Gardek
V
VOL. LVIII.
INDIANAPOLIS, APRIL 4, 1903.—TWENTY PAGES.
NO. 14
The Busy Bee.
■alitor* iDdlana K.ruaisr:
Do not neglect the comb iu the hives
where bees have perished during the winter. Leave the comb in the hives and
close up tightly to keep out dust and mice.
If the hives are removed to a cool cellar
there will be no danger of the wax worm
destroying the combs. The combs will
le valuable at swarming time, but they
are perishable articles and unless care is
taken of theni they will be of little value.
Frames of comb containing honey may
iie used to replace empty combs iu oilier
hives when* a little extra food is needed
to encourage brood rearing.
While brood rearing is going on rapidly
these warm days the bees require considerable water. They will help themselves if there is a stream  near.
Not many farm lace-keepers bother with
watering bees in an artificial way. However it is an advantage to supply them
with water in the spring of the year especially. The cold sharp winds chill
them when they have to travel liar for
water, and many of them fail to reach
home. They often gather dew from the
leaves. Water they must have six months
of the year, and one is certainly fortunate
who is able to locate the apiary near a
brook.
Sunshine and shade nre both good for
bees; remember whan selecting a site for
the apiary. Shade so dense as to produce dampness is very detrimental. They
need sunlight in the morning ami evening
daring the spring and fall, and all day
through the winter. The best natural
protection is fruit trees, which protect
them from the heat in summer. The
sun shining directly on the hives during
the middle of the day in hot weather will
drive the bee from the supers, and
sometimes cause the combs to fall in
ruins. Tall trees are not desirable near
the hives because of swarms clustering
where it will be difficult to secure them.
Some sort of a wind-break on the north
and west aif hives will protect them from
the cold winds of winter and early spring.
The cold winds we have during spring
nouths prevent some of the bees from
leaching the hives even when near the
entranee. At this time of the vear we
need every bee it is possible so save. The
ground where bees are located should be
gently sloping so no surface water will
collect during a rainy period. Sprinkle
enough salt around and under the hives
to discourage ants ami kill grass and
weeds.
A sloping board in front of the liive
affords a safa*. sure way for weary laden
laees to climb up to the entrance. Every
hive shiaiilal have a good tight roof, so
that no dampness ean get in from above.
Avoid dampness below by placing the
hives several inches above the surface.
This also gives a free circulation of air beneath the hive and a more direct entrance of sunlight at times when it is a
btnefif. English   manufacturers   make
hives with permanent legs, six or eight
inches in length. This feature wns a
part of the original Langstroth hive.
Sections should be put up and filled with
foundation. Hot they will soon be needed,
and don*t forget the separators, common
tin* ones will do. With their aid one
may have fine finished honey instead of
a ragged half sealed prodnct   F. M. W.
 » » m	
The Migration of the Birds.
Edltnra   Id-Hum   Farmer:
The little song sparrow was the first
to arrive, before the February snows bad
melted he was singing his cheery little
song. With the first aaf March came the
bluebird and robin: then as the days grew
warmer the killaleer was telling his name
over the fields, and now the meadow larks
fill the air with their songs. Whole flocks
of blacklairals chant their music in the
tops of the maples, and their cousins the
red-wings have eome back to their old
haunts,  down by the  caHail  pond.
Flocks of wild ramose an*d ducks, anal
sometimes a solitary laliu* heron are all
.•cen flying toward their summer homes.
One ilay the fnmilinr note of the cat bird
i? heard, anal the na*xt. perhaps yon will
hear the thrilling call of the wood thrush.
Some of the birds stay with us, bnt most
of them are on their journey northward.
What travelers they are! Who tells
tnem that spring is in the north and that
nesting time will soon be here? How
do they fiml Itheir way over miles anal
miles of forest fields nnd mountains? Saame
of our hinls cross part of the ocean: wintering in South  America. Culm  anal    the
West  Iiiili**s.    Others come from Mexico,
Central   America   and  the  Gulf    States.
