1893 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



849 



dogs along during the daytime. The dogs very 

 kindly carried the fleas, and, during the night, 

 we carried them, or, rather, dug our fingers 

 after them. There's nothing like having a mu- 

 tual understanding with our domestic animals. 

 Gin Santa Ana we made a stop of several days, 

 and worked the flash-light branch of the busi- 

 ness on interiors. While in Santa Ana we 

 camped near the race-track, where there was a 

 number of horses of all sizes and degrees. By 

 the exercise of persistent endeavor, my junior 

 traded the pudgy mule for an old. poor, and 

 blind pinto. The pinto, however, had the go in 

 him, and made a very good match for the white 

 mule. 



The stables at the race-course were occupied 

 by quite a number of noted horses, all in train- 

 ing for the races that were soon to come off. 

 In contact with the horsemen here, as in other 

 places, and especially around livery-stables. I 

 notice that those who have much to do with 

 the noble horse are usually very profane men, 

 and their conversation is interlarded with oaths. 

 Texas Jack seemed to he the chief sinner in 

 this crowd, as well as something of a singer, 

 wherein his songs were of the race and bets. 

 A well-regulated stable for a fast horse has 

 almost as many traps as one will find in an 

 apiary. Pads, toe -weights, heel -weights, hoof- 

 cleaners, and many other things come into daily 

 use while the horse is in training. 



oS„uTT<;^s.-S,, 



hollow, and acts as an air-cushion to hold the 

 plant upright in the water. 



During our stay at the beach my junior got 

 hold of another song; and the refrain, "Oh! 

 then let us kiss and make up," was frequently 

 rung in my ears; but owing to the fact that the 



FROM THE SEA. 



junior's best girl was at the beach also, and the 

 song was warbled for her benefit the greater 

 share of the time, the bore was not so great as 

 it otherwise would have been. But, oh dear! 

 when we were all ready to depart, what a wait- 

 ing-time I had of it for them to bid each other 

 farewell I and, Mr. Editor, will you please tell 

 your anonymous ladies and others, that I won't 

 be hampered that way. nohow? After we had 

 returned to Santa Ana, and the senior photog- 

 rapher had taken up the line of work, how 

 nicely I did take up my old black pancake 

 griddle and swing it over my head and shout 

 the shout of freedom ! No, Miss or Mrs. Anony- 

 mous, don't you dare to say any thing more to 

 me about matrimony. I am a confirmed, crusty 

 old bachelor: and the more you say in favor of 

 matrimony, the '-confirmder" I get: and to 

 express to you how I feel here in California, I 

 will ask you to read the following quotation: 

 Since I came to California, 



Like a vision I recall 

 How the winters used to ling'er 

 Just to greet the comiiiK- fall. 

 There was just a breath of summer 

 'Twixt the autumn and tlie spring, 

 And frozen ear.s and noses 



Were a very frequent thliig. 

 But here's the land of sunshine. 

 Where blizzards never blow- 

 Where llie bees are always busy. 



And the roses love to grow- 

 Where nature seems a smiling 



In happiness and glee; 

 Right here in California, baching's 

 Good enough for me. 



The Rambler. 



LANGDON NONS WARMER A SUCCESS. 



We left the active scenes around Santa Ana 

 and dropped a few miles further along, and 

 camped at the noted bathing and summer re- 

 sort of Newport Beach. Our visit was, how- 

 ever, ill timed for l)usiness, for the pleasure- 

 seekers were rapidly leaving for their homes, 

 and the beach was a dull place indeed. About 

 the only thing to be done was to bathe once a 

 day. and then roll in the white pure sand, said 

 sand beinff composed of pulverized sea-shells. 

 A further recreation was to go out on the long 

 wharf and fish, or look at others patiently 

 waiting for a nibble. I found our bee-keepers, 

 Mr. and Mrs. Bonfoey. of .South Riverside, nere. 

 Mr. I'>.'s hobby was the spearing of large fish. 

 His method of spearing was radically different 

 from mine. While he was fond of throwing his 

 four-tined Neptuni>-like spear with great pre- 

 cision into the finny deniziuis of the salt sea, I 

 prefer to spear tlicm with a four tined fork at 

 the breakfast tal)le, and am (luite an expert in 

 my liiH! as .VI r. H. is in his. Mrs. IJ. is an ex- 

 pert cook in the lish department. 



Old ocean throws up many a curiosity in the 

 shape of shells and sea- weeds. The kelp that 

 is thrown up is provided with a perfectly round 

 ball six inches and over in diameter. This is 



A SLT(iCTESTKD IMl'ROVKMEXT. 



I have wanted to report about the Langdon 

 non-swarmer for some time, but there seem to 

 be many reporting failures. They have been 

 an entire success with me. and 1 think they can 

 be with all practical bee keepers. I don't think 

 I maKe mine quite like Mr. Langdon's. I don't 

 have to bore any hole in my hives— the Dove- 

 tailed. The bees should be turned from one 

 hive to the other (!very four or five days during 

 swarming time. One needs to be very careful 

 to get them adjusted bee-tight. I never had 

 any trouble with bees di-stroylng brood except 

 eggs. This will cause the colonies to be a little 

 weak for the fall flow, if there is any. I had 

 trouble when I tried to requeen the.se colonies. 

 Bees enough would get back through the cone 

 so that thev would l)all the ([ueeu. To remedy 

 this I closed thi^ cone, then all went well. 



Here is the only plan by which 1 can procure 

 honey here: T place a case of half-d(>pth frames 

 on hives for extracted honey without any 

 queen-excluder between. Tht^y will soon go to 

 work in these, and the ([ueen will soon com- 

 mence laying. As soon as thev are nearly filled 

 1 raise them (be sure to run the queen below). 



