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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June IS 



WANTED — AN ESPOSA. 



Otjr friend J. H. Martin (Rambler), in 

 writing to a friend in Cuba, expressed a 

 long- felt want. As that friend is of a sym- 

 pathetic nature he sent that portion of the 

 letter to us, saying, "It is needless to say 

 how badly his bachelor's (juarters must 

 have looked when his friends were forced 

 to remark to him that he needed an espo- 

 sa." Well, this is what Rambler writes: 



My Cuban neighbors here seem to think I need an 

 esposa. From the way they express themselves I 

 think an esposa is some sort of culinary utensil or a 

 sort of washing-machine, perhaps. Any way, I will 

 not expose my ignorance to these people by asking 

 them about it. Of course, you know what an esposa 

 is ; and if they are plentiful in Havana I should like 

 to know the price of an esposa. If they do not come 

 too high I might buy one. Another thing, are they 

 liable to get out of repair ? and does it cost much to 

 have them fixed ? I always buy new if possible, and 

 could not think of having an old worn-cut second- 

 hand esposa. Keep your eye open, and let me know 

 when you find what you think would suit me. 



Taco Taco, Cuba, May 27. J. H. Martin. 



p. s. — Do you know if the Roots handle esposas? If 

 they are scarce in Havana we might fall back on the 

 A. I. R. Co. 



If any one can supply him with the nec- 

 essary article in a wholesale or retail way 

 he will confer a favor by addressing Ram- 

 bler at Taco Taco. Got 'em at Rootville? 

 Yes, we have 'em, but ours are priceless. 

 Stenog, who reads Spanish, says an espo- 

 sa means the best washing-machine in the 

 world. 



HONEY PROSPECTS — STIFFENING OF PRICES. 



Reports so far, covering the north mid- 

 dle and eastern portions of the United 

 States, are not so encouraging. The sea- 

 son has been very backward, especially in 

 Michigan, Ohio, and New York. Very 

 warm weather has been followed by the 

 other extreme — cold, cool, and frosts. The 

 bees no more than get nicely started when 

 there comes on a chilling north wind. Clo- 

 ver is just beginning to open up; and even 

 if it should yield fairly well, the bees are 

 not in the best possible condition to take 

 care of the flow. Further reports from 

 California show that, in spite of the rains 

 early in the season, there will be almost an 

 entire failure in the southern counties. 

 Some honey will be secured along the or- 

 ange belts and near the coast; but this, I 

 am told, will probably not amount to more 

 than ten carloads. 



Later. — There have been some warm co- 

 pious rains, followed by ideal honey weath- 

 er, in the east-central States. 



THE REDUCTION OF THE TOMATO CROP. 



The following letter from Mr. F. J. Root, 

 of the American Grocer, New York, will 

 explain itself: 



Dear Mr. Root :—\ have been talking with a packer 

 of tomatoes from down " Jersey ward," and we have 

 also had letters from Delaware packers about the de- 

 cadence of tomato-growing. To-day Mr. J. Stout was 

 in the office, and tells me that the growth of tomatoes 

 on given acres will not average more than from a 

 third to a half what it formerly was. Continuing, he 

 said that a decade ago I.ong Island was a great sec- 

 tion for pickles. Now, he says, no one can grow pickle 

 stock there, and many factories have moved up-State. 

 Farmers, being unable to raise good crops of tomatoes 

 —even with the same seed, same soil, same every thing 



to all appearances — are raising other stuff — potatoes 

 and truck. 



Seeking a cause, this packer says it is owing to the 

 changing season ; that packing, which a few years ago 

 might begin in August, can not commence until well 

 into September. What think j'ou about this matter? 

 Do you believe that the climate has changed? Or may 

 it not be owing to the absence of bees? As these sec- 

 tions have become more thickly settled, bee-keeping- 

 has become practically nil, and possibly the non fer- 

 tilization of tomato-blossoms may have ensued. It is 

 certainly hard to believe that so great climatic changes 

 have come abont. May be you might get some inter- 

 esting letters about this for Gleanings. 



New York. F. J. Root. 



I know little about the changing of the 

 climate; but the removal of the bees might 

 and probably would make some difference 

 in the amount of the fruit that would be ac- 

 tually grown. If some one in the vicinity, 

 a tomato-grower, would bring in a few 

 colonies of bees he could very soon deter- 

 mine whether they would be the means of 

 increasing the crop. One season's experi- 

 ments would hardly be sufficient to prove 

 any thing. It should cover a period of at 

 least five years. 



A BEE-KEEPERS' BUTTON. 



Every year the National Bee-keepers' 

 Association has paid anywhere from $5 to 

 $25 for badges to use by the members who 

 attend the National convention. In some 

 cases the cost of badges is paid by a local 

 association or by two or three bee-keepers. 

 I know that on one occasion I myself was 

 out of pocket some $12. President W. Z. 

 Hutchinson proposes, in the Review, that 

 the Association secure once and for all a 

 neat and tasty button that shall be em- 

 blematic of the industry, and at the same 

 time give the name of the Association; that 

 when a member joins he be sent by mail 

 one of these buttons, and that he be re- 

 quested, whenever he goes to a bee conven- 

 tion, no matter whether National or other- 

 wise, to wear that button so that other bee- 

 keepers who may be in the car may be able 

 to recognize their fellow-craftsmen. 



I have traveled miles and miles close to 

 some bee-keeper in the car, whom I had 

 known for years by corrrespondence; but 

 because I had never seen him, nor he me, 

 we did not recognize each other, and my 

 experience has been largely the same as 

 Mr. Hutchinson's. 



Of course, if any local society entertain- 

 ing the National wishes to put a neat pret- 

 ty silk badge under the button, well and 

 good. But the suggestion of the button as 

 a whole is a good thing, and I have no 

 doubt it will come up before the convention 

 for recommendation at Denver. 



THE DENVER CONVENTION. 



Don't forget the big National convention 

 at Denver, beginning the first week of Sep- 

 tember. The very low rate of $25 for the 

 round trip from Chicago has been secured. 

 A sleeping-berth for two nights and one 

 day will cost $6; but where two bee-keepers 

 go together the two can occupy one berth, 

 thus dividing the expense. 



Whether there will be any low rates to 



