142 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



[ August 15, 1872. 



ought to have had 10 or 11 at least ; the rest had been robbed, 

 and this was not the first time I had suffered in this way; 

 from a glass containing 16 lbs. of honey I had but one-third; 

 but as I deemed this to be an exceptional case I did not profit 

 by the warning. I shall therefore for the future adopt my own 

 plan. 



The foregoing statements are merely preliminary, possibly 

 explanatory, of what I am now about to relate. The day follow- 

 ing I was watching these two hives a and b, and much to my 

 surprise saw a continuous stream of bees orderly and quietly 

 passing from hive a to hive e, where they were apparently wel- 

 comed, as no opposition was made or tumult excited, both of 

 which I have found to be common when the bees of one hive visit 

 another. Again, a few days after this curious scene, finding the 

 bees of e still hanging out idle, I gave them afresh the glass they 

 had assisted in robbing, placing it on the other side of their 

 hive, and between the two. To prevent as much as I could the 

 bees of a going into it, I put a thin board so as to intercept them ; 

 they, however, quickly evaded this by passing along the front 

 edge of the board on which they stand, and entering the glass 

 worked amicably with the bees of b. For some reason only one 

 of my hives threw off a swarm this season, and a cast followed 

 in due time. 



Many agricultural labourers and small artisans around me 

 keep bees, and, not knowing better, resort usually to killing the 

 bees for the honey. I have been long looking out for a treatise 

 on the subject suitable to their wants, but as yet have found 

 none : all, yours included, are far too scientific for them readily 

 to understand. Can you help me in this matter ? — T. P. F. 



Chepstow Poultry Show. — We recommend any poultry 

 fancier who either is in the neighbourhood, or hesitating 

 whither to journey for a holiday, to decide in favour of Chep- 

 stow; it is well worthy of a visit for its other attractions. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Satire on Cochin-Chinas. — "L. W." wishes to be informed when and 

 where the parody appeared, beginning, he thinks, 



" At Hong Kong when the moon was low, 

 (Second line forgotten) 

 A giant. Shanghae's awful crow 

 Awoke the deep solemnity." 



Hens Dying (G. H,). — The fowl wo received died of atrophy; in every 

 way the bird was out of condition. "We cannot guess at the cause, but where 

 two fowls in the same yard are in as bad condition as these, the others 

 cannot be well. If you wish to know more, you must send description of food, 

 run, and lodging. 



Age of Game Cocks for Dubbing (H. JR.).— As soon as they are hard- 

 feathered. They must not be dubbed while they have any stub feathers. 

 From four to five months old is, in our opinion, the best time. 



Consequences of Cross-breeding (Frenchman). — We can answer your 

 question by giving you our experience ; it is that such crosses have always 

 caused us loss and trouble. "We do not wonder at it. Some breeds are best 

 for laying ; some for sitting. To mix the two is to destroy the quality for 

 which the breed is famous by engrafting on it that which is antagonistic to 

 its nature. "We believe you will not succeed in getting good sitters from any 

 crosses with Houdan or Spanish. Nature did not intend them to sit, and 

 they cannot contribute a quality they do not possess. 



Game Chickens Over- stimulated (An Old Subscriber). — Ton have pro- 

 bably done too much by half for your chickens. Your feeding is bad. Dis- 

 continue the hempseed and the wheat, both will help to cause the symptoms 

 you complain of. If you had stated the ages of the chickens we could have 

 spoken more positively. They are chickens from the time of being hatched 

 till they are nine months old, but the young want more attention than the 

 older. They do not want the stimulants now they require in cold weather, 

 and when the nights are long. Boiled egg, curd, bread and milk, and crushed 

 corn are food for young, ground oats and barley for older birds. 



Pigeon Race (H. J, R. L.). — You will find particulars in the sporting 

 newspapers. 



Pigeon Trap (V. L.). — We do not know the trap yon refer to. There is a 

 description of one on page 85 of " The Pigeon Book," which book you can 

 have by post free from our office if you enclose twenty postage stamps with 

 your address. 



Mead (S. IF.). — There are various kinds of mead manufactured. We copy 

 two recipes : — To a gallon of water put 2 lbs. of honey and 1 lb. of sugar; boil 

 for an hour, put in the whites of four eggs to raise the scum, and skim it 

 quite clear whilst boiling; then put it into a clean tub, and let it stand for a 

 week, putting in a toast with honey to make it work ; then turn it, put in the 

 peels of three or four lemons, let it stand for a month, and then if it is not suffi- 

 ciently fine put in more honey, and let it stand longer. Frontignac Mead. — 

 Take 50 lbs. of honey, 50 lbs. of fine raisins, and 50 gallons of water ; boil about 

 fifteen minutes, keeping it well skimmed ; put it in a tub to work, and add to 

 it a pint of ale yeast, letting it work until the yeast begins to fall. When 

 taken clear off tun it with the raisins. Let it continue in the cask for twelve 

 months, then fine it down, and put it into bottles. 



Wax and Honey {A. Lewin). — There is no special market for them. Apply 

 to MessrB. Neighbour ; Messrs. Fortnum & Co., or to other Italian warehouse- 

 men. 



Poultrtwoman's Charade (Suffolk).— The following includes yonrs and 

 many additions. Why is the hen immortal ? Her sun never sets. Why is a 

 hen on a fence like a cent ? Head on one side, tail on the other. Why don't 

 hens lay at night ? Then they are roosters. Why is the first chicken of a 

 brood like the mainmast of a ship ? A little forward of the main hatch. Why 

 ie a chicken just hatched like a bull's tail ? Never seen before. Why should 



not a chicken cross the road ? It would be a fowl proceeding. If a ship cap- 

 tain had no eggs what should he do ? Lay to (two). And to conclude, a hen 

 is a poor economist, because for every grain she gives a peek. 



