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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



Jan. 



May be they will all be frozen up ; but, nev- 

 er mind. 



I have not yet got over my hobby for a 

 greenhouse that gives the plants protection 

 from frost, and still lets them have every 

 drop of rain and every bit of sunshine. A hint 

 from one of our gardening periodicals has 

 given me much food for thought. They 

 were speaking about getting early aspara- 

 gus by protection with glass. Now, we 

 have the same state of affairs in this matter. 

 The glass must be manipulated constantly, 

 or you will have trouble ; and even if you 

 do try to manipulate it, the first you know 

 the sash will be on when it should be off, 

 and off when it should be on. The sugges- 

 tion that pleased me so much was this : 

 Place the sash two inches apart, and they 

 need not be handled at'all. The two-inch 

 space would let out the hot air, and would 

 not let in very much frost. So far, so good ; 

 but the rain could have access only in that 

 two-inch slot. I will now tell you my plan : 

 Make some sash of some strips of glass, say 

 two or three inches wide. May be six or 

 eight would answer ; but I think two inches 

 would be better. Instead of having the 

 glass lap or even abut, place them say i 

 inch apart. All the rain can get through, 

 and a narrow strip of glass, I think, would 

 cause little if any drip, to do any harm ; and 

 if the glass is close enough, there will be 

 quite a protection from frost. When cover- 

 ed with snow, it would be just as good as 

 any sash. May be an eighth-inch opening 

 between the strips of glass would be enough 

 for ventilation and rain. During cold dry 

 weather, such a sash might not keep out 

 very much frost, unless, in fact, the joints 

 were so small they would fill up with frost. 

 I am going to test the matter right away. 

 Some of you may say, " Why not use cloth 

 so coarse as to permit the rain to go 

 through?" Why, friends, I have had such 

 bad work with cloth that I feel as if I never 

 wanted to fuss with it any more. It bags 

 away down under the weight of the rain, 

 and it rots and tears ; the wind flops it, and 

 the sashes blow away, while glass stays 

 where you put it. A friend has asked the 

 following questions : 



Mr. Boot :—Kow much will 3x6 feet hot-bed sash, 

 filled with glass, cost me? I can get 12 second-hand 

 sash for .f 1 00 each. Now, I wish to know what 

 crops I can raise to make any money out of them. 

 Will lettuce and cucumbers, started in hot-beds in 

 March, and transplanted into cold-frames, mature 

 much in advance of those planted in the open 

 ground? Will it pay? What crops can I grow in 

 cold-frames, and what profit may I expect? By an- 

 swering through Gleanings you may benefit oth- 

 ers besides myself. John Major. 



Cokeville, Pa., Dec 26. 



Regular cold-frame or hot-bed sash, such 

 as you describe, are quoted to us in Cleve- 

 land at $1.75 each. If you can get second- 

 hand ones at the price you mention, by all 

 means get them. Then with a putty-bulb 

 and some liquid putty, as described on page 

 7.55, last year, make them all tight. It is 

 the easiest thing in the world to start let- 

 tuce in the way you mention, and to get it 

 ahead— yes, very much ahead of that out- 



doors — that is, in ordinary seasons ; but the 

 cucumber is a tropical plant, and needs 

 great care and skill. We have tried almost 

 every year to get them in the way you pro- 

 pose, ahead of those from seeds planted in 

 the open ground ; but we have never suc- 

 ceeded in getting them more than a week 

 or ten days ahead. The lettuce pays tiptop, 

 but we have not succeeded in making the 

 cucumbers pay very well. Where you men- 

 tion cold-frames, I suppose you mean to 

 work entirely without manure. Now, a 

 little manure is a very great help. If, how- 

 ever, you can not get it handy, you want to 

 get a location for your cold-frames that cuts 

 off cold winds, and at the same time gives 

 you every bit of sunshine. Locations in the 

 corners of buildings can sometimes be 

 found. Buildings are, however, apt to cut 

 off the sun more or less. If there are hills and 

 mountains near you, choose a warm valley, 

 protected by hills— better still by overhang- 

 ing rocks, dense forest, or any thing of that 

 sort. The crops to be raised are asparagus, 

 early beets, early carrots, cabbage-plants 

 and cauliflower-plants, celery-plants, cress, 

 kohlrabi, lettuce, onions (especially the 

 Egyptian), parsley, American Wonder peas, 

 radishes, spinach, tomatoes, and, if you 

 choose. Early Ohio potatoes. Of course, 

 potatoes are to be only started until they are 

 about as tall as cabbage-plants. Plant them 

 three or four weeks before you can set them 

 safely in the open ground. Rhubarb is also 

 a very profitable plant to force in a cold- 

 frame ; and of late, quite a little is done in 

 cities with dandelions. The profit depends 

 entirely on your market ; and if you are not 

 near a very large city, very likely your mar- 

 ket will have to be worked up, in the way I 

 have described in our book, "^ What to Do." 



CONVENTION NOTICES. 



The 21.st annual meeting of the New York State Bee-kenpers' 

 Association will be held at the Court-house, Rochester, N. Y., 

 Feb. 5, 6, 7, 1890. Reduceci rates at hotels, and on all principal 

 railroads. Each county association is requested to send two 

 or more delegates. Programme and full particulars will ap- 

 jiear in due time. G. H. Knickerbocker, Sec. 



The Eastern New York Bee-keepers' Association will meet in 

 convention, Jan. 20, 21. 1890, in Agricultural Hall, Albany, N. Y., 

 at 10 A. M. AH interested in bee-keeping are cordially invited 

 to attend. Fanners' institute is held at the same place, Jan. 

 22. 23. W. S. Ward, Sec'y. 



Fuller's Station, N. Y. 



The sixth annual meeting of the Wisconsin State Bee-keep- 

 ers' Association will be held in the capitol building, at Mad- 

 ison, Wisconsin, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1890. .4n interesting pro- 

 gramme has been provided, and prominent bee-keepers will 

 be present from this and othei' States. 



Dr. J. H. Vancb, Sec, C. A. Hatch, Pres.. 



Madison, Wis, Ithaca, Wis. 



The next annual meeting of the Vermont Bee-keepers' Asso- 

 ciation will be held at Burlington, Vt., Jan. 21, 22, 1890. Excel- 

 lent hall accommodations have been obtained at the Van Ness 

 House. The Vermont Central Railroad has gi-unted round- 

 trip tickets from the following places: Rutland. White River 

 Junction, Cambridge Junction. Richford via St. Albans, Ticon- 

 deroga. and intermediate points, to Burlington and return, for 

 fare one way. A good meeting is expected, and all are invit- 

 ed. For further information and programmes, apply to 



J. H. Larrabek, .Sec'y. 



Larr.abee's Point, Addison Co., Vermont. 



The 12th annual meeting of the Nebraska State Bee-keepers 

 Association will be held in the Lecture-room of the Nebraska 

 H.all State University, Lincoln, Neb., Jan. 15, 16, 17, 1890. Every 

 bee-keeper, and lover of honey, is invited to meet with us. The 

 Horticultural Association meets at Lincoln at the same time, 

 and arrangements are now being made to hold joint sessions. 

 I shall take pleasure in receiving and placing on exhibition 

 any article used in connection with the api.ary. that maybe 

 sent to me at Lincoln, express prepaid. J. N. Heater, Sec. 



Columbus, Neb., Dec. 23. 



