THE GENESEE FARMER. 



147 



6f air in the winter when the front entrance is liable 

 to be clof-cd up with snow. 1 tintl that hives where 

 there is a free circuilation of air are not so liable to 

 be destroyed by frost. Unless there is vsome outlet 

 for their breath it will soon form ice and fieeze them 

 to death. Always before hivinir, be careful to see 

 that the boxes are bottom side us. If this caution 

 is not taken, the bees will sometimes commence to 

 work iu the boxes, and form their brood comb there. 

 The boxes may be turned over the third day, as by 

 that time they will have begun to work below. 



Ox THE Hiving of Bees. — Our bees commonly 

 settle on a bush or tree. If on a low bush, I place 

 a board on the ground and place the hive on that; 

 but if a high bush or tree, I use a table. At all 

 events, I place my hive with the front side next the 

 bees, and raise it on two small blocks aliout an inch. 

 Then bend down the limb in front of the hive and 

 jar them oS on the board. They will soon all be in 

 the hive. If the limb cannot be bent down in front 

 of the hive, it is a good plan to spread a cloth on the 

 table; that prevents hurting the bees when they fall 

 on the board. I always keep perfectly still while 

 they are swarming and let them have their own way. 



On the Management after thet are Hived. — 

 Oar bee house stands east and west, with an open 

 front to the south. As soon as it begins to grow 

 dark, I take them and place them in the house where 

 they are to stand, with their fronts to the south. — 

 After this they need no further care, except to ex- 

 auiine for millers and worms, and give them frequent- 

 ly a lump of salt. In the spring I turn them up and 

 e:samine them, aid break cut about one half of the 

 Gomb, taking it clean as far as I go. The next spring 

 break out the remaining side, in this way the bees al- 

 ways have new comb. The bees may be kept quiet 

 during the operation by blowing some tobacco smoke 

 ipto the hive previous to turning it over. They will 

 ■oon come to activity again and feel as well as ever. 



Heme,; JY. Y. C. A. Howe. 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF WOOD LAND. 



Wood land where there is plenty of wood for fuel 

 and other purposes, as in new and unsettled districts, 

 generally receives but little, if any attention; but in 

 older settled places, where the native forests are be- 

 coming scarce, and wood is iu demand for fuel, 

 the farmer begins to turn a little attention to his 

 wood land, and finds to his sorrow that all his best 

 and nicest timbered land is cleared and he has not an 

 *cre of good wooded land on his farm. The above 

 is the condition of a number of farms in this vicinity, 

 but it will not apply in all cases. 



All wood land that is desirable to save requires 

 some attention, especially where fire is apt to be let 

 out into the woods in drj times by some careless or 

 knavish person, and burn the woods over every few 

 years. I would say guard wood lands with a watch 

 ful eye against fire; and in cuttiug timber for fuel and 

 other purposes, be sure and not cut young and thirifiy 

 trees, if there i« timber down and decaying trees that 

 mU. answer your purpose. In catting trees out of 

 your wood lot, cut first those in the most exposed 

 aituation that are liable to be blown down by hard 

 winds. Preserve with care young and thrifty sprouts 

 and saplings. Cattle should be kept cut of woods of 

 small growth where young Bprouts are continually 



growing up and forming new trees; and I should re- 

 commend to keep nil cuttle out of M-ood land ; and 

 keep the underbrush thinned out where it is growing 

 up thicker than it should stand to form a nice second 

 growth grove. 



By a judicious management I think a reasonable 

 sized wood lot will keep a farm iu fuel and timber, and 

 grow all the time sullicieut to replace that which is 

 taken out for use. Isaac Handali* 



MasonviUe, JV. Y. 



ON THE MANAGSMEKT OF BARN-YARD MANURE. 



The great object to be attained in making manure 

 is to preserve all the strength (I will not use any big, 

 Idiuding terms) of the manure. This comprises the 

 whole thing, and it is easily done by never letting it 

 ferment above ground Horses, cows and oxen 

 should always be stabled in our cold climate in win- 

 ter. Their stables should have plenty of space be- 

 hind them, a tight floor so as to place muck, saw dust, 

 chip dung, or soine other absorbent to retain the 

 urine. The young stock, sheep and hogs should have 

 a large yard, tight, warm sheds and plenty of straw, 

 and other absorbents. There should be a tight bin 

 or box under the shed and through the yard, having 

 cross pieces two or three feet apart, so that one ani- 

 mal should not intrude without some diilieulty on the 

 next ones rights. These bins will prevent the fodder 

 from getting "under foot" and prevent the hogs from 

 rooting it. After the stock have eat what they will, 

 clear the bins out, scattering it over the yard. To 

 this add the manure and refuse from the stables and 

 a fjuart of shelled corn to each hog. The hog is a 

 wonderfully industrious animal, if there is plenty of 

 corn for pay. They will turn the whole contents of 

 the yard over once at least every day, mixing the 

 whole together and add something into the bargain. 

 Add to this in the winter as much swamp muck as 

 you please — the more the better. 



In the spring take this whole mass clean to the 

 ground and carry it on to your land before it fer- 

 meiits. This is the secret. Spread it over the land 

 intended for spring crops, or your summer fallow and 

 plow the ground six or eight inches deep, taking 

 special care to haul into the furrow and cover it all 

 up. Here it will decompose; the roots of vegetables 

 will find it and you get it back again to your garner 

 without any loss of the organic substances. 



Some advocate the doctrine of top dressing. There 

 may be very wet seasons when it may do good, but 

 I venture to say that one load of manure plowed in 

 fairly below the surface is worth six loads laid on top 

 of the ground to dry and blow away. Look at the 

 droppings of cattle and horses on meadows, lying all 

 summer in a dry mass and the giass no larger near 

 them than any where else. Joel Houghton. 



Adamt' Batin, JV. Y. 



ON THE MOST ECONOMICAL MODE OF OBTAINING 



FEilT^LIZERS, OTHER THAN BASN-YARD 



MAT^TJRE. 



This subject is too important and extended to be 

 fully discussed in one short article, and I hope some 

 of your able correspondents will do it full justice. — 

 Having had some experience in the use of the vari- 

 ous artificial fertilizers I will give you my views, not 

 SO much in hope of taking the " premium " as from a 



