18-1 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER ANT) COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Notembeb 29, 1859. 
by placing an egg as if laid by Tier; or the bird in question may 
not be recognised by Mr. Wright. Her change of plumage may 
have escaped bis notice, and a veritable pullet may by this time 
be supposed by him to be the bird lie exhibited in pen 22 at the 
Crystal Palace. After having noticed that bird, I returned to 
the pen again at the Show and closely examined it, and I am 
convinced that that bird was a backward cockerel and not a 
pullet. I only regret T did not call the attention of some one 
else to the fact; but Mr. Wright’s supplying me with eggs would 
not be a proof that he was not in error, or that those eggs were 
actually laid by that identical bird. 
I should not have again referred to this cocks’-egg affair had it 
not been for “ Justicia’s ” remarks in Thu Cottage G ardi ner 
of the 15th instant, where he says that my ill-judged doubts are 
so “ conclusively settled, and after a fashion that must remove 
all scepticism” even from my mind. But such is very far from 
the fact. I cannot perceive the proof, and I am compelled to 
believe the evidence of my eyes. Mr. Wright, in making the 
bird lay so soon, has more than confirmed my former opinion. 
As to “ Justicia’s” banter, I shall only reply it does not hurt 
me j and, if bo finds amusement in it, well and good. In bis 
remark relative to the combination of striped hackles and char 
tails in what are commonly called Silver-spangled ITamburglis 
he says, “ It is admittedly difficult to obtainwhich is all I 
care about, as exceptions prove the rule. But I still doubt if I 
should find many at Birmingham, Liverpool, or even the north- 
country shows ; for if so general, how was it there were none at 
the Crystal Palace ? or that I have never seen any except in 
drawings ? 
I am obliged to “ If. M., Glasgow” and “ W. II., JEoceler” 
for their remarks on the origin of the red-backed or Birchen 
Duckwing Game, which fully confirm nay opinion. 
I consider your reply to “ An Amateur,” as to what are con¬ 
sidered pure colours in Game fowls to be very good, though I 
have my doubts if Brown-bi’easted Reds are a pure colour or a 
composite. 
Some persons use the terms Black-breasted Reds and Black 
Reds as synonymous ; hut the first is a pure or original colour, 
while the latter is a cross between Red and Black.—B. P. Brent, 
BROMYARD AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY’S 
POULTRY SHOW. 
This Meeting was held on the 16th inst. at Bromyard, when, 
in addition to ft cattle.show and ploughing matches, a Poultry 
Exhibition was for the first time added; and, considering the. 
late period at which the Committee decided upon it, was a most 
successful one. We are pleased to notice that agricultural 
societies in general, not following the example of the “ Royal,” 
are adding poultry to their ordinary show of cattle, Ac. We 
congratulate the Bromyard Poultry Show Committee upon the 
success already achieved, and recommend them on the next 
occasion to give early and extensive publicity to their prize 
list, several exhibitors in the neighbourhood having informed 
us that they should have sent their birds bad they been aware 
of the Show taking place. 
The Judges were G. Finch, Esq., and Mr. G. Griffiths, of 
Worcester. 
Game.— First, H. Horton, "Worcester. Second, W. Lort, the Ileath, near 
Tenbury. Commended, Capt. Sutherland, Gaines, near "Worcester. 
Dorkings. —First and Second, G. C. Peters, Birmingham. 
Spanish. —First, J. Martin, Mildenham Mill, Claines. Second, A. II. 
Philpott, Bromyard. 
Cochin-China.—F irst and Second, G. C. Peters. 
IIambheghs (Gold or Silver-spangled).—First, .T. Holland, Snnsome 
"Walk, "Worcester. Second, .T. F.. Price, Hereford. 
Hambubghs (Gold or Silver-pencilled). — First, .1. Holland (Silver). 
Second, .1. Martin (Gold). Highly Commended, ,T. Martin. (A good class.) 
Bantams. —First, .T. Martin, Claines (Game), Second, .T. Mapplebeek, 
Moseley Road, Birmingham (Game). Highly Commended, "W. "W. Griffiths, 
"Worcester (Game). Commended, G. C. Peters (Gold-laerd). (A class of 
great merit). 
Any Distinct Variety. —First, A. II. Philpott, Bromyard (Brahma 
Pootras). Second, Mrs. Blay (Andalusians). First and Second, J. B. 
Weeks, Bromyard (Golden-pencilled and Silver-pencilled Hamburghs). 
First, J. B. Weeks (Game). Second, — Cottrell, Bromyard (Game). Highly 
Commended, W. Lort (Malays). 
Turkeys.— First, Mrs. Rix, Warren. Second, — Baggott, Bromyard. 
