1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICUT^TIJRIST. 
Q75 
such pests flourish from year to year is rich and 
would pay the expense of cultivation, and pro¬ 
duce at first more valuable crops than that on 
each side of it; and it ought to be reclaimed, 
and the unsightly weeds and bushes should be 
exterminated, for the sake of appearances, if for 
nothing more. This job is best done in August 
■or early in September rather than not at all. 
Where it is not found convenient or practicable 
to plow such uncultivated strips of ground, 
mow every thing as closely as possible, collect 
it in heaps and burn it; if the bushes are small, 
•they maybe cut with a short, stiff'grass scythe; 
but if they are large, use a bush scythe. Let 
every thing be cut close to the ground. Then 
harrow thoroughly and stock down with grass 
seed. Sow Orchard and Kentuck}’’ blue grass 
seed, so that the grass will be fit to mow for 
hay next season, before weeds have attained a 
large growth. If the ground can be plowed, 
remove the fence when it ean be done with lit¬ 
tle labor, and put a sharp point and a sharp, 
strong coulter on a good plow, and attach a 
chain for hauling the weeds beneath the turning- 
furrow slice, as shown in an article in last month’s 
paper. Hitch on a strong double team, and 
break it all up as deep as the plow will turn 
well, and the team able to draw it. Always 
plow around such plots instead of beginning in 
the middle, thus forming a ridge where the roots 
wilt not be disturbed. Harrow several times, 
and sow at the rate of half a bushel of buck¬ 
wheat per acre. If the work is properly done, 
weeds and bushes will give little trouble next 
season, if the ground is occupied with some 
hoed crop. If, from some cause, such as wet 
weather after plowing, or the abundance of rose 
briars, or brambles, the weeds spring up very 
badly in .spring, another application of the buck¬ 
wheat after plowing will leave the land in good 
condition by mid-summer. 
Burying' Bees. 
BY BIBWELI, BKOS., OF MINNESOTA. 
In our previous communication concerning the 
comparative results shown by two lots of hives 
of bees, one buried and the other exposed, (page 
174) we omitted to say that the two stocks that 
weighed the least, viz.: 194 and 23$ lbs. of those 
wintered in the open air—were Italians. These 
we swarmed May 12th, and the balance that 
were exposed, June 5th; while those that were 
buried we swarmed May 20th, except the one 
that weighed the least and consumed least. 
This hive was only half full; the bees have 
filled it up since spring, and now, July 1st, it 
weighs 314 lbs. more than when taken out, and 
is fit to swarm. 
The present time, July 1st, the average weight 
of those which were buried is 78i lbs., and of 
those exposed is 37^|5 lbs. Those buried are 
now ready to work in boxes, or be again swarm¬ 
ed, while those wintered out, except the Italians, 
are only in fair condition. The two Itaiians 
weigh 54i lbs. and 61| lbs. We wintered 97 
stocks in a large dark room on the floor with 
the honey boards removed, and 66 in a stone 
cellar. These came out strong in number, but 
lost half their bees the first few days they flew 
out, on account of being diseased from holding 
their excrements too long. This fact we have 
noticed for several years, that where bees were 
wintered in a room, or cellar, and consumed 
much honey and bee bread, the old bees flew 
out in the spring and never Tlgirned, for when¬ 
ever bees are hurt, or in any way injured in a 
hive, they leave the rest and crawl or fly away, 
BUBIED STOCKS OF BEES. 
making them really no better off" than those 
. wintered in the open air. With those buried, 
there can no such objection, provided the fol¬ 
lowing essential condition be secured: Complete 
freedom from dampness, perfect darkness, and 
an abundance of air, but no draft upon them. 
