25S                THE WISCON   F



the further progress of the transfer, Mr. Steb-
bins removed the top-board of the hive, and
then with an ax split out and removed about
one-third of the circumference of the hive.
This gave him sn opportunity to get at the
comb, and to remove it card by card, by cut-
ting down the edges and around the central
sticks with a long-bladed knife.
  The fourth step was to place the combs in
the frames of the new hive.  In order to do
this, each section of comb was cleared of bees,
by brushing them off into the new hive, and
it several times became necessary to trim down
the comb so as to get it within the frames; in
doing which care was taken to preserve all the
brood-cells and to cause as little dripping as
possible of the honey. When cut down so as
to just crowd into the frame, as a closely fit-
ting board might be crowded into a slate frame,
two pieces of twine-one at each end-were
tied around comb and frame to keep the form-
er in place until the bees should again cement
it thereto by new wax.
  Thus prepared, the frames were successively
suspended in the box of the new hive; adjust-
ing the distance between t hem, so as to leave
room for the bees to pass up and down. And
quantities of the bees still remaining in the
old home were tenderly scooped up in our bare
hands and poured into the new. But after all
there still remained a considerable quantity of
them, unwilling to leave until convinced that
they cquld do better elsewhere. To transfer
these it was only necessary to spread a clean
sheet or tablecloth on the floor and place the
two hives in juxtaposition. In a few minutes
they streamed off into the place prepared for
them, and gradually the multitude of individ-
ual bees which had alighted here and there,
inside and outside of the carriage house, or
had just come in from the fields, laden with
honey, found their way to the gathered swarm.
   During the entire operation we were nol
 once stung, and in about thirty minutes from
 the commencement the task had been entirely
 completed.
   Mr. Stebbihs showed himself to be a mastei



if his business, and we can conscientiously
and most cheerfully recommend him to all who
nay desire either information or very superior
hives.



THE POULTERER.



        Poultry and Poultry House.
 As the season is approaching when many of
our readers will desire to confine their poul-
ry, in order to keep them from the ripening
grain, we commend to their attention the fol-
lowing, which we take from the Dollar Yew,-
vaper:
" Much has been said and written upon this
subject, and but very little practical informa-
tion has ever been given to the reading public.
I propose to give my experience in raising
poultry, and my plan for a poultry house-a
plan which will be the best fitted for the easy
management of fowls, as well as being the
least expensive.  For a hen-house, it may be
built on one side of the barn, or if you have
no building suitable, get four posts, hew two
sides; let them be, for the high side, say nine
feet; for the low side, say 6 or 7 feet, which
will be enough pitch of roof, provided the
house is not more than 9 feet wide.  Twelve
feet by nine will be large enough for twenty
hens; plant the posts firmly in the earth, so
as to keep the house firm and steady; get sec-
ond quality pine or hemlock boards; nail them
on lengthwise, if you do not choose to get
plates so as to have the boards run up and
down. A shingle roof will be the best, though
a good board or slab roof will do well enough,
-the slabs to cover the cracks between the
boards. The house must have a window, with
lath nailed across, to let in air and sunshine.
The roosts or perches should be placed in the
highest side, so as to leave space enough for
the convenient placing of the nests, which
ought to be in the warmest part; fit a tight
door on with good hinges and a good lock, and
you will have as nice a hen-house as you could
wish for. The cost will not be more than $8,
with lumber at two cents a foot. A good feed
or water trough is made out of a log, some-
thing of the shape of a hog-trough.
  " The best breed of fowls, in my estimation,
is the Poland, or top-knot; they are excellent
layers, and are of profit till 6 or 6 years old.
There are no better hens than the Poland to
raise with. As a good, hardy breed, the Eng-
lish pheasants have no equals; they are good
layers, and are excellent for the table. They
are of middle size, with blue legs and double
combs; the males are in color red, intermixed
with black.
  " A good feed for fowls is a mixture of corn,



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SIN FARMER.