while we should be allowed plenty of air. All the crevices 
Think of digging ] about the hive from which the bees were driven, 
should be closed with some suitable material, to 
confine the fumes of the sulphur as much as possi¬ 
ble. Were I to resort to this means of destroying 
the moth-worm,— but I trust I shall never be 
obliged to,—I am not positive that I should be cou- 
tent with less thun a half-day’s fumigation! The 
any desire to get 
1 But to return to our subject. 
over night, and help the matter some, 
held on to the old fireplace, 
green wood from under two feet of snow, and boil¬ 
ing out sap all day;—the customs of the conntiy 
justified it, or it would have been regarded as a 
relic of the barbarous ages, which in tact it was. 
It nearly cost me my life one winter, when I kept 
a district school; and when I gave that up and 
married my late husband, I am grieved to say it 
was not much better. We were poor, and could 
not well afford a woodshed and such conveniences; 
and yet 1 have thought we could not “afford" to do 
without one as long as we did. When we got, a 
woodshed, my husband, whose health was never 
good, could not keep up with his other work and 
have a supply of wood ahead. 
Since leaving the farm I have bought my wood. 
At first I bought "good dry wood," as the farmers 
called it when they brought it; but it was seasoned 
out doors, aud H. T. II, says, very truly, that is not 
the place to season it. Now I buy green wood, and 
season it my self under cover; aud I do assure you 
it is a great comfort to me. I feel for the sisterhood 
that are expected to bake good bread, and cook 
early dinners, with a smiling face, with miserable 
dozy or green wood, which, if it is kept going at 
all, must be watched as attentively as a person just 
dying with the fever. 
II. T. B. says about the literal truth in his article: 
“ One soggy stick puts out the fire, spoils the bread, 
delays the dinner, and turns mirth to madness. 
Novelists delight apparently to ventilate and fumi¬ 
gate humaD sorrows; hut, so far as I know, the 
peculiar miseries of miserable wood defy their 
descriptive powers. They freeze a poor woman 
and her babes to death for pastime; but they do it 
by taking away the supply; they Beem to judge 
that the long drawn out agonies of ‘soggy’ wood 
our prairies, should send for seed at once. 1 he fol¬ 
lowing is the article prepared by Mr. Bender: 
Preparation ok the Seed.—T he seed, imme¬ 
diately before planting, needs a preparation, by 
which not only worthless seed is at once separated 
from good seed, but also eggs of insects and germs 
of fungus, which attack the plants with a sickness 
called the oidium of the vine, ar 
ing the sap, the first two or three “runs." was very 
tiresome, on account of the great depth of snow* 
Banks of snow were at, hand throughout the entire 
season, and “jack wax " was to be had every time 
we “sugared off." 
Spring, the real, genuine, “gentle spring, ethereal 
mildness." seems at last to have made its advent. 
Nearly all the different feathered songsters are “ on 
hand," and seem bound to stay with us. The robins 
are chirping about, “prospecting for “desirable 
situations" for their “summer residences,” some¬ 
times seeming at a dead loss whether to locate upon 
a limb of that old locust, a branch of that pine, the 
bushy top of one of those cherry frees, or in some 
quiet little nook (hook rather) of one of those (soon 
to be) leafy maples, but all bound to “stake out 
their claims" and locate their habitations in imme¬ 
diate proximity to, or at least not very remote from, 
that row of cherry trees so full of rich promises of 
a delicious future. 
The grass is springing, buds are swelling, and 
every thing betokens the speedy opening of a vig¬ 
orous and I hope successful campaign. Already 
has the plow begun its noble work, and soon the 
fruitful seed will be committed to the ground. 
Farmers, in this section at least, will do well to 
be cautious, and not sow more than they can harvest 
with the help they now have, or are morally certain 
to have when harvest time arrives, for many are 
away, whom wo shall rniss at that time more than 
ever in the want of day laborers in the field. I hope 
farmers will be prudent in this respect, for I want 
to see the text. “ whatsoever a man sowetli, that shall 
he also reap," literally verified the coming season. 
