Vol. XI.-No. 1. 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



ulty of lier progeny to seek their way into tlie liive. 

 From all my observations, I have not been able to 

 discover that moths enter bee-hives by the com- 

 mon entrance. The bees have constantly station- 

 ed at their avenne a powerful and vigilant guard, 

 and on the approach of a moth, a mutual alarm 



to the public. I wish to be understood that 1 

 am a practical man, and what I say on the man- 

 agement of sheep is the result of my own experi- 

 ence. It has been bought by previous similar 

 losses and disappointments ; and as a proof that 

 there must be something useful in the plan I now 



and commotion is observable, and the assailant is adopt in the keeping of my sheep, I will farther 

 soon oblised to retreat. In locations, however, state, that the two last winters I have kept nearly 



where moths are very numerous, they may out- 

 general their opposers, and obtain an entrance. 

 From the foregoing considerations it must appi^ar 

 obvious, that the only effectual method to see^re 

 the hives from the ravages of the great enemy to 



one thousand sheep each winter, and, "despite of 

 wind and weather," my loss the first winter was 

 trifling, and the last winter, which has justly been 

 called a long and tedious one, requiring about four 

 and a half months winter feed, has been but two old 



bees, consists in a close house, to seclude them sheep by disease and two by accident. A few of 



from all access. This unquestionably affords the 

 only defence, and combines all the requisite ad- 

 vantages. 



From three year's experience, I can alTirm that 

 this plan has answered my full expectations, and I 

 can rely upon it as a perfect security. I have no 

 reason to suppose that my apiary is in the least 

 infested with the insects. The form and dimen- 

 sions of the house which I have found convenient, 



my late lambs died and likewise a few of my year- 

 ling wethers, but on counting numbers on the 

 ]5th of April, I am not twenty less (deducting a 

 few I sold) than I was last spring immediately af- 

 ter the lambing season, counting lambs and all. 

 My lambing season commences about the first of 

 May.' 



To say that the constitutions of om- fine sheep 

 are not sufficiently hardy to withstand the severity 



is in length proportioned to the number of hives of our winters, is not the true reason why so many 

 which it is to contain ; the width is about eight- are lost at that season. My own experience and 

 teen inches, and the height about two and a half i that of others who have likewise been successful 

 feet, for a single tier of hives, with a roof sloping wool-growers, contradicts it. On the contrary, 

 in front. The front part should be entirely closed, they are peculiarly suited to our climate. Nature, 

 having apertures at proper distances to correspond by fitting them with a close and warm covering, 

 with the mouths of the several hives to be placed manifestly intended them for it. All that is want- 

 within. The outlet from the hive and from the i ing is a little care on the part of their owners, and 

 house, should be a little sloping downwards, that ! in proportion to their numbers, they are not more 



the bees may with greater facility remove obnox 

 ipus substances, and be better enabled to defend 

 themselves against their enemies. The whole 

 wall on the back part should consist of doors fiir- 

 nished with hinges and fastenings. The house is 

 to be placed on i)osts about two and a half feet 

 high, set into the ground and secured from being 

 turned over by the wind. The doors may be shut 

 or left open in the day, as circumstances may re- 

 quire, both winter and summer ; and if thought 

 necessary, a grating may be placed before the av- 

 enue at night. Instead of the house just describ- 

 ed, the hives might be placed in an upper apart- 

 ment in an out-house, and the height from the 

 ground would afford additional seciu'ity against 

 the moth. As a further precaution, it may be re- 

 commended to whitewash the front of the house, 

 and the floor-board, which should also be chang- 

 ed frequently. 



I subscribe myself the committee's very humble 

 servant, JAMES TIIACIIER. 



Plymouth, Oct. 30, 1831. 



From the Columbian Sentinel. 



MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 

 Mr Editor — Situated as you are, in an agri- 

 cultural district, I trust that a few observations on 

 the management of sheep, will be admitted a place 

 in your cohimns. To the farmer this subject is at 

 all times important ; but it is more particidarly so 

 now, from the fact, that through this sectiH^ of 

 country where large flocks are kept, thev have 

 been sorely thinned the past winter by both pov- 

 erty and disease. Any observations, then, which 

 may tend to prevent similar losses in fuiinc, will 

 be useful. And in the hope that what I shall now 

 submit, may at least throw a little light on this 

 subject, and lead to further investigation by oth- 

 ers, more particular and more competent, I am in- 

 duced to give the result of my own observations 



subject to disease than the horse, neat cattle, or 

 swine. If we lose our sheep, therefore, there is 

 wrong management somewhere — where it is, I 

 will now endeavor to show. 



