probably attack the young queen, kill it, and then swarm. The young queen should be removed whilst still capped, with a part of the swarm. The bees would probably swarm on the next day of themselves, if this is not done, and therefore no injury can be done by thus swarming artificially.

Mr. Flanders advocated Mr. Langstroth's views as to the importance of artificial swarming.

his experience that the queen bee decreases in fecundity as it grows older. He thought that after the third season the old queen should be removed and killed, and great care taken that its place be supplied by a young fertile queen. Attention should be paid to having a supply on hand of young fertile queens, to be in readiness for supplying new swarms, and to be prepared for accidents to queens in the hives. He threw out some suggestions in regard to hatching

Mr. Langstroth said it sometimes happens that in one district bees will swarm abund-young queens by artificial heat. antly of themselves, whilst in another district, not far distant, artificial swarming is

necessary.

Mr. Twining said that when bees are drummed out of a hive they are apt to desert the hive altogether, and take to the woods. The plan of artificial swarming by using the moveable comb hive is therefore far better.

Mr. Sturtevant's experience was that the queen is as good in the third year as in the previous years, and frequently it is so in the fourth year also. The queen should not be taken until the fourth year, and then should not be removed until a perfect and fertile young queen is quite ready to take its place.

RENOVATING MOULDY COMBS.

Prof. Kirtland said he would like to get Mr. Brown related his experience, going some information on the subject. His exto show that artificial swarming by the use perience had rather been against the profitof the moveable comb hives, when not over-ableness of the practice, but others had done, is the best plan.

In answer to a question, Mr. Langstroth said that in this climate one new stock to

two old ones would be about the proper increase. In warmer climates the increase might safely be much greater.

LECTURES AT THE FALL MEETING.

Mr. Thomas Brown moved that Rev. L. L. Langstroth and Prof. Kirtland be invited by the Association to deliver lectures on Bee Culture at its fall meeting.

Prof. Kirtland stated that he must positively decline lecturing any more. The name of Mr. Sturtevant was substituted for that of Prof. Kirtland, and the resolution was adopted.

Prof. Kirtland moved the following resolution, which was adopted:

Resolved, That when this Association adjourns, it adjourn to meet on the first day of the next Annual State Fair in this city, and that C. H. Robinson, Thomas Brown and Dr. J. P. Kirtland be a Committee to secure the use of a suitable Hall, to provide a suitable flag, to designate the place of meeting, to advertise the time and place, and to make all necessary arrangements for the said meeting.

seemed to have had different experience.

Mr. Robinson said he had taken some

very mouldy comb and held it before the fire, which had the effect of entirely removing the mould and making the comb again serviceable.

Mr. Langstroth said that his experience has been that cleansing the comb only rendered it into wax.

The Convention then adjourned sine die.

Cut-Worm and Corn Grub Killer.-Dr. Asa Fitch, the eminent entomologist of the N. Y. State Agricultural Society, says, "I doubt not you have noticed in plowed fields a large black beetle with most brilliant golden dots placed in rows on its back. It is the Calosoma calidum of entomologists, and its eggs produce the corn grub killer. It is a most inveterate foe of the cut-worm, grasping the worm in its strong jaws, and in spite of its violent writhing and struggling securely holding it, and when it finds these worms in plenty, it gorges and surfeits itself upon them, till it is so glutted and distended as to be scarcely able to stir

for it never knows how to let a cut-worm alone when it meets with one. It is contin

ing else it it can obtain them. Both it and the golden-dotted beetle which produces it, therefore, should never be harmed."

Mr. Ely moved that the Standing Com-ually hunting these worms, feeding on nothmittee be instructed to correspond with Mr. Wagner or other distinguished apiarians, inviting them to lecture during the State Fair. The motion was adopted.

KILLING OLD QUEENS.'

Wisdom is a nut, which, if not chosen with judgment, may cost you a tooth, and Mr. Langstroth gave it as the result of pay you with nothing but a worm.

Sheep Department.

A Talk About Sheep.
At the Mass. Legislative Agricultural Club.

Mr. Flint occupied the chair and opened the discussion. He believes that the raising of mutton can be made profitable to the farmer. In the western portion of the State, sheep have been raised considerably with a view to improving pastures, and with some

success.

Mr. Howard spoke of the keeping of sheep in a national point of view. The Poets of Great Britian have sung of the glory of the realm as coming through their flocks. In England, sheep are kept upon almost every whereas in France farm; may travel almost a day without seeing a sheep.

you

In Great Britian there are some 50,000,000 of sheep. So many are kept, partly because much of the land is good for nothOn ing else but for sheep to range over. most of the land no fertilizer is put upon the soil, except that dropped by the sheep. The pastures thus managed, have become better, and so have the sheep. The same facts are generally true in this country, where pastures have been fed by sheep.

Mr. Fearing looked at the subject in a moral point of view. Young men hasten to the city to thrive. But we have too many merchants, lawyers and physicians. The true policy is, to encourage young men to stay at home, and cultivate the land."

At Hingham we have been troubled with dogs. But we united as a body of sheep owners, and proper laws were enacted against the dogs, and we have not been troubled since.

His pasture for sheep contains twentyeight acres, and it has been improved by the sheep. His sheep have aided him in getting rid of the briars from his pasture. Mr. F. could not speak definitely on the profits of sheep. They need a warm barn, protection from the storm, and a plenty of nourishing food. He likes the South Down sheep best. It gives good mutton enough for any Massachusetts man to eat. He has never lost a sheep by disease or scarcely a lamb. And this success has been owing to the good care he gives his sheep. His flock gives him six and one-half pounds of wool to a sheep, on the average; but they are not all South Downs.