In the course of two weeks, cattle and stock of all 
kinds will be turned out to grass. Then will the 
roads, in some sections of our “beloved country,' 
wherever the miserable, hoggish, piggish practice of 
pasturing in the highway prevails, be crowded with 
a voracious multitude of cows, young cattle, hogs, 
geese, <&c 7 constantly on the lookout; hungry, lean, 
“ring streaked" and “speckled“pitching in 
wherever a weak place in a fence presents itself; 
watching the opportunity when your front gate 
happens to be left ojien to steal through and sneak 
into the garden, make a delicious repast of your cale 
bage and carrot tops, and ruin every thing generally. 
Speaking of this barbarous custom, suggests to 
my mind a proposition, or “compromise" rather, 
which I propose to offer to those who persist in its 
detestable practice. But hold ! 1 can not commu¬ 
nicate with them through the medium of your col¬ 
umns, for 1 trust that no subscriber to the Rural 
pastures his cattle in the highway. What, then? 
Ah! I have it. now. There are those who are tmjan 
enough to borroio the Rural instead of subscribing 
and paying for it; and upon reflection, I believe they 
are just the. ones who turn their stock into the long 
pasture. 
My proposition, then, is simply this: That those 
who persist in pasturing the highway, shall build 
and keep in good order the road fenecs. This is no 
more than right —no more than we farmers have to 
do. We fence our pastures, let others fence theirs. 
If our stock-raising, road-pasturing friends will 
accede to a proposition or compromise of that nature, 
I, for one. will at once withdraw all my objections 
to pasturing in the highway. 
H. T. B.’s article in a late number was a good 
one, well-timed, well-directed, and, 1 am sorry to 
say, it hit, me right square in the face. It is very 
seldom wo are without good seasoned firewood; but 
we did happen then to be burning, or trying to burn, 
green wood. Just then 1 chanecd to be splitting 
wood in the wood-shed. (You see I have a wood- 
house, and was getting up a pile to be seasoned.) 
All the afternoon I could distinctly hear the stove- 
doors and griddles go “rattle-te-bang,” “slam- 
bang," my wile occupying her whole time in 
keeping up the fire. 'Twas not a very pleasant 
noise, 1 assure you. At night the Rural came. I 
read that article, and resolved never to bo caught 
again without a good supply of well seasoned fire¬ 
wood. If there are others, and. I presume there are. 
who were, or are now destitute of a good supply of 
seasoned wood, and to whom that article seems 
especially directed, to them 1 would say “ go thou 
and do likewise.” 
Hopiug soon to see in your paper the promised 
article on the culture of willow fences, (a subject in 
which I feel some interest,) I w ill close this long 
and desultory letter, and subscribe myself ever a 
subscriber to the Rural. Cincinnatus. 
Fillmore, N V., April, 1802. 
The Weather for the week ending the 18th (Sunday) 
very favorable for out-door operations — clear and warm 
Vegetation made rapid strides and we never witnessed a more 
speedy or beautiful blooming of fruit trees. There has been 
but little rain for two weeks. The present week opened with 
a chill — the temperature of Monday being over 30 degrees 
below that of the preeediug day. A severe frost was exported 
on Monday night, but cloudy and windy weather prevented 
any injury. As we write (Tuesday. A. M.,) the weather fa 
becoming milder, with indications of seasonable hear arH j 
sunshine. Letter* from the Western State? and Canada M'est 
(extracts from some of which we publish below,) give very 
encouraging reports concerning the prospects of farmers ami 
horticulturists since the advent of warm, spring like weather 
The long-deferred seed-time is a busy and joyous season. 
__e to be destroyed. 
This is done in various w ays, many of which parties 
experimenting with the seed ought to try. 
Some soak the seed until it moistens the hand. 
Then it is put in small heaps about six inches high, 
and left until a slight heat manifests itself Then 
they proceed with the sowing out. 
