354 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 1. 



an innocent wad of "spruce gum " in his mouth. 

 What a satisfaction it must be to be able to 

 show to the world we are not found wanting 

 when weighed in the balance of public com- 

 panionship and scrutiny, as was the boy Edi- 

 son! We should infer fi'om the above that 

 Edison did not use tobacco when a boy, and I 

 sincerely hope he does not now. , 



There is not more than a tenth of the bees 

 alive in this section, and there were a good 

 many kept among the farmers. 



Bad Axe, Mich., Mar. 28. H. J. Nelson. 



THE HUMMING OF THE BEES, 



Inclosed please find a single dollar bill. 



For I am bound to be one of Gleanings' readers 



still; 

 And when I read its columns through, like echoes 



on the bieeze 

 It reminds me of nectar sweet, and the humming- of 



the bees. 



The yellow-jacket builds its nest where scarlet ber- 

 ries grow, 



And the white-faced hornet's dome is hidden 'neath 

 the snow; 



And as the cold wind chilly blows, among the tall 

 balm-trees, 



I often stop to listen for the humming of the bees. 



But the summer's coming on, and the asters pink 



and blue 

 Will spring up luxuriantly where once the forest 



grew; 

 And wlien I see the bumble-bee swing out upon the 



breeze, 

 I think how happy I should be with just one hive of 



bees. 



But they say it is too cold, and the summers are too 



wet, 

 And the bees that have been iDrought here have not 



succeeded yet; 

 And when the summer comes to us, and the tall 



linden-trees 

 Sow the odor of their blossoms broadcast upon the 



breeze— 



Wlien the alsike and white clover display their 



creamy bloom. 

 And the queen of tlie meadow spreads its blossoms 



like a broom; 

 When by the fence the goldenrod is nodding in the 



breeze. 

 And beckoning and beckoning for the humming of 



the bees; 



When softly sweep the breezes o'er yon forest-cov- 

 ered liills. 



And the trout is swimming gaily in the clear and 

 sparkling rills; 



Then 1 know I shall be lonesome out among the 

 tall balm-trees 



When 1 stop and listen vainly for the hamming of 

 the bees. 



I love to hear the bluebird in the leafy month of 



June, 

 And the robin and the gray bird, each with a happy 



tune; 

 I love to hear the merry waves as they run before 



the breeze; 

 But sweeter music far to me is the humming of the 



bees. 



If you want to hear sweet music, as if an angel's 

 wings 



Had softly touched a golden harp, trimmea with a 

 million strings, 



Tljen wander in the forest when the ground is frozen 

 stiff. 



And the wind comes rolling gently down from yon- 

 der rockj' chS ; 



And tlie music you will hear as it strikes the old 

 elm-trees 



Is just about as pleasant as the humming of the 

 bees. 

 Richards Landing, Ont. Arch. Duncan. 



HUMBUGS AND SWINDLES. 



MUSHROOM - GROWING — LOOK OUT FOR SWIN- 

 DLERS. 



Just as soon as some new industry begins to 

 be developed, especially something pertaining 

 to rural life and rural pursuits, just so soon 

 does a certain class of swindlers begin to dip 

 into it — artificial honey, for instance. Well, 

 the people have already got to work in the 

 mushroom business. A subscriber sends us 

 some circulars headed as follows: 



MUSHROOM CULTURE. 

 With continuous crop, all the year round, from 

 chemically prepared beds, with pulsion 

 and aspiration. 

 The most profitable investment for people that 

 can devote a few bouis daily to this culture. 

 Originated by 

 The French Propagating Co , New York. 

 Civil Engineers. Specialists. 



The words "'pulsion" and "aspiration" first 

 caught my attention. Look out for any thing 

 of that sort in the advertisement of something 

 that might be a little suspicious. These people 

 claim to have originated something new. 

 Chemical fertilizers are to take the place of 

 stable manure. Of course, they want some 

 money to start you in the new enterprise. One 

 of the principal points made is, "full instruc- 

 tions with drawings, $8.00." This reminds one 

 vividly of Mrs. Cotton. Next we have "one 

 propagator, 16.00;" next "chemicals, 12.00." 

 Of course, we do not know what the chemicals 

 are; but the price seems to be reasonable com- 

 pared with the drawings and " propagator." 

 Then follows a great amount of particulars in 

 regard to the large sums of money that can be 

 made by growing mushrooms. Any dark cellar, 

 any unused room, any out of-the-way cubby- 

 hole will do. Well, this latter part may be 

 true. I feel quite well satisfied that mushrooms 

 can be raised in all sorts of vacant cellars, or 

 even attics; but I do not believe any one will 

 succeed with it unless he has a real love for the 

 business. They talk about 12. .50 per lb. for the 

 crop. In our locality. 40 to ,50 cts. per lb. is 

 about what we get. But may not these people 

 be straight and honest, after all? Yes, they 

 may be; but neither Dun nor Bradstreet knows 

 any thing about such a firm at 315 Chrystie St., 

 New York, nor anywhere else. Another thing, 

 in their private (?) letter they say: 



We have selected yon, because your letter was the 

 first out of 32 from your county. For $4.(10 we will 

 send you full instructions, drawing of your place, 

 directions for sliipping mushrooms and spawn, and 

 chemicals for five square yards of bed, thus giving 

 you a chance to convince yourself that this is the 

 most profitable business you ever handled. 



They give, as a reason for starting only one 

 person in the county, that overproduction 

 would bring the price "way down." And, by 

 the way, this private letter is a printed one. 

 after ail. It is a little singular that they should 

 have exactly '-^2 applications, and no more, from 

 every county where these printed letters hap- 

 pen to go. I hardly think any of our readers 

 will be taken in with any thing of this sort. 

 There is one thing that puzzles me a little; and 

 that is, their circulars contain some very fine 

 drawings of mushroom-beds, mushroom-cellars, 

 and mushroom -caves— in fact, the very same 

 drawings that we see in the new books recently 

 published on mushroom culture. I do not mean 

 to discourage any one from going into this 

 business. I think it is destined to be a great 

 industry; but please do not think it necessary 

 to send $8.00 for instructions and drawings. 

 We will send a circular, free of charge, such 