His new sheep-barn is forty feet long, by

twenty wide. It holds hay for sixty sheep, and it is arranged so that there is little waste of hay. It can be built in the interior towns for $250.

Mr. Andrews, of West Roxbury, said, summer before last he raised much cow-cabbage, and soon after bought ninety sheep. They eat the cabbage and but little hay. He sold most of his sheep the next winter for fifty dollars more than they cost him.

Eight sheep will not consume more food than one cow. These will produce lambs So he rethat will sell for fifty dollars. gards sheep raising profitable.

He quoted a strong article in favor of sheep raising, written by Mr. Harris, of the Genessee Farmer, which goes to prove that in no country can the fattening of sheep be made so profitable as in this.

Mr. Wetherell spoke of a farmer in Hampshire county who had experimented with Leicester and other sheep. He keeps them in a yard between two barns. He boils potatoes for them, which he mixes with grains for their food. His prospective view is very encouraging. Heretofore he has been a dairy farmer.

Mr. Grennell, of Greenfield, has succeeded with the Oxfordshire sheep. He prefers them for raising mutton to the South Downs.

Pastures are improved by keeping either cows or sheep in them. Sheep do the pastures the most good.

Many towns, away from the railroads, are rather going backward. In such towns, where the land is rather poor, the people may be enriched by sheep husbandry.

Mr. W. does not believe in the advantage of giving so much encouragement to the growing of forest trees. He would grow mutton, instead of wood, upon the poor lands.

Dr. Loring, of Salem, said there can be no doubt as to the profits of sheep husbandry. Formerly, there were many sheep in the State; now they are few. In Berkshire, fine wooled sheep are kept profitably. Farming a The same is true in Vermont. few years ago began to decline in this State; and sheep husbandry was the first to feel it.

The secret of a want of sheep in the State is because that other branches of farming were thought to be more profitable.

Mr. Roberts proceeded to exalt the Oxfordshire sheep. His bucks shear from nine to twelve pounds each; and his lambs he sells for from $3.75 to $4.50 each. His pastures are much improved by keeping sheep; and he believes that sheep husbandry can be made profitable in the State.

For the Ohio Cultivator.
Usefulness of Birds.

As a general thing the value of birds is not fully appreciated; besides the variety and richness of their plumage and the sweetness of their songs, which is one great at traction; they possess other merits of far more value to the people in destroying millions of noxious insects which infest our land, destroy our crops, and lay waste our fields and gardens. And it is an alarming fact that the number of the birds is decreasing, while that of the insects is increasing rapidly. It is certain that crops are injured worse of late years by insects than formerly.

The grub worm is getting to be our greatest pest; last season in places the grass was literally eaten out by these worms; the chinch bug also infests our cornfields, making dreadful havoc; our forests also are sometimes stripped of their foliage by green worms. If instead of harassing and destroying the birds, all would try to encourage them to increase and protect them, such disastrous effects might be prevented.

The despised crow and blackbird, for instance, are hated and destroyed, and their nests robbed by nearly every one, but they are of great value in destroying worms and grubs of all kinds, that infest our cornfields; in fact the grub worm is the choicest food -of the crow. It is true that crows and blackbirds sometimes plunder our fields, but they repay the damage in destroying insects which do double the damage that they do. There is no bird but does more good than harm.

should never be killed; you had better never taste quail meat than to have your crops destroyed. A pair of wrens have been known to carry hundreds of caterpillars to their nest in a day; and other birds of course destroy insects in proportion; so multiply what one bird kills by the the thousands of birds that are killed annually, and it is no wonder that the number of insects is so much greater now than formerly.

And now farmers, planters, sportsmen and people in general, let me entreat you for your own good, do not kill the birds; when they come around you do not scare them away and throw stones at them, but be kind to them, make small boxes and erect for them to build in, and they will amply repay you in destroying the insect pests of the country.

J. A. CONVERSE.

Pleasant Valley, April, 1862.

For the Ohio Cultivator. Rat Clubs in Clinton.

It will be of interest to the readers of Field Notes to know that in Dover and the German neighborhoods the boys have formed an association for the destruction of rats. Thus, 12 boys of each neighborhood form a company, having a Captain. Then they go round to the farms, etc., killing all the rats they can find.

On the 28th of last month they met at our saw mill to count rat-tails. Dover had 1,169 tails, the German Company had 2,280, or there about.

Dover was loser, and of course had to treat to a supper!

Last seventh day P. M., was apointed, Many people suppose the hawk and owl Dover invited Germans and ladies down. to be of no value; true, they make a meal Met at Dover school house at 3 P. M., Doof our fowls sometimes, yet they more than ver boys and girls "all aboard," had a repay by killing the mice which destroy our splendid supper spread, at which over 60 of -grain in vast quantities. Swallows are also our young men and maidens, boys and girls, very valuable, their chief food being moths, partook with a will, after which we had bugs and other insects taken on the wing.some "rat" speeches, votes of thanks, etc. A nest of swallows should never be harmed; Adjourned-and went home with the girls! the food of quails which are so shamefully slaughtered yearly, is principally insects in wise! the summer, especially the chinch bug, which is so destructive to corn. A quail

Let other neighborhoods go and do like-
Very respectfully,

J. FARR FRAIZER.

Clinton Co., April, 1862.