§54 
THE RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
AIDS. 34 
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ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
To Transfer Bees. 
ANSWER BY PROFESSOR A. .1. COOK, OF MICHIGAN 
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 
Young Bee-keeper .—Having several colonies 
of bees which he wishes to transfer from old 
box hives to new ones with moveable frames, 
asks for advice as to the best rnauuer of doing so. 
Ans. —The best, time to transfer is early in the 
season, when there ia but little honey in the 
hives, though it may be done at any time, if 
sufficient caution ia used ; still it should novor 
be done except on warm days, when the bees 
are actively engaged in storing. Alter the bees 
are busy at work, approach the old Live, blow 
a little smoke into the entrance to quiet the 
bees, then carry the biv^ off a few feet, aad 
turn it bottom up. Place a box over the hive 
—it will make no difference whether it fits it 
close or not. if the bees are so smoked as to be 
thoroughly alarmed—and with a stick rap on 
the lower hive for about twenty minutes. The 
bees will fill with honey and go with the queen 
into the upper hive and cluster. If towards the 
last we carefully set the box off once or twice, 
and vigorously shake the hive, and then replace 
the box, we will hasten the emigration of the 
beeB, ana make it more complete. A fow young 
bees will still remain in the old hive, but these 
will do no harm. Now put the box on the old 
stand, leaving the edge raised so that the bees 
which were out may enter, aud so all the bees 
can got air. If other bees do not tronblo, as 
they usually will not if busily gathering, we can 
proceed iu the open air. If they do, we must go 
into some room. 1 have frequently transferred 
the comb iu my kitchen, and often in a barn. 
Now, knock the old hive apart, cut the combs 
from the sides, aud get the combs out of the 
old hive with just as little breakage as possible. 
If transferring in spring, a good plan would be 
to saw the combs and cross-sticks loose from the 
sides, turn the hive into the natural position, 
then strike against the top of the hive with a 
hammer till the fastenings are broken loose, 
next lift the hive, aud the combs are all free 
and in convenient shape for rapid work. 
We now need a barrel, set on end, on which 
we place a board fifteen to twenty inches square, 
covered with several thicknesses of cloth. Some 
apiarists thiuk the cloth useless, but it servos, I 
think, to prevent in j ury to comb, brood or honey. 
We now place a comb on this cloth, and a frame 
on the comb, and cut out the comb the size of 
the inside of the frame, taking pains to save all 
the brood. Now crowd tbe frame over the comb 
so that the latter will be 'in the same position 
that it was when iu the old hive; that is, so the 
honey will be above—the position is not very im¬ 
portant— tboo fasten the oomb iu the frame, by 
winding about all one or two small wires 
or pieces of wrapping twine, To raise the frame 
aud comb before fastening, raise the board be¬ 
neath till the frame is vertical. Sot this frame 
iu the new hive, and proceed with the others 
in the same way till wo have all the worker-comb 
—that with small cells—fastened in. To secure 
the pieces, which wo shall find abundant at the 
end, take thin pieces of wood, one-half inch 
wide and a trifle longer than the frame is deep, 
place theso in pairs either side the comb, ex¬ 
tending up and down, and enough to hold the 
pieces seeare till the bees shall fasten them, 
and secure the strips by winding with small wire, 
just above and below the frame, or else tack 
them to the frame with small tacks. 
Having fastened all the worker-comb that we 
can into the frames—of course all the other, and 
all bright drone-comb, will be preserved for use 
as guide-comb—and placed tbe frames iu the 
new hive—theso should be put together if they 
contain brood, especially if the colony is not 
very strong, and the empty frames to one side 
—we then place our hive on the stand, pushing 
it forward so that the bees can enter anywhere 
along the alighting-board, and then shako all 
the bees from the box, aud any young bees that 
may have clustered on any part of the old hive, 
or on the floor or ground, where we transferred 
the oomb, immediately in front. They will en¬ 
ter at once and soon bo at work, all the busier 
for having passed “ from the old house into the 
new." Iu two or three days, remove the wires 
or strings and sticks, wheu we shall fiud the 
combs all fastened and smoothed off, and the 
bees as busily engaged as though their present 
home had al ways been the seat of their labors. 
