290 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[August, 
well as the other, but well enough to warrant me in 
recommending the plan to those, who have no other and 
more, suitable ground. My land is in fair condition, hav- 
ing raised 600 bushels of ears of corn on the five acres 
where the rape was sown." — Several of my cor- 
respondents, who have tried rape and mustard, have not 
found the advantage they expected. They are compara- 
tively new crop* in this country, and we need more ex- 
tended trials, before recommending for <reneral introduc- 
tion. Mr. J. S. E., of Darlington. Pa., writes me, that he 
sowed rape two years ago, and that "the frosts of No- 
vember froze it to the grontid, and he got no use from the 
crop." — If be had turned the sheep on to it, I am inclined 
to think be would have found that it was less injured by 
the frost than ho snpposed from Its appearance. 
Swindling by Mail 
MORE BIG CREEK BAGLETISM. 
Oar attention has been called to the article in the Agri- 
culturist for July, entitled " Swindling by Mail," as being 
specially interesting to seedsmen in general, and soft- 
hearted ones in particular ; we perused it, as it seemed 
to carry the conviction that we too had been victimized. 
Examining our books we find that in April last year, the 
Big Creek fraud had free seeds for the season. Upon 
further investigation we find that last February we were 
favored with four pages of poverty from the pen of a 
female Bagley, a Mrs. M. C. Bagley, of Big Creek. A 
letter containing an order for seeds amounting to $10.95, 
and enclosing cash for same bad been lost, so the story 
opens. We took the course usually taken by other 
seedsmen, offering to fill the order upon receipt of half 
the amount said to be lost. This offer was followed by 
many thanks, and a eulogy on departed finances, with 
the proposition that it would be more satisfactory to 
share the loss by sending half the seeds without further 
remittance. We failed to appreciate that logic, but filled 
the order out of charity, little suspecting that such a 
combination of ' soft sawder' and rural simplicity, was 
bnt a veneer for rustic rascality. We are of opinion that 
Bagley ism blooms luxuriantly in Western, as well as 
Southren sections of the country, for there are other 
names (ami li.u to ne or persona who neriodically suffer 
the loss of money which was never sent. 
Washburn & Co., Boston, Mass. 
Something about Patents and our Patent 
Department. 
More than one correspondent has written to express 
his surprise that we should frequently find fault with the 
Patent Laws, and at the same time have a department 
for the securing of patents, and a brief explanation will 
satisfy a number of readers. In the first place we un- 
mercifully pitch into those who, under pretence of hav- 
ing a patent upon some article long in use, attempt to 
swindle farmers and others out of their money. These 
are treated just as any other humbugs. Our patent laws 
are on the whole for the general good, and for the moct 
part they are wisely administered. Still, the laws have 
defects, and patent examiners being human, make mis- 
takes. We shall continue to expose the laws where they 
geem to us to be wrong— and in this we know we have 
the sympathy or the officers of the Department, and if 
the office grants patents in cases in which we think they 
should be refused, we shall express our opinion, now 
that we have a patent department connected with our 
office, just as freely as we did when we had none. Hun- 
dreds of our readers have written that they had made 
some invention, and asked us how they could get it 
patented, and wished to know if we could recommend 
them loan agent of whose fair dealing they could feel 
assured. Some months ago it came In our way to make 
an arrangement with a gentleman, who not only stands 
well with his clients, but is on a most excellent footing 
with the officers of the Department at Washington, to 
undertake the many cases which came to us. We were 
very glad to be able to say to our friends that their ap- 
plications could be attended to in our own office, and 
that they could rely upon being faithfully served, not 
only as to the character of the advice given, bnt at the 
most moderate charges for such service. That this ar- 
rangement has met a want on the part of the public ib 
testified by numerous letters ; long-time friends of the 
Agriculturist express their great satisfaction at the 
establishment of a patent department, and show their 
sincerity by giving it their business. The following ex- 
tract from a letter, dated Kent Co., Md., will serve as an 
example of numerous others : " Your department I think 
highly useful and important to the inventor, not only in 
assisting him in procuring patents, but in guarding him 
against patenting things ot no value."— Another writes 
from Fairfield. Iowa: " Thanking you for the fidelity and 
promptness with which you have transacted my business, 
I remain, etc." — A reputation for "fidelity and prompt- 
ness" is what we shall endeavor to maintain, and we 
hope that our readers will make this department known 
to such of their mechanical friends as do not take the 
paper. While we shall do our best to give all who apply 
to us the benefit of the laws as they now exist, this will 
not prevent us from suggesting improvements in these 
laws, and in this as in other matters our editorial depart- 
ment will treat these topics as it considers best for the 
public good. 
