364 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c October u, isso. 
this dread disease. While others are scoffing: at it as “imaginary,” 
and doing their best to quiet alarm regarding it, Mr. P., as the 
result of life-long experience, declares that once it gets a hold it 
never lets go till destruction ensues. My experience during the 
past season has been so singular, and I venture to hope so in¬ 
structive, that I shall break through reserve and tell my tale. 
On several previous occasions I have had experience of foul 
brood, but only in an occasional stock, generally a purchased one, 
and I had never failed to effect a cure at the expense of the 
combs and a mere weakening of the stock. A two-days quaran¬ 
tine, a clean hive with comb foundation, and subsequent feeding 
with salicylic acid in the syrup, had been usually a certain cure. 
My experience this season seemed to set the results of all previous 
experience at defiance. Not an isolated stock, but half a dozen 
at a time, began in early summer to develope traces of foul brood 
notwithstanding that the acid was being used in the food of all. At 
first I was alarmed ; then I began to doubt if it could be foul 
brood at all, owing to the fact that the bees were generally clear¬ 
ing out the putrid grubs instead of sealing them over as I had 
formerly observed. I observed also that many grubs were dying 
before they were sealed over at all, and others after they had 
passed into the nymph stage. These appearances led me to think 
that the trouble was caused by the food, that the grubs were 
poisoned with salicylic acid. The acid was stopped, but the 
disease went on. The affected hives were decreasing in strength, 
and there remained nothing for it but to transfer the swarms 
after quarantine into clean hives. Suspicion being aroused all 
other stocks were examined, and most of them exhibited traces 
of the disease, a few being very bad. All were now treated alike, 
having a clean shift, and such a melting-up of beautiful combs I 
never saw. The hives being valuable were used again after a 
thorough scalding and washing with permanganate of potash. 
I now fancied that though I had ruined my prospect for honey 
I should have no more trouble from disease ; but I was grievously 
mistaken. As the honey season was just fairly in I once more 
found half a dozen affected stocks. At my wit’s end, 1 resolved 
to let these take their course till the time for winter packing 
should arrive, when I might unite the bees of several condemned 
stocks into one on clean combs. In despair I was almost resolved 
to apply the brimstone match as a radical cure. All this time 
I had been keeping a strict look-out among my neighbours’ bees, 
and endeavouring to discover whether any besides my own were 
affected. Only one did I discover, and it did well after I trans¬ 
ferred it. I fancied I knew the condition of every stock within a 
mile and a half of my own, and this made my case all the more 
mysterious. I had, however, neglected or forgotten to examine 
the “laird’s” bees about a mile off. Only a few days ago I was 
reminded of this, when a message reached me from the lady re¬ 
questing me to examine the bees and see if I could discover why 
they could get no supers this year. Suspicious of foul brood, I 
asked for an empty skep into which I might drive the bees of 
two others to be taken for their honey. The only unused skep 
on the place was pointed out to me lying on its crown in an open 
shed, double eked, and full of black ugly comb. On tearing out 
the latter I was horrified to find it putrid with foul brood. Before 
waiting an explanation I ordered a grave to be dug into which 
corruption itself was trampled. The gardener now gave me the 
history of that skep, and at the same time the solution of my 
mystery. The stock had dwindled in spring and been robbed out 
at last. To give free scope to the robbers the skep was set on its 
crown ; a very small remnant of an early swarm had then been 
introduced among the empty (?) combs. It lived only about five 
weeks, perishing from foul brood. The limits of the old and new 
deposits of corruption were very easily observed in the combs. 