Of course, in transferring from one frame to 
another, the matter is much simplified. Iu this 
case, after thoroughly smoking the bees, we 
have but to lift the frames, and shake or brush 
the bees into the new hive. For a brush, a 
chicken or turkey wing, or a lai 9 wiug or tail 
feather from a tnrkey, goose or peacock, serves 
admirably. Now, cut out the comb in the best 
form to accommodate the new frames, and fasten 
as already suggested. After the combs are all 
transferred, shake all remaining b;es in front 
of the new hive, whioh has already been placed 
on the stand previously occupied by the old hive. 
Sprain in the Coffin-joint; 
D. M. S-, Martinaburgh, Fa., asks how to 
cure a sprain in the coffin joint. “ I have,” he 
says, “ a very fine young horse that has sprained 
himself in that joint. It happened about six 
weeks ago and he is still lame from it—is it per¬ 
manently curable?” 
Ans. —If you are correot in your opinion as 
to the nature aud seat of the injury—and of 
this we have no means of judging—yon should 
treat it ou those general principles which are 
applicable to all sprains. Give the animal rest; 
throw thopprained part out of use by shortening 
tho toe, aud putting on a high-beeled Bhoe; 
keep tbe injured joint enveloped, aB well as pos¬ 
sible, with bandages soaked in cold water, vine¬ 
gar and wa‘cr, salt aud water, solution of ace¬ 
tate of load, or other cooling lotion ; wheu the 
inflammation and soreness have disappeared, 
apply a blister, (ofththarides 1 part, lard 4 parts) 
to the front and side of the pastern, hut not to 
the back, because of the bad effects which some¬ 
times follow a blister, on that part. We cannot 
inform you in regard to the probability of a 
permanent cure, as that depends upon the de¬ 
gree of the injury, upon its exact location and 
alBO upon tho changes that have already taken 
place iu tho part. It is always a difficult matter 
to say what is going to happen in such cases 
when one has the animal under his eye—it is im¬ 
possible finder other circumstances. 
The Use of Muck. 
J. S. Ryan, Queens Co., L. asks as to 
the advisability of his using muck upon his 
lands, giving no other data. 
Ans. —The value of muck varies in different 
places. At obemioal analyses show that it iB of 
no great manural value. Nevertheless, we have 
used it with unquestionably excellent results, 
and we know of others who have used it with¬ 
out touch apparent advantage. Much depends 
upon tho character of the soil and sub-soil 
where it is used, and touch also on tho proper 
preparation of the article before it is applied. 
The beBt way is for each to try it himself. 
LPowl-Meadow-Grass. 3 
Jno. H. Williams, Wfisldngton Co., N- Y., 
asks where he can get some seed of Fowl-mea¬ 
dow-grass, which he wishes to sow on wet muck 
land, on which, though partly drained, the 
water stands in the spring aud fall ? 
Ans.—F owl-meadow-grass is a valuable grass 
for wet meadows: and seed of it can ba pur¬ 
chased from R. II. Allen A Co. of this city. 
Miscellaneous. 
A. B. Dilte, Johnson Co.. Kansas, says: “The 
Rural stated, some time ago, that there were 
three kinds of fruits that were fast being super¬ 
seded, viz.: the coarse Concord Grape, the in¬ 
sipid Bartlett Fear, and the sour Wilson Straw¬ 
berry, (1) Please state what they are being 
superseded by. (2) I would also like to know 
the best time to bud Oleauder, and how to do it 
successfully. (3) l’lease give like information 
also about Kilmarnock Willow.” (4) Ho also in¬ 
closes leaf and flower of a plant for name. 
Ans,— (1). For market varieties, perhaps they 
wifi never be superseded. They have been 
tested in many parts of the country, and have 
been found to yield more uniformly good crops 
than any others. It is an unfortunate fact for 
those who have to buy their fruit of markets, 
that quality is made quito a secondary consider¬ 
ation by those who raise tho fruit to soli. But 
there are teu varieties of excellent fruits—such 
as apples, pears, grapes, etc.—offered in our 
markets to-day whero one was offered a few 
yeans ago. Those who can uow purchase Boyden 
30 strawberries—Diana, Eumelau, Salem grapes 
—would cortaiuly prefer them to Wilson or Con¬ 
cord. 
