*M 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULtUilE. 



JuNtf 



SEVEN-TOP TURNIP. 



I sowed a little patch of seven-top turnip, during 

 the last week of last Aug., but it froze out last win- 

 ter. I was sorry about it, for I think it splendid for 

 spring forage. Joe R. Ellis. 



New Mansiield, Fayette Co., O., Apr. 29, 1880. 



[Seven-top turnip, to live over winter, must be 

 sown early enough, and on good enough ground, to 

 make a good strong root the lirst season; otherwise 

 it will be thrown out by the frost, especially during 

 such open winters as our last. The same is true of 

 the Simpson plant. Get them to make as strong a 

 growth as possible the first season.] 



"active" bees. 



My bees are very active when they get a chacce to 

 rob, I assure you. They act as though they were at 

 a fire, and all depended on haste and numbers. I 

 feel like boxing them, when I see them at it. They 

 are gathering pollen very last from the box-elder 

 trees. S. W. Pierce. 



Davenport, Iowa, April 24, 1880. 



[I have seen just such bees, friend P., and, if I mis- 

 take not, a good many of us have seen them too. 

 After the yield of honey opens, and they get to go- 

 ing in an honest way, try to keep them so that they 

 forget all about the disposition to steal, and grow 

 up straightforward, industrious, "honest" bees. 

 You probably know about that little story, that 

 ends with a "pound of cure."] 



BORROWING JOURNALS. 



Mr. Root: — You advise economy, and I have been 

 practicing it, possibly in a way you would not ad- 

 vise; viz., borrowing Gleanings from our friend, 

 J. H. Montgomery. David Strong. 



Lincoln, Tenn., May 4, 1880. 



LI recommend just that kind of economy, friend 

 S., with just one proviso; and that is, that you do 

 not in the least, in any way, trespass on the good na- 

 ture of your neighbor. It is very annoying to have 

 one's journal gone just at the very minute he wants 

 it, and I hope you will take good care that such is 

 never the case with any thing you have borrowed. 

 I am glad, for my part, to have every number read 

 by as many people as care to read it.] 



GLASS CUTTERS. 



I have used one of those cheap glass cutters for 5 

 years, and it has done well till the other day, when it 

 utterly refused to take hold; so you see I want 

 another. I hope those thieves whom you delight (?) 

 to call "brothers" (?) will let this letter pass un- 

 broken. G. W. Demaree. 



Christiansburg, Ky., May 4, 1880. 



[They are units in the great stream of humanity, 

 friend D., and as such I call them brothers; but 

 while I love the sinners, I detest the sin as much as 

 any of you, I assure you; and I am just as anxious 

 to have them arrested, not only for our good, but as 

 a kindness to the thieves themselves.] 



How would it do to use wire only one way for sep- 

 arators? I don't see why it would not do as well as 

 wire cloth. You could stretch the wire very tight 

 in the place of the tin. Rowland White. 



Grand Rapids, Wood Co., Ohio, May 11, 1880. 



[The wires would spring aside and be easily in- 

 jured, unless they were supported and braced by a 

 few wires woven crosswise. Besides we could not 

 use a wire near as light, if it were not woven into 

 cloth. I have made application to several wire cloth 



factories, but none of them will undertake to weave 

 just what is wanted. After we get over our busy 

 season, Mr. Gray and I propose to try our hands at a 

 loom to weave wire cloth separators.] 



BEE 



wanted! tiie man who stole "that 'ere' 

 gleanings. 



I received Gleanings, and also catalogue; but woe 

 to the man who took it from my office before I had 

 hardly glanced at it ! Will you be kind enough to 

 send me another? W. D. Sclionten, P. M. 



New Holland, Ind , May .">, 1880. 



The bee business is "booming" here in our part of 

 Ind. Bees have been swarming already. There are 

 more orders for queens f his season than ever before. 



Owen, Ind., May ii, 1880. J. Long. 



LAZY MAN S BEE (ANDY. 



To 4 parts sugar, add 1 part flour; mix with a lit- 

 tle water, just as the cook kneads her dough, just as 

 stiff as possible; pack into section boxes or trays 

 laid on paper for a bottom, and set in a dry place till 

 hard enough to handle. I have tried this candy 

 thoroughly, and it is as good as one could wish, and 

 is next to no trouble. 



CLIMATIC CORNER. 



I would like to seeacornerinGLEANiNGS like this: 



Shelby County. Ky., Feb. 27th, elm and willow 

 blooming; March 22d, peaches blooming; 24th, 

 plums blooming; 26th, dandelions and cherries; 

 April 9th, gooseberries; 18th, sugar maple; 22d, ap- 

 ples, red bud, and dogwood; May 4, first white clo- 

 ver. This would give a general idea of our climate, 

 etc. G. W. D. 



Christiansburg, Ky., May, 1880. 



[Thanks, friend D., but, after making some of 

 your candy, before it got dry, it soured and rose up 

 like biscuit. Perhaps our girls did not get the pro- 

 portions right, or it may have been too warm weath- 

 er. I agree with you, that the bees eat it readily.] 



HOW TO IMPORT QUEENS. 



Please to tell me, through Gleanings, or send me 

 the No. in which it is told, how queens can be im- 

 ported and the expense? I see that a firm in Italy 

 advertises them in Gleanings at $2.00; whereas 

 you and others charge from $5.00 to $10.00 for them. 

 Can it cost $2.00 each to import them? Even an A B 

 C scholar would like to import, if such a saving can 

 be made. Can't they come by mail? I have searched 

 through ABC, but find nothing. C. B. Curtis. 



Selma, Ala., May 15, 1880. 



[Much has been said in back volumes in regard to 

 importing. Unless you import in large lots, say 

 from 25 to 50, it will likely cost you over $2.00 each to 

 import. Some of ours, last season, where nearly all 

 of them were dead, cost us 4 times that amount. It 

 is next to impossible to have them come by mail, 

 for they often die when sent in the little importing 

 hives by express. The matter is very simple; get a 

 foreign check, and send for the number you wish. 

 It will be better to have some body receive them in 

 New York, and forward them without any delay. 

 At present, I know of no forwarding house there, I 

 should want to recommend. Tf you will read last 

 year's journals, you will get an idea of the difficul- 

 ties in the business. I know, my prices are high; 

 but, after making good those that die, don't lay, &c, 

 I feel quite willing to let somebody else undertake 

 it. None can be got here, as a general thing, before 

 June; hence the high prices before that month.] 



