October 17, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



319 



points, I thought I might aa well try to win it, knowing I could 

 borrow other birds from my friend, this well-known dealer, which 

 I did, and made fifteen entries instead of five at most, as I should 

 have done had I only shown my own Tumblers, which plainly 

 shows that my entries were two-thirds more than they would have 

 been had there been no point cup offered. I think by reference to 

 the catalogues you will find the entries quite double the number 

 to last year's, when there was no such cup given, thus showing 

 that committees are gainers instead of losers by offering such 

 cups. As to the dishonesty of my exhibiting under the circum- 

 stances, if " Salisbury," or other person, can point out a rule 

 of the Show that I have infringed, I will promise that my name 

 shall never again appear as an exhibitor. — J. Ford, London. 



ALTERING HIVES. 



In reply to the query by "E. H.," at page 281, on the subject 

 of altering straw hives to make them available for supering, I 

 would recommend him to adopt the following method : — ■ 



Have made a board of about 14 inches square by seven- 

 eighths of an inch thick, properly clamped at the ends to pre- 

 vent warping, with a central hole of about 2i inches in dia- 

 meter. The under side may, if liked, be bevelled away a little 

 to enable the board to lie closer down on the crown of the 

 hive, but it is not necessary, unless it is more than usually 

 steep and narrow in that part. Then, supposing the bees are 

 occupying the hive to be operated on, take a fine-bladed pocket 

 knife with a good cutting edge. Proceed to cut down between 

 the strands of straw, so as to liberate a piece of over 4 inches in 

 diameter. At one point the strand will have to be cut diagonally 

 across. To do this effectually, the blade of the knife must be 

 kept well down, making sure that every straw is clean cut 

 through, or trouble will ensue on the attempt at removal. This 

 being done, take a good-sized lump of soft putty, which, having 

 been well kneaded in the hands, is laid in a ring about 5 inches 

 in diameter, on the lower side of the board, pressing it well to 

 the wood. Reverse the board, covering the aperture with a 

 piece of glass. Holding this in the left hand, insert the blade 

 of the knife where the strands of straw were divided, and quickly 

 tip the piece away, and before the bees have time to come up, 

 put on the board, gently but firmly pressing it down on the 

 putty until the board rests well down on the crown of the hive. 

 The glass over the hole will enable the operator to adjust the 

 board nicely in the centre. No putty ought to show beyond the 

 edges of the aperture in the straw. I have found this plan 

 answer every purpose, the putty fixing the adapter much better 

 than plaster of Paris or Roman cement, which I long ago dis- 

 carded. I have several times had bees working in supers within 

 a few hours of having been so treated. In my parlour is a bell- 

 glass containing 46 lbs. nett of honeycomb, which was filled on 

 a common straw hive purchased from a cottager, and altered 

 immediately afterwards. Before frame hives were known to me 

 I was in the habit of purchasing strong stocks or swarms from 

 cottagers, and having received permission to allow the hives to 

 remain in their gardens until autumn, I altered them as already 

 described, and was frequently rewarded by obtaining supers of 

 finer quality than I could usually hope to get filled in the centre 

 of a large city. — S. Be van Fox. 



MR. PETTIGREWS APIARY. 

 I had the very great pleasure this afternoon of visiting, by 

 invitation, Mr. Pettigrew's apiary, along with about twelve or 

 fourteen other bee-keepers, to see and weigh his stock of bees 

 consisting of about forty hives. These vary in weight from 

 50 lbs. to 100 lbs. each, and are all of straw. The supers were 

 very good, being about 14 to 18 lbs. each. We spent a very 

 pleasant afternoon talking over bee matters, and each giving his 

 experience of the season, and the best construction of hives for 

 use and profit. Mr. Pettigrew stoutly maintains there is nothing 

 like straw, in which I concur if profit is the only thing to be 

 studied. Our next subject was how to induce the working 

 classes to take up bee-keeping. We proposed to give at our 

 agricultural shows in South Lancashire and North Cheshire 

 prizes for the best collection in straw hives, also for the best 

 collection in fancy hives, which at exhibitions are more pleasing 

 to visitors than the straw hive. The meeting above noticed 

 was called the first annual meeting of bee-keepers in the Man- 

 chester district, and I hope many more will be able to attend 

 the next, and that good results may arise from such meetings. — 

 South Lancashire Bee-keeper. 



