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FARMERS' REGISTER— MANAGEMENT OF BEES, 



decomposed, and instead of soaking into the vv'ood 

 and slowly drying in the paint to give a firm 

 covering, it is quickly evaporated by t!ie sun, the 

 paint is left a useless powder on the wood ; where 

 it is not sheltered from the rain, it is soon washed 

 away ; and in places where it only gets wet with- 

 out being washed off, as the qualities of the oil are 

 destroyed, it retains moisture aiid hastens decay. 

 We have only to go to a house whicli was painted 

 white, and examine the somewhat sheltered spots 

 where they get wet by showers, yet the rain does 

 not beat upon them so as to wash off the paint, 

 and scratch off the paint, and we will lind the sur- 

 face in a state of decay from the paint not exclu- 

 ding moisture but retaining it. When pine wood 

 is painted it should more especially have only oil 

 and paint without the spirits of turpentine, as there 

 is in the wood turpentine suflicient to injure the oil. 

 If we examine the shingles or wealher-bcrarding 

 of a house, we will find wherever there is a knot 

 or fat place, there the oil is decomposed by the 

 turpentine in the wood, and the paint destroyed, 

 even where no spirits of turpentine was added to 

 the paint. 



Does not this truth, which I believe all will al- 

 low, that turpentine makes paint dry quick, prove 

 that instead ot soaking into the wood the oil is de- 

 composed and evaporates, show the destructive ef- 

 fect of this addition of spirits of turpentine to paint, 

 and although the inside painting of houses remains 

 when turpentine has been added, yet it would be 

 more durable if the turpentine were left out. The 

 oldest paintings we have, appear as warm and 

 glowing as when first executed, while the paint- 

 ings of the first masters of modern times are inju- 

 red, most'ly as I think by the free use of turpen- 

 tine. The fine paintings even of Sir Joshua Rey- 

 nolds are losing their beauty. By some it is sup- 

 posed that the paints used now are not as good as they 

 were in former days. 'Tis net the fault of the mate- 

 rials, but tlie preparation. Oil, lor instance, and 

 white lead are as good now as they ever were, and 

 were they used without turpentine or any thing 

 else, as the painters say to make them dry, (or as 

 we say to decompose the oil and destroy it,) would 

 last as long and be as good as they ever were. II 

 we calculate the annual amount of money used in 

 the purchase of turpentine, and to this add the 

 amount of loss from the injury it does, we will 

 find it an enormous expense. From such trials 

 as I have made, I believe the oil of palma ehrista 

 to be superior to flax-seed oil for preserving 

 wood. If the two oils be put on wood, the palma 

 christi oil will be found much more difficult to re- 

 move by decomposing with turpentine, which is 

 proof it will be most durable. Falma christi oil, 

 when properly prepared by boiling, is as clear and 

 as good as cold pressed oil. A good acre of land 

 will produce from twenty to thirty gallons of it. 

 Planters who wish to paint their buildings, v.ould 

 be able to make the best of paint oil, by cultiva- 

 ting a few acres of it, and when durability more 

 than ornament is the object, as in out-buildings, 

 gates, &c. giving them two coats of palma christi 

 oil, without paint, would have the desired effect. 

 The posts of my pigeon house, which were dipped 

 in hot palma christi oil before they were put in the 

 ground, look like they would last for generations 

 to come; while the posts about the yard, garden, 

 &c. are considerably decayed. Was the exposed 

 sjx or eight inches of shingles dipped in a hot pot 



of palma christi oil, the expense would be a trifle, 

 and th.ey would be very lasting. Some years ago, 

 by neglect, a pot oi'oil, with which 1 was experi- 

 menting, was spoiled by burning; the roof of the 

 house was quite low, the building beingdeepin the 

 hill side, I threw the oil on the house roof ; in ta- 

 king this house down a few days ago, these shin- 

 gles were found as sound and clear of moss as 

 when put on, while the others were much decay- 

 ed. But the dural)ility thus obtained would not 

 be the only object ; it is known that old shingles be- 

 come covered v.'ith a kind of mossy growth ; this 

 growth is nearly as quick to take fire as spunk; 

 the smallest spark that falls upon it when dry may 

 take fire. Perhaps nine out often houses that take 

 fire from sparks falling on the roof, do so from this 

 mossy growth, which never is produced on wood 

 that is oiled ; were shingles dipped in hot oil be- 

 fore putting them up, it would be a preventative 

 I'rom fire from sparks. A few days ago, during 

 almost a calm, at mid day, when only a few coals 

 were in the fire place, my house roof was disco- 

 vered to be on fire. As there was no ladder nor 

 no way of getting at the fire, it seemed as though 

 the house v.ould burn down. A very strong man, 

 however, by getting in the window of a house not 

 far off, was able to deaden the fire a little by 

 throwing water with great strength ; some drops 

 would reach the fire; thus some little time was 

 given for reflection. A man of great muscular 

 strength with a small hatcliet commenced cutting 

 through the ceiling and sheeting. The fire began 

 to blaze, the wind began to rise, all ho{>e of extin- 

 guishing the fire was gone : he had however cut a 

 hole through, and was able to tear off the boards 

 and put out the fire. These shingles, upon exam- 

 ination, were found sound, but they were covered 

 with this mossy growth. A very small spark 

 must liave set it on fire, for upon trial it was found 

 almost as quick to take as gunpowder. Had these 

 shingles been dipped in oil before they were put on 

 the house, I would have been safe from such an 

 accident, not only now but for many years to 

 come. 



ROBERT R. HARDEN. 



Maiiageiiieiit of Bees. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 



Messrs. Editors, — In common with many others 

 v/hose pursuits and tastes allow them to devote but 

 little attention to scientific or practical agriculture 

 and its sister occupations, I yet take much inter- 

 est in the progress of agricultural improvement 

 and the developements of our rich, and to a con- 

 siderable extent, unappropriated resources, and am 

 desirous as one of a common fraternity to contri- 

 bute any thing in my power to the promotion of this 

 o!)ject. It is this motive that has induced me to 

 mention the following incident which occured in our 

 Western N. Y., on the authority of a gentleman 

 of unquestionable veracity, who was knowing to 

 it, and if you deem it worthy of publication it is 

 at your service for that purpose. 



A farmer having a large number of bees, had 

 from one of the hives, late in the season, a very 

 small swarm, and not wishing the trouble of nur- 

 sing it himself, told one of his neighbors that if he 

 had a mind to take it and treat it with suflicient 

 care through the winter it would make him a very 

 good swarm in the course of the next summer. 

 His neighbor not having any, and desirous of com- 



