586 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 23, 1880. 
his they will become successful men, and know that with strong 
populous stocks in autumn the dangers and losses of winter life 
will be neither feared nor felt. —A. Pettigrew. 
NOTES ON BEES IN THE NORTH OF IRELAND. 
Lest the readers of this Journal should think that good taste 
and industry have left our country, I venture at the end of the 
season to describe my experience with our bees in 1879-1880. It 
has been stated so often in this Journal that 1879 was disastrous 
amongst bees that 1 need hardly endorse it as regards Ireland. 
Rain and wind prevailed all the honey season here ; but for three 
or four seasons it has been so unpropitious for honey gathering 
that nearly all the old apiarians have been discouraged. 
Still this may have good results, as they who will keep bees for 
pleasure or profit must adopt another system. Thanks to this 
Journal this new principle I have been following for three or four 
seasons back with great satisfaction ; for, terrible as 1879 was, I 
had one stock that sent off three casts and another two while my 
neighbours had none—not surprising with their straw sleeps and 
trough of dry sugar all winter. But best of all, under the modern 
plan I drove a hive into a straw skep containing a few empty 
combs in September 1879. This season the bees made a splendid 
stock, and although not at all numerous this spring they very 
soon filled the skep to the bottom, and also a very large glass 
super, which I took from them in September, drove the bees, and 
obtained all the honey. I united them with a prosperous stock in 
a Woodbury hive, which is now very strong. I fed the former 
abundantly in autumn, winter, and spring, with syrup made from 
4 lbs. of loaf sugar to a quart of water, one spoonful of vinegar, 
and half a glass of best whisky. This mixture I gave them in 
dishfuls of 2 or 3 lbs. well covered with small pieces of sticks. 
I can now perform the operations of driving, uniting, and trans¬ 
ferring—all, I may say, through your instructions and with per¬ 
severance. As I have more to say on this subject I will reserve 
it for another communication.— Comber, Co. Down. 
CONGRESS OF GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN BEE¬ 
KEEPERS. 
Having attended the late meeting convened by German bee- 
masters, and taken some part in it as an exhibitor and winner of a 
State prize medal, I thought some account of the apiarian appliances 
there exhibited and of the proceedings generally might be acceptable 
to your readers. This year was the twenty-fifth anniversary of these 
meetings, and therefore a time of unusual interest. 
The city of Cologne was well chosen for the Congress. It is con¬ 
venient of access from all parts of Germany and elsewhere, and 
possesses many attractions. Every hospitality was shown the 
apiarians; all public places were freely thrown open to our inspec¬ 
tion. The place selected for the meeting was the "Victoria Hall, in 
the Waidmarkt, which was indicated by a number of flags and 
banners with appropriate signs of bee industry, announcing that the 
“ Wandering Society of Bee-keepers ” were holding their annual 
Exhibition within. 
At eleven o’clock on the opening day the Burgomaster, Dr. Becker, 
opened the Exhibition in the large hall with a short address to the 
Executive Committee, in which he expressed the hope that the 
present Exhibition, together with the interesting papers to be dis¬ 
cussed, would prove a special means of advancing apiculture in the 
sister provinces of Rhineland and Westphalia. Many of the most 
prominent guests were already present—viz., Dr. Dzierzon, Professor 
Keller of Milan, Mr. Gatter, Editor of a Vienna paper, and others. 
These were formally introduced and cordially welcomed. Dr. 
Dzierzon’s entry was announced by a few strains of appropriate 
music. After the opening ceremony, which occupied little more than 
a quarter of an hour, the Committee and guests went into the smaller 
hall adjoining to view the Exhibition. 
The exhibits had not all arrived, but there were sufficient to show 
that the whole affair would be a great success both as regards the 
quantity and quality of the objects already placed. A well-arranged 
catalogue of fifty-two pages with entries from 165 exhibitors was of 
great assistance. Throughout the next day arrivals of objects were 
frequent, so that the spaces appropriated were filled almost to over¬ 
flowing. The hives with living bees were located in a garden adjoining 
the Exhibition hall. In the evening of this day the number of the 
more prominent guests was greatly added to. Among these arrivals 
were Mr. Vogel, Count Pfest, and others. It was a novel sight to an 
Englishman to witness these bee-fathers meet ; they seemed so 
delighted to see each other, and cordially embraced, thus practically 
carrying out the Scripture injunction, “ Salute one another with an 
holy kiss.” In a future issue I will give a description of some of the 
more prominent exhibits.— Alfred Neighbour. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Book (Ramalho ).—The “Pigeon Book” by B. P. Brent, published at this 
office, price Is. 7rf. post free, is precisely what you require. The fourth edition 
is in the press, and will be ready in a few weeks. 
Poultry Shows (Expert ).—We are obliged by your offer, but our inten¬ 
tion is only to publish reports of a few shows that are of wide and general 
importance, as our space will be more usefully occupied with practical matter 
that will be of greater service to the majority of our readers. 
Salt for Dairy Cows (C. J. A .).—Salt should never be mixed with the food 
of dairy cows, as too much may be given; they should always have access to rock 
salt in lumps, and will then never injure themselves. It is not advisable to mix 
salt with inferior or damaged hay when ci.t into chaff, but it will pay well to 
use the flavouring spice sold by Bowick & Co. of Bedford. It should be mixed 
with the chaff for twenty-four hours before feeding time. Swedes when pitted 
in tlie field in small conical heaps will keep well covered with earth only, but 
they should be cast together with roots attached and the greens twisted off by 
hand. No knife should ever be allowed to touch the roots or stems. They will 
then keep well without any ventilation, as often required in large store heaps of 
roots. 