Others recommend putting the seed for 24 to 30 
horn’s in clear lime water, without allowing it to 
Again, others dissolve four or five pounds of 
chloride of lime (bleaching powder) in 200 Jhs. of 
water, and soften 100 lbs. seed in this solution for 2-1 
to 30 hours. ’ , , , ... 
Some soften the seed in warm water, and dry it by 
mixing it with powdered lime. It is claimed that, 
this is a good prevention of insects. . 
A solution of snlphuret of lime and potash is con¬ 
sidered an excellent preventive against the attack 
of the fungus. 
Selection and Preparation of the Soil,—I t 
is the rule, dictated by experience, never to place 
the beets in a new soil, or on a soil freshly uncov¬ 
ered, or a soil containing roots yet undecomnosed. 
Hence, clover or lucern can not precede the beet; 
the latter succeeds best, after a crop of wheat, barley 
or oats on the same field. .... 
Select further, a sandy, loamy, pulverulent soil, 
permeable for water and charged to a certain depth 
with nutritious elemente; in short, a soil well 
adapted for wheat. Wet, argillaceous and inert eal- 
curious soil, must be avoided. The quality of the 
beet is impaired by a soil too rich in saline matters. 
Animal manure should never be applied. 
The sugar beet requires a deep, mellow, well pul¬ 
verized soil, where the root with ease can work 
downward. Only in such a soil if attains that per¬ 
fect essential conical shape. Hence, the field ought 
to be plowed aud harrowed often and deep; say at 
least twice in the fall, and once in the spriug. The 
first plowing in the fall is done three or four days 
after the preceding crop of wheat is cut; the soil not 
having dried out yet, offers very little difficulty in 
working it. The weeds are rooted out. and exposed 
by the plowing and subsequent harrowing to the 
sun, which dries them. As soon as the seed of the 
weeds comes to sprouting, a second plowing and 
harrowing is applied. The removal of the weeds is 
essential, as, they shade the beef plant, and prevent 
development oi sugar. In the spring, once or twice 
the operations of plowing, harrowing, and also roll¬ 
ing. are repeated. 
Sowing. —This!? done about the middle of May 
until the first of June, mostly by a machine, which 
combines several contrivances, one of which draws 
the furrow, another drops the seed, the third, a small 
roller, covers the seed. The method of traDsplant- 
ina has been almost abandoned, and hence we refer 
, “ . « •• - . i _ a • a i_n..l j * 
moth-worms would never have 
into my hives again 
Af ter the. combs have been thoroughly fumigated, it 
would be advisable to invert the hive, and subject 
them for a few hours to the exposure of the air. By 
this means a large percentage of the scent of the 
sulphur will bo removed. I should judge that the 
scent of the sulphur would lie quite annoying to 
the bees; that is, if they were returned immediately 
after the fumigation, and before the combs had been 
subject to any exposure to the air. I would here 
caution the bee-keeper not to use too much sulphur, 
inasmuch as it would be quite likely to Boil the 
combs; it would color them green. 
It will be apparent that the foregoing directions 
are for fumigating combs in box-hives—hives not 
provided with frames. Box-bives are the kind that 
this correspondent, whose inquiry I am answering, 
uses. It is, therefore, not so very strange that he 
should make the inquiry under consideration. On 
the other hand, had his bees been in properly made 
frame hives, and had he made himself practically 
acquainted with the merits and advantages of the 
frames, aud also, had he learned the fad that the 
progeny of the bee-mulb is an extremely harmless 
enemy to good healthy colonies of bees, he would 
certainly not have penned the inquiry which has 
claimed our attention. 
