K9A RC93 2 4 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
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of its locality. This is so evident that I need say 
nothing more on the point. 
O'. That it is not necessary to remove swarms 
of bees, when hived, immediately to their stands; 
that it is quito as well to leave them till evening 
and then remove them. Nor is it necessary to 
feed swarms that issue when the honey harvest 
is bountiful, uidess a storm arises soon after 
being liived. 
7. That it is impossible to make an artificial 
swarm of bees in the fall, after the drones are 
gone, when a new queen is then to be raised and 
impregnated. 
8. That queens issue with swarms till the 
fourth year, as a rule; but one of the sapient 
writers in tho Bee-Keepers’ Magazine said: 
*• After the second or third year u queen never 
sonds out a swarm. 1 ' I called for his authority, 
but none was given beyond the falsehood: “If 
it is not so, why do all of our best bee-keepers 
destroy queens over that ago?" or that in sub¬ 
stance. 
9. That no change in tho natural habits of 
bees has ever been made or can bo made ; and 
that all tho advance made in bee-keeping over 
its condition fifty years ago, lies entirely in style 
of hives, extractors, feeders, etc. 
10. That bees cannot be wintered with perfect 
safety “ every time,” as Mr. Kino asserts can be 
tho case. I deny it as false, unless some plan 
of wintering, entirely unknown at present, shall 
bo discovered. 
11. That Moses Quran y, doccased, was not the 
first person who discovered that cold weather 
would kill bees. That was a well-known fact be¬ 
fore Mr. QuiJUtv was born. 
12. That the proof of the existoncc of fertile 
worker bees is not so sulliciontly established as 
not to be an open question. This alleged discov¬ 
ery was made originally by Huber, the German 
naturalist, who published his apiarian discover¬ 
ies at tho dose of the last century. The authors 
of works on bees since that time have generally 
taken Huber's statements as facts, without 
proving their existence by their own researches ; 
and although cases occur sometimes, when it 
seems to bo a fact, that eggs are laid in hives 
when no queen is in if, yet no person worthy of 
credit in such an important matter has ever seen 
a fertile worker. Mr. Quiamv, who devoted a 
hl'otiino to tho study of tho domestic economy of 
the honey-bee, said a short time before ho died 
t hat ho hud ne ver seen one- I did not say that they 
do not exist, but that it required hotter authority 
than 1 had over seen to prove their existence be¬ 
yond all question. 
After waiting eight months, the reasons why 
Mr. Kino refused to let mo reply to the attacks 
on mo in his paper, trying to prove to bo false the 
above points, which arc utterly impregnable, at 
last arc given, as follows: “ Apiarian [that was 
my signature 1 was well-nigh fifty years behind 
the timos,” with other equally false and flimsy 
pretexts, adding that his correspondents had 
“ re-established" the doctrines, or assertions, 
that I hud said were incorrect, lie did receive a 
few trashy communications from such renowned 
writers as “ Ink Klinger,” “Hostile Beginner," 
etc., arguing against me; but the editor of any 
paper who tries to disprove tho above statements 
must ho woefully in need of somebody to teach 
him the first rudiments of bee-keeping. 
Ajtauian. 
Industrial Societies, 
N. J. STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
SECOND DAY’S SESSION CONTINUED. 
Fertilizers were then discussed. 
Mr. McLaury had used Manhattan Blood Fer¬ 
tilizer with good satisfaction. Poudrette was 
also good. 
The Secretary had used fish-scrap with very 
visible effects. 
Mr. Goldsmith had used ashes, with the best 
results, on strawberries. Not only as a fertilizer 
was it valuable, hut mechanically, as it makes 
the soli lighter and preveuts heaving. 
Mr. Duncan disapproved of horse manure on 
light soils for strawberries, as they wore made 
still lighter. Tho strawberry required a close, 
compact soil, that would cling to the roots. 
Muck was valuable on heavy clay, and ho had 
found uncombined ammonia detrimental in all 
cases,, and appealed to Prof. Cook to know if 
ammonia was really as valuable a constituent in 
fertilizers as formerly supposed. 
Prof. Cook thought this the most important 
question that had yet been started. Fish might 
be quite as stimulating to the crop in appearance 
the first year, but not us permanent as bone. 
1 lie comparative benefits of ammonia and phos¬ 
phoric acid in fertilizers is an unsettled question. 
1 here are very wido differences of opinion in re¬ 
gard to it among our best authorities. These 
differences wo owing partly to the difference in 
soils to he enriched, and partly to tho crops 
upon which these fertilizers are applied. Mr. J. 