Haiwever  far  south they  have  flown   tliey
know the way back; often coming taa .ha*
rery sama* spot that was their li'iiiia* tlaa*
summer before. The larger lainls Hv
in the day time, resting at night in* gome
secluded spot. The smaller and more
t i in ial lairds are obliged to maka* ilia* long
journey after night. Hying all night
then resting for a day or perhaps se
days. These binls generally tnn-
large flocks of several species comi
i'isi* are called by Naturalists, bird vi
Yaau may see one of these bird »
sarnie warm morning in April ort.Sk,.
You may notice that trees and l.usll-.-S***' "-*
full of strange birds, mostly small ~T7iai
of many colored feathers; sunn* ara* yellovrf
breasted, others gay with bars or <*n*sis
of orange, red or white in many combinations. They are mostly warblers.
and it woulil take a scientist to name and
i 'assify them. A few of the flock sneli
as wrens, orioles and goldfiniihes will
slay with us but most are on their way to
Canadian woods. A flock of sueh birds
was seen going over the trees In an orchard in the spring of 1900. The tr****s
were in full bloom and the birals seemeal
to be hovering about the blossoms. Trees
were examined, that the binls hnd not
reached and Urom one to a dosen large
nlnnt lice were found in eaeh cluster.
The trees thnt the birds hnd gone over,
were entirely free from insects. So.
welcome nil the little migrants, fir thev
are all our friends.             Mrs. J. T. W.
Harvey's Florida L,ett*r.
Bdltora Indiana  Fhrmer:
In answer to many iuquiring friends:
We hare passed a most delightful winter
here, aud expect to go to our northern
home at Lafayette, Ind., about the 9th of
April. We enjoy reading the Indiana
Farmer here more than ever. We always
read it first. Mrs. Harvey's health "is
better than for several years. Orange
perfume now fills the air and nature's
beauties are charming. I have corn and
potatoes up and growing finely. Our
northern visitors are gaaing north with our
birds. I have been busy planting trees,
shrubs and flowers. 1 have just finished
planting five acres of cassava; a starch
factory at Lake Mary contracts for all
they can get at $5.75 a ton, on cars here;
they use oO tons a day. We can raise
7 to 15 tons per aa re. We plant pieces
of the top stalks, cut into four inch pieces,
one iii a hill, four feet each way. \\ .*
alig the raaots with a cant hook. Saame
hills weigh from 8 to 20 pounals, with
ra*a*is large as your arm. and longer. Tbey
are about all Starch, they make gooil pies.
jillia*s. custards, etc., also exea*lla*m cow
and lnag feed. The cassava gnaws somewhat like our northern poke berry  w I,
only the stems are covered..with buds.
Then* are 2<"l ai*ra*s t*i ba* planted here,
o*- more in this section. Mr. Miller raised
100 acres  this year.
Another farmer has ISO acres of musk
melaans growing near here in one patch.
Another man has 50 acres of tomatoes.
Potatoes are nearly rendy to use: strawberries an* 10 eents a quart; meats of all
kinds, and living is a Want as cheap as in
Indiana; only one death here this winter,
besides on** old woman who made a fire
with coal oil and got burned up in her
house, ns usunl. Mr. Will Martin nml
wife, will go home to their South Raub
farm next week. Mrs. Martin's health
has wonderfully improved. A good manv
people are here from Indiana. Rev.
McKinley. n cousin of president McKinley
preaches in the Presbyterian church. He
is a finely educated man and delivered a
patriotic oration on Washington's birthday.
I got $242.50 of the railroads for onr
four trunks that were burned up in that
wreck. The claim was for $500. but
they said our household goods would have
to be 'eliminated." so we had to lose $250
waarth on a quibble, because thev saial they
were not legally baggage. It was hani
to fix the responsibility, as onr tickets run
<ver foiu- roads. Now it is a wonderful
thange to have two homes fifteeif hundred
miles apart, and precious friends, and tha'
many good-byes at eaeh home. We have
made eleven rounal trips to Florida
anal don't regret it. .Tust as well to salt
il down  that  way  ns  to  buy  more  land
The Future of Rural  Free Mall Doll very
Depends on the Solution of the
Road Problem.
