Aiiril 1, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICULTUltE AND OOTTAG-E GABDENEB. 



233 



if the Babbits Lave space to run about, I am sure it does 

 them Rood; and my experience Roos to prove that young 

 Babbits, unless turned into a shed or small enclosure, should 

 never touch it until they are eight or nine months old. I 

 always gave my does as much as they could drink. — H. Kelsey. 



" H. A. J." may safely give his Babbits an unlimited supply 

 of water if he feeds them on dry food, such as bran, oats, ,tc., 

 but when tbey have fresh green provisions, such as clover, 

 cabbage leaves, parsley, and other vegetables, less liquid will be 

 necessary. I always gave the doe Babbits, when tbey had a 

 young family (and" I, living in the country, had a dairy), an 

 ample supply of milk. It is an act of downright cruelty to keep 

 any animal without water. Friends of mine had a guinea pig, 

 which they were advised by some silly person to keep on dry 

 food, and, although the poor little creature was well fed, it be- 

 came as thin as a skeleton, and would have died if liquid had 

 not been given. — Helen E. Watney. 



THE BARONESS VON BERLEPSCH. 

 August Baron von Berlepsch, one of the most distinguished 

 among the scientific bee-keepers of Germany, married some- 

 what more than three years ago Lina geboren Welebil. This 

 lady appears quite as enthusiastic as her husband with regard 

 to bees, and is, moreover, exceedingly clever, being, I believe, 

 mistress of several modern languages. Having recently cor- 

 responded with her, I can speak positirely with regard to 

 English, which she writes and speaks with remarkable fluency 

 and precision. It may be remembered that the Baron was 

 prevented attending the great meeting of German bee-masters 

 held at Darmstadt in September last, owing to his having been 

 prostrated by a stroke of paralysis. The following article from 

 the pen of the Baroness has recently appeared, and gives so 

 interesting a glimpse of her married life under these adverse 

 circumstances, that I am induced to submit a translation of it 

 to the readers of " our Journal." — A Devossuire Bee-keeper. 



BEHIND THE SCENES. 



The delightful days of Darmstadt are over, and although it 

 was not permitted us to be present, they are still endeared to 

 us by many agreeable reminiscences. Behind the scenes, as 

 it were, we might yet take part in the proceedings, and dehght 

 in the considerate attention which was so kindly shown us. 



Our first visitor was the Marquis Balsamo Crivelli, who went 

 direct from Coburg to Darmstadt. In him we made the 

 acquaintance of an enthusiastic bee-friend, and an amiable and 

 honourable man. I count his brief visit as one of the flowers 

 among the garland of joys which arose to us out of the meet- 

 ing at Darmstadt. 



As the Bun of the 8th of September rose beaming in the 

 heavens my heart indeed felt heavy, and it drew me powerfully 

 towards the south. Hour by hour we followed in imagination 

 the movements and proceedings of the assembly, and hailed 

 with joyful emotion the arrival of the telegram which conveyed 

 to us its greeting and kindly sympathy. It may be permitted 

 to me to return to all and every one our heartfelt thanks for 

 the honourable distinction which was thus conferred upon us. 



Time passed on, and the meeting at Darmstadt over, 

 tJounsellor Kolb and his wife were the first who came to us, 

 and, well pleased and happy, related all the pleasures which 

 they had experienced. These were old friends, and we chatted 

 and chatted until my dear husband became quite happy when 

 we prepared for an excursion to the Callenberg, so that he 

 might rest after all the friendly excitement. How these bright 

 hours shine in the camera obscura of the memory ! Merry 

 gossip, alternated with more serious conversation, soon brought 

 us to the charming castle and favourite residence of our 

 Duchess, where a stroll through the rooms was succeeded by a 

 glance at the private apartment of the great lady, which I can 

 never recall but with deep emotion. There, on a table placed 

 in front of the oriel window which commands such a magnifi- 

 cent view, lay a simple wreath of immortelle^, which touched a 

 chord within me, whilst unutterable sensations rushed keenly 

 through my heart, Hke the wailingg of an ^Eolian harp. 



Descending from the castle we visited Curzins, the game- 

 keeper and bee-master, who kindly exhibited his little 

 menagerie, but pleased me best by calling together the deer, 

 which ran at large in the park, in order to feed them with 

 apples. By this time evening had set in — a fragrant and 



misty autumnal evening. On one side lay the Castle of Cal- 

 lenberg, veiled in the twiliRht, and on the other the citadel 

 gleamed bright in the golden rays of the sotting sun, whilst 

 before us spread the wide park, traversed by the noble deer 

 which followed the melancholy " Come ! come !" and fearlessly 

 approached to receive the proffered dainty. 



