169 
is^.j 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
s 
world, comes very near it; Mr. R. S. Emory, of Chester- 
town, Md., who would be a great peach grower were he 
not a greater pear grower; Mr. T. W. Skirven, also of 
Maryland, and others from that State, with several from 
Delaware, including Mr. R. M. Cooper, a large grower in 
southern Deleware, Besides this, Mr. Peters has per¬ 
sonally visited and made careful examination in many 
of the large orchards, and is better able to form an ac¬ 
curate opinion thereon, than, probably, any other person. 
The cold snap, to which the wide destruction is at¬ 
tributed, occurred on March 27th, when the mercury 
went down to 1C°. At this time the trees in many parts 
of the peninsula were coming into bloom very freely ; 
fortunately it was then and had been for nearly two 
weeks, exceedingly dry, a condition which Mr. P. thinks 
very favorable for the trees. He finds that in many 
localities, especially in the lower Eastern Shore of Mary¬ 
land, and southern part of Delaware, the finer varieties 
of yellow peaches, such as Crawford’s Early and Late, 
Reeves’ Favorite, Susquehanna, and others, are badly 
damaged, while the white-fleshed varieties are but little 
injured. In the more northern localities the damage is 
not extensive. The foregoing is condensed from Mr. 
Peters’ very full report, in which he sums up his own 
observations and the information he has received from 
others, by saying: “ The prospect now is that we shall 
have more peaches than can be profitably shipped—pro¬ 
vided, of course, that nothing happens to them after this 
date.” The crops of all other fruits, including the small 
fruits, promise to be unusually fine. 
Basket Items continued on page 193. 
Between Hew Zealand and Hew York. 
A large share of our correspondents in this country re¬ 
quest us “ not to give theirnames ” in the replies in “ Our 
Basket.” Such a request seems strange, coming from 
New Zealand, yet there is quite as much reason for it, if 
not more, as in some districts at home. It implies that 
the American Agriculturist is so generally read in the 
writer’s neighborhood, that every one will know that he 
has written. Many try all possible methods to get their 
names in print, while the majority prefer not to see it; 
then persons do not like to have their neighbors know 
that they have written anywhere for information, especial¬ 
ly to a paper. The fact is, this paper has so large a circu¬ 
lation in the British Colonies generally, that it would 
astonish the reader should we give the figures, while the 
numbers, and their constant and rapid increase in New 
Zealand and Australia, are a wonder to the publishers, 
who are generally not astonished at anything in the way 
of circulation. We have our own notion? as to the reason 
for our large circulation in these colonies, obtained with¬ 
out effort, and increasing by its own momentum ; but we 
will not give them now. Suffice it to say that we. are ex¬ 
ceedingly glad to find a welcome among the wide-awake 
enterprising farmers and others in those colonies—for 
they were not settled by those who could not stay at 
home, and we read with no little satisfaction, in a recent 
letter, that there was not a farm-house in a certain dis¬ 
trict, naming it, and giving its extent, at which the 
American Agriculturist was not taken. In view of all 
this, we have been surprised that so few questions came 
from those colonies; with the exception of some, which, 
from their nature, required a reply by letter, they have 
been surprisingly few. We are glad of our present cor¬ 
respondent’s, “ L. W.’s,” letter, as, besides allowing us to 
be of use to other New Zealanders in our reply, it,permits 
us to say to him and others there.and in the other colonies, 
that he has not “taken too much liberty in addressing 
this note to you ” (us), and that we welcome him and all 
others with their questions, assuring them that they will 
be treated “ on the terms of the most favored nations,” 
including that called the “ Universal Yankee.” We do 
not promise to answer every one—that is simply impossi¬ 
ble—for we are often asked to answer the unanswerable 
—but we will so far as we can, so soon as we can, reply, 
if we can. We are glad to see that our friend asks for a 
reply in “ Our Basket,” as that shows him to feel athome 
in “ the family,” and accept that friendly relation which 
we desire to encourage. With this, for us, unusnally 
long preface, but as it will have to be shared by thousands 
besides himself, will not leave him so very much, we will 
to the business of his note. He asks 1st. “By what 
means are small sums of money sent— i. e.. sums less 
than £1 sterling—between New Zealand and New York ?” 
