18 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 25, 1860. 
there are loitering about the feeder on to the matting; because, 
in October especially, the ground is apt to be damp and cold, 
and the bees, either from being gorged or taken suddenly from 
the warm temperature of the hire, when they are brushed on the 
cold ground they become numbed, and rise never more : whereas, 
alighting upon the comparatively warm dry matting they soon 
recover, and return to their hive. When more food is to be 
given them I merely replace the bell-glass overall-hive and pan, 
and return the feeder replenished in the evening as above stated. 
Never feed them during the daytime—it incites the bees to 
xoystering, and to go gadding about, and, what is worse, their 
portal is left in a great measure unguarded, which awakens in 
their neighbours their never-failing propensities for fighting and 
•stealing. 
There must be, however, a distinction and a difference made 
tin feeding bees; and I give you a drawing of another contrivance 
ZINC BEE-FEEDER FOR EARLY SPRING USE. 
H— Length of feeder, ten inches. 
1. Breadth of ditto, one inch and a half. 
2. Depth of ditto, two-eighths of an inch. 
3. Length of handle, one foot. 
4. Diameter of handle, three-eighths of an inch nearly. 
for early spring use which I have used for some years to my 
satisfaction. It is so simple that a child can apply it without 
danger to itself or the bees either ; it has merely to be entered at 
the bees’ entrance in the dusk of the evening, and drawn away 
again the first thing next morning. It holds between two and 
three table-spoonfuls of honey, and less than that will be found 
quite sufficient at a time for this period. 
My practice has taught me that bees continually refuse to 
lake advantage of artificial food, or pure honey even, when sup¬ 
plied at the tops of the hives in the spring time of the year ; but 
I have never found mine refuse either when supplied to them at 
the bottom. Besides, a great evil arises from loss of heat when 
the hives are interfered with above in February, March, April, 
or May ; for loss of temperature retards breeding—the earliest 
•object of all their arrangements. When I was forming the 
drum-feeder a bright conception arose in the vicinity of my 
tympanums. Thought I, it would enable me to supply a quan¬ 
tity of artificial food in the beginning of May, and liow cun¬ 
ningly I would incite the bees to work their combs and fill their 
cells,'and be all ready for the supers by the first blossoming of 
the svcamore trees ! But the bees knew better ; they would have 
none of the bounty, and refused to be forced contrary to their 
natural habits. 
The present is a very proper time for me to state that the 
milkpans have sloping' sides 8 inches deep, and measure 2 feet 
for their largest or lip diameters ; they are the only coverings I 
have ever used for my hives through the variable vicissitudes of 
ten years, during which time they have proved quite sufficient 
to preserve the bees in perfect health. Next February three 
years I was at Sympstone, near Exeter. A lady there, who had 
set up a small apiary the year previous, invited me to go and 
inspect it. The hives were covered with those abominations 
-called straw hackles ; on removing which from No. 1 we found 
the hive mouldy and damp. I placed my ear thereto, and 
tapped with my knuckle. No answer. My worst fears were 
realised ; the bees were dead, and the combs in a horrible 
state. No. 2 not quite so bad, but the bees were no more. I 
advised this hive to be well brushed and dried, and fhe combs 
worked between with a turkey’s feather, and the first swarm to 
he hived into it. No. 3, tap ! tap ! buz-s-s-s-s—all right! A 
new swarm—hive and hackle of the previous year which had not 
had time to do its work of death. I recommended the milkpan 
shelter for the future ; and last year the lady wrote, “ Tell- 
we are swimming in honey.” 
Should I ever become reconciled to a bee-house, I retain a 
structure in my mind’s eye which I saw in 1852 at Altyre, N.B., 
the seat of Sir Gordon Cummin, Bart. The young man who 
accompanied us over the beautiful grounds there called it an 
“ American Stand.” It was a close-boarded structure, with 
first, second, and third floors. I should prefer two floors only, 
with breadth just sufficient to admit the hives in single rows 
side by side, and it was raised upon legs from off the ground. 
Alighting-lips were fixed opposite smallish openings cut through 
the front boards to correspond with the entrances of the hives 
inside. The roof, also of boards, was at an acute angle, with 
projecting eaves. The back was formed by folding-door3 secured 
by lock and bolt. I also remember one of “ those insects ” 
exercised the power, so useful to their community, upon the 
cheek of the gentleman who accompanied me; but I instantly 
extracted the disjecta membra , and very little pain or facial dis¬ 
arrangement ensued. Our guide, more cautious, remained at a 
respectful distance, wondering at the bees allowing me, a perfect 
stranger, to examine their works, and enter among them 
with impunity. It was in the sweet season of the heather bloom 
that I claimed friendship with that most industrious colony 
—Upwards and Onwards. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Decisions at Birmingham (A. JI. S.). —"When we look at the list of 
Judges we cannot hut conclude that the probability is that their decisions 
were correct. Suppose, however, that you are right in your criticism, and 
that they made mistakes in the instances you mention, it would answer no 
good purpose to make the parties who did take, and the parties you con¬ 
sider ought to have taken, fruitlessly dissatisfied. 
