the most delightful song-bird that can be found, which enlivens mute nature, from morning till night, with its most charmingly sweet notes. As the sky-lark confines itself altogether to open fields, and never will even alight on trees or shrubs, its usefulness is entirely concentrated on grain-fields and meadows. Any climate seems to agree with them, as they make the farthest north, as well as the south, their home; and are compelled only by the coldest winters to migrate for one or two months to more temperate districts-similar, in that respect,to our blue-bird. During the colder seasons they live on grass and grassseeds, but in spring and summer they feed entirely on insects and

worms.

The male sky-larks are the most active song-birds known. From morning till night they will surround the ploughman or the reaper, comforting and shortening his weary hours with their musical entertainments. At almost any time in the day they can be seen ascending perpendicularly to the sky, higher and higher, until quite out of sight, cheerfully singing their merry hymns of praise. In this manner they will soar around in the sky for hours at a time, continually warbling their merry songs, until they gradually descend in the same manner to their "sweet home" and family on earth.

What a great addition it would be to our free country, if an importation of these birds could be made, to ornament and enliven our farms and silent prairies, which seem now only to want the merry bustle of these denizens of the air, Millions of these birds are annually caught on the Continent of Europe, and used as a delicacy for the tables of the rich, notwithstanding they weigh only half an ounce when dressed. I have often attended night excursions in Saxony, where hundreds of them were captured with drop-nets in a single night. Would it not be much better if these same birds, which are destined to enrich the tables of European aristocracy, were imported alive to this continent and be set at liberty, to benefit and ornament our common free country, and constitute living monuments to future generations of progressive agriculture and taste? With an expense of a few thousand dollars, enough could be imported, so that several hundred could be distributed to each of the different States, which when set at liberty at suitable places, and at proper times, would easily accommodate themselves to our climate, and sufficiently multiply, in a short time, to spread over our whole domain.

There are quite a number of other birds, the importation and naturalizing of which would be desirable. For instance, the robin redbreast; also the blackcap, the song-thrush, the blackbird, the quail, and many others, all of which live on insects during the summer, and are excellent singing-birds.

The best time for the importation of these birds would be during the months of October and November, because they are at that time. prepared for migrating to a warmer climate, and collect in large flocks for the purpose; and because they can be obtained at that time in great numbers by those whose sole occupation is to catch them for market. After they have been kept in large rooms until they gradually get used to confinement, they may be shipped in cages by ocean steamers, and after their arrival, set at liberty in the Southern or mid

dle States the same fall. Those destined for the Northern States would have to be wintered in large rooms, to be set free early the next spring.

Appropriations for such purposes, in my estimation, should be made by the national government, because States, as well as private individuals, cannot be expected to incur the expenses attending such an enterprise; and it would be doubtful whether these birds would all remain in the places where they might be liberated, as some of them would be likely to migrate to districts more suitable to their habits and increase.

POULTRY AND EGGS.

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Statement of JOHN EICHAR, of Greensburgh, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania.

Considerable attention has been given of late to the raising of fine fowls. Several foreign breeds have been imported, a few of which

possess real merit. Persons unacquainted with the statistics of the country, have no idea of the immense value of poultry and eggs in the United States. The value of poultry in 1840, was estimated at $12,176,170; and, owing to the introduction of foreign fowls, and the high prices which have been paid for them, together with the actual increase of the common fowls, the value of poultry, at the present time, cannot be far from $20,000,000. In one day, from Cincinnati, Ohio, there were shipped 500 barrels containing 564,000 eggs. It is estimated that the city of New York alone expends yearly $1,500,000 in the purchase of eggs; and at the Astor House, it is said they require a supply of 1,000 eggs a day for five days in the week, and on Saturdays 2,500.

BEES.

It remains an undecided question, so far as we know, whether the common domestic bee is a native of this country or not. The Indians called this insect "the white man's fly." from which it would seem that they were unacquainted with it before the arrival of the Europeans. It may be remarked, however, that wild bees of the same species were common in the woods of Illinois, at the time that country was settled by the English, prior to 1819.

The earliest mention of bees in this country, that we can find, is that of George Pelton, of Virginia, who possessed a good stock in 1648. They are also noticed by Beverley as being common in that colony pre

vious to 1722.

According to Ulloa, bees were carried from Florida to Cuba by the Spaniards in 1764.

The amount of beeswax and myrtleberry wax exported from Savannah, Georgia, in 1755, was 969 pounds; in 1760, 3,910 pounds; in 1770, 4,058 pounds. The amount of beeswax exported from Philadelphia in 1767, was 35 barrels; in 1771, 29,261 pounds.

The quantity and valuation of wax of domestic production, exported from the United States within the last thirty-three years, are indicated by the following table:

According to the census returns of 1840, the amount of wax produced in the Union was 628,303 pounds; in 1850, beeswax and honey, 14,853,790 pounds.

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

Statement of MILO WALTON, of Amity, Aroostook county, Maine.

