178 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ December 



"he is small. " This stallion colt weighed as a 

 yearling, 750 pounds — certainly heavy enough 

 for all purposes ; but with the weight of a 

 draft animal he combines the suppleness of the 

 Arab. Every colt of his in this section is re- 

 markable, and is held at high figures ; 

 there can be no better testimonial of the value 

 of any animal than this. We expect to have 

 an exact likeness of him some time during the 

 coming year, also an extended history. 



— ^ 



REMINDERS FOR DECEMBER. 

 Attend to the celery that has been stored 

 away in trenches for winter use; cover it little 

 by little. Protect spinach, onions, shallots, 

 kale, AC, that were sown in September, and 

 cover rhubarb, sea-kale.asparagus, artichokes, 

 &c., with five or six inches thickness of long, 

 coarse manure. Store away pea-brush, and 

 other materials of the kind, from the weather. 

 Commence to collect manure and to prepare 

 compost heaps. Give air to the cold frames on 

 sunny days. — I)ick''s Gardener. All the fere- 

 going relate, mainly, to self — the comfort of 

 self— the profit of self — and all are perfectly 

 legitimate and proper. We iire also reminded 

 that during this mouth occurs the anniversary 

 of that memorable event which inculcated 

 an abrogation of self, and a thought upon tha. 

 condition and necessities of others. There- 

 fore, examine the little colored labels on your 

 newspapers and magazines, and hasten to 

 have the figures changed to 1878 or 1879, if it 

 is otherwise upon them. — N'obis. 



MR. KURTZ'S PUMPKIN. 

 Taking for granted the weight and measure- 

 ment of the pum2)km exhibited 1)y Mr. Henry 

 Kurtz, at the last stated meeting of the Lan- 

 caster County Agricultural and Horticultural 

 Society, and which he donated to the conduc- 

 tors of The Lancaster Faksiei!, we here 

 adduce the results of our practical discussion 

 of that gigantic subject of "Pumpkingdom." 

 According to Mr. Kurtz's statement it 

 weighed 132 pounds and measured 81i inches 

 in circumference ; and our further measure- 

 ment demonstrated that it was about 27 in- 

 ches in its transverse diameter, and about 20 

 inches in its vertical diamter. The internal 

 cavity was large, the walls not averaging 

 more tlian abeut four inches in thickness. There 

 was no central axis, the placenta, in three 

 lobes, adhering closely to the sides, contain- 

 ing Qii seeds, 020 of which appeared to be 

 fertile, and 2-t abortive or immature. The 

 seeds are one inch in length and half an inch 

 in width. The rind is very thin, the color 

 inside a rich orange, the texture tender and 

 slightly gi-anular; and last, not least, the 

 edible quality is superior, as those who were 

 partakers of it unanimously attest. Indeed 

 some members of my family, who heretofore 

 manifested no particular liking for either 

 pumpkins or squashes, showed a decided 

 partiality for this subject. Being so large, I 

 expected to find it strong, coarse and stringy, 

 but, except being somewhat fibrous on the 

 inner side, to my agreeable disappointmeut 

 it proved quite otherwise. It cooks as readily 

 as a ripe smokehouse apple, has no bitterness 

 about it, and contains sufficient saccharine 

 matter in its composition to make it palata- 

 ble. Indeed, it excels any of the varieties we 

 obtained in our market during this and the 

 past seasons, and may be regarded in fact as 

 well as in name, a " butter pumpkin." I had 

 intended to add some apjiles and convert it 

 into butter, but my family liked it so well in 

 sauce and in custards that it melted away in 

 that form before we were aware of it. Mr. 

