504 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 20. 
wonders sometimes bids defiance to common sense, to say 
nothing of the philosophic principles. As soon, however, 
as the least discoloration takes place in the lower leaves, 
there is little doubt that they may be at once removed 
without injury to the roots, and with a positive benefit to 
the cow or pig. 
Winter Greens. —Little is needed now among these, but 
to clear them thoroughly, and to collect the lower leaves by 
system, as with the root crops. Those who wish for early 
sprouts to their Green Kale or Brussels Sprouts, may top 
some of the strongest in the beginning of October. These 
will commence sprouting this autumn, and will grow during 
all mild winter weather. The Cabbage plants, from sowings 
in the early part of August, should be pricked-out, three 
inches apart, in the early part of the month, but not on rich 
soil. A little, of the burnt matter of the weed heap will be 
a good dressing. If the soil is rich, they get “ winter 
proud,” and suffer much from frost in consequence. 
And now, the ground being relieved of its root-crops, let 
me strenuously advise that every spare plot be ridged up to 
mellow. This is so important a procedure, that, were I a 
proprietor of allotments, I should, although unwilling to 
dictate, insist on the practice for the sake of those who 
held the land. If any plots are sour, or too adhesive, a 
good opportunity will occur of spreading cinder, or other 
ashes, lime rubbish, road scrapings, &c. These will work 
an important change for spring cropping. The end of 
October, too, is a period highly eligible to prosecute drainage 
matters, and the landlord will do well, and discharge a high 
duty, by promoting such by all possible means. The manure- 
heap should now be seen to in earnest; let all weeds be 
collected, hedges clipped, road-sides, or wastes, skimmed of 
their weedy turf, if lawful, and all such matters charred. 
They may then be spread over the muck-heap, and the 
whole turned, broken, and mixed. The heap should be 
then piled in a ridge or mound, and, indeed, every pains j 
taken to keep out the rains, which may be said to rob the 
poor man’s muck heap of thirty per cent, annually. Let 
some, at least, of our readers try this plan, and report on it 
next year. 
In conclusion; let all stagnant soils have old gutters 
opened or cleaned, and others made where necessary, before 
November comes on; it is over late to talk about these 
things in February. 4Vbat with gold hunting, rumours of 
war, and a high amount of consumption, consequent on 
commercial prosperity, the approaching winter bids fair to 
be a trying one. Allotment men and cottagers will do well 
to strain every nerve now, in order, not only to keep out of 
the shopkeeper's hands, but, indeed, to have some saleable 
produce, if possible. 11. Erkington. 
APIARIAN’S CALENDAR— October. 
Bg J. H. Payne, Esq., Author of “ The Bee-Keeper's 
Guide," die. 
Very little requires either to be said or done respecting 
Bees this month, beyond seeing that each slock contains at 
least twenty pounds of honey; and that those that are not 
placed in- a bee-house are well protected against wet. In 
those localities where ivasps abound it will be right to con¬ 
tract the entrances of the hives, and to destroy their nests 
whenever discovered; for this purpose turpentine is best; 
its application being easy, and its effects certain. 
North Aspect. —I have again received several reports 
favouring a north aspect; and not even one against it. 
Still, I feel quite sure that it will not do in all places. 
Chloroform. —I am obliged to “ Gliyra ” for his informa¬ 
tion on this point; and in reply to his query as to “ the 
dusk” being the best time to operate, I should say, that if 
he intends to take all the honey, and join the Bees to 
another stock, it certainly would; but if he intends to take 
only part of the honey, noon would be the best time. 
THE CULTURE OF A ROOD OF GROUND. 
October. 
In my notes for September, I intimated that I should 
give a description how I prepared my land for my Wheal- 
crop, and how I sow the seed, &c. Supposing my ground 
intended for Wheat to be occupied with Potatoes or Man- 
gold-wurzel, these will, by the latter end of this month, be 
fit to take up, and, as soon as I have cleared them off, 
I draw my cultivator over the ground (a description of j 
this implement is given in my notes for August), and cut 
up all the weeds, and rake them off, making it quite clean 
and level; and, having been previously well manured for i 
the root-crops, it is in sufficient heart to receive the Wheat. ! 
This is all the preparation I make previous to sowing the 
seed. I then draw my lines eight inches apart with my ] 
driller, the full particulars of which I have given in my 
“ Spade Husbandry,” which is, in fact, nothing more than 
part of an old oak-bedstead, about five or six feet long, and 
some iron spikes fixed in for teeth, at eight inches apart, 
and two handles to draw it by, which answers the purpose 
as well as a more costly one, and what every cottager may 
contrive with very little trouble or expence. This simple 
implement I find equally useful for drawing lines for other 
crops as well as Wheat. Previously to my beginning to draw 
the lines, I first fix my garden line the whole length of the 
ground, and place the driller by the side of the line, and 
carefully draw the outside tooth close by the line, from one 
end of the ground to the other, in order that I may get the 
lines perfectly straight to start with ; this being done, there 
is no further need of the line in drawing the driller across 
a second time, the outside tooth being placed in the last 
line drawn, and, if the ground be nicely even, they may be 
drawn quite straight, and there being eight teeth in the 
driller, a rood of ground, in this way, may be lined out in a 
very short time, each line being exactly eight inches apart, 
which, when the crop is growing, gives a very neat appear¬ 
ance, besides the great facility such a space gives for hoeing 
and keeping the crop clean, to what it does when they are 
sown almost half the space, besides being irregular. My 
land being of good quality, I have always found this distance 
quite close enough, besides sowing the seed tolerably thin. 
As soon as I have prepared my ground, as above stated, I 
proceed to dibble the holes exactly on the lines, about four 
or five inches apart, at the same time stepping between the 
lines so that I do not tread them out. I have a girl or wo¬ 
man to follow me, and drop two or three kernels into each 
hole, which is quite sufficient, provided the seed is good and 
can be kept free from vermin, &,c. I prefer having a woman 
to drop that is well experienced in the practice, which is 
1 very important, as boys or girls are very apt to be careless, 
and put too much seed into each hole. By adopting the 
above plan, I find a great saving of seed, besides the ad¬ 
vantage of getting an abundant crop. As soon as the drop¬ 
ping is finished, I rake the ground over well, that the 
seed may be properly covered. The way I prepare the 
seed is with a steep of common salt, of sufficient strength 
to swim an egg, and then sift some fresh-slaked lime on the 
seed when taken out of the steep, and stir it well, so that it 
is perfectly dry before being used. If the seed is not used 
directly, care must be taken that it does not lay on a heap, 
as it is apt to heat. 
Cabbages. —The first week in this month is the time I 
transplant my early Battersea Cabbages in the ground where 
they are intended to stand. The following is the plan I 
pursue: I put on a liberal quantity of manure, and dig it 
in a good depth ; as soon as the land is dug over, I pro¬ 
ceed to transplant the Cabbages in rows two feet apart, and 
fifteen inches apart in the rows. If a crop of winter Beans 
be desired to grow between the rows of Cabbages, a double 
row may be dibbled between every other two rows of Cabbages, 
at the same time the Cabbages are put in ; or, if the long- > 
pod Beans be preferred, they should be sown in February. 1 
The various methods I pursue, in growing crops with my 
Cabbages, I have given in my little work that I have pre¬ 
viously mentioned. 
Where Vegetable M.arrows are grown, and allowed to 
ripen, they should be cut this month, and stored in a dry, 
cool chamber; and, when frosty weather sets in, they should 
be protected with any covering that is most convenient. I ] 