In summer time sheep will live upon a little 

 vegetation ; knowing this, we permit them to re- 

 main in lots almost bare of herbage ; and that too 

 after other animals have cropped the grass as close 

 as ])ossible. The little nutriment they obtain is 

 suflicient to support them, but not enough to cause 

 them to thrive ; on the contrary, they suffer, and 

 that from hunger. Now it is that their constitu- 

 tions are injured, and the foundation laid for dis- 

 ease ; they are kept too poor, and the consequence 

 is, when winter sets in, what with light carcasses, 

 short wool, and dry food, they cannot withstand 

 its length and severity. Under such circumstan- 

 ces is it a wonder that they die ? The only won- 

 der is, that so many live, when we have been so 

 heedless of them. Careful winter feeding will on- 

 ly partially remedy the evil. Would we think of 

 bringing our horses, cattle and swine, into winter 

 quarters in this impoverished state ? Dxperience 

 has long since taught us the consequences that 

 follow, and that an animal to winter well must be 

 in good condition at the commencement of it. 



The fofiidation, therefore, of the mortality that 

 assails our sheep in winter, is laid in summer. 

 My own experience warrants this conclusion, a 

 jiart of which I will now relate. 



When I first began to keep sheep, I had seen 

 farmers turn them upon ploughed fallows when 

 there was little for them to eat. I did not dis- 

 criminate between the difference of turning in a 

 few, who might feed along the fences in a lot of 

 this kind, or turning in, say, one hundred. I kept 

 them on scant pastures during the summer, intend- 

 ing that in winter, as I had plenty of provender, I 

 would feed them well ; but for two or three win- 

 ters I met with very considerable losses, between 

 twenty and thirty per cent, although I fed them 



])leutifully on hay and often on grain. One win- 

 ter, particularly, my sheep coming in thin, I fed to 

 one hundred sheep more corn than the fall previ- 

 ous I had fed to eight fatted hogs, still I met with 

 a very considerable loss, and that of sheep too 

 which cost me from five to eight dollars each. At 

 this time I was discouraged, I thought the animal 

 by constitution unsuited to our climate. Still 

 something must be done ; and when I looked 

 around me and saw one or two of my neighbors 

 more successful in preserving their sheep, I was 

 soon satisfied that their success was owing to plen- 

 ty of food, both winter and summer, but more par- 

 ticularly the latter. Since I have adopted that 

 plan I have no cause of complaint. Bly rule now 

 is, fat them in summer; they keep easy in winter, 

 and depend upon it, this is tJie true secret of pre- 

 serving your sheep. The profit too, to which all 

 have an eye that keep them, is comparably great- 

 er. You have more and better lambs in propor- 

 tion to your flock, they keep easier during winter, 

 you lose fewer of your old sheep, the fleeces of 

 all are much heavier, and you go on increasing 

 rapidly in numbers. During both winter and 

 summer they should be kept in as small flocks 

 as possible, one hundred in- a flock is a great 

 abundance ; if in winter they should be reduced 

 down to fifty, it is still better. You cannot get 

 them well into good condition in large flocks, they 

 will not fatten ; they are gregarious animals, and 

 those that come behind in a flock only pick up the 

 leaving of tliose who go before ; consequently, the 

 first are very apt to become poor ; to avoid this, 

 therefore, keep the flocks as small as possible, they 

 do not want as much food and they will do much 

 better. 



Much more might be said on this subject, but I 

 have already trespassed too much on your col- 

 umns, Mr Editor. I will therefore only repeat to 

 the wool-growers, fatten your sheep in summer, 

 they will keep easy in winter and without loss. 



A WoOL-GKOWER. 



.Si7/i. — We were shown a few days ago a num- 

 ber of skeins of sewing silk, of every variety of 

 color, manufactured in this county by two young 

 ladies. Miss Mary Jane Greenlee and Miss Mary 

 Ann McCluer, v/hich in every respect are equal to 

 any foreign silk we have ever seen. Our atten- 

 tion was particularly called to a skein of most beau- 

 tiful orange, and we are informed that it was dyed 

 by a new ingredient, which suggested itself by 

 accident. The dye used was the extract of the 

 Sanguinaria canadensis (or Puccoon or Blood root) 

 and vinegar. The color was afterwards set with 

 alum, and is ascertained to be as permanent as it 

 is beautiful. What is it that the skill and inge- 

 nuity of our citizens cannot accomplish as well as 

 foreigners ? — Lexington Union. 



Hogs. — The Chinese have a proverb, that 

 " every gentleman in China works for his living 

 except the hog." We make him work in Illinois. 

 When a chimney is to be built or a cabin to be 

 daubed, a hole is dug in the earth of suflicient di- 

 mensions and water poured into it ; the hogs are 

 then called, and a few grains of corn thrown into 

 the hole, when the hogs plunge in and soon pre- 

 pare the lump of clay for the hands of the daub- 

 er. — Western Ploughboy. 



He that lives upon hope will die fainting 

 dustry need not wish. — Franklin. 



