1901 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



415 



^SF ^ PEC lAb^NGT^i c Es Bv 



THE DZIERZON THEORY. 



This little pamphet has been out of print for a few 

 months, and numerous orders for it have not been 

 supplied. We have just printed another small edi- 

 tion, and are now prepared to furnish it again. 



A B C OF POTATO CULTDRE AND A B C OF STRAW- 

 BERRY CULTURE. 



We are now at work on a new edition of both of 

 these works, as the old ones are practically exhausted. 

 It will be several months before both books are com- 

 pleted. Orders will be filled with the old edition as 

 long as they last, unless you specify, when you order, 

 that you want the new edition, when ready. 



WINDOW GLASS ADVANCED AGAIN. 



We have received notice of another advance in the 

 price of window glass, taking effect May first, which 

 increases the price 5 per cent over the price in effect 

 during the past month. We have also had notice of 

 an advance of 25 cts. per gross on Mason fruit-jars; 

 but we make no change in our prices quoted in last 

 issue, for the present at least. We advise those in 

 need of jars this season to place their orders before 

 we are obliged to advance prices. There is no pros- 

 pect of any lower prices. 



A MATTER OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO WESTERN 

 BEE-KEEPERS. 



In our last issue we stated that there would be an 

 attempt made, probably, to raise the freight rate on 

 comb honey from its present rate of 1}4 times first 

 class to double first class, whether the glass was ex- 

 posed or not. This, according to Mr. York, of the 

 American Bee Journal, " would well-nigh strangle the 

 honey business * * * on long hauls," and he is 

 right. This is a most .serious matter for our Western 

 bee-keepers, and while it would not affect the carload- 

 commodity rate, yet a most vigorous protest should be 

 sent in at once. 



The next meeting of the Classification Committee 

 will take place May 7, at the Hotel del Monte, Mon- 

 terey, Cal. We suggest that comb honey producers 

 and commission merchants of the West, at least (as it 

 is too late to send letters) fire telegrams on or before 

 May 7 to Chairman J. T. Ripley, of the Western Clas- 

 sification Committee, at Hotel del Monte, Monterey, 

 Cal. Make the telegram read something like this : 



" We protest against proposed raising of rate on 

 comb honey." 



Or word a telegram like this : 



" Don't raise rate on comb honey; would ruin our 

 business." 



Or this : 



" Raising rate on comb honey would handicap large 

 industry." 



These are only samples of wording that may be 

 used, but don't adopt the exact wording ; but every 

 producer in the West should send a telegram as above 

 directed. Do not assume that the " other fellow " will 

 do it for you. This is bread and butter \.o you, and you 

 must fight for your rights. If several bundled tele- 

 grams are fired into headquarters, />r^j*a?V/ (don't for- 

 get that, even if it does co.st a dollar or more), it will 

 cause the committee to know that bee-keepers repre- 

 sent a large industry, and that that industry must 

 not, even in the interests of railroads, be handicapped 

 in the manner proposed. 



Special Notices by A. I. Root. 



VEGETABLE-PLANTS — GOLDEN SELF-BLANCHING CEL- 

 ERY. 



Owing to the press of other business we have been 

 obliged to discontinue the vegetable-plant busine.ss, as 

 our friends will notice; but we have now on hand a 

 very nice lot of Golden Self-blanching celery-plants. 

 Prices: .5 cts for 10; 40 cts. per 100; 53.00 per 1000. If 

 wanted by mail, add 5 cts. for 10, or 2.5 cts. per 100. 



SEED POTATOES. 



Our seconds are practically all sold out with the 

 exception of the Early Ohio. For prices see page 357, 

 last issue. Of the firsts, we have more or less of every 

 thing except Maule's Commercial and I,ee's Favorite. 

 They are still in excellent condition, with scarcely a 

 sprout started. 



WHITE BLISS TRIUMPH POTATOES — REDUCED PRICES. 



