THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 13. 
IOC) 
Polyanthuses and Auriculas must be removed, and you mav safely do so 
now ; they will not answer with any other crop. Almost all annuals will 
transplant once or twice, and be not the worse. Why not try Tagetes 
tenuifolia, Saponuria calahrica, Sanviluliu procumbens, ami Lobelia 
rumosa ? If sown now. all of them would he in good time after the bulbs, 
and keep in blossom till the end of the summer, and through the autumn. 
Payne’s Bee-glasses (M. J. L.).—These bee-glasses arc sold by 
Messrs. Neighbour and Son, and by their agent, Mr. Win. Drury, Castle- 
street Liverpool. See advertisement in The Cottage Gardener, 
The prices is Is. 6d. or Is. 9d. per lb., making each glass about Us. (id. 
1 Pees in a House, &c. (Ctericus).— " Having adopted 'Country 
Curate’s’ method of bee-keeping, will he be so good as to inform a fellow- 
curate whether he advises the old hive (being removed after swarming) to | 
be placed on the apiary, unstopped immediately , since, in the * English ! 
Bee-keeper,’ he recommends that the parent hive be stopped up for i 
three days. Does the distance from the original position, or the direction | 
in which the hive fronts, signify, i . c. (for my apiary has faces south and 
east), would the removal of a stock to the east side interfere with the ! 
success of the operation ? What are the disadvantages, if any, of placing | 
hives near together in a house?” “ Your correspondent, 'Clericvs,' has : 
not very clearly stated, whether he is going to adopt my cottager system , 
of bee-management, or that which I recommend to the experienced 
amateur. If the farmery he will find, on turning to page 38, of the 
‘ English Bee-keeper,’ that, on removing the old hive, and substituting 
the swarm in its place, I recommend the parent stock to be closed up, 
only at most for a few hours. It is only where a swarm is artificially 
forced to issue by driving , that it is advisable to close it till the third 
morning. In the former case it is not necessary to close up the old hive 
at all, because, as the swarm issues naturally, the bees are prepared to 
lose their old queen, which is not the case in the other instance. The 
closing up of the old hive, however, is sometimes useful, as tending to 
retain more bees in it than if they had been permitted free egress all day. 
I have not found any particular distance from the original position more 
favourable than another. I have had both swarm and parent stock 
within a few feet, and at a considerable distance from each other; but, 
without the precaution of stopping up the old hive for a few hours, I do 
not think they ought to approximate nearer than three or lour feet. It 
I matters not at all what direction or aspect the hives front, though un¬ 
doubtedly a south aspect is the most advantageous in general. With 
' respect to hives in bee-houses , I am of opinion that they ought not to be 
nearer than tw'o-and-a-half or three feet to each other, except where they 
are kept well distinct from each other, by partitions at the sides, pro¬ 
jecting some five or six inches within and beyond the bee-house iront. 
Otherwise frequent confusions would be likely to occur ; and yet I have 
seen ten or a dozen hives ranged side by side, touching one another, very 
commonly in every part of Switzerland. I have found a difficulty in 
conducting my apiary on the artificial system in bee-houses, so as to 
avoid fraternization, or something worse between the bees of a stock, 
removed for a time to be operated on, and one of its next neighbour 
hives. Old apiarians, too, tell us of the awkwardness of too near ; 
proximity in swarming time, when the confusion occasioned by the issue 
of one swarm will sometimes spread to the adjoining stocks.—A Country j 
Curate.” , _ . 
Losses in Hatching (N. P.).— Your complaint of losing so many 
chickens in hatching I find to be very general this spring, and is no \ 
doubt the effect of the continued dry weather. I have set most ot my j 
liens in shallow baskets, on a damp floor, and have been more lucky than i 
my neighbours. Many good judges recommend dipping the eggs into 
warm water, but I do not like to touch them at all; I, however, occa¬ 
sionally remove the baskets and wet the ground beneath. I have helped 
more chickens from the shell this spring than ever before, and with good 
success ; only, if you do so, be very careful that the assistance does not 
come too soon.— Anster Bonn. 
