18'C4.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
139 
A Hew Bag-string. 
“J. I. M.”, Orange Co., N. Y., sends a speci¬ 
men of a little time saving contrivance which 
looks as though it would work very well. It is a 
hag-string, made of stout leather, in the shape 
of a long, narrow wedge, about half an inch 
wide at the broad end, and gradually tapering 
to the other extremity. At 2£ inches from 
the wide end, a button hole is made by punch¬ 
ing two holes about an inch apart, and connect¬ 
ing them by a slit. At 7 inches from the same 
end is placed a catch, which consists of a 
short, rounded cone of lead, or some white 
metal. The string is attached to the bag about 
2 inches below the top by means of a rivet or 
stitch through its center. To fasten the string, 
put its small end through the slit and draw it 
until the catch passes through as shown in the 
figure. To untie it, give the large end a jerk 
and the catch is immediately loosened. 
Waste Lands near Cities. i 
In the suburbs of many large cities in this 
country are tracts of land lying in open com¬ 
mons, and unused except as play grounds for 
children, with perhaps here and there a cow or 
a goat finding scanty pasturage. They have 
mostly been bought up by speculators, in antic 
ipation of their being wanted for building pur¬ 
poses ; former farm fences have been removed; 
in some' instances streets are cut through, and 
they are kept awaiting purchasers. We know 
plots in the vicinity of New York and Brook¬ 
lyn that have been left in this condition for ten 
to twenty years. They are yielding no returns 
to their owners, and the yearly taxes and accu¬ 
mulating interest on the cost in many instances 
far outweighs the rise in the marketvalue of the 
property. We think at a moderate estimate 
there are enough of such plots lying unused in 
the vicinity of the two cities above named, to 
produce vegetables enough for 50,000 persons. 
Now, here is an opportunity for wide-awake 
gardeners of either large or moderate means, to 
secure a good living and confer a positive bene¬ 
fit on community. The use of much of this 
land could be had from year to year at a com¬ 
paratively small rental—less than one third of 
the interest on its estimated value. The facilities 
for obtaining necessary manure and help to 
work it are abundant in the adjoining cities, and 
the nearness to market, where every variety of 
fresh vegetables is in demand, gives a great 
advantage to the producer, over those at more 
distant points who have to pay heavily for 
freights or teaming expenses. It would not pay 
to invest in permanent improvements, or in rais¬ 
ing fruits requiring several years to come into 
bearing; indeed, owing to the exposure to dep¬ 
redations from marauders who usually abound 
in cities, it would hardly be safe to attempt fruit 
culture, even though continued possession could 
be had of the grounds for a term of years. But 
annuals of every description, particularly veget¬ 
ables that will not bear distant transportation, 
may be made very profitable. Some enterpris¬ 
ing men of small means, particularly German 
gardeners have already improved such opportu¬ 
nities, and we know of several who are making 
a comfortable living and something over, by this 
means. It would be doing many a poor family 
a kindness to suggest this plan to them; there 
is room for hundreds, and the products of the 
land are all needed, and find a quick market. 
A New Home-made Beehive. 
The engraving represents the section of a bee¬ 
hive; made and used by M. S. Woodford of Erie 
Co., N. Y, who thus writes: “ I propose to de¬ 
scribe for the benefit of the readers of the Agri¬ 
culturist a beehive that I make and have used 
for four years. First I make the four sides of a 
box, 5, as recommended by Mr. Quinby, 12 
inches inside each way. I then make another, 
a, fifteen inches inside each way, and one inch 
deeper than the first one. A top board, c, is 
made, large enough for the larger box, and rab¬ 
bited back from the edge all around to receive the 
cap, g, made 18 inches inside. This top I nail 
to both boxes one within the other. The strips, 
d, are then nailed on the inside of the outer and 
On the lower end of the inner box. This closes 
up the space between the two, and makes a hive 
warm in winter and cool in summer. The bees 
will not come out of such a hive in winter, un¬ 
less the weather is warm enough to allow them 
to do so without harm. To prevent millers de¬ 
positing their eggs under the edge of a hive I 
take a strip of hoop iron, e, li inches wide, and 
nail around the bottom, forming a band. This 
may be readily done by any one not a mechanic, 
by cutting it in four pieces, one to fit each side 
and make close joints at the corners, punching 
holes and filing the edge straight. Nail them on 
the hive so that the iron will project about half 
an inch below. The edge of iron will rest on 
the bottom board, /, leaving a half inch space 
between the bottom of the hive and the board, 
giving the bees a chance to operate on the board 
out •to the iron. To give the bees an entrance, 
a notch is cut in the front piece of iron % of an 
inch deep and | of an inch long. I also give 
them another entrance, three and a half inches 
above the alighting board, by inserting a plug 
which reaches through the two boxes with a 
half inch hole in the center. Some may think 
this hive too expensive, but from four years ex¬ 
perience I have found that it pays. 
