20 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
In the most central business place in town, 
let the Farmers, Mechanics, Merchants, and 
all others interested, establish the society. 
Of course they will want a President, Sec- 
1 rotary, and other officers who shall be cho¬ 
sen as often, and hold their offices as long, 
as the members of the society shall deem 
expedient. /Then let standing committees 
bo appointed on the various subjects likely 
to claim the attention of the society, such as 
Oji looking at the illustration it will bo 
soon that one portion of the hou^e is much 
higher than the other. This is caused by 
the superior elevation of the rooms in the 
main portion of the house, their height be¬ 
ing as follows: Rooms 1, 2, 3, are each 
twelve feet six inches high from floor to 
ceiling, and the other portion of the house 
but eleven feet. In the door above, 1, 2, 3 
are eleven feet high, and the rest ten feet 
high. In the main portion of the house al¬ 
so, the walls are carried above the ceiling 
line over chambers three feet high all round, 
so as to form a half attic, making a good 
deal of available room in the roof, and a 
cooler and m >ro easily ventilated building. 
The veranda is twelve feet and a half high 
where it comes against the wall, and drops 
to eleven feet three inches, making a slope 
of fifteen inches in Its entire width on the 
under side. The rake of its roof would be 
greater, the rafters being deeper against the 
walls than at their feet, a mode of framing 
which is lighter and may be made more 
pleasing in effect. 
The roof of the main building is hipped 
each way towards the stack of chimneys 
in the centre. It projects over the walls j subjects of importance and general interest 
MANAGEMENT OF BEES. 
Messrs. Editors : —In the Rural of Nov. 
27 th, is an article over the signature of A. 
Rowe, which seems to require some further 
remarks from me. 
I am highly pleased that friend Rowe has 
made the inquiries he has, and if I fail to 
give the information he asks, perhaps some 
abler mind will do the subject justice, and 
. ~ ,, r , v] I thereby benefit your numerous readers.— 
Agriculture, Commerce, Manufactures, Ed- • •> , f 
’ . t , . x i Perhaps there is nothing the farmer or 
and thus on. Let care be taken to 1 . , . ° . , , 
I mechanic has on Ins premises, that the 
greater majority of them so little under¬ 
stand as the habits of the honey bee. I am 
aware, that to write on bee culture, and 
pass clear of the various traditions that have 
been handed down, from father to son, re¬ 
main bees add to their supplies, with the ox- ' yoke of oxen, attached to that magnificent 
ception of the buckwheat gathering. The 1 implement, the Michigan subsoil plow of 
, , , , „ .v i . largest size, the earth was turned up in the 
drones seldom leave the hive, except, about | . l , . 1 , ,, 
’ r . .. 1 most beautiful manner, to an average depth 
two hours in the heat of the day, and while j one f 00 ^ actual measurement, and the 
the male bees are ranging over forest and ! light of the sun was let in where it never 
fields, in search of food, the drones stay in j shone before. It was interesting to observe 
the hive and keep up a proper degree of 
heat, to bring the young swarms forward.— 
ucation, and thus on. 
select as chairman of each committee the one j 
that is the most competent to make out a 
report on the subject which falls to its in- j 
vestigation. The reports should be pesent- | 
ed to the society in writing, and when they 
come up for adoption or rejection, discus- j .... 
k. , 1-iix • .• quires a more lengthy experience m their 
sions will be very likely to arise respecting j I ^__ ^ 4l 
tho views which they set forth and the po 
sitions which they take,—and thus, by the 
interchange of thoughts, an interest in the 
subjects discussed will bo excited and ex¬ 
tended, and those participating can scarcely 
fail of adding something to their stock of 
knowledge and education. Essays, written 
and read by the members on any proper 
four feet, and is supported by brackets.— 
The roof over the wing is also hipped on its 
northern side, and projects two ieet on the 
east and west, and three feet on its nor¬ 
thern end. 
The cost of construction would certainly 
not exceed four thousand dollars, leaving 
one thousand for the out-buildings, gates, 
and fences, thus appropriating five thousand 
dollars to the erection of a country home. 
