476 



jouknaij op hoeticultuke and cottage gaedeneb. 



r December 6, 1865. 



causes, and its effects upon bees, being merely secondhand, I 

 hope other correspondents who may unfortunately have had 

 personal experiences of its ravages, will respond to the inquiry 

 of "A. W." In a future Number I intend adverting to other 

 diseases to which our little favourites are liable, and which, I 

 regret to say, have come under my direct observation as — 

 A Detomshire Bee-keepeb. 



(To be continued.) 



THE REV. HENRY WARD BEECHERS FARM. 



This farm is at Peekskill, West Chester county. New York, 

 about two miles from the railroad station. It contains forty 

 acresof excellent land, and is pleasantly situated with a southern 

 aspect, commanding an extensive and most charming panoramic 

 view of the Hudson river, the high and surrounding mountains, 

 such as no one knows better how to appreciate and eujoy than 

 the rural-loving owner himself. 



When Mr. Beecher purchased the place, a few years ago, 

 there was scarcely a fruit tree of any value upon it. Now there 

 are 2500 choice fruit trees, most of them already beginning to 

 bear. He has erected a large model barn, but as yet occupies 

 the humble cottage he found upon the place, though he has 

 made important additions and improvements. 



Mr. Beecher is converting the place, to a great extent, except- 

 ing an extensive lawn in front of the house, into a fruit and 

 vegetable farm. He has nearly an acre filled with Deleware and 

 Iowa Grape 'Vines; and as the trees are yet small, he has 

 raised among them this year between seven and eight hunthred 

 barrels of Onions. 



Around his little cottage Flora reigns in all her glory. There 

 is the greatest profusion of all the choicest flowers, and the 

 whole air is redolent with their sweet and mingled perfumes. 



The barn and out-buildings are well stocked with tine horses, 

 oxen, choice breeding cows, swine, fowls, &c. This autumn Mr. 

 Beecher has been making many improvements in the drainage 

 of his lands and the avenue to his house, all adding greatly to 

 the value and attractiveness of the place. 



The influence of a farm conducted like this, thoiigh all farmers 

 may not be able to adopt all the improvements that have been 

 there made, must be of the greatest benefit to the agricultural 

 interest of.any community ; and Mr. Beecher is really a bene- 

 factor to all the farming as well as rehgious interests of the 

 country. — (Boston Tra vcUcr.) 



MttES'S PATENT VERMIN TRAPS. 



These improved patent traps for catching foxes, martens, 

 polecats, and other animals, either large or small, may be so 

 arranged as to catch them alive and without injury, or so as to 

 kill them instantly. The improvements consist principally in 

 the parts used in setting and releasing the trap, which are set 

 at an inclination from the ground. The setting parts consist 

 of three pieces of wood or other material, two of which are put 

 together and used in the form of a stmt to support the trap 

 when set ; the third piece forms a clip to keep the strut-pieces 

 in position, as also a support for the bait. 



If the animal is to be killed, the trap is formed of a large 

 flag-stone, or other weighty or weighted surface, which, on fall- 

 ing, will produce immediate deatli ; on the other hand if the 

 animal is to be caught alive, the trap is made of an inverted 

 boxlike form, and furnished with two or more feet at the corners, 

 or otherwise, so that the trap may rest thereon in falling, and 

 obviate the possibihty of cruelty, or injury to the animal's tail. 

 Where the animals are to be caught alive, it is necessary to 

 put the trap on a flat stone or other hard surface, to prevent 

 burromng. When it is desired to remove animals alive in the 

 trap, it is supplied with a hinged flap on one side ; this flap 

 or lid is used, when inverted, as the bottom of the trap that is 

 to lest on the ground. Being lined with iron, when the animal 

 is caucrht, the trap may be locked or otherwise fastened, and 

 the animal so secured and removed with it. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



A CHA'iPioN NEEDED [Cork of the Tl^fl/fc).— Either tt Cochin or a Brahma 

 Pootra cock oufjht to knock the tif^'bt out of the invading,' Silvcr-spanpled 

 Haaiburph ; but it depends upon eouwige more thnn wciRht. The Brahma 

 Pootra may have the most of this desired quality if, as we dare to sus- 

 pect, the breed has some Malay blood in it. 



Bantam's Legs Paralysed {T. F.).~A blood-vessel has probably burst 

 upon the brain, keep the bird quite quiet, away from other poultry, and 

 feed upon soft food only. The extravasated blood sometimes is absorbed, 

 and then, if no fresh oozing of blood occurs, the bird may recover, but 

 recovery i& of rare occiureuce. 



Hens not Laying (Hugh). — Tliis is the time of year when hens usually 

 cease laj-ing, in fact, only pnlletg usually lay in the winter months. A 

 little ale and bread may be piven daily, but no feedinj* will make old hens 

 lay now. A lump of camphor is all that is needed to be put in the water 

 as a preventive of gapes. 



La Flkche's "White Face (A. (?.).— The La FKche is a breed in which 

 the white deaf ear is as essential as in a Hamburgh. They might take prizes 

 if all the competing pens were deficient in this particular ; but a pen lacking 

 the distinction could not be successful, against one that had it. A full- 

 grown cock should weigh from 9 to 10 lbs., a hen from 6^ to 7.^ lbs. 



