1879 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



81 



cross in the back, a belt to button around the waist, 

 and long-, deep pockets; a brush of leaves or twigs 

 (not asparagus, don't like it) tied to one side with a 

 long- stout string-, and a stiff case knife tied to the 

 other side; a small bladod pocket knife in my right 

 pocket, a lead pencil and a bit of writing- paper for 

 taking- notes, in my left pocket, and a handful of dry 

 wood for my smoker. 



I like to have 2 of these aprons and wash out, ev- 

 ery evenine, the one I have been wearing- through 

 the day. Having- thing's tied to me saves my steps, 

 and I do not lose them in the grass. 



GRASS VERSUS SAWDUST. 



I think I should like grass better than sawdust, 

 because it is so cleanly and pretty, and there is no 

 danger of its getting on fire. Ry the way, we have 

 already burned up 2 colonies of bee"; the quilt of 

 the first one took fire from a piece of rotten wood, 

 and the last one from the Bingham smoker. The 

 hive was saved, but combs and bees were destroyed. 

 Before getting that thick apron I often used to set 

 my calico dress on fire. 



HOW TO STOP ROBBING. 



I like best to stop robbing by wetting cloths, and 

 wrapping them around the hives. Nothing is better 

 than an old shirt, cotton or woolen; clasp the bot- 

 tom of the hive with the sleeves, and throw the 

 skirt of the shirt over the top. If robbing badly, 

 lean a board against the front of the hive, and have 

 the cloth dripping wet. 



I work right ahead with bees, for hours in robbing 

 time, by covering- each hive over in that way. As 

 soon as done with a hive, skip over, each time, to 

 the farthest hive from the one last opened. After 

 an hour or so, you can take off the first cloth. 



HOW TO SELL THE HONEY. 



We took 5 barrels of extracted honey, which we 

 have sold very readily, and could have sold more if 

 we had had it. We shipped to Chicago, 2,500 lbs. net, 

 mostly comb honey, in \ 1 ' 2 lb. section frames, besides 

 supplying 15 towns within about 20 miles of us. We 

 go about once in 6 weeks, and take a new supply, 

 see that it is kept in proper shape, bring home the 

 shipping boxes, &c. We generally canvass some be- 

 tween the towns. In that way we sell our extracted 

 and rough honey to farmers. 



We want to thank you for the g-ood advice con- 

 tained in "Our Homes." We generally make that 

 almost the first piece read in Gleanings. 



You may put this in the Ladies' Department, or 

 in the Smilery (if it is worth printing), whichever 

 you please; and tell the ladies, those who are not 

 too much burdened with family cares, and especial- 

 ly the invalids, that they are losing very much, by 

 allowing their husbands and brothers to do all the 

 work in the apiary. 



Never mind the stings; they will soon cease swell- 

 ing. Your faces and hands may be somewhat 

 browned, but it will be a healthier tint than the sal- 

 low of ill health. Mrs. L. C. Axtell. 



Roseville, Warren Co., 111., Dec. 28, 1878. 



After reading the above, I could not help 

 thinking of the first letter I received from 

 you, my friend. As it may interest our read- 

 ers to know how the 300 colonies started, I 

 will give a portion of the letter, taken from 

 our Feb. No., of 1874. 



Please bear with me if I relate a little of our bee 

 experience which has been a good deal dishearten- 

 ing. Many have been the times this summer that 

 both husband and I have wished we had let bees 

 alone, but there is no backing out now, without 

 quite a loss which we could ill afford. Two years 

 ago this winter we brought home one swarm of 

 bees; the next summer they swarmed twice and 

 gave us about three dollars surplus; one of the 

 * warms filled the hive of 2,000 cubic inches, box hive, 

 clear to the bottom, so we thought we would do as 

 some of our neighbors did, pry off the top and take 

 out some of the honey. We inquired of half a dozen j 

 or more of our neighbor bee-keepers if it would do [ 

 any harm; they could not see that it would, so one I 

 hot day in Aug. or Sept. we went to work; but such j 

 a muss as we got into! bees, honey and all squashed [ 

 down together! It set us thinking if there was not j 

 a better way; so last winter or fall we borrowed 

 some bee books, bought some, and sent for some 

 papers, and during the last year we have learned 

 something. Wc had 15 stocks in the spring and in- 



creased to 27, but have had to feed and nurse them 

 all summer. 



