178 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



In 1855, 1 carried my bees out of the cellar the 

 23d of April, five colonies. I sold one of them. 

 The five produced fifteen colonies, or three each. 

 The fall following I took up several colonies ; put 

 up ten for winter, and all wintered well. In the 

 spring of ISuG, sold eight colonies ; the two that I 

 kept produced five colonies ; the two that 1 sold 

 produced the same number ; the others I have not 

 heard from. When I carry my bees out in spring, 

 I select a warm, sunny day, and if there are any 

 snow-banks near the bee-house, I scatter straw over 

 it, so that the bees can rise, if they get on to it. — 

 Before carrying them out I scent the entrance to 

 each hive with some strong-scented herb, each with 

 a different kind, as sage, tansy, &c.; the bees lose 

 their scent in the cellar, or all have a common scent, 

 therefore are liable to mix and injure some colo- 

 nies. The first hive I carry out the bees will most 

 of them rush out of the hive ; they will look as 

 though they were trying to swarm, but in a few 

 minutes they will all return to the hive, and then I 

 place another hive upon the stand, and so continue; 

 until my whole stock is placed upon the stand. If 

 any colonies have too much honey, or more than is 

 needed for winter and spring, I take the glass out, 

 and remove a part of the honey. The bees will 

 fill the space thus made in part with new comb, and 

 fill with young bees. Colonies managed thus will 

 swarm early. They must have sufficient space to 

 breed young bees. I have had colonies that were 

 so full of honey that they would not swarm ; my 

 bees swarm the most when they have just honey 

 enough to carry them through the winter and 

 spring. What little information I have of the 

 management of bees, I have learned from your pa- 

 per, conversation and observation. 



N. W. Hardy. 



Mlson, Cheshire Co.,JV. H., 1857. 



For the New England Farmer. 



HUBBARD SQUASH, &c. 



Mr. Editor : — As my name has been mention- 

 ed once or twice in the columns of the Farmer in 

 connection with this new variety of the squash, and 

 as "J. J. H. G." referred such as should desire seed 

 of the "Hubbard" to me, as one who might be able to 

 furnish them, I feel called upon to state for the ben- 

 efit of those who have already, as well as those who 

 may think of applying to me for seed, my experi- 

 ence in its cultivation. 



Having heard something of the Hubbard, I ob- 

 tained some seed, which I planted and nurtured with 

 the greatest care — but without much increase. In 

 stead, I think I must have fared very much as your- 

 self and Mr. G. have done. 



The seed came up well, grew finely, and suffered 

 considerably from the different sorts of bugs which 

 I suppose have made it their business to devour 

 squash vines since the days of Adam. They pass- 

 ed through this ordeal, and came out of it well. 

 The flowers began to appear, when a withering 

 blight seemed to overtake them, and one by one they 

 rapidly dried up and died. 



I'he marrows, custards and common field pump- 

 kins, in distinct and widely separated portions of my 

 farm, suffered the same fate to such a degree that I 

 shall barely have seed enough to plant again. The 

 crookneck squash or bell pumpkin, as termed here, 



was the only variety that escaped, they doing fine- 

 ly, and under the same treatment as the others. 



This blight I found to be a large grub, similar in 

 size and shape to the common corn grub, but slightly 

 different in color. This insect apparently eat his 

 way into the stalk below the ground, and then up 

 the stalk for two or three inches above the ground, 

 when its presence could be detected by the incip- 

 ient decay of the vine. In every instance where a 

 vine began to show symptoms of death, I found 

 one of these worms above the ground in the stalk. 

 I never saw but one insect in the same stalk. Are 

 these the same insects which "J. J. H. G." styles 

 "the squash borer ?" [Undoubtedly they are. — Ed.] 



If their attacks are continued, it will be impossi- 

 ble to raise anything like a crop of squashes where 

 they exist. However, I shall try again on a large 

 scale. 



Of the Hubbard, I can only say that I am con- 

 vinced from my own observation that they are as 

 hardy and as easily cultivated as any variety. Of 

 their eating qualities, I know they are the best va- 

 riety I ever met with, keep late in the season, are 

 exceedingly dry and sweet. Too much cannot be 

 said of them, and any one who will fairly get them 

 to be a popular institution in our country, will be 

 considered a benefactor by all pie-loving people. 



After thus far intruding upon your patience, al- 

 low me to say that I am much pleased with the 

 Farmer, and hope never to be without it — that I, 

 tyro at farming as I am, have gathered much use- 

 ful information from its columns, and in its company 

 have passed one year in the pursuits of the farm. 

 Turning from a professional life, from the stern ne- 

 cessity, that a partial loss of sight imposes, and 

 taking up agriculture as a means to health, I have 

 succeeded in making it somewhat profitable, and 

 largely pleasu7-able. Old and experienced farmers 

 need comparatively few directions in the art they 

 have practised for a life-time, but young and inex- 

 perienced men, those who are compelled by health, 

 or some other cause, to forsake other occupations 

 for which they have trained themselves, and turn 

 to the plow, for them correct instruction is of the 

 utmost importance. 



The spirit may, at some not far distant daj^, 

 move me to jot down a few of the trials that en- 

 counter such a person, and give my experience in 

 overcoming them. I can promise little elegance of 

 diction or thought — if they prove useful, it will be 

 enough. James L. Gould. 



Bridgport, Conn., Jan. 26, 1857. 



Remarks. — We shall be glad to hear from you 

 further. 



State Alms House at Bridgewater. — Mr. 

 L. L. Goodspeed, the efficient Superintendent of 

 this Institution, seems to understand the culture of 

 bipeds as well as the management of human beings. 

 He slaughtered a six year old ox, recently fatted 

 on the farm there, which weighed as. follows : hide, 

 135 pounds ; tallow, 220 j quarter 1550 — total, 1905 

 pounds, weighed three days after being dressed ! 

 There is a large farm connected with the institution, 

 and the State is fortunate in securing a person to 

 manage the whole, who is not only energetic, but 

 skilful in the administration of all its affairs. 