Cochin Chinas (A. C). — The hen with a swollen abdomen would never 

 have been u^^eful. The fatness had caused diseased ovaries. Warted 

 legs would not be a disqualification, but would lessen the chance of 

 snccess. '• A peu of fowls " is not limited to any number. A pen is t he 

 cage, and for the prizes oflfered is specified in the exJiibition schedule 

 how many birds; usually two or three hens and a cock must be exhibited 

 in the class. A single bird, or two pullets, or any other number may 

 constitute a pen. Neck hackle are the long feathers on the neck; saddle 

 hackle are the long feathers hanging down from the back. Rats and mice 

 eat the poultry food, but do no further harm at this season. The rats 

 will kill yoimg chickens. Your house is large enough for both Geese and 

 Ducks if not numerous. 



Waxy-eared Pigeon (A Constant Suhiicrlher).~Fot your Pigeon with 



hard waxy substance in the e^r, trj' fomenting it with warm water, 



remove as much of the substance as you can, and then drop in a little 



sweet oil,— B. P. B. 



PrMPKiN and Apple Jam. &c. — A Gardener'n Wife will be obliged by 



> receipts for making pumpkin jam and jelly and pies, also apple jam and 



J jelly, and what apples are bch-t, sour or sweet. 



I Cooking Leeks.— Iu reply to " Gee " we would say that to cook leeks 

 I as a vegetable nothing is more easy, provided they are neither over-boiled 

 ! nor under-boiled. In the one case the rich mild flavour of the leek is 

 I lost, in the other it is hard and unpleasant. In preparing the leeks, 

 I strip off one or two of the outside layers, and cut off as much of the 

 1 bottom as will take away all the foundations of the rootlets. If the leek 

 , is much more than an inch in diameter, run the knife up the centre for 

 j 3 inches or so from the bottom end. If larger than that, run the knife 

 j up a little farther, or even twice, so as to quarter the lower part. Accord- 

 I ing to taste, use only the white blanched part of the leek, or, aa we pre- 

 I fer it, retain a little of the green of the top. The contrast looks so much 

 ] better in the disli, and the lower part of the gi-een head is nice and tender. 

 , Then wash carefully in cold water, in which a piece of salt is dissolved, 

 ! which will bring out the smallest worm or any creeping thing that may 

 ■ lodge in the folds of the top. Have enough of boiUng water, according 

 ' to the quantity of the leeks, so that all shall be covered when shghtly 

 ! pressed down. Put the leek'^, drained from the cold water, into the boil- 

 ; ing water, into which you have put a small teaspoouful of the carbonate 

 I of soda, or the carbonate of potash. We prefer the former, aa it softens 

 I the water and the leek, and keeps the top green. When they have boiled 

 nicely and slowly about ten minutes, adrl a small tablespoonful of salt to 

 the water. Generally in about five minutes more the leeks will be nice 

 and soft ; but one should be tried with the prongs of a foi'k, or evenly cut- 

 ting it open. When nice and soft they are right ; they must not be boiled 

 to tatter-^, or rendered string>'. Turn them out into a warm colander, 

 and shghtly jiress the water from them. Then you may ser\'e on toasted 

 bread as you would do sea-kale, or merely turned out on a heated plate, 

 and eat with a little pepper and gTrt\'y from roast beef or mutton put over 

 them. They are also admirable when flavoured with melted butter ; but 

 for general use. cooked in this simple way, merely with a little gTa^^,^ and 

 pepper or salt, according to taste, they make a delicious dish. They have 

 long been a favourite dish in Wales, and form a principal ingredient in 

 the Scotch dish Cock-a-Leekie, as also a component part in black pud- 

 dings, and various stews and soups ; but on these matters we do not 

 enter. Treated merely as a dish of vegetables, as a change from various 

 kinds of greens, the above simple mode answers well, and they will be 

 found good all the winter, and better in the spring, if used before the 

 seed-stalk begins to rise. 



Moclds for Leather Ornaments (F. A. H.). — Our correspondent 

 wishes to he informed where she can obtain moulds of the Pine Apple, 

 and other fruits, for making leather ornaments. 



Argand Lamp (D. C). — Any one who sells lamps in Exeter, Plymouth, 

 or other large town, will know what kind of lamp it is. Train oil or colza 

 oil bums in it. It is one of the oldest of lamps, and is described in every 

 encyclopicdia. 



Trifoliuii incabnatcm (An Apiarian). — As cultivated it comes within 

 the definitiou of a biennial. It is sown in the autumn and blooms in 

 June. Perhaps if sown vei*y eaiiy in the spring it might bloom late in 

 the autumn, but we have no experience on this subject. 



Carbonnieu's Incubator (J. W. W.). — The work you mention is pro- 

 bably ft translation from the French. We never heard of such an 

 incubator. 



LONDON MARKETS.— December 4. 



POULTKY. 



A large influx of Game has influenced the sale of poultry, which has 

 been heavy during the past week. 



Grouse 1 



Partridges 1 



Hares 3 



Rabbits 1 



Wild do 



Pigeone 



■. 1 



., 2 



„ 1 



.. 



„ 



