1874.] 
AMKRICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
129 
representations as those we have quoted. Remember 
that our own regular dealers have everything in the way 
of seeds, flowers, and fruits that is worth growing, and 
If a valuable new thing is offered in any part of the 
world, the contest with them is to see who Bhall intro- 
duce it soonest. 
Petroleum for Primiwflf-— "S. &L W.," 
Shippensburg, Pa., writes that ,k an experienced car- 
builder informs him that even the best mineral paints 
will not adhere to wood that has been oiled with petro- 
leum some weeks before painting. His plan is to apply 
the crude petroleum as hot as possible, and put on the 
paint as soon as the petroleum has fairly cooled. Result 
much more satisfactory than when the petroleum is ap- 
plied cold and the wood not painted for Borne weeks 
afterwards." This is quite provable. For hard wood 
the lighter oil will soak in more readily than the heavier 
oil, and the hotter it can be applied the more rapidly will 
It be absorbed. For pine or hemlock, except the weather 
is very cold, it is not necessary to heat the oil. Paint 
will not adhere well to the oiled surface unless the petro- 
leum is absorbed by the wood. Last snmmer we put 
petroli-um on to a new pine double wagon box. We went 
over the box two or three tinvs at intervals of two or 
three days, or when we happened to think of it. We 
probably got on three or four gallons of oil. In two or 
three weeks afterwards »ve painted it with Avcrill paint 
mnd found no trouble. The paint adhered as well as 
conld be wished. We put on two coats, and the box 
looks as smooth, glossy, and firm as if made of the best 
of hard wood. In cool weather, and especially with hard 
wood, it would undoubtedly be advantageous to apply 
the petroleum hot, for the simple reason that it would 
penetrate deeper into the wo id. How long or how short 
a time elapses before the mineral paint is applied is of 
little consequence, provided the petroleum has been ab- 
sorbed by the pores of the wood. TImb is the main point 
to be observed. [This comes from one of our associates 
who has had much experience in the use of petroleum, 
and as he passed much of his life in a chemical labor- 
atory it does not occur to him that anything can be dan- 
gerous. So we must add that if petroleum is to be heated 
it must be done with the greatest caution or it will take 
fire. The »afest way will be to set the can in a kettle of 
hot water out of doors, and be sure not to bring a lamp, 
right a match, or allow flame of any kind near the place 
where the work is going on.— Ed.] 
Catalogues Received 
Last month we left out other matter for the sake of 
space to notice the catalogue-* of our friends, the dealers. 
We supposed that wo had at ban 1 the majority of the 
catalogue-*, flnrt were willing, for once, to give a Heparate 
mention of each one with some not ice of its peculiarities. 
Since then we have received a large number more, and 
though these are of the same importance as those men- 
tioned last month, we can not, owing to the claims of 
others upon our space, give other than the briefest 
notice. 
GENERAL NURSERY STOCK. 
J. W. Adams, box 1,340, Springfield, Mass. 
Otto & Achelis, Westchester, Pa.— Large stock; 
wholesale and retail. 
A. Hance & Son, Rumson Nurseries, Red Bank, N. J. 
—Also greenhouse plants. 
Reisiq <fe Hexamer, New Castle, Westchester Co. — 
Specialties, small fruits, particularly strawberries and 
seed potatoes. 
P. T. Quinn, Newark, N. J., besides pears offers small 
fruits and various vegetable plants. 
8. J. Allis, Erie, Pa.— Grapes and other small fruits. 
GREENHOUSE AND BEDDING PLANTS. 
George Such, South Amboy, N. J.— General collec- 
tion with gladiolus as a specialty. The neatest catalogue 
yet seen from Europe or this country. 
S. B. Vrkeland (Greenville), Jersey City, N. J.— 
General stock with the fine Bonvardia Vreelandii as a 
specialty. 
W. B. Woodrutp, Westfl Id, N. J., besides green- 
housu and bedding plants has a fnll list of vegetable 
plants, and still another n<?w tomato— "Robert." 
John Saul. Washington, D. C— A hu?e catalogue, 
embellished with a fine colored plate of the new "Ball 
of Snow" Abntilon. 
W. C. Wilson, Astoria, N. Y., and 43 West 14th street, 
**• Y.— An Immense general assortment with a number 
of specialties not offered elsewhere. 
Miller & Sievers, San Francisco, Cal.— A catalogue 
so full as this Is a surprise to us. who knew San Fran- 
cisco when there was not a florist west of the Rocky 
Mountains. Send your oiher catalogues. 