We have just purchased a lot of these from a bee- 

 keeper in Wisconsin who said the people there would 

 not buy them because they are white. Red Bliss 

 Triumphs were all right, but they did not want white 

 ones. It is funny what strange people there are in 

 this world of ours. Well, these potatoes are so hand- 

 some we paid him a little more per bushel than we 

 agreed to. They are good size, smooth, firm, not 

 sprouted a particle, no scab, and yet we can make 

 the same price as for the Early Ohio; viz., barrel, 82.50; 

 bushel, %\ 00; half bushel, (iO cts ; peck, 35 cts. I need 

 not remind you this is at the present time, probably, 

 the earliest potato in the world. It is the potato that 

 is grown mcst successfully in the Bermudas, only they 

 grow the red ones. The white ones have been, with 

 great pains, grown as a sport from the red, and in 

 most markets command a higher price than red pota- 

 toes. 



PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR FARM BUILDINGS. 



This is the title of Farmers' Bulletin No. 126, from 

 the Department of Agriculture, Washington. You 

 know I am specially interested in this matter ju.st 

 now, as lam getting ready to put up a cheap building 

 off in the woods. This bulletin has 48 pages, and a 

 lot of engravings and diagrams. It is so extremely 

 practical that it commences by telling the farmer the 

 importance of having a perfect title to his land before 

 he begins to build. Then the place for locating the 

 home is discussed most thoroughly ; the advantages 

 of hillside slope, proximity to timber; shade trees, the 

 well, kitchen, garden, distance from the road, and all 

 these things Then they give a picture of a house 

 that can he built for S600,'planned specially to put on 

 an addition costing S600 more when the farmer can 

 better spare the means, and when his family begins 

 to be a little larger. Every thing is figured up, not 

 only for every piece of timber, but for nails, lath, and 

 hinges, witha sensible discussion, not only in regard 

 to the best and cheapest ways for building a house, 

 but it considers precautions against fire, and how to 

 warm the building in the best and safest way The 

 latter part of the book toucheson barnsandout-build- 

 ings, with plans and specifications I for one feel 

 very thankful to Uncle Samuel for this practical, sen- 

 sible bulletin. You can all have it free of chaigeby 

 applying to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. 



HIGH-PRESSURE GARDENING ; THE NEW RHUBARB 

 CULTURE. 



I do not know but some of the friends will complain 

 that the department of High-pressure Gardening in 

 this number is pretty well occupied l)y that trap nest. 

 Well, I have just now in my hands a new book from 

 the O. Judd Co. that I thiiik is going to give high- 

 pressure gardening a big lift. We have had the 

 "New Onion Culture" and the "New Celery Cul- 

 ture ;" but the " New Rhubarb Culture" is going, in 

 some respects, to beat them all, because it can be 

 worked every day in the year, like the " hen business." 

 See ? I do not know when I have been so much taken 

 up with a book, unless it was the New Egg-farm; but 

 I feel sure, from what I have done with rhubarb, 

 there is no myth about it. Whenever apples are 

 worth a dollar a bushel or more, winter-grown rhu- 

 barb should pay big. It does not require an expensive 

 house nor costly appliances. Any sort of cellar where 

 it will not freeze is all right for it; and the small 

 amount of heat necessary to force the rhubarb costs 

 very little. The book is largely made up from re- 

 ports of the work done by our experiment stations. 

 One thing particularly comes out sharp and clear: 

 Before forcing rhubarb the roots must he thoroughly 

 frozen; and the best way to do it is to plow them out 

 in the fall in great clumps and let them freeze 

 through and through; then bring them into the cellar 

 and you can in a very short time get great leaf-stalks 

 two feet long or more, and larger than any thing you 

 ever saw outdoors. Besides that, the quality for pies 

 or sauce is away ahead of any outdoor-grown plants. 

 There is already a big demand in the cities for winter- 

 forced rhubarb. 



You want the bonk right off, so as to sow your seed 

 and start your plants. With ground rich enough you 



