Part 8

Apiarists differ as to what constitutes the best hive. Novices in bee culture generally think that they can invent a better hive than any in use, but after trying their invention for awhile, conclude that they are not as wise as they thought they were. Many hives are patented yearly by persons ignorant of the nature of the honey-bee, and few, if any, are received with favor by intelligent apiarists.

The requisites for a good hive are durability, simplicity, ease of construction and of working, and pleasing to the eye. We think the Langstroth embodies these. It was invented by the father of modern bee-culture. He gave to the world the movable frame; without its use, we might as well keep our bees in hollow logs, as our fathers did. Different sizes of movable frames are now in use, but two-thirds of the apiarists prefer the Langstroth.

Upon many farms, bees may be found in salt barrels, nail-kegs, etc., doing little good for their owner, while if they were put into hives, where the surplus could be obtained in good shape, they would become a source of income. Specialists either manufacture their own hives, or buy them in the flat, in the lumber region. As the farmer may need but a few hives, he may find leisure in winter to make them.

Every farmer needs a workshop, and if he has none, should provide himself with one. It need not be large, and can be made quite inexpensively. In his barn, if it is large, partition off a room for a workshop 12 × 14 feet, and if he not be blessed with a good large barn, why a thousand feet of common boards, and a load of good stout saplings, with a little mechanical skill and some muscle, will provide a very good farm workshop.

Get a few tools, such as a saw, square, plane, hatchet, a brace, and a few bits, and before twelve months pass away you will wonder how you ever managed to do without one before; many a singletree or doubletree can be made, or broken implements repaired during leisure, or the rainy days of late winter or spring, and the boys will go there to try their hands, and develop their mechanical skill; exercising both brain and muscle. Remember that the school of industry is second to no university in the land.

Now for the hives; in the first place you need a pattern. Purchase of some dealer or manufacturer of apiarian supplies, a good Langstroth hive complete with section boxes. Then get a couple of hundred feet (more or less) of ten inch stock boards, mill dressed on both sides, then with your pattern hive, workshop, and tools, you are master of the situation. After your hives are made, don't forget to paint them; it is economy to paint hives as well as dwelling houses.

LANGSTROTH HIVE.

For the benefit of those who may not be able to obtain a pattern hive, or frame, we will give the dimensions. The sides of the Langstroth hive are 10 inches wide, by 23 inches long, the ends are 12 inches long, the back end the same width as the sides; front end, 3/8 inches narrower, and recesses or sets back 3-3/8 inches from portico, all 7/8 inches thick. The Langstroth frame is 17-1/4 × 9-1/4 inches outside measure. The length of top bar of frame is 19-1/4 inches, the frame stuff is all 7/8 wide, the top bar is 5/8 × 7/8, and is V shaped on the under side for a comb guide--the upright pieces 1/2 × 7/8, the bottom pieces 1/4 × 7/8.

The above are the dimensions of an eight frame hive. Strips 1/4 × 7/8 inches are nailed on the outside of the hive 1/4 inch from the upper edge, and the cap or upper hive rests upon them. We make the cap 22-1/8 inches long by 13-7/8 inches wide in the clear, and ten inches high.

Some apiarists omit the porticos, but we like them, and the bees appear to enjoy them. Right angled triangle blocks, made right and left, are used to regulate the entrance. By changing the position of these blocks on the alighting board the size of the entrance may be varied, and the bees always directed to it by the shape of the block, without any loss of time in searching for it--in case of robbing the hive, the hive can be entirely closed with them. A board was formerly used to cover the frames, but is now generally abandoned, apiarists preferring duck, enameled cloth, or heavy muslin.

MRS. L. HARRISON.

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NO SAFER REMEDY can be had for Coughs and Colds, or any trouble of the Throat, than "_Brown's Bronchial Troches_." Price 25 cents. _Sold only in boxes._

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MISCELLANEOUS.

ARM & HAMMER BRAND

TO FARMERS.--It is important that the SODA OR SALERATUS they use should be _white_ and _pure_, in common with all similar substances used for food.

