1rfl W I8OON-SIN  AMRBBR.



adde from the FAUIRt, on wool sadehoeep
railng? as I wish to poet myself partieulrly
on that branch of farming. I have takeui the
Wbol-Groseer, but now learn from my Rursi
that the forminr is merged in the latter. The
Prairie Paroer I have taken but do net now.
  I have purchased the celebrated stock buok
"Roberson Rich," of R. Hemeaway, of White-
water, a notice of which you gave in the 8ep-
tember No. of 860. For four years previous
I had used the stock of the old ' Matchless,"
and bought ewes also of H. Hemenway; and
have, in my estimation, a flock of 180 good
sheep-shearing a little less than six tbs. on
an average. But still there are flocks far ahead
of mine.                  C. K. STEWART.

  REMARKS.-We have, in the years past, said
so much about sheep-raising in Wisconsin, that
there has seemed to be no need of making it a
point to urge its importance further. There is
much, however, that should be published in the
way of information, and it is our purpose,
henceforth, to publish at least one article on
some branch of sheep husbandry in each nunm-
ber. Mutton is bringing fabulous prices and
wool has advanced nearly one hundred per
cent. within the past year. The " Wool Grow-
er" is still published at Cleveland, and is a
good paper.-ED.



THE BEE-KEEPER.

            Honey-Soe Culture.

  Allow me to make a few suggestive hints to
your numerous readers, pertaining to the cul-
ture of the honey-bee. It has long since been
considered a branch of agriculture, although
it has been seriously neglected. Having been
exclusively engaged for several years past in
their study and culture, I have become fully
convinced that there is no kind of business,
with the same amount of capital invested, that
will pay half as well. The success of the busi-
ness depends upon three great points: the man,
the hive, and the season.
  If the bee-keeper is skilled in the manage-
ment of his bees, and has a hive that is rightly
constructed, and the season is a favorable one,
it is not an uncommon thing for him to realize
ten, and in many instances, fifteen and twenty
dollars profit from each prosperous hive year-
ly, thus paying three and four hundred per



meat. en tAegnvestment. Atcerding to ancient
hisory, bomy at ne time was the only weet
Aew. in Aristlte's and Pliny's day, who
lopoloed tem orew' thousand ears age, w*
[ar thV bees were then cultivated to somee
  szat, ttlthotugh, Eike manay other things, ver-
thtted sad improved very mntuch Sie. Witl-
in the past ten or fiftee yers, there hass beesn
sno-re plogrees made In their cultre and man-
igoment, than for centuries previous.
There  ems to have never been a time inceo
our earliest history, when bee-culture should
lemead erw attetion me twan at e present
whea warttadheavy totion, he great crci-
ty antd high price of sugar is staring us in the
face; I say, why should we not encourage the
culture of the bee upon a more extended scale
and raise honey by the quantity, as some few
now do, thus enabling us to meet the heavy tax-
es, and affording us a handsome income be-
sides? With right care and Management, and
a favorable season, it will iequire but a few
swarms of bees to raise a ton of honey. If a
colony of hees come out strong in the spring,
(as they will if properly wintered,) it is an ea-
Sy matter to realize fifty and seventy-6ve tbs.
and sometimes much more; besides a young
swarm or two, which will be thrown off, if
properly attended to.
  Good honey readily commands a high price
in market, and probably will for years to come.
Under the present condition of our country,
and the high price of sugar. it certainly be-
hooves us to live as much as possible within
ourselves, independent of the South. There
is honey enough wasted every year to supply
us with all the sweet we need. If we had the
bees to collect it, there could be more honey
produced north of Mason's and Dixon's line
than there ever was sugar south of it, and not
cost the producer one half what sugar now
costs the southern planter. There is no place
in the world so well adapted to a large yield of
honey as the northern portion of the United
States, with its fertile hills, valleys, and broad-
spread prairies of the West. Certainly, for
amount and quality of honey, we stan' at the
head of every other country in the world, if
we would but improve it.
  There is no danger of overstocking our mar-
ket with honey, as the consumers increase
faster than the producers.
  There is no danger of overstocking our coun-
try with bees, as some persons have imagined,
especially the fertile portions of it, as all hon-
ey-producing plants yield their sweets days
together and sometimes weeks, depending much
upon the state of the weather and the species
of flower.
   Those about to engage in the culture of this
 delightful little insect should first get posted
 by consulting some scientific bee-keeper, or be
 guided by some good book upon the subject. to
 insure success in the business.-D. P. Kidder.



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