1876.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
hands high, and weigh about 1,100 pounds each. They 
have taken four first prizes and one second prize at the 
Provincial and other fairs in Canada, and are in foal to a 
Clyde stallion, that was imported by Mr. Beattie at a cost 
of $4,500. Mr. Crozicr has also added to his stock a young 
Clyde stallion, 2 years old, which now weighs 1,400 lbs., 
and an- imported Ayrshire cow, “Rosie, the first pre¬ 
mium cow at the Exhibition of the Highland Agricultur¬ 
al Society, Scotland, 
Basket Sterns con¬ 
tinued on page 73. 
The American Dairymen’s Association. 
The eleventh Annual Convention of this Association met 
at Rome, N. Y., on the lltli of January. Vice-President 
T. D. Curtis, presided. After some formal business had 
been transacted, Mr. L. B. Arnold read a paper reviewing 
the condition of dairy interests during the past year. He 
deprecated the manufacture of skim milk cheese, (a poor 
but honest manufacture), and advocated that of oleo¬ 
margarine cheese as an improved product. He believed 
the aggregate returns of the business of dairying would 
be equal to those of last year, although prices had fallen 
off. Canadian cheese had met with an enlarged demand, 
and the reason was that this product was uniformly good, 
and no skimming was practiced in Canadian dairies. The 
great requisite for an improvement in American markets 
was greater attention to quality. Dr. Wetherell, of Bos¬ 
ton, endorsing the last remark, urged the Associat ion to 
declare its opposition to the manufacture of both skim 
milk and oleo-margarine cheese. Afterwards a resolu¬ 
tion to the effect that the convention was opposed to the 
adulteration of butter and cheese, was introduced and 
unanimously agreed to. C. L. Sheldon read a paper en¬ 
titled “ Hints on Cheese Making,” in which he referred 
to the difficulty of curing cheese successfully, and to the 
Shrinking of milk from failure of feed at certain seasons. 
A discussion ensued, in which the threadbare question 
of the value of fodder corn was the chief subject; the re¬ 
sult was a wide difference of opinion, which showed how 
useless is the discussion of questions in which a variety 
of conditions is involved, and every speaker views the 
subject in a different light. Dr. Wetherell read a paper 
on “ Dairy Stock,” in which he enforced the necessity 
of breeding a higher class of dairy cows, which should 
produce the largest mess of milk from a standard quan¬ 
tity of feed. Various other papers were read upon such 
matters as “ deep and shallow setting of milk,” (another 
seemingly endless provocative of useless discussion, and 
of conflicting statements), “ butter making,” “ scalding 
milk for butter and cheese,” and “ making butter in fac¬ 
tories,” all of which were followed by prolonged discus¬ 
sions. Prof. E. W. Stewart, of Buffalo, advocated the 
establishment of a dairy Experimental Station, in a 
lengthened argument, and suggested as a means of its 
support, the payment of each dairyman of 3 cents per 
annum for each cow owned, whi h he stated would real¬ 
ize $42,000 yearly. The representative of the Onondaga 
Salt Company, then made his yearly speech in favor of 
“ Onondaga Factory Filled Salt.” An agent of the Cen¬ 
tennial Exhibition afterwards presented himself, and a 
committee was appointed to arrange for the proper repre¬ 
sentation of dairy products at Philadelphia, and to col¬ 
lect funds for this purpose. The report of this commit¬ 
tee is to be made hereafter. 
Nothing of greater importance followed than the usual 
denunciations against filthy milk and unclean dairymen, 
and a surprising speech by a professor from an agricul¬ 
tural college, in which he enforced the “Christian duty 
of parents to oblige their children to eat cheese,” which 
he declared to be the only single food upon which a 
young child could grow and thrive ; and the impossibility 
of raising calves upon pure cream. Soon after this the 
meeting adjourned. 
The New York Horticultural Association. 
This new Society, the organization of which was noted 
last month, held its first regular monthly meeting on 
January 13, at room number 24, in the Cooper Institute, 
N. Y. There was a full attendance, and an enthusiasm 
which promises well for the future of the Society. In 
response to the request that members should exhibit any 
plants, flowers etc., that were new or of special interest, 
there was, considering the inclement season, a most 
gratifying display. William Bennet, Flatbush, L. I., 
exhibited two immense specimens of Cypripedium in- 
signe , having upward of fifty blooms on each, and two 
specimens of another well known orchid, Dendrobium 
nobile, with upwards of seventy-five expanded flowers on 
each. These plants alone were worth going a long dis¬ 
tance to see. Also from Mr. B., were four magnificent 
specimens of the rarer Dracccnas, viz., albicans, amdbilis 
ferrea, tricolor, and Guilfcyki. 