(2) . When the bark parts readily from the 
wood. This varies with tho treatment of the 
plant, but can easily be ascartaiued by trying 
twigs from time to time, 
(3) . We think the Kilmarnock Willow may be 
budded uow. 
(4) . Callirrhoe involucrata. 
L. B. Santa Rosa, Sonoma Co., Cal., asks 
where he would be likely to obtain seeds of Ampe- 
lopsts variegata. 
Ans.— Try Thorburn A Co., 15 John street, 
New York city. 
L. Ml R., Brandy Station, Fa., having invent¬ 
ed ft means of preventing the noise made by the 
elevated railroads of this city, asks how the road 
is worked at present and to whom ho should 
write to introduce his invention. 
Ans. —There are two Elevated railroads; we 
suppose you refer to the “Metropolitan," on 
which road the noise is said to be unendurable. 
To describe its working would require more 
space than is here at our disposal. It is agreed 
that the noise is produced by tbe hammer-like 
concussion of the riin of the wheel striking the 
minute irregularities on the surface of the rail. 
That is what the plan maBt overcome. Either 
Mr. A. B, Pullman, the President, or Mr. Rrpp 
the Sup't. of the road, would be tho proper 
person to write to regarding this invention. 
A Subscriber, Venango, J‘a., asks at what fig¬ 
ure ho could purchase, in this city, dried apples, 
etc., through the Rural Purchasing Agency. 
Ans.—W e could not make this purchase for 
our friend in a way to meet his approval, as we 
have not time at this season to devote to what 
would otherwise he a pleasure. Messrs. H. K. 
& F. B. Thurber & Go., New York, are the lar¬ 
gest wholesale grocers, and would probably be 
tho most satisfactory firm to deal with. As they 
ulso transact a large commission business, it 
might be to your advautago to send them your 
produce and trade it out. We no louger have a 
purchasing agency. 
IF. Hibbard, Ain gar a Co., IF. Y., found on 
a Bartlett pear tree which is slightly blighted, 
a fly about three quarters of an iuoh long, and 
of a light color, also a number of nests contain¬ 
ing eggs, presumably of tbe same insect, and in 
addition to these a large number of small red 
bugs, and he sends us a number of leaves to 
enable ns to decide whether these insects might 
not be the cause of pear blight. 
Ans.—O n examining the leaves, we cannot 
see on them any evidence that they havo been 
injured by insects. 
Mrs M. Webber Mahoning Co., 0., sends sam¬ 
ple of plant for name and describes it as hardy 
perennial, recumbent, remaining in bloom eix 
or eight weeks from the middle of June. A 
plant several years old covers almost a square 
yard, the dark greon leaves nearly hidden by 
ye'.low flowers. 
Ans.—I t is Lotus oornicu>atus. 
T. A. Mills, Orange Co., N. Y., asks: 1, 
Whether Japan Quinces will grow from cuttings ; 
2. Whether the fall is a good time to transplant 
blackberries, raspberries aud cherry trees. 
Ans.— 1. It ia best propagated from suokers 
and layerB. 2. Ycb, except for cherries ; we 
should prefer spring for them in your climate. 
Communications received for the week ending 
SATURDAY', AUGUST 24TH : 
R. T—B. F. G. 
—A. H. \V.—G. R. C.—E. 
F. M 
.- 
C. 
R.—F. W. E.- 
-H. S. W.—A. E. B.—VV. B 
. D.- 
-L. 
B. 
—J. W.—G. M 
-w. u. m.-w. n. c.— j. 
A. B 
,— 
E. 
J. B.—II. B.- 
W. H. VV.—I,. K.—M. S. B. 
—A. 
H, 
S.- 
-F. A. R.—W. 
N. M.-D. R. E.-M. B. P 
V. 
S. 
G. 
—E. R. L.—U, 
W. P.—M. W.-J. N. H- 
B. R 
— 
J. 
F. B.—H. S.—< 
D. W. G.—M. G. K,—H.-J. 
T. L 
.— 
F. 
