known as banana in their native country; and 
their stems when beaten are used as soap. 
The Indians eat the young flower stems of 
Whipplei. “ Joshua” is a name given by the 
Mormons to Y. brevifolia, which Dr. Parry 
describes as '* decidedly foetid, seeming to 
present sjvecial attractions only to various 
beetles and insect larvae.” Now. on the other 
hand, Y. baccata is sweetly fragrant. 
tL\)t Stpiarimr 
BEE CULTURE FOR WOMEN. 
PROF. A. J. COOK. 
Few not directly interested, are aware of 
the importance and progress of the beekeep¬ 
er’s art. It at present supports in the United 
States eight excellent periodicals—one a week- 
jy—which are devoted exclusively to its 
interests. Its national organization is very 
active and influential. Many State, inter¬ 
state and District Societies are ably main¬ 
tained by the bee-keepers of our country. The 
State of Michigan has a flourishing State 
organization which has just held its lSth 
annual session, which wais attended by be¬ 
tween two and three hundred bee-keepers. 
Besides this, there are eight District Associa¬ 
tions in the State, most of which bold two 
meetings each year. There are six books on 
bee-keeping non before the American public, 
all but one of which are recent Most of them 
are not only up with the times, but are thor¬ 
ough and exhaustive. Specialists in this art 
are making more than a living: they aie 
securing a competency. Amateurs* or those 
who practice bee-keeping as an avocation, 
are adding materially to their incomes by 
keeping bees. I know’ of a clergyman, one of 
the most successful in his denomination in the 
State in which he resides, who has secured 
more of an income from his bees during each 
of the past two years, than from bis salary. 
Of course, many fail in apiculture, become 
despondent, and abandon the pursuit. In 
this it is just like every other business. But 
wnen we consider the amount of labor and 
capital required, I know of no manual labor 
pursuit that offers better or surer returns 
for earnest and intelligent effort than does 
apiculture. 
But 1 wish especially to call attention to the 
advantages which either as a vocation or 
avocation bee-keeping offers to our women, 
who for recreation, for health or of necessity, 
must employ their physical energies: 1st. The 
labor required in managing a small apiary 
is not so severe that any woman of average 
strength and endurance cannot easily' perform 
it. Indeed, I know of several women, some 
of whom adopted the business because failing 
health demanded out door employment, who 
have successfully managed large apiaries. 
But let us hear from the ladies themselves. 
Mrs. L. Harrison, of Illinois, one of our 
ablest bee-keepers and best writers on 
apiculture, laughs at the idea that women 
are not able physically to manage bees. She 
offers her long and successful experience as a 
standing argument to the contrar^. Said 
“Cynla Lenswik," whose beautiful articles 
have so often charmed the readers of our bee 
journals, in a paper read at the Michigan Con¬ 
vention in 1877: “I would gladly' purchase 
exemption from in-door work on washing-day 
by' two days’ labor among the bees, and I 
fiiid two hours’ labor at the ironiug table more 
fatiguing than two hours of the severest toil 
that the apiary can exact." Mrs. L. B. Baker, 
a very successful bee-keeper, writes: ‘ But I 
can say, having tried both (keeping boarding 
house and bee-keeping), I give bee-keeping the 
preference as more profitable, healthful, inde¬ 
pendent and enjoyable. I find the labors of 
the apiary more endurable than working over 
a cook stove In-doors, and mere pleasant ami 
conducive to health.” The hundreds of suc¬ 
cessful lady bee-keepers in our country prove 
that the above are not exceptional cases, and 
demonstrate the ability of women to do ail 
that successful apiculture requires. Secondly: 
this is healthful, and offers ladies the long-de¬ 
sired opportunity to work in the out-door 
air. One of the most noted bee keepers not 
only in America but in the world, sought in 
bee-keeping her lost health, and found not 
only health, but reputation and influence. 
Mrs. Harrison states that tbe physicians told 
her she could not live; but apiculture did for 
her what the physicians could not do—restored 
her to health, and gave her such vigor that she 
has been able to work a large apiary for years. 
Says Mrs. Baker: “1 believe that many of our 
delicate and invalid ladies would find renewed 
vigor of body and mind in the label's and rec¬ 
reations of the apiary. By beginning in the 
early Spring when tbe weather was cool, and 
the work light, I became gradually accus¬ 
tomed to out-door labor, and by mid-Summer 
found myself as able to endure the heat of the 
sun as ray husband who had been accustomed 
to it all his life. Previously to attend an 
open-air picnic was to return with a head¬ 
ache.” Thus words, and better, deeds, prove 
that this vocation is not only healthful, but 
health-giving to our ladies. 
