130 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 31, 1859. 
Turkeys. —First, W. Dolby, jun.,Syston Hall (Cambridgeshire). Second, 
J. Price, Londonderry, Bedale (American). Third, Mrs. B. Railton, Mid¬ 
dleton (Black). Highly Commended, R. Stephenson, Hull Bridge. 
Guinea Fowls. — First, YV. H. Richardson, Hull. Second,.!. Price, 
Londonderry, Bedale. Commended, J. Taylor, sen., Burton Agnes; 
J. Bren ton, jun., Middleton. 
Ducks (Aylesbury).—First and Second, J. Iv. Fowler, Aylesbury. Com¬ 
mended, J. Price, Londonderry, Bedale. 
Ducks (r.ouen).—First, J. Price, Londonderry, Bedale. Second, T. H. 
Barker, Ilovingham, York. 
Any- otiif.r Variety' or Cross. —First, YV. Dawson, Mirfield (Shell or 
Burrow). Second, Mrs. G. Holmes, Beverley (Black East Indian). Third, 
J. Dixon, Bradford (Grey Call Ducks). Commended, S. Burn, Whitby 
(Black East Indian). 
Single Game Cock (any variety).—Fiist and Second, A. Sutherland, 
Burnley. Third, S. Matthews, Stowmarket, Suffolk. Fourth, YV. Cat- 
terson, Beverley. Highly Commended, R. Swift, Southwell; II. Adams, 
Beverley; II. F. Mosey, Beverley; J. Clayton, Kineton Park, Work¬ 
sop : II. Turner, Beverley; H. Mason, Drighlington; Mrs. R. Tate, 
Driffield. Commended, YY'. Rodgers, YVoodbridge. (An excellent com¬ 
petition.) 
Extra Stock. —Prize, S. Holloway, Hull (Silky Cock). Prize, .1. Bran- 
ton, jun., Middleton (Peacock and Peahen). Prize, Miss Reynard, Beverley 
(Audalusian Cock). Prize, S. Holloway, Hull. 
The Judges were E. newitt, Esq , Birmingham, and E. Fer¬ 
guson, Esq., Walkington. We shall publish our commentary 
nest week. 
INDICATOR BEE-STAND. 
Mr indicator bee-stand gave me so much amusement last year, 
that I am induced to call attention to it once more in the pages 
of Thu Cottage Gardener. A contrivance of this kind may 
he made and sold, but it is better to put people in the way of 
making it for themselves ; and this I hope to do with the help of 
a woodcut and a short- description. 
In the description which appeared this time last year (Cottage 
Gardener, May 18, page 102), the use of a spiral spring was 
recommended. This I afterwards found not so trustworthy as 
one made in the form of an ellipse ; which, is the plan now 
adopted by Mr. Cox, of Barbican, London, who makes them for 
public sale. Another improvement is the introduction of an 
index to represent dead weight; so that the bee-keeper can at 
any time subtract that dead Yveight from the gross weight, and 
thus determine, by the difference, the amount of accumulated 
produce. The stand I have before me for the purpose of de¬ 
scription is one which I used for a new swarm in a pair of 
Stewarton boxes last year. It is three feet high. The exterior 
coil, or hollow' pillar, is of inch deal, five inches and a half square. 