It should be borne in mind by all bee-keepers, 
that the proper time to destroy moth-worms is early 
in the spring. They should be destroyed as fast as 
they make their appearance. At this season of the 
year every good colony should have more or less 
brood, which would prevent fumigating the combs 
with sulphur. We should, therefore, rely upon 
other means of destroying the worms. It will he 
obvious that, in case all the worms are destroyed, 
there would he no millers. The best way of de¬ 
stroying the worms that I have found, is to examine 
my colonies (which, of course, are in frame hives,) 
quite often in the spring, by taking out the frames 
of combs, and killing all the worms. When (he 
contents of u hive can be taken out, and each comb 
can bo thoroughly examined on both sides, it must 
he apparent that it is not difficult to find every worm 
in the hive, and when found, to destroy them. A 
(ew worms killed early in spring, are equivalent to 
a very large number later in the season. Moth- 
traps are often very useful, and quite as often very 
injurious. When properly attended to, a great 
many worms may be caught and killed; but when 
uot properly attended to, they furnish an excellent 
harbor for the moth-worms, where they often go 
through the necessary metamorphoses, and at last 
become millers. The moth-worms generally find 
harboring places enough without providing them 
with any. It is quite often the case that too much 
dependence is placed on the moth decoys. The 
proper place to find the moth-worms is among the 
combs, and hence the combs should be examined 
often, and the worms killed before they are old 
enough to leave them to harbor in the moth decoys; 
comb being their only food, their ravages are fin¬ 
ished when they leave them. All things considered, 
the best moth decoys are strong, healthy colonies of 
bees. M. M. Baldridge. 
Middlcport, Niagara Co., N. Y., 1S62. 
The Season in the West — Chicago, May 16, 1862.—The 
past week lias been delightful, warm spring weather, with the 
exception of a .single day. Seed has germinated quickly, and 
plants grow rapidly. Trees are in full leaf, nearly. Blossoms 
are bursting with beauty. The strawberry beds are while 
with promises of fruit. It has been splendid weather for 
corn planting, and from reports received it Ims been improved. 
The heavy rain of Tuesday improved the grass prospect. 
From every quarter I hear encouraging report* of tire /-on 
dition of the fruit. A letter just at hand from G. H, Baker, 
South Pass, Ill., says the fruit prospect there is “ good, verv 
good. We now have, at this time, the best show for a good 
crop I ever saw in Egypt; all trees are loaded with fruit, both 
on the hills and in the valleys. Our strawberries look well, 
but are suffering for want of ruin now, and will be seriously 
injured if we do not get rain in a few days.” Tin's is an im¬ 
portant item, inasmuch as wo are getUng to look SouUi for 
our early taste of strawberries, Prices for produce are low 
here, though yesterday com reached a higher figure than 
befoW In over one year—29 cents.—c. D, n 
Croi* pROSKECTr.* i.v CaDaiu Vest.— Though the season is 
late, we haw favorable reports from Canada West, especially as 
to the appearance and prospects of winter wheat and fruit. A 
letterjustreceived from W E. Sirlev, Esq.,St. Catharines, says, 
“Within the past two weeks t have been through ten of our 
best wheat growing counties, lying between St. Catharines 
and Col ling wood, and am happy to be Able to say that I never 
saw tire winter wheat looking so well at this season. Pros 
poets for fruit are also excellent.'' Mr. J MaoKelcai*, .Tr , ril 
Hamilton, under date of May 15, writes:— 11 Weather warm 
Fruit trees heavily loaded with bloom. Winter wheat looking 
well Spring crops generally' backward.” 
Team for a Plots Plow — Molt- Drains .—The best team is 
a good yoke of oxen; for they will work successfully where 
horses would flounder and fret, and do nothing. Tin's team 
will be sufficient if a capstan is used. I know there are mole 
plows, with small moles, which are drawn just as a subsoil 
plow is drawn, and operated by the plowman in much the 
same manner; but I confess to little faith in their utility 
More team will fie required to manage them. A mole drain, 
put in 3 to 3!j feet deep in still’ clay, has lasted without 
repair 6cven years, in Illinois, and is now apparently in as 
good condition as when made There arc many drains of this 
character, three to live years old, as good as new, running a 
constant stream of water winter und summer. It is difficult 
to say how lung they will last; but there is .abundant testi 
niony to sustain the assertion that, if new moles hare to lie 
cut every three years, it will pay to do so, even at an expense 
of twenty-five cent* per rod; but it is easy now to get this 
work done, and done well, at ten to fifteen cents per rod, 
depending upon the depth required and the size of the •nolo 
used.—c. i). b. 