 Kurtz's proposition was that I should offer 

 the seeds at three for twenty-five cents, for 

 the benefit of The Farmer, but as I have 

 learned, from experience, that all the seeds of 

 this kind of fruit do not germinate I have 

 made the number six ; but I do not hold my- 

 self responsible for tlie germination of any of 

 them, nor will I insure them true to their ' va- 

 riety : for there seems to be more incon- 

 stancy to species and variety in the Cucur- 

 BITACE.E than there is in almost any other 

 family of plants ; and thi'ough this disposition 



to hybridize we are indebted for the many 

 varieties we now have ; and also for the diffi- 

 culty of their systematic classification. This 

 subject is probably an improved variety of 

 Philip Miller's Pepo rotmvhis or modern 

 botanists Cucxirhita pepo. But I confess that 

 I am unable to state, with any degree of cer- 

 tainty, from wliat particular species it has 

 been derived. In conclusion I beg leave to 

 say, that ottering these seeds, imder the propo- 

 sition of Mr. Kurtz, is of no pecuniary benefit 

 to me, but it maij be of some benefit to the 

 publisher of The Farmer; for all who have 

 any experience in the publishing business 

 know how difficult it is to collect a clear sub- 

 scription list ; and, as our journal is being run 

 without any margin for losses, this may be the 

 means of contributing a little extra assistance 

 by the friends of the paper, and which it 

 greatly needs.— i?. 



NATIONAL BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIA- 

 TION. 



The following, from such an intelligent 

 bodj' of men as constitute the above-named 

 organization, will no doubt be read with inter- 

 est by those of our patrons who have suflicient 

 bee-keeping proclivities to engage in the art 

 and science of apiculture. 



Facts for the Public. 



The National Bee-Keepers' Convention, in session 

 at New York, Oct. 16tli to 19th, 1877, aware of the 

 general lack of information concerning improved 

 methods of apiculture and its products, respectfully 

 submit the following statement of facts for general 

 information concerning a large source of personal 

 and national revenue in preserving the honey which 

 God has caused to flow so abundantly in the vast and 

 varied flora of our country : ■ 



1. It is now only a few years since the invention of 

 movaUe comb hiivf has opened up a new era in bee- 

 keeping, and placed it on the basis of a successful 

 business pursuit. Such hives, adapted to climate, 

 furnish every facility for intelligent management of 

 bees by regulating swarming, guarding against 

 moths, and manipulating both bees and comb. 



2. Tlie inventors of the extractor or Iiouey slinger, 

 a machine which empties the honey from tlie combs 

 by centrifugal force, without injury, so that the 

 combs may be returned to tlie bees, marks anotlicr 

 great step in apiculture. Thus virgin lioney, free 

 from foreign admixture is obtained, having the 

 flavor of the flower from which it is dr.awn. 



5. The further invention of artificial comb founda- 

 tion, made of pure wax, first successfully used to a 

 large extent this season, completes the requisites for 

 placing bee-keeping on the basis of a great industry 

 in our country. Bees receive this artiflcial comb 

 foundation with readiness as receptacles both for 

 honey and brood. 



i. Simultaneous with the first and all of these im- 

 provements, the introduction of Italian bees and im- 

 proved modes of rearing queens, of transporting and 

 introducing them to colonics, has greatly improved 

 the value of the honey gatherers, both because of the 

 superiority of the Italian bee and the introduction of 

 new blood. New blood prevents tlie danger from in- 

 and-in breeding. 



.5. The great drawback to apiculture is the sHkjt of 

 the bee. Danger from this source is now largely 

 overcome by the simple appliances used for the pro- 

 tection of the Person and for subduing the bees. The 

 most vicious colony may be subdued in a very few 

 minutes. 



6. To consumers of honey, a few facts are neces- 

 sary in this article to prevent them from imposition. 

 Nice white comb speaks for itself and is generally 

 admired, but the price many lovers of honey cannot 

 afford. It makes a beautiful dish for the tabk^, but 

 is no better than extracted honey. AH comb is wax, 

 and wax in the stomach is perlectly indigestible. 

 Extracted honey is the pui-e liquid honey as it is 

 taken from the combs by the Iioney slinger, free from 

 any foreign admixture. It is entirely difi'crent fiuni 

 what is known in this market as sirnined honey. 

 Consumers help to impose upon themselves by tlie 

 false idea that pure honey will not granulate. They 

 desire ungranulated honey, and dealers will attempt 

 to supply the demand. Almost all pure honey will 

 granulate when exjioscd for some time to liglit and 

 cold. The granulated state is a fine evidence of 

 pure lioney. Much of the jar honej' heretofore sold 

 in the markets, and recommended not to granul.ate, 

 is a very inferior artice, composed largely of glucose 

 or some inferior substance. Granulated honey can 

 be reduced to its liquid state in a few moments by 

 placing the jar io warm water. When thus liquified 

 it BO remains for some time before crystallizing. Con- 

 sumers may be sure of a good wholesome article by 

 purchasing granulated honey and reducing) it. 