Bees may be buried when flowers are gone, 
and left until they come again. Weak stocks 
may be wintered, but they are usually more 
trouble than they are worth, because they are 
annoyed and kept weak, if not robbed by the 
stronger stocks, and because they consume 
proportionally more honey to keep them warm, 
while in the ground each bee eats its own allow¬ 
ance. They are not annoyed by the mice, nor 
disturbed by the changes of the weather, but 
really are at rest; nor is the expense much 
compared with preparing and placing bees in a 
room, or cellar, or watching out of doors, as the 
following accurate statement of the way in which 
we buried our stocks last winter, will show; 
On a cool day, when the bees were quiet, we 
selected a high dry site near our apiary, and dug 
a pit 8 feet square and 4 feet deep, and threw 
the dirt well back. We next dug a hole 2 feet 
, square and 2 feet deep iu the centre of this, and 
placed in it an open box of the same size, with 
its top edge on a level with the floor of the 
pit. We next placed two old iron gas pipes, 
10 feet long and of half-inch bore, one end of 
each in the box, and the other ends on opposite 
sides of the pit. These serve to connect with 
the air on the outside of the pit. The outer 
ends were covered with cups to keep the dirt 
out. Pipes of wood, tin, or lead -nmuld answer, 
if small, and secured against mice getting in. 
We next placed narrow strips of old boards on 
the bottom, 2 inches apart, on which to place the 
hives, and between which the air may circulate 
through the pit. We next removed the honey 
boards from over the bees, and replaced the 
caps and opened all the fly holes, and one 2- 
inch hole in each end of the cap. (In burying 
common box hives, we would invert them, and 
place over each an empty hive.) We next 
placed them in the position shown in the sketch, 
with the entrances outward, and put an empty 
hive on top, into which we placed upright a 
box made of 4 pickets, with two opposite sides, 
^ inch shorter than the others, and nailed a 
board over the top. [This was used we suppose 
in place of the top ventilating pipes shown in 
the sketch.—E d.] We next placed sawed posts 
upright ai-ound the hives 
(scantling and boards, or plank 
would answer as well); then 
covered the posts with 1 foot 
of dry straw, and then a foot 
of dry dirt, beginning at the 
bottom and working up to pre¬ 
vent sliding, then another layer 
of straw and dirt, which should 
be smoothed off, and then an¬ 
other layer of straw and brush, 
or boards, to keep it in place. 
Kemove the caps fi om off the 
pipes and place over each a 
box, as shown in the sketch. 
The construction occupied two 
hands i day, and two hands 4 
day opening and clearing up. 
It is important to dig the hole 
deep enough, so as to get plen¬ 
ty of dirt to cover deeply, and 
not put over 25 stocks together. 
As far south as the lattitude of 
Hew York, perhaps it would 
not be best to risk so many the 
first winter.—[Tiie former article of Bidwell 
Brothers, excited no little interest. This is ex¬ 
plicit, and will save both us and them answering 
many letters. It would be interesting to know 
the extreme length of time bees may be buried. 
We shall be glad of facts on the subject.— Eds.] 
Hints on Harvesting Buck-wheat. 
The excellence of buckwheat flour depends 
chiefly on the management of the grain between 
the time of ripening and grinding. The com¬ 
mon way of treating buckwheat effectually pre¬ 
vents making good flour, it being allo-wed to 
remain in the swath for several weeks, when it 
should never be suffered to lie longer than a 
day or two, and it is decidedly better for the 
grain to rake it and set it on end, as fast as it is 
cradled. Much less grain will be wasted by 
shelling out; the straw will cure and dryout 
sooner, and make better fodder; the crop will 
be ready for threshing or housing in less time; 
and the grain will yield a much better quality 
of flour. It is especially injurious to the grain 
to be exposed to storms before it is set up, for 
dirt is spattered all over the grain, by the falling 
of large rain drops. This makes the flour 
dark-colored and gritty. Wetting and drying 
the grain several times, destroys the “ life ” of 
the flour. It will never be as white, nor make 
so good cakes, but will be sticky and the cakes 
clammy, like the flour of sprouted wheat. 
How to Splice a Hope, and to Splice an Eye. 
Farmers are proverbially awkward in their use 
of ropes. Few can make a knot or a t ie, or a hitch 
that will hold, and that they can undo in a hur¬ 
ry, after it has been subjected to a heavy strain. 
We have to use ropes a great deal, and should 
know how to manage them better, especially 
in connection with block-tackle and sheers. 
We propose therefore to figure and describe 
some of the most useful splices and knots, and 
to show how useful they may be in many cases, 
and how desirable the ability is to make smooth 
connections and a knot, or tie, that will not 
jam, but which may be loosened at any moment. 
The Short Splice. —If one wishes to length¬ 
en a rope for permanent use, as a well rope for 
instance, it looks very awkward if it is tied in 
the usual way, and it is much better to splice it 
neatly. Ropes in common use are composed of 
