1871.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
160 
the early growth of the plant, for at this time they usually 
get enough from rains, but especially during the ripening 
of the fruit, and in keeping the soil about them thor- 
oughly stirred. We venture to predict that the prize will 
be awarded to the product of a plant about which the 
ground has been hoed every morning and watered every 
evening. A good amount of leaf should be left on the 
vine, but not in a position to shade or shelter the few 
specimens of fruit that are left after the severe thinning 
out that great size requires. While the fruit is green, 
its surfaces perform the office of a leaf, and it feeds 
itself directly from the atmosphere, and, therefore, there 
should be a free circulation of air about it. During its 
ripening it needs the fullest measure of direct sunlight. 
If the vine can be allowed to trail on the ground— the 
fruit being slightly elevated by little mats of straw— It is 
believed that the growth will be larger than when trained 
on a trellis, the whole weight of the fruit coming upon 
the stem. Mrs. Caroline Graves, of Dubuque, Iowa, says 
that she has raised the tomato from selected fruit, weigh- 
ing from 1% lbs. to 2!4 lbs. She did not prune her vines 
at all. Her plants were raised in hot-beds, covered with 
muslin instead of glass. 
Fodder Corn.— M. J. II. Foster, of Greeley, 
Colorado, in a letter to "Ogden Farm," says: u One 
season I grew in New Jersey as high as five acres of 
fodder corn for winter feed. I had no scales with which 
to ascertain the weight per acre produced ; but I became 
convinced that it was fully three times what the same 
land would have produced in timothy hay, besides which 
it was much better for milch cows. The land was not 
rich, was strong and soddy, and the hired boys (as they 
will generally) sowed it too thickly. My rule was to 
grow ten stalks per foot of row. On this land I only 
wanted six per foot, but I got nearer fifteen ; conse- 
quently, it did not grow over four feet high. It was sup- 
posed to have but few "nubbins" in; but when we 
came to feed in winter, the dung of the cows was freely 
interspersed with undigested grains of corn. There was 
evidently far more grain upon it than we thought there 
was. I never had cows do so well. I fed horses on it 
for two months or more without any grain, and they duj. 
well, and worked moderately, doing the usual winter 
hauling. I never had any trouble in curing. I used to 
cut it up, and place it in shocks of the same size 
as one hundred hills of corn would make. De- 
layed cutting until late — say ten days before we ex- 
pected frost. Generally, though not always, I let it wilt 
for a few hours before shocking, cutting from the time 
the dew was off until about 2 P. M., then shocked up. I do 
not know that wilting is necessary. In pleasant weather, 
in December, we divided the shocks in four, tied with 
rye-straw, and hauled to the barn ; never stowed it more 
than six feet deep in the mow. If the shocks arc well 
made, it will k:ep nearly all winter in the shock. The 
leaves get matted on the outside, and turn the water 
nicely.' 1 — (Note.) The foregoing indicates the value of 
corn fodder in an unmistakable way ; and we have no 
dcubt that, when grown to the degree of ripeness de- 
scribed, the question of curing for winter becomes very 
simple. It can hardly be doubtful, however, that the 
fodder would be more nutritious, if cut when in blossom, 
rather than after the grain is ripened. The question to 
be decided is, whether, while the stalks arc full of sap — 
a sap containing a good deal of sugar and other matters 
that ferment readily — it will be practicable, without the 
aid of artificial heat, to cure them so thoroughly that 
they will not spoil. If this can be done at all, we be- 
lieve that it will be by the aid of very thorough wilting 
before shocking, by putting the shocks into small stacks 
as soon as they arc dry enough, and by postponing the 
hauling into barn until cold weather. It is very doubt- 
tnl whether fifteen plants to the foot, or even thirty, 
would be too many, if the land were in the condition 
best suited to the growth of fodder corn— that is, in good 
tilth and perfectly gorged with rich manure. 
Bee Notes.— By M. Quinby. 
