364 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
No. 152 . 
swarm after flying about in every direction in 
search of her, returned to the parent hive; and 
on the following day first succeeded in establish¬ 
ing a new colony. 
I have great regard for Mr. Quinby's opinion 
on the subject of bees ; but I must beg leave to 
differ with him on the subject of the impregna¬ 
tion of the queen while absent from the hive. 
Among the amateurs in this place, some of 
whom have closely observed the habits of bees for 
more than forty years, this theory is condemned, 
and w r e hold that the queen never leaves a hive 
unless she is forced to do so. This may be the 
case when a hive has swarmed, and, owing to a 
change of season, declines to throw a second 
swarm. Then all surplus queens are killed ; and 
then only may they be seen leaving a hive—this 
they do, to escape from the persecution within. 
They sometimes return to the parent hive, and 
they are at once taken into custody, and smoth¬ 
ered to death. At other times, I have seen them 
try to enter a neighboring hive, where their re¬ 
ception was by no means welcome, and they 
were soon dispatched. 
We coincide with Mr. Pickett, that the drones 
are not all killed, but that some are retained in 
the hive during the Winter months. In our 
southern country, we discover brood in the comb, 
as early as February, and on warm days in that 
month, drones may be seen. Now is the time 
with us, that the drones are killed ; but that is 
not saying that they all are killed ; as we have 
seen them in hives long after the war had been 
made against them.... J. B. 
Forsyth Co., N. C. 
Advertising Information—Gratis... .III. 
(Continued from page 232.) 
[We are glad to observe that these articles are 
having the desired effect. The number of de¬ 
ceptive advertisements now appearing in the 
newspapers is much smaller than formerly. The 
numerous letters of approval and commendation 
from our readers, contain abundant testimony of 
the necessity and value of these investigations. 
They will be continued as long and as often as 
they may appear to be needed.] 
[No. 9.] 
Y OUNG FOLKS! Iwant a Local Agent 
in every village and city in the United States (compensa¬ 
tion large) to circulate the YOUNG FOLKS ADVOCATE, a 
monthly paper, at only 30 cents a year; less to clubs. It con¬ 
tains many letters from ladies and gentlemen on Matrimony, 
fee., and hundreds have secured partners for life through the 
medium of it. Samples free. Address 
C. F. MINER,-, Oneida Co., New-York. 
Here's something specially interesting for bash¬ 
ful “young folks,” in quest of a “partner for life.” 
“ Hundreds have been successful,” who but for 
this miner might have lived and died in single mis¬ 
ery. Generous man, to pay the Tribune a dollar 
a line for the above advertisement, to tell people, 
that for the paltry sum of 30 cents at retail, and 
less by wholesale (clubs), he will put them on the 
road to wedlock. Not being in a marrying mood, 
as a particular friend might “forbid the bans,” 
the above advertisement did not personally inter¬ 
est us, until our eye fell upon the “ large com¬ 
pensation” for a “ Local Agent in every village.” 
Being in haste to get ahead of our “ next door 
neighbor,” we hurried off an application for an 
agency, and the “samples free.”.We 
received in return the June number of the so- 
called “ Young Folks’ Advocate.” It has 8 pages 
a trifle larger than those of the Agriculturist. 
:'Parents have an interest in this matter, and we 
must treat the subject seriously.) 
The first six pages contain miscellaneous read¬ 
ing, part of it,apparently the same matter and 
type used in the “ Rural American.” On the 
7th and 8th pages we find 32 letters from girls, 
besides 6 others under the “ Gentlemen’s list.” 
The editor says : 
“ No letters are ever inserted in this paper, ex¬ 
cept those from bona fide correspondents. 
We never manufacture any for publication, 
as some people may suppose.” 
This is probably so—the friend now engaged in 
ventilating this precious affair, for us, has docu¬ 
mentary proof to the same effect. 
The writers of several of these letters an¬ 
nounce themselves as farmers’ daughters, and 
their ages vary from 14 years upward. The 
“ editor ” appends notes to many of the letters. 
Here are samples, which in character are very 
like the whole 32 in this one paper. 
“Let ter No. 20. —Jn looking over your excellent little paper, 
the Advocate, seeing: so many on their way to the fount of con¬ 
jugal happiness I have resolved, with your consent, to fall into 
the ranks. I sunpose, in order that I may accomplish this, the 
first thing to be done, is to give a short description of myself. I 
have “piercing” black eyes, auburn hair, which falls in curls 
profusely around my neck, a well formed mouth, and a small 
nose, so it would not be in the way—-very fair complexion, good 
teeth, am about five feet in bight, have a good form, and am 
about seventeen years of age. I can sing, dance, ride fast 
horses, play on the piano, guitar, &c.,can do housework equally 
as well, and am not ashamed to do it. Any young gent seeing 
this, who is possessed of an upright character, and is intelli¬ 
gent, possessed of the dimes, &c., can have my address by send¬ 
ing six cents to Mr. Miner, our vrorihy editor. Penelope. 
Greencastle, Ind. 
Remarks. —Greencastle, Ind., is a great place for young la¬ 
dies of beauty, and we judge that “Penelope” is one of the 
prettiest in the place. We will let her go for two stamps as 
usual, though it is really too bad to sell such a charming maiden 
at so low a price.—E d.” 
“Letter No. 27.—I am a young miss of 14 ; of my personal 
appearance I do not like to say much, for self praise is no rec¬ 
ommendation. I would wish very much to open a correspond¬ 
ence with some nice young gentleman, and, if among your cor¬ 
respondents there is such an one, he may address 
-, Montgomery Co., Ohio. Cora, Box 106.” 
