170 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[May, 
or near onr bays, rivers, or inlets, asp not affected so 
much by frost and sleet. Notwithstanding all this, the 
prospect ie that there will be an immense crop of fruit 
shipped from those districts the coming season. In 
the upper part of Kent and New Castle counties, Del., 
the upper part of C£ueen Anne's, Kent, and Cecil coun 
ties. Md.. the trees are not yet in bloom, and the pros- 
pect was never better for au immense crop of peaches. 
The question now among our people is to know what to 
do with the fruit if the crop should prove as large as the 
present prospect would indicate. Already capitalists 
are on the move, and canning houses and Alden drying 
establishments are springing up all over the country, 
and with all these increased facilities, if the present 
prospect holds good, peaches will be thrown on the 
market in such quantities this season that the prices 
will rule low, and nothing but prime fruit be worth 
whipping. While tbere may be failures in some locali- 
ties, the prospect, on to*; whole, was never better for a 
great crop. The prospect for small fruit crops is good. 
Eight years ago we did not ship one car-load of berries 
a day : in 1873 we shipped on the Delaware railroad as 
high as sixty-five car-loads of strawberries a day. 
Books Noticed. 
Our publishing friends must excuse Tie. In the spring 
months we are so crowded with purely agricultural 
matters that we have been unable to acknowledge their 
favors. We can only give the briefest mention. 
FrnLD Ornithology, Comprising a Manual of In- 
struction for Procuring, Preparing, and Preserving 
Birds, and a Check List of North American Birds, by Dr. 
Elliott Coues, U. S. A., Salem. Naturalists' Agency. 
This title is so descriptive that little need be added to 
indicate the contents of the work. It is by one of the 
best of our practical ornithologists, and written in such 
a plain and direct style, and withal so full aud complete, 
that it makes just the work needed by both young and 
old ornithologists. Price $5.50. 
Pleasant Talk about Fruits, Flowers, and Farm- 
ing, by Henry Ward Beecher. New York : J. B. Ford & 
Co. The publishers do well to issue a new edition of 
these ** Talks," most fitly called " pleasant." There are 
a few additions to the first edition, which we well recol- 
lect as one of the most charming books wc ever read. 
Mr. Beedher's writings, speaking horticulturally, are not 
only perennial, but evergreen, and are just as good m 
1874 as they were in 1859. The author has the advantage 
over many who write about horticulture in possessing 
the not common qualification of knowing something 
of his subject. These articles are not only bright 
and cheery, but practical and sensible— in other words, 
they are Beechery. 
Jenny June's American Cook Book, by Mrs. J. C 
Croly, N. Y. American News Co. The author of this 
work is well known in literary circles, and her name 
would predispose one in its favor. Unfortunately a cook 
book can not be fairly judged by merely reading it ; as 
with a servant one must try it in the kitchen in many ways 
before deciding upon its value. The lady who presides 
over the writer's culinary matters says the book "seems 
promising." and this confirms our own impression. The 
general directions are marked by eminent good sense. 
Flower Object Lessons, or First Lessons in Botany, 
a familiar description of a few flowers from the French 
of M. E. Le Maout. This is a portion of a work by a 
well-known French author, translated by Miss A. L. 
Page, Danveis, Mass. With a good teacher this book 
may be of use in th»; lack of a better, but notwithstanding 
the "testimonials " printed with it we think it a very in- 
different work. One of its claims is that " not a tech- 
nical word is used," which strikes us as of no advautage, 
as common words are strained out of their meaning and 
applied to things which have " technical " names and n i 
other. If we wish a child in the garden to bring a rake, 
we do not call it ** a piece of iron to which teeth are 
fixed at right angles, and furnished with a handle," but 
make the child learn that the proper name for the thing 
is rake. Yet this circumlocution would be no more 
nonsensical than the "powder wands" of this book 
applied to stamens. The fact is that these bodies 
are peculiar, and they occur only in flowers, and their 
proper name is stamens, which is just as easy to learn, 
being but one word, as " powder wands," two words in- 
correctly applied, and which the child will very soon 
have to unlearn ; mai:y stamens, as it will soon find out, 
have nothing " waud "-like about them, and much pollen 
is not powder. Equally absurd is it to call the pistil 
"column" and "central organ." We are heartily in 
favor of making the study of plants plain and attractive 
to children, as has ben done by Dr. Gray aud Miss You- 
nmn", ami which has been attempted without very 
ureal fcuccess in this book. 
