1878.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
329 
depart. In a few weeks the farmer learus that there is a 
large lot of machinery awaiting him at the railroad de¬ 
pot. and he gets a notice from a neighboring bank that 
his no - e for a certain amount is due. In a case in Butler 
Co., Ohio, a farmer found that he had signed an order 
for “ twenty Marsh's Improved Corn Shelters,” when he 
supposed that he only agreed to act as their agent, and 
to receive a corn-sheller free. This and olher cases of 
frequent occurrence add force to our injunction, 
FARMERS, BE CAREFUL WHAT ’SOU SIGN ! 
It should be added that the real makers of the imple¬ 
ment. Marsh & Co., knew nothing of the operations of 
the swindlers.... .Recent readers of the Humbug columns 
can have little idea of the extent to which the 
COUNTERFEIT OR “QUEER” MONEY 
business was carried on 10 or 15 years ago. Those who 
have the back volumes, will find that we often warned 
our readers against 1C or 20 dealers each month. The 
whole thing, as explained in full in the former volumes ot 
the American Agriculturist , affords a remarkable and 
curious chapter in the history of crime. Of late, we hear 
of these dealers but rarely, and they seem to be more 
cautious than formerly. The latest is from a chap In 
New York to a lawyer in Nebraska, informing him that 
he got his (the lawyer’s) name, from the hook of a lormer 
dealer, and that if he is in want of such money now, the 
writer will give him, “ the name of a bonaflde dealer Irom 
whom you can obtain the money of th e finest kind. * * 
I make a small commission on goods sold to customers 
whom I find.”... This is in quite strong contrast to the 
hold game played a few years ago, making appointments 
at obscure hotels, and threatening the one who receives 
the letter with death in case he betrays the writer. It Is 
a satisfaction to know that we have done our share in 
breaking up this rascally crew. 
MEDICAL MATTERS 
appear to have succumbed to the “heated term," and 
hut a single novelty, or rather oid tiling in a new shape, 
has turned up during the month. This is a pamphlet on 
“ELECTRO-VOLTAIC AND MAGNETIC 
Beits, Bands, and Appliances for Seif Cure,” which is one 
of those pernicious publications, ostensibly intended for 
the benefit of young men, but really ca.cniated to work 
upon their imaginations and excite their fears; having 
convinced the unfortunate reader that lie is in a bad way, 
he is ready for the assurance that his omy hope lies in 
tlie application of this electric concern. Our views of 
these so-called electrical appliances were given a short 
time ago. In brief; electricity may be a useful agent, 
but it should be applied under the advice of a physician, 
wlio is present to examine and prescribe. Manyofthe 
electrical appliances, though they have a “scientific” 
look, are utterly useless, being at most a series of 
closed circuits, which pass no electricity into the body, 
and nil the good they do is in acting upon the imagina¬ 
tion of iliose using them. 
Successful Strawberry Culture. 
Mr. Eli Beard, of Rockland Co., N. Y., has been, and is 
remarkably successful with strawberries, and many who 
have seen his patch, have asked him for his method of 
culture. Finding it a task to reply to the applications, 
he has concluded that the most direct way of reaching 
everybody, is to have the account published in tho 
American Agriculturist. Mr. B. writes: 
“The plants are set in rows 20 inches apart, and 10 
inches apart in the rows—the earlier in the spring the 
better—and cultivated in the usual way the first and 
second seasons. After the fruit has been gathered the 
second season, between the first and middle of July, the 
vines are cut close to the ground : new plants will appear 
soon after the cutting. In the following September, the 
old roots, which have become dead and are of a dark 
color, are removed from the vines, being careful not to 
disturb the new and living ones. Late in the fall, before 
the ground is frozen, cover the plants with from two to 
four inches of coarse littery manure. In the spring, 
after the ground becomes settled, remove the coarse ma¬ 
nure from over the plants and fork it into the soil be¬ 
tween the rows ; cultivate, and remove the weeds from 
time to time, keeping the runners cut off. and not allow¬ 
ing them to occupy the space between the rows. After 
the blossoms appear, mulch thoroughly. My plot is 
about 40 feet square; it was planted seven years ago. 
