170 
TflE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 13, 1859. 
CROSS BETWEEN THE PHEASANT AND 
BANTAM. 
Seeing in your Number of The Cottage Gardener of 
November 8, this year, a communication from “G. J. L.” relating 
to the cross between the Pheasant and Dantam, your corre¬ 
spondent can obtain information by application to Captain 
Glinn, R.N., Hereford, who breeds them yearly, and is now in 
possession of a cock Pheasant and a Game Bantam that pro¬ 
duced thirteen chickens last year; and the hen Pheasant run¬ 
ning with them produced eggs, and a brood of nine young 
Pheasants from them, hatched under a common hen. 
The eggs were picked up in various places in a walled enclo¬ 
sure, and not in a nest as a fowl. This latter remark alludes 
only to the hen Pheasant’s eggs.—C. 
DRONE BEES. 
Your aparian readers may know that the appearance of drones 
forebodes swarming; but, also, that first swarms sometimes 
leave the stocks before they are bred or appear abroad. I spoke 
of this some years back to Dr. Bevan, who agreed with me that 
first swarms are sometimes without drones. This led to a further 
discussion respecting the eggs of drones being laid by the old 
queens, both in the stocks and the other colonies which they 
establish during the season. Likewise on the fact of a second 
brood of drones sometimes appearing in autumn in old stocks 
which swarmed at the usual time. This shows that queens of 
the present season have power to deposit eggs for drones, and 
accords with the rule of swarming in warm climates. But I am 
not sure if those remarks can have reference to the males of 
the “ Ligurian or Italian Bees,” which “ A Devonshire Bee¬ 
keeper” is trying to establish in this country, for which he 
deserves much praise. “B.&W.” speaking of them at p. 76, 
observes, that the “ drones which join the swarms are generally, 
perhaps always, allowed to remain alive till late in the season, 
whereas the earliest-hatched drones are frequently destroyed in 
cold springs in their own hives.” Whatever kind of drones he 
meant, I have to note that in cold springs none are bred in the 
hives of the “ honey bee; ” and those that join the second and 
after swarms are, of course, destroyed about the usual time with 
the rest left behind in the stocks ; while those in the first swarms 
are spared a little longer, especially in strong hives, when the 
bees meditate swarming. In these, the same process of rearing 
drones goes on as in the stocks during the fore part of the season. 
Some, however, imagine that the old queens only lay drone eggs 
about the time that they quit the stocks. But I have known 
them lay both kinds of eggs at the same time ; and with regard 
to the remarks of “ B. & W.” on drones, he is speaking of making 
artificial swarms of the “ Italian bees,” with a view to. increase 
them, and justly observes that it should be done when their 
drones are numerous, as without them the plan must be fruitless. 
I may here say a word in favour of poor drones, for almost all 
writers have a fling of abuse at them. For instance, the Rev. E. 
Scudamore, in his little treatise on making artificial swarms, 
speaking of them at p. 35, observes, that “ the bee-masters may, 
perhaps, find a few drones not hatched, but scaled up in their 
cells like ancient monks in their cloisters.” This but ill accords 
with the true character and use of the insects, but known to the 
bees themselves. However, their presence at certain times is as 
essential to the prosperity of the colony as that of the workers; 
nay, even of the queen which is so highly spoken of, but whose 
instinct is not equal to that of the queen of the wasp.— 
J. WlGHTON. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Game Fowls Weakly (J. M., Glasgow ).—Feel your bird’s crop, and see 
if there is any food hardened in it. If there is, pour warm water down its 
throat till it is softened, and then give a table-spoonful of castor oil. Give 
the same dose if there is not, but omit the water. Feed on ground oats 
slaked with milk ; feed often ; give very little at a time. The castor oil 
will probably bring away green slimy evacuations. Repeat the dose every 
third day till these cease ; then feed freely, but little at a time. It is not 
well till it is hungry, and looking for its food. 
Guinea Fowls (Constant Mender ).—We have never found that cock 
Guinea Fowls have the propensity you dread of destroying their mates’ 
eggs. The greatest difficulty is to find the nest of the hen, as she generally 
steals it income out-of-the-way or distant place. We have found one a 
quarter ofa mile from any house. You might, however, make yourself 
secure by confining the male while the hen sits. This, as you probably 
know, is done with many kinds of poultry. 
Over-feeding a Game Cockebf.l (J. M. K .).—Your bird with drooping 
tail and general weakness is suffering from indigestion, consequent on 
most improper feeding on chopped bec-f boiled in milk. If a bird should 
he trained at all for exhibition, the process should he, allowing for dif¬ 
ference of man and bird, such as you would adopt if you were about to 
run or fight: as much hard muscle as possible, no fat, and good appetite. 
You wili do no good till you have thoroughly cleansed it. We fear it 
is too weak to have a full dose, and therefore advise a tea-spoonful of 
castor oil directly. When this has operated, feed on oatmeal slaked with 
warm water. You must use discretion in repeating the dose ; hut as soon 
as it is able to hear it give it a table-spoonful. This must be continued 
till it is hungry, till it carries its tail up, and looks after its food. If at 
any time it appears weakened hy the medicine, give it some bread and 
ale. When it is brisk and hungry give it oatmeal, stale bread, and a 
few pieces of raw beef once a-day. The latter is against all sound practice, 
hut it may enable you to get it up for exhibition: under no other cir¬ 
cumstances would we advise it. 