The Potato-Bug in the West. 
The following is from a correspondent in Illinois: 
Eastern farmers, who have had this season their first ex- 
perience with the Colorado potato-bug. may be interested 
in a few notes on the actual warfare against the bugs, as 
it has been carried on among those who are now veterans 
in the fight. In many localities the bugs gain a foothold 
the first year of their appearance, because there are com- 
paratively few of them. Insignificant numbers do not 
provoke general offensive movements, and the bugs, in- 
creasing during the summer, begin work the second year 
in overwhelming numbers. When the bugs first ap- 
peared in Ohio, people held many theories in regard to 
their poisonous qualities, and in regard to the best 
methods to destroy them. There was a mystery about 
these potato enemies, and people disliked to come down 
to close quarters. The papers described how certain in- 
dividuals had been poisoned by bite or sting, and timid 
people found in this an excuse for letting the bugs alone. 
Some one announced through the papers that his ducks 
ate the bugs, and another man that his turkeys ate them. 
Every one who had ducks and turkeys waited for them 
to do their duty as bug-destroyers, which they rarely did. 
Many tried to frighten or stun the bugs by firing shot- 
guns in such a way as to rake the rows. This plan was 
popular with the boys. It was discovered that the 
soldier-bug, lady-bug, etc., warred upon the potato-bug, 
and forthwith boys and men suspended labor, as if to 
give the gallant soldier-bugs a fair chance. Paris green, 
mixed with flour and plaster, was used. But then this 
was poisonous, and the dust from it entered the nose and 
eyes. This objection was met by mixing Paris green 
with water — a large table-spooufnl to ten quarts of water 
— and this sprinkled freely over the vines. But many 
who mixed the Paris green and watnr, neglected the im- 
portant feature of stirring, and failed to accomplish what 
they expected. And then the application of this killed 
soldier-bugs and lady-bugs, as well as potato-bugs. This 
was an objection. Many men, who understood what the 
soldier-bug was doing against the common enemy, re- 
fused to use Paris green. These men picked the potato- 
bugs off by hand, and burned them, or brushed them off, 
and plowed them under, or brushed them off at noon-day, 
and saw them roast on the hot, sandy soil. Others in- 
vented wooden tongs, with a movement like the old- 
fashioned sheep-shears, and killed the bugs with these. 
In many localities the tongs were popular ; in other lo- 
calities people laughed at them. In one neighborhood it 
was firmly believed that mustard, growing among pota- 
toes, was a defence against the bug, while in a neighbor- 
ing township this was pronounced a humbug. People 
held tenaciously to certain methods. A, i!, and C would 
work hard, and clear their grounds of the pest. D would 
let them go, and from his grounds A, B, and C received 
new instalments. This would never do. The farmers in 
the township organized, and all cleared their fields of the 
potato-bugs, and then they had potatoes. In this way 
only was effective work accomplished. Farmers must 
work together, and work in earnest. Where there were 
farmers' clubs, this kind of worK was easily inaugurated, 
and carried to a successful issue. 
The result of experience is: When there are compara- 
tively few bugs, pick them off as soon as they appear, 
and destroy them. If the eggs have been deposited, 
destroy these. When the bugs are numerous, use Paris 
green with water. This is safer and more economical, 
than when used dry with flour or plaster. When the 
bugs appear the first season, do not flatter yourself that 
you are to be more fortunate than your Western neigh- 
bors, because they are few. The advance guard once in 
position, you are at a disadvadta^e. Destroy the advance 
guard, and be ready the next season to continue the work 
of destruction. 
Bee Notes for August. 
BT M. QTJTNBT. 
