216 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[Jttne, 
was chosen as the least objectionable name. We were 
not then aware that there was a high authority on names 
at Atlanta, Ga., or we might not have dared to select a 
name without asking permission. That name “ Pearl 
Millet” is fixed, however persuasively this writer may 
wave his “ Cat-tail.” We say “ fixed,” as all the accepted 
rules for establishing a name have been complied with— 
what these rules are, a high authority that can pronounce 
names as “ spurious ” is supposed to know. Even were 
his ‘‘Cat-tail” a “ Cat-o’-ninetails,” we shall continue to 
call the plant “Pearl Millet,” and if asked why, will 
quote the old song, whiGh says: 
“ We alius call’d him Sambo, 
A 'kase it was his name." 
Those who are accustomed to “read between the lines,” 
can readily see the animus of this unwarranted tirade 
against Mr. Henderson. The plant was written of by 
others long before Mr. Henderson published any thing 
about it. Indeed, some one made a “great blow ” about 
this same plant as long ago as 1858, and, we will add, for 
Mr. II.’s comfort, that person still lives. If we mistake 
not, other seedsmen advertised the seed before Mr. II., 
and all the leading dealers offer it with impunity, while 
he alone gets the abuse. The article means just this: 
“ We have long had an excellent forage plant, but never 
thought to tell any one about it. Some sharp chaps got 
hold of it and tried it, they then went and made a ‘great 
blow ’ about it, and people wanted seeds; they just went 
and sold seed, all they could get. at a dollar or more a 
pound, while our seedsmen would have been glad to sell 
their seed at 20c. a pound. We’ll publish the head one 
of these sharp chaps, which his name it is Henderson, as 
a fraud. We can’t deny what he has said about the plant, 
because we know that, and more, to be true; but he don’t 
call it by the name it is known by in all our neighbor¬ 
hood, and we’ll get him on ‘spurious names,’—yes, and 
he gets five or six times more for his seed than our peo¬ 
ple can, and that’s an ‘ extravagant fancy price.’ ”—We 
would suggest to the “Planter and Granger” that numer¬ 
ous seedsmen advertised as early as February and March 
Pearl Millet at $1 per lb.—we have seen none at $1.60. A 
little business enterprise would have suggested to those 
who have “ any quantity of the seed * * for 20 cents a 
pound” to advertise the fact in the American Agricultur¬ 
ist. But instead of this they prefer to abuse Peter Hen¬ 
derson. This article is written entirely without Mr. 
Henderson’s knowledge, as an act of justice to him—and 
having perhaps done as much as any one to make Pearl 
Millet known, partly in our own defence. The article in 
question is not only libellous, but a libel with malice, 
and we have not the least doubt that in any proper court 
Mr. H. would be awarded exemplary damages from those 
who have promulgated it. The article has been copied 
by other journals—indeed, we only learned of the exist¬ 
ence of the “Planter and Granger” from seeing its libel 
accredited to it in other papers. What the “ Planter and 
Granger ” may do is of the least possible consequence, 
but is it too much to expect that respectable journals, 
who have inadvertently copied this libel, will inform 
their readers that the charges against Mr. Henderson 
have been shown to be groundless ? 
Moles—Traps and Poison. 
The request for the experience of our readers in rid¬ 
ding their grounds of moles has brought out a large num¬ 
ber of designs for traps, some of which seem to be novel, 
while others appear to be like those we have already 
published. We have not been able to study and com¬ 
pare these and have the needed engravings made for 
this number, but hope to do so for our next issue. Be¬ 
sides the use of traps, there have been other methods 
suggested for getting rid of moles. One of these is to 
open a run carefully, and drop into it a little gas-tar. 
The mole in passing through the run will get so be¬ 
daubed that he will leave it in disgust. But will he not 
make another run, and thus increase the trouble? — 
Another correspondent, “J. P.,” Jr., Fairfield Co., 
Conn., says: “Take a small piece of dried Cod-fish 
skin, and place it in the runs, and the moles will never 
trouble you any more. I have never known it to fail.” 