The remarkable growth of the rural
free mail delivery system, and the willing*
na-ss of Congress to appropriati
tor extensions faster than the extensions
i an be made hare been surprising even
in tin* nia*si enthusiastic friends of the
system. "Why. the thing is spreading
like wild tire,'' remarked a gentleman
.who has  been   reading  up  ou the  subject,
"At this rale, rural free mail delivery
isrill be universal in a few years." At
"hrst glance, this view appears to lie correct, but in fact sueh a view is merely
superficial. It takes no great amount of
UtTPstigiition* t*a convince one thai the sys-
■^n must meet ami overcome some very
great obstacles before it can even become
geheral, to say nothing of being universal. So far, the system has sailed on
smooth and open seas with favorable
Winds, lint now it is rapidly approaching
a region of rocks and snngs anal  storms.
Dropping the maritine figure, and coming back to terra firma, the great obstacle
to the general spread of the rural free
delivery system is the miserable roads of
the country. So far the system has been
extended only to communities blessed with
good roads. Among the many communities demanding the introduction of the
system, tho Post Office Department has
been able to select those which have good
roads, either as a result of favorable natural conditions or superior wealth. The
less favored communities which have been
passed by have consoled themselves with
the thought that their turn would come
soon. But when these disappointed com-
muniHes—and their number is increasing
rery rapidly—find out that they are permanently barred from enjoying the benefits of free delivery on account of their
roads, a cry of Indignant opposition will
be raised: and it will grow into an* angrv
roar above whieh it is doubtful if the
friends   of   free   delivery   can   be   heard.
lorn.    When the chufas begin to sot on
the roots, staap all cultivation. When the
lops begin to turn yellow, ilia*y a*an Incut fan* hay If desireal. It makes gootl
hay. Tin* yellowing ta*ps show that the
chufas are ripe and can be gathered, or
money | the hogs turned in to fatten on them. In
harvesting them, the chufas an* pullea
up by the tops and beaten off over the
side of the ahufa 'eve, where they are
cleared from sand and roots. This sieve
is a box, usually 2 feet by 2 feel by 1
foot, with ', Inch Screen for a bottom.
It is hung In a  woo, en  frame by an  iron
rod, which passes under it and upon whieh
it is rocked. A lever at one siale is useal
in rocking the sieve, anal is saa arranged
that the sieve cannot turn over until the
worker is ready to empty the chufas out.
After being sifted, the chufas are spread
in the sun to dry. As farmers do mat
have conveniairt places for drying the chufas, and because they want to turn tin*
i.ogs into the field as soon as possible,
very few save even seed enough for their
next year's planting, preferring to buy it.
Blankets made of grain sacks and spread
on a grassy yard give a gooal place for
ruring the chufas. They must be taken*
under eover when it rains, which is quite
often in Florida. They lose aliout one-
third in bulk when cured. The weight of
chufas is 42 pounds per bushel. Manv
chufas will not weigh out that mnch,
while others will exceed it. Ours weighed   4*4  pounds  last   year.
It takes one peck of chufas to plant
one acre, and they usually sell for $1 per
pack. A sandy soil is best for them, anal
they will make a gooal crop without fertilizer. With good fertilizing, the crop Is
enormous, considering the siza* of the tula rs. At the Alabama station, tive yiehl
was 172 bnshels of green nuts per <iere.
making 11." bushels when cured. Thev
will keep perfectly in the ground until
tin* hogs a-nt tbem up. Thev an* au excellent eraap to raise on land thnt is too
poor   for  other  crops.
The chufas require four months  to nin-
When this storm breaks",  the beneficiaries ' ,,lr''*     They   are   excellent   alone,   but   the
of the system will ba* fonnd taa be a small   *"'s' results are s,.,.,,n*.i by feeding corn
minority, and the disappointed a largo
majority of the rural population. Sup.
pa.sa* the minority stanils on its dignity
anal says: "What are vou going to alo
about ft?" What's to prevent the disappointed majority from wiping out the
whole system and thus restoring "equal!-
I* before the law?" Or suppose the minority   says.   "Why     don't     you     improve
your roads, nnd thus secune the blessings
of   free   mail   delivery?"    The   majority
can  answer.  "In improving our nails,  we
have taa overcome greater obstacles, and
or soma* other kind  of grain  with  them.
Hogs and chickens an* verv fond of
them, and will do tha* harvesting if allowed   in   the  field.
We hava* hail so many calls f,„- Sa*,-1
thnt the 40 bushels saved from last year's
<rop is now exhausted, ami wa* have only
onoauri,  ],'ft  tn plant   this  rears  crop
Meln.se.    Tin. R.   B.   Merryman.