B. Lawks, one of tho most painstaking, perse¬ 
vering, and successful experimenters with fer¬ 
tilizers who havo written upon the subject, gives 
tho important place to ammonia, as tho one from 
which his experiments prove lie has derived tho 
most benefit. But his farm is upon the English 
chalk, and t here is an abundance of phosphates 
naturally in the soil, so that he really needs am¬ 
monia only, to produce good crops. Such, how¬ 
ever, is not the case upon soils or a. different 
composition. In INTO | visited Mr. Lawks, and 
had an opportunity to sec the farm and crops 
upon which his experiments have been carried 
on for thirty years past with such intelligence 
aud faitlifulnosa, and I cannot doubt that his 
conclusions are correct for his land- I to gave, 
me a letter to Mr. Aliukd Husuton, of Chatteris, 
in the Feus of Cambridgeshire. 
Mr. Rcshton is an intelligent and skillful 
farmer, and. like Mr. Lawes, finds his profit in 
using commercial fertilizers liberally; but as his 
soil is largely made up of muck and vegetable 
matter containing an abundance of tho elements 
of ammonia, he uses only phosphoric acid, as ho 
buys it in superphosphate of lime, and lie as¬ 
sured me that he received no benefit whatever 
from tho use of amtuoniaeal manures. No one 
who meets those skillful aud successful farmers 
can doubt that they both give correctly tho re¬ 
sults of their own experience, and it is eqiuilly 
plain that the difference in their conclusions is 
duo to the difference or the soils which they cul¬ 
tivate. 
In the vicinity of Now Brunswick there appears 
to have been much better and more lasting re¬ 
sults from tho use of bone dust and superphos¬ 
phates than from manures which were ehioily 
amtuoniaeal—that is, for the raising of staple 
crops, grain, corn, aud bay. 
In tho case of green crops and vegetables 
winch are sold fresh in market, anunoniaoftl 
manures aro decidedly beneficial and profitable ; 
hut the permanent improvement of the soil and 
its greater general productiveness aro owing 
mostly to phosphatio manures. Experiments 
with varioiis fertilizei H upon tho growth of I ndian 
com, made on the farm of tho Agricultural Col¬ 
lege, the results of which were carefully tested 
by weighing and measuring, have not shown any 
increased crops either of corn or stalks from the 
use of ammonia in four years in which it. lias 
been tried. Tho loaves looked greener aud more 
luxuriant, but tho stalks scorned weaker, and 
there was no increase in their weight. An in¬ 
creased crop has been obtained in these experi¬ 
ments by the use of phosphates. The experi¬ 
ments upon wheat on the College farm, with 
different fertilizers, havo boon carefully made 
for only a single year. The best result lii these, 
which was at the rate of forty-eight bushels por 
acre, was upon I lie ground fertilized with super¬ 
phosphate of lime, made from bones; and tho 
poorest, which was thirty-four bushels per acre, 
was from that, on which the most sulphate of 
ammonia was used. 
The same importance, however, is not to be 
attached to the latter experiments that there is 
to those on corn, for tho wheat crop has boon an 
unusually good one, and both tlioso results aro 
above tho ordinary crops. They do, however, 
point to tho same conclusion, in regard to the 
superior effects of phosphates, that is drawn from 
the experiments upon corn. The uncertainty in 
regard to the effects of different fertilizers is 
gradually diminishing. It lias been, rather un¬ 
fairly, all laid to the frauds of manufacturers of 
fertilizers, when, in fact, there is probably as 
much blame to be attached to those who use 
them. As fast as those who buy fertilizers learn 
what they need for their own soils aud crops, so 
fast will the manufacturers prepare themselves 
to supply then- demands. This knowledge has 
to he acquired liy careful and judicious observa¬ 
tions and experiments upon the different classes 
of our soils. There is bettor opportunity now 
than ever before to make such experiments. A1J 
tho largo dealers in fertilizers deal ulso in agri¬ 
cultural chemicals. Those who are disposed to 
do socan buy these pure chemicals, and combine 
such kinds, and in such proportions as their 
knowledge and judgment dictate and make 
their own experiments, and record the results for 
after comparison and study. There is at tho 
present time a particularly favorable and sale 
means of trying the comparative effects of phos¬ 
phates and ammonia in the different grades of 
Peruvian guano now in market. 
This fertilizer lias always given satisfaction to 
those who havo used it, aud there is more care 
taken now than there was formerly to ensure its 
uniformity of composition and strength. The 
analyses attached to tho packages in which it is 
sold are correct, I think. Home of them contain 
a large percentage of ammonia and less phos¬ 
phoric acid: others contain large percentages of 
phosphoric acid and small percentages of ammo¬ 
nia ; but in ail eases tho packages are guaran¬ 
teed to be true to analyses and uniformly line 
and oven in quality. 