“LETTER No. 32.—I am a reader of the Advocate, and am 
much pleased with the Social Department. Though I hardly 
believe in advertising for a husband, yet. I think it would be 
pleasant to have an agreeable correspondent. I am 18 years old, 
and know by my mirror that I am good looking. Any young 
gentleman who desires a correspondent above the “ general av¬ 
erage ” of country girls, can have my true name by sending to 
the editor of the Advocate. Jenny. 
-, Herkimer Co., N. Y. 
Remarks. —Truly “Jenny” is above the “general average,’ 1 
if we take her letter as a criterion. No one need apply for her 
address unless he is strictly moral, and a gentleman in every 
sense of the word.—E d.” 
Are we to understand from these last remarks 
by the “ Ed.” that other names will be sent to 
those not strictly ‘moral,’ etc.! But, Mr. Miner, 
you did (for six cents) send Jenny’s real name to 
an address furnished you, without asking or re¬ 
ceiving a word as to the ‘ moral ’ or ‘gentleman¬ 
ly ’ character of the applicant—your own letter 
giving her name is now before us. For aught 
you know, the man to whom you sent her name 
is the biggest villain unhung. 
What say parents to the above 1 This man in¬ 
vites such letters from your young, inexperienced 
daughters, and then furnishes their names to 
gentlemen ( 7 ) who will send him six cents (two 
stamps) for each name desired. Whose daughters 
are safe! It is useless to say that these letters 
are not bona fide. For the purpose of getting at 
the truth of the matter, we had letters written 
from a neighboring city, simply asking the real 
names of several of the “girls.” No promises 
were given, and no object stated for desiring the 
names. Two stamps were enclosed for each, 
and they were promptly sent, over the signature 
of C. F. Miner ; and further investigation proved, 
that the names were those of real parties, belong¬ 
ing to respectable families. What is to hinder 
designing villains from getting these and other 
names in the same cheap manner, and by speci¬ 
ous pretences leading those young, foolish girls 
on to ruin. The very fact of their writing such 
letters, as they have, indicates that they are 
simple-hearted enough to be further deceived. 
Thousands of females in this city, now lost to 
virtue, have been first led astray by similar 
means. But further comment is unnecessary. 
We must in justice to farmers, tell a little 
of the history of this sheet. One T. B. Miner 
has for several years issued a paper called the 
“ Northern Farmer ,” and also one called the 
“ Rural American, ” and we believe one other. 
These papers are professedly agricultural jour¬ 
nals, and many farmers have taken them as such. 
Early in 1858 Mr. Miner announced in one or 
more of his agricultural papers this “Young 
Folks Advocate,” to be published by himself, and 
he certainly issued it for a year or so, at least. 
In June last he announced that he had 
“ Sold out the ‘ Advocate ’ to C. F. Miner, an as¬ 
sistant editor of the Rural American.'’ He adds : 
“ The Advocate has a arge circulation, and is pros¬ 
perous ; but as I now Publish three other papers, I 
can not give it proper a jntion. Ladies and gentle¬ 
men may place implicit confidence in its present pro¬ 
prietor in any confidential matters entrusted to his 
caie - T T. B. MINER. 
-, June, 1859. 
How far T. B. Miner, the editor of the “ Rural 
American,” is to be held responsible for the 
character of this so called “Young Folks’ Advo¬ 
cate,” may be judged of from the above state¬ 
ment of its origin, and from the fact that C. F. 
Miner is his own son. 
[No. 10.] 
A CURIOUS PUZZLE sent free for 25 
-Scents by H. M. BABNES, A-, McHenry Co., Ill. 
Ha! Ha ! Sold again, got the money, and spent 
part of it for a rifle, as our friend Punch would 
say. Why, you good-for-nothing Barn (es)! We 
own up “ taken in and done for.” Another 
t-w-e-n-t-y-f-i-v-e c-e-n-t-s, and t-h-r-e-e c-e-n-t-s 
for postage, gone! You are too smart for us, Mr. 
Barnes. We shall not dare to read any adver¬ 
tisement, if things go on this way. Here we’ve 
been writing, and writing, and sending money 
and stamps, week after week, trying to get “ Pro¬ 
fitable Employment,” to “ Make Money Fast/’ to 
find “sure cures for Consumption ” and all that, 
to find “Sport,” etc., etc., and we can not yet 
strike upon one vein of good luck, but get hum¬ 
bugged every time ! If you don’t return our 25 
cents right off, Mr. Barnes, we’ll tell every body 
what your “ Curious Puzzle ” is, and then who’ll 
furnish you money enough to pay the Tribune a 
dollar a line for publishing your advertisement! 
You won’t return the money, eh ! 
Well, then, here’s exactly what you sent us in 
return for our quarter dollar, and 3 cents postage: 
A-, July 14—1859. 
Mr. -(Our friend’s name.) 
Dear Sir Your favor of July 7. is received. I send 
you the form of 
rn y curious 
puzzle. cut it 
out by tiie pen- 
lines [dot.?], 
or one from 
pasteboard 
would be better 
then divide it 
i r. to 5 pieces by 
cutting it twice 
across by lha 
pencil marks 
and see if the 
next person you 
show it to, will 
shape a cross 
out of these 
pieces. yours 
truly H. M. Bar¬ 
nes. 
All that for 25 cents ! Why, bless your stars, 
Mr. Barnes, what a favor you have done us. We 
never thought of it before, but every one of our 
readers owes us twenty eight cents ! for you see, 
we gave them exactly this puzzle, picture and all, 
free, gratis, for nothing, and didn’t charge them 
a cent. Just turn back to our last volume, page 
60 (Feb. No., 1858), and there you will find the 
same problem, in better shape, and with more 
drawings. You can pass on, Mr. Barnes. 
(To be continued as needed.) 
- - » -- 
If the world says you are wise or good, ask 
yourself if it be true. 
