1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



151 



haps sewer-pipe having socket joints would answer 

 MS well; but in either case tlie joints should he 

 cemented. The main steam-pipe under g-round 

 must be well protected to prevent radiation; the 

 most important point being- perfect dryness of the 

 earth where steam-mains run. We run eteam-malas 

 through continuous wooden boxes, made from pine 

 lumber thoroughly covered with coal tar before be- 

 ing nailed together, the pipe being in the center of 

 the bo.x. the space around to be tilled with some 

 non-conductor like mineral wool. 



We arrange our beds in groups of four. At the 

 junction of each four beds we have a pit with a 

 loose cover; in this pit is the steatn-main. Eight '«- 

 inch valves and pipes connect the steam-main with 

 the eight rows of tile tlirough the four beds. The 

 eight valve-stems could be continued; up through 

 the pit-cover; but our way is to remove the cover, 

 and, by kneeling down, all the valves can be reach- 

 ed for manipulation. We find that, ordinailly, the 

 temperature can be maintained at the point desired 

 only by using sieam turned into the tiles for a peri- 

 od of from two to three hours out of each twenty- 

 four. 



The steam-valve and inlet-pipe are only ^i inch. 

 A full head turned on, with a pressure on tiie main 

 of about 2.5 pounds per sq. in., will .send the steam 

 through the length of the bed, and show a little at the 

 open end of the 4-inch tile. The open end of the tile 

 should be covered with a perforated hood to show 

 when enough steam is turned on, and which will 

 also keep vermin out of the tile when not in use. 



Preferably we run steam inlo the beds and have 

 them thoroughly warmed by evening, then they 

 will go through a cold night without further at- 

 tention. ] f they should be cold in the morning, and 

 were then thorougbly warmed up, if the sun came 

 out hot (as sometimes occurs), the temperature is 

 apt to rise quicker and higher than we expect; but 

 a little experience will soon teach a beginner ho.w to 

 manage the steam to obtain the desired results. 



the last number of the Ohio Farmer we find a 

 list of 22 kinds '" in which there is most interest 

 at present." The yields per acre are as follows: 



Y'ld p. acre. 



Banner 



Caiman No. 1 



Carman No. 3 



Columbus 



Clay Rose 



Craig: 



Early Norther 



Earl V Harvest 



Kveiitt's Six Weeks 



Freeman 



Forest Rose 



Irish Daisy 



K(islik<iii()iitc 



Ma^t^ie Mui'phy 



Maule's Thoroughbred 



Nebula 



Rural New-Yorker No. 2 



Somerset 



Sir William 



Salzer's Earliest 



Timpee's No. 4 



Victor Rose 



World's Fair 



Average of all varieties tested, includingr those 

 not reported here 



a! o 



250' 92 



We can not grive the whole of their remarks, 

 but only extracts. 



The varieties which stood above the averafje in all cases are 

 Sir William, Koshkonong, Columbus, nnd Irish Daisy. Fol- 

 lowing closely are Forest Rose. World's Fair, Early Harvest, 

 Carman No. 1. Nebula, Rural New-Yorker No. 2. Timpee's No. 4, 

 Early Norther, Victor Rose, Clay Rose, and Magg-ie Murphy, 

 in the order named. All the varieties named are intermedi- 

 ate or late, except Early Harvest, Nebula, and Early Norther. 

 Everitt's Six Weeks, which is the same as the Early Ohio, is 

 slightly earlier than these, and less prolific, while Salzer's 



Bed 



t'^ 



s 



;^ 



ji 



WARMING HOT-BEDS BY RUNNING LIVE STEAM THROUGH DRAIS-TILES UNDER GROUND. 



We are now running fourteen beds, each .5 ft. wide 

 by 64 ft. long. A 10 H. P. boiler supplies the steam 

 when drawing a full supply for each bed; and as 

 we require this heat only from two to three hours 

 daily, it does not requite much fuel. We have used 

 these beds tor several years, and nothing would 

 tempt us to go back to the old manner of heating 

 with manure. 



We can absolutely control the temperature of the 

 beds at all times while the air outside the beds is 

 lower than the desired degree in the beds. 



The inclosed sketch sliows arrangement of our 

 beds, grade of tile, etc. The idea of steam-heated 

 hot-beds was conceived and developed by my two 

 youngest sons, who had become discouraged trying 

 to get any thing like a uniform heat from manure- 

 "beds. D. Cummins. 



Conneaut, O , Jan. 21. 



maule's EA.RLY thoroughbred POTATO, ETC. 



I have only just been informed by Prof. W. .J. 

 ■Green that this potato was tested also by the 

 Ohio Experiment Station at Wooster; and in 



Earliest, another name for Bliss Triumph, is still loss produc- 

 tive. 



Banner.— A good intermediate white variety. It resembles 

 Rural New-Yorker No. 2 in both plants and tubers, but is of dis- 

 tinct origin. Carman Nos I and 3. —These are both valuable 

 midseason white sorts. No. 1 seems to be more subject to 

 blight than No 3. The latter is quite resistant, but is not ex- 

 empt from the disease. No. 3 resembles the Rural New-Yorker 

 No a in tubers and foliage, but is jirobably more vigorous and 

 prolific. 



Craii; —Tested but one season. The yield was small be- 

 cause of susceptibility to blight It is a vigorous grower, and 

 no doubt prolific under favorable conditions. 



Early Norther— This may be described as an improved 

 Early Rose, being similar to that variety in form and color, 

 but a better cropper. It has given the best results in our va- 

 rious tests of any variety of its class. 



Early Hauvest.— At present this stands at the head of the 

 list of early ^^hite vaiieties. It ripens with the Early Rose. 

 Everitt's Si.v Wkkks— Not distinguishable from Early Ohio. 

 Irish Daisy.- Too large a per cent of small tubers to be desir- 

 able, but it is one ol the most i-rolific. Maggie MrRPHY.— A 

 coarse-looking pink potato, and not of good quality unless 

 gio«n on sandy >oil. 



Maile's TiiORoioiiBRED.— It gave a high yield when grown 

 on a small plot, and has been tested one season only It be- 

 longs to the rose class, an<l seems to be very promising, but 

 more time is needed in order to fully test its value. Nebula.— 

 Similar to Early Norther. Somerset.— .4 mid-season rose-col- 

 ored variety of considerable promise. 



