506 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Deoember 22, 1870. 



had been hatched oat. There was not a single cell-cover visible ; 

 and the operation having taken place while honey abonnded, 

 in addition to a large weight of sealed honey in the upper por- 

 tion of the combs, a considerable area of the brood cells con- 

 tained unsealed honey evidently freshly gathered in. From 

 the healthful state of matters I resolved to cover it up and set 

 i - , aside for a prospective stock hive, its own population having 

 been added to an adjoining colony. At the end of the Beason, 

 having been presented with the teeming population of two 

 capital prime swarms, of the healthful condition of whose combs 

 I had taken care to satisfy myself, tbey were duly conjoined, 

 and I prepared to look out my beat-out skep, but it was nowhere 

 to be found. Subsequently it was discovered stowed away as 

 lumber in a very damp apartment, and, on making an exami- 

 nation, I was chagrined to find that overspreading the unsealed 

 honey there was an abominable white mouldy fungus-like 

 growth. If I had had but a few bees at command I would have 

 hesitated before introducing them, but the heat and capabilities 

 of such a body of bees I thought amply sufficient to counteract 

 any bad effects following, and they were run up, and it was 

 set down on a stance. Being so well found in population and 

 store, it remained untouched till the following spring was well 

 advanced, having calculated on a particularly early strong 

 swarm, forgetting all about the state of the unsealed honey in 

 the combs, till one remarkably genial day my attention was 

 arrested by the paucity of the workers emerging from it, and it 

 was forthwith inverted, when to my great mortification I found 

 but a very small handful of bees, and the combs one mass of 

 putrifying corruption from foul brood. Sentence of death was 

 at once passed on the little band, and the contents of their hive 

 consigned to the melting pot. 



The evil effects of feeding with fermented foreign honey came 

 to my knowledge a few seasons back. An extensive cottage 

 bee-keeper, for economical reasons, purchased a large cask of 

 this commodity, and from its extreme cheapness fed his stock 

 very liberally. I afterwards saw in bis garden, on more than 

 one occasion, combs in a bad state from foul brood, of which 

 he had previously no experience, as well as colonies sold from 

 his apiary which failed to prosper from the same cause. 



I am glad to be able to report, that although employing many 

 more frame hives than formerly, my stock has for the last two 

 seasons regained its pristine heahhfciltiess ; and when, last 

 season, I was kindly favoured with a new cure (permanganate 

 of potash) for my old enemy, I had not a case to try it with, and 

 therefore sent it on to my friend " A Stewarton Apiarian," 

 whose unsuccessful experiment has been already chronicled in 

 these pages. — A Renfrewshire Bee-keepes. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Moeley Show. — Are other exhibitors like myself ? I have received no 

 prize money awarded to me at the last Morley Show. I have applied 

 several times to the Secretary and received no answer. — H. W. Illing- 

 woeth, The Green, Idle, near Leeds. — [Give the Secretary notice that you 

 will sue him in the Coanty Court. — Eds ] 



Earlobes of Dobkxngs (W. S. D ). — The earlobe of a. Dorking is quite 

 immaterial. We prefer it red, but it is sometimes tioged with wbitu. 

 Yon have been correctly informed when you were told it was a most im- 

 portant point in a Hamburgh. Iu that breed a red deaf ear is a disquali- 

 fication ; it must be perfectly white. 



Crystal Palace Poultry Snow. — Owing to the late hour at which 

 some of the classes were j udged our reporters were obliged to leave before 

 a few of the cups were awarded. We now give a list of those omitted in 

 our report. Mr. H. J. Godfrey's Black Cochin took the cup iu Any other 

 variety. For the best young Pouter cock, Mr. Volckman. Carriers, any 

 other colour, Mr. Denne. Mr. Fulton won two cups — for Blue Pied Pouter 

 hens, and the other for young Barbs. Any other variety, Mr. Wallace. 

 For the best collection of Short-faced Tumblers, Mr. Ford. The third 

 prize for Black Bantams was awarded to Mr. E Cambridge; and Mr. 

 J. Howes again exhibited a pair of his curious White Dorking Bantams. 

 Some exhibitors appear to Le under tbe impression, as the Show closed 

 on Saturday, their birds were packed and sent away the same evening. 

 The Commi.tee were certain if they sent the birds away that night they 

 would be kept at the railway stations the whole of Sunday. The birds 

 ■were therefore despatched on Monday, «nd every one was out of the 

 Palace before 5 p.m. on Monday, aud they should have reached their 

 owners not later than Tuesday. 



Tore Poultry Show. — Mr. H. Andrews informs us that the first prize 

 in the Selling class was won by his Dark Brahmas. 



La Flbche Hens at Birmingham. — We have received from our 

 reporter at Birmingham a note, in wnich he says that he has not tbe 

 slightest reason to doubt the correctness of the statement by the Ron. 

 W. C. Fitzwilliam last week, as to the second-prize peu of La Fleche 

 hens. He repeats, however, and think* even Mr. Fitzwilliam will admit, 

 that the appearance of the birds, on which alone his remark was founded, 

 was precisely as stated, and was remarked upon by many, and if the 

 strain had not been recently crossed before coming into the possession of 

 the exhibitor, the pen must be r«-g<mled hs another of tbe by-no-menns 

 rare, but very remarkable cases > f atavism, or reversion to one of tbe 

 races from which there is no doubt the La Fleche originally sprang. He 



thanks Mr. Fitzwilliam for the gentlemanly tone of his note, which he is 

 not willing to leave altogether unnoticed. 



