TI-IE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
May 27. 
titled to high consideration, and although, too, it is possible 
that a greater weight may be obtained without this process, 
yet we feel bound to advocate it, having tried both practices 
for years. We never could produce good eating potatoes 
without it—always some green, or discoloured, and, it need 
scarcely be added, bitter to the palate. We Northerns, how¬ 
ever, must not go to the south to leam either potato culture 
or cooking ; we will back for a smart sum Cheshire potatoes 
by a Cheshire housewife, against London potatoes by 
Monsieur Soyer. Potatoes, then, by our practice, are first 
hoed carefully when fairly through the soil; then, in about 
a fortnight, or more, soiled carefully; if in drills, and the 
ground light, the soil so drawn as to leave a hollow for 
the rains, in form like the dip of a saddle. They are then 
left untouched for three weeks, when we go through and 
carefully hand-weed, and then, as soon as dry, fork deep 
between the rows, and thus ends then culture. Towards 
the end of the month the very early kinds will be ripening in 
some parts, and will soon make way for some winter or 
autumn crop. Let it be remembered, that not a day should 
be lost in providing a successor. 
Swedes in Seed-bed. —We may here repeat that Swedes 
for planting-out in July and August are by far best if they 
have a bulb as large as a moderate hen’s egg. They will 
both endure drought better, and make larger bulbs. But, 
to effect this, they should be sown in drills six to eight 
inches apart, and receive a slight thinning, as to regularity, 
in the drills. On this attention, and weeding, depends the 
quality of the plants. We do hope our readers will try the 
difference between such, and young and spongy plants drawn 
from a thick seed-bed, on the broad-cast system. The 
middle of May sowings are quite soon enough to succeed 
early summer crops. 
Cabbages and other Greens. —These “ Cabbage-worts," 
the most popular title now for all those useful greens, 
termed by learned people Brassicas, are of much import¬ 
ance, whether as primary or secondary crops, more especi¬ 
ally as the latter. We do not advocate so crowding crops 
in a mixed state as that the foot cannot be placed between 
them, but we do know that a “ cute ” allotment man will get 
more in a small space, by rightly tuning his matters, than 
one who possesses but one idea—-one who is ever prone to 
mock attempted advances on the least failure. We have 
seen men who could better afford to pay five pounds for an 
acre of land, than others could one pound. Such men, how¬ 
ever, do not stand with folded arms mocking the “ move¬ 
ment ” men, they freely exercise both brain and sinew; 
and, indeed, must soon form the majority in society, or thou¬ 
sands must go to the wall. 
These Cabbage-worts, then, comprehending, as far as the 
cottager is concerned, our ordinary cabbages, the green kale, 
savoys, Brussels sprouts, and the kohl-rabi, having been 
sown (as advised) in little drills in the end of April, will 
come in admirably for insertion in any spare plot. Now, in 
order to make them profitable, the cropper must possess 
decision of character—a timely decision—a prudent forecast. 
We have many a time turned existing crops slightly on one 
side, with a very trifling amount of injury, in order to intro¬ 
duce some Cabbage-worts. The green kale is first on the 
list for profit and hardihood, but the Brussels sprouts and 
the kohl-rabi are profitable things, where hares or rabbits 
do not come, and the savoys for an autumn crop. 
Club-Root. —No success in cabbage growing can be where 
this prevails. Let us advise those who honour us with their 
confidence, to try one of our mixtures as preventive. We 
always succeed. Can you obtain any burnt weeds, sticks, 
old tan, leaves, or other vegetable matter ? Is there any 
brick-making in your neighbourhood ? Is anybody pulling 
down old buildings ? Now any one, or what is much better, 
two or three of these blended, will, as far as our experience 
goes, prevent the “ club.” We mix all three, add some soot, 
and after blending these thoroughly, get some “ maiden ” 
soil, a generous subsoil will do, and mix with the former. 
