1880 .] 
AMLIKICAN AGRICULTURIST 
417 
be found by the ton. As regards keeping bees in an 
attic or upper room, or even upon a roof, they may be 
so kept, if some practical hive is properly arranged in 
such a location. There are even some advantages de¬ 
rived, where but few hives are kept. But all things 
taken into consideration, it : s preferable to have the 
bees placed somewhere near the ground. 
containing a great variety of Items , including many 
good Hints and Suggestions which we throw into smaller 
type and condensed form , for want of room elsewhere. 
Text-Book on Agriculture Wanted. 
The impression is gaining ground among thoughtful 
persons, that children who are to become farmers should 
have a primary education that will fit them for their 
future occupation, as much as those who are to become 
merchants, bankers, etc., and that the public schools 
should teach the principles of agriculture as well as 
those of business life. In view of a probable demand for 
such a work, the Orange Judd Company offer A Prize 
of One Hundred Dollars for the manuscript of 
the best elementary work that will give children an idea 
of the principles underlying the practice of Agriculture 
that is suited to the United States. The work should be 
adapted to the capacities of children of the age of fifteen 
and over, and must not exceed 200 12mo, pages. The 
work should give the best practice in agriculture, and 
the reasons for the same so plainly that they may be 
understood by youth, without requiring a knowledge of 
chemistry, and, so far as possible, avoiding the use of 
technical language. Manuscripts should be designated 
by some name or mark, and be accompanied by the real 
name in a sealed envelope ; they should be presented on 
or before January 31st, 1881. If, in the opinion of the 
Judges, none of the manuscripts offered are deserving of 
the reward, the offer will be renewed; the successful 
manuscript to be the property of the Orange Judd Co. 
Reliable Business men, those who have 
both the ability and the intention to do what they 
promise, are the only ones invited to use the business- 
pages of this journal, and those in charge or that depart¬ 
ment are under positive instructions to admit no others 
at any price; and they try to live up to it, and generally 
do, though once in a while they may make a mistake—to 
err is human—but this seldom occurs. We could make a 
fortune in a single year, and supply the paper at lower 
rates, if the advertising pages were thrown open to those 
who gladly pay high prices, as they can afford to, 
because they give little for much. But we mean our ad¬ 
vertising pages shall be a valuable source of trustworthy 
information to our readers.—When ordering from, of cor 
responding with any of our advertisers, or Bending for 
catalogues, etc., it is well to state that you are a reader 
of this Journal. They will know what we expect, and 
what you expect of them as to prompt and fair treatment. 
Tlie Fairs, Complimentary ’rickets, etc. 
—One of the laws of Natural Philosophy is, that a body 
cannot be in two places at the same time, and with this 
law in action we are forced to decline a majority of the 
invitations. It is with regret that we realize the lm 
possibility of attending many of these useful exhi 
bitions, as we always feel well paid in old friendships re¬ 
newed, information gained, etc. To all who have sent 
us premium lists, tickets, and extended other courtesies, 
we tender our hearty thanks, and hope that every fair 
State County, District, and Town, may be a perfect 
success. A list of the October Fairs is given on page 447. 
Deatli of Albert J. Meyer,- Brigadier General 
A, J. Meyer, Chief Signal Officer United States Army, 
and widely and familiarly known as “Old Probabilities," 
died at Buffalo, August 24. While on duty as an assists 
ant surgeon in the army on the Texan frontier, where a 
broad level plain and clear atmosphere offered superior 
facilities for signaling by vision, Dr. Meyer’s attention 
was drawn to the possible advantages that might result 
from a system of night signals in army and even navy 
operations. As the result of his study and investigation 
he published in 1858 his ‘ Manual of Signals for the 
United States Army and Navy.” Dr. Meyer was soon ap¬ 
pointed Chief Signal Officer (1860), and became actively 
engaged in developing a special signal service for the 
army. His service during the war was of great import¬ 
ance. An instance of this was the saving of Allatoona, 
Ga., in 1804, by bringing troops by signals in time to re¬ 
lieve the post, the message being sent over the heads of 
the surrounding enemy. After the war General Meyer 
was largely instrumental in establishing telegraphic com¬ 
munications with military posts on the frontier, 5,000 
miles of telegraph lines having been built under his 
supervision. By act of Congress in the spring of 1870, 
he was charged with the important duty of developing a 
national system of meteorological observations, and the 
success of the system, which was developed with remark¬ 
able rapidity under his admirable management, has led 
to a uniform international system of simultaneous me¬ 
teorological observations over a large part of the north¬ 
ern hemisphere. The work which “Old Probabilities” has 
so thoroughly pushed forward must be of lasting benefit to 
all classes of people, but to none more than to the farm 
ers, who may well feel grateful to General Meyer for his 
services, and only wish he had been spared for a longer 
life of usefulness among his fellow men. 
diaries 1L. Flint, Resigned.— Mr. Flint, who 
from the first has filled the position of Secretary of the 
Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, has resigned, 
and Mr. John E. Russell, of Leicester, has been elected 
in his place. Mr. Flint has long been the mainspring 
and balance wheel of Massachusetts agricultural work, 
and it is fitting that he should have rest from the routine 
of official work, which he has done with such credit to 
himself, the State, and all concerned in agriculture. 