The above method of cultivation has been strictly ob¬ 
served ; the product lias increased every year up to the 
present, both as to quality and quantity. Two years ago 
we picked from the plot over SO'hushels; since then we 
have not been careful to measure or estimate the yield, 
hut are confident that not less, hut probably more fruit 
has been produced. After the second year, the vines run 
together, making a continuous solid row, which is from 
4 to 6 Indies wide on the ground.”—[Mr. Beard’s method 
is a modification of what is known to cultivators as the 
“Matted Row” culture. He attributes his success to: 
1st, clean culture and an abundance of manure. 2d, to 
cutting off the foliage after the fruit is gathered—an old 
method, about which cultivators do not agree. 3d. the 
removal of the “ old roots,” which we judge, from his de¬ 
scription, are the under-ground stems of the plants, with 
the sort of bulb made by the hardened bases of the leaf¬ 
stalks. In this way he secures a thorough renewal of 
the plants each year, and by having highly enriched 
soil for the new plants, he gives them the best possible 
chance. Mr. B. says, that originally there were the 
Wilson, Green Prolific, and two others, the names of 
which are lost,but they are now thoroughly mixed,— Eds.] 
Some Bee Notes for September. 
BY L. C. ROOT, MOHAWK, N. Y. 
In most localities, all surplus honey boxes should be 
removed from the hive before this date. The practice of 
leaving boxes upon the hive until late in the season, 
should he avoided, as they become soiled by so 
doing. All unfilled boxes should be removed as soon as 
the yield of honey is over, and packed away for the. fol¬ 
lowing season’s use. Combs containing honey in partly 
filled boxes, may he taken out and the honey drawn from 
them with the extractor, and the combs used for guides 
in boxes next season. If single-corni) boxes are used, 
tlie honey may be extracted without removing the combs. 
Marketing Honey.— Where hut a small amount ot 
surplus honey is secured, it is usually best to dispose of 
it at a home market. It requires less attention in pack¬ 
ing, and, as a rule, will bring a better price. Large quan¬ 
tities will necessarily he snipped to a city market. The 
provision of a proper package for transportation is essen¬ 
tial. For box honey the shipping-case should hold from 
1J to 25 lbs., and may he neatly made as follows—Tlie 
size will depend upon that of the boxes to he packed; 
Fig. 1.— BOX FOR SHIPPING HONEY. 
basswood lumber is most suitable : Cut two pieces, % or 
% in. thick, of nroperdimensions, for the ends. At equal 
distances from the ends, and about one inch from one 
edge, ent a hole J4 in. deep for a handle, as at a, figure 1. 
A top and bottom, and four strips 1J4 wide, an of )4 or 
in. thickness, according to the size of tlie crate, con¬ 
stitute the remaining material of the case. Nail together, 
as shown in engraving. Before packing, boxes should he 
nicely cleaned from propolis, and care taken in every way 
to place the honey in market in a neat and attractive 
package. The boxes which each case is to hold should 
he placed upon the scales and weighed before packing. 
With a little care in selecting boxes, fractions of pounds 
in a case may be avoided, which is desirable. The net 
weight should be neatly marked on the case. 
Extracted Honey. —The quantity ot liquid honey 
placed upon the market is increasing each season, and 
finds ready sale in nearly every slylo of package, from 
jelly cups to casks holding 500 lbs. If frnit cans are used, 
let them he of some standard make, and pack them in 
crates of twelve each, as shown in figure 2. Each can 
should have an attractive label, indicating the quality of 
the honey. Far the past few seasons we have shipped 
largely in tin cans, 
holding 10,15, and 20 
lbs. At present the 
demand is for casks, 
or firkins, holding 
from 150 to 200 lbs. 
Such casks should 
he well made, and 
honnd with wooden 
hoops, which should 
be nailed in place, 
and the casks well coated with bees-wax, inside, before 
filling. To do this, they should be allowed to stand in 
the sun until they are quite warm. The wax should he 
applied quite hot. Pour a quart into a cask, and cork up 
tight, then roll and turn it, until every spot is touched, 
when the unused wax may be poured out. The warmer 
the cask, tlie hotter the wax, and the quicker the work, 
the less wax will be required. Avoid filling the casks 
too full with cold honey, for if allowed to stand in a warm 
place, the honey will expand, and cause the casks to leak. 
Preparations for Winter. —All openings at the top 
of the hive should be closed so as to keep the interior 
Fig. 2.—HONEY IN CANS. 
warm, which will tend to continue breeding later in the 
season, and thus aid in securing a larger number of young 
bees for winter. Combs of honey from tlie heaviest hives 
may be changed for light ones in less prosperous colonies, 
and each thus have a sufficient quantity of food for win¬ 
ter. Each hive should contain about 25 lbs. of honey. 
Avoid exposing honey, whereby robbing may be induced. 