Great Wool Exhibition at the Ohio State Fair.— Th* 
Cleveland Herald announces that the State Board of Agricul 
ture has decided on 1 laving a grand exhibition of wool during 
the coming State Fair in that city, and for this purpose has 
established premiums and appointed awarding committees 
that wilt Induce gi-uwt-rs to scud in tin ir wool for 
Four classes have been arranged, comprising Felting Wools, 
llelaine Wools, Casniuierc Wools, and Combing Wools. In 
each class there will be three premiums, of $20, $10, and $5, 
respectively. None hut actual grower?are allowed to exhibit, 
and competition is open to all parts of the United States and 
the Canadas. Samples must contain not less than twenty 
fleeces. Tile Awarding Committees are partly composed of 
experienced Eastern manufacturers aud practical Western 
wool men. A capacious building will be erected fortlic con- 
venience of exhibition, and a wool sale at auution will close 
the Fair. 
Well, friend 
“Ad Valorem" and his “Axiom 
“Ad Valorem,” I have just pulled off my old Blue 
frock, and now pick up iny pen to say that your 
u axiom '' needs a proof to establish its verity; not a 
more “ emphatic assertion," while my “hold " is 
well secured by unquestionable principles, embodied 
in the general laws of physiology. People may think 
of slaughtering lean animals for food when driven 
to a certain extremity , but I guess not with so much 
“ more profit ” after all. Ninety-nine hundredths of 
the “pork raisers” of Western New York will look 
you “right square in the face" and say that the last- 
week of feeding pays best. What butcher objects to 
an animal because it is excessively fat? Yon must 
prove by a chemical analysis, that tbe flesh of an 
animal excessively fat differs from one less so, in 
something else besides fibrous tissue and carbon, 
betore the “axiom ” is a “ self-evident truth" You 
also broadly assert that '••fermentedfood is not health¬ 
ful for men or brutes." I think there are exceptions; 
at all events unleavened bread “ain’t the style about 
here." —E. M. P., Gates, IV. V., May, 1862. 
jpqumes anti gVnsuws 
Fleas.—C un any reader of the Rural inform we what will 
exterminate fleas from a large barn, and very much oblige—A 
Subscriber, Brant Co.. C. 1862. 
Sowing Timothy.— I would like the views of Rural 
re*adci*? as to the best time to sow timothy seed, and how to tit 
the ground for the same —A StmscuiiiuR, Ella, Dodge Co., 
lFia , 1862. 
WhSTERN' Lands Advancing. —It is statedtliat unimproved 
lands in Illinois, so long a drug in the market, are selling 
rapidly at fair prices. Well improved fiirms were in great 
demand during the mouths of March and April, and quite a 
number changed hands at remunerative prices. The Illinois 
Central Railway Company sold, during the month of April. 
0,000 acres of unimproved lands, 27.440 acres from January 1 
0) May 1, inclusive. This is an increase over the four mouth* 
preceding the first of January, and indicates a stability in the 
farming interests of the West, which >s ‘ a great country " foi 
other tilings than Corn and Sorghum. 
What Ails the Lambs. —Can you, or any of your readers, 
mil me what oils my lambs, or what causes their death? Up 
to tliistime I have lost upward ot sixty, and have now about 
twenty alive. Nearly all have bunches or balls in their throat ; 
6ome one aud others two. The buncliesare from three fourths 
of nit inch to two inches in diameter, and two or three Inches 
in length. My ewes consist of Leicester?, Merinos, and their 
crosses. Their food the past winter was good clover buy. stalks, 
wheat straw, salt, ai all times, water, and one bushel of cars 
of com per day for 100 head. Some say that the liny ha* done 
the mi-chief, while others contend that the com lias killed 
the lambs Some were dropped before fully matured. 