Dingee & Conard Co., West Grove, Chester Co., Pa., 
make a specialty of roses, which they send by mail at 
very low prices. The catalogue is valuable for its sensi- 
ble cultural directions. 
P. J. Berckmans, Fruitland Nurseries, Augusta, Ga., 
is largely engaged iu floriculture as well as the nursery 
business. Besides a general slock he ha.: many things 
suited to Southern gardems only. Prices astouishiugly 
low. 
Sidney Wilkinson, Providence, R. I.— Wo are glad to 
see so fine and full a catalogue from a city which for oue 
of its size has heretofore had very few florists. 
Olm Brothers, Newark, N. J.— This large establish- 
ment always preseuta some uovelties, uud it has a num- 
ber in this year's catalogue. 
Wm. J. Hebser, PlattBmouth, Nebraska.— A more 
complete list than one would expect to find iu a place 
which but a few years ago was " ou the froutier." 
Green, Beech & Abter, South Oil City, Pa.— Send 
an illustrated catalogue of plants and seeds. 
SEEDSMEN. 
D. M. Ferry & Co., Detroit, Mich.— This is one of 
the largest seed-growing establishments in the country, 
and their descriptive catalogue is very full aud complete. 
John Saul, Washington, D. C, has, besides from his 
nursery, a seed etore opposite the Patent Office. 
Schlegel, Everett & Co., Boston, Mass., have be- 
sides the usual list many peculiar and Boston— and there- 
fore very good—" notious " in the way of vegetables and 
flowers. 
J. M. Thorburn & Co., No. 15 John street, N. Y., 
publish each February a list of Tree and Shrub Seeds. 
Those who write asking wh re such things can be had 
should be.ir this in mind. 
Hovey & Co., Boston, Mass.— For nearly 40 years have 
this firm sent out each year their well filled catalogue, 
and yet they keep up with the times. 
Aaron Low, Essex, Mass., grows garden and flower 
seeds, and his catalogue tells all about them. 
James Fleming, f>7 Nassau street, has a very full Illus- 
trated catalogue of vegetable and flower seeds, prefaced 
by a handsome colored plate of Double Zinnias. 
Vick'b Floral Guide. —Mr. James Vick, of Rochester, 
extends his catalogne over the whole year and makes it 
a quarterly. No. 2 has many interesting items and a 
*' pronouncing vocabulary of botanical names," which 
would be more useful if it were more correct. What can 
he mean by telling us that coix is pronounced " coy 1" 
Other words also needs revising. 
W. H. Spooner, Boston, Mass., puts out his catalogne 
as a '* Garden Guide," and a very creditable one it Is. 
Charles Slzer, Monnt Lebanon, N. Y., sends out 
what he calls a Shaker Catalogne, which is in appearance 
very much like the catalogues sent out by the " world's 
people," and contains no intimation that it is issued by 
any Shaker community. 
V. P. Dotrw & Co., Albany, N. T.— Seeds, Rustic 
Work, Implements, etc. 
IMPLEMENTS, FLOWER-POTS, ETC. 
Gardener B. Weeks, Syracuse, N. T.— Cheese and 
Butter Factory, and Dairy Supplies and Apparatus. Well 
illustrated. 
A. H. Hews, North Cambridge, Mors., have an illus- 
trated catalogue of machine and hand made pots, etc. 
Snow & Cooltdge, Wachneett Pottery, West Stirling, 
Mass., Also send a catalogue of similar wares. 
EUROPEAN CATALOGUES. 
E. G. Henderson & Son, London, send an immense 
catalogue of seeds of all kinds, including all the new 
things. 
Ai.EGATnrRE, Lyons, who Introduced the new donble 
white and oiher double Pelargoniums last year, offers a 
new Bet, raised by Jean Sisley and others, and a new lot 
of Carnations. 
Planting Trees upon Highways. 
We have been requested to publish the law In regard 
to the money allowed for planting shade trees on the side 
of the roads In the State of New York. There was an 
act passed April 26, 1869. entitled, "An Act to Enconra-je 
the Planting of Shade Trees alonir the sides of the Public 
Highways » (chap. 3-32). This act was amended May 3d, 
1870, so as to include fruit trees (chap. 595). We give the 
act as amended, and as it now stands: 
" Section 1.— Any inhabitant liable to highway tax who 
shall transplant by the side of the public niuhwav any 
forest shade trees or fruit trees of suitable size shall be 
allowed by the overseers of highways, in abatement of 
bis highway tax, oue dollar for every four trees set out ; 
but no row of elms shall be placed nearer than seventy 
feet ; no row of maples or other forest trees neaivr than 
fifty feet, except locust, which may be set thirty (Vet 
apart ; fruit trees must also be set at least filty (Vet apiirf 
and no ullowance, aa before mentioned, ahull be made 
unless suet trees shall have been set out the year pre- 
vious to tne demand lor said abatement of tux* and are 
living aud well protected iioin animals at the' time of 
such demand. 