Thirdly: there are no discounts upon labor 
in the apiary, because performed by a woman. 
As Mrs. Harrison said at the National Con¬ 
vention at Lexington, Ky., in 1881, “I am 
never asked to take less for my honey 
because produced by a woman.” The 
same skill aud labor in the apiary bring 
the same reward, whether exercised by man 
or by woman. Aye, more, womeu even excel 
in this art. The finest honey 1 ever saw was 
produced by a lady bee-keeper. Phis lady s 
honey found its way to England, and was 
honored by special mention. The delicate 
taste and deft fingers of our ladies make them 
to excel in the production of the beautiful 
comb-honey. It is certain that the average 
man can never equal the average woman in 
the production of this incomparable luxury of 
our tables. That, women can succeed, I have 
only to refer to Mrs. Baker's experience to 
prove. She commenced with only two eolo- 
Vl j es _ a w ige course—and the first year her uet 
profits were over $ 100. and the second year 
nearly *300, Mrs. Baker k:pt bees six years 
without ever losing a single colony. 
Lastly, apiculture is a real source of recre¬ 
ation. If but a few colonies are kept the 
pleasure will be very great. There is so 
much that is interesting and wonderful about 
bees, that no one with a keen appreciation 
for the beautiful can work among them and 
study their nature and instincts, as tbe suc¬ 
cessful bee-keeper must, without becoming 
enamored of the work. Miss L. Wilkins, who 
produced tbe beautiful honey already re¬ 
ferred to. and whose bouey, exhibited at the 
last meeting of the State Society of Michi¬ 
gan, was the nicest sample I ever saw, says: 
“I repeat that apiculture offers to many 
women not only profit but pleasure. Says 
Mrs. Baker. “My own experience in the 
apiary has been a source of interest and eu 
joyment far exceeding my anticipations.' 1 
It is hardly necessary to remark that ladies 
of little vigor and infirm health can only care 
for a very few colonies, and must have suf¬ 
ficient strength to bend over a hive and lift 
small frames of comb loaded with brood or 
honey, and to carry nu empty hive. W itb the 
proper thought and management full colonies 
need never be lifted, nor need work, in case 
only a few colonies are kept, ever be done in 
the hot sunshine. But right here let me em¬ 
phasize the remark that only those who will 
let energetic thought and skillful plau, and, 
aboveall.promptitude and persevereuce, make 
up for physical weakness, should eulist as 
bee-keepers. 
A word of advice to beginners: First, pro¬ 
cure some good manual and become thor¬ 
oughly' conversant with the theory of the 
business before the practice is commenced. 
Secondly, if possible spend a few days with 
some able bee-keeper before commencing. 
Such an experience will remove timidity and 
show how safely bees may be handled. 
Thirdly, do not begin with more than two 
colonies, use small frames iu the hives, so they 
may be light to handle, and be sure to start 
with pure Italian bees, as they are far more 
amiable than other races. 
ipoullnj JOarib 
HOW TO HAVE EGGS IN WINTER. 
The Rural asks whether we are getting 
any eggs now. Yes; plenty of them. Me 
always have plenty in Winter; just as many 
when the mercury is 40 deg. below zero as 
when it is 40 deg.'above, and this is the way 
we get them: We have a warm hen-house, 
with plenty of glass on the south side to admit 
the heat of the sun: a dust bath is in a suuny 
corner. There is plenty of gravel aud burned 
bones pounded up to make the shells. A cab¬ 
bage head is given once or twice a week, while 
the regular feed consists of wheat screenings, 
corn. oats, potatoes aud bran. For a change, 
we alternate their feed thus; Morning feed, 
either boiled potatoes and bran mashed, or 
boiled oats and screenings; night feed, raw 
screenings or corn. We put a little salt, pep¬ 
per, ami sometimes sulphur in the mashed 
potatoes- For drink, sweet, skim -milk, warm. 
This is an excellent substitute for meat. We 
have tried the Light Brahmas, Plymouth 
Rocks and Black and Golden Polands, but find 
that the best layers are a cross between the 
Light Brahma hen and a Poland cock, lbe 
pullets, when raised early, commence laying 
in October, and continue with but little inter¬ 
mission until the middle of June. 
During this month and July we lose more 
or less hens every year from diseased ovaries, 
caused, we think, by overlaying. The yelks 
break from the back, run down among the 
intestines, become cooked, aud gather into 
bunches, from the size of a hen’s egg to that 
of a goose egg. Sometimes dropsy is thus 
caused, filling the heu with a thick, yellow, 
watery substance, with offensive odor. There 
seems to be no cure fur .this disease. 