7. To producers. By full use of improvements in 

 bee-keeping, the honey crop of America may be al- 

 most indefinitely increased and become a great source 



of national revenue. None need fear over-production. 

 The home demand and consumption is largely in- 

 creased whenever people learn to know the' superi- 

 ority of such honey. Dealers in New York have 

 already commenced a large export trade, and they 

 tell us that their only dilHcult.y is in procuring honey 

 in proper shape and quantity to supply the growing 

 demand. Trade demands that they lie pnt in nice, 

 attractive packages, and in small parcels or jars so 

 as to be readily handled by grocers and consumers. 

 Honey was for centuries the principal sweet known, 

 and is one of the most healthful of all. Improve- 

 ment in refining sugars have within the last two or 

 three centuries led to its general adoption. Why may 

 not also new improvements in apiculture restore it to 

 its true place as a general favorite which was lost 1 y 

 bad niauagemcnt and the consequent corresponding 

 limited supply ? 



We belive that improvements in bee-keeping as 

 compared with old methods are not less than those 

 seen in railroads and steamboats as compared with 

 former modes of travel. 



For mutual information we would advise the or- 

 ganization of local societies and conventions to fur- 

 ther this business among all interested in apicul- 

 ture. J. H. Nellis, Pres't. 



Tnos. G. Newman, Hec'i/. 



MORE ABOUT BEES. 



Youngsville, Pa., Dec. .5tli, 1877. 



Mr. J. B. EsHLEMAN. — Esteemed Friend: 

 Yours of 1st inst. is received. It would seem 

 from the article cut from the Ne\r Era and 

 the note of the editor, that there must have 

 been quite a controversy in yoin- county rela- 

 tive to bees and their supposed depredations. 

 Let me assure you tliat the charges made 

 against bees destroying fruit of any kind, is 

 without foundation in fact. If the columns 

 of the New Era were opeia to the discussion 

 of the subject, I would undertake to defend 

 the character of our busy workers. But 

 from the note at the bottom of the article 

 you sent me, I infer such is not the case. It 

 is a fact disputed by no one, that in times of 

 great scarcity of honey, bees will sip the 

 juices of all kinds of fruit, when bruised or 

 tlie skin broken ; but it is quite as much to be 

 deplored by the bee keeper as the fruit 

 grower, from the fact that such material is 

 not the natural food of the bee, and when 

 stored in the combs is sure to produce trouble 

 the following winter. There are some peo- 

 ple hero foolisli enough to think that bees arc 

 injurious to the buckwheat crop, by taking 

 the honey from the blossoms. Truly, bees 

 are a persecuted race. They have to fight 

 their way through a world of insects 

 that are no benefit to the human family, 

 buffet the rigors of our J}"orthern winters, 

 stand their chances through pelting storms 

 and parching drouths, and yet tlirough all 

 this yield a liouutiful harvest of the choicest 

 sweet for the use of man. 



I have 10:J colonies in winter quarters in 

 the best possible shape. Accept thanks for 

 tile articles sent. Glad to hear from you at 

 any time. — T'cr^ rcapedfuUi/ yours, W. J. 

 Davis. 



[The above parties are men of intelligence, 

 close observation and unquestionable integrity, 

 and we cheerfully give them a hearing on this 

 much agitated question at this time. — Ed.] 



BARK-LICE.- 



What is the Best Method of Destroying 

 Bark-lice on Fruit Trees. 

 This question was propounded at the last 

 meeting of tliis society, and referred to me for 

 answer ; and, to answer it fully and unquali- 

 fiedly, would seem to involve the implication 

 that I k-iiciv "the best method ;" an assiim- 

 tion wliich I Ijy no means make. Therefore, 

 my an.swer must necessarily involve only 

 wliat I may know upon the subject, either 

 from personal experience, inductive reason- 

 ing, or gleanings from the exiierimenlal 

 knowledge of others. The first factor in- 

 volved in the question, although not the first 

 in the order of seiiuence, yet absolutely so in 

 consequence, is, what are harlc-liee? The teim 

 lire or louse, in the popular sense, covers a 

 very largo number of small parasitic or in- 

 festations animals, which are not all included 



"Read liefoie the Lancaster County Agricultural and 

 Horticultural Society by Prof. S. S. Bathvou. 



