202 



JOLTIXAL OF HOETICULTCEE AND COTTAGE GAEDEXEE, 



t September 5, 1872. 



— a splendid box of honey, but for the first time I discovered 

 brood comb. Of course, alter this I espected to find the queen 

 not far off, and after a little search I saw her walking Tery 

 leisurely on a piece of comb ; I caught her and carried herto the 

 stock bos, where it appeared her subjects had already missed 

 her, judging from the corn motion in and out of the hive, and 

 with what evident delight they received her. This was a very 

 strong colony, and has never swarmed, a circumstance which I 

 attribute to the very easy method of giving the bees plenty of 

 room without greatly disturbing them. 



At some future time I will give you my experience in this 

 locality of wood bar hives and frame hives, the old-fashioned 

 straw hives, and the improved cottage hive. 



"Would it have been the best policy to have destroyed the 

 queen, as I feel certain she must be five or six years old '? There 

 appeared to be plenty of brood comb in the stock box. — W. E. L. 



[We think it sound policy to leave the bees as much as pos- 

 sible to arrange their own affairs, so long as they do well ; 

 therefore we think you did right in restoring the queen to the 

 colony. It is possible, of course, she may die before spring, but 

 we should have risked it under the circumstances. Pray give 

 us your experience as early as you please — the more of it the 

 better. — Eds.] 



DRY EOT. 

 Do any of your readers know much of dry rot in timber ? I 

 always used to think the fungus caused the disease by feeding 

 on the wood. On taking off a remarkably fine specimen of 

 the fungus from some wood, I could not find any roots into the 

 wood, but the roots of the fungus were in the sleeper walls 

 below the wood, and the fungus ramified in every direction from 

 it, and coated the whole of the wood with a moist thick growth as 

 impermeable to air as wet parchment. The wood had decayed 

 wherever the air was excluded. The decayed wood was to all 

 appearance the same as wood which I have seen rotten from 

 being painted before it was seasoned. May not the impervious 

 covering be the cause of the rot, and not from the fungus feed- 

 ing on the wood ? — C. P. Peach. 



OUB LETTER BOX. 



B&ahma Cockerel foe Exhibition (J. (?.). — Accidents are only to be niTich 

 feared when they affect some part where it is possible the occurrence has 

 removed a disqualification — as, in the sickle feathers of a Game cock, they 

 might have been parti-coloured; or jin the breast of a Grouse Cochin, the com- 

 paratively naked spot might have been covered with coloured feathers ; but as 

 there is no disqualification about the toe the loss of part of it is immaterial. 

 The weight is satisfactory. A pound per month is good growth for the first 

 three months. 



Dark Brahmas' Combs (SJieerness). — The single combs are as admissible 

 as pea combs. They were formerly far more numerous than they are now, 

 but the latter are everywhere preferred. In breeds where any comb is allowed, 

 the only imperative rule is that all shall be alike in a pen. A pen containing 

 two sorts of combs is not an exhibition pen. 



Grey Dorkings' Plttmage (T. C. B.). — There are three classes of Dorkings 

 at most large shows — Grey, Silver-Grey, and White. In the former any colour 

 is allowed and is correct. Colour has nothing whatever to do with an ordi- 

 nary Dorking. It is a table, not a feather bird. "Weight, size, shape, and 

 early maturity are the merits sought for. The Silver-Grey isa very at tractive 

 bird, having the light breast and white shafts you admire. The White is of 

 course self-coloured. Such a bird as you describe would doubtless be hand- 

 some. If you intend to make such, we should advise the striped to the black 

 hackle, as being more striking. The heaviest Dorkings are generally dark- 

 feathered birds, and their plumage does not show dirt. 



Light Brahmas' Feathers Turning Yellow (H. F. T. D.). — The cock 

 is not disqualified, but he labours under a serious disadvantage. It is never- 

 theless not uncommon for white cocks to acquire a yellow tinge. If the 

 pullet has brown specks she is disqualified ; if black ones, she is not. 



