The National tribune., 1885-12-03
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
WINTER CARE OF BEES.

WINTER CARE OF BEES.
The following excellent suggestions in regard
| to the management of bees during cold weather
is from correspondent Of the Germantown
| Telegraph: "The approach of Winter reminds us
of the care of bees and that it is time for US to
consider the manner in which we will do it
| by packing in ohaif. straw leaves, and the like,
or by putting them in cellars. Last Winter
was severe one on bees in most any situation
on account of the long time they were kept in
Information without chance to fly. The per
| cent of colonies that went through the Winter
| on Summer stands without further protection
was very small indeed, while those put in cell
| lars did we'll. Many still leave their bees out
of-doors during Winter, protecting them with
chaff or other non-conducting substances about
the hives; but think the latter mode is losing
its popularity and the cellar-storing mode
| taking its place quite fast.
"The thorough knowledge we now have of
| bees and the ease with which they are handled
has within few years multiplied the number
of beekeepers and immensely increased the
industry is this country, so that better honey and
in better shape is now produced and fourfold the
quantity is now furnished the trade that was
|
years has had the boom of the apiary, and this
has worked its way up by its own success and
| has come to stay. predict that 10 years hence
honey will sell at six to eight cents per pound,
| and the business will prosper at that. A few
| years ago such honey retailed at 18 to 25 cents.
| The public will consume 10 pounds at those
| prices to one pound at the old rates. Thus what
! were once luxuries that none but the wealthy
! could afford to use come in reach of all. Our
| grandmothers when girls worked q week for
the money to buy yard Of calico. With the
| tariff and American enterprise cooperating we
! can now get better cloth, better patterns, and
better colors for five cents. Will the next gem
| Grafton make as great changes"
PROTECTING TREES FROM MICE.
Every Winter thousands of dollars are lost by
| the ravages of mice, and in nearly every case
| where damage is done to trees the owners ac-
knowledge that they neglected to use any
| means to protect their orchards. Too many de-
pend upon tramping down the snow in the
I Winter so that the mice cannot work beneath
! it; we do not deny but this mode is efectual
| when thoroughly practiced, but the great
trouble arises from not attending to it promptly,
and while off guard the damage is done.
| 1t is said that by coating the trunks of the
| trees foot up from the ground with equal
parts of pine-tar and fsh-Oil mice will not
| touch them. The remedy that we have always
used, and one that never failed, is to make o
Sulaii-c0mpacI mourn ol dlrG arOunu Cno pouleS
| of the trees. wagon load of common clay will
furnish material for protecting any ordinary
sized orchard, and but little time is required to
| do up the job.
If grass, leaves and other substances in which
| mice can find lodgment are kept away from
trees they will very seldom be meddled with.
| 1t is very great mistake to manure an orchard
in the Fall with light compost, old straw, or
anything else in which vermin can nest.
CULTIvATINa ORCHARDS
Cultivating orchards Is grand mistake. Two
crops cannot bo grown on the same ground at the
| same time any more than two things can occupy
| the same place. The growing experience of the
owners of orchards Is to this effect. A Michigan
| fruit grower writes that half the fine orchards
| in that State are being starved to death by the
attempt to grow grain crops among the trees. 1t
| is q thing to be known and realized that fruit
| is a crop, and as the roots extend under ground
as far as the limbs extend above, it can be easily
| seen that tho ground under an orchard is fully
occupied by the trees, and should be wholly
| given up to them. Clover may be grown under
the trees if it is pastured is left 90 cover the
| ground and afford a valuable top dressing of
manurial matter.
NoTELETs.
The Planters Journal says the mulberry is
| good tree to raise in poultry yard. 1t is
hardy and long lived, and the fruit is popular
with the hens, besides being very nice for chill
dren. The leaves are large and the shade it
makes is dense, which is desirable also in Sum-
mer.
Bran is cheap, and it can be used in almost
unlimited quantities without injury to the ami
NAL 1t is a healthy food, and contains enough
nitrogenous substances to help replenish the
waste of muscular tissue in the animal system
as will contribute to the production of milk.
! If there were nothing to be said in favor of
bran as q food for mlch cows, there is nothing
to be said against it except its want of large
nutritive and milk producing qualities. But
that it has those qualities to degree sufficient
to make it profitable food for dairy cows there
is no doubt in the mind of the writer. Even
when made by the roller process bran still has
clinging to it considerable of the farinaceous
substance of the wheat, sufficient, at least, to
affect its quality.
After the digging Of potatoes, both in the
garden and in the field, good deal Of enrich
ing material may be secured in addition to
| manuring by sowing densely crop of rye. 1t
! may be turned under in the Spring in time to
plant corn, SOW turnips, or to set optuaahhages.
If the potato crop has been kel the
ground will be made mellow enough By the
digging of the potatoes to receive the seed Of
| the rye by narrowing alone. As this crop oc-
cupies the vacant time between the two crops,
it is an inexpensive fertilizer.
Dead leaves are falling down pretty
thickly about this time aud if you have any
place to put them, you will store away under
cover goodly supply for use in the poultry
house. If there is anything that makes a hen
happy in Winter it is the privilege of scratch
| ing her corn out from a lot of dry leaves. Hens
| having plenty of scratching seldom acquire
habits Of feather eating, egg eating, and other
| vices
Mr.. Ellsworth, an Illinois man, gives the
| Prairie Farmer remedy for Canada thistles
which he has found effectual. 1t is simply
small quantity of benzns poured around the
| roots of the thistle plants single application
will kill them even to tho tips of the roots.
The number of cattle on the plains is esti-
mated to be over 40,O0O,O0O, OF value of
| 81, ,19O, 100000.
| = is said that in good crop Of wheat the
grain gives nearly or quite as much weight as
! the straw. With oats and barley the grain is
| usually in excess of the straw SO far as weight
| is concerned. In the rye crop straw usually
weighs more than grain, and near good mar
! ket is often worth moro.
Every farmer should have workshop and
the necessary tools to work with. He will
| rapidly learn to attend to most of his own re-
pairing OF the ordinary implements and ma
| chimes upon his premises instead of incurring
the delay, expense and uncertainty Of depend
| ing on professionals at distance. person
becomes very expert in the use Of good tools
| after a short experience, and may thus save
many dollar without consuming any time
necessary for the usual demands of the farm.
The most extensive cabbage farm in the