382 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November S, 1S64. 



marking and size. Mr. Shaw was second with the same 

 colours, his famed old Mottled cock riot being so well 

 accompanied as formerly. Pirst-class Whites received very 

 high commendation, and good Whites, Mottles, and Blacks 

 were highly commended. 



Blue Powters formed a class of seven pens. Mr. G. Ure 

 had first with an extraordinary pair in every point. Mr. 

 Cochrane's second-prize birds we're also very good. Black 

 Powters only numbered four entries, but each was worthy of 

 a first prize, and such a class was never, we believe, brought 

 together. Mr. Potts was first with birds of great length. 

 Mr. Eden was second. Mr. Ure's highly-commended pen con- 

 tained a particularly good cock. White Powters were not 

 numerous but good. Messrs. Eden and Ure divided the 

 prizes in the order named. In any other colour of Powters, 

 Mr. Ure bad first with a pair of Reds of extraordinary length ; 

 and Mr. Potts' second-prize pen contained one of the best 

 Red hens known. 



Black Carriers mustered eleven pens, but Mr. Eden out- 

 distanced competition with remarkably good birds, and took 

 both prizes. In the class for Dun Carriers, Mr. Colley took 

 both prizes with capital representatives. 



Balds or Beards formed a pretty class. Very fine Blue 

 Beards were first, and Blue Balds second. The latter were 

 unusually good in head and beak, and clean cut, but slightly 

 deficient in matching, the hen being unequal in colour to the 

 cock. 



In the class for Mottles or Kites, Mr. Eden had both prizes 

 with his wonderfid Black Mottles, four pens receiving 

 notice. 



Any oilier Variety Class numbered fourteen entries. The 

 first prize went to Mr. Shaw's Blue Shields, shown in fine 

 condition. The Rev. C. Spencer was second with Swiss 

 Pigeons. Isabels, Satinettes, and Brunswicks were highly 

 commended. 



The Selling Class brought no less than sixty-five entries. 

 Black-headed Nuns were first ; Helmets second ; and Fan tails 

 third. 



The following is the prize list : — 



Tumblers (Almond).— First and Cup, P. Eden, Salford. Second, F. F.lse, 

 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater. Highly Commended, P. Eden ; G. Ure, 

 Dundee; F. Else. 



Carriers.— First and Cup, P. Eden. Salford. Second, T. Collev, Sheffield. 

 Highly Commended, T. Colley; F. Else. Cock.— Highly Commended, W 

 Massey, Gedney. 



Powters. — First, Cup, and Highly Commended, G. Ure, Dundee. Second, 

 P. Eden, Salford. Very Highly Commended, G. R. Potts, Sunderland. 



Barbs.— First and Cup, H. Beldon, Bingley. Second, W. B Van Haans- 

 bergen, Newcastle. Highly Commended, P. Eden, Salford. Cock.— Highly 

 Commended, W. H. C. Oates, Besthorpe, Notts. 



Fantails.— First and Cup, F. Else, Bayswater. Second, J. R. Jessop, 

 Hull. Highly Commended, T. Ridpeth, Rnsholme; A. P. Leite, Man- 

 chester; J. Thackrav, Petergate, York; H. Yardlev, Birmingham; G. Ure, 

 Dundee; F. Else; R. T. Jarris, Dartford. 



Jacobins.— First and Cup, F. Esquilant, Oxford Street, London. Second, 

 T. Ridpeth, Rusholme. Highly Commended, S. Shaw, Halifax ; F. Else, 

 Bayswater ; F. Esquilant. 



Turbits.— First and Cup, S. Shaw, Halifax. Second, J. R. Robinson, 

 Sunderland. Highly Commended. S. Shaw ; H. Yardley, Birmingham. 



Owls.— First and Cup, G. H. Sanday, Nottingham. Second, P. Eden, 

 Salford. Highly Commended, P. Eden; J. Fielding, jun., Rochdale. Cocks. 

 — Highly Commended, J. Fielding, jun., and F. Else, Bayswater. 



Trumpeters. — First and Cap, J. R. Robinson, Sunderland. Second, S. 

 Shaw, Halifax. Very Highly Commended, F. Else, Bayswater. Highly 

 Commended, W. B. Van Haansbergen, Newcastle ; W. H. C. Oates, Bes- 

 thorpe, Notts; S. Shaw; F. Else; J. R. Robinson. 



Powters (Blue). — First, G. Ure, Dundee. Second, J. Cochrane, Glaseow. 

 Highly Commended, H. Beldon, Bingley; H. Brown, Walkley, Sheffield. 

 Commended, G. H. Ellis, Leicester; P. Eden, Salford. 



Powters (Black).— First, G. R. Potts, Sunderland. Second, P. Eden, 

 Salford. Highly Commended, G. Ure, Dnndee. Commended, H. Beldon, 

 Bingley. 



Powters (White).— First, P. Eden, Salford. Second, G. Ure, Dundee. 

 Highly Commended, P. Eden; R. Fulton, Deptford. 



Powters (Red, or Any other colour).— First, G. Ure, Dundee (Red). 

 Second, G. R. Potts, Sunderland. 



Carriers (Black). — First and Second, P. Eden, Salford. Commended, 

 H. Martin, Glasgow; A. P. Lei.e, Manchester. 



Carriers (Dun or Any other colour). — FirBt and Second, T. Colley, 

 Sheffield. Highly Commanded, F. Else, Bayswater; F. Esquilant, Oxford 

 Street, London. 



