1896 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



383 



there any apiaries near those localities you 

 visited ? " 



"I should be pleased to aid you, Mr. Ander- 

 son," said James; " but I am not posted in bee- 

 matters. The experience I have described is 

 the first I have had with bees, and I hope it is 

 the last— at least. I shall keep a good distance 

 from the little rascals hereafter." Turning to 

 the Secretary he said, " Mr. Hopson, you are 

 well acquainted with men and various features 



MAKE WAY TITERE, I.ADS. FOK HUNCH AND .JUDY!" 



of the river; perhaps you can put this gentle- 

 man on the track — or, I should say, the scent— 

 of— of — what d'y' call them? — Ap — Apis men- 

 dacious." 



"Ha, ha! mendacious, sure enough," said 

 Mr. Hopson, "but it's Apis mellifica, or honey- 

 bee.'" 



"Thank you," said James; "but I think my 

 rendering of the name most appropriate. And, 

 Mr. Anderson, beware of the mendacious rattle- 

 weed country. Good-by, and good luck to you;" 

 and James withdrew. 



Mr. Hopson, addressing himself to his new 

 acquaintance, said. "While I am not much 

 better posted than my friend Fiske in regard 

 to bees, I think I can put you in the way of 

 finding them if there are any up the river. Mr. 

 Royal Smith, postmaster at Boggs' Landing, 

 knows all about the various industries along 

 the river; and a letter to him will solve the 

 problem for you. You can sit right down here 

 at our writing-table. If you write your letter 

 immediately it will get off in less than an 

 hour." 



Fred expressed his thanks to the accommo- 



dating secretary, and immediately indicted the 

 following letter: 



Sacramento, Oal., May 6, 1889. 

 Mr. Royal Smith, P. M., 



Bogfrs' Landing-, Colusa Co., Cal. 

 Dear Sir;— The secretary of the Y. M. C. A. of this 

 city refers me to j-ou for information in relation to 

 bees and bee-ranches in your vicinity. Can you in- 

 form me if there are any colonies of bees for sale or 

 to rent ? About the number, style of hives, and 

 kind of bees, any information you 

 can give will be tbanlifully receiv- 

 ed. Inclosed find stamped address- 

 ed envelope. Yours truly, 



Fred Anderson. 



After the lapse of three days 

 Fred was very much on the 

 lookout for an answer to his 

 letter. On the morning of the 

 fourth day the postman put a 

 letter into his hands, the peru- 

 sal of which caused him some 

 little perplexity. It ran as fol- 

 lows: 



Bog-gs, Cal., May 8, 1889. 

 Mr. Fred Anderson, 



Sacramento, Cal. 

 Dear Sir:— Your letter of inquiry 

 about bees is at hand. I would say 

 that Alph Ghering, a few miles up 

 the river, is the only bee-owner I 

 know of. He has a right smart lot 

 of them. Making- a rough guess.fl 

 should say there is over a million. 

 I am not much posted in the terms 

 applied to iiives, but I should call 

 Ghering's a congregational hive; 

 and when I was there a few days 

 ago they were having congrega- 

 tional singing and a revival (Alph 

 called it swarming). As to the 

 breed, there's where you have me; for the life of 

 me I can't say whether they are Durham, Ayershire, 

 Duroc, Langshans, or spitz poodles; but this I do 

 know, they have no kinks in their tails, and they 

 are chock full of alacrity, and the whole million or 

 more know how to Are themselves against a fellow's 

 nose with the precision of a well-regulated bullet. 

 They hit where it hurts, every time. I have been 

 there, and know. That is all I know about bees. I 

 have no doubt you can make favorable terms with 

 Alph Gheiing; he Is a mild-mannered man, and has 

 no women to Interfere with the free swing of his 

 judgment. 



Having been stung a few times I subscribe myself 

 fraternally Yours, 



Royal Smith, P. M. 



SUPPLYING THE HOME MARKET. 



FURTHER SUGGESTION.S ON HOW TO DRUM UP 



THE GROCERY TRADE: CONTINUED 



FROM LAST ISSUE. 



By F. A. Snell. 



As soon as circumstances will permit, after 

 my visit to the town formerly mentioned I get 

 several more crates ready for market. A neat 