The construction represented in the diagram is made to drop 
into it; and the square block under the table a prevents any 
undue pressure on the spring, by receiving any weight beyond 
that necessary to press the construction to the full strength of 
the spring : in other words, if you put on any weight over and 
above what the spring is intended to carry, the block sinks on to 
the top of the pillar and can go no farther. The top plate on 
table a is to receive the floorboard, witli the hive on it. It is of 
inch deal, one foot square. The woodwork in which the spring is 
fixed is open, with the spring between the two boards. 'J lie 
spring i is fixed to it by means of an iron bolt e; and when this 
part of the invention is lowered into the pillar, the lower side of 
the spring is fixed to the pillar by means of another bolt d, on 
which the spring presses. The spring is japanned, and of a 
proper temper to bear a pressure of from twenty to sixty or 
eighty pounds. To render the working of the spring visible on a 
dial plalo, a simple piece of racket work is attached to the tinder 
side of the table a —say an upright slip of flat metal, working in 
a groove on the front of the pillar; the lower part cut so as to 
fit the notches in a- brass wheel at the back of the dial plate, to 
which the indicator index is attached. Of course, as the table a 
descends with the increasing weight of the hive, the slip of metal 
goes down with it, works the wheel at the back of the dial plate, 
and so indicates on the face of the dial the gross weight of the 
hive and its colony. To make sure of correct indications the 
spring should be of a iirstrate character ; and the adjustment of 
its action to the racket-work should be accomplished, in the first 
instance, by means of weights to the utmost nicety. 1 enjoin 
Mr. Cox not to send one out without testing them himself in 
such a way ; because such a thing as this is worse than useless if 
it cannot be depended on. And I advise all who purchase or 
make them to test them well before making ready for apiarian 
uses. 
As I take no commission on the sale of these by Mr. Cox, I 
expect him to show and explain the affair to anybody who chooses 
to call on him ; and I know that he will do so, as a man pos¬ 
sessed of a soul above buttons. 
In illustration of the interest arising out of the use of an indi¬ 
cator, I give the following extracts from my journal of last rear. 
A swarm was limed intQ a pair of Stewarton boxes on the 16th of 
May, and at once placed on the indicator. The gross weight, 
with a stone on the top to prevent the hive being blown over, was 
twenty-three pounds. On the 1st of June the gross weight had 
increased to thirty-four pounds. After this the stone YY'as re¬ 
moved, and the dead weight remained at eighteen pounds through 
the remainder of the season. 
The following 
entries are those 
which appear 
to me to possess 
the most interest 
Dead Weight. 
Gross Weight. 
Produce. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
June 7 
. 18 
.... 354 ... 
. ID 
„ 15 
. 13 
38 
. 20 
„ 28 
. IS 
40 
22 
„ 30 - 
. 18 
41 
. 23 
July 5 
. 18 
44 
. 26 
„ 6 
. 18 
45 
27 
„ 13 . 
. IS 
48 
. 30 
„ H • 
. 18 
49 
. 31 
„ Li . 
. 18 
504 
03 03 
1 C 
tCjrs 
„ 10 ■ 
. 18 
50 
„ 19 . 
. 18 
494 
. 311 
As to this particular colony, then, the increase of store ceased 
on the 15th of July ; and from that day the indicator worked the 
other way, making evident to the eyesight the fact often insisted 
on by Taylor, Payne, and other authorities, that the season of 
increase is but of short duration. 
I have not the least doubt that, if some of the scientific bee¬ 
keepers Yvlio correspond in The Cottage Gardener Yvere to 
try my indicator for a season, some simpler and cheaper contri¬ 
vance to accomplish the same object would be devised. Had I 
time I would try stout suspenders of vulcanised India-rubber, 
which were suggested to me by Mr. Edwards, of Birmingham ; 
and also a plunger to work in mercury. Will somebody take the 
trouble, with a view to produce a contrivance that may be got up 
for a few shillings, and at the same time be sufficiently respectable 
as not to prove an eyesore in the bee-house, where everything 
should be as neat as the work of the people into whose affairs we 
pry with such unwearying curiosity ?— Shirley Hibberd. 
LONDON MARKETS.—May 30. 
POULTKY. 
The trade is improving, and in many articles there is a trifling advance 
in price. This may, however, be considered the dearest time of the year 
for poultry. 
Each— s. cl. s. d. \ Each— s. 1 1. s. d. 
Large Fowls (couple) G fi to " 0 Turkeys. 0 0 tn 0 0 
Smaller ditto ., 5 0 ,, 5 G Pigeons .(. 0 10 „ 0 11 
Chickens „ 2 G „ 4 0 Guinea Fowls . 0 0 „ 0 0 
Goslings. 5 0 „ G 0 Rabbits . 1 4 ,, 1 5 
Ducklings. 2 G ,, 8 G YVild ditto. 0 8 „ 0 !) 