II. D.—W. C. 
L. D.-S. A. M.-F. Bros. 
-O. 
u. 
K. 
—A. V.-S. C.- 
-M. W.—E. B. D—A. B.- 
-N. W. 
B. 
—II. B. N.—V.- 
-S. C.—T. II. H.-E. A. F 
.-D. 
E. 
S.- 
-A. E. S.-S. H. B.— W. W. P.—J. L.-A. 
C. W 
.— 
B. 
, D. E.—A. L. , 
I.—W. G. Lo D.-S. R. M. 
-B. 
N. 
D. 
-D.-C. P.— 
WADSWORTH TOWER. 
Bloomfield, Conn., Aug, 1STS. 
Dear Rural: —It is not always the beBt 
known places that are most worthy of attention. 
I was never impressed with this fact more thau 
when I recently made, in company with a few 
friends, a visit to “ Wadsworth’s Tower,” a place 
of local resort for pleasure-eeokers in this 
vicinity. In a former communication, I wrote 
that this township was bounded ou tbo west by 
a line of bills known ss Talcott Mountain. 
Many years ago, Daniel Wadsworth of Hartford, 
whose many acts of kindness, benevolence and 
munificent generosity, still keep his memory 
green, selected a tine plateau ou the top of this 
mountain, where he built a villa for a summer 
residence. Adjoining tbe grounds is a beautiful 
lake about half a mile long and very deep, the 
surface of which is about 800 feet above tbe 
Connecticut River some eight miles away, aud 
600 above tbe Farmington, distant not more 
than three miles. Ou a high point near the 
lake Mr. Wadsworth erected a tower some 50 feet 
high, from which au extensive view of the sur¬ 
rounding country could be had. To this place all 
were made welcome. He named it Monte Video, 
but the public insisted ou culling it Wads- 
wobtii’s Tower. Tbe old man died many years 
ago, full of years aud blessings; the property 
passed into the hands of straugers. The tower, 
which had become a landmark for miles around, 
was burned—but the name continued. 
A few years ago a gentleman of intelligence, 
enterprise and love for tho beautiful determiued 
to rebuild the tower. Surveys showed that a 
peak at ft little distance from the original 6ite 
was considerably higher, beside having in its 
immediate vicinity many natural attractions. 
Here, at an elevation of a full thousand feet, 
Mr. Bartlett ereoted his structure, and built a 
small house for the accommodation of guests, 
also opening a new road for approach. From 
where I write, this tower ia distant, in a direct 
line, 3}4' miles; by tho nearest road about five 
miles. The last part of the ascent of tho mountain 
gives one an idea of climbing. In a distance of 110 
rods we rose about 460 feet. This accomplished, 
we found ourselves at the point known as the 
Royal View, at tho beginning of Royal Drive— 
and a Royal View it was. Wo were on tbe brink 
of a precipice. Hundreds of feet directly below 
us were the tops of tall trees; at a little dis¬ 
tance ran tiro Farmington (properly Tunxis ) 
River through a valley tbafc was once the bot¬ 
tom of a lake,—but which is now covered with 
luxuriant meadows and cultivated grounds, aud 
dotted with villages and farm-houses. A fur¬ 
ther drive of a mile or so along the level top of 
the mountain and we reach the Mountain House 
and pic-nic grounds. 
Here we alight and leave our hampers—for 
although visitors can be supplied with good 
food and plenty of it, if desired, the almost uni¬ 
versal rule is for parties to furnish their own 
provisions, depending on the house only for 
minor matters—tea, coffee and the like. 
The viow from this house is more extensive 
than from the Royal Drive. I have visited the 
place many times, aud to me it has lost its 
novelty, and I am pleased to note its first effect 
on others. One will be attracted by the ex¬ 
treme distance, another by the apparent size of 
tho lots into whioh the farms aro divided. This 
one is engaged in observing tbe motions of 
workers in tho field and that by the number of 
varieties of crops cultivated. I remember visit- 
iug tbe place somo years ago with a lady who at 
first sight seemed overcome by the beauty and 
extent of tho view. Then, as she seated herself 
she exclaimed, “ Lot no one touch me or speak 
to m& for an hour.” 