S. B. Parsons & Son, Flushing, L. I., presented a col¬ 
lection of interesting variegated-leaved plants, mostly 
from Japan, among which were Camellia Japonica, aureo- 
marginata, C. myrlifdia variegata, Osmanthus Uicifolius, 
var., Ligustrum ovatuin, var., and others. Archibald 
Veitch, of New Haven, Conn., sent a new citron-scented 
Geranium of great promise. Peter Henderson, Jersey 
City Heights, N. J., a specimen of the new English varie¬ 
gated-leaved Geranium, “Happy Thought,” a most 
absurd name to be applied to a plant that will certainly 
become a popular one. John Greaves, Paterson, N. J., 
had fine specimens of Sedurn aizokleum, var., and a nar¬ 
row-leaved variety of “ Smilax.” 
Chas. Zeller, Flatbush, L. I. A grand specimen, 4 feet 
high, and 4 feet in diameter, of an Eupatorium-like plant, 
the name of which is not yet determined. It is valuable 
for coming in bloom just at the holiday season, when 
white flowers are so much wanted. Mr. Zeller also ex¬ 
hibited a fine new seedling monthly Carnation. George 
Such, of South Amboy, N. J., sent cut flowers of Luculia 
gratissima, Cypripedium Bcezli, and Cereus roseus super- 
bissimus, one of the most beautiful of the cactus tribe. 
William Blount, Jersey City nights, N. J., showed cut 
flowers of a new white seedling Carnation, of great prom¬ 
ise. There was but little display of fruit. Mr. Foster, 
nurseryman, of B.ibylon, L. I., showed well preserved 
specimens of Ducliesse de Bourdeaux Pears, and William 
Chorlton, of Staten Island, a branch of Guava, in fruit. 
It is the intention of the Society, when well under way, 
to give “ Certificates of Merit,” such as are given by the 
London Horticultural Society, for all deserving novelties 
in horticulture. In Europe a certificate of merit from 
some competent society, is of far greater value to those 
who introduce new flowers, fruits, and vegetables, than 
any money premium, as the purchaser buys such plants 
in confidence, knowing that they have passed a critical 
examination. At present the purchaser of novelties in 
this country must depend upon the representations of 
the seller, which are not always unprejudiced. 
Seeds—Seedsmen—and the Law. 
A case was recently decided in Monmouth Co., N. J., 
against a seedsman who sold a farmer a quarter of a 
pound of turnip seed for 25 cents. The seed was sold 
as the Early Strap-leaved Turnip, but it proved to be 
the Ruta Baga, or Swccdish Turnip, a late variety. The 
farmer claimed that in consequence of its being a late 
instead of an early sort, he lost $100. That such an 
amount of damage could result from so small a quantity 
of turnip seed, was nonsense, and the seedsman should 
have had no difficulty in proving it to be so. However, 
the farmer must have discovered, long before he had ex¬ 
pended much labor in cultivating the crop, that it was 
not an early variety, and he had a plenty of time to plow 
it down, and put in seeds for a crop that would have 
paid, had he been so disposed. A similar case occurred, 
aud a suit was tbreatened, in which a seedsman sold by 
mistake for 1 oz. of Cauliflower seed, what proved to be 
Savoy Cabbage, though the dealer received it as Cauli¬ 
flower from one of the- most celebrated houses in 
Europe. The gardener no doubt knew, soon after 
the seed germinated, that it was not Cauliflower, yet he 
persisted in cultivating the plants, knowing that they 
had no more chance of producing Cauliflowers than that 
thistles would produce figs. He now demands that the 
seedsman shall pay him the market price per head for 
Cauliflower, for damage sustained ; and should he sue, 
the New Jersey case will be cited as a precedent. He 
had in all probability time to sow again after discovering 
the error, but instead of so doing, he persisted in plant¬ 
ing out the Savoy Cabbages, and at the end of the sea¬ 
son, modestly presented his bill for what a crop of Cau¬ 
liflower would have been, had he had a perfect crop. The 
success of a Cauliflower crop is very uncertain, even 
where the purity of the variety is undoubted, and this 
fact no doubt the gardener was sharp enough to know, 
but he preferred to plant the Savoy Cabbages, thinking 
he had a safe claim against the seedsman. No wonder 
the seedsmen are alarmed, for if heavy damages can bo 
claimed in such cases, it will drive every responsible 
man out of the business. Any designing rascal can buy 
a pound of Cauliflower seed from Jones, and a pound of 
Savoy Cabbage seed from Smith, plant the Cabbage seed 
and present his bill for the market price of a perfect crop 
of Cauliflower to Jones, and if he objects to pay, the 
law comes in to the rescue of the rascal, and commands 
Jones to pay damages. In view of this state of things, 
all the seedsmen of New York andBoston. together with 
the leading firms of Philadelphia, have, upon legal ad¬ 
vice, decided to print on all their seed bags, tags, bill¬ 
heads, etc., a disclaimer of guarantee, reading thus: 
“ While we exercise the greatest care to have all Seeds 
pure and reliable, it is hereby mutually agreed between 
ourselves and the purchaser of this package, that we do 
not warrant the same, and are not in any respect liable 
or responsible for the Seeds sold by ns, or for any loss 
or damage arising from any failure thereof in any re¬ 
spect.” The seedsmen have in contemplation the form- 
4=7 
ation of a Protective Union, composed of all the leading 
dealers, to make common cause against unfair and 
malicious prosecution against any one of their number. 
