320 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the hay and cow both to be in a warm barn ? So in regard to 

 bees. They will winter enough better in a room or house pre- 

 pared for the purpose to pay all extra expense and trouble, and 

 ten times more. 



^' In the spring, examine all stocks to know their exact condi- 

 tion. If any are queenless, supply them with a queen from 

 some weak swarm. Now give this weak swarm to some other 

 weak swarm, which you may have in your apiary, that has a 

 queen. If any are short of honey, give them some from some 

 heavy swarm that may have it to spare. At the time you are 

 examining your swarms, cut out all empty drone comb that is in 

 the breeding part of the hive, and supply its place with empty 

 worker comb by cutting this worker comb in just the shape of the 

 drone comb that you have removed ; now press it carefully into 

 the place where this drone comb was cut from. This worker 

 comb is from your refuse comb, which you have saved when 

 you " take up swarms," and where your bees have died in win- 

 tering, &c. The object of this is to prevent the bees from raising- 

 such quantities of useless drones, which consume a great 

 amount of honey, and to have them instead raise working bees, 

 making a difference of several pounds of surplus honey in the 

 coming season. The secret of success in apiculture consists in 

 minding all these little things, and keeping your stocks strong." 



The manufacturing towns of Lee, Stockbridge and Great 

 Barrington furnish a convenient and ready market for a large 

 part of the marketable produce of this part of the county, and 

 at prices that can well stimulate the farmers in raising anything 

 that enters into household consumption ; besides, ready access 

 is had by daily railroad communication with the cities of New 

 York and Boston, and the beef and sheep of this valley are 

 sought for of the feeders of stock here, by the market-men of 

 those cities, of which no inconsiderable amount is annually 

 furnished. ' H. Garfield. 



Lee, February 1st, 18G6. 



At the same meeting it was unanimously 



Resolved, That in the opinion of the Massachusetts State 

 Board of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture at Wash- 

 ington, if properly controlled, is capable of great service in 