Another addition has also been made in tho 
preparation of guano for market by the use of 
sulphuric ueid to neutralize and fix the volatile 
salt of ammonia in it, and to make the phosphates 
more soluble. Guano prepared in this way is 
called rectified guano, aud lias the same range in 
the percentages of its ammonia and phosphoric 
acid that the common kind has. Trials with 
these guanos and with tho bono and plain super¬ 
phosphates, are safe, and conclusions can soon 
be toached. They offer a fine field for the com¬ 
bined efforts of intelligent and enterprising hor¬ 
ticulturists and farmers. 
Mr. Van Dokkn spoke of tho value of experi¬ 
mental stations as existing in Connecticut, by 
which half a million of dollars had boon saved 
yearly to the farmers el' that State. 
J’rof. Cook said a hill to authorize a similar 
establishment in this Statu was introduced into 
our Legislature last winter, and our legislators 
fairly laughed at tho idea. 
New Brunswick was again selected as tho placo 
for the next annual meeting of tho Society, and 
this most interesting session adjourned, subject 
to tho call of the executive committee. 
dSmtomolopal, 
FIGHTING THE GRASSHOPPERS. 
What to do, or what not to do, are questions 
which at present, command considerable atten¬ 
tion in the grasshopper infected regions of tho 
Western States. That something must ho done 
to check tho ravages of these insects is admitted 
on all sides, but just where to begin is still a de¬ 
batable question. As an indication that a move is 
being made to destroy these posts, wo publish 
tho resolutions adopted at, the second meeting of 
tlm Union Grasshopper Club, bold at Miller’s 
school house. Falls City, Nob., Fob. 13, 1877. 
UVwrais. Wo find by an examination of tho 
ground along our highways, in parts or our 
fields, and over the occupied portion of tho town 
site, that the grasshopper eggs aro deposited in 
those places in great, numbers, and that most of 
them aro sound and likely to bo hatched in the 
spring, and 
Wlinri its, Wo know from a bitter experience 
that many of us cannot stand such another de¬ 
struction of our crops as wo suffered two years 
ago, and retain possession of our farms; aud 
Wherron, Wo believe that God will help 
those who help themselves, and as it is be¬ 
lieved by our best and most experienced far¬ 
mers, aud by the professors who havo made 
special study of this subject, that we can 
save most of our crops if wo will, by making 
a united and determined effort, first, to destroy 
tho eggs (as many of them as possible), and in 
tho spring to dispose of the insects before they 
havo done much mischief, and while they are 
comparatively easy to manage, if the host moans 
are used for this purpose; therefore, 
Mcsolocd, 1st, we will continue tho work already 
begun of plowing and harrowing our roads, and 
those parts of our fields where wo find the eggs 
are thickest, in order that the eggs may be ex¬ 
posed on tho surface of tho ground, or else 
buried se deep Unit they will do no harm. When¬ 
ever tho ground is in good order wo will leave all 
ether work to attend to this most important busi¬ 
ness of t he season. 
2d. This club will meet hero on Tuesday night 
of each week, to report what has been done and 
what has boon learned since the last meeting 
in regard to the impending grasshopper plague, 
and at each meeting some question will bo dis¬ 
cussed that is calculated to enlighten tho mem¬ 
bers with reference to the best methods to ho 
adopted for the work we have undertaken. 
3d. Knowing that domestic fowls have been 
very serviceable to us horutoforo in eating tho 
eggs and the young insects, we will try to raise 
a much larger number Of turkeys and chickens 
than we ever have, and thu locusts shall he their 
only meat. 
4th. We heartily approve tho act passed by 
tho Legislature for the protection of birds. We 
believe it will bo of great benefit to the people of 
tho State, especially to the farmers and horti¬ 
culturists ; and although many sportsmen will 
grieve that their occupation is gone, we believe 
this law ought to have been enacted years ago. 
The members of this club will cheerfully obey the 
now bird law. and will assist in enforcing it as 
far as we have the ability. 
oth. Wo respectfully invite tho citizens of 
neighboring districts and of the town of Falls 
City to co-operate with hh in trying to avert the 
impending danger which wo so much dread, and 
to remove, if possible, one groat impediment to 
the prosperity of our young Stato. We earnestly 
advise them to meet together at their school- 
houses, or at other convenient places, to confer 
on this subject, aud to encourage every one to 
ho up and doing, so that what lias already been 
done by a few may not he labor lost. 
-- —. 
GAS LIME FOR TURNIP FLY. 
A correspondent of an English contemporary 
statesThis destructive little insect has, in 
the course of my fanning operations, caused mo 
very great anxiety and loss by repeatedly de¬ 
stroying my plant of swedes and turnips, in a 
few hours, a fine, promising braird being com¬ 
pletely destroyed, a second, and even a third 
sowing being sorvod in the same way. For years 
1 tried all sorts of preventives 1 could think of— 
all to no purpose. Nothing seemed to disagree 
with tho stomachs of the jumping little vermin. 