—- — ... - - 
Bee Notes for January. 
BY L. C. ROOT, MOHAWK, N. Y. 
With the most perfect quiet, bees will breed moder¬ 
ately during this month, even in cold climates. To the 
inexperienced it may seem desirable to induce breeding 
very early, in order to increase the strength of the stock. 
Facts have proved that quite the reverse is true. A year 
ago, about the last of January, I was desirous of ascer¬ 
taining to what extent my bees were breeding, as I was 
holding the temperature in my bee-room much higher 
than was generally recommended. I took from the cel¬ 
lar one of my very best Italian colonies which stood 
nearest the door, and examined it, finding the usual 
amount of brood. I gave it no further attention, until 
I took the bees from the cellar in the spring, at which 
time this was the poorest swarm in the whole lot of 120 ; 
so poor that they swarmed out within an hour after 
being set out. The queen's wing being clipped, I caught 
her in front of the hive, and introduced her to a queen¬ 
less stock, where she proved herself in no degree inferior 
to those in the strongest stocks, that had been left un¬ 
disturbed. I mention this instance to enforce more fully 
the advantage of leaving bees while in winter quarters 
in perfect quiet. Many have felt it an absolute necessity 
to improve the first opportunity, during this or the fol¬ 
lowing mouth, to set the bees on their summer stands, 
to give them a chance to fly, and then return them to 
winter quarters. 
Some writers have recently advocated allowing bees to 
fly under glass occasionally during the winter. I have 
no idea that this will prove a benefit. One of the best 
things in regard to indoor wintering is the fact that the 
bees may be prevented from flying during occasional 
fair days. Recently we have had most positive proof 
that bees are taken from their winter quarters much too 
early, and I shall give my ideas on this point more fully 
in future “Notes.” In many enterprises there are always 
those who talk largely of anticipated results, instead of 
realities, and many enthusiastic beekeepers have talked 
of possible profits until beginners have been led to ex¬ 
pect extravagant returns not warranted by experience. 
Persons interested in bees should understand one very 
important fact, that bee-culture is a business to be learned, 
as with any other trade or profession, and success de¬ 
pends in a marked degree upon knowledge and experi¬ 
ence. I often receive letters asking me to answer “ by 
return mail,” giving my experience, with full instruc¬ 
tions how to conduct an apiary to return the most profit. 
Wilen to Commence Keeping Bees. 
Every practical beekeeper will admit that this is a 
question of importance. I venture to say that the time 
when most persons commence the business, is the prime 
reason that so many are unsuccessful. It is an estab¬ 
lished fact, that about every third year we have a poor 
season for bees. Those who observe the results obtained 
by others, will say, after a poor season, that they do not 
care to engage in it, while the next year, this being a 
good one, the results lead them to think that it may be 
a business worthy their attention, and this being follow¬ 
ed by another good season, decides them. It will be 
seen that such persons are ready to begin just in time to 
meet the reverse of a poor season. Every dealer in bees 
will bear witness that after the best seasons their sales 
of stocks are invariably the greatest. This is, of course, 
to the interest of those furnishing bees, as it disposes of 
them before a poor season, and leaves the greater num¬ 
ber on band at a time when a better crop of honey may 
be expected. 
How to Commence Beekeeping. 
This depends much on the information the beginner 
possesses. To whichever of these classes he belongs, 
viz: those who merely make it a pastime, or the larger 
class who wish only honey enough for family use, or to 
those who desire to make it an exclusive business ; the 
first thing necessary is to secure some standard work on 
beekeeping where the first principles are to be learned. 
To purchase bees in box hives at the current prices, and 
transfer them to the movable comb hive, will require 
some experience. Probably the best way would be to 
procure them of some reliable person who will furnish 
none but the very best swarms, for with all the aid the 
experienced may lend, the beginner will find enough 
drawbacks. 
A Suggestion. —A “Question Box.” 
It is a custom at many beekeepers’ conventions to es¬ 
tablish a question box, where questions of most interest 
to the members may be collected and answered for the 
benefit of all. I would suggest the idea to the beekeep¬ 
ing readers of the American Agriculturist.. Questions of 
general importance addressed to me will be answered 
through these columns. 