When the weather is wet or cold for a few days, light 
colonies will need especial care to prevent starving. In 
favorable springs a small proportion of stocks will swarm 
during the blossoming of apple orchards. Many will 
swarm about the time these blossoms disappear, but not 
generally until clover comes. Bees that do not gain in 
honey during the season of apple-blossoms, will bo quite 
sure to need feeding before that time. A knowledge of 
their natural history is quite as convenient this month as 
any other. The appearance of the queen-cells indicate 
when to expect swarms. With the movable comb-hive 
it is only necessary to quiet them with smoke or sngar- 
wator, when the frames can be lifted out and seen. The 
box-hive must be inverted. The examination is more 
difficult, and the results more uncertain, but with smoke 
H tan be done. The queen-colls are generally found on 
the edge of combs, from three to twenty in number. The 
open end being downward, the contents are easily seen. 
They are scaled up when about an inch long, when, if the 
weather is fine, the old queen leaves with the firstswanu. 
The advantage of being tolerably sure when the swarm 
will appear is obvious. They will be a little in advance 
or behind this period, in proportion as honey is plenty 
or scarce. If through neglect it is uncertain whether a 
hive has swarmed, and none of these cells are found oc- 
cupied, it is evidence that they have not. Second and 
third swarms, hived now, will be likely to get enough 
honey to winter them, unless the season is very poor. 
This may be done when increase of stocks is more de- 
sirable than box honey. Have all hives clean and some- 
what rough inside. Swarms should be hived immediately 
after clustering. Get all in, if possible. Stir them gen- 
tly, or sprinkle with water, if obstinate. Set them on the 
stand at once. Raise the front one-half inch and protect 
from the sun. I much prefer artificial swarming, being 
careful to do it only when the bees are getting honey and 
seem prosperous. More of this in the season, but 'tis 
well to think of it now. 
Those that have practiced transferring from the box- 
hive to the movable combs, and prevented swarming alto- 
gether, have obtained so much better results that I cannot 
avoid giving directions for doing it, and wilt follow next 
month with others, for the transferred hives or non- 
swarmers. Any time before the 25th of May in this lati- 
tude, the box-hive may be treated as follows, and the 
best results realized • The hive, frames, and comb, being 
ready, proceed to raise the hive a little, and smoke just 
enough to keep the bees quiet. Bring into a warm room, 
the windows all darkened but one, so that the few bees 
that fly will gather to the light, ready to be brushed into 
the hive when that is arranged. Turn the hive bottom 
up on a table. With a long thin knife loosen the combs 
from the sides. Split each of the sides in several pieces 
with an ax, and remove three of them, leaving the 
combs standing upright. Very many of the bees, by this 
time, will creep to the top of the combs, and collect in 
little clusters, showing no disposition to sting. The 
outside comb is cut off at what is now the bottom, and 
lifted out and laid on a flat surface, and the bees brushed 
back ; the edges trimmed until they just fit the frame. 
The combs are held in frames by splints, as described in 
"Bee-keeping Explained." When arranged, it is put in 
place in the new hive. The drone-comb should be nearly 
all rejected. 
The bees on the second comb, taken ont. may be 
brushed into the new hive, where they will gather on the 
first comb. All the combs containing brood must be 
placed in the same relative position that they occupied 
before, as the same number of bees can better protect 
them from the cold. When all is done, the scattered bees 
on the window are brushed down into the hive, which 
should be placed directly under it. All should be made 
to go among the combs. The hive is now to be closed 
and carried to the stand. The chances are that there 
will be room enough to hold all stores that are gathered 
until next month, yet if they seem crowded, give another 
comb or two. 
An "Egg Farm. 
by it. h. stoddard. — First Article. 
