142 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEEEXEE, 



[ August 16, 1864. 



correspondence with mortification and regret. On this ac- 

 count I .should be extremely sorry to adopt a course which 

 might probably lengthen the discussion, and by so doing call 

 a deeper blush to his cheek, and add poignancy to his regret. 

 — T. W. Woodbuby, Mount Radford, Exeter, lift August, 1864. 

 "P.S. — Since writing the above, I have received an admir- 

 able letter from- your correspondent, the E«v. William Law. 

 I should be indeed glad if ' A Bee-hastee ' would meet me 

 in the same spirit." 



BEES UNITING YOLUN T TAEILY WITHOUT 

 FIGHTING. 



A ctjbiotjs circumstance has occurred to one of my hives 

 this year which may be worthy of recording. A very strong 

 hive about three years old swarmed in Hay ; in a few days it 

 swarmed a second time in a high wind ; at the same time 

 the hive next to it on the right side swarmed likewise, and 

 both swarms went into this hive, which I shall call So. 2. 

 About three days after, the bees from No. 2 marched into 

 No. 1 in great numbers without being interfered with. 

 About a fortnight afterwards, early in the morning,_I found 

 the bees from No. 1 hive walking leisurely into iMo. 3, on 

 the left hand, without being taken any notice of by those 

 they were visiting. They walked steadily along the bench 

 in a line about 2 or 3 inches apart. After this happened I 

 felt the weight of No. 1 and found it was very heavy. 



Yesterday I found No. 1 hive all in commotion as though 

 young bees were coming out dancing for joy: but as this 

 continued until the evening, I perceived something was 

 wrong; and on lifting the hive found it to be almost empty, 

 I, therefore, lifted the hive and after a few minutes rapping 

 all the bees left it and crowded into No. 3. I am at a loss to 

 account for the hive flourishing so well, and yet deserting 

 without fighting. — H. M. 



[The probability is, that the young queen of No. .1 was 

 lost through mistaking her hive on the return from her 

 wedding trip. When hives are close together this accident 

 is very apt to occur. There is, also, much more intercourse 

 between stocks so situated than we have any idea of, and 

 the voluntary union of two colonies under such circum- 

 stances is, therefore, not much to be wondered at.] 



COMMENCING BEE-KEEPING. 



Having just read Mr. Woodbury's very interesting letter 

 on bee-keeping in the Times, and also those which have 

 recently appeared in the same journal, I feel myself greatly 

 perplexed how to reconcile the various methods of manage- 

 ment, seeing that each individual professes to give the 

 result of much experience. I should tell you that I am 

 ignorant of any method of management, and am about 

 commencing bee-keeping next spring. Will Mr. Woodbury 

 be so obliging as to favour me with Ms advice as to what 

 books I should procure upon the subject ? — W. Gr. 



[My advice is, " Do not attempt to run until you are able 

 to walk," or, in other words, do not depart much from the 

 old well-understood mode of management until you have 

 had some experience, and then advance by degrees. Get 

 "Bee-keeping for the Many," price 4d., and begin with 

 Payne's improved cottage-hive made rather larger than 

 therein described, on which put small supers. These hives 

 will throw swarms, and thus increase your stock. If they 

 get too numerous try to drive some of the swarms, and unite 

 to others in the manner recommended in the little manual. 

 As yon become accustomed to the management of bees you 

 will probably wish for better and more convenient hives, 

 such as frame-hives. To this there can then be no objection, 

 but I never advise any one to buy costly hives until they 

 have sufficient skill to avail themselves of the advantages 

 they afford. Bead The Jouenal of Hokticui/tuee, and 

 avail yourself of editorial advice in any difficulty. — A Devon"- 



SHIEE BeE-KEEPEE.] 



Sunderland and Newcastle Ornithological Society. 

 — We understand that the first annual Exhibition of this 

 Society will take place at the Athenseum, Fawcett Street, 



Sunderland, on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of November next. 

 Nine silver cups, value ,£5 each, will be offered for com- 

 petion, five of which are offered by John T. Lawrence, Esq., 

 of Liverpool. For particulars as to the prizes offered we 

 must refer to the published schedules, which may be ob- 

 tained of the Honorary Secretaries, Messrs. G. R. Potts, 

 Albert Forge, and J. B. Eobinson, 55, Nile Street, Sunderland. 



CUCKOOS. 