Poultry Yard (G. B. U.). — We hardly understand you when you speak of 

 a poultry yard wanting a flooring. Do you mean a poultry house ? If not, 

 what is the flooring now ? It will be easier to tell you what you may not 

 have than what you may. You may not have brick, flagstone, wood, or 

 asphalt. The three former always induce cramp, the latter causes bad feet. 

 No flooring is good which keeps the feet always stretched out and does not 

 allow the claws to penetrate. If you already have an earthen floor be satisfied 

 with it ; it may be swept, and is easily kept clean. It is the healthiest you 

 can have. 



Koudans' Legs — Rouen* Drake's Markings (Tyro). — ThelegsofHoudans 

 should be black-and-white speckled. The small red head you speak of is 

 iinimportant. The white ring round the neck of a Rouen drake is absolutely 

 necessary. It does not show itself in very young ones, and in old ones it 

 disappears in moulting. 



Keeping Ducks where there is no Water. — "In answer to ' E. B.,' 

 I have kept a drake and two Ducks, half-bred Ronens, in my yard since 

 October last. During all this time they have had no more water than was 

 supplied in an ordinary milk pan — certainly not more than 4 inches deep. 

 Both the Ducks have had broods this season, the one hatched thirteen duck- 

 lings, and the other eleven; each had but thirteen eggs. Last week one of 

 my hens hatched seven Ducks from seven eggs. The water is frequently 

 changed for cleanliness sake; and the ducklings, save one which played with 

 a kitten and got worsted, have thus far lived until wanted in the kitchen. — 

 St. Edmund." 



Exhibition Pens (B. B.). — They can be hired at about the price yon name 

 of Messrs. Turner, of Sheffield, and others. We have known less charged for 

 a large show. 



Bee Gauze, &c. (Novice). — The allegations of " C. N. A," did not appear 

 in our columns, therefore we cannot insert your comments. 



Bees not Leattng Super (Inquirer). — Take off the snper as before, and 

 having inverted it in a pan, take a small hive and rest one edge ou the farthest 

 edge of the super, holding it tilted up a little with your left hand Then with 

 a small stick or gentle hand, drum on the sides of the super, and in all pro- 

 bability you will soon hear the bees begin to ascend, and then you can look 

 under and watch them; do so until all or nearly all are up. You can knock 

 out the bees in the front or on the top of the stock, leaving the communi- 

 cation aperture open. If the super is of glass, and the bees will not leave, 

 we invert it on a table or board, and placing a small hive as before, drum on 

 the table or board, and we seldom find any difficulty in getting all the bees 

 to ascend in a few minutes : but we usually first try to induce them to leave 

 by the more peaceful method. If yon wish to take the stock as well as the 

 super, you must drive the bees in the way recommended in your book. 



Preserving Tegetarle Harrows and Gourds (R. C). — The fruit should 

 not be cut until it turns yellow ; then cut it open, remove the seeds, and again 

 cut up the halves into quarters. Remove the flesh, cutting it in rather thin 

 slices, and boil it with the same weight of loaf sugar. This makes an excel- 

 lent conserve. Another mode is to cut the fruit just before the rind becomes 

 too hard for a knife point to enter without great pressure, slice up, remove 

 the rind and seeds, and boil with an equal weight of loaf sugar. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. ; 3' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



Date. 







A. 31. 







In the Day. 





1S72. 

 August 



At 



Hygrome- 

 ter. 



Dry. I Wet. 



w 



;?ai 



Shade Tern- 

 peratnre. 



Radiation 

 Temperatur e 



a 



Sept. 



Mas. 



Min. 



In 

 sun. 



On 



grass 



We. 2S 

 Th. 29 

 Fri. 3) 

 Sat. 31 

 Sun. I 

 Mo. 2 

 Tn. 3 



Inches. 

 30.303 

 30.113 

 29 853 

 29.749 

 29.947 

 29 898 

 29.676 



de?. 