Shanghai and Cochin CniNA Fowls (M. M.).— For a description 
of Shanghai and Cochin China fowls refer to The Cottage Gardener 
for July 31st, and August 28th, 1851. The chickens may be treated alike, 
i.e. with varied and abundant feeding. It is difficult to judge from 
description of the complaint from which your bantams are suffering ; the 
comb turning dark would seem as if it had been touched by frost. Warm 
housing, generous and varied feeding, and shelter from cold, would, no 
doubt, prove beneficial. Have they, in their present confinement, an 
ample supply of gravel and lime?— Anster Bonn. 
Boiling Water in a Wooden Vessel (Verax). — It is easily effected 
by having a coil of strong iron pipe within the vessel at the bottom, and 
that pipe connected with the top and bottom of an iron boiler that will 
bear a very high pressure. Water heated in the boiler to about 250°, and 
with that and the pipe duly proportioned to the quantity of water to be 
heated, would probably effect your purpose ; but this is a question that a 
civil engineer will answer better than we can. Your question about 
Verbena venosa was answered in our last number. Your exhausted Tan- 
bed, turned and moistened, will retain its heat for three or four months. 
1’it Heated from Kitchen-Fire (.4 Moor Edger). — The boiler, 
placed properly by your kitchen-fire will answer your purpose. Have 
3-inch pipe for the bottom-heat, and 2-inch pipe for the atmospheric or 
top-heat. The circulation of the water in the latter pipe will go on 
provided its flow-mouth is near the top of the boiler, and the return- 
mouth near the bottom. The size of the boiler is ot no consequence ; 
the only care required is that enough of surface be exposed to the fire to 
supply heat as fast as it is given out by the pipes. If you have two 
square feet exposed to the fire you will have sufficient. The pipes passing 
across the path must be well secured against cold. 
Mammoth Gourd ( An Amateur). —The plants should be treated just 
the same as cucumber plants. As they are in a frame they had better be 
! potted singly into C-inch pots, plunged in the soil of the bed, and kept 
there until the end of the month; then, hardened off, they may be 
! planted out on a warm border under a hand-light. 
Dutch Every-day Layers. — If S. A, S. will send us a stamped 
blank envelope, containing her address, we will forward it to a gentleman 
who can aff ord a supply. 
Bees (D. D, 5.).—Buy Payne’s Pee Keeper's Guide; you can obtain 
it through any bookseller. 
Hollow Walls (M. A. Leigh)*—' These are walls with a hollow space 
between the two outer tiers of bricks. Any bricklayer will tell you how 
they are built. Felt is a woollen material, and would not do for the sides 
of pits. A pit against a south wall would do very well for the autumn 
shelter of camellias, carnations, geraniums, &c. The frost killed your 
potted verbenas. 
Mv Flowers (IV. IF. P. P.). —The papers you mention will probably 
appear in a separate form. 
(’ociiin China Fowls (Doncaster). —We know where they are kept 
in a flower-garden in a space about thirty feet long and twelve feet wide, 
enclosed by galvanized iron net-work three feet high. They never at¬ 
tempt even to get over. 
Blue Bedder (Ibid).— Lupinus Hartwegii or Salvia patens for a large 
bed ; Salvia chamatdrioides for a small one. 
Fumigation. —We are much obliged by the following:—“I beg to 
inform you that I have tried tobacco and cayenne penper as fumigators, 
following Mr. Ayres’ directions in every point, with the exception of the 
nitre paper. I am sorry to state it proved far from being successful—in 
fact, it did not destroy half the aphides that infested the plants. The 
house in which I tried the experiment is 48 feet long, lfi feet wide, ]fi feet 
high at the back, and 8 feet high in the front. The house is closely 
glazed, and the experiment was tried on a very calm evening. I used 
eight ounces of tobacco, and one ouncc-and-a-half of cayenne. Why did 
I not obtain the same result as Mr. Ayres?” —C. Langley, Langford. 
(Did you use the Chili or capsicum pods, or some compound from the 
grocers ?) 
Pit Heated by Pipes (An Anxious Beginner). —See what has been 
said to-day, by Mr. Fish. 
