90 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
[March, 
tuces or eabbages, we give a few condensed notes which 
will answer many inquiries. 
Evergreens we can not advise the ordinary farmer to 
undertake to raise from seed; they require so much care 
in shading and otherwise, and small plants are sold by 
those who make a business of growing them at such 
low rates, that we are sure that 99 in 100 will find it much 
more satisfactory in the end to purchase. We therefore 
confine our remarks to deciduous trees. 
Tree Seeds that Must be Sown as Soon as Ripe. 
—Soft or Red and Silver Maple, Elm, and Red Birch. If 
kept exposed even for a few days after they are gath¬ 
ered their vitality will be destroyed. These seeds are 
not generally kept by seedsmen, though some take orders 
in advance to be filled when the seeds ripen. Those who 
wish to sow seeds of these should arrange beforehand 
with some friend to gather them, or dealer to supply 
them, and be prepared to sow the day they are re¬ 
ceived. The plants come up at once, and make nice 
young trees by fall. 
Tree Seeds to be Sown in Place —that is, the seed is 
to be sown where the tree is to stand—include the different 
Hickories, the Butternut, and Black Walnut. The seeds 
arc collected in fall, made into heaps, and covered with 
sods, over which are thrown several inches of earth. In 
the spring the nuts are sown in place, putting in two or 
three near together, and if all start remove all but one. 
Trees that must be Transplanted when Small. 
—The Chestnut, Beech, and Oaks of all kinds are to be 
sown in a seed-bed and transplanted the first or second 
autumn. The nuts are to be kept during winter, mixed 
with at least an equal bulk of sand, in a cool place where 
they will not get too dry. 
Seeds op Trees that mat be Sown in Fall. —Ash 
of various species, Liquidambar, Tulip-tree, Cucumber, 
and other Magnolias. These may also be sown in spring 
if properly kept through the winter in sand. 
Seeds better Sown in Spring, but they should be 
carefully kept through the winter in sand.—Maples of 
all kinds, including the Ash-leaf or Box Elder, and ex¬ 
cepting the Silver and Soft; Birches, except the Red ; 
Bass-wood; Kentucky Coffee-tree ; Ailanthus ; Catalpa; 
Paulownia. 
Seeds Needino Preparation before sowing in 
Bpring.—Osage Orange, scald and keep warm and moist 
until it sprouts ; Button-ball, soak ; Honey Locust and 
Common or Black Locust, scald. 
Trees Grown prom Cuttings.— All Willows and 
Poplars from branches an inch and less in diameter; 
Ailanthus and Paulownia from cuttings of the root. 
Seedling trees require just as careful thinning and 
weeding as a crop of carrots. If they suffer from the 
Iieat of the sun, stick brush with the leaves on all over 
the bed sufficiently thick to give a proper shade, or use a 
screen of lathes. 
The leading tree seeds are kept by most seedsmen. 
Those who make a specialty of them, and keep a full as¬ 
sortment are: J.'M. Thorburn & Co., New York; Thomas 
Meehan, Germantown, Pa. ; and Arthur Bryant, Jr., 
Princeton, Ill. 
Bee Notes.—Advice to Beginners. 
BT M. qUINBT. 
The location of the apiary should be attended to early 
this mouth. I do not mean by this that when bees are 
comfortably housed they shall be put out, unless warm 
weather makes it advisable. But choose the location 
now, and get things ready. If there is nothing to break 
off the wind, particularly from the north-west, put up a 
close, high hoard fence—if ten feet high all the better. 
Have the location warm. Allow the sun to strike the 
hives as nearly all day as possible until hot weather. If 
the soil is not very moist set them within t wo or four 
inches of the ground on blocks or bricks. If wet have 
them a little higher. Whatever the distance may he, 
have an alighting board reaching from the ground to the 
entrance, one edge resting on the ground, the other on 
the upper side of the bottom-board, so that if a bee 
alights -anywhere within a foot of the entrance it can 
creep into the hive without again taking wing or losing 
time searching for it. Contrive something to enlarge or 
diminish the size of the entrance according to the num¬ 
ber of bees at work during the spring months. Unless 
robbing bees are around, allow them to pass to and fro 
freely. Tin slides running in tin grooves are very conve¬ 
nient to graduate the entrance. During spring let all 
openings, however small, in the upper part of the hive he 
closed, to prevent the escape of the warm air. Bees the 
first time they leave the hive mark the locality, and if 
that is to be changed let it he done at once, unless they 
are to he moved a mile or more away, so that no time or 
bees be lost by doing it later. If they are to he moved 
over a rough road a sleigh is best, a spring wagon next 
best. If moved by rail, the greatest danger is in setting 
the hives down harshly. To prevent breaking the combs, 
put staves of an old flour-barrel under the bottom for 
springs; screw these fast on the center of the bottom of 
hive, the ends bending downward, so that the weight of 
hive will rest upon them. Two or three are enough. 
