1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



361 



that it will fit snugly -within the frame. To 

 hold the combs in place, we use a mixture of 

 melted resin and beef tallow, applied to the 

 edges of the combs. 



All combs containing brood should be 



S laced together in the centre of the hive, 

 leject all drone comb. When all the frames 

 are full, carry the hive and place it upon the 

 old stand, being careful not to dislodge any 

 of the combs. Now bring the box containing 

 the bees and shake them down in front of the 

 hive, and if the entrance be large, as it should 

 be, they will readily enter. In transferring, 

 care must be used not to expose any honey 

 where the bees will find it, or robbing will 

 generally be the consequence, unless the 

 flowers are yielding an abundance of honey. 



Prevention of Swarraing. 



"We h.ave not as yet found any method 

 whereby swarming may be absolutely pre- 

 vented, if the bees are kept strong in num- 

 bers. Remove the old ([ueen, and give the 

 colony a youiig one of the present year's rais- 

 ing ; and if the bees have plenty of surplus 

 room, easily accessible, but few swarms will 

 issue. If artificial swarms are to be made, it 

 should be done early — as soon as the bees are 

 strong in numbers, or just before they would 

 issue naturally. — Herbert A. Burch, in Ilural 

 New' Yorker. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 HARVESTING HAY. 



Haying is again upon us, and with no more 

 than half a crop to secure, it becomes of the 

 first importance that we make what we have of 

 the greatest possible value. How shall this 

 be done? is the important question. Much 

 has been said and written of late about curing 

 hay in the mow ; much experience has been 

 given and many results, which at first appear 

 contradictory, have been reported by men of 

 the highest standing both as gentlemen and as 

 farmers . 



Your readers have noticed some extracts by 

 "Z. A. G.," in the issue of June '2i, from 

 Col. Stewart, of Farmington, as reported bv 

 the Secretary of the Maine Board of Agricul- 

 ture. Now, if one is to copy Col. Stewart's 

 plan and expect like results, he must observe 

 to the letter all his conditions. First, no grass 

 cut till the dew is entirely off; secondly, all the 

 hay or grass to be in the mow before the dew 

 begins to fall ; to be thoroughly wilted and 

 got in when warm ; thirdly, the hay to be 

 packed away snug and covered with a sweat 

 blanket of old hay or straw thick enough to 

 absorb all the moisture arising from the green 

 hay. 



Now, gentlemen, follow Col. Stewart's in- 

 structions as closely as you can, — take your 

 grass as you find it upon your farms and put 

 it into your barns in the first half of July, and 

 I will warrant that two out of every three of 



you will just about spoil your hay. How shall 

 this be avoided ? Please lay down this paper 

 and take up the issue of June '2\, and read 

 carefully the second article upon the first page 

 (from Gov. Brown, I suppose,) read it two 

 or three times, so as to take in the details, 

 then cut and cure your hay in strict accord- 

 ance with those instructions, audi will warrant 

 each of you to save your hay in perfect condi- 

 tion. 



I do not believe in drying hay too much, or 

 in letting it lie in the swath or windrow over 

 night ; but from the observation of a life time, 

 and the experience of twenty -five vcars, I am 

 sati>fied that ten tons of hay are every year 

 put into the barns of Maine dried too little, 

 for every one dried too much. 



Remember, that with whatever system you 

 adopt, success depends upon care and faithful- 

 ness combined with good judgment. 



D. H. Thing. 



Mt. Vernon, Me., July 3, ISTl. 



For the Kew England Farmer, 

 CROPS TN MERRIMAC COUNTY, N, H. 



I have just been taking a drive through 

 some of our adjoining towns, and I send you 

 my observations relative to the crop prospects. 



I never saw grass looking so poorly. Many 

 fields would not begin to pay for mowing in 

 an ordinary season. The rains for a week or 

 two past have helped many fields, but if we 

 had had all the rain we asked for, the hay 

 crop would have been far below an average. 

 I noticed a few farmers have taken the ad- 

 vice, so often given by the New England 

 Farmer, to sow fodder corn to meet the emer- 

 gency next fall and winter ; but it is surpris- 

 ing to see how few appreciate a good field of 

 fodder corn, or take any measures to guard 

 against the scarcity of fodiler next winter. 



Corn is looking poorly, as a general thing, 

 from the fact that it did not come up well, on 

 account of the drought. Wheat and oats are 

 looking finely. The Early Rose potatoes are 

 in full bloom and look well. Oronos are too 

 long coming up, the drought has had more 

 effect upon them, and many liills are missing. 

 A larger area has been planted than usual. 



Fruit, there is none of any kind ; even the 

 small wild berries are among the missino-. 

 The black and striped bugs have made fearful 

 work among the vines, and the cut worms 

 mow everything before thein in the shape of 

 garden truck. 



Wool is all picked up. A few farmers who 

 do not take the New England Farmer sold 

 for forty-five cents, but the most of it was 

 bought at fifty cents per pound. On account 

 of the low price of wool last year, many far- 

 mers sold oflF their best sheep to the butchers, 

 and kept the scallawags. Now they see where 

 they missed, and are willing to own it ; but 

 how many will profit by it ? 