The tendency is for farming to become di- 
vided into specialties. It is only through 
division of labor that the precision and skill 
can be attained that becomes necessary as com- 
petition grows keener. Mixed farming begins 
already to stand at a disadvantage. Sheep 
farms, farms for milk, others for butter, small 
fruits, market vegetables, and so on, are accom- 
plished facts. Eggs and fowls form such im- 
portant articles of food, that the}' must in turn 
become a specialty, and be produced for the 
use of the great cities by extensive establish- 
ments conducted systematically, instead of in 
the old uncertain time-taking way of a few on 
each farm. The wholesale production of fowls 
for the table has already succeeded to some ex- 
tent, but to raise eggs on a large scale is a much 
more difficult undertaking; and it is believed 
that the following is the first correct system 
ever published. Several joint-stock companies 
in England have attempted certain plans, pos- 
sessing in some respects much merit, particu- 
larly Mr. Gcyelin's, but some defect has pre- 
vented success ; and the same may be said of 
numerous individual undertakings in this and 
other countries. The production of eggs must 
always be the key to the poultry interest, be- 
cause raising pullets for layers briugs so many 
supernumerary cocks, that these, with the fowls 
past their prime, always keep that side of the 
market better supplied than the egg depart- 
ment, and therefore special establishments for 
raising table poultry will not in the long run be 
demanded. 
In managing animals of any kind we must 
follow Nature, for she will neither follow us 
nor be driven. The domestication of animals 
was only possible at the outset by proceeding 
on a natural ground-work. To illustrate : man 
domesticated dogs that, when wild, followed 
one of their own number for leader, by install- 
ing himself as leader instead — so naturalists 
state — and the cat will never be domesticated in 
such a way as to follow her master when he 
changes his abode, because originally a solitary 
animal. Just so the domestication of hens was 
effected by building upon an original founda- 
tion. In understanding the nature and needs of 
fowls, it will assist if we investigate the condi- 
tion and habits of the wild parent stock in In- 
dia, for the nature of any species remains essen- 
tially the same for long periods. The transfer 
from forest to farm has affected the life and 
most important habits surprisingly little. The 
tame fowls have the same cries of warning to 
each other, and other language, that observers 
have found in their native jungles; they still 
hide their nests in some corner, just as if they 
were selecting a nook in a thicket; and they 
are attached to the premises where they live, 
as they and all other gallinaceous birds are to 
some small district, when wild. The wild 
jungle fowl is by no means foreign to our sub- 
ject; and in attempting to manage poultry by 
thousands, only a proper regard for original 
nature will prevent failure. According to this 
nature they live during the breeding season in 
distinct families under polygamy. Each family 
group has by tacit agreement a part of the forest 
for its beat, and the exclusion of strangers of 
the same species secures privacy and tranquil- 
lity. They have their freedom, and in that 
word are comprehended the needful exercise, 
sun, pure air, shade, and varied diet. 
Some plans upon a large scale have secured 
small separate flocks without freedom, and 
others have secured freedom without separ- 
ation. Small flocks at liberty on distinct farms 
have been kept successfully during centuries, 
because the owners were unconsciously imitat- 
ing the natural groups of wild jungle fowl. 
But when it lias been found that a flock of 
twenty gave a handsome profit, and the num- 
ber has been increased to hundreds to multiply 
the gains, an unnatural mob has been formed, 
the hereditary instincts violated, and laying 
checked. The confusion has not, however, 
lessened the amount of feed consumed, and pe- 
cuniary results have been the wrong way. 
When it is attempted to divide the number, 
and place in separate inclosures, the results are 
still far from satisfactoiy. Small flocks kept 
yarded, may be multiplied on the same farm to 
any desired extent ; but their wants can be all 
supplied only through an amount of labor that 
eats up the profits. In this laud of high wages 
the expense of attendance determines to a great 
extent the success of the whole project. All 
persons who have tried managing a number of 
yards, are agreed as to the great labor involved 
when thorough care is taken, while without 
such care thrift cannot be maintained under the 
inclosure system. 
Upon our poultry farm, then, we dispense 
