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Does it Pay to Keep Bees.
I have often been asked the ques¬
tion : ‘ Does it pay to keep bees, or is
it safe to invest money in an apiary ?
I have always answered the question
by saying that it does pay, and it is
safe to invest money in them, if the
party their investing thoroughly understands
nature and habits, and is willing
to give them the proper amo Hit of
care, and provide them with suitable
hives. I now propose giving a short
account of my success in bee-keeping.
Some fifteen years ago, I purchased
two colonies, not with the intent of
making money out of them, but for
the purpose of providing myself and
family with a luxury in the shape of
nice, pure white honey. I soon be¬
came convinced that by proper man¬
agement they could be made to yield
a profit, besides supplying my table
with a wholesome luvury. But as
there were at that time no movable
comb hives, I had to labor under a
considersble disadvantage as well as
loss. Very often some hives would
refuse to swarm until the season for
collecting honey was nearly over, con¬
sequently the young swarms could not
gather enough to winter on, and not
having the movable comb hives, so
that 1 could build them up from those
that had plenty and some to spare, I
had to destroy them, which was a loss.
Then again, other hives would refuse
to swarm altogether, which, of course,
was a loss of all increase from such
hives. Again, some colonies would
swarm, and the young swarm would
take a bee-line for the woods, other
hives would get infested with millers
and worms, which would sooner or
later destroy them, but after a’l the
losses, 1 made a fair profit by selling
honey, and occasionally a hive of bees.
But since the introduction of tho mo¬
vable comb hives and Italian bees, I
have made double the profit, for there
has been no loss of young swarms
going to the woods, or of colontes re¬
fusing to swarm, for l have practiced
artificial swarming, which docs away
with all loss in that direction. If
millers get into a colony, I remove
the cards and clean them out, and save
my stock. I also remove cards from
full stocks that have them to spare,
and strengthen the weak ones, instead
of destroying them, as heretofore.
The Italian bees defend themselves
much better from the millers, and are
bettor workers ; consequently, they
store more honey in boxes for their
owners. I commenced in the Spring
of 1867 with twelve Italian stocks,
worth at that time about $200. 1 sold
the increase of stock for $500, and
during the two years I realized $400
iu wax, honey, aud queens sold, allow¬
ing $200 for cost of hives and time in
attending to them (which will more
than cover it), leaves 8700 or $350
profit'caeh year, not a bad interest on
$200 invested for two years. A word
to parties intending to start an apiaiy
Get, if possible, a location where white
clover is plenty, or better yet, iuduce
your neighbors to sow Alsike clover,
which is one of the most profitable
crops a farmer can grow, either for
seed or hay, or for both, and for bees
it ahead of anything I ever saw. Pro¬
vide yourself with good movable comb
hives and the Italian bees. An apiary
started with such advantages and with
proper attention, I am satisfied, will
prove a profitable investment.— Cor.
Rural American.
The Proper Time to Cut
Wheat.
Mr. Editor —The wheat harvest
will bo here soon, and as in my
opinion a large proportion of this
valuable crop is damaged or lost every
year, by allowing the wheat to stand
until it is too rip'e, I thought I would
send you a few lines, giving my ex¬
perience and observation as to the
proper time for cutting. I am a
strong friend of early putting—that
is, from ten to twelve days before the
grain becomes dead ripe. When I
see the straw just under the heads
turn yellow, and become dry and
hard I begin to cut, because 1 know
that it has ceased to derive any nour¬
ishment from the ground. The
grain when cut at this stage of
growth, I have always found to be
heavier, plumper, thinner skinned,
producing more and finer flour than
when left to ripen fully', and the
straw, cut when I recommend, is
worth twice as much as the bleached
and parched straw of dead-ripe wheat.
Grain cut in the dough state docs
not scatter and shed like that which
is fully ripe, and the consequence is
that by early cutting much is Raved
that would be otherwise lost. Then
again—the strongest reason of all—
when cut from twelve to fourteen
days before it is quite ripe, general¬
ly escapes the ravages of rust which
so often destroys the grain crops of
the Southern States. It is just be¬
fore the grain ripens that rust usually
does most injury. By early cutting
this can be avoided five years out of
six. The best and most nutritive
flour and the greatest number of
pounds of flour and bran to the
bushel, have been found to come
from wheat cut in the dough. The
straw immediately under the head
for a length of two or three When inches,
is an unerring indication. it
becomes dry and yellow, after cut is away. loss
Every day that passes a
iu quautity and quality, aud needless
exposure to the danger of rust.
It was sometime after I had heard
this before L could give my conseut
to follow it. I thought it would
never do to cut wheat so green.
Finally I made the experiment and
became satisfied at once, that it was
good advice as to harvesting wheat
f or flour. Wheat for seed should of
course be left to ripen fully.
Perhaps some of your readers who
see these lines, if you think them
worth printing, may try the experi¬
ment and report the .result. It is a
matter ot no little consequence to
our people.— F\ R., in Ex.
Chesterfield Co., Ya , May, 1872.
The Bigbce (Ala ) Xacs says : The
crops are in tolerable order in this vi¬
cinity, but on some plantations the
cotton is dying, aud on this account
“chopping out” has not been pushed
forward.
