MONTHLY CALENDAR. 519 



1624. A few years ago, in an article in the "Gardeners' Magazine," 

 Mr. Barnes, of Birton, endeavoui'ed to show the absurdity of the above plan, 

 and at the same time gave a plan of his own as follows : — ''At any season of 

 +he year procure fresh horse-dung, divest it of the longest litter, add sufficient 

 soil-loam to prevent excessive fermentation. Make the bed of a substance 

 suitable to the time of the year, and, if possible, under shelter,— say a foot 

 and a half in summer, and from three to four feet in winter; head and beat 

 firmly, and let it rest until a settled temperature of from 80° to 90° is obtained. 

 At that time introduce pieces of spawn about two or three inches square, a foot 

 apart, all over the surface of the bed. It is better that the spawn be in large 

 pieces, as, if the temperature of the bed should accidentally rise so as to burn 

 it, there is a chance of the middle of a large piece being uninjured, while a small 

 piece would be destroyed altogether. Let the bed remain a fortnight or three 

 weeks, then examine the spawn, and if it be running freely, earth it over to 

 the thickness of three inches with good rich loam, and beat it firmly and 

 smoothly down with the back of the spade, and cover with litter to the thick- 

 ness that the temperature of the bed will indicate as necessary. In about a 

 month, give the whole bed a soaking with boiling water, or nearly so, and 

 water the litter with the same. This will infuse a genial warmth and moisture 

 into the bed peculiarly conducive to the growth of the mushroom, and destroy 

 all insects." Beds made on this principle will become literally a mass of 

 spontaneons spawn. 



§ 9. — Bee-Keeping. 



i6'25. A warm corner of the garden, with a south-eastern aspect, will be 

 very conveniently occupied by a few beehives. Bees travel considerable dis- 

 tances for their food, and although objections are raised to the system of 

 changing their locality, it is a very common practice in hilly countries to carry 

 the hives to the hills when the heather is in bloom ; for the bees, it is said, 

 give a preference to the pollen produced on dry sterile soils, finding it more 

 aromatic, probably. For the same reason the honey of the most fertile coun- 

 tries is not the most prized ; for instance, the plains of Champagne, by no 

 means rich except in the produce of their vines, are remarkable for their honey ; 

 none being more prized than that of Narbonne, and the country round 

 Corbi^res. The honey of Hymettus, a range of low limestone hills, with a 

 sterile stunted vegetation, is also renowned in classic lore. 



1626. We have already pointed out the value of the bar-hive, and the 

 system which it involves, and the reader may be interested in learning the 

 nature of the bars which distinguish the hive. This hive, in its most com- 

 plete form, consists of three boxes sufficiently strong to resist the wea- 

 ther, and well put together ; the stock-box being tho bottom one ; a centre 

 box which is placed directly over the other, and the super-box ; all being of 

 equal size, and fitting into each other. The first and second box have a 

 loose centre-board, in fact, a sort of grating, for a top ; the third box is not 



