THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 11, 1859. 
to refer back to the papers on Game Fowls by “ Newmarket” 
and “ A North-Country Amateur,” and adopt their opinions. 
But this week (September 20th) is a still more startling novelty 
in the way of Game cock’s colour. A blue and red bird may be 
called a Brassy-winged Blue! This is the first time I have heard 
red colour called brassy. Black-brassy wings are Black cocks, 
having yellow or brass-coloured shoulders : hence the name. 
“ J. M. C.’s ” bird being a mixture between red and blue, or dun, 
is what is usually known as a Red Dun. Pure Blues or Duns 
are a very scarce and handsome variety; and a true blue or dun- 
coloured Game cock or hen should be free from any other ad¬ 
mixture of colour.— B. P. Brent. 
[It will be long before breeders, or amateurs, of Game fowls 
will agree as to colour as indicative of purity. Certain breeds 
belong to certain localities, and in those places they will always 
be considered superior to all others for purity and good qualities. 
This fact is sufficiently proved by the classes provided for them at 
exhibitions. They are framed to admit all shades and hues; and 
although the Duckwinged class is that in which most difference 
of opinion exists, yet we have never before heard that the copper 
saddle was proof of impurity in this breed. They are far more 
numerous than the Silvers winch lack this mark, and are generally 
prizetakers at all shows. The manner in which they may be 
produced is immaterial, as nothing is gained by the production. 
Such birds would throw back to the breeds by mixing which they 
were made, while the Copper-saddles breed truly. 
The difference between the bird described by “ J. M. C.,” and 
a dun, or a blue dun is, that the saddle and wings are a light red. 
Hence we think the original name, Blue-red, a good one. The 
Blue or Dun is now seldom seen. When they are, close in¬ 
spection will always discover red feathers mixed in the plumage. 
These do not interfere either with their purity or chance of 
success ; but where the red prevails to the extent it does in this 
bird, it cannot belong to the Blue or Dun class. Our friend may 
call it a Blue-red, or a Red Dun, and we will admit both are 
better than a Brassy-winged Blue. The latter was a careless 
designation adopted by us with too little consideration. We are 
obliged by any one watching us, and calling for explanation. 
Truth and correctness are our objects.] 
THE USUAL HONEY-HARVEST—STORE EOE 
THE WINTER. 
Ie I kept bees with any other object in view than the amuse¬ 
ment which they afford I should feel much disappointed after 
readingof the success that generally attends your correspondents. 
The following is the result of my experience this year:— 
At the close of last season I retained seven hives, all, with 
one exception, sufficiently stored, in my opinion, to meet their 
winter requirements. Of these, that one and two others died in 
the spring, all leaving food. Of those that survived, one gave 
mein glasses 8 lbs. comb, and weighed, 20th August, B3|lbs. 
nett; another yielded in glass and box ITJlbs. comb, and 
weighed the same day llj lbs. nett; the third in glass, 41 lbs. 
comb, and weighed the same day 22£lbs. nett; the fourth sent 
out a 4-lbs. swarm on the 12th of July, and weighed 7 lbs. nett 
on the 28th of September. The swarm I joined to a small 
quantity (fib.) of bees placed in a hive of comb on the 11th of 
June, and it weighed on the 20th of August 9f lbs. nett. On the 
10th of June I purchased a cast of 2 lbs., and placed them in a 
hive containing food and comb, and found on the 20th of August 
they had not added | lb. to their store. A swarm and cast pur¬ 
chased June 15tb, of lbs., was put together in a Taylor’s bar- 
hive, and when taken up on the 31st of August yielded Ilf lbs. 
of honey run. 
I have always been at a loss to know how a good season mav 
be ascertained. Will you have the kindness to inform me? I 
hardly think you will say the present has been a good one with 
me, for all my hives, except one, must be fed liberally ; and this 
work I have now commenced. 
My experience of bee-keeping the last nine years shows that j 
between 8 lbs. and 9 lbs. from stocks, and between 7 lbs. and 8 lbs. I 
for swarms, is the average of run-honey obtained when they 
are taken up.-—B. B., North Bucks. 