59 S 

 61.1 

 613 



60 

 5S.2 

 67.2 

 678 



dec. 

 53 8 

 57.4 

 58 3 

 55.8 

 55.9 

 61.8 

 63.0 



w. 



S.W. 



s. 



N.W. 

 N.W. 



S. 

 S.E. 



dcg. 



59 4 

 59.8 

 613 

 588 

 58.6 

 59.S 

 60.9 



Aeg. 

 73.2 

 73.5 

 66.1 

 69.2 

 66.3 

 7B.8 

 83.1 



deg. 

 434 

 52.2 

 53.6 

 48.6 

 4S.3 

 57.8 

 57.1 



deg. 

 115 

 11S.7 



96 6 

 1-22.3 



95.1 

 122.8 

 121.2 



Seg. 



43.2 



51 6 



50.9 

 47.2 



41.3 

 So'.S 

 53.6 



In. 



0.120 

 0.133 

 0.1SO 



Means 1 29.934 



62 3 



57.9 





59.7 



72.6 



51.6 



113.1 



49.9 



0.43S 



REMARKS. 

 23th. — A very fine day throughout ; a peculiar haze for a short time between 



6 and 7 p.m. 

 29th. — Fair morning, though rather hazy ; cloudy in the afternoon ; very fine 



solar halo at 5 p.m. 

 30th. — Dull morning, and stormlike till noon ; overcast in afternoon ; and 



hghtning at 11 p.m. 

 31st. — Fine morning ; rain about noon ; fine afterwards, but much colder than 



it was a few days since. 

 Sept. 1st. — Fair in morning ; rain between 1 and 2 p.m. and occasionally 



during the day, which was dull, cold, and comfortless throughout. 

 2nd. — Fine all the early part, and much warmer ; rather storrruike in the 



evening, and rain soon after 9 p.m. 

 3rd. — Dull, hazy, and very dark about 10 A.M., hut fine by noon ; a splendid 



day afterwards, very warm ; thunderstorm at midnight. 

 Although the last of August and first of September were quite cool, the 

 mean of the week has been raised nearly to the same point as last week by 

 the unusual warmth of September 3rd. — G. J. Symons. 



COVEXT GARDEN MARKET.— September 4. 

 Rough vegetables continue very plentiful. The supply of fruit is compara- 

 tively short, but it does not realise such a sale as was anticipated, prices rang- 

 ing upon an average with former years. Pears comprise Beurre d'Amanlis, 

 TVilliams's Bon Chretien, Hessel, and commoner sorts. The Potato trade is 

 heavy, large quantities of diseased tubers having to be returned. 



Apples J sieve 3 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries perlb. 



Chestnuts bushel 



Currants A sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 1 



Filberts lb. 1 



Cobs lb. 1 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse lb. -2 



Lemons ^100 6 



Melons each 2 



s. d. s. d. 



OtoO Mulberries V- lb. 1 



Nectarines doz. S 



Oranges ^Ii0 3 



Peaches doz. 4 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



dessert doz. 2 



6 3 PineApples lb. S 



Plums Jsieve 5 



QuiDces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



5 Strawberries ^ lb. 



10 i Walnuts bushel 10 



5 1 ditto ^100 1 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 2 01 



Asparagus 3*100 



Beans. Kidney.... i sieve S 



Broad bushel 



Beet,Red doz. 1 



Broccoli bundle 9 



Cabbage doz. 1 



Capsicums ^1(0 S 



Carrots bunch 6 



Cauliflower doz. 2 



Celery bundle 1 6 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 2 



Cucumbers each 3 



picking doz. 



Endive doz. 2 



Fennel bunch S 



Garlic lb. 6 



werbs bunch 3 



Horseradish bnndle 5 



Leeks bunch 2 



Lettuce doz. 9 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 

 Onions bunch 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Round do. 



Radishes.. do2. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsafy ^bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Scorzonera.... $»■ bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows.. doz. 



s. d. s. d. 



1 0to3 

 



