I 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER, 
343 
February 27. 
experience in bee-keeping generally, when I remark, that T 
was induced to commence only last March. I can, however, 
speak with some degree of confidence in reference to the 
removal of bees by fumigation. Last summer 1 tried it in 
seventeen cases, and succeeded in all but the first, to the 
perfect satisfaction of numerous spectators as well as old 
bee-masters, who stood amazed to see that accomplished 
which they had so often stated could not be done. A 
“ Country Curate" disapproves of the plan. I prefer it as 
being more easy, safe, and expeditious than driving. Two 
j stocks I drove, but after a good deal of rapping did not suc¬ 
ceed in removing all the bees, and was obliged to use smoke 
to get the remainder out. More bees were lost in this in¬ 
stance than in any of those by fumigation. In the sixteen 
cases together, I do not think 1000 bees were lost; in some 
i instances, scarcely a score, and in one case only did I or 
1 my assistant get stung, though we generally went to work 
| unprotected, except with gloves. I write to encourage other 
I young bee-keepers to adopt the plan, assuring them the 
most timid may do so with complete success. I have had 
to encounter old hives, broken tloor boards, and almost 
every inconvenience, and have succeeded sufficiently well to 
induce even a bee-keeper of forty years standing to promise 
j to adopt it the coming season. The articles I provide myself 
with are, wet cloths to keep the hive tight; fungus ; a lamp 
I rivet ted; a pair of bellows ; a cigar to keep the bees, if any 
chance to be about, from my face ; a pair of gloves; a light 
tub, about four inches deep and twelve inches in diameter, 
with a broad rim level with the top ; a piece of pierced zinc 
to tack on to keep the bees in the tub; a wing or two to 
sweep the bees from the board and comb; a little sugared 
ale to rub through the zinc, to keep the bees quiet as they 
revive and reconcile those to whom they are to be united ; 
a small bottle of liquor potass*, to apply immediately to 
stings, if required. As soon as I get the bees home, after 
carrying them often six or seven miles, I place the hive to 
which they' are to be united upon the rim of the tub; draw 
away the zinc, and on the following morning, the bees thus 
united are placed upon their old stand. 
The first hive alluded to consumed in three weeks, lOf 
quarts of food; the second 10 lbs. liquid sugar, and 3 lbs. 
of honey in five weeks. 
On the 4th of October, I was asked to take the bees from 
1 a east, and having no hive requiring any addition, I placed 
them, about a 1000, in a small box, nine inches square by six 
inches deep, with two windows. In it I fixed, as well as I 
could, several combs which, as they gave way, the bees soon 
effectually secured. I fed them as long as they would eat. 
They weighed in addition to the comb, bees, Ac., on the 1st 
of December, 8-J lbs.; on the 1st of January, 'i\ lbs.; on the 
30th of January 1J lbs.: how should I act with them? I 
thought of putting them on a 12-inch hive and letting them 
work through it. I intend to begin feeding them and my 
other seven stocks about the 15th February. In what quan¬ 
tity should food be given? Is there not fear of stimulating 
them too early? We may have much cold yet. 
I have been told to-day by a bee-keeper, that drones seen 
after Michaelmas are a sure sign that the bees of the hive 
to which they belong will die. Is this correct, if so how is it 
to be accounted for ? B. B. 
[Place your box of nine inches square upon the top of a 
12-incli hive, as you propose, and let the bees work through 
it. Feed at the top of your hives; see a good sort of feeder 
in The Cottage Gardener, vol. 5, page 27ti. Fill the 
feeder, and as soon as emptied fill it again. There is no 
fear of stimulating the bees too early. You may go on to 
feed from the 15th of February. If drones are seen in 
a hive after Michaelmas, there is a great probability that 
the queen has died, and that the bees will either die or 
forsake the hive.] 
CELERY CULTURE. 