Prize Geese at Birmingham ( Subscriber and Exhibitor). —We are 
always glad to give any information in our power to our readers, and in 
this instance willingly give our own opinion in answer ; but we must dis¬ 
claim being able to give the reasons which induced four experienced gentle¬ 
men to award or withhold prizes. We believe mere weight is never 
considered of sufficient importance to command a prize unless it is allied to 
other necessary merits. The only exception to this rule would be a class 
of cross-bred fowls, bred for the purpose of getting size only. We believe 
in every class that frame, and consequently size, are more highly esteemed 
than weight. The latter may be the result of fat only, and the birds may 
be useless as stock. Again, a pen must match. Say there is a class for 
“ Grey and Mottled,” the birds composing the pen must be either one or 
the other. If it held two Grey and one Mottled it would not be likely to 
gain a prize ; nor would the fact of its weighing six pounds'more than one 
more perfect in colour give it precedence over it. In a Show like Birming¬ 
ham Judges are obliged to be very careful in scrutinising every class; and 
we imagine the weights are more often mentioned to show that size and 
other merits may be joined, than to point them out as the heaviest birds in 
a class. 
April-hatched Pullets not Laying ( Edgbaston ).—It would enable 
us to answer your question with more certainty if we knew the breed of 
your fowls. If they arc Cochins or Brahmas, and hatched in April or May, 
they should be in full laying now. If Spanish or other breeds it is likeiy 
they will not lay till next month. The hens naturally left off laying when 
they began to moult. The one that died was victim to a disease common 
among hens, particularly among Spanish. She would never have laid 
again if she had lived. We would advise you to discontinue Indian corn as 
food; it is far too fattening, and would rather retard than promote laving 
in 1 he pullets—indeed, many die from no other cause than being too fat 
when they first begin to lay. Feed moderately on slaked oatmeal or ground 
oats three times a-day ; or, if more convenient, give whole barley for the 
middle meal—they will , then produce you eggs. The green cast you 
mention is the fat put on by the Indian corn. 
Feeding Confined Poultry ( Hoivlet ).—As it stands to reason poultry 
in confinement get no food but what is given to them by hand, it will 
always be difficult to keep them as economically as those that have their 
liberty. First, j>rovide good food—bad corn and meal are always dear. 
Feed entirely on ground food, and, as we have often explained, feed only 
so long as the birds run after it. When they become indifferent they are 
not hungry. The most economical plan is, meal in the morning, whole 
corn at mid-day, and meal again in the evening. If this is correctly and 
carefully followed you will be surprised at the small cost of your poultrv. 
At this time of year the hens should be confined under their rips till the 
chickens are ten or eleven weeks old, if possible, but the chickens should 
be at liberty to go out between the bars of the rip when they like. They 
do not grow so well in confinement. 
Bantams in a Garden [Nancy). —Bantams do little or no harm in a 
garden. We have known them kept in a most beautiful flower garden and 
the gardener did not complain. We cannot as easily answer when you ask 
if they will pay. As a rule, we should say they wall not. Eggs must 
always have to do with remuneration from poultry, and Bantams’ are too 
small. It is also necessary there should be something to fall back upon in 
the way of a market for faulty birds, and Bantams are too small. They are 
fancy birds, and it is hard to live by breeding them only. 
Profitable Poultry (Idem).— The Black Poland with a white crest is 
not a bird that is much kept, and we do not think a market could be always 
depended upon for their produce. They are good layers, but their eggs 
are small. We are by no means sure they will do as well in confinement 
as Spanish. Cochins, or Brahmas. These are always good layers, and will 
bear any confinement. Mr. Baily speaks of the house being only six feet 
square, but the birds had a wired space in front. We should call a space 
fifteen, or even twelve feet by ten, large enough for either of these breeds. 
It can easily be provided with gravel and with sods of grass. Eggs must 
be the principal source of profit, and the sale of live birds the next. 
Cochins and Brahnns are indifferent table fowls ; and Spanish are objected 
to on account of their black legs. 
Bantams at the Birmingham Show. —In your account of prizetakers 
at the late Birmingham Poultry Show, the class for Game Bantams is 
entirely omitted. I shall feel obliged by your inserting them in the next 
Number. 
Game Bantams (Black .Bed).—First and Second Prize, W. It. Lane, 
Birmingham. 
Duckwings .—First and Silver Plate, It. Hawksley, jun., Southwell. 
Second, Mrs. It. Hawksley, Southwell. 
Game Bantam CocJcs. —First, Mr. H. Shield, Northampton. Second, 
Mr. It. Hawksley, jun., Southwell. 
If you examine No. 63G of The Cottage Gardener, you will see the 
omission. No. G37 has got the Commendations in all right. Your attention 
will oblige.—It. Hawksley, Jun. 
