THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
325 
January 26. 
tl'.o operator think of Jigging whilst snow is on the ground ; 
.this is a most improper procedure, and enough in itself to 
cause the failure of a crop. It is scarcely too much to 
affirm that onc-half the success of any crop is dependent 
on the manner in which the soil is prepared in spring. 
Ground of an adhesive character, and which has not been 
worked in autumn, should be twice worked, and it will be 
well to ridge it with deep digging for a month, the operator 
making up his mind to crop it rather later, which will, 
indeed, ho a matter of necessity. 
Most of the spring sowings will, of course, occur in the 
early part of March, but there are a few things which are 
better done at the close of February, if the soil is in a 
friable condition. Parsnips, for instance, require a long 
summer, if they are expected to be line. Those who grow 
the Early Horn Carrot, too, under high and attentive 
culture, as wo have often recommended in our allotment 
paper, in order to bunch and sell them in May, when they 
fetch a high price, must (as before observed) get in the 
seed about the very end of January, and attend them as 
early Radishes; indeed, the two latter may be sown in 
alternate drills, at three inches apart, and receive the same 
attention, which, indeed, they require, and the Radishes 
being sold off in the end of March, the Carrots will thence¬ 
forth have it all their own w'ay ; they will then he in drills 
of six inches distance, and may stand close together in the 
drills. 
It is astonishing how many hunches of Carrots may he 
drawn off a moderate-sized bed by such good and high cul¬ 
ture; that is to say, with a high interest and feeling in the 
affair. Of course, those who require good, full crops of 
summer Peas, and Broad Beans, will take care to sow full 
crops during this month ; a row or two in the first week, 
and the same repeated in the last week, will produce as 
many Peas and Beans as the cottage or allotment man has 
room for in his small plot. 
The best Pea is the Bedman's Imperial; the best Bean, I 
• think, Johnson’s Wonderful, or tlie old Broad Windsor, if 
the soil is strong. E. Errington. 
APIARIAN’S CALENDAR.— February. 
By J. II. Payne, Esq., Author of “ The Bee-Keeper's 
Guide," Ac. 
Those persons who have brought their stocks thus far 
in health may congratulate themselves, and may also be 
congratulated, for I am quite aware of the difficulty, the 
expence, and the trouble ; but how mortifying it would be to 
have an abundant honey season, and no bees to collect it. 
Floor boards. —Particular attention must be given at this 
season in endeavouring to keep the interior of the hives 
free from damp, which a frequent changing of the floor¬ 
boards will tend very much to effect; indeed, after so long a 
confinement as the late frost has occasioned, it becomes 
necessary, or the health of the stocks will be much 
endangered. 
Feeding. —Food must he liberally supplied, but in so 
doing much attention must he paid to neatness and clean¬ 
liness in its administration, for where syrup is used, the 
greatest care must be given that it be not smeared about tho 
hives and floor-boards, for it will not only cause dampness 
in the hives, but induce fighting amongst the bees when 
they are able to fly abroad. 
PIives of Comb. —Let the hives of comb in which 
swarms of the last year have died be carefully preserved for 
the purpose of putting swarms of the coming season into 
them. The best method of keeping such hives will be, after 
having cleared them of the dead bees, to hang them up in 
a dry place, out of the reach of mice or rats. The advantage 
which a swarm put into a hive of clean, dry comb has 
over one that is put into an empty hive is very great indeed, 
and known only to those persons who have experienced it. 
IIARDy BORDER PLANTS. 
{Continuedfrom page 291.) 
ACONITUM CAMMAEUM. 
THE BEAKED WOLFSBANE OR MONKSHOOD. 
This a fine, tall, spiry-formed, compact-growing plant, is 
often called A. rostratvm, even in books. Its roots are 
tuberous, supported by a large amount of massy fibres, 
which should not be disturbed at the border-dressing times. 
Should no increase be needed, these plants may remain 
undisturbed for many years in the. same spots. It flourishes 
in any good, common garden soil. The whole plant is of a 
dark green colour. Its stems rise from four to even six 
feet in height, according to the soil and situation it is 
growing in. Its leaves are cut somewhat like fingers of [ 
the human hand. The whole plant is smooth ; the flowers 
are purple, large, numerous, and panicled; the extreme or 
main spikes being very long. It is a very showy, desirable, 
hardy, strong-growing plant; a native of Switzerland, and 
was introduced to this country in 1752 ; flowering from the 
end of June to the end of August. It should be planted in 
back, or centre rows, either in the beds, borders, or plant¬ 
ations, where it is very useful, for it even does well in 
situations where it is much shaded by trees, and a little 
drip from them does not hurt it. T. W. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Shropshire. —This was held on the 8th of December, in 
a building erected specially for the purpose, in the Smith- 
field, Shrewsbury. For the following report we are indebted 
to Eddoives's Shrewsbury Journal :— 
“ The Poultry deservedly attracted very considerable at¬ 
tention, particularly among the fair sex, and this department 
has proved a very pleasing addendum to the exhibitions of 
stock. In the class of Spanish fowl, those of Mr. S. D. 
Smith and E. D. Newill, Esq., which took the first and 
second prizes, were considered as very good specimens, but 
the whole class were scarcely up to par. In the chickens, 
those of the Bev. S. Donne and Mr. Amphlet, which were 
awarded prizes, may be considered to have deservedly taken 
tile palm. Of Coloured Dorking fowl there were sixteen pens 
of very fine birds, the prizes being taken by Lord Berwick 
with the same fowls as were at the Coalbroolulale Show. 
Four of the pens also drew forth honorary mention from 
the judges. There were also eighteen pens of chickens of 
this year, the whole of which were highly meritorious, and 
some of the pens it were almost impossible to excel. The 
mere fact of those of Viscount Hill and Sirs. Lloyd, 
Oswestry, having taken the prizes among such competitors, 
speaks so highly in their favour that it is unnecessary for 
us to add another word. Those of the llev. B. Corbett, of 
Harnage, were too old to compete in the class of chickens, 
and consequently disqualified, though really first-class birds. 
Both classes of Dorkings were jjronounced by able judges 
to be such a collection as has seldom been seeD at any 
exhibition. Passing on to While Dorkings, though the class 
was. not very large, the prize birds deservedly won their 
laurels. "We next come to the Cochin-China. There were 
six pens of Cinnamon and Buff fowl, out of which the first 
prize was taken by Mr. Cattell, with the same birds as have 
won the prizes at the principal exhibitions in the kingdom. 
Of chickens there were thirty-one pens of very superior 
birds entered, more particularly those of the Eev. S. Donne 
and Lord Berwick, which took the prizes. There were nine 
entries for Brown and Partridge-feathered Cochin-China 
chickens, among which were some excellent specimens, 
particularly those which took the prizes. Mrs. Williams, of 
Eaton Mascott, carried away the first prize for Black Cochin- 
China chickens with the same birds as were so successful at 
Coalbrookdale. Mrs. Stowe, of Tewkesbury, also exhibited 
some fine specimens in this class. Mr. W. Lort took all 
the prizes awarded for Malays, but the judges did not con¬ 
sider there was sufficient merit in the class of fowl to award 
the first prize. In Black-breasted and other Bed Game fowl 
Mr. E. Eggington, of Ludlow, and Mr. E. Eoden, of Marsh 
Brook, were the successful competitors against some very 
fine birds. A whole class of Poland fowl was disqualified ou 
