270 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



they are not irrown in the souih of France, he as- 

 cribes lo ihe exlren)e dryness oflhe cliinaie. This 

 undoubtedly would render them a very precarious 

 crop ; but when he assigns the severity of the 

 winter in the northern disiricts of France, as the 

 cause of their not being cuiiivatod there, his rea- 

 son does not seem equally good. In (act, they 

 are cultivated in French Flanders, in Alsace, Lor- 

 raine, and in the other districts in the north and 

 east ; and it appears from Mr. Young's Tour, in 

 1787, 1788, 1789, that at that period they were 

 not entirely unUnown, even in the middle and 

 southern districts. In the department of the Lot, 

 raves, that is a kind of turnips with a carrot root, 

 long, thin, and poor, are cultivated ; These are 

 also grown near Caen in Normandy, in the road 

 to Bayeaux ; and in Bresse, or tiie department of 

 the Ain, where they are known under the deno- 

 mination oi'navets. Between St Palais and Bay- 

 onne, many turnips are grown in a singular hus- 

 bandry ; the wheat stubbie is either burnt by it- 

 self, or where it has not been left long enough, 

 piraw is spread over it, and then it is set on fire. 

 The ground thus cleaned of weeds, as well as ma- 

 nured, is then sown with turnips. On the whole, 

 however, the culture of this valuable root is very 

 partially known in France ; and where known, 

 is miserably conducted, as no hoeing is ever given 

 to it. 



(To be continued.) 



From tlie Cultivator. 



Mr. Keith, of Maine, in a communication to the 

 Monthly Visitor, afier describing several modes of 

 managing bees, and the ill success that aUended 

 them, thus in substance gives the result of an ex- 

 jieriment made by placing them in a garret. He 

 finished a room in his garret impervious to rats and 

 mice, to which was a door secured against children 

 and intruders. In this room was placed a swarm 

 of bees, the hive on a level with and near the 

 places made lor their egress and ingress. Theyoung 

 swarm soon filled their hive, and then commenced 

 building all around it, filling in with the finest 

 comb, and without the support of slate or bars, the 

 space from the roof to the floor of their room. Mr. 

 Keith, by the aid of a candle, was able at any time 

 lo inspect the progress of his apiary, and witness 

 the Ibrmalions of the column of comb. There was 

 no swarming, and of course the work had the bene- 

 fit of all their increase in numbers. Alier the 

 second year of their operations, Mr. Keiih com- 

 menced taking honey from the room, doing it in 

 the winter when the bees were doimant^in the 

 central parts of the mass; these external combs 

 always composing the best and purest part of the 

 store. For many years Mr. Keith's table was 

 abundantly supplied in this way with the choicest 

 of sweets, until in 18— his dwelling house was 

 destroyed by fire, and his bee-hive, ''"containing at 

 the least eight hundred [joiinds of honey, and of 

 living beings a multitude which no man could 

 number," shared the common tine. 



From what we have seen, and have been able to 

 learn on ihis subject, the mode ol treaiing bees as 

 above described is superior to inosi oiheis, lor the 

 ibllowing reasons, it prevents in most cases any 



swarming ; the bees are not as frequently attacked 

 and destroyed by the bee-moih ; there is no neces- 

 sity of destroying the bee as is the common but 

 cruel practice ; and the store of honey is always at 

 command. The honey bee is one of the most va- 

 luable of our manufacturers; and that, and the silk- 

 worm almost the only insects that contribute by 

 their industry to the comlort of man. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOBACCO COKVENTION. 



[When giving a place to the following report, 

 on a subject so interesting to all tobacco cultivators, 

 we cannot but express our surprise, as well as re- 

 gret, that not one person from Virginia attended 

 the meeting. This is another and a striking ex- 

 ample of the complete torpidity of the agricultural 

 class of Virginia, in all matters relating to their 

 peculiar interests and duties. — Ed. F. Reg.] 



From tlie National Intelligencer. 

 Washington, Friday, 3fay 1st, 



The convention of the tobacco planters of the 

 United Slates assembled in the chamber of the 

 board of aldermen, at the City Hall, this day. 



Delegates were present from Maryland, Virginia 

 and Kentucky. Delegates had also been appoint- 

 ed from North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, and 

 other slates, but had not arrived. 



At 12 o'clock, the convention was called to order 

 by Mr. Jenifer, of Maryland who said that he had 

 to announce, with great regret, that he had received 

 a letter from Governor Barbour, the president of 

 the convention of tobacco planters held three years 

 since, and who still, had he been present, would 

 have been the presiding officer, stating that he 

 would be unable to attend, in consequence of du- 

 ties detaining him at home, and expressing the re- 

 gret which he lelt at the circumstance. 



Mr. J. suggested, therefore, that the convention 

 should now appoint a president, with a view to or- 

 ganize and proceed lo business. And he nominated 

 for that office Gov. Sprigg, of Maryland ; who was 

 unanimously appointed. 



The President having taken the chair — 



Mr. Jenifer suggested that the convention now 

 proceed to appoint a vice president and secretary. 

 A nd he would nominate fijr the former office a gen- 

 tleman who, although a stranger among them, 

 came there highly recommended by his character 

 and position — Mr. Benj. Jones, of Petersburg. 

 This nomination was unanimously agreed to. 



On motion of Mr. W. T. Wooton, ofMaryland, 

 Mr. J. S. Skinner, of that state, was appointed 

 secretary. 



And on motion of Mr. Thomas T. Somerville, 

 of Maryland, Mr. John Mercer of that state was 

 appointed assistant secretary. 



The convention having been thus organized — 



The president said he presumed it would proba- 

 bly be within the contemplation of the convention 

 to appoint a committee at this time, for the purpose 

 of taking the subject upon which the convention 

 had met, generally into consideration ; and who 

 would be authorized to report at any hour to which 

 the convention might adjourn to morrow. 



The convention was then addressed by Meesrc'. 