Rabbits at the Crystal Palace Show. — Rabbits are increas- 

 ing as favourites. They, are to be exhibited at the great London 

 Poultry Show in November. There are twelve classes in the 

 schedule. To the Lops are allotted six, and amongst these two 

 cups are already announced, and two amongst the other fancy 

 varieties. More are expected to be offered, of which notice 



will be given. Every arrangement, we are told, will be made 

 for the comfort and safety of the specimens ; and as this is an 

 experiment in Rabbit-showing on a large scale, we should like 

 success to attend it. We are glad to find that the entries are 

 open, and that many fanciers belonging to the metropolitan 

 clubs are heartily co-operating, so as to bring about a satisfactory 

 result. A subscription list has been opened, and we trust will 

 be freely responded to, in order to give additional cups to other 

 classes. Any information may be obtained from Mr. J. Hume, 

 31, Bilton Street, York, or the Secretaries of the Crystal Palace 

 Show. 



Falkirk Poultry, Pigeon, and Rabbit Show. — This Show 

 is advertised for the 19th and 20th of November. For poultry 

 there are twentv-three classes, with three prizes in each, and 

 there are also thirteen extra prizes, consisting of pieces of plate, 

 timepieces, &c. In Pigeons there are eight classes, with three 

 prizes each, and six silver medals are also offered as extras, 

 For Rabbits there are two classes for Lop-ears, and one for the 

 heaviest weight, and these compete together for a silver cup, 

 value £3 3s., while the Himalayan, Silver-Grey, and Angoras, 

 have each a class, with one for Any other variety, and compete 

 together for one silver cup, value £ 2 2s. The Hall in which the 

 Exhibition will take place is well adapted to the purpose, and 

 under the able management of Mr. Roberts it ought to be suc- 

 cessful. 



BEES AND HONEY IN FRANCE. 



Honey and wax are harvested twice a-year in France. The 

 earlier occurs according to location, from the latter part of May 

 to the middle of July. This is called the summer harvest, and 

 is usually better both in quantity and quality than the fall 

 harvest. The honey is finer, better flavoured, more aromatic, 

 and more easily drained from the wax. It is a pure nectar, col- 

 lected from a great variety of flowers, and is little contaminated 

 with pollen, particularly if gathered in supers. 



At the beginning of July the honey harvest is usually at an 

 end in Gatinais, while it is then just beginning in Picardy and 

 at Troyes. In some of the southern departments the harvest 

 commences a few weeks earlier than in the northern. 



In the departments of Eure and Loire, they generally estimate 

 that the product of a good stock of bees is five per cent, on the 

 capital invested. The yield of honey and wax in the four de- 

 partments, Gironde, Landes, Lot et Garonne, and Dordogne, 

 amounted to about two millions of pounds in the year 1866. In 

 1867, the summer harvest of honey in Gatinais amounted 

 900,000 lbs., which was regarded as a fair average yield. 



The fall harvest begins about the 15th of September, and con- 

 tinues till the end of December, according to the greater or less 

 abundance of the yield, and the state of the weather. 



At the summer harvest only a portion of the honey and wax 

 is taken, a sufficient supply being always left in the hives to 

 ensure the safety of the colonies in the event of an unfavourable 

 season or a deficiency of pasturage. The largest portion of the 

 honey harvested in the fall is derived from buckwheat, heather, 

 and late-blossoming plants ; and is much inferior to the summer 

 honey in quality and flavour. It is also darker in colour, and 

 very soon crystallises. It does not drain so readily from the 

 wax, commonly requiring heat and pressure to effect a separa- 

 tion, thus deteriorating the product. 



The honey is stored in large vessels or barrels, and care is 

 always taken that the place where it is deposited is dry and 

 warm. Watery honey deposited in a damp place soon spoils, 

 and even the best honey will in time be injured if exposed to 

 dampness. 



Let the harvest be good or bad, the bee-keepers always keep 

 honey enough on hand, to carry their bees safely through the 

 longest winter. — {Canada Farmer.) 



PRESERVING FRUITS. 



The following particulars of the method pursued in the United 

 States for preserving fruits (canned fruits as they are there called), 

 will be found interesting by many readers : — 



Fill your jars with fruits fresh from the vines or trees, taking 

 care to put in as much as possible without injuring the form of 

 the fruit, and when you have a sufficient number filled ready to 

 boil, fill the intervening spaces with cold water, if you intend to 

 can without sugar ; if sugar is used, it is better to boil the fruit 

 without the addition of water, filling the cans as they come from 

 the fire with a syrup made by dissolving the sugar in boiling 

 water ; the fruit is now ready to boil. 



Take an ordinary wash-boiler, and place it in a framework of 

 laths, close enough to prevent the cans from resting on the 

 bottom of the boiler, as the uneven heat from the fire is liable to 

 crack the jars if placed directly on the bottom of the boiler, and 

 put in sufficient water to about half cover the jars as they stand 

 in the boiler. Next put in the jars, previously filled, taking care 

 they do not crowd each other. If the covers are of glass, wet 