Many others in this aud adjoining towns have lost nearly all 
with the same disease, while a few Hocks raise about all. 
Any information would be thankfully received by many in 
this section of country.— D, Coonradt, AU/ion, AiOJi. 
AiiOut Clover—Information Wanted.— 1 have read the 
Rural considerably My father is a subscriber. We think 
a great, deal of it. I have «*n communications on almost 
every subject but the one I want to be informed about. Three 
years ago last full we bad a piece of clover near our cow 
pasture, and as our feed got short, we cut some of the second 
crop and fed it to them. In the fall, wo plowed this clover lot, 
sowed it to wheat, seeded it with iierUsgrass in the fall amt 
clover in tbe spring. The lierdsgra-w took good, but where 
we had mowed off the clover, we could not find a single root 
of tin* plant. Will some one please inform ine the reason 
why the clover did not take in those spots? We mowed the 
piece wherever the grass was the tliickest, and without any 
particular shape, yet the next summer you could see the 
exact course of the mowings.—A Rkadkr, Bahoa, A V 
Wind Mill. —Can you inform me where I can obtain a 
good wind mill for raising water, sawing wood, and doing 
other work?—R., SmUhwick, Mass , 1862. 
Messrs. E. W. Mills &. Co., Skaueateles, N. V., furnish a 
good mill for the purposes named—the best witliin our knowl¬ 
edge. It was illustrated and described in Rural of November 
23, 1861. _ 
Lick on Cattle. —In looking over the columns of your 
valuable paper, I saw an inquiry for a remedy for lice on cattle. 
Knowing a sure one, I thought 1 would pen it. Take sassa¬ 
fras bark, steep it in water two hours, then apply with sponge 
or baud.—E. H, M. 
Feeding Cows their own Milk. — In answer to the "Pa 
Subscriber’ 1 of the Rural, “if it would hurt a cow to feed 
her her own milk,” i would say we have owned u cow nearly 
three years, during which time she has been fed all her own 
uiiik that we had to spare, both sweet and sour, is always in 
good order, is farrow this year, yet has furnished milk and 
cream for a small family, and made 60 pounds of butter since 
January 1st, 1862, which my epicurean friend* pronounce 
excellent—in fact, think it cannot be beaten. We keep her 
iii a warm barn, give her plenty of hay, witli oue quart of 
corn meal in her mess, (of milk potato parings, etc.,) in the 
morning, and a few carrots at night. She refuges to eat salt, 
aud seems to thrive just as well without it, 1ms a bright eye, 
carries a high head, and manifests more intelligence generally 
than many other beings who claim to be human. I believe 
she is called common breed, but we have always considered 
her an uncommon cow. 1 am not a farmer, but I have a 
sister who is, and she thinks she could not get along at all 
without your valuable paper. 
When I started out, I intended to give you my way of 
managing milk, making butter, etc., but as there are so many 
others who probably have a better way, and as I have already 
earned this beyond a ’• brief.” I will close by wishing you all 
manner of success henceforth and forever.— Bessie Labile, 
Beaver Dam , HT.t. 1802. 
[We will look for that mode of "managing milk, making 
butter, etc.,” and hope " Bessie " will not forget to favor the 
Rural with a full account. Those who make butter which 
“ cannot be beaten,” are under bonds to tell the truth, and 
the whole truth. Don’t “hide your light under a bushel.” — 
Eds. R. N. Y.J 
Premium List for N. Y. State Fair. —We are in receipt 
of a handsome pamphlet containing the List of Premiums 
and Regulations for the Twenty-Second Annual Fair of the 
New York State Ag. Society, to be held at Rochester, Sept. 30 
and Oct. 1, 2, 3, 1862. It contains all necessary information 
for exhibitors, and may be obtained by addressing the Cor 
responding Secretary, Col. 15. P Johnson, Albany. Copies 
will probably be scut to Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, &c. 
for distribution. 