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION. 
A CHAPTER FOR THE PEOPLE. 
“ Organize, organize,” is the watchword 
of political committees and newspapers, 
when they would create or strengthen the 
power of party for tho attainment of their 
cherished objects. And in no department 
of human activity are greater energy, zeal 
and activity displayed than in this. The 
nature of political organization—the im¬ 
portance and wide extent of its objects, 
furnish sufficient motives to enlist every class 
of men in its support. 
Whatever may be tho creed of a political 
party, its chances of success are greatly en¬ 
hanced by its careful and complete organi¬ 
zation; and the benumbing influence of un¬ 
sound doctrines and unwise policy, is often 
thus more than counterbalanced, and this 
political ark carries its party into power.— 
The advantages of organization, however, 
are not confined to any one sphere of action, 
but extend to every attainable object, and 
into every department beyond the reach of 
individual enterprise. It is no less potent 
in sustaining and carrying forward that 
which is evil and demoralizing, than it is in 
upholding and promoting tho good and 
elevating. But. its efficacy need not be fur¬ 
ther urged. All will accord to it high rank 
among the means in man’s employ ; and it 
is to be regretted that it is not brought, in 
many respects, into greater requisition to 
turn back the tides of evil and secure com¬ 
fort. prosperity and happiness to the human 
race. 
When men forsake savage life and pass by 
gradual transition up through civilization to 
an enlightened state — constituting them¬ 
selves a society, framing laws and establish¬ 
ing government—they do nothing more nor 
less than to form an organization upon the 
largest and most liberal plan—upon the 
broadest and most permanent basis. But 
the comprehensive organization thus effect¬ 
ed, considered independently and without 
subdivisions, is an unwieldy concern, and wo 
nowhere find society thus constituted. 
When men become members of society they 
give up a part of the rights and privileges 
which are theirs by the laws of nature, rea¬ 
sonably expecting that they will be >chly 
paid for the sacrifice. And although these 
expectations are, in the aggregate, far more 
than realized, yet it is not to be denied that 
the sum of human happiness falls far short 
of the amount to which it might bo swelled 
by a more thorough and careful application 
of tho means furnished by our social organ¬ 
ization. After what is accomplished by law 
and secured by its guaranties, much remains 
to he done by voluntary association. The 
genius of our institutions leaving an open 
field to all that is good and honorable, is 
calculated to foster such associations, and 
hence it is that they have become some¬ 
what numerous in this country. Still there 
is a desideratum to be supplied. Literary 
Societies, or Lyceums, call them what you 
will, are needed throughout the length and 
breadth of the land. In cities, owing partly 
to the denseness of the population, it is 
comparatively easy to sustain them. But 
in tho country it is more difficult. Still, in 
most villages, they can be established and 
maintained, especially during the winter sea¬ 
son. I will give the outlines of such a Ly¬ 
ceum as I think would meet the wants of 
the people generally. 
would constitute a feature in such a society 
which ought by no means to be left out. A 
debate upon some question designated be¬ 
forehand, ought to be held as often as a fair 
distribution of tho business of the society 
would permit. And then, an occasional ad¬ 
dress from some noted speaker would in no- 
wiso detract from tho advantages which 
such an organization is calculated to bestow. ] 
And now, Messrs. Farmers, Merchants, 
and Mechanics, what say you to this plan of 
improvement? Is it not a reasonable one, 
and cannot such organizations be sustained 
i during tho winter season in a large majori- 
management, and close observation of their 
habits than most people arc aware of. What 
would be considered a correct idea in the 
management of one swarm, may be placed 
in doubt by his experience with the next.. 
I class a swarm of bees as follows : First, 
the queen beo, that lays all tho eggs for in¬ 
crease ; Second, the male or laboring bees, 
that gather all the honey, bee-bread, wax 
for making their hives tight and warm, and 
the materials for building their comb, and 
are always ready to defend their rights; 
Third, the drones. Their office, perhaps, is 
best understood by the name they bear, tho’ 
I consider them useful to the swarm in their 
day. 
