1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



333 



would scarcely be noticed. We have never seen 

 the like before. We would advise dusting the trees 

 with wood ashes when wet with rain or dew. We 

 propo:^e to Ivcep an eye on this new visitor and see 

 what comes of it. 



TO PREVENT BEE-KOBBING. 



Can you or any of your subscribers inform me 

 the best method to protect bees from being robbed, 

 and to stop it when commenced. My neighbors' 

 bees commenced rolibing mine last fall ; and be- 

 fore I discovered it they had totally destroyed 

 three swarms. I then stopped up my hives, Avhich 

 proved the means of smothering three more 

 swarms. By these means my number was re- 

 duced to one-half of what I intended to winter. 



I winter my bees in my cellar, which is a very 

 dry OTIC, and my hives come out nearly as heavy 

 as when put in. I never lose any, nor have the 

 coml) get mouldy. H. T. Berry. 



South Bombay, N. Y., May 10, 1867. 



Remarks. — Bees are sometimes excited to rob- 

 bery by careless feeding, or by exposing a dish or 

 a comb of honcj' ; but generally they resort to this 

 means of supplying their storehouses by their 

 inability of finding flowers in early spring or late 

 fall — often at the close of the buckwheat season. 

 On discovering signs of robbery, it is usual to re- 

 duce the entrances to the hives, that the occupants 

 may more readily defend their premises and prop- 

 erty. Mr. Quimby says, "A great many remedies 

 for this evil have been recommended, which are as 

 bad as the evil itself, and often the cause of it. 

 The most fatal is to move the hive a few rods ; an- 

 other, to entirely close it, which may smother the 

 bees. I would recommend removing the weak 

 hive, on the morning after the attack, to the cel- 

 lar, or tome dark, cool place, until two or three 

 warm days have passed, and the search has been 

 abandoned. When a hive has been removed, if 

 the one on the next stand is weak, it is better to 

 take that in also, to be retui-ned as soon as the 

 robbers will allow it. If a second attack is made, 

 put them in again, or if practicalile, remove them 

 a mile or two, out of their knowledge of country ; 

 they would then lose no time from labor. An- 

 other method is, when yoi^are sure a stock is be 

 ing robbed, to close the hive at a time when there 

 are as many plunderers inside as possible, (wire- 

 cloth, or something that will admit air, and con- 

 fine the bees, is necessary,) and carry in as before 

 directed, for two or three days, when they may be 

 set out again. The strange bees thus enclosed will 

 join tlic weak family, and will be as eager to de- 

 fend what is now their treasure, as they were be- 

 fore to carry it off." 



PRUNING APPLE TREES. 



A correspondent who signs "Down in Maine," 

 inquires, when is the best time to trim apple trees, 

 spring or fail ; and if spring, is it too late ? 



Remarks. — Any time when the tree is not grow- 

 ing vigorously. The best time in the year is tin- 

 doubtedly the middle of June. The tree has then 

 got through what is called "the first gi'owth," the 

 thin sap has been elaborated into a thick, gummy 

 Bubstance, and is returning down the outside of 



the branches and stem of the tree to increase their 

 diameter. If the tree is cut when this is the case 

 sap will not flow out in ten cases in a thousand. 

 When the tree commences growing again, the 

 edges of the wound will soon be surrounded by a 

 healthy rim of green bark, which will cover the 

 cut place entirely in two years, if it is not more 

 than a half inch to one inch across it. 



There are some disadvantages in pruning in 

 June, such as much work to be done, and crops 

 covering the ground. The autumn, soon after 

 the leaves have fallen from the trees, is also a 

 proper time to prune apple trees. 



HORSE HOE. — boiler. — OX SCRAPER. 



I have bought three useful articles the past year, 

 and am so well pleased that I regret that I did 

 so long without them. 



Your advertisement and endorsement of 

 "Nourse's Horse Hoe" led me to send for one last 

 June. It is all tliat can be asked for, and will soon 

 pay for itself, if kept going. I would not part with 

 mine for a good sum, if 1 could not get another. 



My next purchase was a Mott's Agricultural 

 Boiler. I cook food for my SAvine right by their 

 pens, and plague the "folks in the house" no more, 

 by using the house boiler and spilling swill on the 

 floor. At this time my Mott boiler is filled with 

 coal tar and slate flour, ready to be put on a roof 

 to-morrow. 



My last purchase is a cast-iron ox or horse scraper. 

 It works first rate. I have dug a cellar with it. I 

 use it several times a week. It is handy to level 

 a rough spot or ridge of land. It will speedily, 

 gather the remnants of manure in the yard into a 

 snug heap, and move into it fres-h material near. 

 My labor is more efiective for these additions to 

 my tools. Wm. D. Brown. 



Concord, Mass., May 22, 1867. 



TRANSPLANTING EVERGREENS. 



What is the best time for transplanting ever- 

 greens, cedar, balsam, spruce, &c. ? g. h. t. 

 AscutneyviUe, Vt., 1867. 



Remarks. — June is considered a good time, just 

 as a new growth is starting on the tips of the 

 branches. Great care should be used to keep the 

 surface of the ground around the stem of the tree 

 attached to the roots, and not allow the sun or 

 wind to strike them. The roots of evergreens are 

 succulent and tender, and are easily wilted by ex- 

 posure to sun and wind. Cover the roots with 

 matting or earth, as they are placed in the wagon 

 to be hauled away. 



A SICK SHEEP. 



Please inform me what is the matter with a val- 

 uable sheep that I have. About the time that I 

 turned her to pasture, her head commenced swell- 

 ing. In the day time her head swells and in the 

 night it goes down; the swelling begins on her 

 under jaw; she appears well, and cats well. If 

 you can inform me through the Farmer what is 

 the matter with her, and what to do for her, you 

 will greatly oblige a subscriber. h. g. w. 



Enfield, May, 1867. 



Remarks. — "Swelled head" is not uncommon 

 among sheep, we believe, but rarely, if ever, as- 

 sumes the epidemic form. Dr. Randall does not 

 prescribe for it as a distinct disease, but thinks it 



