370 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sett. 



This brings me to the second point. The 

 clerk was to blame, but I think I am to 

 blame more. Such a mistake should not 

 occur one time in 10,000 ; and I will tell you 

 how this accident, and similar ones, may be 

 avoided. The two kinds of planes are in 

 the same drawer, and done up with the same 

 colored paper. Each kind should have a 

 drawer by itself, or at least an apartment in 

 the same drawer, and a plain label should 

 tell the name and the price, on the front of 

 each drawer. Still farther, to prevent their 

 being put, by any possibility or carelessness, 

 into the wrong drawer, different colored 

 wrapping paper should be used. 



It has been intimated, and in terms, I am 

 sorry to say, not as kind as they might be, 

 that I have boys and girls employed to "put 

 up things," instead of putting them up my- 

 self. This is true ; I do not put up things 

 myself, unless it is to show some clerk how, 



but I devote my whole time and energies, 

 towards looking over these boys and girls, 

 and, if I should succeed by plans such as I 

 have given you and others, in filling all or- 

 ders you may send me, more promptly, and 

 with more care, than do those who do it all 

 themselves, you will not complain, will you? 

 If we do our work badly, nobody will trade 

 with us, and, pretty soon, instead of requir- 

 ing half a hundred or more, I shall not need 

 any one. May God help and give me wis- 

 dom, not for my sake, but for your sakes, 

 my friends, and for those to whom I am 

 giving employment here, to avoid these 

 mistakes that are so disastrous and annoy- 

 ing all around, and may he help us all to 

 have charity, one for another. 



P. S. — Another plane was sent our friend, 

 and he was allowed to keep both, to pay for 

 the trouble we had made him. 



E. A. SHELDON S APIARY, INDEFENDECE, IOWA. 



PICTURES OF APIARIES. 



#%UR engraver has been practicing on 

 lip some of the pictures of apiaries that 

 ^""^ have been sent us in times past. Be- 

 low we give you one of them, with a letter 

 from its owner, in regard to it. 



Friend Novice:— Yours of July 15th received. In 

 reply, I would say that I am sorry you have been to 

 the expense of having- the wood-cut made, as that 

 was taken five years ago when I lived in town, on a 

 lot 5x10, having fifty swarms of bees. So you see we 

 had to have our bees in pretty close quarters. 



In the foreground is myself, watching for ths first 

 appearance of those beautiful bees, 30 days after 

 introducing one of Gallup's Italian queens. Mrs. S. 

 is standing by the extractor, and her daughter is 

 sitting by her grandfather, who is in the arm chair 

 reading the camp meeting daily. The rest are 

 friends who were in at the time. If you print this, I 



would like to have you print the one I am now going 

 to have, so you can see the improvements that have 

 been made within five years. I will send you the 

 picture and description of the same, in a few days. 



I am now living one mile from t he centre of our 

 town, where I have ample room. I have 165 swarms, 

 besides 28 divisions of nuclei, where I am raising 

 queens from an imported mother. I have arranged 

 my bees on the hexagonal plan, twelve feet from 

 centre to centre. Gentlemen that have traveled a 

 great deal say that I have the best kept apiary in the 

 state. 



Now, fiiend Novice, I am going to have a picture 

 of this apiary taken on the first suitable day, and 

 then, I assure you, it will be a picture worth looking 

 at. E. A. Sheldon. 



Independence, la., Aug. 21, 1879. 



All right, friend S., give us the better one, 

 and we will try to show it to "all round."' 