Been In Kentucky.— O. Brumfield, Boyle Co., 
Ky., writes : " How can I best shade my bees in the ab- 
sence of shade-trees ¥ I am living at a newly built place, 
and have not a tree, except small ones just planted. 
How would a long arbor covered with grape or hop vines 
do ? I have about 50 stands. How closu should they be 
placed ? When bees are in a cool place, and will persist 
in hanging outside the hive instead of in boxes, what 
had better be done with them ? Last year I had about 
eighty hives ; lost thirty in winter. I suppose five-sixths 
of the bees in this section (Central Ky.) died. Mine died 
mostly in spring." — Bees protected from cold north 
wind and exposed to the sun during the early part of the 
season, .are better off than if shaded. Many stocks were 
lost, even in the Southern States, last April, apparently 
on account of chilly winds and cool weather. If it could 
be arranged that they receive the sun's rays until some 
time in June, and then be shaded, it would be nearly 
right. Probably hop vines would do it best. A movable 
roof of some sort should protect each hive from the 
rain ; if its dimensions are ample, and it is raised just a 
little above the hive, it will do very well in the absence of 
a leafy shade. It can be removed in fair days during 
spring. The distance apart for stands should be six feet, 
and as much more as space will allow, if it is fifty feet. 
If there is room enough in the hive, or boxes, bees will 
not hang outside the shaded hive idle, except perhapf 
occasionally an hour or two towards night. 
Kinds of Honey.— In New York State, different lo- 
calities, only a few miles apart, produce distinct qualities 
of honey. In different States and latitudes the quality of 
honey varies. Nearly all sections yield some from fruit 
blossoms and dandelions. It is not often that we obtain 
much surplus honey until clover yields it, and this is 
considered superior to roost kinds. When bees can 
reach bass-wood, larger quantities are obtained in less 
time than from clover. The distance they will go for it, 
greatly depends on the serenity of the weather. The 
appearance of bass-wood honey is equal, if not superior 
to that from clover. It has an aroma greatly prized by 
many. It yields from July 1st to 20th usually in this 
locality. Buckwheat, in some sections, supplies the 
greatest yield. It is dark colored, and the flavor not so 
pleasant to most palates. When it is desired to keep the 
white honey separate, all the surplus should be removed 
now. In sections where buckwheat is grown plentifully, 
bees will often obtain enough, and often much more than 
is sufficient for their winter stores. In some places, as the 
prairies of the Western Suites, the asters, golden rods, 
and other late flowers furnish honey of medium quality ; 
the bees will winter on this. If honey that is stored in 
boxes, or even that in the body of the hive, is taken with 
the extractor the beginning of this month, the bees will 
usually accumulate enough for winter. If they fail to do 
it,— which may be known by weighing— feed syrup of 
sugar, which is just as good as honey, until their Btores 
are ample. 
Cleaning Stubble Land. 
The farmer who has a field which has grown 
wheat, or barley, or oats this year, and is not 
seeded down, and which is not to be sown with 
any other crop until next spring, has an oppor- 
tunity of cleaning his land, that should on no 
account be neglected. The English farmers 
seldom seed down their land with wheat. After 
the wheat is harvested, they harrow the land, 
or tear it to pieces with a three or four-horse 
cultivator or "grubber." This pulls out the 
roots of quack-grass, and starts the seeds of 
other weeds. The field is afterward plowed, 
when, of course, all the young weed-plants are 
destroyed. The grubber is kept at work a9 
often as necessary to clean and mellow the land. 
The next spring this land is sown to turnips or 
mangels, or, on heavy land, to beans or barley. 
It is said that this autumn cleaning of stubble 
land by the free use of the grubber, especially 
when operated by the all-powerful steam en- 
gine, is one of the greatest agricultural im- 
provements of the age. 
"What is true of English farming, might be 
still more emphatically true of American agri- 
culture. Our autumns are longer, and drier, 
and hotter than they are in England, and we 
have a better opportunity to clean our land, 
while there is certainly a greater necessity. Our 
fields are fearfully foul with all kinds of weeds, 
and in many instances they are annually gain- 
ing a stronger foothold. We must light, if we 
would win. It will not do to go on in the old 
way. "With our drying winds and hot sun we 
ought to have the cleanest farms in the world 