In my former article, I stated that tho 
queen beo is as subject to death, as the la¬ 
boring boes. Had I added in connection, 
“ though not so much exposed,” my mean¬ 
ing would have been better understood. 
Friend Rowe asks if the queen bee gathers 
honey, wax, &c? I do not think she aloes 
either, or make any defence only with her 
When August, or the close of gathering ar¬ 
rives, the male bees occupy their place, and 
in all the thrifty swarms they commence a 
general slaughter of the drones, and not one, 
I think, ife left alive. 
The bee moth passes through four changes 
and arrives at maturity in the miller. The 
female is much larger than the male, and 
lays a great number of small round eggs. I 
held one once till she laid 175 eggs, and by 
examination found she had but just began. 
If they can get upon the comb they lay their 
eggs there, if not, as near tho comb as they 
can got. In a few days these hatch to a 
small worm, or the boo moth, and corn- 
covered the field. Mixed with the marly 
subsoil, were large portions of decayed 
leaves, black mould, and crumbled roots, 
which had slumberad there in security for 
half an age, while the scratching system 
had been so long in existence but a few 
inches above; and the. whole presented 
very much the appearance of the fresh or 
virgin soil of newly cleared land. 
It is not however, deep plowing alone that 
brings hidden treasures into use. There 
j are many, many instances where the sharp- 
| sighted and active farmer will avail himself 
j of much that is highly valuable, but usually 
! unobserved. An interesting example of 
this is furnished by the practice of a distin¬ 
guished scientific and successful farmer of 
Western New York. A few years since, 
when he first took possession of his farm, 
ho found almost everywhere, stores of neg¬ 
lected wealth. The butcher had thrown 
mences feeding on tho comb, honey, and 
young bees, spinning a web Avhore it goes. ' out on his back lot, vast quantities of bones. 
In this stage it does all its mischief and j These he was glad to give away in order to 
get rid of them. The neighboring plaster 
mill soon reduced them to highly fertili- 
grows to nearly an inch in length, when it 
covers itself in a shell, passes a short time 
in the chrysalis state, and then hatches out 
the miller again. It is about twenty years 
since they first made their appearance in 
this section; like most of tho insect enemies, 
they do tho most injury a few of the first 
years, when the greatest share of them pass 
along to new districts. A. Wilcox. 
West ISloomfield, N. Y., Dec., 1851. 
PLOWING UP HIDDEN TREASURES. 
ty of the towns in the State of New York? . 
Just think how many hours now given to i own species, as they never sting, if taken be 
idleness might be turned to good and profit 
able account. 
tween the fingers. 
It has been said that “we may judge of 
the skill of a farmer by the number of sov¬ 
ereigns he pockets by the end of the year;” 
and as the whole object of the business is to 
reap its reward, the inquiry very naturally 
arises, “What is the secret why some far- 
| mers with the same amount of capital and 
Frequently when the ; labor, gain more than others, and why some 
A half dozen thorough-going, 
enterpising young men, determined that i 
such a society shall be formed and main¬ 
tained in the community where they reside, 
even if done by their exertions alone,— 
would be sufficient, in most cases, to insure 
it success. Once fairly placed in a prosper¬ 
ous condition, what a salutary influence it 
would exert upon all around. What power¬ 
ful auxiliaries they might bo made in pre¬ 
paring the citizens of this great republic to 
discharge truly and with an enlightened 
understanding, the various and important 
public duties which arc daily devolving upon 
them. 
The great mass of the people are too slow 
in apprehending the importance of having 
[ I the development of the intellectual facul¬ 
ty s and the acquisition of mental accom¬ 
plishments keep pace with the physical im¬ 
provements which give a marked character 
to the present age. It is true that a large 
number of the students which fill our col¬ 
leges and seminaries, come from the work¬ 
ing classes; and many of this number, from 
among those whose lives are given to the 
pursuit of agriculture. When they forsake 
the school and “ make their choice of life,” 
dissatisfied with the intellectual inactivity 
and want of opportunities to exercise their 
powers and call into requisition their attain¬ 
ments, in the class of community from 
which they came, they join the ranks of 
some profession already full, and thus cre¬ 
ate a vacancy in that part of our social fab¬ 
ric which they were well qualified to fill and 
adorn. 