—-2d. “ What is book postage from New York to this 
colony?” — 3d. “Ig there any duty on agricultural ma¬ 
chinery made in the U. S. leaving New York to come to 
New Zealand, and if so, how much?”_4th. “I have 
applied to shipping agents to learn the R. R. freight of 
goods from New York to San Francisco, but can get no 
information.”— Ansu'ers.— 1st. Money Order on London, 
or Draft... 2nd. 4c. for 4 oz. or fractional part; if 4J to 
8 ounces, 8 cts—3rd. No duty on Agricultural machinery, 
simply a clearance fee through the Custom House.... 
4th. $2.50 to $3.00 per 100 lbs. on agricultural implements, 
the rates changing nearly every month. 
Diphtheria and Filth. 
Not long ago there occurred at Newport, R. I., the 
deaths of six persons in a family of eight, within fifteen 
days, all dying of malignant diphtheria. So remarkable 
an invasion of a dangerous disease naturally aroused the 
attention of the authorities, and the Mayor of Newport, 
properly employed Col. Geo. E. Waring, Jr., as Sanitary 
Engineer, to examine and report upon the condition of 
the premises. From this report we learn that the cot¬ 
tage is healthfully situated, with a cellar under all of the 
main portion, but there is a small addition, one story 
high, outside of the main-foundation ; this is used as a 
rear entrance, and contains a sink and a water-closet; 
and is only separated from the rest of the house by a thin 
board partition. The sink, in frequent use, had an im¬ 
perfect trap, and this and the water-closet emptied into a 
cesspool which had not been cleaned out for several 
years. All of this was bad enough, but this addition, or 
scullery, was raised upon brick piers, about two feet a- 
bove the surface of the ground, with the space beneath 
closely boarded. In this space was the leaden pipe from 
the water closet, connecting with an earthenware pipe 
leading to the cesspool. Sea-weed had been at some time 
used around these pipes to keep them from freezing. 
The examination showed that, through some cause, 
whether by frost, corrosion, or the gnawing of rats, the 
lower bend of the leaden pipe, leading from the water- 
closet, and which was intended to serve as a trap, had 
broken through, and the deposits of the water-closet, in¬ 
stead of being carried off, in good part oozed through 
the hole in the pipe, and spread themselves over the soil 
and sea-weed, under this addition, for the extent of a 
square yard or more. How this state of affairs could have 
existed and not aroused attention, it is not necessary to 
discuss.—This is what was found; six children are dead, 
and it is no stretch of the probabilities to connect the 
one with the other. It is not offensive matter of this 
kind alone that is to be found near houses, in both city 
and country. Many a house with a fine front yard has a 
faulty kitchen drain. Nor is diphtheria the only disease 
that is favored by such conditions; typhoid and other fe¬ 
vers may be directly traced to the want of proper care 
in carrying off the wastes of the house—too often coun¬ 
try-houses. The case of this Newport family is a dis¬ 
tressing one, but if it will arouse a general attention, all 
over the country, to this matter of house draining.and this 
shall lead to remedying all defects in the disposal of the 
waste materials, the calamity will not have been in vain. 
*-« « ^-— 
Bee Hotes for May. 
BT B. C. ROOT, MOHAWK, N. T. 
As the spring promises to be unusually early, in this 
latitude, at least, bees will undoubtedly be placed upon 
their summer stands during April. 
The work for the present month is to secure as rapid 
breeding as possible, that all swarms may become popu¬ 
lous. Be sure that each swarm has a good laying queen. 