Mark plainly: “This side up; handle with care.” Ex¬ 
press hands usually have a little interest of their own, 
inducing them to work with caution when handling a 
hive of bees. 
If bees are comfortably housed, and remain quiet, do 
not he in a hurry to get them out before they can get 
something from flowers. Whenever they are disturbed 
in being set out, or in any other way, they are apt to fill 
themselves with honey. It has recently been ascertained 
that the liquid portion of this honey will pass off in the 
form of vapor, or insensible perspiration, if the bees are 
kept surrounded by a warm atmosphere. If too cool it 
creates a sort of dysentery, accompanied by a discharge 
which soils everything it touches. That the cxcrementi- 
tious portion of this food is discharged in a dry state in 
winter when the bees are healthy is proved by testing 
the substance that falls on the bottom-hoard under the 
bees. To do so, get some of it; half fill an ounce phial 
or other glass vessel and put in some clean water, and 
then put the vessel containing it in a dish of cool water; 
set it on the stove and bring to the boiling point. The 
little scales of wax which are mixed with it rise to the 
top. The excrementitious portion settles a little, and 
may be seen directly under the wax. Some of it may 
settle to the bottom soon, especially if entirely free from 
wax. Bees can and have been comfortably housed for 
six or seven months, and come out clean and healthy, 
and discharge as little in a liquid state as those that have 
been confined only a fortnight; a fact which is explained 
by the supposition that their excrement is passed in a 
dry state. The little liquid that a healthy bee docs dis¬ 
charge when first set out is probably owing to the change 
of temperature it is subjected to at the time. 
Another thing: It lias been found that bees comfortably 
housed consume less food than those out doors. Bees 
that are outside fly out every moderate day. We have 
all seen something of the quantity of excrement dis¬ 
charged, particularly on snow. We can easily imagine 
that if all these drops of liquid had been properly digest¬ 
ed and assimilated it would have lasted for months. 
Hence the necessity of housing or keeping warm for that 
reason if no other. We have a stock that has been in the 
open air all winter to the present time, January 31st, and 
it has consumed only one pound and a half in January. 
Another that was in the house consumed one pound and 
three fourths. One year ago at least three or four pounds 
would have been consumed, owing to the weather. Forty 
years ago Mr. Weeks, one of the first American writers 
on bees, stated in the Albany Cultivator that two or more 
swarms could be united and wintered in one Live and 
not consume any more honey than one single swarm 
would alone. This seemed so unreasonable that I could 
not avoid trying the experiment by uniting several. In 
some liives I put two and in some three stocks. I 
weighed them October 1st and April 1st. They were 
housed, and in box-hives. Several single ones consumed 
exactly what the trebled ones did; double ones did the 
same. Only one of the trebled ones exceeded any of the 
others, and that by only three pounds. Why many bees 
eat no more than a few I believe has never been explained. 
But if we take the temperature into account as affecting 
the digestion it will throw some light ok the subject. 
We all know that a single bee is easily frozen, and is 
quicker chilled than a cluster of them, and a small clus¬ 
ter sooner than a large one. Three swarms together in a 
hive will create more heat than a single one. In a large 
swarm all the honey is consumed and assimilated because 
of sufficient warmth. In small numbers quantities of 
food are discharged and wasted because the bees are not 
warm enough. Keep the hive warm all the season. 
Ogden Farm Papers—No. 49. 
We have not kept the record of our dairy 
business with the minuteness with which it 
would be done on an experimental or “ model ” 
farm, but such figures as we are able to adduce 
from the accounts of 1873 may have some value 
as an item in the statistics of butter-making, 
which are gradually developing in the agricul¬ 
tural press. 
The following record of milk produced be¬ 
gins on January 5tli (the first Sunday), 1873, 
and ends on January 3d (the first Saturday), 
1874. The regular Jersey herd consisted of 
the following animals, of the ages and condi¬ 
tions stated: 
Rene 2d...._ 
Romp. 
Flora. 
Renella. 
Margery. 
Omoo. 
Xyrida. 
Fancita. 
Mirth. 
Nora. 
Golds traw 2d.. 
Flora Hinman. 
Rhoda. 
Calliope. 
Flora Ogden.. 
Rene Ogden... 
Fantine. 
Pet Margery.. 
Evangeline .... 
Noreina. 
Oonan. 
Audrey..... 
Enid. 
Elaine. 
