The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
HANDLING RErs.

HANDLING BEES.
The Germantown Telegraph says that bees,
when filed with honey. are not inclined TO
sting unless they are squeezed To canse them
10 al themselves with honey, il is only ecs-
saTy to fFightcm them and they viii rush TO
save their most valuable property. Closing the
entrance aud fappng upon the side OF the hive
few MINUTES OF blowing smoke ii the en-
tranc,, or down among them from the top. viii
make them l,ad up and b. dOriie 5u the ac-
tons Of the % Tson have much 20 do with it
also. Ia going 10 hive and opening il, make
slow, deliberate motions and keep your hands
always from youT face unless put tsse.e slowly.
Many persons have been stang by quickly
throwing their hands up 10 their face when
angry bee came around. the bee taking il as
challenge TO fight First. get good bellows
smoker 10 begin with, ere it uy with dry, rot
ten wood, approach the hive from the SIDE, to
be out of the way Of the Gviag bees, and give
one or two strong puts al The entrance. Wait
a minute or two for this 10 have effect, then
move the cap with as itale Jar as possible. re-
move the quit OF honey board as carefully,
blowing "A ii e smoke as ven do So and give
the bees a ijJle time to I'll themselves with
honey; they wiii be seen with their heads in
the cells laping away for dear life.
Now, make slow motions, pry the frames
over with htUie jar rs can b.. and, while
looking at the comils. keep the breath from
striking the bees too much. Patience and
practice VIII soon give the novice confidence.
But do not suoke them out Of their hives;
usually three or touc puls suffice.
A RocKERY.
We do not know Of anything thst viii con-
tribute more 10 the pleasure OF lover of ma
tive plants than 4 small rockery arranged for
their culture. The greatest fault in making
s,4s -fa.a
meats more conspicuous than the end. At
temps 70 initiate natural scenery by heaping
up huge piles of bouldcrs and collecting iantas-
TIC bits OF rock in "A conspicuous position, are
seldom successful in aD artistic sense, es-
pecialiy If il is intended 10 represent natural
rock. Some secluded corner, masked by trees.
shrubs, or hedges, is the most desirable and APP
propriate locality Tor small roekery TO be used
for the culture Of native plants taken from the
woods and meadows. Here il VIII be what ii
seems, a suitable place for planting the trailing
arbutus and similar plants. especially ferns, of
which many fine and beautiful species can be
collected IN most country neigh horhoOds. A
simple mound of soil. held together by few
pieces OF rock, may be made very interesting
and instructive. basin of water in connec-
tion with feature of this kind could be used
for Towering plants of water lilies and other
Interesting water plants By arranging the
rocks so as partially TO surround and inelose
would benefit the plants the sides If water
can be led SO that trinkling stream is made
60 fall over the rocks and into the basin, the
effect VIII be good. All this can be done at but
little expense il properly appreciated before
hand.
AMERICAN WINES
1t is stated that the adulteration of French
wines has reached point that has caused the
Government Of France to establish Offices for
the analysis OF liquors Offered for sale, with a
view OF protecting consumers. Large quanti-
ties OF French wines are consumed here, and it
need not be presumed that exported wines are
any better than those used by the French them
selves This should warn American wine con-
sumers against the use of the questionable flu
ads which they imbibe in these articles OF i'm
port, and encourage them to try native wines
which are pure and as good as those imported
The white wines made from the Catawba, Iona,
and Delaware grapes are very superior; COM
potent judges pronounce them equal TO any
imported wines OF their class, and superior to
those 70 be bought for similar prices. The red
vine made trozn N5rtgnis Virginia Seeding is
pronounced, even by French judges. to be a
superior article, comparing faY0rably with their
best Burgnndies. Wines made from this grape,
both in Missouri and Virginia, have been
awarded premiums al the French exhibitions
Claret wines made from the Concord, the Ives,
and the Clinton grape, although they differ in
Hayor and bouquet from foreign wines of this
class, are genuine, sound, pure wines. Ameri-
can wines are slowly but surely gaining in
public estimation. and their production is grad
ually increasing, but, all things considered,
their consumption should be greater than it is.
CURL LEAF on PEACH TREES.
DR.. Sturtevant, director of the New York
Agricultural Experiment Station, addressed
letter 70 Prof Comstock, entomologist, asking
for information concerning the curl of the
leaves Of peaches and received the following
reply:
This il a common disease and is sometimes very
destructive. This is especially the IN Cali
fornia- i have not seen or heard so much Of IL in
the East as have IN that State SO far as know
nothing Is known of the remedy of the
disease. When plant lice attack peach leaves they
cause similar appearance, but curl leaf strictly
speaking, is independent Of the presence Of any
insect.
The cnrl leaf, SO called, which frequently
attacks peach trees IN spring, and at no other
time, is caused by sudden changes of tempera-
ture. This is well known and well called leaf
blister BY peach growers. The curl is caused
by plant lice When aphis attack the leaves of
plant the leaves curl and shrink but never
blister, SO that there are two distinct effects,
IRON TWO equally distinct causes. The cause Of
clustered leaves on the peach is not unknown;
on the contrary, it has been known for cen
fury at least Mr. Comstock must brush up a
Httles andf acGuaInt himself with the knowl-
edge Of the times otherwise his instructions
will be of no value TO his pupils Probably
he is one OF the newly-fedged professors who
consider that their knowledge embraces every
thing worth knowing. But such assertions as
the above have the effect OF retarding progress,
and this is our reason for finding fault with
such erroneous statements.
DESTROYING cATERPTLLARs on cABBAeHs, &C.
The plague of insects is one of the most
troublesome with which the farmer and gar
oener has 20 contend, hence cheap and efectual
remedies for their destruction are always wei
come 4 correspondent OF the Gardeners
Monthly has used, with much success, an appli-
cation OF hellebOre in the proportion Of one
pound OF the powder to thirty gallons of water
and lac states that everybody may be as
Eured that no danger to them or to those who
eat the cabbage would come from the use of
hellebore BY way of caution, the editor notes
that probably hellcb0re used IN the liquid form
Is advised, would injRre 10 one, but poisons on
vegetables should be used with caution.
Another paragraph in the A0Hth5y (which,
by the way, is always filed with good thingsj
repeats an old remedy much used where the
leaves OF the cherr- laurci an he ATTAINED