188? 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



141 



ing seed ; and I felt, too, that it was in obe- 

 dience to God's call that I was away off here 

 on this beautiful January morning. I asked 

 if the same plant would yield a crop year 

 after year. He said he had found no trou- 

 ble, providing he stopped cutting in time to 

 allow them to make a good growtli, and 

 bear seed, and then keep the glass off long 

 enougli to allow the whole bed to freeze up 

 so as to make a real winter of it before 

 bringing in the artificial spring. Time was 

 passing, however ; and, much as I enjoyed 

 this beautiful spot, I should soon be wanted 

 at the bee-convention, and I began to feel 

 that my good friend by my side feared I was 

 a little too much interested. My many and 

 eager questions might have made him feel 

 that it was not best to give away the secrets 

 of his trade too much, for he was evidently 

 an old-countryman. 



There was one point about Mr. Frost's 

 work to which I wish to call special atten- 

 tion. He did not build these five great veg- 

 etable-greenhouses all at once. He increas- 

 ed his area of glass as the market demanded 

 it, and he did not throw away hundreds of 

 dollars until he could be sure he was going 

 to get it back again. The closest and most 

 careful economy was studied at every point. 

 When I suggested a steam-boiler in place of 

 all those stoves, he declared most emphatic- 

 ally that the interest of the money would 

 eat up all the profits, and I am not sure but 

 he is right about it. The great expense of 

 this gardening in winter is the glass. The 

 sash were cheap and light, and the panes of 

 glass were small — about 6x8, if I am cor- 

 rect, so that a breakage could be made good 

 at small expense; but even with his rude 

 and cheap appliances, the quality of his veg- 

 etables was equal to any thing I have ever 

 seen anywhere. 



It may be well right here to put in a word 

 about extravagant expenditures in business; 

 and in advising you how to be busy I should 

 make a sad, sad mistake if that advice 

 should result in inducing you to get still 

 deeper in debt, and end up by having noth- 

 ing to do after all. Be very careful about 

 making purchases, and purchase a little at 

 a time. T often tell young bee-keepers to 

 commence with one or two hives of bees. 

 When these two hives of bees have afforded 

 profit in your hands, then, but not before, 

 increase the number. The same in regard 

 to sash for raising early vegetables. Try a 

 few sash. If they are a paying investment 

 in your hands, and under your management, 

 then try a few more, but do not enlarge too 



fast. Florists tell us that if a plant is fee- 

 ble, and seems likely to die, let it alone. 

 Give it sun and air, but don't give it liquid 

 manure, nor even water, until it starts to 

 grow. Then give it a little water; and if 

 that seems to prove beneficial, give a little 

 more. When it comes to be rank and strong, 

 and if covered with a great amount of foli- 

 age, it can take water in abiuidance, and 

 not l)e harmed— yes, even strong manure, 

 and it is ready to take it up and make great 

 strong branches and leaves. So must the 

 young gardener start. Giving him money 

 or credit would be like the strong manure or 

 guano watei' to the feeble plant — it would 

 kill it outright. Get a healthy growth start- 

 ed first. I would not even buy seeds or tools 

 without carefully considering the matter. 



Only last summer a bright intelligent 

 young man came to me for vegetable-plants. 

 He paid cash down at first, and seemed to 

 be enjoying his work, and doing well. Fi- 

 nally an opportunity offered for him to do 

 quite a business, but he had not the money 

 to pay for his plants. Contrary to my bet- 

 ter judgment I gave him a few weeks' time 

 on them. Then came severe droughts and 

 other discouragements, and he was obliged 

 to give up the business without being able 

 to realize enough to pay his honest debts. I 

 meant to do him a kindness when I trusted 

 him,l)ut I fear it was an unkindness. Don't 

 go in debt, boys. Use wisely what money 

 you have got, and use it judiciously ; but 

 don't use money you have not got. 



At oiu" teachers' meeting the other even- 

 ing the matter of buying lemonade, soda- 

 water, and the like, came up. One of the 

 teachers siirprised me by a remark some- 

 thing like this : 



"My friends, I would almost as soon see 

 my boy buying beer and cigars as to see 

 him buying soda-water, lemonade, and pop, 

 for it is only a question of time. Standing 

 aroimd a bar, getting drinks, and treating 

 each other, is going through the motions 

 that lead to intemperance and crime." 



I was a little surprised, and turned to an 

 old gray-headed deacon who has been many 

 years of his life superintendent of the Sun- 

 daj'-school, and I waited to hear him tell 

 our young friend that he must not draw the 

 lines too close ; but, to my surprise, he smil- 

 ingly said he felt just about as the brother 

 had expressed it. I have been thinking of 

 it since, and it startles me somewhat. Is it 

 wrong to buy lemonade? Well, my friend, 

 I feel pretty sure of this : If a young man 

 were coming to me for advice, and he were 