For chicken cholera we find ground black 
peppqr—a half teasponful made into a pill 
with dough—the best remedy we ever tried. 
For gapes, dip a feather in turpentine, itisei t 
it into the windpipe; one or two applications 
will destroy the worms that cause the disease. 
Now I will tell why some of the fanners 
around here do not get any eggs in Winter. 
Their heus have a cold house of their own, OI 
seek a home in the cow or horse stable, shiver 
with the cold, have no change of feed during 
the Winter, no gravel, uo drink but snow, 
frozen toes and combs: and yet folks say, 
*• Why dou’t our hens lay. they have all they 
can eat'” Now' the great secret of making 
hens lay iu Winter might lie summed up in 
three words: make them happy. Our hens 
sing every day, so of course they ure happy. 
MRS. M. E CHANDLER. 
Kandiyohi Co., Minn. 
full' Crop®. 
drxpfvimctit ©found# of the lUivut 
JUiv-ilovhct. 
TESTS OF NEW VARIETIES OF POTA¬ 
TOES CONTINUED. 
Spring approaches and we must hasten to 
publish our many reports as to the quality 
and yield of the new varieties tested during 
the past season. 
Jumbo, Early Telephone, Rubicund, Tyriau 
Purple, and Rosy Moru were failures. Most 
of them did not sprout. 
JEWEL (Test8 A) was received from F. H. 
Smith, of Saratoga Springs. N. Y. It was 
planted and treated just the same as in our 
tests last reported. The yield was 530.44 
bushels to the acre. Of large aud small tubers 
there were at the rate of 131,012 to the aci e, 
or nine to a bill. Among the best, five 
weighed five pounds. The vines were very 
vigorous, maturing August 24. Skin white, iu 
shape roundish, flattened. Eyes not deep. 
The quality, as eaten September 3 and Novem¬ 
ber 20. was thought to be fairly dry and 
mealy. The soil of our “A” plot is moist aud 
iuclined to clay, aud potatoes growu in it are 
never so dry as are those raised iu lighter, drier 
land. The cut (Fig. 03. page 115), is an accurate 
portrait of what seems to be the prevailing 
form. This has never been offered for sale. 
Seedlings (Test 10 A), from John Haynes, 
Little Sioux, la. These were of different ap¬ 
pearance. One had a buff skin running into 
pink in places. The yield was 303.21 bushels 
to the acre—best five weighed one pound eight 
ounces—large and small 150,720 to the acre oi 
11 to a hill. The other produced a small yield 
of small potatoes. Both were early. 
El Paso (Test 12 A), from Cole & Bro., 
Pella, la. The seed potatoes received were 
large, but dark in color and rough. 
The yield was 438.00 to the acre. Best five 
weighed three pounds one-uud-a-half ounce. 
Large aud small 94,380 to the acre, or six-and- 
a-half to a bilk The tubers grew close to¬ 
gether in the hill—skin buff, shape inclined to 
roundish, eyes rather deep—an intermediate 
variety. Eateu Nov. 21—white flesh, mealy , 
eaten Dec. 1st—flesh a dull yellowish color aud 
not mealy. 
Jordan’s Prolific (Test 19, a ,) from J. D. 
Kruscliko, address lost. An intermediate; 
skin light, numerous not very deeply set eyes. 
Yield 423.50 to tbe acre. Best five: three 
pounds three ounces. Large aud small 90,750 
to the acre or six-aud-a-quarter to the hill. 
Eaten Oct. 25; a very good potato, slightly 
nutty, quite dry. The grain separates in the 
mouth instead of churning into a paste. Fig. 
04. page 115, shows the characteristic form. 
Winslow’s 8kkdli.no. (Test42, A), from 
J. J. H, Gregory, Marblehead, Mass. Yield 
584.83 bushels to the acre. Best five weighed 
three pounds, three-and-a-halt ounces. Of 
large aud small potatoes there were at the 
rate of 130,680 to the acre. Skin rosy, eyes 
not deep. They are much t he shape of Early 
P,ose, though averaging rather longer. Quali¬ 
ty as good as Early Rose-later in maturing. 
Early Gem. (Test 48, A 1 From J. J. H. 
Gregory. Yield at the rate 695.75 bushels to 
the acre. Among the best tubers live weighed 
two pounds thirteen ounces. Of large and small 
there were at the rate of 186,840 or 12 5-6 to a 
bill. Of the shape of Early Hose. Eaten Oc¬ 
tober 10; of the first quality- light, flaky, 
dry. Early. 
it is not such a very easy matter to determine 
the quality of a potato unless it is grown in 
different soils and through several seasons. 
