282 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 



TTould be objectionable, and make it more difficult 

 to find queens. After two years' experience, how- 

 ever, I do not find it any objection, and I think I 

 see in the double top and bottom bars some advan- 

 tages over the thick top-bars alone. 

 Milan, 111., Mar. 31. C. H. Dibbern. 



Friend D., your invention of the horizontal 

 bee-escape — that is, providing you are the 

 original inventor in that line— is certainly a 

 very important matter, and I think they are 

 destined to take a prominent place among 

 our implements of bee culture. Very likely, 

 top-bars with an opening through the cen- 

 ter will answer every purpose in keeping 

 away burr-combs ; but are they not more 

 machinery than the ordinary top bar? Of 

 course they do not need spacing. The 

 frames are held at fixed distances, and the 

 bee-space is exactly right; but even with 

 these advantages, is it worth while to start 

 a new thing and go to the expense of mak- 

 ing a top-bar with a vertical slot through 

 the middle? 



SELF-KEGULATING TEMPERATURE. 



li. C. BOOT DESCRIBES A NEW INVENTION FOR 

 RAISING PLANTS UNDER GLASS. 



My attention has recently been called to what 

 seems to be one of the most valuable inventions of 

 the day. Mr. Charles Barnard, an enthusiastic and 

 prominent writer on agricultural and scientific top- 

 ics, has invented and patented a system of regulat- 

 ing- the temperature of greenhouses or other build- 

 ings when a uniform degree of heat is desired. 

 The patents cover the construction of the house, 

 boiler, and process of heating, appliances for ven- 

 tilation, etc. The greenhouse which I saw in opera- 

 tion indicates a marvelous invention, some of the 

 advantages of which I will endeavor to set forth. 



The walls of the house are made in sections, and 

 of such material as to be impervious to heat and 

 cold. Bach part is made complete, and can be set 

 up by any person of ordinary mechanical ability. 

 For heating, iron pipes are used, connected with an 

 upright boiler designed especially for the purpose. 

 The boiler and all the heating apparatus are in one 

 corner of the house proper, so that the entire heat 

 is utilized. Illuminating gas or kerosene may be 

 used for fuel. If the latter, a suflBcient quantity to 

 supply the burners for a given time is placed in a 

 tank from which they are fed. The heater is so ar- 

 ranged that no gas from the burning oil enters the 

 room. A ventilator is constructed in the top, which 

 is furnished with a device connected with the heat- 

 er in such a way as to turn on the heat when the 

 ventilator closes, and turn it off as the ventilator 

 opens. This device will open and close the ventila- 

 tor as the temperature varies. It can be gauged to 

 hold the temperature at any desired degree. 



This ventilating apparatus dispenses with the 

 raising and lowering of movable sash, as in the or- 

 dinary greenhouse. One of the reasons for this 

 even temperature is the fact that the fresh air is 

 largely supplied through the ground. This uni- 

 formity of temperature being secured, no care is 

 necessary for days at a time, save in supplying the 

 plants with water. 



So far I have considered these advantages as ap- 

 plying to greenhouses only. Mr. Barnard proposes 

 to adapt the system to hot-bed?, or a series of them. 



which will be of inestimable value to gardeners. 

 I feel very certain that this new idea is to command 

 the attention of bee-keepers, as it will be found of 

 marked value to them. Every feature of the sys- 

 tem commends itself to their thoughtful considera- 

 tion. Its impervious walls, perfect system of ventila- 

 tion, uniform temperature at any point, and, con- 

 sequently, pure atmosphere, its form of construc- 

 tion, which enables it to be taken down easily and 

 quickly, and moved from place to place, all tend to 

 make it available for wintering bees, holding and 

 curing both box and extracted honey, storing sur- 

 plus combs, and for many other purposes connect- 

 ed with our pursuit. Really, I can not see why this 

 principle, when properly applied, can not be adapt- 

 ed to our poultry-houses, stables, public halls, 

 school buildings, and even to our homes. 

 Stamford, Conn., Apr. 2. L. C. Root. 



Friend R.. I am glad to know that our 

 friend who loves to see things grow, Mr. 

 Charles Barnard, has succeeded so well. Au- 

 tomatic regulators for furnacts, as well as 

 ventilators, are old ideas in regard to green- 

 houses ; but I believe that very few of them 

 have found much favor so far. I do not 

 know how we should use it very much in 

 bee culture, unless it were applied to the 

 wintering repository; but friend Doolittle 

 and others succeed with so little variation 

 in temperature by means of their under- 

 ground caves, it seems to me there is not 

 much more to be desired. There is another 

 thought in regard to plants : Inasmuch as 

 nature furnishes a certain amount of varia- 

 tion, I have begun to conclude that our 

 greenhouses also should not have a temper- 

 ature with too little variation. A'ery likely 

 friend Barnard's arrangement may include 

 all this. 



m I ^ 



RAMBLE NO. 23. 



UPS AND DOWNS OF A PEDDLER— ESPECIALLY THE 

 DOWNS. 



One autumn day we were comparing notes with 

 an aged neighbor about a weakness in our running 

 gear. He said, that, by standing long on the feet, 

 and lifting heavy articles, the " spine" of the legs 

 becomes compressed and painful. We always sup- 

 posed, as per Darwin and others, that the spine 

 ended above the legs; but we always respect gray 

 hairs, and took it for granted that this friend knew; 

 and when he advised a long restful wagon ramble, 

 we knew there was wisdom in his speech. We load- 

 ed our wagon with things sweet and elevating, and 

 turned our faces toward the east, in search of light 

 and trade, and after an ardous forenoon's work we 

 found ourselves many miles away, with the cash 

 for one pound of honey, our spirits lacerated with 

 several scoldings, etc. The people, male and fe- 

 male, old and young, had nearly all taken an ex- 

 cursion epidemic, and got themselves out of the 

 country. The few left were angry at themselves 

 and everybody else, because they were left. One 

 specimen of the gentler sex snappishly informed 

 us that our baking-powder (that's what we carry 

 along with us that is elevating) wasn't worth a pin 

 — " tain't fit to feed pigs with." 



" Why," says we, calmly and mildly, " of course it 

 wouldn't be economy to feed it clear to pigs; but, 

 give a little in its rations and it will have a tenden- 

 cy to leaven." 



