366 THE COTTAGE GARDE NEE AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 8, 1857. 
cut off old or full-grown trees, and when it is necessary 
to prune a young one, which it often is, do not by any 
means cut the condemned limb closely off, but shorten 
it in. Having witnessed a good many trees sawn up I 
have seen the evil effects of this with Oaks, while Elms 
seem not so much affected as other trees. From the 
inquiries made elsewhere it seems that large Oak trees 
are more common than other kinds. This, however, 
may be an error arising from the popularity the tree has 
attained; but in the neighbourhood I write from, which 
is a well-wooded one, Elms collectively and individually 
are larger trees than Oaks, and their growth is more 
rapid, especially the dark-coloured-barked variety, called 
by various local names, but most extensively known as 
Dutch Elm. This tree grows very rapidly on the dry, 
stony soils of this neighbourhood, and attains a larger 
size than the Oak; but, as I may have a few observa¬ 
tions to make on this much-despised tree hereafter, I 
must leave it until another time. J. Robson. 
THE USE AND ABUSE OF THE MOWING 
MACHINE. 
I yesterday came across Mr. Robson’s memorandum on 
the mowing machine and scythe in the number of The 
Cottage Gardener for the 7th of July, and in which I do 
not think he gives the machine its fair due. 
Being one of the gentlemen who occasionally find it a 
“ useful and pleasing mode of taking athletic exercise,” I 
propose to give you the results of my experience, and will 
deal with some of the disadvantages he mentions. 
1. Though it will not cut grass under boughs of trees, nor 
in intricate places generally , yet it is very handy in doing work 
partaking of an intricate character; but it must be remem¬ 
bered that the machine is put forward as a machine to mow 
lawns , which have always more or less open space of some 
extent, and any considerable intricacies in which are 
judiciously avoided. 
2. It will cut grass on any slope not so steep as to cause 
the machine to slip. Undulations are of no consequence, 
and if the grass be really a lawn I may expect it to be 
tolerably smooth and even surfaced; but the machine is 
really not so over nice. 
3. As to its liability to “ go wrong,” I have had my mowing 
machine in work two summers, and it has not “ gone wrong ” 
yet. The fact is that, like machines generally, it wants a 
little care, and must have it, and it is just that which it so 
ordinarily fails to have, and then it “ goes wrong,” and then 
it is tampered with, till at last it will not go at all. 
4. Assuming the machine to be a good one and in proper 
order, leave it alone, and play no tricks by experimenting on it, 
altering the gearing, &c. This requires skill and nicety, 
and a thorough acquaintance with the putting together and 
bearings of the different parts of the machine. Mine has 
mown nearly half an acre at least once a week for two 
summers, and I see no difference in its work. Keep the 
cogs, wheels, and bearings well oiled with sweet oil. Sweep 
the verge of the grass before using, to get rid of small stones 
strayed off from the paths. Brush off any damp grass stick¬ 
ing to the machine after use, and place it under cover when 
done with. In moving it from place to place turn it upside 
down. Wheel it carefully over any stony or uneven places, 
to prevent fracture or straining from shakes or jars. Five 
minutes extra employed on these trifles at each time of 
using will prevent its “ going wrong.” Neglect any one of 
them, and its fate is decided. 
5. As to the economy of time from its use, I have this 
morning been mowing a part of my lawn, consisting of an 
oval and undulating piece of ground, and containing 9,025 
square feet. It has four small circular beds for specimen 
plants, and two large trees upon it. My mowing machine is 
nineteen inches in the width of the blade. With fair work, 
neither hurrying nor dawdling, it took me and the under¬ 
gardener a few minutes less than two hours. Every part of 
the ground was gone oyer twice, and was at the same time 
cleaned, rolled, and left in perfect order. No two men with 
scythes could have left it better, and as a matter of informa¬ 
tion I should very much like to know, first, what time would it 
have taken two men to go over the same ground twice with 
a scythe; and secondly, then to have swept and rolled it; for 
they would have had no chance with the machine as to neat¬ 
ness otherwise. 
6. As to the machine mowing long grass, grass laid flat, 
and weeds, could any piece of grass in such a state have 
any pretensions to be called a lawn ? The machine is in¬ 
tended to mow lawns, and is made to do fine work accord¬ 
ingly, and would be sure to disappoint any one who applied it 
to another purpose. 
I never recommend the machine, because it is expensive, 
and because I fear that in nine cases out of ten it will be 
neglected or abused, or both, and which I do not think is 
very creditable to the class of men who should use them, 
and to whom and whose employers the saving of time would 
be of such serious importance.—R ev. P., Spring Grove, 
Hounslow . 
PROLIFIC SWARM OF BEES. 
In the number of The Cottage Gardener for August 
26th, 1856, I related the unusual prolificacy of a swarm of 
the same season, and I now wish to add the sequel, as 
showing what may be done in the way of increasing stocks 
by proper management. A few lines of recapitulation will, 
however, save my readers the trouble of turning to the 
back volume, and also render the account intelligible to 
those who have it not at hand. 
On June 3rd, 1856, I hived a very strong swarm into a 
flat-topped straw hive. On the 1st of July this hive gave 
out a swarm, which was hived in a common straw skep. On 
the 23rd of July a second swarm issued from the flat- 
topped hive, but the queen was caught, and the swarm 
returned. On the 28th of July a third swarm issued, and, 
as I was away from home, was allowed to establish itself in 
a straw hive, where it made a few pounds of honey, and 
was, in September, driven and the bees returned to the 
flat-topped hive from whence the swarm issued. Thus one 
swarm of 1856 threw out three swarms the same season, 
one being allowed to stand the winter in a common skep,' 
or bell-shaped hive, the others returned. 
In the present season, 1857, the flat-topped hive has 
given me a swarm and a cast, both of which now tenant a 
Stewarton hive, in which they have collected 40 lbs. of 
honey, in addition to a small glass of 6 lbs. which I took 
away early in the summer. The skep, which, in 1856, was 
tenanted by a swarm from a swarm, has yielded me, in 
1857, a single swarm, which has also been placed in a 
second Stewarton hive, where it has collected 29 lbs. of net 
contents. Thus it will be seen that I have now in my 
possession four flourishing stocks, containing not less than 
120 lbs. of honey, from a single swarm of last year, 1856. 
Looked at in a pecuniary sense the result is most gratifying; 
for, as a good stock is always worth two swarms, I may say 
that I have increased their value 700 per cent. 
The mode by which this remarkable increase was 
obtained is very soon detailed. I began with a very large 
swarm, which was fed with barley sugar on wet days; and, 
secondly, I did not increase the size of the hive by adding 
ekes or supers, inasmuch as I wanted to increase the 
number of my stocks instead of obtaining honey. 
As will be seen by the above, I have had two Stewarton 
hives in operation this season. The results of my experience 
respecting them are recorded in the following article.—W. 
B. Tegetmeier, Tottenham. 
STEWARTON HIVES IN THE SOUTH. 
In a former number of The Cottage Gardener, Vol. 
XVIII., page 7, I described the formation, and gave a 
general outline of the management, of the hives used at 
Stewarton, N.B., and stated that I had obtained some from 
Mr. Eaglesham, and intended using them and describing the 
result. In accordance with this promise I propose to 
record the progress of my two Stewarton hives this season. 
Into the first, which I will call No. 1,1 placed a swarm 
on May 25th. The swarm, I may mention, weighed within 
