1870 . | 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
375 
Winter Pasture. —Where the winters are open, 
and Uie ground is but rarely frozen and covered with 
snow, a field sown with rye will furnish excellent pasture 
for sheep or cows during the winter or early spring 
months. The rye is eaten off closely, but it soon thickens 
np, and if the stock is taken off in March, an excellent 
crop of grain may be harvested. It is necessary to watch 
for the production of the sheath which contains the im¬ 
mature spike or head ; when this is found, pasturing 
should be stopped, as it will not grow again if it is eaten. 
The “ Welcome ” drape.— Mr. J. H. Ricketts, 
of Newburgh, N. Y., whose marked snccess in producing 
new varieties of hardy grapes, we have frequently refer¬ 
red to, has experimented with exotic grapes with no less 
gratifying results. We recently Baw and tested the grape 
to which he has given the expressive name, “Welcome” 1 
as that must have been his thought when he first tasted 
its fruit It is a cross between one of the Hamburghs with 
one of the Muscats, we have forgotten precisely which. 
Tlie result is, to our taste, the best exotic grape we have 
ever tasted. The late A. J. Downing described one of our 
native grapes, the “ Elsingburgh,” we think, as “ little 
hags of wine,” and we know of no better description for 
the “ Welcome ” than to say that its berries are “ large 
bags of wine.” They are about the usual size and color 
of the Black Hamburgh, but there all likeness ends. The 
berries are without palp or flesh, but melt away in a rich 
juice, with a refreshing quality, as delightful as it is rare. 
This grape must be “Welcome” to every grapery.and take 
the highest rank among exotic grapes at home and abroad. 
Wool-Growing, Stock-Raising, or Farm¬ 
ing.—“ A Young Man,” Pittsburg, Pa. A youth is too 
apt to contract wrong notions about the facilities for 
making a fortune in the West It requires capital and 
experience to succeed in wool or stock-growing, and at 
least experience to succeed at farming. A sheep or stock 
farm can not be started on less than $4,000 or $5,000, and 
a farm would require $1,000 to begin. A youth might go 
West and work for his board for a year, and then for 
wages while he learns his business, and in time, he 
might get into business for himself. But only a very 
small proportion ever get rich, and it takes many years to 
become even comfortable. There is hard work to be 
done in the West as well as in the East. 
Gang Plows.- “H. P. O.” Gang plows can not 
well be used in stony or stumpy land, or to turn under 
tall weeds very well. They are very useful on level, light 
soils, and where the farrows are long, with few turnings. 
Change of Seed,— “ W. V. D.,” Clarion Co., Pa. 
It is not necessary to change seed; but it is necessary to 
select the best for sowing. Poor farmers are obliged to 
change the seed because what they grow is usually poor; 
hence the prevalent opinion among such farmers. 
Fruit-Preserving Powders.— When Fruit- 
Preserving Powders were first introduced, several years 
ago, we examined into the matter before we would allow 
their advertisements to appear in onr columns. We are 
assured that the composition is not essentially different 
from what it was then, and what was said concerning 
them at that time, is equally true now. The composition 
of these powders was given to ns in confidence, and we 
are not at liberty to state it. It is a natural product 
found in several parts of the world, and though it posses¬ 
ses preserving qualities in a much more striking degree 
than common salt, it is, nnlike that, with very little taste, 
and so far as medical authorities have discovered, it is 
not known to exert any manifest effect upon the animal 
system in largp doses, while in the small quantity used 
in preserving fruits, etc., it is, so far as known, practi¬ 
cally inert. We have tasted fruits and cider treated with 
these powders—see advertising pages—and have found 
them well preserved and without unpleasant taste. 
loose and Compact Solis and Evapora¬ 
tion.— In order to have the greatest evaporation, the 
surface of the soil must be constantly wet. After the 
upper layer of the soil has had its water evaporated, it 
mnst be supplied from below, in order that evaporation 
may go on. This supply from below, depends upon the 
capillarity of the soil, or in other words, the fineness of the 
pores—the finer the pores the greater the supply. A com¬ 
pact soil has greater capillary power,and when the npper 
surface is comparative dry, will evaporate a large amount 
of moisture. If such a soil is broken up, and the surface 
made to consist of coarse lumps, the power to raise water 
from below is much weakened, and there is less evapora¬ 
tion. This is the explanation of the general belief that 
it is important to keep a soil loose in dry weather, and 
break up any crust that may have formed after a shower. 
Octagon Barns.— “ C. H. C.,” Johnson, Yt. The 
octagon barn was originally devised by E. W. Stewart, of 
Buffalo N. Y., who could furnish detail plans if these are 
desired. A plan and description was given in the Ameri¬ 
can Agriculturist for July, 1876. The octagon shape gives 
the most space for the same length of wall and cost. 
Asparagus—Smalley’s Early Defiance.— 
There are those who deny that there are any varieties in 
Asparagus, and found this opinion upon the fact that the 
Asparagus has its sexes separate, in different plants. We 
do not see why this should hold in Asparagus, and not in 
Hops and Persimmons, the two cases that now occur to 
us of dioecious plants well known as having varieties of 
cultivation. That there are varieties of Asparagus suffi¬ 
ciently unlike to make some more desirable for cultivation 
than others, we are as well convinced, as that there is a 
difference in cabbages, though the difference is not so 
striking. The young, year-old plants of Smalley's Defi¬ 
ance, or of Colossal, are Very different from the common, 
and we have a kind in the garden, for which we have no 
name, that is entirely distinct at all stages, from either. 
We have been familiar with Smalley’s variety for two 
years, and feel sure, that in earliness and in excellence of 
flavor, as well as in the proportion of each shoot that is 
tender and eatable, this variety is sufficiently distinct to 
make it desirable for both the home garden and for 
market. We have not mentioned size, as this, more than 
any other character, may be produced by high culture. In 
this, it will compare favorably with any other variety. 