Some few years ago, having a gas-work just at 
hand, I thought 1 would try what a dusting of 
gas lime would do towards destroying or fright¬ 
ening away the little destroyers. Fur that pur¬ 
pose 1 had a few cart-loads of the lime carted 
and put under cover till wanted, at the same 
time mixing with it just enough uf fresh slaked 
lime to make the whole Light and powdery. With 
this preparation ready, I kept ft sharp look-out 
for the first appearance of Mr. Fly on tho young 
swede plants. I had not long to wait before a 
legion of flies nmdo their appearance, and began 
the work of destruction. Early the following 
morning, while tho dew was on the plants, I set 
all hands to work to sow tho gas-lime mixture 
broadcast over the plants. Tho leaves being wet, 
the lime adhered to thorn, ahd, to my great sat¬ 
isfaction, tho enemy were completely vanquished, 
and disappeared; and over since that time I havo 
employed the same remedy, and with invariable 
succors. I would just add. tho lime must bo ap¬ 
plied as soon as possible after tho appearance of 
the fly, or it will he too lute to save the plant. 
AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 
Tub question has lately been asked in tho 
Rural, “ Wluit has agricultural chemistry done 
for farmers?" To this it might he replied that 
it has done much, though in an indirect uiannor. 
Chemistry applied in the light of the researches 
made by Enema, Lawes A Gilbert and others, 
did much, as in the production of artificial fer¬ 
tilizers. Tho manufacture of superphosphates 
from tho bono-bods of Carolina and from eopro- 
lites in England, may bo cited as an example. 
H must ho conceded however, that chemistry 
has not accomplished so much for farming as it 
might have done. But this is mainly tho fault 
of tho farmers themselves. When agricultural 
chemistry was first broached as a matter of pop¬ 
ular discussion, agriculturists supposed that tho 
mlllenilim was at hand. Every progressive farm¬ 
er took it for granted that all lie had to do was 
to take a spirit lamp and skillet, analyze the soil 
of his fields, and by adding certain substances 
thereto.inoreftSe the cropDoveti limes sevenfold, 
forgetting that chemical processes are frequently 
of tho most intricate and delicate Character. The 
truth is, chemical analyses, and to a great extent 
deductions from them, must ho made by skilled 
exports, and their results must betaken ny farm¬ 
ers and applied at first experimentally, to practi¬ 
cally test them, and then on a larger scale when 
they have proved successful. A fact of chemis¬ 
try which would produce large results in one lo¬ 
cality and under some conditions, would ho ut¬ 
terly iihuIuhh in another place and under differ¬ 
ent, circumstances, For example:—To use salt 
as a manure on a low, wet, leaching soil, would 
tic useless. To supply it on rich upland ground, 
where it would reduce the rankness of (lie herb¬ 
age, Would be scientific and common sense. In 
like manner, to feed salt to fattening cattle in 
more than small quantities, is needless. But tho 
farmer who undertakes to keep milch cows in 
condition without a liberal supply of salt, would 
he Imt a poor dairyman. 
Farmers area thinking people and, if anything, 
over-skeptical as to the advantages of science 
and rather given to tho old ways, even when they 
believe in their hearts that new ones may bo bet¬ 
ter. Lf farmers would telco each newly-announc¬ 
ed scientific truth which appears to hear upon 
their business aud tost it on a small scale before 
forming a judgment of its value—for example, 
if it refers to maunreK or seeds or methods Of 
tillage, test, it upon two or three square rods of 
laud, or if to tho care or treatment of animals, 
upon one or two, before proceeding further, they 
would follow a truly scientific method. No doubt 
by this, they would meet with frequent disap¬ 
pointment; hut on the other hand, they would 
secure many beneficial results, which would pay 
them well when fully carried into practice. 
James A. Whitney. 
-*-*•♦- 
A GOOD CEMENT. 
A correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune gives 
the following recipe for making a good commit: 
A good cement for mending almost anything 
may lie made by mixing together litharge ana 
glycerine to the consistency of thick cream or 
fresh putty. This cement 1 b useful for mending 
stone Jars or any other coarse earthenware, Hi,op ¬ 
ping leaks in seams of tinpans or wash boilers, 
cracks and holeB in iron kettles, Ao. I havo 
filled holes an inch m diameter in kettles aud 
used the same for years in boiling water and 
feed. it. may ulso be used to fasten on lamp 
tops, to tighten loose outs, to secure loose bolts 
whose uiits are lost, tighten loose jo ids of wood 
or iron, loose boxes in wagon-hubs, aud in a 
great many others. In all cases the article 
mended should not be used till the cement has 
hardened, which will require from one day to a 
week, according to the quantity used. This 
cement will resist tho action of water hot or cold, 
acids, and almost any degree of heat. 