WESTERN EDITORIAL NOTES, 
THE SCGAB BEET FOB SUGAR. 
I have before alluded to this subject—asked for 
samples of sugar beets for analysis, iu order to 
determine the character of the root as grown on 
our soils—whether il, contained sufficient cane sugar 
to warrant its cultivation for sugar manufacturing 
purposes; and if so, whether any other antagonistic 
chemical agent was also introduced from our allu¬ 
vial lands. 
Some specimens were forwarded in response; but 
of varieties long since discarded in some cases, and 
in others, specimens badly mixed, not pure. So 
that the effort has resulted in nothing satisfactory. 
Meantime. Messrs. Belcher, of this city, had sent 
to Europe for a quantity of seed of the different and 
best varieties of sugar beet cultivated there for the 
purposes of manufacture, and Mr. Bender, the 
chemist of the company, has prepared the following 
article on the. culture of this root, to accompany the 
seed as it is distributed to farmers in different parts 
of the North-West, free of cost to them. The object 
to be secured in importing and distributing seed in 
this manner, is to secure for test purposes samples 
from different localities, grown on different soils. It 
is desired that small samples of the beets from each 
cultivator be sent to the Chicago refinery in the 
fall, in order that it may be analyzed, and the per 
cent, of sugar contained in the different samples 
determined. 
If it is found that the samples contain sufficient 
sugar to warrant the experiment of manufacturing 
sugar therefrom, all such samples as may be trans¬ 
ported to Chicago without too much cost, will be 
required for this experiment. After deducting the 
cost of freight from tbe value of the sugar produced 
from the roots, the balance will be divided equally 
between the producer and manufacturer. This is 
the proposition, and I think it one of great import¬ 
ance to the North-West. If the sugar is found in the 
beet, in sufficient quantity, measures will be at once 
taken to manufacture it largely; for it is found in 
France and Germany very profitable to do so, with 
an enormous taxation to burthen production. I 
have in my possession some interesting facts and 
figures bearing on this subject, which I may here¬ 
after publish. Such, therefore, as desire to try this 
experiment, and aid in the development of a new, 
and it successful, profitable branch of husbandry on 
Fumigating (tomb in liec-IIives—Moth-Traps. 
Edk. Rural New-Yorker:— In the impression 
of the Rural dated Nov. 16, 1861,1 observe that a 
correspondent makes the following inquiry:—“ Will 
a sulphur match burned under a Live kill the moth- 
worm, after removing the bees to another box or 
hive?" 
Yes; the fumes of a burned “sulphur match," if 
sufficient, will certainly destroy the moth-worm. 
Such combs only, however, should be fumigated as 
are freed from brood, as the lumes of sulphur would 
be very liable to destroy it also. There is bnt a 
brief period wheu all the combs in a hive may be 
fumigated, without endangering the lass of any 
brood; tbe Ijees, ol course, should always be first 
removed, when in a common box-hive, to another 
box or hive. The period referred to is late in the 
fall and during the first part of winter. In Western 
New York breeding of bees ceases, in general, 
about the middle of November, and is again re¬ 
sumed about the middle of January ensuing. It 
will therefore be observed that there is a recess of 
about sixty days only, during the year, when a good 
healthy colony has no brood. At this period of the 
year, when there is no brood, there are but few 
moth-worms; they are most numerous in warm 
weather. Very likely there would be as many 
moth-woimB as soon as breeding ceases as at any 
period during the cessation of breeding. As soon 
as breeding ceases, therefore, would be the best time 
to fumigate the combs to insure the destruction of' 
the most worms. In box-hives, hives not supplied 
with movable frames, to determine the exact time 
when there is no brood in the combs, it would be 
necessary to resort to guessing! I trust that my 
contemporary is an expert at guessing / To guess 
correctly is a very essential qualification to such 
bee-keepers as advocate the old-fushioued box-hive! 