Spare Our Birds.
Bdltora  Indiana  Farmer:
The small  hoy and his gun are robbing
r."Lr!le"n^ f?Ji__*"\. ^hy. ■ot help us im-  our country lams ami by-ways of some of
prove our  roads   throngh   general   taxa-  our sweetest  songsters, but'we have not
ton.       Sueh  a demand  as  this  is  almost   ns  manh   fault   to find   with  them  as  with
..rtain   to   result   from   the   agitation   for   the   butchers   wl, rsistamth    slaughter
rural   free  delivery   of  the   mails.     Ami   our warblers, in ,„*,l.*,* to supply th,* miili-
a*r    unjust  uer trade of ohr .country,    it  r.sts witn
small
to
the improtement of rivers and harb.ars?      The Audubon society is doing a great
A  proper distribution of the expenses of wa.rk   ill   this   direction   bv   ai tempting   to
i-enera    road   inipnavement  among  the  na- Introduce  laws  to  check   th.    n,    s of the
ion.  the  States,  an,    the  local  communi- milliners' butchers.    One who   s go^d allies   appears   to   be  th,*  only   practical   SO thority   on   this   s.,bj,*<*t   sa   s   that   th se
•it,.an  of the  road  problem,  and   the   road hunters  have  practicing  exi'ern,im, e,     h *
problem must Ik* solved ,f rural free mail plume birds of the  United  St*,.  A
delivery is  to be  made general.
Oood Roads
churae.
Edltora Indiana  Farmer:
The  chufa  seems  to    be    very    little
known   outside  of!  the   Southern' States,!
t is an old crop here and is highly   skim along the green rushes" that'^I-d^
■   feed   crop   for  hogs   and   the   far-flamed blue Indian river   nnd not-
They
have stripped the Atlantic const, the
whole of Florida  and the Gulf coasts of
• grits. ta*rns ami ..ther birds aci-eptable
to the millinery trade. They are now at
work in Mexico, Central America and
lower California.
I  have often  seen the snow-white egret
* L  mi      siT..i,,r      il...       -  —      i .i ■ .
esteemed   as
poultry.
The plant resembles a large bunch of
li ass. the blade* sometimes gniwing ns
high as a man's waist, and usually to the
I..ne. ami the plant at the ground measuring six or eight ina-hos in diameter. The
chufas nre small tubers borne npon the
thread-like roots, one tuber at the end of
each root. 'I'he cbufas, after being cured, .
BK, in size, from a garden pea to the size lers
*at a small almond, and an immense quantity is borne on one plant. Thev must
be soaked  about three days before plant
Illl'      tf\      1 II aJII I-t a      t lla.ilt      Laltisntl *_.>,_.      _____>.___• .1 !1 _. 'IM
ing there its graceful beauty, can never
enjoy it sitting in stony death on anybody s hat. I care not how prettv the face
beneath it.
The best way, or, perhaps, the speediest way to check this slaughter of the
birds is to get Fashion on our side. Girls
set a crusnale against feathers, wings ami
•ds,  and   save   for  us   our   sweet  warb-
_ and     beautiful     feathered     friends
lion t   scold   the   boys   for   robbing  binls'
nests if you  are wearing the mother bird
on your hat. j.;   q   g
Alabama.
    jng to insure their sprouting readily." The
hogs, cattle, goods, or property; and have   land is put in condition as for corn   then
to stay by it to watch it: nnd grumble nt   furrowed  out  four  feet  apart      The  ehn-
high   taxes,   and   pay   doctor   bills,   break , l.'.s are dropped;  one in  a place,  eighteen   i,.,s        r.*,sed'Vi'iT1Sf*__\hmoVel,lt,h  Cf  Basel
yoar bones on the ice or die with pneu- ■ inches apart in  the furrow,  ami  covered     i h,, h J    ,,   V i     '      ' "'V1'1, * ,e P°P»-
monia,    or something    else.      <;,..,.i-by.-  ly turning a light furrow on them     Oil   «mTrk.Wo^S^Ldo,1^ed" wMch *» *mo&
"Vi""- \   C. Harvey.       livate shallow  anal  about ns  much  as  tet   i VW years  oil *   ^^   th&t  "