THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



er offensive demonstrations toward them. Ja
ring the combs, rough handling, quiet motion
offensive breath, are all peculiarly disagreeab
to them.
   The crowning instinct of the worker bee
 to gather and store honey, and their attaci
 ment to their stores is stronger than their lot
 of the young.  Henee they cannot withstan
 the temptation to partake of liquid sweets-
 find them when or where they may-that the
 may add to their accumulating stock for a win
 ter's use. Consequently, when seriously fright
 ened in the hive, their stores. being their fire
 care, their honey sacks are filled at once, the
 they may be prepared for either emergency, o
 being robbed or driven from their homes
 Could we gain access to our bees at all time
 so as readily to sprinkle sweetened water oi
 and among them in the hive without danger o
 being stung, our object would be accomplished
 This only the most fearless operator will do.

 If the bees are confined, and a series of rap!
 performed on the hive, they will be frightened
 and at once gorge themselves with honey, thui
 placing them in the desired condition. Or, il
 smoke from tobacco, a burning cloth, or punk,
 be blown in among them quite vigorously
 through the entrance and the openings at the
 top of the hive, the bees will be frightened
 thereby, and at once appropriate to themselves
 all they can of their stores, thus again accom-
 plishing the desired end.  This latter mode is
 adopted and commonly practiced by most api-
 arians.
 Although this frightening process produces
 the desired effectforpresentpurposes, it is the
 opinion of Dr. Kirtland, the celebrated scien-
 tific apiarist, that too frequent use of smoke
 causes permanent irritation among the bees,
 making them more quarrelsome than they would
 otherwise be. In an article on Bee culture, in
the December No. of the FAxira, mention was
made of a process for "taming and quieting'"
bees, recently discovered.  A recent visit to
Ohio convinces me that important results are to
follow from the introduction of a new compound
that has been successfully used the past sea-



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7



son, not only in quieting bees, but in actually
taming them, its effects being apparently per-
manent.
  This compound is composed of several in-
gredients that can be procured at any of our
larger places and at most of the country towns.
                           J. M. STEDIINS.
 APPLIION, JIM. 10, low6.

         A ChflUageto le-Keepers.
  MR. EDITOR:-Being a Bee-keeper. and
hearing a great deal about Patent hives,
I wish, before purchasing May Patent,, to
become thoroughly convinced that I am to
gain anything by the change from the old hive.
And to test it fully, I should like to take ten of
my colonies, in the old box hive, and challenge
any keeper of bees, in patent hives, in this
State, to produce more honey the coming sea-
Bon than I can.  The hives to be weighed on
the 20th of April, and again on the 20th, of
September-weighing all increase, and all box
honey that shall be gathered by the ten swarms
Lad their increase, all to be weighed on the
20th of September.
I hope you will be pleased to publish this in
rour next number, and that some one of the
numerous Bee-keepers of Wisconsin will ac-
ept the challenge.
       A BzE-KEEpzR or THEs NORTHWEST.
Osaxoss, Feb. 1, 1863.



THE POULTERER.



          Poultry Against Pork.
 MR. EDITOR:-A few days since some per-
on was enquiring, through the Herald, into
te relative profit of hens andipiga. I 'will state
my experience in I861.
I commenced the year with 15 hens and one
urkey, and raised during the year 40 chickens
ad 28 turkeys.  I kept an exact account of
Kpenditure and income, as follows:
                  Dr.
186 hens anA 1 turkey, J. 1, 1861 ............ p8 So
mu, 37 bushels at 6esa Am% avesrge  i ........ 23 31
uds 35 Cts burl $ 46 ........................  I So
0e1l $1 60, shorts 2 Co. potatoes 02 au .........T137


                   Cr.
B poUtry dodil, 36 Ibeta l 13 ae ................ $  65 S
Ifin dr. 6 I S Ah2 _6 90W



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