Anna Roxbury 
Thrift. 
Daisy. 
Luck Lass.... 
Virgie. 
Belle Ogden... 
Age. 
8 yrs. 
7 yrs. 
5 yrs. 
5 yrs. 
5 yrs. 
8 yrs. 
6 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
4 yrs. 
3 yrs. 
3 yrs, 
3 yrs, 
3 yrs. 
2 yrs 
2 yrs, 
2 yrs. 
2 yrs. 
2 yrs, 
2 yrs, 
2 yrs 
5 yrs 
6 yrs, 
2 yrs. 
3 yrs. 
1873 
3 yrs, 
Condition. 
Very fine, bu t aborted In 1872. 
First class in all respects. 
Of moderate size, but an ordinarily 
good cow. Has lost the use of one 
teat. 
Extra good, but aborted iu 1872. 
“ “ ; aborted Jau. 6, 1872. 
Excellent in all respects. 
“ ; aborted 1872 with very 
young calf. 
Small, but good of her size: aborted 
in March (and was removed). 
Fair size and good. 
Large, and a fine milker. 
Very small; never goes dry. 
Equal to her dam, Romp. 
All right in every way, and of fair size. 
Good, but aborted in 1873 from injury. 
Extra good : aborted early in 1872; 
purposely dried three months before 
calving, as she was In low condition. 
First-rate. 
Good, and in good condition. 
Large and promising; 1st calf. 
Moderate size; 1st calf. 
Was a July calf, and is small. 
Growing rapidly,(but milking fairly for 
a heifer. 
Of good size, and very good indeed. 
Aborted her first call' in 1872. 
Very small, but very good and rich. 
Inclined to fatten, and killed in con¬ 
sequence. 
Good in all respects. 
A rich milker lor size and age. 
A September calf, but a very fair 
milker for her age. 
As large as a ‘‘native." 
Iii addition to these there were two Jersey 
cows iu the herd for a few weeks who gave 
together 477 lbs. of milk. 
Also, nine grades and natives, which were 
milked an average of 19£ weeks. 
The Jerseys named above appear and disap¬ 
pear on the milking list, as shown in the fol¬ 
lowing table. Some had been dry for some 
time, owing to accidental causes, and some 
came in with their first calves: 
linn pii i.i iii mm nip i a § 
sft r §>• i **-**■■* 
: s* 
es : ; P 
: ; 
o o o ^ 
O « « o’ 
O * * CR 
oooooooopp Kj; 2 2 © « c a??? 2-0 *3 
W53 CPS3S P P < O S- O ‘%-t £ P -i 
ere* cp <* ft ^^2. * * o 2.*-i ©, 
- . . . 
25S^oSSS££S -1-1 
at> 
§a 
* <* 
f» 
«*«>«! 2.1!'-1 ZaagSis 2.3.HH 
H 4 to CO ‘ ha tr Ob to h» to *“* *-* o *‘ 3 “ P'ha... 
• • • ci • • • • W-* • r *h* “w P 
£ C_, c_ g K* g. K* 2 2 ^C-t C-4 Ch c-l >1 Ch £-i 
p p ST-a m m pppppppp P -3 P P p p 
G' ^ggggpgggg^ggg^ 
o»- • z; sj w«HiO' c»« toS; n £ 5 ~ ~ s* ^ ^ 5 
i! •< x r-i -i i! "< 
cncncn&nettouncncn cn cn a> u« 
*3 * 
K 
P 
: 
j-3 ja as'a 2*© p a» ;o 
.►i-i-ii-iiPs'i! : -j: 
:::::: ° © o g:o 
P 5.P 5*©^ » PT3 • & • • 
K 
s* • 
x: 
II 
O O • • 
<<: : 
o • o ©*a S3 • 
c/3-sp w c nw men m m mmm m 
- a 'Sp -a-a -a - - 
5 13 13 a .3 &31.3:: 
~ =5? ‘ 2 - ~9> *8 E 7 -»• • 
-^cn 
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0’S 
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S*" 3 
09 09 
w 
3 
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* Aborted. Six of the milking animals were sent to our 
lale depot in Illinois, November 21et. 
It will he seen from this list that of the 30 
Jerseys 6 were 3-year old heifers with second 
calves, and 7 were 2-year olds with first calves. 
Nine abortions, falling largely among the bet¬ 
ter animals, seriously diminished the yield. 
The product of milk for the year was 103,- 
180 pounds. Of this the nine grades and na¬ 
tives gave 15,041 pounds and the odd two Jer¬ 
seys 447 pounds, leaving 87,692 pounds for the 
Jerseys. Counting the whole thirty as com, 