With the movable comb-hive, this may be readily ascer¬ 
tained by lifting out a frame, when, if eggs are found in 
the cells, it is satisfactory proof that the swarm has a 
queen. With the ordinary box-hive it is more difficult to 
make this examination, yet with the use of the smoker, 
it may usually be done. Turn the hive you desire to ex¬ 
amine, bottom up. Spread the combs a little apart at the 
center of the hive, and direct 
the smoke from the smoker 
to the exact point you desire 
to examine, thus clearing it 
of bees. If cells of sealed 
brood can be seen,it i ndicates 
that the queen is present. If 
suflicien t honey is not gather¬ 
ed to continue breeding, sug¬ 
ar, syrup, or diluted honey, 
should be furnished for the. 
purpose. If weak or queen¬ 
less swarms are found, they 
should be united. Often two 
weak swarms may be united, 
making one good one, when 
both would be lost, if left separate. In uniting swarms,the 
smoker should be used freely, that all bees may become 
thoroughly demoralized. If sufficient smoke is used, 
there is usually little danger of their stinging each other. 
Smokers. 
The importance of some efficient mode of applying 
smoke in handling bees, is admitted by all practical 
beekeepers; while the Quinby Smoker, which has been 
described in these columns, has proved successful, there 
were some deficiencies in it, which experience has 
remedied. During the past winter it has been much im¬ 
proved, so that it operates most perfectly. Figure 1 gives 
an accurate idea of what we call the New Quinby Smoker. 
Section Boxes. 
In Notes for March, 1877, I described a desirable form 
of the two-comb honey-box. The most popular box at 
present, in most markets, is a 
single-comb, or section-box. The 
one I use is made of white bass¬ 
wood, as follows:—Cut two pieces 
554-h). long, 2 in. wide, and 54 -in. 
thick, and two pieces 5 in. long, 
IX in. wide, and > 4 -in. thick. Nail 
them together, as shown in figure 
2, with'54-in. cigar-box nails. This 
makes a box 5)4 in. square out¬ 
side. The two wide pieces project over the narrower 
ones 14-in. on each side, giving room for the glass to rest 
on the narrow pieces. They 
should not be glazed until after 
they are filled. It will be seen 
that, by placing two or more box¬ 
es together, that there will be an 
opening 14 -in. wide between the 
boxes, where the bees may enter. 
A temporary separator, made of 
tin, or thin wood, should be 
placed between the boxes while Pig. 3 .—box. 
they are being filled, to secure 
straight combs. A space 54 -in. wide should be left 
at the top and bottom of the separator to allow the 
bees to pass from one box to another, or they may be 
cut %-iu. smaller, on all sides, and attached to the sides 
Fig. 2. —box. 
Fig. 4.— BOXES IN OLAMl’. 
of the box, by narrow strips of tin, as shown in figure 3. 
The boxes may be arranged in a clamp, as shown in 
figure 4, if used on the top of the frames, and if placed at 
the sides of the combs, they may be arranged in frames, 
as indicated in figure 5. The separators should be on the 
side of the box next the combs, and the other side closed 
Fig 5.—BOXES IN FRAME. 
with a close-fitting division-board, or glass. Each box 
should contain a guide-comb, as shown in figure 2. This 
should be fastened in with white glue. 
Weight, of Bees. 
No. 1 consumed during March, 1 lb.; No. 2. 2 X lbs. ; 
No. 3. 354 lbs.; No. 4, which was out-of-doors, had been 
robbing, and had not lost any in weight. 
A SbmibII Street Swindle.—The “Al¬ 
ligator Plant.” —Those traversing the New York 
streets during April, saw at the corners of the streets, 
near the ferries, nnd at other central places, overgrown 
boys and men, each with a pile of rough-looking sticks, 
calling on% “ Here they are ; a few more left. The genu¬ 
ine Alligator Plant from Florida. You have only to put 
it in water, and in a week it will be covered with beauti¬ 
ful flowers like roses. Only a few left! Who takes the 
next at 25 cents,” (the price later was 10c., 5c., or less.) 
These sticks or twigs, one to three feet long, were un¬ 
couth enough in appearance to have come from the alli¬ 
gator swamps of Florida, but they only came from the 
near-by swamps of New Jersey. They were the small 
branches of the common “Liquidambar,” or “Sweet 