Paring a Canary's Nalls.— “ In your remarks on the Canary Show at 
the Crystal Palace you mention my bird (No. 54), was much inconvenienced 
hy long nails. Regulation No. III. forbids cutting and trimming. Does 
that refer to the nails 1 and can I cut them and not violate the rule ?”— 
W. Young. 
[We shall he obliged hy some one giving us an answer to this query. It 
seems to us that such a paring of the nails, being merely for the bird’s 
comfort, would not violate the rule.] 
Dorking Chickens at the Birmingham Show.— “ Allow me to correct 
a misprint in your last week’s paper. It there says the third prize for 
Dorking Chickens at the Birmingham Show was awarded to the Mev. J. 
Shaw. Allow me to say I am a tenant-farmer, not a Reverend.— John 
Shaw, Hunsbury Hill, Northampton. 
GiNGER-srANGLEB Polks—White Bantams (E.H.). —Each pen at the 
Crystal Palace, should consist of a cock and two hens or pullets, according 
to the class in which they are shown. We have not the prize list before us, 
hut if there is a class for “Any other Variety” of Polands, these birds 
should be shown in it. If there is no such class, then they should he in 
that for “Any other Variety.” We have never seen such as you describe, 
hut the feathers sent are very beautiful, and we shall not fail to look for 
them. We believe there is only one class for White Bantams, choose them 
as small as you can, and the cock with long-flowing tail. Recollect, if there 
are classes for adult Tolands, and for birds of 1859, you must enter 
yours for the latter, as they would be disqualified If shown in the adult 
class. 
Various (_D. B .). —The time when Hamburgh pullets commence laying 
depends much on the mode of feeding, and we are opposed to all stimu¬ 
lants to induce laying. If fed well, and in perfect health, your pullPts will 
in all probability lay within a fortnight or three weeks." Feed well on 
ground food, oats ground fine are the best, slaked with water. Lot them 
roost in a dry, sheltered place, and keep them scrupulously clean. Any 
white in the legs of a Silver-pencilled Hamburgh cock is a disqualification, 
hut a difference of shade is not so important, especially in a chicken. We 
know of no shows in the south, but the Crystal Palace and Devizes. 
Aylesbury Ducks ( Young Exhibitor). —We need not tell you we are 
not in a position to explain the decisions of any judges. We can give you 
the rules hy which Aylesbury Ducks arc judged, and our own opinions 
respecting those we saw at Birmingham. The hills should he flesh colour. 
The birds as heavy as may he joined to lingtli, breadth, and symmetry ; 
and the weight not made up of mere fat. It maybe that Mrs. Senmons and 
Mr. Fowler showed the same birds at Birmingham that they did at 'Wor¬ 
cester ; hut the impression that caused us to wonder they should exhibit 
faulty birds atone place would lead us to think they would not do so again. 
The protuberance of which you speak, and which is a sort of ridge at the 
insertion of the hill in the head is common to drakes of more than a year old. 
We think nothing can show the scrupulous care with which they were 
judged more than the fact that the extra tinge in the hill of Mrs. Seamons’ 
drake lost her the first prize, to which she would have been entitled by 
weight. 
Devizes Poultry Show. —We hear that there is to he a class for 
“ Single Malay Cocks” at this Show, although we have no notice from the 
Secretary on the subject. 
Purchasing Bees (A Beginner in Bee-keeping). —It is much easier to 
take a Avrong step at the commencement of bee-keeping than to rectify it 
afterwards. The sum named to you for a stock-hive (25s.) may he either 
too much or too little, according to circumstances of which we are not 
informed, as age, weight, &c.; for a really good stock it is cheap enough. 
As respects “ some criterion by which the reasonableness of the offer may 
he tested,” we do not know that we can do better than quote the words of 
the late Mr. Payne in his “ Bee-keeper’s Guide.” “ The best time,” says 
he, “ to establish an apiary is from the middle of February to the middle of 
March ; the stocks will have passed the winter, the combs are then empty 
of brood, and the removal safe and easy. Stocks should be selected by a 
competent judge, as the weight alone cannot he relied upon. A swarm of 
the preceding year should he selected, and one that contains not less than 
12 lbs. of honey. There are few commodities in which a person can be so 
easily deceived as in a hive of bees. If the hive is not of the preceding 
year its weight is no criterion of its value ; for an old hive always contains 
a large quantity of the pollen of flowers—a very heavy substance, and an 
essential ingredient in the food with which the bees nourish their young, 
but good for nothing else.” As you possess “ Bee-keeping for the Many,” 
you will there meet with instructions on other points of practice to be 
attended to. If you will refev to our own recent columns, you will find 
at page 30, under the head of “Usual Honey-harvest and Store for the 
Winter,” some concluding observations in connection with the subject of 
the weight of hives in autumn from which you may derive further assist¬ 
ance, always keeping in mind the difference between an old and a recent 
stock in comparing the respective weights. After the first season the 
combs become much darker as well as heavier, owing to increased thickness 
and consequent contraction, occasioned by the accumulation of filmy 
deposits and^xuvi® left hy a constant succession of young bees bred in 
them. If you are well satisfied that all the requirements of a good stock- 
hive are fulfilled in your purchase, it may he removed at any time in the 
winter with care; best hy hand secured in a coarse cloth. As to your 
location “ within half a mile of the sea,” the disadvantage of this is influ¬ 
enced very much by the nature of the immediately surrounding district in 
regard to vegetation and bee-pasturage ; but exposure to wind should he 
provided against under any circumstances. 
