The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-02-15
Farm AND GARDEN.

FACTS CONCERNING BEEs.-When
the queen bee is forcibly taken away
from the hive, says the american Bee
journal, the bees which are near her
at the time do not appear sensible of
her absence, and the labors of the hive
are carried ON as usual for time. 1t is
seldom before the lapse of an hour that
the working bees begin to manifest any
symptoms of uneasiness. They are
then observed to quit the Larvae which
they have been feeding, and to run
about in great agitation to and fro; and
on meeting with such of their compan-
ions as are not yet aware of the disas-
ter which has befallen them, they COM
municate the intelligence by crossing
their antenne and striking lightly with
them. The bees which receive the
news become in their turn agitated, and
spread the alarm further. AL the in
habitants now rush forward, eagerly
seeking their lost queen. But, finding
search useless, they appear to become
resigned to their misfortune, the tumult
subsidies, and if there are worker eggs
or young larvae in the cells, prepara
tions are made to supply the loss by
raising a new queen, and the usual
labors of the hive are resumed.
For feeding bees: Take at the rate of
five pounds of refined or white sugar,
two gallons of soft water, one table
spoonful of salt, ten grains of cream
tartar; put all together, bring to boil,
skim, and, when cold, add eight ounces
pulverized slipery-elm bark, or fine oat-
meal, stirring well-then feed in the
hive. During the summer, use but
four pounds of sugar.
Italian bees gather much larger stores
of honey than the black bees. Deer
zon, the great German aparian, after
many years experience, says that the
profits of his apiary have been doubled
since their introduction. They are also
much more peaceable than the black
bees.
STONE -CoLoRED WAsH.-I painted
board fence and rough out building
two years ago, and it is nearly as good
to-day as it was when finished, and it
costs comparatively nothing. The fence
is a common, rough board fence, with
cupboard nailed on the top; and l
have leaned on the fence hundred
times, and it will not soil black coat,
or any garment, by SO doing. but ap-
pears slaty, with no disposition to
crumble.
"Take two pounds of hax-seed and
boil it in common wash boiler for an
hour or more, in four pals of water;
after thoroughly boiling, strain it into
an old tight barrel; put in one peck,
in bulk, of common land plaster, one
peck of nicely sifted wood ashes, one
quart of wheat -four, and one quart of
salt. Put in your barrel a good stick,
as large as a handspike, and stir it un-
til it is thick as cream; let it stand in
the sun for week, and every time you
60 by the barrel, stir it thoroughly, and
by the end of a week it won't settle,
but will remain Incorporated, and is fit
for USE"
The above was made in quite warm
weather, and worked up like sponge
batter, two or three times, before put
ting it on but good stirring would,
in a minute or two, reduce it again to
its creamy consistency. 1t is now as
hard as slate, and is certainly valuable
in preserving the wood, and is cheap
luxury in good looks for fences or Sec
ond-class buildings, and 1 know it is
no humbug.-Rural Home.
KICKING Cows.-A few years ago !
had considerable experience with kick
ing cows, and by far the best remedy
out of quite number that have tried,
was the strap or surcingle drawn tight
ly around the COW just in front of the
hips and close to the bag. Tighten it
up until she does not attempt to kick.
l never knew it to fail. You can grad
ually loosen it until it will be sufficient
simply to lay it on her back. But be
cautious, and do not loosen or leave it
off until she makes no effort to kick
with it tight or not. Kick she can not
with the strap tight. The first COW l
tried it on was the worst 1 ever saw.
With both hind legs tied together. she
would kick backwards like horse;
and then, in addition, one fore leg was
tied up, and she would stand upon the
other and kick with both hind legs, as
soon as an attempt was made to milk
her, till she tumbled down; then would
get up and kick again until tired out;
SO the milk was generally left on the
stable floor, and it was decided to dry
her up, and beef her as soon as posi-
BILE, though an extra cow.-Cor. Coun-
try Gentleman.
THE U. 8. AGRICULTURAL BUREAU.
The report of the Agricultural Bu-
reau, just published, shows that the
corn crop of this year is an unusually
large one. 1t is manifest that the corn
crop is as large as that of 1870, and
when the returns are all in, crop of
one thousand one hundred million BUSH
els will be indicated, in quality some
what below the average. The season
has been unpropitious for cotton, but
not less favorable than that of last sea-
son. The total product as indicated by
the first week in November is made
very nearly $3.50, 900 commercial bales
of 465 pounds. In potatoes the returns