205 



THE farmers' cabinet. 



VOL. I. 



inranageiiicnt of Bees. 



The Kennebec (Maine) Agricultural Socie- 

 ty at their meeting last autumn, awarded their 

 premium on Bees to Col. John Gilmore, who 

 furnished the society with the following state- 

 ment : " Having entered my name for pre- 

 mium on honey and a hive of bees, I will in- 

 form you how I have managed them for a few 

 years past. I keep them in bo.x'es — my boxes 

 are 13 inches square on the outside, and from 

 six to seven inches high, with thin slats across 

 the top about an inch wide, with just space 

 enough to let the bees pass between them. — 

 For a young swarm 1 fasten two boxes to- 

 gether with a board on the top, put in the 

 swarm, and when I set them on the bench, put 

 under as many more as I think they will fill 

 — a large early swarm will fill four or more. 

 I had some this season that filled three in 

 about a fortnight and then swarmed and the 

 young swarms have filled four boxes. Afler 

 my old hives have swarmed once I usually 

 put under one or more boxes. I prefer this 

 course to letting them swarm again, for second 

 swarms are generally worthless. When the 

 weather becomes cool, if the hive is well 

 filled with honey the bees will all leave the 

 upper box — it can then be taken off without 

 disturbing the bees in the hive. I usually 

 take from my old hives and early swarms one 

 box containing from .50 to 54 lbs. and leave 

 enough for the bees to live on through the 

 winter; or T can take a part and return the 

 box if I think the remainder is insufficient for 

 them. If my bees grow lazy after the swarm- 

 ing season is over and hang out on the hive, 

 which is in consequence of the hive being 

 full, I add more boxes. I had a few small 

 swarms which I have taken up otherwise. I 

 have not destroyed any bees. I have taken 

 up on my own farm this season 289 lbs. of 

 good honey in the comb ; and I now own, in- 

 cluding those that I have taken up, twenty- 

 six hives." 



China Hogs — Improved Breed. 



Mr. C. N. Bement, of Albany, says, in 

 a communication published in the same pa- 



fier, " Having had frequent applications, by 

 etter, for a description of my improvedhTeed 

 of China Hogs, 1 know of no better method 

 of conveying a correct idea, unless by per- 

 sonal inspection, than by a likeness, which I 

 have procured, and accompanies this. 



The drawing waa taken from a young 



sow, nine months old, when in high con- 

 dition. 



This superior breed of swine, as I have 

 observed in a former communication, was 

 first introduced here by the late Christopher 

 Dunn, Esq. — Some ten ortwelve years since, 

 when passing through Princeton or New- 

 Brunswick, N. J., in the stage, his sagacious 

 eye was attracted by a beautiful sow with 

 her litter of pigs, running in the street. De- 

 lighted with their appearance, he was de- 

 termined to possess some of them if possible. 

 He accordingly applied to the driver of the 

 stage to procure a pair of them for hirn. As 

 an inducement, and to insure success, he 

 offered him the liberal price of twenty dol- 

 lars, for a male and female, although only 

 eight weeks old, on their delivery to a certain 

 house in New-York. They were of course 

 procured and delivered, and from these two 

 have sprung my ^^ Improved China Hogs. ''^ 



Their color is various, some white, black 

 and white spotted, and others blue and white. 

 They are longer in body than the pure China 

 breed. Upright or mouse-eared — small head 

 and legs — broad on the back, round bodied, 

 and hams well let down — skin thin — flesh 

 delicate and fine flavored. 



They are easy keepers, and of course 

 small consumers, quiet and peaceable in dis- 

 position, seldom roaming or committing 

 depredations. Keep in good condition on 

 grass only. 



They are not remarkable for size, seldom 

 attaining more than two hundred to two hun- 

 dred and fifty pounds, although instances 

 have occurred where they have been made 

 to reach three hundred ! Therefore they 

 cannot, in their pure state, be called the 

 " farmer's hog," but their great value is in 

 crossing with the common hog of the country. 

 A very good hog may be obtained by a cross 

 with your land shads, — your long leijged, 

 long nosed, big-boned, thin backed, slab- 

 sided, hungry, ravenous, roaming, torment- 

 ors, that will run squeaking about the yard 

 with an ear of corn in their mouths." 



Agriculture 



Has been aptly styled the master sinew of 

 every great state; the perennial foundation 

 of wealth. Rural laborsare equally conducive 

 to health of body and mind. The mechanic 

 operations hold only a secondary rank: the 

 culture of the fields constitute the most na- 

 tural and innocent employment of man. Agri- 

 culture clothes our land witii grass for cattle 

 and with tJie herb for man. She fills our 

 houses with plenty, our licarts with gladness, 

 and puts into our hands the staff of life. The 

 ancient Republics afford us several instances 

 of generals and statesmen, having exchanged 

 their boisteroua employments in war and poli 