In planting, we bore holes with a very thick dibble, then, 
from a handy basket, shake each hole full; and finally, the 
plants having been “ puddled ” in slush, we insert them in 
each hole with an ordinary dibble. If any one permits that 
bugbear—trouble—to deter him from trying to rid himself 
of this sad pest, we can only say that he is not only in a 
slough of despond, but very likely to remain there. We 
133 
earnestly recommend this practice to the attention of the 
vigilant. 
Waxerino. —If any friend of ours was going to a distant 
colony, where tall people’s shadows are very short in the 
daytime, and requested one good recipe for seed-sowing and 
transplanting, we should write thus:—“ Always water well 
your ground before sowing and planting.” 
Filling Gaps. —By the end of June, or the early part of 
July, it will be time to think of this procedure, and we 
repeat it, the more to impress it on the memory. Let the 
ground be clean weeded previously, and rather wait a week 
or so for moisture than plant because it is the time in the 
almanac. 
We really meant to have chatted about cows and pigs, but 
the vegetables have triumphed. One more root may be 
named— 
The Horn Carrot. —We always sow a bed of this nice 
root in the last week of May, or the first week of June. 
These are in drawing all through August, September, 
October, and November, thus keeping back the true winter's 
stores. If any will try, let him use the mixture recommended 
for “ club.” 
Ooi.e worts. —Those who want nice young cabbages through 
November and December must sow in the last week of June. 
Lettuces. —Their sowing may be resumed by the allot¬ 
ment man in the last week. 
And now, as the farmers say, “ God speed the plough,” so 
we say, God speed the spade, the hoe, and the fork! All 
honour to those who persevere—profit and content must 
follow close to their heels; that is to say, if they possess 
ingenious minds. A diligent, regular, and earnest workman 
is almost sure to be a blessing both to his own family and 
to society at large. E. Errington. 
THE APIARIAN’S CALENDAR.— June. 
By J. If. Payne, Esq., Author of“ The Bee-keeper's Guide.” 
It will now bo time to place glasses or small hives upon 
such stocks as are not intended to swarm, and it will be well 
not to do it until the bees begin to show evident signs of 
want of room, for then they will ascend immediately into 
the glasses, and commence working; but on the contrary, 
when they are put on too early, that is, before the stock- 
hives are full with bees, they will not go into them, but fre¬ 
quently swarm in preference, and besides, opening the hive 
to put on the glass before it is full with bees causes a cir¬ 
culation of cold air through its centre, which tends greatly 
to retard the hatching of the brood. 
Guide-combs. —A glass should never be put on without 
having a piece or two of guide-comb placed at the top, 
which may veiy easily be effected by first warming the zinc 
tube, and then attaching the comb to it whilst in that state. 
Glasses. —For the method of placing glasses, small 
hives, &c., on the improved cottage hive, see The Cottage 
Gardener, volume 2, page 41, and for the treatment 'of 
swarms generally, taking honey, expelling the bees from the 
glasses, &c., see page 104 of the same volume. 
Drone Bees. —I have been watching for drone bees very 
closely for some days past, but have not yet seen any ; how¬ 
ever, within a few days I am hoping to do so at some of my 
strongest and forwardest stocks, but from the late cold and 
very ungenial weather, the hatching of brood must have 
been very much checked. 
Queen Wasps. —In this locality I have seen more queen 
wasps than usual, and have captured a larger number than 
I ever remember to have done in any spring before. I find 
a “ Deed’s syringe ” a very useful instrument for the pur¬ 
pose, for by discharging it at them when they alight, it is 
sure to bring them to the ground, when the foot may easily 
be put upon them. It is important to every apiarian and 
gardener, but more especially the former, to destroy all they 
can at this season. 
Early Breeding. —Many plans have been adopted this 
season, at my suggestion, to effect this very desirable object, 
and none, I am happy to say, entirely without success, but 
variously, according to the means used. The hives that 
have been simply bound with hay-bands are certainly earlier 
than those that have not, but those that have been covered 
with loose sacking and then bound tightly round with oil¬ 
cloth (so that when the coverings were taken off for a few 
