572 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 



about the wagon. Before I had time to examine 

 the hives thoroughly it occurred to me that we 

 were passing- by a large maple-tree in full bloom, 

 and the smell or the noise of the bees in the hives 

 attracted the attention of the bees that came to the 

 tree. The same thing has occurred many times 

 since, also in passing other hives near the roadside. 



In hauling bees after night, there is, I think, no 

 danger of horses being stung; but if there should 

 happen to be a leak in a hive anywhere near where 

 you are sitting, it is not pleasant to have the bees 

 crawling over you, and possibly stinging you, for 

 3'ou can't very well do any thing but drive straight 

 along, unless you prefer to get off and walk. If 

 your road is smooth you can jog along on a trot. 

 Have your horse hitched up tight; that is, so that 

 when he is standing still he can not move a step 

 backward or forward without the wagon going 

 with him. Then if you come to a bridge which is 

 bad at the jumping-off end you can stop your 

 horse and ease down the wagon off the bridge. It 

 is hardly necessary for me to say, that all hives 

 should be loaded on so the frames shall be across 

 the wagon, not lengthwise. C. C. Miller. 



Marengo, 111. 



Every thing you say, friend M., reminds 

 me vividly of my trials when I used to draw 

 bees on the one-horse wagon ; and I assent 

 to every point you make, with the exception 

 of the closing one. I would assuredly have 

 the frames run lengthwise of the wagon ; for 

 if they didn't, when you undertake to ease 

 the wagon down from that bridge you men- 

 tion you would bump the heavy combs out 

 of the frames. Haven't you made a mis- 

 take ? 



AMONG THE BEEKEEPERS OP VER- 

 MONT. 



MR. MANDM AT HOME. 



"T1AKLY one morning last August the writer 

 T^l) boarded the White Mountain express and 

 §pV left Little Rhody, with her extensive and di- 

 "^™ versified manufactories, with the purpose of 

 gratifying a long-cherished desire to visit the 

 principal Vermont honey-producers. We were 

 hurried up the valley of the Blackstone, past the 

 numerous factory towns and hamlets into Worces- 

 ter, then away toward the northern hills, across 

 Massachusetts, through the level country between 

 Gardiner, Wincheudon, and Keene, from which 

 grand old Monadnock towers up alone out of the 

 apparent level, with its peaked summit piercing the 

 clouds. 



As we crossed one corner of New Hampshire and 

 neared Bellows Falls, the scenery was more moun- 

 tainous, and the road ran along the hillside above 

 fertile-looking valleys, and soon the noble Connecti- 

 cut River came to view, its waters flowing peaceful- 

 ly through the wide valley after its rush and leap 

 at Mellows Falls. At the Falls this great volume of 

 water rushes through the crooks and turns of a 

 narrow channel worn in the rock, and, whirling and 

 boiling, tumbles over the ledge into the wide bed 

 below. Owing to there being less water than usual, 

 its roar was not as deafening as at the time of for- 

 mer visits. Here log-drivers are a familiar sight, 

 and in the season do some of their most dangerous 

 work. 

 Near the Falls is the junction of several railroads, 



and at the depot restaurant we took the usual hur- 

 ried lunch. The extensive works of the Vermont 

 Farm Machine Co. are located here in the town, as 

 well as prosperous paper-mills. At the freight de- 

 pot men were weighing loads of wood pulp, thick 

 sheets right from the mill, and still wet. 



At Bellows Falls we parted with the White 

 Mountain travelers, whose route followed the Con- 

 necticut up through White River junction, while 

 ours was through Rutland toward Burlington. 

 Along the route the hills were higher, and the road 

 ran first on one side of the valley then on the other, 

 while the blue outlines of the Green Mountains 

 were to be seen on the east. The road ascends all 

 the way to Rutland, and we were conscious of a 

 different air and altitude. Before reaching there 

 we occasionally noticed small apiaries, and at East 

 Wallingford we had a passing view of an apiary of 

 about 50 colonies below the railroad. Their keeper 

 was evidently standing over an open hive, while 

 hive-cover and sections were lying near. Rutland 

 was reached about 2 o'clock, but we soon left this 

 fine town and important railroad center, and soon 

 were speeding away through the towns bordering 

 on Lake Champlain. Off at the west, beyond the 

 lake, which was hidden, the dim blue outlines of the 

 Adirondack peaks were plainly visible, while at the 

 right the Green Mountain range towered up abrupt- 

 ly, and reached as far as could be seen north and 

 south. 



After passing the marble-quarries for which Rut- 

 land is celebrated, and when near the station of 

 Proctor, we saw another apiary of 40 colonies or 

 more, and learned that in the vicinity were two 

 others of 50 or 60 colonies, and at Brandon a yard of 

 100 colonies. 



We passed through the beautiful town of Middle- 

 bury, the home of Mr. J. E. Crane, a leading bee- 

 master of the State, but I did not stop, leaving that 

 for our return trip. In the woods along the river 

 we noticed that large white-poplar trees were nu- 

 merous, and realized that we were near the home 

 of the white-poplar section and shipping-crate. 



At New Haven we took a stage to Bristol, 5V 2 

 miles away to the east, and at the foot of the Green 

 Mountains. Here is the home of Mr. Manum, 

 which, in response to a cordial invitation, we had 

 chosen as our first destination. Not knowing the 

 day we were coming, he was at an out-apiary which 

 he had commenced to move to a new location. We 

 were cordially welcomed by his wife, whom we 

 found to be a genial hostess, and not only interest- 

 ed in but well posted on the affairs of the apiary. 



The time passed quickly, and before dark Mr. 

 Manum and assistant drove up, each with a load of 

 outer cases compactly piled and securely tied to- 

 gether with numerous ropes. 



We soon had the pleasure of conversing with one 

 whose extensive bee-operations prepared us to ap- 

 preciate the privilege. We found him very genial, 

 a free talker, ready to give any information he 

 possessed, also ready to see the value of and quick 

 to adopt any good thing advanced by others. He 

 says he has no secrets to withold, and considers it a 

 duty to make public any information he possesses, 

 and has written many long letters explaining his 

 methods to many in various parts of the country, 

 free of charge, but admitted this was too much of 

 a tax on time and strength. We can testify that he 

 has done this for us in the past, for which we are 

 very grateful. 