"Section 2.— Any trees planted by the side of the pub- 
lic highways as aforesaid, in the place of trees that have 
died, shall be allowed for in the same manner and in the 
same conditions as iu the preceding section. 
-Section 3.— No person ehull be allowed an abatement 
of his highway taxes as aforesaid, more than one quarter 
ol his annual highway tax, and no one shall receive any 
abatement ot tax (or trees planted previous to the pas- 
sage of this act. 
" Section 4.— This act shall take effect immediately." 
The act has bad very little effect. Not one farmer in a 
thousand knowB of its passage. And those who know of 
the law seem to care little about it. The compensation 
is too small. A farmer of oue hundred acres is assessed 
say from $8 to $12 highway lax to be " worked out. 1 " A 
man, team and plow, wagon or scraper, counts for three 
days' work, or $3. So that if a farmer is assessed $12 all 
he can get for setting out trees is one day's work for 
himself and team. If section 3 was stricken out, so that 
a farmer might he allowi d 25 cents each for ail the trees 
set out, it might have some effect. As it is, a farmer who 
has energy and sense enough to set out trees will not be 
influenced by the small compensation, and those who 
nave not will pay little attentiou to the law. 
Bee Notes,— Advice to Beginners. 
BY M. QUINBT. 
Mr. Smith, Pa., writes that " wild Snllendine plant Is a 
perfect cure for bee stings, and mosquito bites." All 
that is necessary, be i=ays, is to apply the juice immedia- 
tely, to prevent swelling: He probably means common 
celandine, growing in wet places. At our association in 
TJtica last February, a member brought what ho called 
an antidote to bee stings, in liquid form. To convince 
the skeptical of its efficacy he actually brought some bees 
with him, and got himself stung in two places. To one 
place he applied the remedy, and the effect ot the sting 
on that did not seem quite so bad as the other, to which 
nothing was applied. He urged all to make the trial, 
and found but one willing, but be claimed that he illus- 
trated its efficacy by partial success, at least. Ever since 
I kept bees, new remedies for stings have been recom- 
mended as certain cures. For a long time, I took pains 
to test them ; sometimes a sting would be hardly felt, at 
others it would be very severe, when both were treated 
with the same remedy. My impression is, that in cases 
where the effect is slight, the puncture is slight, but little 
poison infused, or the bee is not incensed to make the 
thrust with much vigor. This seems more probable 
than that we have found an antidote. It is iong siuce I 
have used anything, and do just as well. I do not wish 
to deny their efficacy, or even discourage the trial of 
them; but I trust I shall be excused from implicit con- 
fidence, when I have failed in so many cases. Those 
who have realized that it is easier to avoid contracting 
various habits in any case than it is to cure tbem, will 
And no exception to the rule, when applied to bees. In 
their treatment in Ibis respect let the beginner experi- 
ment for himself, and scan everything closely ; tako 
nothing for granted till corroborated by his own obscr 
vatlon, whether for or against, the little pets. 'I hope 
no one will make the mistake of copying a blunder from 
me. I only wish that bee-keepers would adopt the direc- 
tions given for treating bees kindly, and watch the re- 
sult. 
In regard to the charge of their being a nuisance, it 
does seem that much that is said is dictated by an unkind 
spirit, to say the least. It is nothing but justice to exam- 
ine both sides. We want facts. 
A. S. Fuller, in the New York Tribune, is credited 
with saying that " he is satisfied that in many localities 
these winged workers are a far greater nuisance than 
mosquitoes, or even sheep-killing dogs. Perhaps some 
grape growers may ask their neighbors to keep their 
bees at home, as they do the cattle, for there is certainly 
no difference in the moral or legal aspect of the two 
cases. Let every one keep as many bees as he or she 
likes, but If they do any damage to the neighbors* crops 
the owner should be held responsible." 
The last sentence seems not very unreasonable, if we 
Cfin only get at the real damage. I claim it is very small, 
if any. It is difflci.t to ascertain. The difference in the 
"aspect" of the two cases Is at once apparent. When 
cattle trespass, it can be seen, proved, it is not difficult 
to substantiate facts. But with the bee, how is it? Mr. 
Fuller " Is satisfied," and seems to think it proved. In 
court, witnesses must know; some are too easily satis- 
fled. The prosecutor would lose his case if he had 
nothing stronger. To see what satisfies Mr. F. we may 