Had you and your husband become faint 

 hearted and given it up, see what you would 

 have lost. I know you have worked hard, 

 and been faithful servants, and now you are 

 beginning to have your reward. 



I cannot quite agree with you, Mrs. A., in 

 regard to sugar feeding. If sugar was very 

 much cheaper than honey, I should use it, 

 no matter what people said, providing I 

 could be sure that none of it could possibly 

 get into the honey offered for sale. After 

 considerable experience in feeding to pro- 

 mote brood rearing, I do not think there is 

 any danger, at all, of its getting into the sur- 

 plus boxes. Those who talk to the contrary 

 have not tested the matter, by practice. In- 

 vite those who talk of frauds to come and 

 see you and get acquainted. When I have 

 a guilty conscience, I fear to have people 

 talk, but at no other time. 



Your division boards made of lath are ef- 

 fectual, but I should prefer some thin light 

 strips, because they take so much less room 

 in a hive. 



I am a firm believer in open air, and awak- 

 ened enthusiasm, in place of doctors and 

 medicine, and I hope your advice and ex- 

 ample may stir up a spirit among your sis- 

 ters, to arise and do likewise. 



If grass can be kept mown close, it will do 

 very well ; but I object to it for the very rea- 

 son you have mentioned, that things are apt 

 to get lost. It is quite difficult mowing 

 among the hives, and in wet weather it is 

 rather unpleasant. It takes hard work to 

 keep an apiary clean and tidy, either way. 

 My neighbor, Shaw, keeps sheep in the en- 

 closure to keep the grass down. 



Mrs. A., cannot we men have such an 

 apron, too ? we like to be clean, and we have 

 had ample experience of the effects of honey 

 on our good clothes, when we happen to 

 have any. We also get things lost now and 

 then, i our plan of selling honey is the 

 idea, exactly ; but alas ! that takes energy 

 and go "aheadativeness," too, and that is the 

 great lack, the world over. It may be, that 

 hard times will drive us to it, and I know 

 your cheering letter will help us on the way. 



FOOT POWER SAWS, ETC. 



MERE is a well, I will call it a drawing of my 

 foot power. It being rather different from 

 _j any 1 have seen, 1 thought I would send it you. 



The arm from the crank runs back, as you will 

 see, 30 in. The length of foot power is 3 ft. and 6 in. 

 I get more power than I should to go right down 

 from the crank, which is 2 l / 2 in. My foot rises 9 in. 

 The balance wheel is iron, 24in. in diameter, 3in. 

 face, and weighs 65 lbs. When new it cost $1.30. The 

 mandrel is 5 3 in. in diameter andl7in. long. I had 

 it made for me, washers, nut, and all complete, for 

 50cts. The stand is spruce; the saw frame, hard 

 pine; the saw table, ash; the gauge that runs para- 

 lell with the saw is ash, 2x3; the saw table is 44x24 ; 

 the mitreing table, black walnut, 2 in. thick, 30 in. 

 long, made according to your directions in the A B 

 C; the track on which the sliding table runs is ash, 

 the shape of a 3 cornered file. It is all made and put 

 together in good shape, with iron rods in the legs to 

 make them stout. 



The pulley on the mandrel is wood, 2 in. in diam- 

 eter. The saw does not run very fast, but I shall 

 have to make it do for the present. I have made 

 about 40 Simplicity bee hives with it; I made 17, in 

 good shape, in as many hours. I have one whjon 

 you made, and mine is as good as yours, 1 thin... 