[Your account respecting the average annual quantity of 
honey produced by your stock of bees is not what would com¬ 
monly be considered even tolerable, and we must suppose your j 
locality is a very unfavourable one. A swarm of 5f lbs., hived j 
on the 15tb of June, and producing only Ilf lbs. of honey on j 
the 31st of August, is deplorable. The yields of your other ! 
stocks, as detailed, ought at least to have been double, with j 
even tolerable pasturage, and where too many stocks are not 
congregated together, as seems not improbable with you. You 
do not say what kind of hives you make use of, nor what method 
of management you pursue. It is impossible to lay down any 
certain criterion of a “ good season ” everywhere in our uncer- 
tain climate and in varying localities. Mr. Payne says, speaking j 
of his own experience, “ it is usual to obtain from every good 
stock 20 lbs., or perhaps 30 lbs., of honey annually.” On this 
Mr. Taylor observes, “ This would be thought too high an 
estimate in many districts.” On the other hand, still larger 
products are afforded in the vicinity of heaths and moors, where 
a second harvest of blossom is available to the industrious 
labourers. W T e may remind you that every stock intended to 
stand the winter ought to contain not less than 16 lbs. or 18 lbs. 
of honey, exclusive of other substances. Dr. Dunbar remarks, 
“A common straw-hive weighs when empty 5lbs. or Gibs.; an 
ordinary swarm about 4 lbs.; the wax of a full hive of the 
current year nearly 2 lbs.; of the preceding year, perhaps 3 lbs.; 
and the farina in the cells not less than lib.; making in all 
about lh lbs. A stock, therefore, to be secure, ought to be 
double that weight in the gross—that is, should contain not less 
than 15 lbs. of honey.”] 
LIGURIAN BEES. 
Some time ago I called attention to a proposition made to 
English apiarians by H. C. Hermann, of Tamins-by-Chur, to 
introduce here the Ligurian race of bees, or Apis Ligustica. 
Your readers will have perceived that the hint has not been in 
vain, and that your correspondent, the “Devonshire Bee¬ 
keeper,” has already' recorded part of his experience as an 
importer of the Italians. A letter from M. Hermann, in reply 
to a friend, whose adventure in queen bees had been unsuccessful, 
now lies before me, wdiich though it adds but little to our know¬ 
ledge of these interesting little strangers, may serve to amuse, 
from its intrinsic novelty, if I offer a portion, much abbreviated, 
for insertion in your pages. It is dated from Sondrio, Lom¬ 
bardy. —T. 
“Sir,—I duly received your favour. Sir, I never let me pay 
for what is not find well, so you will receive 5 Queens in the 
finest quality, of 3 and 4 months age of each. This makes £5 
at £1, less discount 10 per cent. £4 10s. Being now cold in 
England you must put them on arrival in a room where is a 
temperature of 15—20 Reaumer for some ours. If you had 
done so the last, you would have done better. I will send you 
some exemplers of Drone bees. I have sold 300 Bee colonies 
to Germany at £1 2s. each. This bees will give much pleasure 
in the spring. Here are 2 bee-keepers, who has every one 1000 
to 1500 bee-hives, from which they does kill every year the 
swarm, near 3000. I am here to buy these bees. In Germany 
there is now a very enthusiasms for obtaining Queens, and I 
cannot enough find. As the Italish people kills only the old 
hives, with young Queens, you consider those may be very good. 
The expence of carriage to you would be very inferiour, if the 
commission were great enough to give the Bees to the Rail-roads, 
via Antwerps, or Ostende. I cannot francate this letter from 
here, as the new government has not yet his things in order. 
“ I remain, Sir, with big esteem, your obt. servant. 
“ H. C. Hermann.” 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Bretton (West) Poultry Show. —You will greatly oblige me if von 
will correct tlie following mistake :—Game (Duckwing) Chickens.—Mr. 
John Crosland took first prize; Mr. Dodds second.— John Crosland. 
Incubator.— Mr. W. W. Copland may obtain useful information from 
Mr. Robert Marr, 25, North Albion Street, Glasgow. 
Error.— At p. 14, col. 1, line 40 from top, for “ hedged” read “edged.” 
LONDON MARKETS.' —October 10. 
POULTRY. 
The unusually hot weather has made any quotation difficult, as much 
poultry is unfit for sale when it arrives, and more than half the game is in 
the same state. 
Each— s. d. s. d. 
Large Fowls. 3 6 to 4 0 
Smaller ditto . 3 0,, 3 6 
Chickens . I 9 „ 2 3 
Geese. 6 0 „ 6 6 
Ducks . 2 6 „ 2 9 
Pheasants. 3 0 „ 3 0 
Each— s. d. s. d. 
Partridges. 0 4 to 0 10 
Grouse . 2 3 „ 2 9 
Pigeons . 0 8 „ 0 9 
Hares. 2 0 „ 3 0 
Rabbits . 1 4 ,, 1 5 
Wild ditto. 0 8 ,, 0 9 
