1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



325 



about four thousand, distributed in the most se- 

 cure manner, since every spring is acted upon in 

 an oblique direction. Sucli is the contrivance for 

 the safety of an animal destined to carry greater 

 weights than that of its own body, and to carry 

 those, also, under the hazard of heavy sliocks. — 

 MaccuUoch. 



HONEY BEES. 



The Albany Cz<//n-ff/':>r has an interesting article 

 on honey bees, from the pen of a distinguished 

 professor, from which we quote the following 

 paragraph . 



"Many, nearly everybody supposes that the bee 

 culls honey from the nectar of flowers, and simply 

 carries it to his cell in the hive. This is not 

 correct. The nectar he collects from the flower, 

 is a portion of its food or drink ; the honey it 

 deposits in its cell is a secretion from its mellific, 

 or honey secreting glands, (analogous to the 

 milk secreting glands of the cow and other 

 animals.) If they were the mere collectors and 

 transporters of honey from the flowers to the 

 honey comb, then we should have the comb fi'C- 

 quently filled with molasses, and whenever the 

 bees have fed at a molasses hogshead. The honey 

 bag in the Itee performs the same functions as 

 the cow's bag or udder; merely receives the honey 

 from the secreting glands, and retains it until a 

 proper oppoi-tunity presents for its being deposited 

 in its appropriate storehouse, the honey comb. 



Anotlier error is, that the bee collects pollen 

 from tlio flowers accidentally while it is in search 

 of lioney. Quite the contrary is the fa c-t. When 

 in search of nectar, or honey, as it is improperly 

 called, the bee does not collect pollen. It go:'S in 

 search of pollen specially, and also for nectar. — 

 When the pollen of the flower is ripe, and fit for 

 tlie use of the bee, there is no nectar ; when there 

 is nectar, there is no pollen fit for use in the 

 flower. It is generally supposed, also, that the 

 bee constructs the wax, from which its comb is 

 made, from such vegetable substances. Tliis is 

 likewise an error. The wax is a secretion from 

 its body, as the honey is; and it makes its ap- 

 pearance in small scales or flakes, under the rings 

 of the belly, and is taken thence by other bees, 

 rendered plastic by mixture of the bee's mouth, 

 and laid on the walls of the cell, with the tongue, 

 very much in the way a plast^er uses his trowel." 



from 10 to 80 curculios, which were destroyed.* 

 Finding that my sheeting mildewed when on the 

 ground, I suspended each sheet to a branch on 

 the tree, so as to dr^-. When returning to shake 

 the trees, I found that not a single curoulio could 

 bo obtained from a tree on which a sheet had been 

 suspended. I removed the sheets from tree to 

 tree with the same result — no injury was done to 

 the fruit on any tree from v.hich tlie sheet was 

 suspended. 



The coming season I sliall suspend on(! piece or 

 more, (varying according to the size of the tree,) 

 of about one yard, painted white, made fast to 

 two small pieces of wood, suspended from the 

 centre of the top stick to a branch of the tree, and 

 shall suspend these on the west side of each tree. 

 Should the tree be large, I should recommend ad- 

 dint; two or more additional sheets.'' 



A NEW EEMEDY FOR THE CUEUULIO. 



Mr. A. Robinet, of Bedford, Cuyahoga county, 

 Ohio, communicates the following to the Cin- 

 cinnati Horticultural Society, as the result of an 

 experiment of one season, but needing further 

 trial to confirm its value. AVe have little faith 

 that it will be found effective, but as it is easily 

 tried, we will give it a place. — Ohio Cult i color. 







"Last spring 1 determined to save my plums if 

 possible, and accordingly provided myself with two 

 wooden bows bent l)y a small cord fastened to each 

 end so as to form a semi-circle of such size Wiit 

 when the two were placed together, a perfect cir- 

 cle was made about 7 or 8 feet in diameter; the 

 intermediate space of each semi-circle was filled 

 with sheeting. These I at regular intervals placed 

 on the ground beneath the tree.^ and shook the 

 trees ?o as to bring down usually at each shaking 



SALT YOUR STOCK. 



]Most persons, probably, arc aware of the lienefi- 

 cial efiect of salt upon the human system. By the 

 ancients, salt was held in high estimation, and 

 every one has doubtless noticed how extremely in- 

 sipid meat and veg.etables are when cooked witii- 

 out it, or with only an insufficient supply. Hors- 

 es, cattle and sheep, in short all domestic animals, 

 should be regularly supplied with it at all seasons. 

 The lil)eral use of this mineral impi-ovcs their con- 

 dition and promotes their health, and when they 

 have acquired the habit of partaking of it freely, 

 there is no danger to be apprehended from their 

 taking too much. 



Salt promotes digestion, and destroys or dis- 

 lodges worms, which at certain seasons effect a 

 lodgment in the stomach and alimentary canu!. 

 We have, most of us, probably witnessed wit!i 

 what avidity wild, and undomesticated animals 

 seek at certain times the creeks and estuaries 

 which indent the shores of the ocean — the "salt 

 lakes," and what long journeys, dangers and dif- 

 ficulties they voluntarily encounter to reach them. 

 This is the result of pure instinct ; it is not to be 

 attributed to mere caprice, as some have imag- 

 ined. 



Horses, sheep, neat cattle and swine arc all 

 equally eager for this sanatory and invigorating 

 substance, and cannot bo maintained in a healthy 

 and thriving condition without it. The former, 

 it has been remarked, when liberally supplied with 

 salt, arc seldom afllicted by the "bots," or with 

 that scarcely less to be dreaded disease, the cholic. 

 In salting sheep, especially during the vernal 

 months,when the green, succulent and highly fer- 

 mentable matter of which they partake has a ten- 

 dency to create stomachic derangements, we have 

 thought it advisable to have a shed erected, and 

 fitted with a range of boxes, in which a supply 

 of salt can be constantly kept, and to whi(;h the 

 animals, at all times, can have free and unre- 

 strained access. A mixture of one part salt to two 

 or three parts of wood ashes,may alsobe deposited 