Tumblers (Balds or Beards).— First, W. H. C. Oates, Besthorpe (Blue 

 Beards). Second, F. Esquilant, Oxford Street, London. Highly com- 

 mended, J. Fielding, jun., Rochdale (Blue Beards) ; T. Ridpeth, Rusholme. 



Tumbler8 (Mottles or Kites).— First and Second, P. Eden, Salford (Black 

 Mottles). Highly Commended, W. H. C. Oates, Besthorpe, Notts (Red 

 Mottles) ; J. Peroival (Kites). Commended, J. Fielding, jun., Rochdale 

 (Black Mottles) ; F. Else, Bayswater. 



Ant Variety not previously Named.— First, S. Shaw, Halifax (Blue 

 Shields). Second, C. Spencer, Attleborough (Swiss Pigeon9). Highly 

 Commended, Rt. Hon. Countess of Derby, Prescot (Isabels) ; H. Yardley, 

 Birmingham (Satinettes); H. Beldon, Bingley (Brunswicks). 



Selling Class (Any variety). — First, W. Johnstone, Carlisle (Nuns). 

 Second, H. Yardley, Birmingham (Belmets). Third, T. Rule, Durham 

 (Fantails). Highly Commended, T. C. Taylor, Middlesborongh (Nuns); 

 J. Bell, Newcastle (Tumblers) ; H. Yardley (Tumblers) ; J. R. Robinson, 

 Sunderland (Carriers). Commended, J. W. Edge, Birmingham (Turbits) ; 

 J. Key, Beverley (Turbits) ; J. Pringlp, Newcastle (Bald*) ; w . Massey, 

 Gedney (Dragons); J. Bell (Tumblers); H. Yardley (White Trumpeters 

 and Yellow Magpies). 



The Judges were Mr. T. J. Charlton, of Bradford, and 

 Mr. D. Wolstenholme, of London, and their decisions gave 

 general satisfaction. 



LIGUEIAN BEES DETEKIOEATING INTO 

 BLACK BEES. 



There a is long review of the Times' "Bee master's" book 

 in the Morning Star of the 25th of October, which, no doubt, 

 you and many of your readers will have seen ; but we shall 

 feel much obliged to Mr. Woodbury if he would say if it is a 

 fact that the pure Ligurian bee changes into the common 

 black bee in course of time, as the reviewer states. But 

 I have no doubt that many of your apiarians would be much 

 obliged to Mr. Woodbury if he would review this book, and 

 also the Star's reviewer in your Journal. — A. W. 



[The Sta,- reviewer is quite wrong in stating that "pure 

 Ligurians change in the course of generations into the com- 

 mon British variety," if he meant that this change can be 

 effected in any other manner than by interbreeding with the 

 black species. I am, in fact, pretty certain that this latter 

 is what he really did mean, although he was rather ambigu- 

 ous in his mode of expressing it. There is no doubt what- 

 ever that the tendency to cross between the two varieties is 

 the great difficulty to be encountered in introducing the 

 Ligurian to a country so well stocked as England is with the 

 common black bee. Still I know cases, and could point to 

 one in particular, where a Ligurian stock was introduced 

 into- an apiary of common bees some years ago, and per- 

 mitted to increase by natural swarming only. The result 

 has been, as was to be expected, a considerable number of 

 hybrids ; but even now some stocks continue to present all 

 the characteristics of pure Ligurians. 



I regret that I cannot comply with "A. W.'s " request by 

 reviewing either the book or the Star reviewer, since I agree 

 with nearly all the conclusions at which the latter has 

 arrived, whilst I feel precluded from noticing the so-called 

 " bee-book " itself by the fact that a great part of it consists 

 of mere personal vituperation directed against — A Devon- 

 shire Bee-keeper.] 



BEES AEE NOT CAENITOEOTJS. 



Beliefs however mistaken, and statements however ab- 

 surd when honestly made are entitled to respect, and should 

 not be cast overboard without investigation, as the ground- 

 less superstitions of some Jonas Jackson. When "Ruby" 

 gravely informed us that bees, like flies, fed on flesh and 

 fowl, or possibly garbage and carrion, I would have looked 

 upon him as gravely facetious, had not the Editors of the 

 Journal assured us that the alleged fact was supported by 

 most respectable testimony. 



Besides, the Ligurians bore a striking resemblance to 

 wasps in their outward appearance, and why might they not 

 also resemble them in their habits? But, unhappily for 

 antiquated notions, neither black bees nor Ligurians, so far 

 as I can perceive, are disposed in the very least degree to 

 be carnivorous. 



About three weeks ago I presented two hives with pieces 

 of roast beef, pheasant, and thrush. Some pieces were 

 simply roasted, others were basted with honey, or immersed 

 in syrup of sugar. Those saturated with honey and sugar 

 were the only pieces that the bees cared about, the others 

 were quite unheeded ; although a process of disintegration 

 went on in the pieces made attractive by honey and sugar, 

 not one particle was eaten. What was wanting in the original 

 size of the pieces was found under the drainer on the bottom 

 of the feeding-trough, in granules reduced to about the 

 size and form of eggs laid by the queen bee. Had I not 

 taken the precaution of using a trough protected by a bar- 

 drainer, the particles would doubtless have been thrown 

 down on the floor-board, or carried out. As soon as the 



