July 11, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



51 



that the greater portion of the central comhs was filled with 

 sealed brood, the presence of which was not suspected from an 

 examination of the contents from the back window. Then, in 

 addition to prizes offered for honey, I would recommend, where 

 practicable, that more or less frequently prizes be also offered 

 for bee hives and their appurtenances. 



A very important feature in these exhibitions is a glass obser- 

 vatory hive stocked with living bees, which are usually confined 

 with ample ventilation. As this is always atie'nded with con- 

 siderable expense and some loss or risk of loss to the exhibitor, 

 encouragement in the way of an extra prize should always be 

 awarded. I have known large crowds congregate round one 

 of these hives, desirous perhaps of seeing the queen, or of learn- 

 ing more about bees than they knew previously, so as to keep 

 the attendant closely engaged for the whole daj\ It is desirable 

 that a free pass should be given to the owner, either for himself 

 or for some other attendant, as careful supervision to prevent 

 accidents and to supply information is desirable. During the 

 visit of the Bath and West of England Show to Exeter in 1863, 

 Messrs. Neighbour, aided by the late Mr. "Woodbury, had ob- 

 servatory hives tenanted by bees which worked out through the 

 wooden hoarding which surrounded the showyard. These were 

 a source of great attraction to hundreds daily. A short account 

 of this appeared in the Journal of June 16th, 1863. It is very 

 seldom practicable to allow bees to have ingress and egress dur- 

 ing the time they are being exhibited, but, if it could be managed, 

 it would add very much to the merits and interest of the hive, 

 by the freedom of the bees from distress and excitement conse- 

 quent on the liberty thus afforded to them. A sufficiently high 

 partition or wall, having suitable passages leading out into a 

 part quite distinct from the place in which the horticultural 

 exhibition is held, is all that is necessary to insure that the fly- 

 ing bees shall be the cause of no annoyance to the visitors. 



Whatever may be determined on as to the subjects for com- 

 petition or the amount of the prizes offered, it is highly impor- 

 tant that competent judges be appointed for deciding on the 

 merits of the specimens. It is too often left to the judges of the 

 flower, or of the fruit, or of the vegetable departments, to judge 

 the honey, though they may be totally unqualified for the task. 

 I have mentioned two cases where 1 have known mistakes to 

 have been made, but I have also seen others. The prize list 

 states that the honey exhibited must have been the produce of 

 the then present season. I have known two occasions when 

 glasses of honey which had been shown, and which had obtained 

 prizes one year were also shown, and rewarded by prizes the 

 following season. A competent judge would have discovered 

 the fraud very easily. The judge, or judges, should if possible 

 be apiarians, but should not of course be competitors at the same 

 exhibition. If practicable, to avoid expense they should be 

 selected from the immediate neighbourhood ; but if no one at 

 hand seems suitable, some one at a little distance might be 

 secured by offering the payment of his travelling expenses. 



I also think it highly desirable that there should be a separate 

 class for cottage bee-keepers, as it can hardly be expected that 

 they can compete in the matter of glasses and nicely made ex- 

 pensive boxeswith the more wealthy; but while establishing this 

 principle with a proportionately lower scale of prizes, I would 

 make it optional with the cottager to enter his articles in the 

 higher class if he liked. It is by no means unusual to see the 

 best specimen of honey at a show contained in a common straw 

 cap or super, and standing among the cottagers' fruit and vege- 

 tables. These remarks only apply to such societies as have a 

 separate schedule for cottage exhibitors. 



Having given theforegoing somewhat crude remarks, I should 

 he obliged if anyone else interested in the matter of affording to 

 apiarian produce a place of higher consideration at local shows, 

 would assist our friends of the society to which I alluded with 

 the benefit of their advice. To the members of that society I 

 beg to apologise for not having earlier acceded to their request. 

 — S. Bevan Fox. 



A Warning. — Some curious experiments have, according to 

 the Matin, been made by a doctor of Montpellier to ascertain 

 the effects of wine, brandy, and absinthe on fowls. Any doubts 

 which may have been entertained as to the disinclination of the 

 "birds to adopt intemperate habits were speedily dispelled, for 

 they took to dram-drinking with evident delight, and many an 

 old cock in the chicken house proved himself quite capable of 

 consuming his bottle a-day. It was found necessary at last to 

 limit the allowance of wine and spirits for each bird to six cubic 

 centimetres of alcohol, or from twelve to fifteen of wine daily. 

