1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



THE PERSIMMON-TREE AS A HONEY-PLANT. 



SO.METHING ABOUT PERSIMMONS AS A FKUIT. 



Friend R(x)t: — I send you a small present. It 

 consists of persimmons, and a photograph of a 

 persimmon-tree, with people picking the deli- 

 cious fruit. Some of them "' caught on " when 

 they saw the Kodalf. The day was very cloudy, 

 darl<, and wet; consequently the photo is not 

 what one would desire; but it will give you a 

 glimpse. This tree had from twelve to fifteen 

 bushels of fruit on it. The frnit should have 

 been gathered sooner, to ship; but the weather 

 prevented. Now, friend Root, please don't 

 think this fruit rotten, for it is just getting ripe, 

 and must become quite soft before one can rel- 

 ish it. The present is for A. I. Root, to dispose 

 of to suit himself. Of course, I should like 

 Ernest and all to have a pcrsinimou or two; 



A KODAK VIEW FROM MORGAN CO., O. 



wouldn't you, friend Root? There is no bloom, 

 perhaps, in the world that bees are so eager to 

 work on. I have seen bees fighting for it just 

 as they would were you to place a comb of 

 honey -out where they could get at it. 

 Reinersville, O., Dec. 19. J. A. Golden. 



[Friend G., we are all of us exceedingly 

 obliged to you. I am the more interested in the 

 whole matter, because the tree is found in our 

 own State of Ohio. Perhaps I should explain 

 to our readers that friend Golden was kind 

 enough to send us a whole pailful of persim- 

 mons. They are packed in one-pound honey- 

 sections, a top and bottom being tacked on. I 

 learned to eat them in California, so I had no 

 trouble in eating them here; and I was not 

 afraid of the soft ones. Quite a good many 

 would have it. however, that they were spoiled, 

 and could hardly be induced to taste them. 

 They are so delicious to my taste that I began 

 eating them as I do strawberries, a quart at a 

 meal. I would not recommend, however, tak- 

 ing them in that way unless your digestion is 

 very good. Now, if persimmons grow in our 

 State naturally, why can't the great delicious 

 Japanese persimmon of the Pacific coast also 

 be grown here? And could they not be grafted 

 on to the native trees? I think one of the 



agricultural papers has said that the large 

 foreign persimmons are not sutficently hardy. 

 The fact that these trees are such good honey - 

 plants is another inducement for bee-keepers to 

 lake hold of them. My verdict is, that they 

 are just as nice as figs and raisins. The seeds 

 are a little bit more of an annoyance; but I 

 have lately seen it stated in some of the papers 

 that there is a seedless persimmon. Judging 

 from the size of the human figures, and the 

 fence that runs beside the tree, persimmon- 

 trees must he quite large.] A. I. R. 



NAILS. 



how to use them. 



Every year I am more surprised at the stupid- 

 ity of many who drive nails. In this age, with 

 so great a variety of nails for all purposes, such 

 lack of knowledge is deplorable. In planking 

 up a building I employed several machanics to 

 do it. I perceived that they drove nails indis- 

 criminately. I suggested that they should be 

 used scientifically— that is, every nail should be 

 driven so the strain upon it should bind the 

 parts closer, While the proper number for each 

 width of plank should be used; yet not one of 

 the seven men could master the principle, and 

 nails were often driven so as to eventually 

 weaken the parts by drawing asunder. I often 

 find boxes of heavy material badly racked, that 

 look as if they had been made by an eight-year- 

 old girl. I have made boxes of 3v;-inch boards 

 to pack and ship, with two or more transfers. 

 600 miles, 2.50 lbs. of solid freight, with few or 

 no cleats or bands, and I never had such a 

 package broken open in transit. 

 ■ I find uses for which no wire nails now manu- 

 factured can take the place of cut nails; for in- 

 stance, where great strength is required in 

 rough work. Where weight is suspended. 

 heavy cut nails driven flat (a guard against 

 splitting excepted) is better than edgewise; but 

 where connection of parts only is desired, light 

 cut nails are better. The last keg of ten-penny 

 cut nails I got was a wide finishing nail with a 

 common large head; and, being slightly curved, 

 required straightening to drive in J4 lumber, or 

 they must be set to the proper curve. I won- 

 der if that manufacturer was not the man who 

 used to make gun-barrels ciirved to shoot 

 around the mountain. Its width and taper 

 limited its use, and I would not take another 

 such keg at half price. 



Correctly driven, four nails will hold as much 

 as twelve nails driven at the opposite angle. 

 For boxes and crates, long slim nails driven 

 near the edge are superior to heavier ones driv- 

 en near the center ; and where several boards 

 are used on a side, cleats may often be dis- 

 pensed with by skill in lapping on the ends and 

 nailing the edges so the joints are firmer than 

 the sound timber on either side. Quick light 

 taps on a nail will often drive it through a 

 knot or cross-grained spot without splitting. 

 The best nail for tensile strength I ever found 

 was years ago— a rough French square wire, 

 hard and tough, hard to draw, and the blunt 

 point was easily driven without splitting readi- 

 ly. A nearly square cut box nail is the best I 

 can find now. If wire nails were a little rough 

 I think they would hold better. Sometimes I 

 rust them. Nails driven into the end of the 

 grain of wood should be driven slanting to hold 

 more firmly and prevent splitting. It is said 

 a ten-penny nail has sustained two tons. To 

 some extent wire nails take the place of clout 

 nails, proper length and size considered, driv- 

 ing at an angle so they will curve as they strike 

 the iron, and turn back; or they may be driven 