....Another says he soaked peas in a solution of Sugar 
of Lead, and had fair, though not complete success_ 
In the matter of poisoning, several correspondents agree 
in advising the use of Strychnine. We give the sub¬ 
stance of a letter from “ V. D. V. N.,” Hightstown, N. 
J., as the most direct of any of the several letters on the 
use of Strychnine. We recollect that in our only visit to 
Hightstown, many years ago, we found the good Isaac 
Pullen sorely troubled with moles in his strawberries ; 
he was using a trap which he thought effective. Our 
correspondent writes: “ I would say that traps have 
been used about here for many years, and the moles, in 
the places where they have been used, are about as thick 
as ever. I have used Strychnine with complete success. 
Take a kernel of corn, and with the point of a small 
knife raise a portion of the germ [or ‘ chit’ as it is often 
called—the white soft place in the center of the grain.— 
Ed.] In the cavity thus made place a bit of Strychnine 
the size of a pin's head, or a little larger; press the 
raised portion down smooth, and place the grain thus 
prepared in the runway, covering it up so that no other 
animal will get at it. The first time the mole comes that 
way, it will eat the corn. Eats, mice, and moles always 
attack the germ of the grain first, and for this reason we 
put the poison there.” As several have written of their 
success with Strychnine (some first soaking the corn, 
others soaking peas, and introducing the poison in a 
similar manner), the method appears to be worth trying. 
Bee Notes for June. 
BY L. C. BOOT, MOHAWK, N. T. 
SURPLUS HONEY. 
As early in June as the stocks become popnlous, and 
honey is being gathered freely, preparations should be 
made for securing surplus honey. If box honey is de¬ 
sired, the boxes should be arranged in place upon the 
hives. If extracted honey is preferred, extra empty combs 
TWO-STOBY HIVE. 
should be supplied for the purpose. These may be placed 
at the side of the brood-combs, if space is afforded, or at 
the top, by using the two-story hive, as shown in the en¬ 
graving. The manner of adding empty combs will depend 
upon the kind of hive used. If there is not a supply of 
empty combs for this purpose, frames filled with comb- 
foundation may be used. This foundation was described 
in last month’s “Notes.” The cells will soon be drawn 
out and the combs completed. As fast as boxes are filled, 
remove them, and replace with empty ones, having a care 
to not put on many near the close of the honey yield. 
Box honey should be kept in a dry dark room. It 
should be examined occasionally during the warmest 
weather to see that the moth does not disturb it. If signs 
of moth-worm are detected, the boxes should be placed 
in a box or barrel and fumigated with brimstone. Ex¬ 
tracted honey should be kept in a warm, dry place, in 
open vessels, whore the moisture may be evaporated, 
and the honey properly cured. 
SWARMING. 
In northern latitudes natural swarms will issue most 
freely during this month. The management best for the 
bee-keeper to adopt, will, of course, depend upon his 
object. If increase of stocks is his aim, entirely differ¬ 
ent methods will be necessary than if surplus honey alone 
is desired. If the latter is the object, and no increase is 
desirable, it will then be necessary to determine in what 
form the surplus is to be obtained. If it is to be taken 
with the extractor, the beginner may reasonably expect 
to be successful in preventing swarming, but if box honey 
is desired, swarming will be more difficult to control. 
If the store combs are emptied with the extractor once a 
week, or oftener, room is given the queen to deposit eggs 
freely and ample facilities for storing honey are provided 
as well. For these reasons, stocks so managed seldom 
attempt to swarm. There are many reasons why this 
mode of securing surplus is preferable. Unrestricted 
natural swarming is never desirable. If box honey is 
preferred, perhaps the safest course for beginners to fol¬ 
low is, to allow one swarm to issue from each stock, and 
prevent all after-swarms, as this practice will most nearly 
meet the demands of the average season, giving moderate 
increase, and a fair proportion of surplus honey. Hives 
for swarms should be kept in readiness. When a swarm 
issues, hive it, and place it at once upon the stand it is to 
occupy. On the issue of a swarm, it is desirable to take 
one or two combs of brood from the old hive, and after 
removing all queen-cells from these, place them in the 
new hive that is to receive the swarm. This will usually 
prevent them from leaving for the woods. The place of 
these combs in the old hive should be filled with empty 
combs or frames filled with foundation. About three 
days after the swarm is hived, the boxes from the old 
hive, which will usually be partly filled, may be placed 
upon the new one, where they will be completed much 
sooner than if left upon the old hive. 