To Preserve Kidney Beans for Winter Use. — Pat a layer of dry 

 salt about half an inch thick in the bottom of a well-glazed earthenware pan, 

 ou this a layer of beans about linch thick, another layer of salt, then another 

 layer of beans, and continue in the same order until the pau is fall. Keep in 

 a dry cool place. When wanted for use they must be taken out iu layers. — 

 C. L. S. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Lon<*. J 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



Date. 







A.M. 









In the Day. 









•&$ 



Hygrome- 

 ter. 



9« 



„ 



Shade Tem- 



Radiation 



. 



1872. 



Baromc 

 tor at 8 

 and S 

 Level. 



3S 



2'3_ 



perature. 



Temperature 



'a 



August 











In 



On 







Dry. 



Wet. 



5° 





Max. 



Min. 



sun. 



grass 







Inches. 



dee;. 



deg. 





deg. 



deg. 



deg. 



deg. 



deg. 





We. 7 



29.521 



65 



61.5 



s. 



61.1 



72.0 



57.4 



116 2 



57.9 



O.SID 



Th. s 



29.620 



60.2 



5S.5 



N.W. 



60.5 



72 2 



50.3 



12S.5 



49 8 



0.020 



Frl. 9 



30.' 46 



63.0 



58 3 



S.E. 



59 8 



71.5 



47.8 



109 9 



45.7 



0.022 



Sat. 10 



29.691 



66.0 



59.4 



S. 



60.4 



70.0 



56.8 



109.1 



53.7 





Sun 11 



29.782 



62.1 



518 



S.W. 



B0.4 



67.8 



55.3 



121.2 



53.0 







Mo. la 



30.057 



61.2 



55.3 



N.W. 



59.8 



70.8 



52 



119.2 



49.9 







Tu. 13 



30.206 



61.2 



56.2 



w. 



59.3 



73.6 



45.1 



127.8 



43.8 



— 



Means 



29.816 



62.7 



57.7 





60.2 



71.1 I 52.1 



118.1 



50.5 



0.352 



REMARKS. 

 7th. — Tolerably fine till 6.30 p.m., then very dark with vivid lightning, distan 



thunder, and heavy raiu at S p.m. ; but fine at night. 

 8th. — Fine early, but rain at 9 a.m. ; rather bright just before noon ; thunder 



at 2 p.m., showery after 4 p.m. ; but fine at night. 

 9th. — Very fine early, rather storm-like at noon, but a fine day. 

 10th. — Fine morning, with rather a strong breeze ; a fair but not bright 



day. 

 11th. — Beautifully fine at 6 a.m., but clouding over before 9 a.m., and rather 



so all day, with strong breeze. 

 12th. — Fine throughout, with splendid sunset, and starlight night. 

 13th. — Very fine all the morning, with bright sunshine, and so continuing all 

 day. 

 Much less stormy and rather warmer than last week, but by no means warm. 

 for the time of year. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— August 14. 

 The state of the market and the prices remain nearly stationary. A limited 

 quantity of English fruit finds its way here, but the imports are large this 

 week, and go far to supplement our deficiencies. The Potato trade rules very 

 heavy, with large stocks and much complaint of the blight. The last cargo of 

 West Indian Pines is reported in the river ; they have not been so good nor so 

 cheap as during the last two or three years. 





. bushel 

 do. 



s. 

 3 



2 

 

 

 5 

 

 i 

 1 

 

 

 2 

 8 

 2 



d. s. a. 



OtoO 

 4 

 

 

 6 

 

 8 

 

 

 9 10 

 5 

 14 

 5 



VEGET 



Mulberries 



Pears, kitchen. 



Raspberries... 



1BLES. 



s. 



T>lb. 1 



doz. 2 

 lb. 3 



lh. 



*Hb. 1 



¥■100 1 



a. s. 



OtoO 

 10 

 14 

 18 

 

 4 

 6 

 

 

 6 I 

 2 

 25 

 2 



a. 





 



n 



Black 





 

 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries quart 





 

 



a 







n 









Beans, Kidney.. 



fH00 



. * sieve 



bushel 



s. 

 t 





 3 

 3 

 1 

 

 1 

 8 

 

 2 

 1 

 2 

 

 

 2 

 

 

 

 5 

 

 



d. s. a. 

 0to6 

 

 

 

 3 

 9 16 

 16 

 4 

 6 

 4 

 6 2 6 

 3 

 3 10 

 

 

 3 



8 

 3 

 7 

 2 



9 10 



Mustard <£ Cress. .punnet 

 Parsley per doz. bunches 



s. 

 3 

 

 

 

 3 

 

 1 

 2 

 2 

 2 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 8 

 2 

 

 2 



a. s. 



0to5 



2 

 4 

 6 

 4 

 9 1 

 I 

 i 

 i 

 4 

 6 I 

 

 9 1 

 6 

 9 1 

 

 4 fl 

 4 

 4 



3 

 4 



a. 





 











n 





. bundle 



, , . V 100 



. hundle 

 bunches 





 6 

 O 

 





Radishes.. d02 



.hunches 





 ft 







^ bundle 







Scorzonera.... 



^ hundle 



i> 









 9 









Vegetable Marrows, .doz. 





 6 



POULTRY MABKET.— Adoitst 14. 

 Trade Trill now be almost at an end for some time. Grouse have begun, 

 but they are too recent to permit a quotation. 



s. d. 



Large Fowls 3 



Smaller ditto 2 6 



Chickens 2 8 



Geese 6 



Ducks 2 



Gnine»Fowls 



B. d. 

 3 6 





s. a 



3 





1 6 

 9 



6 6 

















s. a. 



to o 6- 



1 7 



10 



1 

 

 ft 