Again the skep with its modicum of fresh honey and renewed 
putridity was inverted for the benefit of all comers. That my 
bees had their full share of it was evident from the number of my 
Ligurians even then working on the Mignonette that grew near 
the grave where I had just buried as foul a relic of old times as I 
ever hope to see. I need not say I came away vowing that I 
would henceforth “heckle” every candidate for Parliament with 
the query, “Will you vote for a Bill to make the provisions of the 
Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act applicable to bees as well as 
sheep, cattle, and swine ?”— William Raitt, Blairgowrie. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Age of Eggs for Sitting (P. L., York ).—We prefer eggs not older than 
a fortnight. Eggs much older have produced thrifty chickens, but it is certain, 
as a general rule, that the older the egg the weaker its progeny. To keep the 
eggs until you are ready for them put a box in a dry place in your kitchen, not 
too near the fire; partition the box, so as to hold separately the different eggs 
of the various sorts; let bran be well dried in the oven and put into the par¬ 
titions, and cover the eggs with the bran as they are placed in ; and this should 
be done soon after they are laid. In this manner they will be prolific from a 
fortnight to three weeks. Always mind to place the thin end of the egg down¬ 
wards, so as to stand upright. Set your hens in a dry warm place in cold 
weather, or you will find your mistake out when you look for chickens. 
Fattening Fowls (Housekeeper ).—Oatmeal and barleymeal alternately 
mixed with milk, and occasionally with a little dripping, is good food. The 
feeding troughs, which must be kept constantly scoured, should be placed before 
the birds at regular intervals, and when they have eaten sufficient it is better 
to remove them, placing a little gravel within reach of the coop to assist diges¬ 
tion. Oats and rice are far inferior to oatmeal in their flesh-forming properties. 
Keeping the birds without food for some hours after they are put up frequently 
induces them to take it more readily afterwards, but sufficient attention is 
rarely bestowed on the various details of preparation and supplying the food ; 
hence complaints of the fowls deteriorating in the fatting pen are far from un¬ 
common. Access to water should be allowed at all times. Fattening must be 
completed in from ten to twenty days, for after that period they begin to lose 
weight. 
Scurf on Head of Cockerel (TF. J. B .).—Rub the scurfy part with 
compound sulphur ointment. You will also do well, while this appearance 
keeps on, to give occasional doses of castor oil—a tablespoonful twice .per week. 
Lettuces are also beneficial, especially those going to seed. Be careful not to 
injure the blood feathers. The injection of a little hot water will cleanse the 
ears; you may use a syringe for the operation. Your other birds are suffering 
from cold. It is curable ; the administration of some bread and ale twice per 
day, and allowing them to drink very little, having no water by them, but only 
being allowed to sip morning and evening. 
Acorns for Cows (A. R .).—Acorns will answer for dairy cows, but they 
answer better for horses, young cattle, breeding sows, and store pigs, because 
they contain principally flesh-forming and heat-producing properties. They 
should, however, if given to dairy cows be either cracked or bruised by the root- 
pulper, as in that case they will be the more easily digested ; horses and pigs can 
masticate them uncrushed. We do not like to venture to give dairy cows more 
than a quart of acorns at one time, and not oftener than twice a day, but 
always in admixtui'e (after being crushed) with roots, meal, or chaff. They 
will also prove a good mixture with linseed cake or cotton cake properly mixed. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lafc. 51°32'40" N.; Long. 0° 8'0" W.; Altitude,111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
' IN THE DAY. 
Rain. 
1 
1880. 
Oct. 
Barome- 
! ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 
3 
29.932 
43.0 
42.9 
N.W. 
51.8 
56.9 
33.8 
110.8 
32.6 
— 
Mon. 
4 
29.785 
41.3 
39.7 
E. 
53.0 
48.3 
37.8 
53.5 
35.1 
0.303 
Tues. 
5 
29.262 
61.4 
50.3 
S. 
52.0 
66.0 
41.3 
83.8 
43.0 
0.3.52 
Wed. 
6 
29.370 
50.8 
50.0 
N. 
53.9 
01)7 
50.5 
63.0 
49.6 
0.645 
Thurs. 
7 
29.571 
54.7 
53.3 
E.N.E. 
58.3 
61.2 
49.2 
75.6 
50.0 
0.230 
Friday 
8 
29.732 
51.5 
50.7 
N.E. 