Geese. — First, G. Bedford. Second, — Cave, Bowden, Bromyard. 
Commended, Miss Derry, Oak Cottage. 
Ducks.— First, — Cave, Rowden. Second, G. Bedford (Aylesbury). 
Commended, E. Holloway, Hopton (Rouen). 
BEE-KEEPING IN DEVON.—No. XY. 
PRECEPT AND PRACTICE — A MISTAKE (?)—MANUFACTURING A 
NEW STOCK—UNNETGHBOURLY NEIGHBOURS—A “ SPITEFUL ” 
ITTUE—PREPARATIONS FOR ROYALTY—TOO MANY BY HALF— 
AMICABLE UNIONS—BRIEF REIGNS AND ROYAL MARTYRS. 
When a man is in a downright passion, perhaps the wisest 
course be can adopt is to submit bis grievance to some impartial 
friend ; belter still if that friend resides at a distance, so as to 
: necessitate his stating bis ease in writing and waiting a reply by 
return of post. Having, therefore, blown off the steam of my 
; indignation by inditing a long and rather strongly worded epistle 
to my friend Mr. Taylor, it will not appear surprising that, by 
the time I received that gentleman’s reply, I was disposed to 
i coincide with his suggestion that the queen in No. I. might have 
become dark with age,' and to imagine that the common queen 
I might possibly have been transmitted by mistake. Had I written 
to M. Hermann immediately upon making the discovery related 
in my last, I should doubtless have caused him numerous 
references to his English and German Dictionary, which would 
probably have resulted in bringing him acquainted with the 
| Teutonic equivalents for some of the most vigorous of our Anglo- 
| saxon expletives. As it was, I sent him a temperate epistle 
informing him of his mistake (?) in sending me a common queen ; 
hinting, also, the doubts I entertained as to the purity of the 
j dark-coloured one; and requesting 
i that another “ double cassette,” eon- 
I taining two more Ligurian queens,' 
! might be forwarded without delay, 
j Having found some difficulty in di- 
| viding the former one, I asked him 
I to put a double partition in the “ cassette,” thus—so that I 
might be able to cut it in two without releasing the bees. 
It may not be amiss to remind my readers that my apiary 
consisted of five stocks, of which three were in eight-bar ancl two 
in seven-bar boxes. In addition to these I had what remained 
of the artificial swarm in my unicomb hive; which, however, had 
been much weakened by being deprived of its queen, and a great 
portion of comb transferred to the artificial stock in No. Y. 
j Two of my eight-bar hives were already furnished with Ligurian 
j queens; and as I had written for two more, it became necessary 
to establish a fourth stock in a hive of the same dimensions, if 
the advantages arising from uniformity in size were to be pre- 
i served. Immediately after despatching my letter to Switzerland, 
I transferred what remained of bees and comb from the unicomb 
hive to an ordinary box, and set about driving all the condemned 
bees I could procure, witli the view of forming a strong stock. 
The first I was able to meet with was a populous colony, 
about three miles off, which was successfully driven and brought 
home on the 22nd of September. Fearing to disturb the new 
stock (which I denominated No. YI.) so soon after its transfer 
from the unicomb hive, I placed these destitute bees by it s side, 
and fed them daily till the evening of the 20th, when the union 
was effected. The result was by far the most fatal fight I have 
1 ever experienced. Half a pound of dead hoes remained on the 
i cloth, and perhaps nearly as many more might have been scattered 
about the garden—no small loss out of 21 lbs. of bees ! The 
most probable explanation of this unusually obstinate contest 
appears to be, that during the few days the two hives had stood 
side by side, many mistakes had been made by bees attempting 
to enter the wrong hive, and from these partial contests each 
colony had learnt at once to recognise as enemies all belonging to 
the neighbouring stock. When, therefore, they were suddenly 
mingled together, (here were probably a far greater amount of 
individual recognition and consequent fighting than take place 
when the bees are entire strangers to each other. This raises a 
doubt how far it may be advisable to follow the recommendation 
of some authors to unite in autumn such stocks as have been in 
j close proximity during the working season. 
On the 24th of September I operated on an old hive about 
four miles distant, which had swarmed once tins year. The 
moment I inverted it I was attacked most furiously ; but having 
scoured the bees witli the usual cloth and empty hive, I conveyed 
them some little distance at a rapid pace, and thus speedily got 
* The offspring of this dark queen having turned out as true Ligurians 
as the others, I am now satisfied that the variation in colour is to be attri¬ 
buted either to age or accident. 
| Queen and 
Queen and | 
1 1000 bees, j 
1000 bees. 9 
