The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-12

+ This society met at d. f. Frost's, June
18th. President P. ii. Troth in the chair,
with twenty-seyen members present. "A call
was made for the critical committees re-
port. The eagerness manifested to hear
the report was probably due to the fact
that the chairman of the committee gene
rally gives some pithy hits, especially
when his near neIghbors are the victims.
The report being not quite ready, the
club repealed a former resolution, granting
the committee until after supper wherein
to make their report, and making 1t the
first business in order after the reading and
approval of the minutes of q former meet
ing. While the club were waiting, pub
lishel report was read of the Mount Lau-
rel agricultural society of New Jersey,
which contained some interesting state-
ments that were commented on by different
members. st = 80
The report of the critical committee be-
ing read was found to contain some hui
manitarian suggestions, which, in discus
sion, were strenuously advocated by the
chairman, but did not agree with tho ex-
perience Of others. The practice recon-
mended of giving hogs o warm bed was
commended would induce the disease known
as scaryy. g 80 W.
The chairman of the committee on bees,
instead of furnishing written report,
handed in printed communication on the
subject by "Quincy,n which was read,
after which he offered to give us q practi-
cal illustration of the mode Of transferring
swarm Of bees from one hive to another.
or, as in this case to compel hive of
bees to swarm. The club adjourned to
the aplary where the chairman of said CONF
mittee. with the aid of his associates, took
hive of bees that had not swarmed this
season, took off the top board of the hive
and set an empty hive on top, then gently
tapped on the hive Of bees in order to drive
them up in the empty hive. After suf-
| ficient number had gone up to ill the
empty hive. he removed it some distance
| from the old hive and searched around
among the bees with his bare hands until
| he found the queen bee, which he took
and put under a glass tumbler so that
all could see her. The bees finding
out that their queen was gone were very
uneasy, running about in every direction
until she was put back, when they imme-
diately became quiet, and marched INTO the
hive as fast as possible. In going back to
the old hive the operator took large knife
and cut out large pieces of the comb occu,
pied by the ssdrones" Of the hive and
threw them away, giving as reason for so
doing that there appeared to be entirely
| too many drone cells for the good OF the
hive, that being probably the reason the hive
1 bad not swarined this season.
i Sometimes, however, the reason hives
i do not swarm is because they are weakened
1 by previous overswarming.
i This exhibition of artificial bee-swarm-
i ing was regarded by the club as the mos'
| interesting and instructing "report" that
had been made in a long time. 20
/ { One Of the special committee appointed
to report ON grasses, made verbal state.
ment of the variety of grasses being experi-
mented with by himself. viz: Lucerne,
alsikc clover, perennial rye grass, nnc
orchard grass beside the common sorts Of
timothy and clover also the fact that the
timothy seed sown last fall with wheat was
now growing so large as to choke thu
wheat very much. Notwithstanding. all
the choking majority Of the members
agreed that it was the best time to SOW
grass seed with the wheat. ssI4g
1 The committee appointed to inquire int
the object and aim of the "Agricultura
and Industrial Association of Alexandra,
reported that the incorporators were OBJ
tanning subscription, and as soon as 81, 00l
were subscribed they would organize AMI
proceed to abusinesss In. discussing TIN
subject, it was thought advisable to hay
an exhibition of farm products among our
selves this fall. Accordingly committe
of five were appointed to make the neces
sary arrangements for having such an exhl
bition this fall. Said committee were Q
\ Lukens, A. w. Harrison, Il. E. Mason, R
f. Roberts and Valentine Baker. =
II A committee of three were appointed 70
procuring speakers and to make arrange
ments for our annual meeting in Angus
Valentine Baker, Walter Walton, and ID
vid Fennis were said committee.
Three new members were proposed an
: elected VIM. Hunter. Jas. NJ. Lewis, an
! Arthur Thompson. .gEa
" Next meeting of club to be at .. Denike,
Critical committee appointed were Dayl
Fennis, Dilworth Buchanan, and A. v
Harrison. N. W. PETERSON,
Ill Adjourned. Secretary.