I send you the method of treating my celery, from the 
time T sow the seed to the time it is ready for table. I sow 
in pans, the latter end of February, covering the seed as 
lightly as possible with rich soil. About a week after the 
plants have made then’ appearance, I give them a little air in 
the day time, to prevent the seedlings being drawn. When 
they have been in their second leaf fourteen days, I prepare 
my frames for transplanting, by filling them with new stable 
litter, which I cover with three inches of rich soil, and when 
it is nearly the same heat as the frames of the seed-bed, I | 
begin planting. After the plants have thus been trans- ' 
planted about a week, I give them air in the day time, and a 
little water occasionally, till they have commenced growing 
nicely. 
When I prepare for planting out,I dig my trench eighteen 
inches deep, and thirty-six inches wide, and into this put 
fifteen inches of new manure, stable litter, pig dung, and 
shambles manure, mixed with bone or horn dust, whic-h I cover 
in with three inches of rich soil—mixing the soil amongst 
the manure about six inches deep. When I put the 2 >lants 
in the trench, I have a basket of rich soil; and make a hole 
a little larger than the root of the plant, into which T put 
some soot, so that the root will not touch the manure. 
I plant out about the middle of May, setting the plants 
from twelve to eighteen inches apart. They want a good 
supply of clean water. I begin earthing when the plants 
are twenty inches high, adding a little earthing once a fort¬ 
night, and leaving it slanting towards the edge of the 
trench, that the water may not touch the stems, as it causes 
them to rot. My reason for digging the trench so wide is, 
because I sow small seeds—such as cauliflower, savoy, or 
lettuce —and get fine plants from them. I forgot to say, that I 
tie a string loosely round the celery, to preserve them from 
being broken by the wind : by this plan they will not want 
so much liquid manure. Mr. George Marsden, of the 
British Lion, Thoinas-street, Sheffield, has grown ten plants 
of my Champion celery, which averaged six pounds and a half 
in weight.— John Nutt, near St. John’s Church, Sheffield 
Pavk. 
GARDEN MAKE-SHIFTS. 
Undoubtedly, many readers of The Cottage Gardener, 
cottagers especially, are annoyed by having their rows of 
parsley, and their choice pinks, eaten off by game; to those 
who can afford the outlay, wire protectors are the most sightly; 
but those who cannot, may effectually guard their choice 
things, by a few strait rods and brambles, provided they 
possess the smallest degree of ingenuity. 
Take a strong osier, and form a hoop, then take three 
others, not so strong, tie one end of each firmly to the 
hoop, at equal distances, by means of small yellow osiers 
(Saliz vitellina), as these are the toughest, and, nt the same 
time, neatest looking of all the osiers; bend them over to 
the opposite side, and there fasten them in the same 
manner, they will then form a half sphere; then take a 
long bramble and bind it round the frame work; tie at each 
angle with osiers; and you have a guard for pinks, or 
other single plants; but for a row of parsley, the form must 
be varied—take three strait rods, one inch in diameter, and 
form these into a triangle, like the roof of a building, by st rong 
braces at equal distances; then cut brambles into lengths 
according to the height of your frame, fasten these obliquely 
on to the frame, and tie firmly at each angle. These osiers, 
however, will not bear tying in knots like string, but must 
be tied as when used for espaliers, raspberry canes, Ac., for 
which purpose they are far preferable to string, being 
cheaper, neater, and quicker to use. In using osiers then, 
both for this, and also for espaliers, place yourself on the 
side, least exposed to view, take the osier in the right hand, 
large end foremost, thrust it under the branch, and on the 
right hand side of the upright, bring tire end over the 
branch, with the left hand, and place it across the small end 
(still held firmly by the right hand), and with the thumb 
and forefinger of the right hand, give it two twists round, 
and stitch over the end, between the branch and stake. For 
durability—they surpass string of any kind; and are ex¬ 
cellent for nailing pears, plums, Ac., where large clumsy 
shreds would otherwise be required. Id. H. 
FERNS FROM SEEDS. 
I observe, with much pleasure, that you are directing 
the attention of your readers to the cultivation of that 
beautiful tribe of plants, the ferns. Perhaps it may 
interest some of your readers, to know how easily ferns are 