The “ A” plot has always yielded the heaviest 
crops, and generally those of the poorest 
quality. But much depends upon the season. 
Potatoes to yield heavily must grow without 
a check, and if they are to be of tbe first 
quality, the soil, however well drained, must 
not l>e too moist or retentive of moisture. In 
wet seasons we may raise the crop, but the 
quality is always inferior. 
A quarter ol a mile distant is our *'"V field. 
The soil is u sandy loam, and a large yield is 
impossible without mulching, whatever the 
manure used or culture given, unless tbe sea¬ 
son is very wet. Bui the potato raised is 
always of its best quality. 
THE POTATO—NOTES AND SUGGES¬ 
TIONS. 
The question has often been asked, why 
varieties of the potato so soon degenerate in 
productiveness? Without assuming to be 
able to answer the question, 1 will offer a sug¬ 
gestion, which, whether it is the true solution 
or not, has at least a practical application. 
In almost all of our crops the farmer is in the 
habit or practicing, either consciously or un¬ 
consciously, some method of selection iu the 
seed he uses. Grain intended for sowing is al¬ 
most always cleaned a little better tliau that 
intended for market, aud thus the lighter ker¬ 
nels are removed. Even the most careless 
farmers are in the habit of choosing their 
seed corn with considerable care. But how is 
it with the potato? I suspect that, as a rule, 
the finest, smoothest specimens are picked out 
for family use, or for market, and the seed is 
taken from the remainder. Many fanners 
have a prejudice against using small potatoes 
for seed, but beyond this, I do not know of a 
single farmer who is iu the habit cf lollowing 
any system whatever of selection in case of 
the potato. 
We obtain our improved varieties of wheat 
bv selecting the largest heads from the most 
prolific plants that we can find. More pro¬ 
ductive varieties of corn are secured by select¬ 
ing for a term of years the best ears from 
stalks that produce two or more ears. W hy 
uut select our seed potatoes from the most pro¬ 
ductive hills? It is surprising what a differ¬ 
ence there is iu the productive power of dif¬ 
ferent tubers of the same variety, even though 
both may appear to be perfectly sound and 
healthy. In our experimental work here last 
season, we cut many potato tubers to single 
eyes, and planted the eyes of each tuber iu a 
row by itself. Although ail the tubers se¬ 
lected were apparently perfectly healthy, 
there was often a surprising difference in the 
yield from different individuals. The yield 
from sume tubers proved almost an entire 
failure. This shows elearly that there is a 
difference in the natural vigor of different 
tubers. 1 should expect that tubers taken 
from a very productive hill would be more 
prolific than those from a hill that gave a very 
meager yield. 
A potato-grower of large experience, whom 
I met ut the last New York State Fair, but 
whose name i am sorry to have forgotten, 
stated that he hail been selecting the most 
productive hills for a term of years with the 
old Peaohblow Potato, and that in this man¬ 
ner he lias succeeded iu bringing this once fa¬ 
mous variety up to its former standard of ex¬ 
cellence, both in productiveness and quality. 
Ho said that he should soon put it upon the 
market as tho old Peaohblow restored. I do 
not know whether or not it is a common trick 
of seed-potato growers to revive old varieties 
iu this manner, but if it is, their secret should 
be made known, so that the common farmer 
may benefit by it. It would be but little 
trouble to save out tbe tubers of the most 
productive bills while digging the crop: and 
if by so doing we can preserve the original 
vigor of our varieties, the trouble will cer¬ 
tainly be well expended. By cutting the 
tubers to single eyes, two or three bushels of 
seed are sufficient to plant an acre. 
Whether large or small tubers are better 
for seed has been very often discussed. Per¬ 
haps no experiment has been more often tried 
by the common farmer. 1 think the auswer 
has usually been non-committal. Many far¬ 
mers have settled down upon a theory that 
although small jiottttoes often give as good 
yields us large ones, it would not do to make a 
practice of using small seed. I suspect the 
experiment has rarely been tried in the 
proper manner. The large and small tubere 
should he taken from the product of one 
tuber, iu order that all may have inherited 
the same natural vigor. If one potato were 
cut to single eyes, and the cuttings planted in 
a row by themselves, aud the yield of this 
tuber assorted into large and small, and the 
two sizes planted separately, it would seem 
that the results would give a fair indication 
of the comparative productive power of the 
large and small tubers. £• 8. gofe. 
New York Agr'l Experiment Station. 