PREVENTING AFTER-SWARMS. 
To prevent after-swarms, it will be necessary to supply 
the old stock with a queen. This may be done by remov¬ 
ing all queen-cells (cutting out with a sharp knife) and 
introducing a laying queen. Or, if it is not thought best 
to procure a queen for this purpose, the stock may be left 
until eight days from the issue of the swarm, and then, 
all queen-cells but one should be removed ; the cell thus 
left will soon hatch. The largest and most fully matured 
cell should be selected for this purpose. There is the disad¬ 
vantage in this method, that the stock is left too long 
queenless. When it is borne in mind, that, under the 
most favorable circumstances, a prolific queen will de¬ 
posit 2,000 eggs per day, the benefit of keeping all stocks 
supplied with a laying queen at all times, is obvious. 
Unrestricted natural swarming is open to the same ob¬ 
jection. If any desire to run their bees entirely to in¬ 
crease. rather than surplus honey, it may be done by di¬ 
viding, or, in other words, making artificial swarms, 
without waiting for them to issue naturally. When a 
stock is populous enough to spare a swarm, take out one 
card of brood with the old queen, put it in a new hive, 
and place it upon the old stand. Kemove the old hive 
with the remaining combs, (filling the vacancy with an 
empty comb, or foundation), and the bees adhering to 
them, to a new stand This should be done on a fine 
day, when the old bees are working freely. These will 
return to the old stand, while the bees adhering to the 
combs iu the old hive are mostly young, and will remain 
in the new location. This last colony should be at once 
supplied with a laying queen, previously provided. This 
course may be repeated as often as the condition of the 
stocks, and yield of honey will warrant. 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Pea-Blossoms. —“Ho bees gather honey from pea- 
blossoms?”_Not to any great extent. 
Bees in a Building.—" Will bees do well, if kept in 
a barn or other out-building?” _Yes, if proper alight¬ 
ing boards are arranged outside. 
Sealing Extracted Honey.— “A. A. R.,” New Jer¬ 
sey, asks “When extracted honey is put in cans or jars, 
should they be made air-tight ? ”_Unripe honey should 
not be sealed up until the moisture is thoroughly evapo¬ 
rated. When well cured, it may be sealed. 
Spreading Manure. 
The old-fashioned method of plowing under ma¬ 
nure has become obsolete. Good farmers now no 
longer follow old fashions because they are old, 
but having become used to think for themselves, 
and knowing much more of the science of their art 
than was known a score ot years ago, they are ready 
to strike out new paths for themselves. The com¬ 
mon method with manure now is, to keep it as near 
the surface, and to intermingle it with the soil, as 
much as possible. We have discovered* that in 
feeding plants we must not only place the food 
within easy reach of the roots, but must also sup¬ 
ply the best food in the best condition. These con¬ 
ditions are secured by a thorough mixture of the 
manure in as finely divided a condition as possible 
throughout the upper three or four inches of the soil. 
The best practice is, to spread the manure upon 
the plowed ground, and to work it in with the har¬ 
row. This is most conveniently done by having 
manure in a fine condition. Fine manure may be 
made in two ways; either by piling it and rotting 
it in the heap, or by using only short litter. It is 
found in practice that it pays to cut the litter with 
a fodder cutter, so that it will not only absorb more 
of the liquid manure, but that it can be easily 
spread when fresh. The ordinary harrow will then 
mix the manure with the soil in the most effective 
manner. With long manure the work is not so 
easily done, but it may be accomplished by perse¬ 
vering. The manure will be drawn into heaps, 
doubtless ; but by freeing the harrow and spreading 
these, and harrowing again, and again if necessary, 
the desired result will be attained. There are some 
improved kinds of harrows which do this work 
much better than others. The sloping tooth har¬ 
row acts favorably by pressing the manure into the 
soil, and drawing the earth over it; the flexible 
chain harrow has the same effect; but the steel 