Horse Drills and Ploughs (Hodge ). — Onediorse drills for botli Turnip 
seed and com may be obtained of nearly all the best and largest implement 
makers in the kingdom, but some of them are made too wide and heavy for one 
horse when manure is drilled with the seed and corn, particularly upon hilly 
land. No one-horse drill should be wider than 3 feet 6 inches between the wheels. 
Makers’ names—Messrs. Reeves & Son, Westbury, Wilts; and Tasker & Son, 
Waterloo Works, near Andover, Hants. One-horse ploughs will not answer upon 
stiff loamy soils, except in summer tillage where the land has been previously 
moved and worked. Upon light, dry, friable land we have employed them for 
thirty years past; but since the double-furrow ploughs have been introduced we 
prefer them, because one man can direct the two horses, whereas two single 
ploughs to do the same work require two men. There lias been no special trial 
of one-horse ploughs for some years past at the Royal Meetings. Howards of 
Bedford mate excellent one-horse ploughs. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE, LONDON. 
Lat. 51 c 32'40'' N.; Long.0° 8’0 1 ' W.; Altitude,111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain. 
1 
1SS0. 
Dec. 
* o 
= » O GJ 
SsS’ - 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 foot.. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
AVet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 12 
30.130 
44.5 
40.9 
N.A\ r . 
43.5 
50.0 
30.1 
83.6 
33.8 
— 
Mon. 13 
29.976 
49.4 
46.2 
AV. 
43.4 
51.8 
41.6 
58.2 
35.6 
0.127 
Tues. 14 
29.929 
41.4 
40.3 
N.AV. 
44.0 
43.6 
40.8 
48.4 
41.4 
0.254 
Wed. 15 
29.659 
47.2 
47.0 
S.AV. 
43.(5 
52.0 
34.4 
52.7 
83.9 
0.280 
Tliurs. IS 
29.530 
46.3 
44.6 
AV. 
44.2 
51.9 
48.5 
54.0 
38.0 
0.103 
Friday 17 
29.748 
36.7 
34.8 
N.E. 
42.2 
40.0 
34.6 
44.5 
31.7 
0.020 
Satur. IS 
29.599 
3 >.6 
35.1 
AV. 
41.7 
46.4 
34.7 
52.7 
34.0 
0.C47 
Means. 
29.798 
43.0 
41.3 
43.3 
48.0 
38.0 
56.3 
35.6 
0.831 
REMARKS. 
12th.—Very fine with bright sunshine all day; clear moonlight evening. 
13th — Overcast and dull, rather windy. 
14th.—Very damp overcast day, rain at intervals; finer in evening—moonlight. 
15th.—Slight fog and drizzle early part of morning, rain heavier from 9 A.M. till 
6 P.M.; fine evening and moonlight. 
16th.—Rain until evening, then fine and cold ; dark for a short time at 1 p.m. 
17th.—Fine but overcast and cold, few flakes of snow at 10 A.M.; snow at 9 p.m. 
18th.—Morning fine with few gleams of sunshine; rain commenced at 1.45 p.m. 
and continued slightly for several hours; moonlight night. 
A damp uncomfortable week, although the temperature remains above the 
average.—G. J. SYMONS. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—December 22. 
OUR Market is well supplied with all ordinary goods, and although this is 
Christmas week trade is anything hut brisk. 
FRUIT. 
9. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
Apples. 
i sieve 
2 
6 to 4 
6 
Melons . 
0 
otoO 
0 
Apricots. 
box 
0 
0 
0 
9 
Nectarines.. 
e 
0 
0 
0 
Cherries. 
l? ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 
2 
0 
16 
0 
Readies .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Rears.kitchen .. dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Filberts. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
dessert .... 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cobs. 
V tb 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples 
.... iTft 
l 
0 
o 
6 
Gooseberries .... 
£ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Riums . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes . 
V lb 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Walnuts ... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemons. 
1F100 12 
0 
18 
0 
ditto . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
9 
d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
9. 
d. 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0to4 
0 
Mushrooms 
1 
otol 
6 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard & Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beans,Kidney.... 
i? WO 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Onions. 
3 
6 
5 
0 
Beet, Red. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
pickling .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Parsley. 
doz.bunches 
6 
0 
0 
0 
Brussels Sprouts.. 
J sieve 
1 
9 
2 
0 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Peas . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Carrots. 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Potatoes .... 
3 
9 
1 
0 
Capsicums. 
V 100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Kidnev.... 
4 
0 
4 
6 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
0 
0 
3 
6 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Celery. 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Rhubarb .... 
0 
4 
0 
8 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
10 
Scorzonera 
1 
6 
0 
0 
1 
0 
2 
0 
3 
0 
3 
6 
0 
3 
0 
0 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Garlic . 
V lb. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
8 
0 
0 
0 
Herbs . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
c 
Turnips. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Leeks. 
bunch 0 
3 
0 
4 
Vegetable Marrows each 0 
2 
0 
0 
