744 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



November, 1919 



HELPS FOR DEAF PEOPLE. 



On page 112 I told you about the Gem 

 earphone, made at 47 West 24th St., New 

 York. Since then I have purchased of 

 the Earphone Co., 43-45 West 34th St., 

 New York, an instrument that pleases me 

 still better. The cost is about the same. 

 Perhaps I should mention that these two 

 companies have been hard at work, each 

 of them, in making improvements; and 

 the}' have been kind enough to supply me 

 with their latest inventions. At one time I 

 thought that tlie Gem was aliead, and at 

 another the Mears; but the latest improve- 

 ment by the Mears people has been what 

 they call a " concentrator;" and at the pres- 

 ent time, Oct. 1, 1919, the Mears concen- 

 ti-ator is a great help in hearing a sermon 

 or a lecture. During the Sunday-school 

 exercises the only way I knew some of the 

 speakers were talking was by watching the 

 motion of their lips; without the instru- 

 ment I could not hear a sound; but by 

 pointing the concentrator directly toward 

 the sjDeaker, and being about the right dis- 

 tance away, I could hear every Avord with- 

 out very much trouble. Our janitor has 

 very kindly furnished me a little stand on 

 which to rest the instrument; and this 

 stand I can place at the proper distance 

 and in the best position to hear. Of course, 

 I dislike making myself so conspicuous, as 

 almost every one would ; but it enables me 

 to hear the sermon when I could not other- 

 wise. When it comes to the Bible class and 

 the Thursday-evening prayer meeting T 

 have this same little light stand and a chair 

 back of it. 



For the benefit of others who are af- 

 flicted like myself, perhaps I should ex- 

 plain a little further. 



To get the best results, the earphone is 

 placed up to my left ear, with my right 

 hand also over my right ear so as to collect 

 the sound. I seldom use the instrument 

 unless I go to a meeting of some sort. Or- 

 dinarily by being within a yard or two of 

 the speaker, with my right hand over my 

 right ear, I get along very well. 



Just one thing more in closing: 



With all the instruments I have ever 

 tried (and I have tested some that cost as 

 much as $75.00) I have never found any- 

 thing that sounds exactly like the natural 

 voice. There is always something you 

 might call an echo — a disturbing racket 

 much as you will notice in the ordinary tel- 

 ephone; and increasing the power of the 

 instrument does not help — in fact, it makes 

 matters worse; and in order to catch every 

 word, I keep moving the earphone closer 

 or further away. If a speaker gets to talk- 

 ing too loud, I am obliged to hold the in- 



strument quite a distance from the ear. A 

 good friend of mine down in our Florida 

 home has one of the best instruments made, 

 but he says it now gives him no help what- 

 ever. He says that it, of course, makes the 

 sound of the voice louder, but so much mix- 

 ed up, he can not distinguish anything. 



I believe that most instruments are sent 

 out now on free trial. I would not advise 

 you to invest in anything where they want 

 five dollars or a similar sum, not to be re- 

 turned if the instrument is no help to you. 



BURBANK'S EARLIEST TOMATO. 



I did not notice Burbank's description of 

 the above tomato until after we had to- 

 nuitoes planted out in our garden. When I 

 planted seeds of the Burbank I think that 

 a few of the tomatoes in the garden showed 

 blossoms; but, notwithstanding this, my 

 first ripe tomato came from the Burbank. 

 It is a smooth round tomato, fine quality ; 

 but being so extra early the tomatoes are 

 not very large. 



I now wish to mention another of which 

 I can not give you the name. Some one 

 of my good friends in writing me inclosed 

 a few seeds and said their families were 

 greatly pleased with them. I think he said 

 he got the seed of the Henry Field Co., 

 Shenandoah, Iowa; but I do not find any- 

 thing in his catalog that describes it unless 

 it is the Golden Beauty. Well, this par- 

 ticular tomato kept spreading out where it 

 was not put on a trellis; and even where it 

 was, until it almost threatened to cover the 

 whole garden. There were green tomatoes 

 in great abundance; and Mrs. Root began 

 wondering whether i\\ej -would have time to 

 get ripe before frost. Well, they kept on 

 growing bigger and bigger, and finally 

 turned white; and after a while they took 

 on a golden yellow. They were not smooth 

 and handsome in shape — in fact, they were 

 twisted all aivaund until some look like 

 three or four tomatoes all hitched together. 

 One of them actually weighed 2i/4 pounds. 

 After the first one we had quite a few 

 great, big Golden Beauties; almost perfect- 

 ly round and smooth; and today (Oct. 15) 

 the ground is yellow with them. Our neigh- 

 bors are all supplied, and there the to- 

 matoes are, going to waste. I think they 

 are as nice tomatoes as I have ever tasted 

 unless it is the little yellow pear tomato. 

 But others do not agree with me. They 

 say they like the red ones best. But I 

 feel, however, that these tomatoes are of 

 great value because they are so tremendous- 

 ly productive. I think I have procured 

 nearly if not quite a peck basket fi-om one 

 picking of a single vine. 