Would not tho tendency of such societies 
as I have proposed be to counteract this 
state of things? Unless I am greatly in 
error they wo(dd afford golden opportuni¬ 
ties for the development of worth and tal¬ 
ent which might otherwise remain hidden 
forever from the world. Genius, finding in 
them encouragement and hope, would come 
forth from her hiding place to cast her sun¬ 
ny light into the caverns of d irkness, and 
bless mankind with her ever welcome pres¬ 
ence. Seymour G. Wilcox. 
rerrinton, N. Y., Dec., 1851. 
BREAKING STEERS, 
last swarm for the season leave the parent } work hard all their lives without seeming to j 
Very few oxen are now used on farms, 
compared with the number employed years 
ago, when the country was new. The time 
was, when every farmer had one or more 
yokes of oxen or steers, and many a winter 
day used to be employed by the boys in 
breaking the latter—learning them to “haw” 
and “gee,” &c., and too often the whip was 
constantly in use. But kindness and pa¬ 
tience will accomplish more than the lash, 
and when an animal understands what is ex¬ 
pected of it, it will soon learn to perform its 
duty. Oxen are more profitable for many 
kinds of work on the farm than horses, and 
we hope many a farmers’ boy will break his 
yoko of steers the present winter. 
Mr. Bonynge, whose exertions to intro¬ 
duce tropical plants and fruits into the 
Southern States we have frequently referred 
to, is of the opinion that tea can be raised 
and prepared in this country at a cost of 
six cents a pound. 
hive, there will be more than one spare 
queen. If so, they have a contest for tho 
mastery, and I have seen one kill tho other 
in such instances, in less time than it takes 
me to make the statement. The queen bee 
seldom leaves her hive, though in a few 
cases I have seen her, when the males were 
about their daily labor. 
Frequently when I have had the queen 
bee under a glass for the purpose of divid¬ 
ing two swarms that came out together, I 
have seen them drop their small slim eggs 
in considerable numbers. In a healthy 
swarm they commence laying their eggs in 
January, and it takes about twenty-one days 
to produce the bee from it. Any time in 
the fore part of tho season, take tho brood 
comb from a hive, and .you will find tho eggs 
—the maggots in their various stages of 
growth—the cells capped over where the 
maggot turns to tho bee, and tho young 
bees removing tho caps from their cells to 
come forth to active life. As they come 
forth tho queen follows, laying more eggs, 
until about the first of September. As to 
the age to which the laboring bees live, I 
have seen nothing to warrant tho belief that 
their natural life falls short of the life of the 
queen bee. 
Every thing in beo culturo is in favor of 
tho idea that the laboring bee is the male 
bee, though I have no positive proof on tho 
subject, as I have that they gather all their 
food, produce the materials to build the 
comb, and form it into sheets of cells, to 
hold their rich supplies. The comb is form¬ 
ed by the laboring bees, only while they are 
gathering honey freely. It issues from the 
under side of the back part of the body, be¬ 
tween the four scales that run round that 
part of the bee, and is seldom seen on the 
bee except in the old swarms, that have their 
hives full of comb. I have taken five or six 
lumps from a small boo and by pressing 
them between my teeth found them pure 
wax. To form this wax into comb, the bee 
places it on tho edge of the sheets, or rim 
of the cells; and with their teeth, pinch it to 
the proper thickness and shape. I have 
spent hours in watching their movements, 
while building their comb. Take the bottom 
board from under the hive of a young swarm, 
the next morning after the bees are put into 
it, and directly under where they commence 
building you will find tho comb dust, the 
thin scales are just tho shape it comos from 
tho bee, the rounder particles are those that 
they drop in forming it into comb, this dust 
you will find to be pure wax. That which 
they carry on their legs is bee-bread, a mealy 
substance, which they brush from the blos¬ 
soms while they are gathering the honey, 
though in August they carry considerable 
gum, and a species of wax on their legs, with 
which they coat the inside of the hive, ma¬ 
king all parts of it water tight, except tho 
regular openings. 
