The Russellville Democrat., 1880-10-21
FACTS FsR FARsERS.
The Industrious Bee-Lfke Pr -duces l. ks- Barley--FAsbions in Wool
 Minor Notes
TIE IxprsrRrors BEE.

Barley-FAsbions in Wool
 Minor Notes.
 THE INDUSTRIOUS BEE.
 There are 2.o00000 beehiyes in tin, United States Every hive yields on al average little over = pounds of honey which is sold at 25 cents a pound. Sc that, after paying for their own board Oir bees present us with a revenue O Ss,G00,O00. To reckon another way. they make clear gift of one p1und of purs honey to every man, woman and child in the vast domain of the United States In 1880, over 2, ,333. .342 pounds of wax vas made and given to Us by these in. dustrious workers. An agricultural ex. change says the keeping of bees is one of the most profitable investments that people can make of their money. The profits grisipg from the sales of surplus honey average from 50 to 200 per cent of the capital invested.
 LIKE PRODUCES LIKE.
 Many years ago, and III period of our agricultural history when new varieties of any farm crop were extremely rare, an obseryant farmer of Pennsylvania. acting on the principle that perfect grain could only be insured by using perfect seed, originated a superior variety of wheat. which he named barrel wheat" 1" This he did by holding the sheaves of wheat Tn his bands by the butts and beating the tops over a barrel. The large, plump perfect graiDs would fly out and none oti CTS. This wheat was used as seed, and the same practice to procure seed being followed few years produced what seemed to be new vari- ety of wheat, bu. what was only the result of 8 practical application of the natural law of selecting the fittest. This anecdote is a practical Illustration oi using none bat the very best for seed Unripe small potatoes are unfit for seed; neither are OyeTg0wn, hollow tubers. The former are weak and imperfect; the latter, like all abnormal monsters, are unhealthy.
 BARLEY.
 Barley must be cut before it IS dead ripe, as il left till ripe the loss from shelling is very great The best time to cut fl is when about three quarters of the heads have turned yellow. As to the method, if there is a great crop with long straw, the best way will be to blnd it. If the straw is not long enough to
 
 rake so set that every arm delivers the grain. By this means the barley is de- hvered in swath clear of the ground the horses will have to travel over the next round. Being in thin swath the barley dries quickly. Ii may De cooked for ease of loading or loaded direct from the swath. Either in cocks or swatb 1t is in good form for resisting damage by a passing shower, but if long rain is the barley should be cooked. If this is done well only the top of the cock will get wet, and th,t should be spread and dried before carry ing. But the main object in harvesting barley is to get the grain safely in the barn as quick as possible, but it will not do to take 1t in too green.
 FASHION IN WOOL.
 That the prices of a staple like wool should be greatly influenced by fashion seems as improbable at first glance as that fashions shade the color of cattle and pigs. 4 short time ago prices were so ruled by fashion that long or combing wool brought better prices than the fine wools. This year, however, the fashions have changed, and manufacturers are neglecting the long wools and inquiring for the finer grades.
 The change has come so suddenly that producers have had no warning, and breeders, who by careful selection had brought their fiocks up to high stand ard of excellence, DOW find that their rarest fieeces bring only pitiful sum. All wools, however. are too low. have manipulated the markets shrewdly, and regulated their with great caution. On the other hand, farmers have shown unusual pluck m holding on to their wool. The prices paid have not moved the mass of wool out of the producers hands. We hope, such pluck may meet a good re- ward. The prices of woolen fabrics will justify better prices for wool. As it is in article which keeps well, and since he crop IS not so sensitive 10 a good or bad season, as is the wheat crop, farm ITS are already thinking of holding over. If the fashion once comes in that | armers will not all sell at once, then | Se may expect greater uniformity in | he prices Of wool and all farm produce. | We sympathize with those who advise | armers to hold on to their wool until | 'rices advance
 MINOR NOTES. Two Georgia farmers grew 300 bushels | 4 Irish potatoes on one acre of land and | old them for S400. ENGLISH crop reports show tbat wheat | below the average, barley above, oats | nd beans slightly above, and peas lit- | Ie below