In making bread with yeast, it is well to use about half a teaspoonful of the "ARM AND HAMMER" BRAND SODA or SALERATUS at the same time, and thus make the bread rise better and prevent it becoming sour by correcting the natural acidity of the yeast.

DAIRYMEN

AND

FARMERS

should use only the "ARM AND HAMMER" brand for cleaning and keeping milk-pans sweet and clean.

_To insure obtaining only the_ "ARM AND HAMMER" _brand Soda or Saleratus, buy it in_ "POUND _or_ HALF-POUND PACKAGES," _which bear our name and trade-mark, as inferior goods are sometimes substituted for the_ "ARM AND HAMMER" _brand when bought in bulk._

* * * * *

"THE BEST IS THE CHEAPEST."

ENGINES SAW MILLS, THRESHERS, HORSE POWERS,

(For all sections and purposes.) Write for FREE Pamphlet and Prices to The Aultman & Taylor Co., Mansfield, Ohio.

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THE FAMOUS EASY-RUNNING

Monarch Lightning Sawing Machine

IT BEATS THE WORLD FOR SAWING LOGS OR FAMILY STOVE WOOD.

SENT ON 30 DAYS' TEST TRIAL.

The boy in the picture on the left is sawing up logs into 20-inch lengths, to be split into stovewood for family use. This is much the BEST and CHEAPEST way to get out your firewood, because the 20-inch blocks are VERY EASILY split up, a good deal easier and quicker than the old-fashioned way of cutting the logs into 4-feet lengths, splitting it into cordwood, and from that sawing it up with a buck saw into stovewood. We sell a large number of machines to farmers and others for just this purpose. A great many persons who had formerly burned coal have stopped that useless expense since getting our Machine. Most families have one or two boys, 16 years of age and up, who can employ their spare time in sawing up wood just as well as not. The

MONARCH LIGHTNING SAWING MACHINE

will save your paying money and board to ONE hired man and perhaps TWO men.

The boy at the right in the picture is sawing up cordwood in a buck frame. You can very easily use our machine in this way if you have cordwood on hand that you wish to saw up into suitable lengths for firewood.

A boy sixteen years old can work the machine all day and not get any more tired than he would raking hay. The machine runs VERY EASILY, so easily, in fact, that after giving the crank half a dozen turns, the operator may let go and the machine will run itself for THREE OR FOUR REVOLUTIONS. Farmers owning standing timber cannot fail to see the many advantages of this great LABOR-SAVING AND MONEY-SAVING MACHINE. If you prefer, you can easily go directly into the woods and easily saw the logs into 20-inch lengths for your family use, or you can saw them into 4-foot lengths, to be split into cordwood, when it can be readily hauled off to the village market. Many farmers are making a good deal of money with this Machine in employing the dull months of the year in selling cordwood.

It makes a great difference in LABOR AND MONEY both in using our machine, because you get away with a second man. It takes two men to run the old-fashioned cross-cut saw, and it makes two backs ache every day they use it. Not so with our saw.

We offer $1,000 for a sawing machine that is EASIER OPERATED and FASTER RUNNING than ours. Every farmer should own our machine. It will pay for itself in one season. Easily operated by a sixteen-year-old boy.

Lumbermen and farmers should GET THE BEST--GET THE CHEAPEST--GET THE MONARCH LIGHTNING SAWING MACHINE.

E. DUTTER, Hicksville, O., writes:--It runs so easy that it is JUST FUN to saw wood.

C. A. COLE, Mexico, N. Y., writes:--With this machine I sawed off an elm log, twenty-one inches in diameter, in one minute, forty-three seconds.

Z. G. HEGE, Winston, N. C., writes:--I have shown your machine to several farmers, and all pronounce it a PERFECT SUCCESS.

WM. DILLENBACK, Dayton, Tex., writes:--I am WELL PLEASED with the MONARCH LIGHTNING SAWING MACHINE. My boys can saw WITH ALL EASE.

L. W. YOST, Seneca, Kan., writes:--I will bet $50 that I can saw as much with this machine as any two men can with the old-fashioned cross-cut saw.