 The result was they lost flesh rapidly, more especially those who 

 drank absinthe. Two months of absinthe-drinking was found 

 sufficient to kill the strongest cock or hen. The fowls who in- 

 dulged in brandy alone lasted, however, four months and a half; 

 while the winebibbers survived for ten months. It was not 

 only their health which was affected by alcohol; their personal 

 appearance underwent an extraordinary change. An immense 

 development of cocks' crests took place. The crests, it is stated, 

 increased to four times their original size, and assumed a hue of 



unnatural brightness — probably on the same principle that the 

 noses of confirmed drunkards become preternaturally large and 

 red. It is doubtful whether man is justified in trying experi- 

 ments in drunkenness with the dumb creation merely with the 

 view of ascertaining how far he may himself venture to get 

 drunk with impunity ; but having proceded thus far, he may 

 as well go a step further, and by the introduction of the teapot 

 into the hen-house find out whether there is any ground for the 

 suspicion entertained in some quarters as to the innocent pro- 

 perties of tea. A few experiments also in " late hours " might 

 be made with advantage at the same time. A party of carefully 

 selected cocks and hens might be allowed to mingle in the 

 festivities of the London season, returning to their roosts at the 

 hour when they usually commence to cackle and crow. It 

 would possibly be found that one week of "political reunions," 

 concerts, balls, and crushes would be as disastrous in its effects 

 as two months of absinthe-drinking. — (Pall Mall Gazette.) 



PRODUCING VEGETABLE ODOUES. 



An Italian chemist, Piria, working in France in 1838, was 

 the first to reproduce a natural aromatic principle. He pre- 

 pared by certain reactions a salicylic aldehyde, which proved 

 the same as the essential oil of Meadowsweet, the penetrating 

 perfume of which is well known. Some years later, in 18-13, 

 M. Cahour discovered methyl-salicylic ether, and showed that it 

 was identical with the essence of Gaultheria procumbens, or 

 Winter-green. Wertheim followed with further discoveries. 

 The thing caused considerable sensation. Since then the art 

 has advanced, and chemists can now produce various oils arti- 

 ficially, as oil of Camphor, of Bitter Almonds, of Cumin, of 

 Cinnamon, &a. t without, that is, having recourse to any of the 

 plants. 



Besides the substances now referred to, various others have 

 been produced of the ether class, in which a very good imita- 

 tion of the aroma from certain fruits has been effected. These 

 have been largely used by perfumers and confectioners. Such 

 artificial oils appeared for the first time at the London Exhibi- 

 tion of 1851. One of these was pearl oil, giving an agreeable 

 odour of Jargonelles, and used for bonbons. This was a solu- 

 tion of amylacetic ether in alcohol. Apple oil was made by 

 dissolving amylvaleric ether in alcohol. The most plentiful 

 was that of Pine-apples, which was ordinary butyric ether. 

 Grape oil was used for giving to brandy of inferior quality the 

 flavour of cognac. Various others might be mentioned. This 

 synthesis of odorous principles is one of the most striking 

 triumphs of organic chemistry. The creative faculty is still at 

 work. M. Berthelot has been seeking to reproduce the fatty 

 matters of the animal economy. Some progress has been made 

 towards the artificial production of sugar ; and this will doubt- 

 less, be followed up by an effort to work out the synthesis of 

 albuminous substances. 



Linnaeus brought his powers Of analysis and classification to 

 bear on the subject of odours. He arranged them in seven 

 classes, as follows : — Aromatic odours, as those of the leaves 

 of Laurel ; fragrant odours, as those of Fleur de Lis, Jasmine, 

 &c. ; ambrosial odours, as those of amber and Musk ; alliaceous 

 odours, as those' of Garlic, &e. ; fetid odours, as those of Orach, 

 &c. ; repulsive odours, as those of many Solaneas ; and finally, 

 nauseous odours. The terms used are mostly familiar in 

 ordinary language ; but they have quite a relative and conven- 

 tional value. As formerly remarked, we cannot construct a 

 scale of odours as we can a musical scale. We can only com- 

 pare one odour with another from its effects on the olfactory 

 membrane. They have not such characteristics as can be 

 vigorously defined. Any classification of them must therefore 

 be imperfect. — (English Mechanic.) 



Cbystal Palace. — The enterprise of the Natural History De- 

 partment of the Crystal Palace appears to be unflagging. No 

 sooner is one show past than another of equal attraction is 

 announced. We are informed that an exhibition of great interest 

 is now in progress, to be heldfrom the 3rd to the 10th of August 

 next, and which will consist of " Specimens of game and of the 

 apparatus of sport." Full particulars will soon appear, but the 

 object will be gathered from the following : — This exhibition, 

 the first of its kind ever held, is designed to illustrate natural 

 history in a most important respect — by bringing together, if 

 possible, a collection of all the trophies, at present in private 

 hands, from the hunting fields of all parts of the world. These 

 trophies, collected mostly by noblemen and gentlemen, who, as 

 true sportsmen, are pioneers of science— will, if exhibited to- 

 gether, whether they be prepared in lifelike form or are in rough 