Where few hives are kept, the different operations may 
be performed morning and evening, when the bees are 
flying less freely, and robbing will he less likely to occur. 
Honey Yield.— From the hive mentioned in August 
Notes, honey lias been taken as follows : July 12, 45 lbs.; 
July 20, 106)4 lbs.; July 26, 50*£ lbs. 
No Patent.— I am receiving letters freouently which 
complain iliat, unscrupulous parties in various sections of 
the country are endeavoring to collect a fee for the right 
to use the New Quinby Hive. One individual in Seneca 
County, N. Y., claims to have secured a patent upon it, 
after it lias been before tlie public ten years. I wish to 
state that all such claims are fraudulent, as all of Mr. 
Quinby’s inventions were given to the public free. 
Harvest Home Picnics. 
The successful gathering of the harvest signalizes the 
most joyous season of the farmer’s year. It is the fru¬ 
ition of his hopes, and the reward for his labors. In many 
other countries the occasion is celebrated in various ap- 
propriatj and interesting ways. “Thanksgiving Day” 
in America partakes of this character, and is especially 
endeared to tlie New England heart, hut we need some¬ 
thing nearer harvest time—a festival which can he held 
out of doors, while the fields and woods still are Iresli and 
green. In short, country people need a Harvest Home 
Picnic, r.ot necessarily at the drawing home of the last 
load of ripened grain from the fields, or of fruit from the 
vineyard or orchard, hut sometime in August or Septem¬ 
ber, to celebrate the gathering of the harvest, and express 
our thankfulness for the gracious gifts we have received. 
And when with pleasure-taking is combined some other 
good object, the occasion maybe one of visibly lasting 
benefit. Such ail affair was a church picnic and festi¬ 
val the writer had the pleasure of attending about 
the middle of August. The little country church had 
a small debt, which its honest people wanted to pay. 
So some bright woman suggested, and it was decided to 
combine a picnic, a fair, and a harvest home festival, 
in one. A gentleman loaned his splendid farm, and 
had a fine grove cleared up and the many natural attrac¬ 
tions of the place put in order for his visitors, employ¬ 
ing all his spare hands in the work for some days., The 
creek was dammed tor boating, and a “ Crusoe Island ” and 
rustic bridges made. Evergreen arches adorned bridges 
and paths; a beautiful natural bower was formed by clear¬ 
ing out the rubbish about a giant hut fallen willow, and 
seats were constructed here and there through the grove. 
Simply painted signs on plain boards indicated tlie various 
localities. One neat banner of white cloth gave the 
programme ; another had tlie words “Harvest Home Pic¬ 
nic;” a third, “Faith, Hope, and Charity—the greatest 
of these Is Charity.” Then the company came—villagers, 
farmers, and city visitors. Tents were pitched over 
tables, from which sandwiches, cake, coffee, ice-cream, 
and confectionery were sold. The gipsy tent was unique; 
on the ground were displayed various trinkets of woman’s 
handiwork for sale, and not the least attractive were the' 
gipsies in quaint and pretty costume ; outside was a veri¬ 
table gipsy cart, and a pot hanging from a crane over a 
smouldering fire. Flower girls spread their tempting 
wares in the shade, near the “ Bower.” “ Rebecca at the 
Well” was dressed attractively ; the well—a big milk can 
partially sunk in the ground, and surrounded by rocks 
and ferns—dispensed lemonade to the thirsty crowd at 
“ only five cents a glass.” Games—such as an apple race, 
a sack race, a foot race, and a tub race—and the ascen¬ 
sion of fire balloons made fun for the people, and brought 
prizes of ice-cream and lunch for the winners. A mock 
art gallery and a lace maker were among the novelties. 
One of tiie marked attractions was horse-back riding by 
a young lady of the farm, with her instructor. They each 
drove a “ tandem,” and made their well trained horses 
pass through pretty evolutions and perform various feats. 
These exercises called to mind the good old times when 
ladies generally rode so much and so well, and brought 
the wish that the many country girls who have the op¬ 
portunity would engage more ill this graceful, as well as 
healthful, pastime.—The net receipts were considerable, 
helped along by a small admission (10 cents) to the 
grounds; and best of all, the day was delightful, every¬ 
body had a good time, none felt bored, and when sun¬ 
down came, many felt sorry that the (lay was done. Some 
enjoyed a social party in the evening (which helped swell 
the proceeds), and had a pleasant drive home by moon¬ 
light. Altogether it was a day and a programme that 
might he copied—at least in its outlines—to the pleasure 
and profit of many a country town. 