Early Sheep Shearing—Washing. 
No real lover of his flock drives his sheep 16 
the washing without a feeling akin to remorse. 
He would not do it were it not that he believes 
that the market demands wool washed on the 
back. Though it is true that washed wools 
sell more readily, yet in times like these where 
any and all wools are quickly taken up, an op¬ 
portunity for reform is offered which ought not 
to be overlooked. Sheep which are to be wash¬ 
ed ought not to be sheared before settled warm 
weather. In many seasons this will not come 
before the last of June. They are then in much 
less danger of taking cold and receiving per¬ 
manent injury. They ought to be washed only 
in water which is so warm that the washers do 
not find it uncomfortable to stand in it with the 
sheep. The shock to the flock, of the immer¬ 
sion in cold water and being subsequently ex¬ 
posed to raw winds—followed by being reduced 
to a state of absolute nakedness, is sufficient 
cause to account for “snuffles,” and prevalent 
lung difficulties. The rule in regard to washing 
is to wash as little as possible, but even this in¬ 
volves the necessity of thoroughly wetting the 
entire fleece. It is a great object to have the 
sheep sheared as early as they can be, and fully a 
month may be gained if they are shorn with¬ 
out washing. The fleece starts better, the sheep 
seem actually benefitted, weakly ones often 
brighten up and do well, and all are in much 
better condition to bear the autumnal storms 
which often come before the flocks are suffi¬ 
ciently clad to bear the change well. Conta¬ 
gious diseases are not unfrequently communi¬ 
cated by farmers using the same washing pens 
with their neighbors, which may be unavoidable. 
If the sheep be shorn unwashed, particular 
care should be taken to have them all well 
tagged, and all dirt removed which is not too 
thoroughly incorporated with the fleece. The 
discount of one-third in price for unwashed wool 
is not fair, yet the farmer may well submit to it 
for the advantage his flock gains, if it be a val¬ 
uable one, knowing that like other abuses it 
will be corrected by time. Sheep should be 
shorn on smooth, clean floors, by careful, hu¬ 
mane, quick, experienced men. The cleanli¬ 
ness of the floor, the removal of dung and 
straw brought in upon the feet, are important. 
How to Designate Lambs after Weaning 
—No “ Uncouth Provincialisms.” 
Mr. Randall, who is excellent authority on 
sheep, suggests the introduction of the word 
teg , as used in some parts of Great Britain to 
designate lambs between weaning and shearing, 
so that they may not be confounded with the 
young stock between the time of the birth of 
these and shearing of the last year’s lambs. 
An unnecessary word is a nuisance, especially 
if it means nothing of itself. American farmers 
the country over, so far as we know, distinguish 
their lambs as “sucking” or “suckling lambs,” 
and “old lambs,” and this is distinction enough, 
and sounds to us much better than “ ram teg,” 
“ewe teg,” “wether teg,” or even teg alone. 
Besides, farmers not seeing the necessity will 
not adopt it. Words that are really needed 
are suggested by the necessity and come of them¬ 
selves, or are adopted without argument. 
Learning teaches youth temperance, affords 
comfort to old age, gives riches and . content¬ 
ment to the poor, and is an ornament to the rich. 