T. K. BUCK, Mt. Vernon, Ill., writes:--I have given the Monarch a fair trial, and can truly say it is ALL YOU CLAIM FOR IT, a complete success, enabling a boy to do the work of two strong men, and indeed, more. I would not take $75 for the MONARCH and be deprived of the privilege of having another like it. I sawed off a twenty-inch solid water oak log twelve times yesterday in FORTY-FIVE MINUTES.

J. M. CRAWFORD. Columbia, S. C., writes:--I tried the Monarch on an oak log to-day before twenty farmers. All said it WORKED PERFECTLY.

N. B.--We are selling SIX TIMES as many Machines as any other firm, simply because our Machine gives perfect satisfaction. Our factory is running day and night to fill orders. Send in your order at once. The BEST is the CHEAPEST. Our agent sold four machines in one day. Another sold twenty-eight in his township. Another agent cleared $100 in one week. BE SURE AND MENTION THIS PAPER.

WE WISH A LIVE, WIDE-AWAKE AGENT IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. Write for Latest Illustrated Catalogue giving Special Terms and scores of Testimonials.

MONARCH MANUFACTURING CO.

163 E. RANDOLPH STREET, CHICAGO, ILL.

* * * * *

REMEMBER _that $2.00 pays for_ THE PRAIRIE FARMER _from this date to January 1, 1885; For $2.00 you get it for one year and a copy of_ THE PRAIRIE FARMER COUNTY MAP OF THE UNITED STATES, FREE! _This is the most liberal offer ever made by any first-class weekly agricultural paper in this country._

SCIENTIFIC.

SOME GOSSIP ABOUT DARWIN.

The last number of the American Naturalist presents the following from David S. Jorden, of Bloomington, Indiana. It is one of those gossipy bits about the great scientist that every body enjoys reading.

In a recent visit to England, the writer strolled into the village of Down in Kent, and talked with some of the villagers in regard to Mr. Darwin, whose beautiful home is just outside the little town.

Some of this talk, although in itself idle and valueless, may have an interest to readers, as showing how a great man looks to his smaller neighbors.

The landlord of the "George Inn" said that "all the people wished to have Mr. Darwin buried in Down, but the government would not let them. It would have helped the place so much. It would have brought hosts of people down to see his grave. Especially it would have helped the hotel business which is pretty dull in winter time.

"Mr. Darwin was a very fine-looking man. He had a high forehead and wore a long beard. Still, if you had met him on the street, perhaps, you would not have taken much notice of him unless you knew that he was a clever man."

"Sir John Lubbock (Darwin's friend and near neighbor) is a very clever man, too, but not so clever nor so remarkable-looking as Mr. Darwin. He is very fond of hants (ants), and plants, and things."

At Keston, three miles from Down, the landlady of the Grayhound had never heard of Mr. Darwin until after his death. There was then considerable talk about his being buried in Westminster, but nothing was said of him before.

Several persons had considerable to say of Mr. Darwin's extensive and judicious charity to the poor. To Mr. Parslow, for many years his personal servant, Mr. Darwin gave a life pension of £50, and the rent of the handsome "Home Cottage" in Down. During the time of a water famine in that region, he used to ride about on horseback to see who needed water, and had it brought to them at his own expense from the stream at St. Mary's Cray.

"He was," said Mr. Parslow, "a very social, nice sort of a gentleman, very joking and jolly indeed; a good husband and a good father and a most excellent master. Even his footmen used to stay with him as long as five years. They would rather stay with him than take a higher salary somewhere else. The cook came there while young and stayed there till his death, nearly thirty years later.

"Mrs Darwin is a pleasant lady, a year older than her husband. Their boys are all jolly, nice young fellows. All have turned out so well, not one of them rackety, you know. Seven children out of the ten are now living.

"George Darwin is now a professor in Oxford. He was a barrister at first; had his wig and gown and all, but had to give it up on account of bad health. He would have made a hornament to the profession.

"Francis Darwin is a doctor, and used to work with his father in the greenhouse. He is soon to marry a lady who lectures on Botany in Oxford.