Sheep as a Renoyator of Worn
Land
Mr. Editor :—There is a great deal
of talk about what is the best renova¬
tor of worn lands. Much of it is very
good, and if followed would be benefi¬
cial certainly ; but a great deal of
it is nonsense, because it is out of
the reach of .poor men —that is, poor
men who will not buy on credit or run
in debt on any account. But l think
I know a first-rate renovator which
will fay for itself by its own increase
in one year, and leave the good it does
the land for clear profit. That is a
few sheep. When I was in Virginia,
following the flag of Stonewall Jack
son, I had occasion to see what sheep
did for that country, and when 1 came
home dead broke, with nothing but a
small worn-out farm, my own labor
aud the help of a half-grown son, I dc
tenn iued to buy a few sheep with the
first money' I could spare, and try
what they would do for me. I bought
in the fall of one year, for twenty dol
lars, ten two year old ewes that were
in lamb. I put them in a small field
close to my house that was full of
briars aud weeds, and which would
have had to be tickled mightily to
make it produce eight bushels of corn.
They soon ate up tho? briars and the
grass iu the fence corners, and by their
constant tramping back and forth they
destroyed all the weeds. L gave them
a plenty of water, a little meal or
shorts,or sometimes wheat-bran every
day, and [ salted them frequently. I
kept them in that field during tin
Winter, providing them with a rude
shelter for bad weather ; fed them
there regularly with turnips, beets,
and some swamp hay I had saved.
They throve finely, and in the Spring
I had thirteen as fine lambs as ever
were seen, worth as much as l gave
for the ewes ; and I consider that the
wool and the manure paid me much
more than the cost of the feed I
plowed the field in time for corn
planting, planted it in corn in the
regular way, and gathered that Fall
from thirty to thirty five bushels of
fine corn to the acre, while on the spot
immediately round the shelter where
they used to gather at night, l gath¬
ered, I aui sure, at the rate of over
titty bushels. I have kept up the
use of this renovator ever since, and
l tind it pays handsomely. I have
never bought an ounce of guano or
phosphate. 1 make tiuc crops of corn
and wheat and clover and turnips. 1
have a splendid fiock of sheep, aud
hope soon not to have a single worn
acre of land on my farm. My reno¬
vator has not cost me a cent—more
than that it has made money for me,
and it lasts more than one year. I
hear from it for several years.
I am bothered some by dogs, and
have lost a few sheep iu that way ; but
I have got me a good shepherd’s dog.
I have a boy with them the sheep all day,
and I always fold at night, and
an occasional use of my shot-gun in
dog-hunting gives me pretty good pro¬
tection. Bog fennel may be good, but
a few sheep will beat it all hollow
Paul Durham, in Ex .
March, 1872.
WILLCOX & GIBBS
SILENT
A PERFECT WONDER
In its Simplicity, NoiseloRsness, Strength of
Stitch and Beauty of Finish. Has a patent device ,
which prevents its turning backward.
NEEDLE IS SELF-ADJUSTING,
and cannot he set wrong. Its Hemmera, Feuer,
and Braider aro acknowledged
Superior Id all Others 1
Ithtms, fels, tucks, cords, quilts, braids, em¬
broiders, and does ail sorts of plain aud fancy
bc wing with neatness aud dispatch.
IT RUNS SO LIGHT,
That LADIES IN FEEBLE HEALTH may use
WITHOUT INJURY
It is warranted t >give satistacUon in every respect
,*i§- Send for a Circular containing full informa¬
tion, notice* from the Press, Testimonials from
those using the Machine, etc. We refer to any one
using this Machine.
FOR SALE, AT MANUFACTURERS’ PRICES, BY
WILCOX, GIBBS & CO.,
No. 148 Bay St, SAVANNAH,
BAKER & ANSLEY,
No. 267 Broad St, AUGUSTA,
GENERAL AGENTS for the States of Georgia and
Florida.
'fc^.Also, by the following Agents, at the same
prices, with expenses from Savannah and Augusta
only added:
Mrs. Ann E. Chapman, Columbia, Ga.
Mrs S. Andouin, 2 d *t., M<icon, Ga.
Anderson A Co., Fort Valley, Ga.
Mrs. M. E. Lconord, Talbatton, Ga.
Brantley & Pringle, Sandersville, Harlow,Ga. Ga*
U. Stokes Sayre, Slilesboro,
B. F. Johnson A Co., Eatonton , Ga.
.1. M. Blalock, Carrallton, Ga.
B. G. Smith A Co., Cuthbert, Ga.
Mrs. Wilder A Morse, Forsyth , Ga.
Mrs. M. C. Goodwyn, Barnesville.
Mrs. S. F. Taylor, Griffin, Ga.
Tibbs, Kenner A Co., Dalton, Ga.
Foster A Harlan, Calhoun , Ga.
Miss Lizzie Lawes, New nan, Ga.
W. S. .Jackson, West Point, Ga.
E. A. A J. W. L. Smith, Monroe, Ga,
T. S. Hundley, Warrenton, Ga.
E. Remington A Son, Thomasville, Ga.
Mrs. E. Johnson, Rainbridge, Ga.
Mrs. Wm. Jennie A. Smith Richardson, Albany, Ga.
A C«» M Valdosta, Ga.
Baldwin, Harper A Co Dawson, Ga.
John II. Hate, Hawkinsville, Ga.
C. B. Seymour, Lumpkin, Ga.
Smith A Bro., Palmetto, Ga.
Wm. A. Graham, Fort Gaines, Ga.
W. R. Wilson, 7 allahassee, Fla.
I N Hart A Co, Americas Ga.
E L Felder, Perry, Ga.
W H Willis, Oglethorpe, Ga.
John Lord, Stockton, Ga.
J. O. Gailey, Agent, Athens, Ga.
Mrs. J. Richards, Thomson, Ga.
W AGENTS WANTED in every County
Rroughout the State to sell Machine*.