Easy Lessons in Natural Science, by R. E. Kremer. 
Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfiuger. What 
real use this book can serve we are unable to see. It may 
! help one of those stupidities that an inscrutable Provi- 
| dence sometimes allows to stand in the place of a teacher 
j to cram a child's head with fragmentary, disjointed, and 
j useless answers to equally fragmentary and useless ques- 
tions, to be repeated without any more knowledge of the 
subject than a parrot. We could fill a page with the ab- 
surdities of this book, but a few examples must suffice. 
Under " Salt" we find " What is common salt?" Ans.— 
11 It is a substance used for seasoning or preserving meats, 
vegetables, butter, and other articles of diet; " and this 
is all that the child is taught as to what salt really is. 
Under "Apple" it is asked, "How many varieties are 
known?" Ans.— "Over two hundred." We can not 
see that this is an important part of a child's education, 
but as the book professes to teach science, it should ap- 
proach accuracy. The fact is that one American book 
describes over two thousand, and does not include all 
the varieties known. The " vegetable kingdom " is dis- 
posed of in just one page, and how full of wisdom that 
page is may be seen from this : "What great natnralist 
prepared the system of Botany which is now in use?" 
Behold the answer I—" Linnceus of Sweden" ! I ! Mr. 
Kremer, we would advise you to cram yourself better be- 
fore you attempt to teach children matters about which 
yon appear to know absolutely nothing. Your book is 
Bosh. 
The Carpenter's and Builder's Assistant, by 
Lucius D.Gould. New York: A. J. Bicknell & Co. This is 
avery concise treatise upon the principles of carpentery, 
and includes with others the now popular system of bal- 
loon framing. The illustrations are exceedingly neat, 
and the descriptions though brief are clear, and the 
work can not fail to be of great use to the carpenter who 
wishes to work by rule. 
Catalogues Received. 
Our friends who come so late must be content with a 
very brief acknowledgment of their catalogues, as we 
have not space for more. 
SEEDS. 
J. H. & W. E. Cone, Hartford, Ct., with their cata- 
logue of Wethersfleld seeds, give a farmers' almanac. 
A. S. Johnson, North Chili, Munroe Co., N. T.— Seed 
Potatoes a specialty. 
W. B. Btmon, Jr., Brooklyn, N. Y.— Vegetable and 
Flower seeds. 
Miller & Sievers, San Francisco, Cal.— Calif ornian 
and Australian Tree and Flower Seeds. 
H. W. Williams & Sons. Batavia, Kane Co., HI. — 
Flower and Vegetable seed catalogue and a Potato circu- 
lar. Also Greenhouse and Bedding Plants. 
Jordan Horticultural Compant. St. Louis, Mo.— 
General Stock of Seeds, Florists and other Plants, and 
Horticultural Goods. 
NURSERIES. 
L. B. Chapman, Portland, Me., and 145 Fulton et., N. 
Y.— Small Evergreens a specialty. 
J. & W. J. Judeftnd. Edesville, Kent Co., Md.— 
Amazon Raspberry a specialty. 
J. W. Manning, Reading, Mass. —Fruit and Orna- 
mental. 
Frank Ford, Ravenna, O.— Hoosac Thornless Rasp- 
berry a specialty. 
Thomas Meehan, Germantown, Pa. — Ornamental 
Trees and Hedge Plants especially. 
Jonathan A. Holmes, Polo, Ogle Co., 111.— Apples 
and Small Fruits. 
Calkins & Brooks, Bricksburgh, N. J.— Peach and 
other fruits. 
A. D. Prtal, Oakland, Cal.— General Nursery and 
Greenhouse stock. 
E. Y. Teas & Co.. Cascade Nursery, Richmond. Ind. — 
Fruit and Ornamental, with extensive Greenhouse stock. 
Roses a specialty. 
Plnnet & Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wis.— Manual of Ever- 
green and Forest Trees, accompanied by a Catalogue of 
the same. 
FLORISTS. 
B. P. Critchell, Cincinnati, O.— A very full catalogue. 
Thomas Meehan. Germantown, Pa., has added exten- 
sive greenhouses to his nursery, and has a full stock. 
A. Whitcomb, Lawrence, Kansas. — This isa charming- 
ly neat catalogue. 
Wm. H. Page (Wm. B. Horey, Agent), Norwich, Ct.— 
Flowers & Vegetable Plants. 
W. B. Dixon, Jr., Brooklyn, N. Y.» sends with Lis 
catalogue a fine little chromo. 