"For the first twenty years after Mr. Darwin's return from South America, his health was very bad--much more than later. He had a stomach disease which resulted from sea-sickness while on the voyage around the world. Mr. Parslow learned the watercure treatment and treated Mr. Darwin in that system, for a long time, giving much relief.

"Mr. Darwin used to do his own writing but had copyists to get his work ready for the printer. He was always an early man. He used to get up at half past six. He used to bathe and then go out for a walk all around the place. Then Parslow used to get breakfast for him before the rest of the family came down. He used to eat rapidly, then went to his study and wrote till after the rest had breakfast. Then Mrs. Darwin came in and he used to lie half an hour on the sofa, while she or someone else read to him. Then he wrote till noon, then went out for an hour to walk. He used to walk all around the place. Later in life, he had a cab, and used to ride on horseback. Then after lunch at one, he used to write awhile. Afterwards he and Mrs. Darwin used to go to the bedroom, where he lay on a sofa and often smoked a cigarette while she read to him. After this he used to walk till dinner-time at five. Before the family grew up, they used to dine early, at half-past one, and had a meat-tea at half-past six.

"Sometimes there were eighteen or twenty young Darwins of different families in the house. Four-in-hand coaches of young Darwins used sometimes to come down from London. Mr. Darwin liked children. They didn't disturb him in the least. There were sometimes twenty or thirty pairs of little shoes to be cleaned of a morning, but there were always plenty of servants to do this.

"The gardener used to bring plants into his room often of a morning, and he used to tie bits of cotton on them, and try to make them do things. He used to try all sorts of seeds. He would sow them in pots in his study.

"There were a quantity of people in Westminster Abbey when he was buried. Mr. Parslow and the cook were among the chief mourners and sat in the Jerusalem chamber. The whole church was as full of people as they could stand. There was great disappointment in Down that he was not buried there. He loved the place, and we think that he would rather have rested there had he been consulted."

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MISCELLANEOUS.

To Our Readers.

THE PRAIRIE FARMER is the OLDEST, MOST RELIABLE, and the LEADING AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST, devoted exclusively to the interests of the Farmer, Gardener, Florist, Stock Breeder, Dairyman, Etc., and every species of industry connected with that great portion of the People of the World, the PRODUCERS. Now in the Forty-Second Year of its existence, and never, during more than two score years, having missed the regular visit to its patrons, it will continue to maintain supremacy as A STANDARD AUTHORITY ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO AGRICULTURE AND KINDRED PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRIES, and as a FRESH AND READABLE FAMILY AND FIRESIDE JOURNAL. It will from time to time add new features of interest, securing for each department the ablest writers of practical experience.

THE PRAIRIE FARMER will discuss, without fear or favor, all topics of interest properly belonging to a Farm and Fireside Paper, treat of the most approved practices in AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, BREEDING, ETC.; the varied Machinery, Implements, and improvements in same, for use both in Field and House; and, in fact, everything of interest to the Agricultural community, whether in FIELD, MARKET, OR HOME CIRCLE.

IT WILL GIVE INFORMATION UPON THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, WESTERN SOILS, CLIMATE, ETC.; ANSWER INQUIRIES on all manner of subjects which come within its sphere; GIVE each week, full and RELIABLE MARKET, CROP, AND WEATHER REPORTS; PRESENT the family with choice and INTERESTING LITERATURE; amuse and INSTRUCT THE YOUNG FOLKS: AND, in a word, aim to BE, in every respect, AN INDISPENSABLE AND UNEXCEPTIONABLE farm and fireside COMPANION.