After having ascertained, by guessing, when the 
colony has no brood, the bees may be driven out 
into another box or hive, and the combs thoroughly 
fumigated. It would be advisable to confine the 
bees, as they might, having no combs or stores, be 
tempted to abandon their temporary home. They 
Agricultural Fairs, &c.—The 21st Annual Exhibition ef 
tlit* Queens Co. Ag. Society is to be held at the Fashion Pleasure 
Grounds, at Newtown, on the 18th and 19th of Sept. next.- 
The Chautauqua Co. Fair is to be held at Panama, on 10th, 
11th, and 12th ot September; and the Mowing Match on the 
2d of July-The Chautauqua Farmers and Mechanic*' 
Union will hold its fourth Annual Fair and Cattle Show on 
the beautiful grounds of the Uniou at Fredoriia, Sept. 24th, 
25th, and 26th,-Tbe Susquehanna Valley Ag. Society's 
sixth Annual Fair is to be held at Unadilla, Sept. 23d and24tli. 
Dear Rural:— This day’s issue. I believe, completes the 
number for which I have paid for you. luclosed please find 
two dollars to secure your continued visits to our humble 
home. You have always been received by us with a joyous 
welcome, for jour chaste and trutlitul character, your com 
prehensivo grasp and lucid elucidation of all subjects in the 
line of your discussions. But non you we doubly deal' to us 
for your noble, manly, und uncringing patriotism in these 
days of our country's peril! Come to ual We cannot spare 
you.—E. A. Vi., Vermont, A. F , May 10,1862. 
WHAT A WOMAN THINKS OF POOR WOOD 
A Department op Agriculture. —The bill establishing an 
independent Department of Agriculture ha* passed both 
Houses of Congress, and only requires the signature of the 
President to become a law. The act creates a new Depart 
rneut, distinct from all others, at the head of which is to ho a 
Commissioner, with a salary of $3,000. We shall publish the 
bill in a future number, and may then comment upon it* 
provisions, ^ _ 
Superior Maple Sugar. —We are indebted to Mrs. W H- 
Benedict, of Coventryville, Chenango county, for set real 
samples of maple sugar, two of which are superior in color 
und grain to any we have seen for years, if ever. Mrs. It. says 
her husband considers “ Fanner AxehelveV method of sugai 
malting (given in Rural of March 29th last,) preferable to 
the “natenta” with which many have been humbugged thi- 
Eds. Rural New-Yorker Having been all 
my life a victim of poor wood, I was filled with 
delight when I read in a late Rural H. T. B.’s 
eloquent denunciation of bad wood. I very believe 
poor wood has caused more heart ache than any¬ 
thing, unless it is intemperance. If the victims 
dared speak out, the world would hear a tale of 
distress that could not fail to excite universal sym¬ 
pathy. I confess 1 do not know why people are so 
restless under other inflictions, and so tame under 
this, I suppose mankind wouldn't endure as much 
from any other cause, without complaint It seems 
to be a pet way we have of afflicting ourselves. 
Being a matter in our own keeping, we take our 
own time to correct the nuisance, and that is never. 
We keep hoping that the wood will burn, and that 
this year’s miseries will be the last; but we keep 
learning that the end is not yet. When I was 
young my lather had no woodshed, and he gen¬ 
erally burned green wood. We had a terrible time 
getting the fire started in the morning, especially 
after we got a stove. The backlogs used to last 
Steeping Barley before Sowing.— According to a writer 
iu the Homestead, seed barley should be steeped before sow¬ 
ing, in a solution of copperas or blue vitriol, the same as is 
often done for wheat, and then rolled in plaster enough to dry 
it. He says it has the efl'eet of giving it a rapid start, aim 
makes it come up strong aud dark-colored. He thinks the 
benefit equal to ten extra loads of manure per acre. 
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