But we must, not stay at the house—our way 
to the tower is by romantic paths and over 
rocks, and shadowed by trees that give out 
fragranoe from leaf aud stem. We stop a 
minute at Mt. Philip on which is a pile of stones 
marking the spot where tbo bounds of three 
towns meet, past the Mohegan Monument, a 
curious result of the action of water, to see 
which we leau over a precipice in a manner 
dangerous to those whoso heads are not steady,— 
and at last wo reach t ho Tower, ascending it by 
an easy stairway. Our view heretofore has been 
confined to the west—here it extends iu all di¬ 
rections for miles, and has been pronounced by 
those who have traveled extensively to be unex¬ 
celled by any thing similar in the world. To 
the north Mounts Tom and Holyoke, in Massa¬ 
chusetts, are clearly visible to the eye. The 
Valley of tho Connecticut, 25 miles wide, lies 
before you to tbe east; southerly the lake lies 
at your feet, and the lnountniu divides tho Val¬ 
ley of tho Connecticut from that of the Tunxis— 
while westerly across tho latter valley, lino after 
line of hills rise one above the other, the last 
disappearing iu the distance. By aid of the fine 
glass fixed ou the top of the tower the view is 
rendered much more extensive. On a clear day 
Round Top, in the Catskills, is visible, aud other 
points aB far distant iu other directions. 
But your space will not admit of further 
description, and I must close with advice to such 
of,your readers as may ever be in the vicinity, to 
visit Wadsworth’s Tower. l. a. r. 
- - . . . 
NORTHWESTERN ILLINOIS. 
Baileyvillk, Ogle Co:, Ill., Aug. is, ISIS. 
The harvest here is ended and threshing has 
begun. Most of tho grain was stacked iu good 
ooudition, though considerable damage was 
sustained from storms and hot weather at the 
beginning of harvest. The straw was unusually 
heavy aud badly fallen, making it difficult to 
cut. Tho strength and efficiency of tho various 
reapers, harvesters and 8elf-biudurn wore tested 
effectually, but most of them proved equal to 
the emergency, aud a grand triumph for Ameri¬ 
can ingenuity aud skill in the construction of 
labor-saving agricultural machinery. Harvest 
hands were in demand at from $2 to $2.50 per 
day “ aud roabt beef," for work at binding, and 
at $1 to $1 50 per day for other work. There 
were plenty of “ tramps,’’ but most of them re¬ 
fused to work for less thau $3 a day, aud somo 
protested that they didn’t waut to work for only 
a few days, but wanted an all-suminer’B and all¬ 
winter ''b job! 
As tho threshing of the crops has only just 
begun iu this section, we have not sufficient 
data as yet to estimate correctly tho general 
average yield, but can say that the winter wheat 
and rye are above (ho oounuou average in yield, 
and the quality good. There is hut little winter 
wheat produced iu this section, but a considera¬ 
ble amount of rye. Barley is yielding well, but 
the quality is poor—the most of it will grade 
“No. 3” aud “Rejected"—as it was colored by 
tbe wet weather just previous to harvesting it. 
Oats aro mostly good both iu yield and quality, 
spring wheat is variable—some good and some 
quito poor—damaged by blight, rust, etc. Wo 
can soon be able to report more definitely 
“ what will the harvest be.” 
Corn is doing finely now, and if frost does not 
come too soon this crop iu the West will bo a 
large one, contrary to the general expectations 
on the first of July. 
Potatoes also promise a large yield, though 
there have been some symptoms of rot. Garden 
vegetables of nearly all kinds were never better 
or more plentiful thau they have been this sea¬ 
son. Potatoes are a drug in the market at 25 
cents per bushel; cabbages 3 cents per head; 
and other things in proportion. 
Good dairy butter has been selling all summer 
at 0 to 12 cents per pound, and inferior as low 
as 1)4 to 2 cents per pound for soap grease. 
It doesn’t pay to make poor butter at any time, 
and especially these times when such wide differ¬ 
ences are made in tho price, according to qual¬ 
ity. Our first-class western creameries and well- 
managed dairies are doing about as well as any 
other kind of business, but slip-shod farm dairies 