Having a young Cuckoo which I am very anxious to keep 

 alive through the winter, will any of your correspondents 

 who have ever kept one, kindly inform me how they have 

 fed it ? I am feeding mine now on hard-boiled egg, chopped 

 meat, caterpillars and moths when I can get them, but I am 

 afraid when the insect season is over my bird will suffer 

 from the loss of its natural food. 



Any hints as to feeding and temperature, will greatly 

 oblige.— A. K. C. 



To Peeseeve Rhubarb.— Strip off the peeling, cut into 

 inch pieces, then put 1 lb. of sugar to 5 lbs. of Bhubarb, 

 stew until soft, then strain out the juice by pressing through 

 a cloth, spread the Bhubarb on plates, boil or simmer down 

 the juice quite thick, turn it over that on the plates, dry it 

 in an oven or by the stove, the same as fruit, put into a jar 

 and pound it down hard, covering closely, and it will keep 

 for years; and, flavouring with essence of lemon, it will 

 make a far more delicious pie than when green — of course, 

 more sugar must be added when used. — (Canada Fanner.) 



OUR, LETTEE BOS. 



Apples as Eood for Poultry (P. 2T. X).— We can say nothing- as to 

 apples as food for poultry, but they will eat them readily if given now and 

 then for a change. Given whole, they will pick, them to pieces, or if 

 chopped fine they will pick the fragments readily. They are wholesome 

 for them. 



Hens Eating Eggs (Amateur). — The desire to eat eggs shows that a hen 

 or pullet is oat of condition. A diseased state of the inside will be brought 

 about by the use of meat, greaYes, and other stimulants. They have pro- 

 duced early eggs, hut also have caused an inward craving tnat caa be 

 satisfied only wi.h unnatural food. She therefore eats her eggs, and will 

 do so till she is cured. She must be purged frequently (every other day), 

 with castor oil, a tablespoonful at a time= Be careful not to over-feed, and 

 avoid all stimulants. Place hard artificial eggs in her nest, or where she 

 lays ; and although you may lose her present laying, you will probably save 

 the nest. 



Bees (J. Newland). — All questions relating to this subject should be 

 addressed to the Editors. 



Purchasing Bees and Bee-hives— Works on Bee-keeping (Ifarple). — 

 The best time to buy bees is in March, when they have stood the winter. 

 Strong and sufficiently heavy stock? should be selected, and the judgment 

 of a skilled bee-master obtained if possible. The price of a stocK of bees, 

 in the spring, would probably Yary from. 15s. to 30s. in different localities ; 

 and we are unable to recommend one place as better than another for making 

 the purchase. Bees will not be injured by a change at any season, if the 

 distance be not less th in a mile and a half; but if moved in warm weather, 

 and when the combs are heavy, great caution is requisite. We cannot 

 undertake to recommend any particular hives, but may state, generally, 

 that Payne's improved cottage-hives are well adapted for ordinary, and 

 Woodbury trame-hives for scientific, bee-keeping. Any kind of hive can 

 be secured against accident; and Messrs. Neighbour & Sons, 149, Regent 

 Street, will give every information as to price. {T. W. Cowan .-TT-^r?. 

 Neighbour & Sons, 149, Regent Street, and 127, Holborn, will supply you 

 with bees. The best books on the subject are " Taylor's Bee-keepers' 

 Manual " and "Bee-keeping for the Many" (English), and Langstioth's 

 " Hive and Honey-bee " and Quinby's " Mysteries of Bee-keeping " 

 (American). 



Experimenting with a Young Queen (S. A. t Baintree).—'We fear for 

 the result of yonr experiment. It is dangerous to trifle with virgin^. 



Canaries (Chemicus).— We do not know the address of Mr. Roper who 

 won the first prize for Buff Belgians at the Crystal Pidace Show. " Canaries 

 and British Finches," contains representations of all the principal kinds. 



Raeeit-hutches.— "J. G. C." says, Can you tell me where I can buy 

 cood Ribbit-hutcees constructed upon the principle recommenced in the 

 " Itabbit-Boon lor the Many," at a moderate price ? 



The 

 town.* 



LOKDON MARKETS— August 15 

 POULTRY, 

 supply is moderate, and the trade almost nil. London is ' 



out of 



Fowls 2 



Smaller do 1 



Cllickens 1 



Goslings 5 



d. s. d. 



6 to 3 



9 „ 3 



4 „ 1 t 



„ 5 6 



s. d. s. d. 



Ducklings 1 9 to 2 



Rabbits.. 1 4 „ 1 5 



iViiddo S ,, 9 



Pigeons S „ 9 