In the latter part of April tho drones be¬ 
gin to be seen, increasing in numbers until 
August, when, in the most thrifty old swarms 
they becomo very numerous. That time 
embraces tho entiro period, in which tho 
turn up with their shares but little that is 
valuable.” 
The answer is obvious—all do not know 
where the concealed treasures lie, which 
the more fortunate have discovered,—and 
having discovered, immediately commence 
throwing out freely from the bottom of their 
rich furrows. It is surprising what mines of 
wealth lie within reach of some who are 
toiling laboriously for what those mines 
would at once afford them. We have known 
a very industrious man draw stable manure 
from a distance of several mile-, to apply 
to the surface of land, that contained just 
twelve inches below, powerful means of fer¬ 
tility. The manuring was indeed highly 
profitable, but a great mistake was commit¬ 
ted by neglecting the other means. An¬ 
other farmer in one of the best counties of 
Western New York, told us years since, that 
so valuable was the subsoil of his land, that 
he would bo glad to have half a foot of the 
top soil of his whole five hundred acres at 
once removed and taken away. But his 
knowledge has slumbered; for to this day, 
neither subsoil nor trench plow has entered 
beyond tho usual depth. 
Accidental occurrences often teach valu¬ 
able facts, of which the successful farmer at 
once avails himself. During one of those 
years when the wheat crop was nearly de¬ 
stroyed by adverse causes, a strip of land 
was observed through a neighbor’s field, 
bearing a fine dense crop of grain, while the 
rest did not average five bushels per acre,— 
On inquiry, it was found that the subsoil, in 
cutting a ditch, had been spread, merely for 
convenience over the ground on either side 
and thus imparted to it this extraordinary 
fertility. In another case, by mixing up by 
means of deep furrows, tho marly subsoil 
with the light spongy top soil of a piece of 
low land, an acquaintance succeeded in ex¬ 
pelling at once the worthless rush and sedge 
grasses, and restoring a fine growth of clo¬ 
ver. A casual observation in cutting a 
trench had pointed out this great improve¬ 
ment. 
We do not moan to assert that the sub¬ 
soil always contains, to so great an extent, 
the elements of fertility. When it ap¬ 
proaches barrenness, caution is of course 
needed in gradually deepening the soil, ac¬ 
companied with manuring. But this condi¬ 
tion is more frequently the exception than 
t e rule. Fifty years of tillage, as farming 
is too often conducted, father impoverishes 
than adds to mineral manures. The soil 
was not originally deposited so as to accom¬ 
modate the surface stratum of fertility, to 
the exact depth penetrated by the modern 
cast iron plow. The same ingredients es¬ 
sentially, often extend to many feet in depth; 
and after cultivation has lessened or re¬ 
moved them, it is usually much easier to 
bring up from below a new supply of the 
carbonate, sulphate, and phosphate of lime, 
than to apply them artificially in sufficient 
abundance, although both may be advan¬ 
tageously resorted to. A very simple ex¬ 
periment will show, throughout a large por¬ 
tion of tho country, a difference between 
the top and under soil. Let a portion of 
any long worn soil be dropped into diluted 
muriatic acid, and no action will be visible; 
a portion taken a few inches lower, by its 
effervescence, will usually indicate carbo¬ 
nate of lime in consideracle quantity. So 
much for a single ingredient out of several. 
We have just witnessed a most interest¬ 
ing examplo of tho results of deep plowing. 
A field of land, reputed almost to a proverb 
for tho hard cropping to which it had been 
subjected for nearly half a century, recent¬ 
ly changed hands, and skim culturo imme¬ 
diately gave way to a different mode of 
treatment. By moans of threo combined 
zing powder. Now in tho same neighbor¬ 
hood. waste bones are eagerly sought by all. 
Again, it was customary to draw out and 
pile up in huge, useless heaps, the refuse 
ashes of the soap-boilers and potash facto¬ 
ries. This same observing farmer obtained 
permission to remove these heaps to his 
fields. His neighbors witnessed his success, 
and as a consequence, he cannot now get 
leached ashes without paying a good price 
for them. 
