BENEFIT OF ASHES TO CORN.-TO WOOL-GROWERS. 
179 
The period between first and second swarms is nine 
days; between second and third six or seven, and 
if yet another, the next day or two. The time, 
however, is dependent upon the weather. If we 
have hot, sultry weather, the bees mature more rap¬ 
idly, and are increased in numbers, and conse¬ 
quently throw off swarms faster, but we need never 
look for a second swarm sooner than a week, and 
if the weather be cold and wet, it may be delayed 
fourteen days. 
There is a catastrophe attending a rainy spell of 
weather during the swarming season, that many 
persons may not be aware of, which is this : The 
queen, in laying the foundation of new princesses, 
calculates upon their maturity at certain periods; 
when, if the weather should permit, swarms would 
be ready to issue, according to her principles of the 
science ; but as she cannot foretell the weather, she is 
often caught with three or four of these royal scions 
on hand, and the weather does not permit the issue 
of a swarm for several days, as fine weather for 
such an operation alone will do. 
As these princesses ripen in maturity, a spirit of 
jealousy begins to be engendered, that sets the whole 
hive in an uproar. Here is a sad dilemma! The 
old queen expects to go off with the first swarm, 
in person, as soon as the weather becomes fine; in 
the meantime there are several young expectants of 
assuming the reins of government, who begin to 
show a spirit of revolt as they grow in strength and 
age. If this state of things last for a week, 
through rainy weather, their jealousy becomes so 
furious that a general fight of extermination takes 
place, and the one that finds herself alive last as¬ 
sumes the reins of that stock; and if all the prin¬ 
cesses have matured there will be no more swarming 
that season. 
This is another reason why bees do not swarm, 
when we think they do not know what is for their 
own interest; but I assure the reader, that when 
they do not send off swarms, it is for a good and 
sufficient cause, though we may not be able to com¬ 
prehend it. T. B. Miner. 
Ravenswood, L. I., May, 1847. 
BENEFIT OF ASHES TO CORN. 
As cultivators are requested to send in facts, the 
result of careful experiments, and the corn-crop has 
become the “ glory of our land” I will state the 
circumstances of an application of wood-ashes, 
that was applied to that grain many years ago and 
noted down at the time. The variety of corn culti¬ 
vated was the hard eight-rowed white having a 
small cob. 
The objects aimed at were to determine whether 
wood-ashes acted beneficially to this crop, and to 
ascertain the proper quantity and their comparative 
efficacy whether unleached or leached. The soil 
was a deep and strong loam, which had given a 
fair crop of corn for six successive seasons, vary¬ 
ing little save in being affected by favorable or ad¬ 
verse summers, with no other manuring than the 
usual quantity put into the hills at planting-time: 
Previously to plowing, barn-yard manure, at the 
rate of about six hundred bushels to the acre, was 
spread over the ground. Just before the second 
hoeing, June 13th, 1827, I selected four rows of 
equal length, size and vigor, that had no missing 
hills. To parcel No. 1 , no application was made. 
To parcel No. 2 , one jgiH of leached ashes was 
sprinkled about each hill. To parcel No. 3, one 
gill of ’Jnleached ashes was applied. And to par¬ 
rel No. 4 , tw'Q gills of leached ashes were given. 
All the four ro\.' f s grew luxuriantly, as did all in 
the field, and during the various stages of growth, 
I could discover no difference m the size of the 
plants, the number of ea' vs ^ on a L stalk ’ nor n ] the 
length of the husks. In fact ’ the y a PP®" ed so 
very much alike, in all these' res P e . cts 5 that I much 
doubted whether I should find ^ equality in the 
measures at harvest time. r , 
Yet the result, at harvesting the " r 0 .P* on ca [ e , u 
measuring, was, that the ashes had . in ^ iease 
quantity in each of the rows where it w a ® a ^q^st 
over that of the one to which none was pu , ’ ^ ag 
fourteen per cent. Rather the greatest yie 7 , 7 . 
obtained from the row to which one gill of leu r 
ashes was given. ’ f 
In answer to the question, in a note under a 
communication from me, contained inVol. 5th page 
151 of the American Agriculturist, I will now reply 
(pardon the delay) that the soil was “ rather a 
strong loam” deep and incumbent on a white clay. 
Arch’d Jayne. 
Setaukei, March 1 2th, 1847. 
TO WOOL-GROWERS. 
Numerous liberal minded persons interested in 
the wool business having placed funds at our dis¬ 
posal for the purpose hereinafter mentioned, we 
shall on the 1st day of October next award and pay 
the following premiums, viz :—Ten Gold Medals 
worth ten dollars each for the ten entire clips of 
most valuable fleeces for clothing purposes. Ten 
Gold Medals worth ten dollars each for the ten en¬ 
tire clips of most valuable fleeces for combing or 
worsted purposes. Ten premiums of ten dollars 
each for the ten best conditioned entire clips of 
Saxony wool. Ten premiums of same amount for 
the ten best conditioned entire clips Saxony grade 
wool. Ten premiums of same amount for the ten 
best conditioned entire clips of Merino wool. Ten 
premiums of same amount for the ten best condi¬ 
tioned entire clips for combing fleeces. All wool- 
growers throughout the United States are invited to 
compete for them. 
We vrould again invite the attention of wool- 
growers to our remarks on the subject of prepar 
wool for market as published in the reports of 
wool-growers’ meeting at Steubenville, Ohio, 
10 th of February, 1847, also in the Agricultural 
and other papers of the country. 
All bales of wool designed for our care should 
have the name of the owner or grower plainly 
written or printed on them in full, together with our 
address as follows :—“ Perkins & Brown, Spring- 
field, Mass. ” 
All lots of wool intended to compete for the pre¬ 
miums should reach us by the 1st of August next. 
Growers may receive premiums if their wool be put 
up and marked separately, even though the wool may 
come through the merchant or other wool-dealer. 
Any further contributions from wool-growers, or 
other public spirited persons, will be expended in 
