EDITORIAL 



285 



that I l^elieve to be correct was made 

 by Dr. Robert T. Morris in the num- 

 ber for December, 1916. The absence 

 of the balls is not due to potato bust's, 

 Paris green, wet season, dry season, 

 planting on Friday, on the thirteenth of 

 the month, nor to dire influence of the 

 moon, yet it is doubtful if a single ball 

 can be found in the state of Connecti- 

 cut. Some other states are equally va- 

 cant. It would be interesting to have 

 reports from all parts of the United 

 States. From the numerous packages 

 received only a few full-grown balls 

 have been obtained. Nearly all are 

 vestigial. We have received, however, 

 one large package of well grown, ma- 

 ture balls from an agent of the United 

 States Government in Maine. From 

 this we have obtained a supply for ex- 

 perimental purposes. We have no need 

 for more. But what we should like to 

 learn is — why in some places they grow 

 and whv in some places they do not? 



There is another similar field for in- 

 vestigation. I have never seen a beech- 

 nut with a well developed kernel 

 grown in Connecticut. The Connecti- 

 cut nuts are shrivelled, vestigial and 

 few in number. In some parts of the 

 country the beech trees are laden 

 with so manv good, edible nuts that 

 hogs feed and fatten on them as the^' 

 fall to the grovmd. Can anybody tell 

 from what parts of the country the 

 beechnuts have disappeared, and from 

 what they have not, and why? I am not 

 ofifering six dollars for a thimbleful of 

 beechnuts, nor should I be regarded as 

 a "nature faker," but merely as one hav- 

 ing a sincere desire to learn more of 

 old Mother Nature's doings. 



Congratulations to the Editorial Roots. 



In our January numl^er we paid our 

 respects and expressed our apprecia- 

 tion to the Root family personally exis- 

 tent at Medina, Ohio. We wish now 

 to sav a few good words for their edi- 

 torial skill, their wise judgment and 

 their erudition in their specialty. "Glean- 

 ings in Bee Culture" was as a semi- 

 monthlv pleasing and acceptable. As 

 a monthly it becomes larger and better 

 than two semimonthlies combined. 

 There is strength in combination as 

 there is weakness in division. We are 

 glad to see the Roots combining and 

 growing stronger in the monthlv mag- 



azine. The new join"nal is a credit to 

 iheni and to the industry. It is likewise 

 a delight to every one who loves the 

 wonderful insects of which it treats, 

 whether for nature study or utility or 

 l)oth. That this big bee establishment 

 can ])ul)lish so big a magazine for so 

 small a price as a dollar a year is as- 

 tonishinsf. 



The Butterfly Farmer Married. 



We take pleasure in recording the 

 marriage of Miss Ximena McGlashan 

 of Truckee, California, known to our 

 readers and to readers of many other 

 magazines as "the butterfly farmer." 

 She is to spend the winter in Oakland, 

 but beyond this her future plans are 

 not yet decided. 



She has done much to further an in- 

 terest in the study of butterflies and 

 moths. She has done good work in 

 natural science. We sincerely hope 

 that she will continue her missionary 

 labors in science, and that her husband, 

 if not already a naturalist. Avill be lured 

 into those charming realms in which 

 his youthful bride has been exploring 

 for manv years. 



Dr. Bigelow, Scout Naturalist, under 

 the Auspices of 2,500 Boy Scouts. 



The public schools department of 

 Pittsburg, through their director of 

 special schools, has engaged Dr. Ed- 

 ward F. BigeloAv of Sound Beach, Con- 

 necticut, to deliver a course of four lec- 

 tures in different parts of the city, un- 

 der the auspices of the Boy Scouts, of 

 which there are about tw^enty-five hun- 

 dred in Pittsburg. The local organiza- 

 tions and the Scout Masters are moving 

 actively in the matter, and are making 

 everv effort to present the nature work 

 as efifectively as possible. The director 

 states that the organizations are doing- 

 the preliminary labor 'with the Boy 

 Scout Spirit." Previously to this ap- 

 pointment, Dr. Bigelow wall spend two 

 days with the teachers of AVilkinsburg 

 to instruct them in the principles and 

 the best methods of teaching nature 

 study in the public schools. Imme- 

 diately following the appointment with 

 the Boy Scouts of Pittsburg, he will 

 spend two davs with the city teachers 

 of Me^dville, Pennsylvania. 



