The National tribune., 1888-06-07
OUR RURBL TOPICS.
Same Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
CARE OF BEES.

Those farmers who keep bees-and every
farmer ought to keep enough to supply his
family with an abundance Of honey -appreci-
ate the necessity of having hives ready for the
reception of new colonies. One hardly has
time to look about for a hive or nerhaps make
one after the swarm has left the parent hive.
1t is believed that tue new colony of bees can
be handled much better when they have just
left the old hive and are supposed to be gorged
with honey as a stock in commencing business
for themselves Under ordinary circumstances,
then is the time that they can be shaken into
q basket or upon the ahghting board, which
should be large enough to accommodate that
purpose Some recommend that the hive he
open and few be shaken into the hive, which,
by their humming, will attract the others IN
side. One must be gentle and make no demon
strati0n to enraGe the bees, as they will then
show disposition 10 rstaiiate When once
fairly settled in the new home, they viii im-
mediateIy commence work, aud the hive should
ba left untl dark before it is finally located, if
to be moved TO any considerable distance, SO as
to give the bees an opportunity to collect
together in the hive for the night.-GermoR-
tOgt Telegraph.
REGARDING OATS.
Prof. Johnson of fhe Michigan Agricultural
College, expresses his belief that if farmers
would eXpend little of the effort and money
used in finding and testing new varieties of
oats to the same variety they have grown aud
know to be adapted to their locality, but grown
on different soil, and in a more northern
/ latitude, and leave the testing question TO ex-
| perimcntal stations, until successive trials
/ have proved the adaptation and value of new
sorts, it would be greatly to their profit: a SEN
timent that can be fully Endorsed by all intelli-
! gent, thinking farmers
WORTHY sMALL-FRUITs
! The Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.
/ in recent bulletin gives results of expert
ment5 with small fruits, and in a summary
mentions giving the most promising results
I OF the newer varieties OF strawberries, the Bu-
/ bach, Gold, Jessie and Ohio. Those worthy of
! further trial are Itasca, Jewell, Ontario sum
nit and Warlield. OF raspberries those prom
/ ising are, Carman Earhart, Golden Queen,
/ Hiiborn and Johnston Sweet Several varie-
ties are elassed as doubtful, and some as un-
J suited TO the soil Of The Station. We notice
/ that the Belmont strawberry. Crimson Cluster
and Candy and others are elassed as doubtful
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SEED.
The increased attention paid to experiments
with different varieties OF grains and vegetables
! by individual farmers and experiment stations
furnishes good degree of proof of the great
! Importance of a careful selection of seed There
.
tion has cost the farmers of the country many
thousands OF bushels of grains and vegetables
Ii an increase of crops can be secured by so
simple q means as paiustakiug in the selection
and use OF seed, farmers should take heed what
they plant
NOTES.
- Use every eudeayor to induce the birds to
build near house and barn, as they are the best
insect exterminators
The English rarely drive their draft horses
faster than a walk. TrOtting "a cart-horse
| would seem barbarouS to q Cockney.
! - Garden and Forest deems it a great mistake
to select a rainy day for transplantiBg garden
plants. The delicate feeding roots of plants are
iuost apt to be destroyed when the ground is
vet and heavy.
1t is suggested that fire is tho best prevent
i've Of disease in orchards and wins ards. II
| all the old wood be piled up and burned, it will
greatly lessen disease and insect attacks. But
it should be done early in the season.
- One pound OF pure Paris green or London
purple Id 100 gallons of water, kept thoroughly
mixed, and sprayed withzfDrce upon the young
apnies when not bigger than peas just after
the blossoms have fallen, will destroy the cod
ding moth which, makes the wormy apple
- A. 5. Fuller, in the New York Tribune SAYS
there is no good reason why the best varieties
and species Of huckleberry should not be found
growing IN every garden where blackberries
and raspberries cultivated. He recon-
mends the trauspantiug and rearing of the So
called swamp huckleberry."
- If any large stones or stumps are IL clover
or grass fields, and cannot be got out before har-
vest they should be marked now by going
| through the field aud placing pole well set in
the ground BY 50 doing Il moving machine
knife may be saved, aud thus several dollars
and much loss Of valuable time saved.
- The Farm Field and St0ck6ail strenuously
advocates the breeding aud keeping of guineas
They are the most watchful of birds, and give
/ loud warning Of the first appearance of hawks
| or other danger. The eggs and the flesh oil the
| fowls are quite equal to those Of ordinary barn
| yard fowls. Sixteen eggs are the right number
! for a clutch. Guineas are great layers. In
| appearance they are like the peacock Better
! to look at than to be heard"
- 1t is said that If three-quarter-inch hole
IS bored in apple trees affected with the bitter
! rot aud the same filed with saleratus and
then plugged up, it will effectually remedy the
| evil. correspondent in late number Of the
! Ohio Farmer says that he used this remedy on
I an old orchard few years ago, the fruit of
which was not worth gathering while since
/ that time the fruit on such Of the trees as are
/ sull living has been all that could be desired
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