Windmills for Thrashing.—" O. V.,” Mont¬ 
gomery County, Pa.—The very large windmills have 
power enough for thrashing, and when they are needed for 
other purposes on the farm might be used economically 
for this purpose, and are doubtless occasionally so used. 
Advantages of Draining.— The intelligent 
farmer understands very well the importance of remov¬ 
ing the excess of water from his soil. It makes the soil 
warmer; the sun’s heat falling on a wet soil is used up 
in changing the water into vapor, and does not warm the 
plant as it otherwise would. Drainage allows a free ac¬ 
cess of air through the soil, an important condition of 
the best growth of agricultural plants. A longer season 
is also given—the drained land can often be worked con¬ 
siderably earlier in spring and also later in the fall. 
Society for the Promotion of Agricul¬ 
tural Science. 
During the meeting of the American Pomological So¬ 
ciety, held at Rochester in 1879, a number of gentlemen 
met in consultation over the needs of better farming, 
and to devise means for extending the Science of Agricul¬ 
ture. “ They recognized the need of an educated public 
sentiment in order to secure progress in agricultural pur¬ 
suits, and were aware that the hope of agricultural pro¬ 
gress was in enlisting the efforts and the sympathy of 
the intellectual classes.” A preliminary association was 
formed, the prime object of which, as stated in the call, 
“ shall be the promotion of Agriculture by fostering in¬ 
vestigation in science applied to Agriculture.” 
At the recent meeting of the American Association for 
the Advancement of Science, in Boston, a number of the 
same gentlemen, with others specially interested in the 
promotion of Agriculture, met together, and, after delib¬ 
erating upon the plans that had been proposed by various 
gentlemen, formed themselves into the “ Society for the 
Promotion of Agricultural Science.” The organization 
at present is a provisional one, and assumes much the 
nature of the “ Entomological Club,” in being made up 
largely of members of the A. A. A. S., and will meet on 
stated days in the same city, and at the same time as the 
American Association for the Advancement of Science. 
It is the intention of this new Society to limit its number 
to 40 or 50 members, and hopes it may make its influence 
felt, and in time come to be regarded as an authority in 
the field of Agriculture, as does the National Academy 
of Sciences in its special domain. 
Among the members present were Prof. G. C. Cald¬ 
well, of Cornell University ; Prof. M. C. Fernald, Maine 
State Agricultural College ; Profs. R. C. Kedzie, W. J. 
Beal, and A. J. Cook, of Michigan Agricultural College; 
Dr. A. R. LeDoux, formerly in charge of ihe Agricultural 
Experiment Station, North Carolina ; Dr.W. G. Farlo w, of 
Harvard University; Dr.E. Lewis Sturtevant, and others. 
The new Society has the hearty co-operation of Profs. S. 
W. Johnson and W. II. Brewer, of Yale College; J. J. 
Thomas, Patrick Barry, L. B. Arnold, and other scientific 
men who have deep sympathies in advanced agriculture. 
Prof. W. J. Beal was chosen President, and Dr. E. Lewis 
Sturtevant, Secretary. These gentlemen, with Prof. G. C. 
Caldwell, form a committee to develop plans of work, etc. 
Assuming little, in a quiet, inobtrusive way, this small 
band of earnest workers may do much in the field of 
practical, progressive, and intellectual agriculture. 
The Long Year. 
Read This.—Fourteen Months. 
All Mew Subscribers for 1881, whose 
subscriptions come to hand during this 
month (October), will receive the 
American Agriculturist for No¬ 
vember and December of this year with¬ 
out extra charge. 
The above applies to All new sub¬ 
scribers, from ivhatever source received — 
including Premium Clubs. 
Those too distant to receive this num¬ 
ber before October 31 , will be allowed 
10 days after its reception in due course 
of mail, to take advantage of the above 
in presenting the paper to their friends. 
The Premium List. 
September Supplement. 
The Supplement of last month’s paper should be 
preserved for reference by all who received it, as a 
descriptive list of good Articles and choice Books, 
all useful. There is hardly a family in the whole 
country that does not desire and need one or more 
of these articles as a premium, or by purchase. 
There is not a town or neighborhood in all the 
country where one or more persons of a little en¬ 
terprise, may not secure one, two, or three of these 
excellent premium articles without money outlay, 
and at the same time confer a real benefit upon 
every person they shall gather into a premium list 
of subscribers, and readers. It only needs the will 
—the determination—to do it, and it will be ac¬ 
complished. 
TBIIS MONTH is a good time for the 
work. Remember that all new names for 1881, re¬ 
ceived in this month of October, are entered at 
once to receive the paper for November and De¬ 
cember without extra charge. This applies to all 
new subscribers, including premium lists. 
Upm 1 N. 15. — Premium lists containing two or 
more names, may be made up of both new sub¬ 
scribers, and old ones renewing for another year. 
For other particulars, see Premiitni List in 
Supplement of the September American Agricul¬ 
turist. Any one not having received it, will be 
supplied on application. 