When I moved here, some two years since, there was not known to be a swarm of bees in the county; and to my inquiries, why they were not kept by farmers, I was told that it was too cold, and that all the bees which had been brought here had frozen to death. During the first winter of my residence, the mercury in the thermometer ranged very low, and in one instance it was frozen, from which I was led to believe that it was too cold for these insects. However, the following spring I discovered some bees on flowers, which, on tracing to the woods, I found occupied, as a tenement, a large hollow pine tree. In August of that year I cut down the tree and took therefrom several hundred pounds of honey, which, to appearance, had been in that situation six or eight years. This was a convincing argument that all bees did not freeze, if the mercury did.

After taking the honey, I put the bees carefully into a hive, first placing in a few pieces of brood-comb, and then carried them home and put them into a dry dark cellar, providing them with honey suffi

cient to last them till spring. As soon as the snow was off the ground, I removed them out of doors and found them in good condition, having consumed but a small part of the honey I had left them. I immediately procured a few more swarms, which have prospered beyond my sanguine expectations, paying more than 100 per cent. per annum on the sum invested.

This county is quite new, and the soil fertile in honey-producing plants, especially the red raspberry and the white clover. The latter, I believe, yields the largest amount of honey, of the best quality, of any plant known.

Last spring, when I took my bees from the cellar, I had forty-eight swarms, since which time they have increased to one hundred swarms. During the last summer they have yielded me over 2,000 pounds of excellent honey in boxes, besides leaving a sufficient quantity for the winter support of the bees. At the present time there are about three hundred swarms in this county, including my own.

The kind of hive I prefer, is a box 12 inches square at the base, and 14 inches high, with a glass light in the rear, 10 inches by 12, having a small door to darken the interior when not under observation. Near the top of the hive is a chamber 7 inches deep, in which are placed two small drawers, or boxes, to contain the surplus honey deposited by

the bees.

Statement of WILLIAM S. MAYNARD, of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw county, Michigan.

Were others as fond of watching the cheerful labor of thousands as myself, far more attention would be paid to raising bees than there is at present in this land of flowers. No care is required but hiving, and destroying the bee-moth, which otherwise is very destructive here. It is necessary to be much with them, so that they may become well acquainted, otherwise their stings will prove troublesome. In taking their honey, I find the use of chloroform beneficial to keep them quiet.

The cost of raising honey, at fair wages, is from 3 to 6 cents a pound. The market price is from 10 to 15 cents.

Statement of J. P. ROUNSVILLE, of Rounsville, Alleghany county, New York. ·

If proper attention is given to these little workers, they are found quite profitable. But, for the want of space, I can give only a few particulars of my experience in this business. The time of the year in which bees most commonly swarm here, is from the middle of June to the 20th of July. If none swarm before the 20th of June, it may be safely calculated that the season will be quite poor for making honey. Occasionally a swarm is cast, which, upon coming out, will lose its queen; and, as a consequence, after remaining unsettled a short time, will be inclined to return to the parent hive. Under such circumstances I frequently remove the old hive, and place an empty one in its stead, and into this they will return without delay. The queen must then be found, if possible, which has probably dropped, on account of weakness, but a few feet from the hive, where she will be surrounded

by a handful of attendants. But if she is not to be found, by setting up among them a piece of brood-comb well stored with larvæ, they will frequently go to work among themselves and form a new queen. If this last attempt fail, they will seek out the old hive, which must not be kept long from its original place, as a good share of workers, being out after honey, upon returning loaded, will not be able to find their home, and will be lost. About the 15th of August, if there are any swarms that do not weigh 25 pounds, exclusive of the hive, they will scarcely be able to winter, and therefore had better be taken up. In the spring, all those which do not weigh over six pounds should be fed.

I have found the most favorable location for the hives to be in an open field, without a house, and the hives placed about two rods apart. For the purpose of breeding bees, the old-fashioned straw hive is as good as any, or those made of thick, rough boards, of a capacity of about a bushel. I never put a new swarm into a hive having old comb in it, although it may be clean.

SILK.

The culture and manufacture of silk in the British North American colonies date back to the first settlement of Virginia. James I, who was anxious to promote this branch of industry, several times urged the "London Company" to encourage the growth of mulberry trees, and addressed a letter to them on the subject in 1622, conveying strict injunctions that they should use every exertion for this purpose, and stimulated the colonists to apply themselves diligently and promptly to the breeding of silkworms and the establishment of silk works, bestowing their labors rather in producing this rich commodity than to the growth of tobacco-an article to which his Majesty had recorded and published his violent aversion. The company, thus incited, showed much zeal in their endeavors to accomplish the King's wishes. A considerable number of mulberry trees were planted; but little silk was produced, owing to difficulties involved by their dissolution soon after. In about the year 1651, the rearing of silkworms again became a subject of interest in Virginia, and premiums were offered for its encouragement; but it does not appear that the business was ever prosecuted to much extent.

The silk culture was introduced into Louisiana, in 1718, by the "Company of the West."

In the infant settlement of Georgia, in 1732, a piece of ground belonging to government was allotted as a nursery plantation for white mulberry trees, and the attention of some of the settlers was soon engaged in rearing silkworms. In 1726, a quantity of raw silk was raised in that colony, which was manufactured into a piece of stuff, and presented to the Queen.

In 1749, an act of Parliament was passed for encouraging the growth of silk in Georgia and Carolina, exempting the producer from the pay