Greenhouse Building (A Subscriber). —The plan hascoracto hand, 
and has been referred to by Mr. Fish to-day. 
IIiiodendrons Forced to Flower in Winter (G. Bancroft ).— 
It matters very little whether you plant them out, or keep them in their 
pots, if you intend them for early blooming again, but if kept in the pots, 
they should he plunged, top-dressed with good soil, and a little old cow- 
dung, and not left starving for want of water. 
Plants for a Vase in an Entrance Hall where there is 
little Light (A Parson's Wife). —Hardy mosscs and/*? ms in winter, 
along with plants of hardy Vincas hanging over their sides, which, in the 
heat of such a hall, would open their flow'ers. Snowdrops, Crocuses, 
in early winter, along with A rub is, Aubrietia, Evergreen Candy-tuft, and 
bulbs, in spring and early summer, along with Primulas, See., and Gera¬ 
niums, Verbenas, long-leaved Geraniums, Calceolarias, Sec., in summer 
and autumn, often shifted. In fact, anything will do in such a position 
for a time, and nothing will remain in a good state very long. A gardener 
has as much love for such hall and passage decoration, as a healthy 
man would have for the black hole of Calcutta. But then many things 
look very pleasing in such places for a time, and we are just now' making 
notes on the subject, which shall appear some “ other day.” 
Orange Culture (G. F. II.). —Much obliged for the suggestion, but 
the subject was handled at some length, and to suit various circum¬ 
stances, not very long ago. 
Caterpillars in Greenhouse (Kate).— The small hairy caterpillars 
which have appeared in your greenhouse in great numbers on almost all 
plants, hut especially on the azaleas, swinging themselves occasionally 
by a line thread, are, as far as we can make out from such young spe¬ 
cimens, the larva* of the Lackey Moth (Clisiocampa neustria ), a drawing 
and account of which is given at p. 207 of our first volume. Hand-pick 
as many as you can, and try the effect of dusting the plants with White 
Hellebore powder. This can be easily washed off with the syringe alter 
it has done its w-ork. 
Pear Blossom Turned Black (II. M.— Ferns). —It is not blighted, 
but destroyed by frost. 
Wild Bices in Lawn (A Cheshire Rector). —Pour a little spirit of 
turpentine into each hole late in the evening, and stop each at the same 
time w'ith a little earth. Your other request shall be attended to. 
French Mustard (South Wales). —Salt, 3 ozs.; scraped horseradish, 
2ozs.; garlic, a small clove, boiling vinegar, 1 quart. Let them remain 
mixed for tw'cnty-four hours; strain, and keep the clear liquor to mix 
w'ith flour of mustard as required. 
Glass for Pit (T. S. S.).—' The specimen of glass you enclosed will 
answer excellently. 
Sttibcvttecmcnt. 
QK A-K ALE FOR TO K Ml L LI ON?—8e:vl\ ale Pot9 
k5 and Forcing superseded by the EARLY YELLOW CROWN SEA- 
KALE. 
This valuable new vegetable (exhibited at the Horticultural Society’s 
Rooms, Regent Street) is perfectly distinct from all other varieties of 
Sea-Kale, being free from any purple or green tint, very large, of a 
peculiarly rich flavour and delicate straw colour, which it retains if 
kept for ten or twelve days after cutting. It is so early and hardy that 
it may he easily grown in the open ground fit for use early in February ; 
it has been so growm in the Kempshot Gardens several winters, and is 
now first offered to the public by JOHN SUTTON and SONS, Reading, 
Berks. 
As the st<fck is very limited early orders arc requested, and recom¬ 
mended, which orders will lie faithfully executed in rotation, as far as the 
stock will suffice, with good plants about the first week in June, which 
wall be fit for cutting from next February. Price 10s dd per dozen. 
Trade discount allowed where not less than three dozen are taken. 
Orders for less than one dozen will not he executed. Remittances or 
references required from unknown correspondents. 
Reading Nurseries, Reading, Berks. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, iu the Parish of 
Christ Church, City of London.~May 13th, 1852. 
