318 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 1.-). 



Junel; and although the system has advan- 

 tages in regard to shade, freedom from con- 

 fusion when the packing is removed, and many 

 other minor points of importance to me, still I 

 am not sure but there are other and more im- 

 portant benefits which would go toward abolish- 

 ing them during the summer months, espe- 

 cially if working for comb honey. The bot- 

 toms of the cases are, of course, loose, there- 

 by greatly facilitating the removal of them 

 when necessary. Foj many reasons I do not 

 desire a permanently chaff-packed hive. The 

 portable apron, or alighting- board, is a greater 

 cuuvenience than if a fixture to the front of the 

 case, for the reason that, in cold weather, it 

 needs only to be raised a little more perpendic- 

 ularly, and thus prevent the snow from lodging 

 and closing the entrance entirely, while at the 

 same time it also prevents the cold wind from 

 entering, as well as preventing the sun's rays 

 from enticing the^bees outside in unfavorable 

 weather. 



If you look closely you cwill 

 quite easily discern the box con- 

 taining the queen-cage, in readi- 

 ness for capturing her^majesty on 

 the issuing of a swarm; also a 

 Miller fec^der, escape-board.; lad- 

 der, swarming-box, hive-cart, and 

 solar wax-extractor, as well as 

 other conveniences that ought to 

 be found in a properly conducted 

 apiary. 



The figures in the foreground 

 are as follows: First to the right 

 is Belle, who assists in the house- 

 hold, and also in the apiary when 

 necessary; second, my son Rae- 

 side (16); ihird, his mother: 

 fourth, my sister; fifth, my moth- 

 er; sixth, my daughter Mildred 

 (13); seventh, remaining figures 

 (lady) in front is Mrs. Gemmell's 

 mother; eighth, the cowboy sit- 

 ting in the chair is your humble 

 servant— F. A.^'Gemmell. 



Stratford, Ont. 



JAKE SMITH'S LETTERS. 



bisket all reddy to bake, she took a nife & 

 plate and slipt out to the other side of the barn, 

 where the pallus was. You see, I sot the pallus 

 out back of the barn, because bees doant git 

 along so well if you overstock them. They was 

 seven scaps of bees up near the house, and 1 

 was afraid they mile be oveislockt if they was 

 enny more there. 



So she went out as brave as you please, but 

 the rain had sweld the pallus dore, and it was 

 sweld so she coodent git the fasnin open. So 

 she got a stone to pound the fasnin open. Pirty 

 soon a small army of bees cum at her, lickily 

 brindle. You know how they will, when they 

 git mad. And they was mad. and no mistake. 



She started on the run. the bees after her, a 

 yellin and a screechin. One jabbed her in the 

 chin, and anuther in the iye. In slappin at 

 them she nocked off' her bun net, and her hair 

 begun to fill up with bees. The wimmen lieerd 

 the racket in the house, and out they cum. 

 But in they went when they seed what was up. 



TAKINO HONEY FKO.M THE PALl.ITS HIVE. 



A. I. Oeeninf/s— 

 deer Sir;— You "kno 

 I told you about my 

 pallus. My old wo- 

 man diddentbeleave 

 in it as much as me. 

 She I; thot mabee I 

 was took in. But I 



^1' • ^-m^s^a^mm -y ' ^'^^^ ^'' '^ wood be 

 ?5«|^^^^^^^^^^^:gv^^^reel handy sumtime 

 ^.MBKfc^. .^s^ess^ .,.- '^^'^^'^ when I was'.'goneg;& 

 she had cum penny, 

 for her to take a nife 

 & a plate and jist 

 go to the pallus and 

 help herself [when- 

 ever she wonted to. 

 That peacified her considdible. 



Court sot in July, and I got a summons onto 

 the Jewry. I was gone a weak or nearly that. 

 1 day while I was gone, Misses Porter cum to 

 spend the day, and Misses Barber cum with 

 her. Misses Porter brot her nitten, and Misses 

 Barber her sowin. Misses Porter is proper fond 

 of bisket and hunny. My wifes a mastei' hand 

 to make bisket, but they was no hunny to go 

 with it. Then it jist cum to her that she cood 

 git sum in the pallus. 

 So along in the afternoon, when she had her 



'THEV Ui/AS A SIGHT" 



As quick as she got in the house, the bees staid 

 out doors, accept what was sizzlin in her hair. 



'• Did they git mad?" says Misses Barber. " I 

 doant know," says she, " but I know I did." 

 Then they dug out the stings and put on saller- 

 ratous. " I've heerd how smoke'll tame bees," 

 says Mrs. Barber. " But I can't smoke," says 

 she, "and, besides, I haint nothin to smoke. 

 Fred Fraser left an old pipe when he wurked 

 here, but I haint no tabacka." " I tell you 

 what," says Misses Porter, " I can smoke enuft' 

 for that, and we can take catnip. It's more 

 soothin like.'" 



So they loaded up the pipe with catnip, and 

 lit it, and started. But before she got in the 1st 

 whiff, a bee give it to her rite onto the end of 

 her nose, and she lit out, a pawin like sin. " Do 

 they seem soothed?" says Misses Barber. She 

 jist sed it to tant her, for she was a laffin fit to 

 split. Jist then a cupple of bees took her in the 

 face, and she stopt a laffin and began a clawin. 

 '• Do they seem soothed?" says Misses Porter. 



Then they was bound they was a going to 

 have that hunny enny how, so they bilta fire of 

 corn cobs all round the pallus, tied themselves 

 all up soze a bee coodent tuch em, and then 

 pride the door open. And how much hunny do 

 you think they got? not a blame bit. The pal- 

 lus was jist as emty as the day it was sot there. 

 But it was a poor year for bees ennyhow. 



So they had to eat the bisket with butter and 

 maple molasses. And I've eat worse things 

 than that. And jist as they was a settin at the 

 supper tabell, I cum home. I wisht you cood a 

 seen them wimmen. They was a sight. 



Jake Smith. 