Purchasing Sheep on the Plains.—“A. 
W.,” Saratoga, N. Y. It is always easy to purchase stock 
ewes from flocks on the range, or to pick them out of 
dealers’ stocks at Kansas City, Mo.,Whichita, Great Bend, 
or Abilene, in Kansas, or Denver, Col. The best method 
is to seek a flock on the range and pick out what are de¬ 
sired. Pure bred rams can be purchased at Kansas City, 
or at Denver, from breeders who make a business of rear¬ 
ing them to supply flocks. There are good ranges to be 
taken up in South Western and Western Kansas. 
The International Dairy Exhibition.— 
The Dairy Exhibition held last December was, as a 
whole, a marked success. There was some fault-finding, 
due largely to the inexperience of those who managed it 
rather than to any wrong intent. There never was a fair 
at which every one got the first prize, and there always 
will he disappointments. Soon after the last Exhibition, 
an “International Dairy Fair Association ” was formed, 
and its Board of Managers have determined upon an¬ 
other fair,which will be held at the same place—American 
Institute Building,3d Ave. and 63d St.,during the 2d and 3d 
weeks of December next. More room will be supplied, 
and greater facilities afforded in every department, and it 
is expected that dairy processes will be carried on upon a 
much larger scale than ever before, and that there will be 
a much larger exhibition of specimen dairy cows and of 
herds. The premiums are not yet decided upon, but it is 
expected that the amount offered will be greater than 
that of last year. The Secretary and General Superin¬ 
tendent is T. Mortimer Seaver, 309 Greenwich St., New 
York, to whom communications may be addressed. 
The John D. Billings’ Horse-Shoe, if 
it had no other merit, would be a great blessing to those 
who must have their shoeing done by incompetent shoers, 
in the fact that they are to be put on cold. There is 
no burning of the foot to save the trouble of fitting of the 
shoe. The fashion of the shoe is such that it must be 
useful in cracked hoofs or those that are otherwise injur¬ 
ed, and are highly approved by those who have used them. 
(.Basket Items continued on page 399.) 
Bee Notes for October. 
BY L. O. BOOT, MOHAWK, N. Y. 
The Honey Crop for 1879.—Inquiries come from all 
parts of the country as to the prospects for remunerative 
prices for honey the present season. From a quite ex¬ 
tended knowledge of the amount of honey produced, I 
think I am safe 
in saying that 
prices will rule 
better than for 
several years 
past,as the yield 
throughout the 
States is less 
than half the 
usual average. 
Besides this,the 
low price of re¬ 
cent seasons has created an increased demand, and 
the foreign demand for American honey has also 
greatly increased. There is but little doubt but the call 
for best grade.s of both comb and liquid honey will far 
surpass the supply. It is not unreasonable to anticipate 
that the best white honey in single comb boxes will 
bring 26 cts. per lb., and the best liquid honey 15 cts. pet- 
lb., at wholesale. The necessity, hitherto strongly Hrged 
in these pages, of placing our honey upon the market in 
neat and attractive condition, should not be overlooked. 
Extracted honey is at present in greatest demand, in fir¬ 
kins holding from one to two hundred lbs. each, yet in 
Fig. 2.— CASES OP COMB. 
some markets it sells well in jars or bottles. Figure 1 
shows a case containing one dozen quart bottles. Figure 
2 shows three cases of box-honey, the largest containing 
12 section boxes, weight, 20 lbs., being the most popular. 
In manufacturing cases, use White Basswood lumber, 
and do all work neatly and accurately. 
Proper Size of Opening Between Boxes and Hives. 
—Rev. A. F. Abbott, of Dutchess Co., N. Y., says : “ I 
see in the new ‘Cyc. Britannica,’ the suggestion that it is 
best to make the passage leading to the honey boxes, but 
Via > n - wide, so that the queen and drones may be ex¬ 
cluded. What is your opinion?”... Coming from such 
high authority, I could wish it were only a suggestion, 
bnt it will be seen thatit is advised without, qualification. 
The exact language is this: “Before a super be placed 
Fig. 3.— BOX WITH HOLES. Fig. 4.— THE SLOTS, 
in position, the crown-hoard should be removed, and a 
thin board, called an ‘adapter,’ substituted; this, in 
place of the round central hole, has near each side a long 
aperture 3 /i« in. wide, which gives passage to the work¬ 
ers, bnt not to the queens and drones, etc.”_That there 
is an advantage in thus excluding the drones and queen, 
particularly the latter, from the surplus boxes, every 
practical bee-keeper will understand; but when, to se¬ 
cure this, he must be content with a less quantity ot sur¬ 
plus honey, he will not be likely to adopt the advice. It 
is interesting to notice the changes that have been made 
in practice from time to time in this essential point of 
giving the bees needed access to boxes, and those who, 
like Mr. A., are desirous of beginning right, may study 
this experience to advantage. When the effort was first 
made to secure surplus honey in boxes, holes were bored 
through the top of box-hives, and boxes with correspond¬ 
ing holes placed over them. The tops of such hives were 
usually made of 1-inch lumber, and as the boxes were 
not supplied with pieces of guide-comb to attract 
the bees, they would enter them with great reluctance. 
The hindrance arising from the lack of free and more im¬ 
mediate access to the boxes, soon induced the use of 
lighter tops to the hives. Boxes with three holes within 
were adopted, fig. 3, and still others used boxes with 
slots cuts in them, as shown in the engraving, figure 4. 
Still later, as the different forms of movable frame hives 
were introduced, many omitted the honey-board entirely, 
placing the boxes directly over the frames, with only the 
thickness of the bottom of the box between. The ad- 
