October 10. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
39 
is mortar rubbish. This article, when it can be had 
in sufficient quantities, is assuredly the best of all for 
maintaining an open friable texture to the soil placed 
at such a distance from the ordinary action of the 
atmosphere; besides, its caustic properties being in a 
measure gone, the roots of most plants seem to luxuriate 
in it when they find it lying in a sort of a vein or seam 
between layers of the ordinary soil, which we have never 
seen them do when fresh lime has been placed in such 
a position; and though the powerful action of quick¬ 
lime may operate more rapidly in disengaging those 
bands which tie one particle of the tenacious matter 
witli another, yet the mechanical powers called into 
operation in the blending are the same, and after a 
lapse of years the mortar rubbish (being often used more 
liberally) is generally the most useful. However, as that 
cannot always he obtained, we advise the use of other 
things that can be had. Charcoal-dust is good, in fact, 
too good to be placed in the bottom of a trench ; but 
coal-ashes are not unsuitable when all cinders have 
been taken out; but whatever is used, let it be well 
worked into the soil, and if needs be, dung may be 
placed between the first and second spits ; certainly we 
would not advise dung to be any lower, unless for special 
purposes, as Carrots, Parsnips, &c., but for most crops, 
whose roots do not go directly downina straight direction, 
we say, keep it more near the top, that the rains may wash 
it down lower. But the manure used in trenching, must 
be regulated by the intended crop on the ground, some 
of which, as asparagus, requires special treatment; but 
this we shall refer to hereafter, confining our remarks, 
in the present paper, to the improvement of the ground 
for general purposes, and in recommending mortar- 
rubbish, which we presume to be the chipping of bricks 
that have been cleaned, with occasional broken ones 
amongst it, as well as old plaster, &c., we by no means 
deprecate other things, having a like opening tendency; 
but, somehow, we think lime-rubbish has a chemical 
action on the soil, peculiar to itself, and grateful to vege¬ 
tation; on that account we advise its use to all stiff- 
bottomed soils, and if it be less slow in its pulverizing 
effects than fresh lime, it is certainly more durable. We 
will reserve our remarks on the treatment of soils of an 
opposite nature until another time. 
Cauliflowers. —See that slugs and other vermin are 
kept away. When moist weather follows after a length¬ 
ened period that has been dry, these gentry sally out of 
their lurking places, and commit great devastation. 
Occasional dustings with lime, soot, or wood-ashes, will 
keep them away. It is time now to prepare some 
ground to plant out those that are to stand over the 
winter in hand-glasses, but about the 20tli is time 
enough to plant them. In the meantime, see that the 
glasses are all in order, if that has not been done before, 
as we like September best for all painting, glazing, or 
repairing; however, get them in readiness, as well as 
the ground. 
Lettuce and Endive may now be planted for spring 
use. In planting these useful vegetables, the ordinary 
summer instructions of choosing moist, dull weather, 
must be reversed, and a dry, sunny day taken advantage 
of, if possible. The reason is obvious; in summer, the 
loss the plant sustains by evaporation in a bright, dry 
day, is more than it can well bear at a time when it has 
just undergone a rather severe operation,—that of being 
removed; while now, that evil is less than the one to 
be apprehended from the attack of slugs, &c., so much 
more numerous or destructive in moist weather than in 
dry; added to that, plunging on newly-dug ground, in 
wet weather, is very hurtful, and, taking everything into 
view, we prefer dry weather at this season. 
Celery must be earthed-up on favourable occasions, 
when dry. That intended for latest use, ought to be 
blanched with something more likely to preserve it from 
worms than the common rich earth of a kitchen-garden. 
We have done some with coal-ashes, with a very good 
result, using only a little next to the plant; behind that 
was soil. As many gardens, known to produce the 
best celery, are likewise notorious for its keeping badly, 
we advise them to try this, or some other simple remedy. 
Mushrooms. —Prepare more dung for a late bed; if 
you are furnished with a house purposely for them, the 
trouble and uncertainty is much lessened. Notice beds 
that have been made recently, that they do not over¬ 
heat, if so, it is better to remove a good quantity of the 
dung in the centre for a day or two, than deluge it with 
cold water; those made up, and in a mild, genial heat, 
must be spawned and earthed over. J.R. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
NEW PLAN OF BEE-KEEPING.—No. 3. 
It will now be my endeavour to prove from facts that the 
proposed new system of bee-keeping, as suggested by me, is 
both simple in its management and promising in its results. 
What first gave me the idea of it, was my trial last sum¬ 
mer of the artificial swarming system of Dr. Scudamore, to 
whom I have before frequently alluded. I observed that the 
swarms so formed, being located of necessity on the stand 
which the parent hive had occupied, became highly prosperous 
and very heavy. Thus one of them (of May 21, 1850), in six 
weeks' time, had attained the weight of 51 lbs., nett contents; a 
second, in the course of the same summer, upwards of 40 lbs., 
also nett; and a third, which had an old queen, 32 lbs. 1 
observed, also, that this exchange of the swarm for the 
parent stock, drew away from the parent hive all the bees, 
with few exceptions, which had once been out in the open 
air; for they, on their first excursion after the change of 
hives, naturally flew hack to the place, now occupied by the 
swarm, where they had been used to find their home ; and, 
indeed, this only could account for the weight of honey, so 
much greater than usual. 
It then occurred to me that swarms which issued naturally , 
in the ordinai'y manner, might be similarly treated, and with 
the like success; and thus I considered large prime swarms 
might always be secured; because, however small they might 
be on their first establishment, they would, in a couple of 
days’ time, attract to themselves all the full-grown population 
of the parent stocks. But I, at first, mistrusted the final 
advantage, because I had observed, in the case of swarms 
artificially formed, that the old stock frequently became so 
much weakened by the withdrawal of its population, as to 
run the risk of perishing; in fact, in one or two instances 
which came under my observation, it did actually perish. I 
accounted for this in the following manner: that for full 
seven weeks not a young bee was, or could be, hatched in the 
hive, for it would take three weeks to raise a young queen, 
and when raised one week at least must elapse before she 
would he in a condition to lay, besides the three weeks even 
then to pass before these eggs could become perfect bees. 
Thus, the hive’s prosperity would depend upon the quantity 
of brood left by the old queen at the time she was expelled 
from the hive; if much , the stock would be likely to do well, 
and become very heavy; if little, it would gradually grow 
weaker, and perish at last. All this is supposing the hive 
were left open, and too many bees suffered to join the new 
swarm, of which, without much precaution, there would be 
a great danger. Again, however, I reflected that if the first 
swarm issued naturally (in which case the old hive would be 
almost sure to be full of brood), a young queen would be ready 
to issue from her cell in a few days, and thus, not much 
more than half the time above-mentioned would elapse 