53.7 
59.2 
48.4 
84.5 
43.6 
0.135 
Satur. 
9 
29.707 
51.6 
50.3 
N.E. 
53.4 
56.0 
46.9 
67.2 
47.1 
0.993 
Means. 
29.623 
51.3 
49.5 
53.4 
58.3 
41.0 
77.0 
43.0 
2.658 
REMARKS. 
3rd.—Very fine, bright, cold day ; starlight evening. 
4th.—Misty dull morning, rain from noon. 
5th.—Excessively warm damp morning, stormy with heavy rain during the day. 
6th.—Overcast showery day ; heavy rain for short time in evening. 
7th.—Dull all the forenoon ; very fine with sunshine in afternoon; bright 
lightning from 10.30 P.M. till 5 A M. (8th), with thunder at 4 30 A.M. 
8th.—Rain in forenoon ; fine pleasant afternoon and evening ; rain after 9 P.M. 
9th.—Wet day throughout; high wind with heavier rain in evening. 
Considerably colder, with frequent heavy rain.—G. J. SYMONS. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—OCTOBER 13. 
NO alteration this week. Market quiet. Prices remain the same. 
FRUIT. 
s. d. s. d. 
Apples. j sieve 2 Gto4 6 
Apricots. box 0 0 0 0 
Cherries. r ft- 0 0 0 0 
Chestnuts. bushel 12 0 16 o 
Figs. dozen o fi 10 
Filberts.. rib. 1 3 16 
Cobs. r lb 1 3 1 6 
Gooseberries .... £ sieve o o o o 
Grapes . rib 0 9 3 0 
Lemons. rioo 12 0 18 0 
s. d. s. d. 
Artichokes. dozen 2 0to4 o 
Asparagus. bundle 0 0 0 0 
Beans,Kidney .... r ft- 0 0 0 6 
Beet, Red. dozen 10 2 0 
Broccoli. bundle 0 9 16 
Brussels Sprouts.. J sieve 19 2 3 
Cabbage. dozen 0 6 10 
Carrots. bunch 0 4 0 6 
Capsicums. r 100 1 6 2 0 
Cauliflowers. dozen 0 0 3 6 
Celery. bundle 16 2 0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 2 0 4 0 
Cucumbers. each 0 4 0 6 
Endive. dozen 10 2 0 
Fennel. bunch 0 3 0 0 
Garlic . r ft. 0 6 0 0 
Herbs . bunch o 2 0 0 
Leeks. bunch 0 3 0 4 
s. d. s. d. 
Melons . each 2 0to4 o 
Nectarines. dozen 2 0 8 0 
Oranges . r 100 o o 0 0 
Peaches . dozen 0 0 o o 
Pears, kitchen .. dozen 0 0 0 0 
dessert. dozen 2 0 4 0 
Pine Apples .... fft 1 0 3 0 
Plums . £ sieve 2 6 4 6 
Walnuts . bushel 0 0 0 0 
ditto . r 100 0 0 0 0 
s. d. s. d- 
Mushrooms . dozen 1 Oto 1 6 
Mustard & Cress .. punnet 0 2 0 3 
Onions. bushel 3 6 5 9 
pickling. quart 0 0 0 0 
Parsley. doz. bunches 6 0 0 0 
Parsnips. dozen 10 2 0 
Peas .. quart 0 0 0 0 
Potatoes. bushel 3 9 4 0 
Kidney. bushel 4 0 0 6 
Radishes_ doz.bunches 16 2 0 
Rhubarb. bundle 0 4 0 0 
Salsafy. bundle 10 0 0 
Scorzonera . bundle 16 0 0 
Seakale . basket 0 0 0 0 
Shallots. rft 0 3 0 0 
Spinach . bushel 3 0 0 0 
Turnips. bunch 0 4 0 0 
Vegetable Marrows each 0 2 0 0 