Again,—he discovered that much of tho 
fertility of his farm was lost by the presence 
of a superabundance of water in the soil.— 
He adopted a thorough system of tile-drain¬ 
ing, laying his drains scientifically with an 
engineer’s leveling instrument. He can now 
plow his ground sooner in spring, and sccuio 
earlier sowing; the plow runs more easily 
through the fine crumbling earth than in 
the Avet adhesive mass as formerly; the 
roots penetrate deeper, drouth does not af¬ 
fect the porous bed of earth, the cold Avater 
of the subsoil does not chill the early plant; 
in short growth commences sooner, and ad¬ 
vances Avithout interruption until it reaches 
full and perfect maturity. The result of 
this successful practice is. that an imported 
tile-macliine of the best construction, lias 
been scarcely able to supply the general de¬ 
mand. Who can estimate the benefit thus 
resulting from the enlightened example of 
a single individual ?— Albany Cultivator. 
BLANKET YOUR HORSES. 
Men and horses, only, sAveat. So say tho 
medical men whose business it is to investi¬ 
gate the wonderful living mechanism of 
both. Tho ox cools off by accelerated res¬ 
piration ; if heated in the furrow, ho par¬ 
tially opens his mouth, drops his tongue, 
and by rapid respiration, or breathing, throws 
off the excess of heat which has accumula¬ 
ted in the system. The dog Avhich runs at 
.the side of the carriage through the intense 
heat of a July sun, dashes into tho cold 
spring Avith impunity and returns refreshed, 
having no perspiration to check, “ when men 
or horses submerged in a similar manner 
would suddenly check perspiration, and if, 
they survived the shock, it would be but to 
die with acute or chronic inflammation.”— 
In violent motion the respiration of both 
men and horses is increased, but not suffi¬ 
ciently so as to carry off tho heat that is 
generated—they perspire through the skin, 
the pores of Avhich becomo opened or en¬ 
larged, and it is Avliile in this condition that 
both are exceedingly liable to he injured, 
and Avhen great care is necessary to preserve 
the health of either. 
We saw a noble looking animal the other 
day standing by the road side, Avet with per¬ 
spiration, dotted with Avhite foam, and ap¬ 
parently highly heated. There lie stood, 
unchecked by rein or halter, faithfully avait- 
ing his masters’s return The cold ayus in¬ 
tense, the mercury then being below zero ! 
Impatiently he pawed the ice under liis feet, 
champed the bit, and wildly flung bis bead 
from side to side, Avhile his lips were con¬ 
tracted and nostrils collapsed, giving hiin a 
fierce and unnatural appearance. No blan¬ 
ket covered his Avet and heated body, Avliile 
the keen morning air froze stiff the moist 
long hairs that stood out from the skin.— 
IIo avus evidently suffering severely. And 
this is no uncommon sight. So little is still 
known of the physiology and functions of 
tho horse, that men avIio would refuse an 
extravagant price for a favorite animal suffer 
him to stand in tho condition Avhich we have 
described. 
If the horse mentioned escaped an attack 
of the colic or violent inflammation in some 
shape, it was his good fortune, and not from 
any Avisdom or humanity on the part of his 
owner. 
Even in mild weather though it may be sum¬ 
mer, neither men nor horses should remain 
quiet in a cold draught when heated and Avet 
with perspiration. Millions of tho colds 
complained of would be prevented by ob¬ 
serving this simple rule, and thousands of 
valuable lives preserved which are now an¬ 
nually extinguished. 
But you, avIio valuo tho noble animal 
which you control, when you “ rein up ” for 
business or pleasure, let the mantle of char¬ 
ity come over your steed in tho shape of a 
good warm blanket. Depend upon it, you 
will find it cheaper than physic, travelling 
on foot, or drawing your carts yourselves.— 
JY. E. Farmer. 
A horse died rocontly in Kingston, after 
having served his master faithfully for thirty - 
eight years ! 