Gimther also came to Coburg. He is to me a dear familiar 

 personage, whose single-hearted attachment to my husband has 

 about it something almost touching. With him appeared my 

 husband's "dear friend" Vogel,* who visited us both on his 

 way to Darmstadt and back, but whose visits were so flying 

 that I scarcely got to know him. He is too staid and grave 

 to make himself quickly at home, and I regrettingly saw him 

 depart without having succeeded in picturing him exactly to 

 myself. The community of feeling which subsists between 

 him and my husband is, however, well known. 



The same day which carried off Vogel, brought Hopf, who 

 was all fire and flame, not only on account of Kiihier's process, 

 but because of the Bbiue voyage, which had also contributed 

 to his excitement, although in quite a different manner. 

 Verily this llhine voyage must be charming, very, very charming. 

 Eight days after the departure of Hopf, we were enabled to 

 greet Hruschka, t with which dear friend ws had corresponded 

 during a year before we learned to know him personally. Not- 

 withstanding some differences of opinion, he has become heartily 

 dear to us, and we often think of him with pleasure. With 

 him our succession of company came to an end, for alas ! alas ! 

 the visit of our dear editor, Schmid,; which was intended as a 

 surprise to us, was frustrated by the death of his little daughter. 

 Whilst yet attending the bee-masters' meeting, a telegram called 

 him back only to find his child extended upon her bier. One 

 daughter a bride, the other with wreaths lying in her coffin 

 — which may be the happier ? 

 ' Having thus mentioned our visitors, and reported what 

 ! occurred behind the scenes, I have still something on my mind. 

 ' It seems to have been stated and believed at Darmstadt, that 

 my articles may be the productions of my husband. Now the 

 idea is so ridiculous, that if it were not insulting, it might be 

 extremely amusing. Poor lords of creation ! Have you never 

 found a woman, who, without stepping out of her sphere, took 

 an interest in something more than eggs, butter, and servants? 

 Do you not know how to distinguish differences of thought and 

 style? Can you not understand that my manner of writing is 

 as impossible to my husband as his learned treatises bristling 

 with quotations would be to me ? Those who are not sensitive 

 might not feel this, but at any rate a less hasty judgment is to 

 be commended. I thank (tod that my dear husband's health 

 is improving, and I trust the time will soon come, when by his 

 sledge-hammer blows he will demonstrate ad ociilos, that he 

 has no especial ^)c»c/iaH« for my style of writing. 



Whilst penning the foregoing our little dog was brought in, 

 he had been run over by a stage coach. Four hours later he 

 was dead. Many bee-friends will remember our pretty Sepp, 

 which my husband had so long ago, when he was in Gotha. 

 He was only a dog, but his loss has caused us bitter pain. He 

 who knows mankind learns to value dogs for their fidelity and 

 unswerving affection. Let these words be Sepp's monument. — 

 Lina, Bakoness von Beklepscii, Cvhurg. 



• Introducer of the Ecyptian bee. 



+ Inventor ol the centrif agal honoy-extracting machine. 



; Andreas Schmid, editor of the German Bee Journal. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Dorking Cock not Associating with Heks (Constant Subscriber).— 

 Fowls have their fancies, and wUl not always take to new companions. 

 As a role the aversion is only temporary, and probably will be so m tlus 

 instance. We dare promise as much if the bird is in health ; if he is not 

 he will not be sociable till he is. 



Hens Leaving theik Nests.— Eggs too Drt (Calamity).--In sncli 

 weather as the present, and at this time of year, hens should not be 

 otf their nests more than a quarter of an hour. In summer it does not 

 matter it thev are off an hour and a half. All that ia required is that 

 they should eat, drink, &c. The death of the chickens in the eggs has 

 nothing to do with the hens being off their nests, the chicken- die from 

 their eggs being too dry; the inner membrane is as dry and hard as 

 indiarubber, and the chickens cannot penetrate it to escape from the sheU, 

 they try till they die. For ten days before the eggs hatch thoy should 

 be plentifully sprinkled with water eveiy morning. There wiU then be 

 no difficulty. 



Elood in Eggs (L. 7;.\— The cause of that of which yon complain is 

 inflammation. It is useless to change tho breed, as it is caused by some- 

 thing which they pick up and eat. It has notbmg to do with staleness. 

 We have known it caused by lixds drinking water in which servants had 



