THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



ing surplus stores from the colonies, by cut-
ting out a portion of the combs containing
sealed honey, must deal liberally with their
bees-allowing them to retain a full sufficien-
cy for their support, so situated as to protect
them from the severity of the weather, and
being likewise conveniently accessible, from
time to time as needed.  It is better that the
bees should have more than enough, than to
rely on spring feeding, should their supplies
fall short.
  Colonies which still retain their drones at
the close of this month, are usually queenless.
The population of such is almost invariably
much reduced and composed of old bees ex-
clusively, which are not well qualified to en-
dure the rigors of winter. The proper course
is to break them up and appropriate the hon-
ey. The combs of such stocks generally con-
tain large quantities of pollen, and should
therefore be preserved till the close of winter.
Then they may profitably be given to young
stocks of the previous year, which are rarely
well supplied with that article.-Bee Journal.


THE HORTICULTURIST.
A. G. HANFORD ............. CORRESPONDING EDITOR.

             Hardy Fruit Trees.
  A correspondent last month inquires for
hardy Wisconsin fruit. I have inquired scores
of times of those who own orchards bearing
from ten to two and three hundred bushels of
fruit.  The answer has been, nine times out
of ten, 'don'tknow. ThelabelsIneverpaid
any attention to. I bought a lot of a man
who came along selling trees. Some had la-
bels and some had none; but I hadn't time to
bother; so I set them out; some lived, some
died-so I don't know anything about what
sorts I have got."
  Is it any wonder that fruit raising has been
considered uncertain and hazardous in this
State? It would be just as sensible for a man
to plant his field with seed corn of unknown
variety, trusting to luck for its prolifieness
and adaptability to our climate and soil, as it
would be to set out an orchard, without know-
ing whether he ii setting summer, fall, win-
ter fruit, crabs, bitter-sweets, or the best qual-
ity of hardy fruit. How is a man going to
know with what to refill the spaces left vacant
in his orchard, if he don't know what varie-
ties have winter-killed, or what varieties have



proved thrifty and hardy?  The only way
left, if there is no record, is to play the same
"game" over again.   HIe may do this a life-
time if he does not chance to hit the nail on
the head and replace with the right sorts.
  Farmers begin to see the folly of such slip-
shod management. One farmer, when his
trees begin to bear, finds them nearly or quite
all summer and fall varieties. They must be
soon consumed or marketed, or they perish.
Another finds his all late winter apples.
While others are enjoying their early fruit he
can sit with his mouth watering, and ponder
over his folly.  Farmers, be entreated to be
more careful of the selection and record of
the varieties you plant.  It is not only for
your individual interest, but for the benefit of
the whole community. If an orchard is worth
planting, it is worth while to spend a little
extra time and do it up right. It don'tpay to
do things by halves.
  As the result of experience, Geo. J. Kellogg,
of the Belle Cottage Nurseries, at Janesville,
gives us the following lists:
  Summer IVarieties of Apples.-Red Astra-
chan, Carolina Red June, Keswick Codlin,
William's Favorite or Early Washington, St.
Lawrence, Augustin Sweet.
  Fall Varietiie.-Fall Queen, Snow, Lowell,
Autumn Strawberry, Nonpareil, Fall Stripe,
Fall Wine.
  Winter Varieties.-Talman Sweet, English
Golden Russet, Perry and Barrett Russet,
Northern Spy, Yellow Bellefiower, Willow
Twig, Jonathan, Rawle's Janette, White Win-
ter Pearmain, Red Romanite, Winter Winesap,
Westfield Seeknofurther, Limber Twig, Pomme
Gris, Fulton, Roman Stem.
  The Maiden Blush is a fall apple, regarded
with much favor here. It seems to be perfect-
ly hardy, very prolific. Quality good, size
medium. I have never seen more vigorous,
thrifty and hardy trees anywhere than many
specimens of the Talman Sweet growing in
this and Jefferson county.
                        L. L FAIRCHILD.
  ROLLING PsLAxlz Dodge Co., Wis.



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