1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



401 



SOMETHING MORE ABOUT THE MUSKOKA REGION OF 



Mr. A'ool';— Speaking of the outing in the back- 

 woods, we think it might interest you to know what 

 we have been doing since you were with us in Musko- 

 ka. You will perhaps remember the little farmhouse 

 away back from our camp, where you got the bread, 

 and will recollect the lake straight out from the hou.se, 

 where you found the children alone. Well, in that 

 lake we discovered, after you left us, a group of beau- 

 tiful islands, four in all, about \'l or 15 acres We made 

 inquiries and found out that they were still govern- 

 ment property. As soon as we returned to Toronto 

 we investigated, and made a purchase of the lot from 

 the government, for $0.00 per acre. We talked it up, 

 and others became interested, mostly relatives, and 

 members of our church here. .Six families united, and 

 tarly last spring we had the lumber hauled in and 

 quite a nice hou"-;e built. It cost us about $60 apiece, 

 land and all. Our building is about 80x16 feet, two- 

 story, built of dressed siding, painted yellow, trimmed 

 with red, and with shingles stained green. It makes 

 a very pretty appearance from the water, surrounded 

 as it is by beautiful woods. .Some of the trees that 

 have been cut off the island are large enough to be 

 made into lumber, and we e.xpect to get several thou- 

 ,sand feet of boards from them during the winter, and 

 next year we purpose building a large veranda around 

 the house. The situation is very beautiful. We get 

 berries in abundance, and the fishing is also good. 

 We get beautiful black bass, .some as large as three or 

 four pounds. There is also good lunge fishing in the 

 lake. 



Our lake is connected by small streams with a whole 

 chain of other lakes to which we made very pleasant 

 little excursions. In some cases the streams are just 

 filled with thousands upon thousands of sweet scented 

 water lilies, while the ever-changing scenery is very 

 beautiful. Generally the land is rough and rocky, 

 similar to what you saw on your trip. The water, as 

 you know, is very soft, and suitable for bathing, but 

 father too warm for drinking. We were fortunate, 

 however, in discovering on the mainland, just across 

 from our islands, a beautiful spring where we get 

 splendid water, soft and cold. We dug a hole and 

 sank a barrel into the sand. I thought of you when I 

 was helping to fix it, knowing how much you are in- 

 terested in .'•uch things We found there were quite a 

 few settlers on the lake from whom we could get, at 

 very reasonable prices, beautiful potatoes, and all oth- 

 er garden vegetables, milk, butter, eggs, etc. My 

 wife and children were there about eight weeks. I 

 took them in over the same course we traveled when 

 von were with us ; but we have another .^ ay of getting 

 in from the railway station, by a very good roid. The 

 settlers, for a reasonable amount, bring us and our 

 luggage in to the shore of the lake. We have found 

 it a great benefit to us, the children especially. It 

 was a sight not soon to be forgotten, to see them all 

 playing in the nice clean sand, and bathing in the 

 warm soft water. It was worth all it cost us to see the 

 way they enjoyed themselves, and they are much bet- 

 ter in health. It made us think of the poor little 

 children who are shut up in the large cities, who never 

 have such pleasure, and we often wished we could 

 share it with them. 



By a number uniting in this way we were able to 

 have all the advantages and benefits of a summer out- 

 ing, at a very small cost. After reckoning every thing 

 up we found that it was cheaper living there than it 

 would have been had we spent the summer at home in 

 Toronto. Probably no one family connected with the 

 club ( which, by the way, we call the " Otiosus Club " ) 

 would have been able to go to the expense alone ; but 

 by uniting in this way we all had the benefit and ad- 

 vantages of the company, which made it more pleas- 

 ant. At one time we had about 25 on the island. Of 

 course, .some of them slept in tents. You have been 

 writing lately on the subject of 'paths.'' I may say 

 that one of our gre-itest pleasures while in Muskoka 

 was making paths from one point to another on our 

 islands. Sometimes we were able to get all the young 

 people, children and all, interested in it, and, oh my ! 

 how they would work ! and how they would eat after- 

 ward ! What other pleasures are there which can 

 compare with the pleasures we get from nature? 



■We hope some time we may have the plea.sure of 

 showing you the advantages and beauties of our sum- 

 mer home. I suppose you know that " Otiosus" is ta- 

 ken from a I^atin word " otiutn," which means rest, 

 recreation, leisure, etc., and our experience last sum- 

 mer proves that it has been rightly named. 



Toronto, Can , Nov. 21. E. Grainger. 



CONVENTION NOTICE. 



The Ha.stern part of the Northern Illinois Bee-keep- 

 ers' As.sociation will hold their spring meeting at the 

 residence of C. J. Cummings, i% miles northeast of 

 Rockford, 111., on Tuesday, May 20, 1902. All interest- 

 ed in bees are invited to attend. R. Kennedy, Sec. 



Rockford, 111., Rural Route No. 5. 



Fertilizing-boxes on Trial. 



Last season we reared and sold a large number of 

 queens, all of which were mated from Swarthmore 

 fertilizing-bo.xes attached to 2 and 8 frame nucleus 

 hives of standard size, thus securing (J to 10 fertile 

 queens each from cololonies that would otherwise 

 have given but one to the mating. We will gladly 

 .send a .set of boxes to ten reliable bee-keepers for 

 trial and approval; to be paid for when satisfied of 

 success, or returned if found wanting — full directions 

 given in circular. 



The Swarthmore Ap'aries, Swarthmore, Pa. 



Headquarters for the Albino Bee. 



The Best in the World. 



If you are looking for the bees that gather the most 

 honey, and are the gentlest of all bees to handle, buy 

 the Albino. I can also furnish Italians, but orders 

 stand fifty to one in favor of the Albino. ,Select tested 

 Albino queen before June, for breeding, $1.00; tested, 

 $2.50; untested, $1.00; Italians;, Sl.OO. I have located an 

 apiary near Rocky Ridge, Md., and most of my queens 

 will be shipped from there Other supplies will be 

 furnished from Hagerstown, Maryland. Address me 

 at Rocky Ridge, Md., for queens. S. Valentine. 



Look Here! 



Buy your bee-supplies where you can do 

 the best. We handle the well-kncwn Lewis 

 Goods, and every thing else necessary for the 

 bee-Jieepers. the Very Best Goods, The Very 

 Best Service, The Very Best Shipping Facilities, 

 Plenty of Room, Large Stock, Manufacturer's Prices. 

 Write to us before buying- elsewhere. Cat- 

 alog free if you say where you saw this ad. 



C. M. Scott & Co., 



I004 E. Washington St., 



Indianapolis, Ind. 



Don't forget us when you want a queen. 

 We guarantee ours. 



TEXAS QUEENS 



From the lyone .Star Apiaries. 

 G. F. Davidson & Son, prop's, 

 have made great prep- 

 arations for the com- 

 ing season to accom- 

 modate their many 

 customers with either 

 L,ong-tongue, Import- 

 ed St ck. or Golden 

 giueens They have 

 ought out the queen- 

 rearing business of O. 

 P. Hyde & Son, Hutto, 

 Texas, and by buying 

 and increasing their 

 number of nuclei, they are better prepared than ever 

 to cater to the trade of the bee-keeping public. One of 

 Root's IvOng-tongue Breeders; Imported Stock direct 

 from Italy; Goldens from leading queen-breeders. 

 Fine breeders of each of the above have been added 

 to their yards. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaran- 

 teed. Send for queen circular and price list We are 

 now prepared to fill orders for Cyprian and Carnio- 

 lan queens, (iood strains. Address 

 0. F. Davidson & Son, Box 190, Floresville, Texas. 



T T 