Marion Welsh, Mt. Vernon, O.— Vegetable Plants 
and Hardy Shrubs, in addition to a full florists' stock. 
Geo. W. Penney, Newark, O.— Vegetable Plants also. 
A. Hance & Son, Red Bank, N. J.— Bedding and Rare 
Plants. 
II. P. Closson, Thetford, Vt. -Bedding and Green- 
house Plants and Fruit Trees. 
EUROPEAN CATALOGUES. 
Ch. Huber & Co., Hyeres, France.— Rare Plants, 
Palms, Cannas, etc. 
Aleoatiere, Lyons. France, offers several new double 
Pelargoniums and Carnations. 
Anthont Waterer, Knap Hill Nursery, Woking, 
Surrey. En?.— This nursery is celebrated for its Rhodo- 
dendrons, Hollies, and other select plants, and has sup- 
plied the finest collections in this country. 
F. K. Bell. Stratford upon Avon, Eng., sends a cata- 
logue of his Imperishable Labels, which, from the locali- 
ty we presume, he calls *' Shakesperean." 
J. B. Glullot Fils, Lyons, Fiance. A catalogue of 
roses remarkable for its great number of novulties and 
standard varieties. 
Note. — We have several duplicates of the catalogues 
of Anthony Waterer & Guillot Fils, which maybe had 
upon inclosing a stamp to the editor. 
IMPLEMENTS. 
A. J. Nellis & Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.— Harpoon Hay- 
Forks. 
E. S. Lee & Co., Rochester, N. Y.— Pruning apparatus. 
J. J. Thomas «fc Co.. Geneva, N. Y.— A catalogue set- 
ting forth the merits of the well-known Thomas 
Harrow. 
Bee Notes. 
BY M. QUfNBT. 
Some op the Objections to Bee-keeping Consid- 
ered.— It is well known bow much honey is yielded by 
certain districts in the state of New York. Taking this 
as a basis and making proper allowance for waste land 
and other non-producing portions of the area, it is esti- 
mated that in this state alone twenty millions pounds of 
honey are annually wasted for the want of bees to 
gather it. At the present time instead of stating any 
arguments in favor of making an attempt to secure this 
important item in our resources by extending the knowl- 
edge and the practice of bee-keeping, it may be well to 
consider some of the objections that have been made to 
the pursuit. 
Much has been said in opposition to bee-keeping, 
and said judiciously if it is not proved a legitimate 
and profitable business. Several writers in the news- 
papers are manifesting a good deal of interest from pro- 
fessedly disinterested motives. Early in March a little 
item appeared in the N. Y. Tribune, pretending to be a 
fair report of a bee-keepers' convention. I failed to die- 
cover wherein it was fairly represented. It seemed to 
me to be especially designed for the purpose of discour- 
agement, by giving only the dark side. Was there noth- 
ing said that might have been some benefit f The name 
"bee merchants" was given to the members. Not more 
than two or three of the whole number -ever bought and 
sold bees. One especially, that has secured more honey 
than any one in the state, nev«r yet sold a bee. What 
constitutesamerchantbutbuyingand selling? Is it just 
to represent the convention thus ? There is abont 100,- 
000 pounds of honey sent to New Y'ork city annually. 
The man referred to has furnished about one fourth of 
it. Now Buppose this man who knows how to manage 
bees successfully attends the convention and teaches 
his fellows how to manage until five or ten times the 
quantity is sent to market. The price it now bears would 
be lessened, and if he did not get his reward on a broader 
principle than pecuniary remuneration, I think he had 
better be silent. Where there is an interest, I hope 
there will be an impartial investigation. 
Prof. C V. Riley, of Mo., has had much to say against 
the bee. A private correspondent wishes to know whet I 
" have to say to these charges." With regard to the injury 
bees do to fruit, it would he about the same in substance 
as was said last month. Prof. Riley seemed desirous to 
convince his readers that bees injured fruit without posi- 
tively asserting it. Such words as •' I am convinced" 
and " there is no doubt of it " may reach far enough to 
convince many readers that he has seen what he speaks 
of, when he has not committed himself to a positive ex- 
pression. His proposition to poison the bees is one so 
repulsive that I abstain from any comment here. His 
plan to annihilate them by sowing milk-weed shows that 
he has not investigated the matter. My views on bcea 
and milk-weed were given to the public over twenty 
years ago. I would not alter Them now further than to 
say that the more that milk- weed was sown near my beca. 