Tail of Gold-pencilled Hamburgh (We*t of England Subscriber). — 

 A black tail is a disqualification in a Pencilled Hamburgh enck. The 

 loss of a sickle is a great disadvantage, as it opens the door to suspicion. 



Cochin Cockerel (R. Crqfton). — Apply to some one who advertises, 

 and do not buy until you have seen the bird. 



Moth in Seal Skin (Idem). — Beat it, sprinkle camphor dnst among 

 the fur, and hang in a warm dry place. When no insects are left keep the 

 skin closely rolled in brown paper, several times enveloping it so that no 

 moth can get to the skin, and keep it in a very dry place. 



Pigeons at the Birmingham: Show. — Mr. Fulton writes to us that his 

 Carrier Pigeons were neither trimmed nor oiled. 



Carriers at the Crystal Palace (An Exhibitor^. — We cannot insert 

 your communication ; it is, with little exception, at variance with the 

 opinions of some of tbe best judges. 



Poctes (T. E. F-). — The bird you describe is not an exhibition bird, it 

 is too small, and mealy is not usually a prize colour. 



English and Foreign Owls [O. C). — We have often said that there 

 is tbe same difference between English Owls and foreign or African Owls 

 as between Long-faced and Short-raced Tumblers. The latter aTe deli- 

 cate, small, fragile, and very tender. The fact of African Owls being 

 bred in England dofs not make them English Owls. Barbs have for 

 centuries been bred in England, yet they are called Barbs or Barbary 

 Pigeons, becanse they originally came from that country. AJthough 

 English Owls are more generally either powder blue or silver, yet there 

 are white, black, or even yellow sometimes to be met with, and white with 

 black tails. 



Honey Insipid (I. 0. J.). — If the so-called honey consists either wholly 

 or in great pn.rt of sugar fed to the bees in the form of syrup, it would 

 account for its insipidity. The character and taste of simple syrup is un- 

 doubtedly altered by being stored by bees in their combs, but it is not so 

 full-flavoured as natural honey. The proportions of sugar and honey 

 could only be ascertained by analysis. 



Removing Stocks of Bees (C). — We do not think you will find much 

 difficulty in safely removing your bees domiciled in Woodbury hives to 

 some distance by rait at this season. All that is necessary is to insure 

 ventilation by covering the entrances and central apertures with per- 

 forated zinc, and to take care that the hives are carefully handled. A mild 

 day should also, if possible, be selected for the removal. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 In the S*burb* of London for the week ending December 20th. 





BAEOMETEB. 





rHEEHOMETEE 





Wind. 





Date. 



Air. 



Earth. 



Rain 





Mar. 



Min. 



Max. 



Min. 



1 ft. | 2 ft. 





Wed. .. 14 



29 255 



29.040 



58 



35 



46 



43 



S. 



.2D 



Tknrs. . 15 



29.511 



29.438 



43 



37 



46 



43 



S. 



.58 



Fri 16 



29 798 



29.746 



44 



37 



46 



43 



S.E. 



.24 



Sat. ... 17 



80.033 



29902 



45 



27 



45 



42 



N. 



.00 



Sun. .. 18 



80.025 



29.955 



50 



40 



43 



42 



W. 



.00 



Mon. . . 19 



29SJI3 



29.515 



51 



SS 



48 



43 



W. 



.08 



Tues.... 20 



29.571 



29.515 



53 



29 



46 



43 



N.W. 



.00 



Mean. . 



29.714 



29.5S7 



49.86 



34.71 



45.43 



42.71 





1.10 



14. — Showery; heavy showers ; clear, starlight. 

 15.— Cloudy bu^, fine ; densely overcast ; rain. 

 16.— Foggy, very damp ; densely overcast ; overcist. 

 17 — Densely overcast ; clear and fine ; starlight. 

 18. — Densely overcast ; overcast; densely overcast. 

 19. — Densely overcast ; overcast ; rain at night. 

 23.— Fine but cloudy ; fine ; densely overcast. 



COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— December 21. 

 There has been a trifling advance in some descriptions of goods, but 

 generally speaking much dulness prevails, and tbe great bulk of Apples 

 and Pears being inferior in size and quality, the market is very heavy. 

 Oranges fro-n Malta and the Azores are much improved. Potato supplies 

 nro heavy, both by rail and coastwise. Quotations for vegetables are 

 the same as last week. 



PBUIT. 



b. d. s. d 



Apples isieve 1 to2 



Apricots doz. 



rhPi-ries ....lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 18 



Gurnuits j sieve 



Blaok do. 



Ficra doz. 



Filberts lb. 2 



Cobs lb. 2 2 6 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapoa.Hothouse.... lb. 4 8 



Lemons $*101 6 30 



Melons each 10 4 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges \* 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



d. s. 



to 

 



dessert doz. 1 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums $ sieve 1 6 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



do ^100 1 



POULTRY MARKET.— December 21. 

 The near approach of Christmas, and the constant fluctuations of prices 

 at this time, render any quotations impossible. We can only say that at 

 the time of our going to press prices were high and well maintained, and 

 lhat the absence of French snpplies was sensibly felt. We expect during 

 tbe week that prices will be wdl maintained. 