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* * * * *

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This elegant 18K ROLLED GOLD WEDDING RING, equal in appearance to a $10 ring, FREE TO ALL. Wishing to at once secure a large number of new subscribers to our well known literary and family paper, BACKLOG SKETCHES, and knowing that all who once read it will become regular subscribers, we make this most liberal offer to induce all to subscribe, firmly believing that in the future we shall be benefited in the increased business it will bring us. For only 25 Cents we will send BACKLOG SKETCHES three months ON TRIAL, and we will send every subscriber, absolutely FREE, this elegant 18K ROLLED GOLD RING. For $1, we send Backlog Sketches a year and send every subscriber free, a beautiful RING, WARRANTED SOLID GOLD. Backlog Sketches is a large, 16 page, illustrated literary paper, size Harper's Weekly, every issue being filled with the most charming stories and sketches and choicest miscellany. It is alone worth double the subscription price. Subscribe now. Sample paper for stamp. Address

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GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 1878.

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SOLD BY GROCERS EVERYWHERE.

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* * * * *

A DANGEROUS AMBUSCADE.

Discovered Barely in Time--The Most Deceptive and Luring of Modern Evils Graphically Described.

(_Syracuse Journal._)

Something of a sensation was caused in this city yesterday by a rumor that one of our best-known citizens was about to publish a statement concerning some unusual experiences during his residence in Syracuse. How the rumor originated it is impossible to say, but a reporter immediately sought Dr. S. G. Martin, the gentleman in question, and secured the following interview:

"What about this rumor, Doctor, that you are going to make a public statement of some important matters?"

"Just about the same as you will find in all rumors--some truth; some fiction. I had contemplated making a publication of some remarkable episodes that have occurred in my life, but have not completed it as yet."

"What is the nature of it, may I inquire?"

"Why, the fact that I am a human being instead of a spirit. I have passed through one of the most wonderful ordeals that perhaps ever occurred to any man. The first intimation I had of it was several years ago, when I began to feel chilly at night and restless after retiring. Occasionally this would be varied by a soreness of the muscles and cramps in my arms and legs. I thought, as most people would think, that it was only a cold and so paid as little attention to it as possible. Shortly after this I noticed a peculiar catarrhal trouble and my throat also became inflamed. As if this were not variety enough I felt sharp pains in my chest, and a constant tendency to headache."

"Why didn't you take the matter in hand and check it right where it was?"

"Why doesn't everybody do so? Simply because they think it is only some trifling and passing disorder. These troubles did not come all at once and I thought it unmanly to heed them. I have found, though, that every physical neglect must be paid for and with large interest. Men can not draw drafts on their constitution without honoring them sometime. These minor symptoms I have described, grew until they were giants of agony. I became more nervous; had a strange fluttering of the heart, an inability to draw a long breath and an occasional numbness that was terribly suggestive of paralysis. How I could have been so blind as not to understand what this meant I can not imagine."

"And did you do nothing?"

"Yes, I traveled. In the spring of 1879 I went to Kansas and Colorado, and while in Denver, I was attacked with a mysterious hemorrage of the urinary organs and lost twenty pounds of flesh in three weeks. One day after my return I was taken with a terrible chill and at once advanced to a very severe attack of pneumonia. My left lung soon entirely filled with water and my legs and body became twice their natural size. I was obliged to sit upright in bed for several weeks in the midst of the severest agony, with my arms over my head, and constant fear of suffocation."

"And did you still make no attempt to save yourself?"

"Yes, I made frantic efforts. I tried everything that seemed to offer the least prospect of relief. I called a council of doctors and had them make an exhaustive chemical and microscopical examination of my condition. Five of the best physicians of Syracuse and several from another city said I must die!

"It seemed as though their assertion was true for my feet became cold, my mouth parched, my eyes wore a fixed glassy stare, my body was covered with a cold, clammy death sweat, and I read my fate in the anxious expressions of my family and friends."

"But the _finale_?"

"Came at last. My wife, aroused to desperation, began to administer a remedy upon her own responsibility and while I grew better very slowly, I gained ground surely until, in brief, I have no trace of the terrible Bright's disease from which I was dying, and am a perfectly well man. This may sound like a romance, but it is true, and my life, health and what I am are due to Warner's Safe Cure, which I wish was known to and used by the thousands who I believe, are suffering this minute as I was originally. Does not such an experience as this justify me in making a public statement?"

"It certainly does. But then Bright's disease is not a common complaint, doctor."