September 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
341 
one drop of honey escaped from the cells, nor was a 
robber bee seen near us; but the most extraordinary 
thing was that I was enabled to do this without any 
protection whatever, satisfactorily proving that the 
bees were not at all annoyed by it; what few bees 
were left upon the ground I collected in my hand, 
and held them to the mouth of the hive, which they 
very quickly entered; a further proof this that not 
the least irritability was caused by this examination. 
All this tends fully to establish what T have before 
said respecting this hive —“ That both the bees and 
their store are at all times completely under the 
command of their proprietors. From this hive fine 
honey-comb may always be obtained ; swarming 
effectually prevented, and artificial swarms when re¬ 
quired insured.” 
Stocks. —Small hives remaining upon the stocks, 
though only partially filled with honey, may now be 
taken off, provided the stock will not be too much 
impoverished thereby. Wherever the chance of this 
presents itself, leave the small hives on through the 
winter, or until they are emptied by tbe bees. Those 
partially-filled hives taken from rich stocks may be 
given with advantage to poor ones, now or in the 
spring. It is always desirable at this season to take 
off all the small hives, &c., that the stocks may be 
the more easily protected from wet; always remem¬ 
bering that 20 lbs of honey should be left in each 
stock, except in swarms of the present year, for 
which 17 or 18 pounds will be sufficient. 
Coverings to Hives. — Examine carefully the 
coverings to the hives that they be all sound, and 
that no rain be admitted through them, for it will in 
a short time destroy the most vigorous stock. 
Robbers will at this time be carrying on their de¬ 
predations ; and should a serious attack be observed, 
the entrance must be narrowed one half at the least. 
Wedges of cork answer very well for this purpose. 
Wasps and Hornets. —Use the greatest vigilance 
in destroying the nests of wasps and hornets; they 
are both great enemies to bees; the one by seizing 
them alive, and preying upon their bodies, and the 
other by pillaging their stores. 
Pedestals. —Let the pedestals which support the 
hive be well looked to at this time; although to the 
eye they may appear sound, let them be examined 
two or three inches below the surface of the ground, 
and should they be found in an unsound state re¬ 
place them by new ones; and if they are a little 
charred before fixing, it may be the means of preserv¬ 
ing them a little longer. 
I had hoped, and indeed promised, to say some¬ 
thing on the use of chloroform for fumigating bees, 
but 1 must first gain a little more information and 
experience in the matter, the result of which I hope 
to be able to give in my next calendar. 
AUTUMN-BLOOMING PELARGONIUMS. 
The following is a list of good pelargoniums that 
will bloom in the autumn, if stopped in succession 
from the beginning to the last week in May. As the 
autumn advances, the latest of them may require some 
assistance with dry heat, but anything approaching to 
close or damp heat would only cause them to grow on. 
A late peach-house, or a vinery, from which the fruit 
has been cut, would be the most eligible place for 
them, and air night and day must be allowed them. 
Cuttings of the Alba multiflora put in at the begin¬ 
ning of April, to be in their blooming pots by the end 
of June, and kept rather dry from the middle of Au¬ 
gust, will succeed these, and carry on the bloom to 
Christmas. All pelargoniums that flower after the 
middle of September under this treatment, are left 
in the same pots till the beginning of January, and 
only cut down half the length of tbe shoots in Octo¬ 
ber to get head-room for them ; they are not allowed 
to get quite dry in winter, but no more water is 
given them than will keep them from shrivelling; 
and, as they have but few old leaves, any spare 
room, or under a dry stage in a greenhouse, will do 
for wintering them. In January they are cut down 
close to three or four eyes, and afterwards treated in 
the usual way. 
Agrippina 
Ethel 
Free Briton 
Forget-me-not 
Hebe’s Lip 
King (Gaines) 
Luna 
Lady Denby 
Madelina 
■-superb 
Milo 
Mulberry 
Negress 
Orion 
Othello 
Phyllis 
Priory Queen 
Queen of Trumps 
Sarah 
Silene 
Witch 
The great growers supply them at from 12s to 18s 
per dozen, according to the size of the plants; but a 
selection of the newest of them would be charged 
higher. As we intend to scan this subject tho¬ 
roughly, we invite contributions or any remarks on 
the subject.—S enilis. 
PIG-KEEPING. 
The allotment system is now so general, that I 
hope all my readers have some land on that plan, 
and, moreover, that they cultivate it in the manner 
recommended by The Cottage Gardener. Many 
of my poor neighbours have these gardens, but they 
have not what 1 consider an essential companion to 
them—a companion who will almost pay the rent of 
the cottage; in fact, a kind of “ household treasure ” 
—a Pig ! In answer to my inquires, “ How is it I 
see no pig ?” I hear from one, “ I have no time to 
attend to one, I work hard all day for my master, 
and after hours for myself in the garden.” From 
another, “ I have no money to buy one.” Now, I 
will show No. 1 that his excuse is not a sufficient 
one for me. With No. 2 I expect a little more diffi¬ 
culty, but “ nothing venture, nothing have,” so I 
will do my best to coin a little money for him—aye, 
to coin. Is not a penny saved a penny gained ? 
Well, to begin with No. 1. I see you have no spare 
time; I hear you do not even pass five minutes at 
the “ Ring of Bells;” but who is that smiling, stout 
girl who opened the wicket for me ? Why could she 
not tend to your pig ? She is hard on ten years old, 
I am sure. You say, too, your wife is sickly, there¬ 
fore she will be at home, and so you will have the 
old head and young shoulders to help you out of 
your difficulty. And now a few words to my young 
friend. At present you are but of little assistance to 
your parents, but, by taking pains and being atten¬ 
tive to what your mother tells you, you may greatly 
assist her in paying the rent. Add your voice to 
mine, and beg your father to buy a pig. There, see 
how pleased she looks. I am sure her father has 
said “ yes.” Now for No. 2. You tell me you have 
no money ; I must confess that is rather an awkward 
answer, but how is it that I see you (when taking 
my evening walk) sitting at the door of the “Ring ot 
Bells.” I fancy the landlady would not smile on you 
unless you had some money. What do you say ? 
How many pennies do you give her a week ? ^ That 
pipe, too, how much does that cost you? My friend, 
listen to me; forsake the doorway for ever, give up 
your pipe for a time, put by the halfpence till you 
