault, 

 and all the rest of his plumage is perfect, you may safely show the cock. 

 Give him a few peas, and every evening give frim a little bread steeped 

 in strong beer. 



Killing Ducks Annually (A. J).).— We do not think it necessary to 

 change the Ducks every year, but we are strong advocates for fresh blood 

 every alternate year. Your question bears on age only. It is always well 

 to put adults of one sex with juniors of the other. The advantage of 

 breeding from young Ducks and an older drake is that they are earlier 



layers than older birds ; but the first eggs of any bird are not, as a rule,, 

 preferred. We believe you may safely breed from the same Ducks two, 

 if not three years. Change the drake every alternate ye±r; that is all 

 the change you require. 



Poultry-house Floor— Number of Stock (P. H. 5.).— We do not 

 think yo'& gain anything by covering the floor of your poultry house with, 

 ashes ; leave it as it is, as it is of earth. You may keep a cock and 

 six or seven hens in such a place as you describe. You must, however, 

 provide them ou a sm*ll scale with that which they would meet with on 

 a larger run. You must give them large sods of growing grass, cut with 

 plenty of mould adhering. They must have some bricklayers' rubbish 

 and some road grit. Both these should be put under the roofed part of 

 the run. You may keep Brahmas, Greve-Cceurs, Soudans, or Cochins. 

 The first and last are good sitters, the others are not. You cannot rear 

 chickens without a run for them. As to feeding, why do you mix bran 

 with barleymeal ? it adds only to bulk, and is about as useful as the addi- 

 tion of sawdust to the quartern loaf. Fowls do not like buckwheat nor 

 oats, nor are they good food for fowls. You will do well to confine your 

 feeding in the morning to barley or oatmeal, mixed with milk or water ; 

 soaked bread and scraps of meat at mid-day, enough for a meal, and in 

 the evening soft food as in the morning. You most recollect potatoes do 

 not count for much in feeding poultry. 



Pigeons, Rabbits, &c. {Rustic). — Keep both very clean, and there will 

 be no harm. We have seen both kept in a coach-house, the Pigeons 

 breeding in boxes above, and the Rabbits in hutches on the floor. In the 

 doors of the coach-house were large windows of wire netting. The owner 

 told that both did well. In our number for October 27th we figured and 

 described in full the Barb, to which we refer you. We never recommend 

 dealers. Buy your birds of successful exhibitors who advertise their 

 spare stock in oar columns. Bay both your birds of the same person, or 

 you may get one bad and one good, or one of an inferior strain. 



Diseased Carrier (R. H. Keable). — It is difficult to judge of your bird 

 by description only. If the lump is a hard corny wart, it might be cut 

 out and the place dressed with canstic. If it he a hot and inflamed place, 

 we should think soothing remedies would be best, such as bathing fre- 

 quently with warm water. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 In the Suburbs of London for the week ending November 22nd. 





BAEOSIETEE. 





THERM03TETEB. 



w/ind. 





Date. 



Air. 



Earth. 



Eain 





Max. 



Win. 



Max. 



Min. 



1ft. 



2 ft. 





Wed... 16 



29 326 



29.286 



48 



20 



41 



41 



S.W. 



.CO 



Thurs. . 17 



29 591 



29.415 



47 



18 



41 



41 



ve. 



.00 



Fri.. .. 18 



29 540 



29 390 



49 



19 



41 



40 



w. 



.09 



Sat. ... 19 



29.324 



29.212 



49 



24 



40 



40 



s. 



.10 



Sun. .. 20 



29.453 



29.264 



53 



33 



42 



40 



S.W. 



.08 



Mon. . . 21 



29.308 



29.266 



51 



34 



45 



42 



s. 



12 



Tues.... 22 



29.362 



29.026 



55 



38 



43 



42 



s. 



.60 



Mean.. 



29.415 



29.265 



50.29 



26.57 



41.86 



40.86 j .. 



0.93 



16. — Fine ; very fine ; frosty fog at night. 



17.— Frosty fog ; very fine ; frosty fog. 



18. — Densely overcast ; very fine ; frosty fog. 



19. — Sharp frost ; cloudy but fine ; rain at night. 



29. — Clear and fine ; very fine ; heavy rain. 



21, — Overcast ; showery ; heavy showers. 



22.— Fine, very damp ; showery; boisterous with thunder and lighting. 



COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— November 23. 

 We have very little alteration to notice ; there is still a large supply of 

 inferior goods in the market, and prices are stationary. The importati*n 

 of produce from the Channel Islands, however, has much fallen ofL that 

 of Pears particularly, and they are not of the usual good quality. 





lb. 



B. 

 1 

 

 

 6 

 

 

 

 

 1 

 

 2 

 8 

 1 



s. 

 

 

 

 

 2 

 

 3 

 1 

 1 

 

 n 



1 



s 





 



a 





 

 



s 



a. s. d 



to 2 

 

 

 14 

 

 



ooo 



2 

 6 2 



ooo 



6 

 14 

 4 



YE3ET 



d. s. & 

 OtoO 

 

 

 

 SO 

 9 16 

 4 

 2 

 16 



4 8 

 6 

 6 2 

 6 

 6 10 

 

 



5 

 8 

 S 

 6 





lb. 





 

 6 



S 



1 

 1 

 3 

 1 

 1 

 

 

 11 

 1 



s. 

 

 



1 





 4 

 

 S 

 

 

 2 

 S 

 

 

 

 3 



e 



2 



1 







a 



d. b. 

 OtoO 

 

 10 

 

 2 

 s 

 6 

 6 S 

 

 

 

 9 16 

 2 



a. s. 



4 to 

 9 1 

 2 

 2 

 6 

 4 

 

 9 1 

 

 4 

 4 

 

 

 

 8 5 

 6 

 2 

 1 

 6 

 8 



d 

 







* 







n 





lb. 



Pears, kitchen . 



lb. 



lb. 





 





 









lb. 



A 





e.... lb. 







Grapes, Hothouf 



Strawberries . 

 do 









II 





ABLES. 





a 













6 



Beans, Kidney . 



.$ sieve, 

 bushel 



Mustard & Cress 

 Radishes .. doz. 



.punnet 

 bunches 





 

 A 



Brussels Sprouts 



bundle 

 ..I sieve 



bunches 



G 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Coleworta..doz. 







n 











 











6 

 6 



Horseradish ... 



. bundle 



Vegetable Harrows . . doe . 





 



