958 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. I 



wlieii tliey were early settlers, used partridge 

 eggs in place of hens' eggs when they found a 

 big nestful in the woods. Can any of the 

 friends furnish me any literature in regard to the 

 domestication of our American partridges ? 



Now, for fear you will say this article doesn't 

 belong in the poultry department I wish to quote 

 a little more from that sharp keen business man, 

 Mr. Gardner. I was recommending to his wife 

 (my sister) that she get some chickens so as to 

 keep her outdoors. By the way, she has so far 

 recovered from her malady that she walks all 

 over town at a brisk walk, and stays out of doors 

 a great part of every day. Well, her good hus- 

 band said something like this: 



" The chicken business does not pay. Sooner 

 or later they eat their heads off. I have seen it 

 tried over and over again all my life. Even the 

 men who raise fancy poultry and get big prices 

 do not make it pay in the long run." 



When both my sister and I entered a protest 

 he added: 



" Oh, yes! there is a man over south a couple 

 of miles who raises eggs for market. He has 

 some little boxes that will hold just a dozen, and 

 every box has a rubber stamp on it telling the 

 day the eggs were laid. He gets an extra price 

 for his fresh eggs, and somebody said he was do- 

 ing pretty well at it, but I do not know how 

 long he will keep it up." 



1 know there is a lot of truth in what Mr. G. 

 said. It is so around Medina, and it is so al- 

 most everywhere; but let me give you a plan by 

 which you can pro-t'c that poultry will pay. Get 

 half a dozen fowls to start with, and then grow 

 chickens. Down in Florida, or even here in the 

 North in the summer time, you do not need to 

 invest aoy thing more except for feed. See what 

 you can do by way of increase in just three or 

 four months. In Florida, with a little incubator 

 I increased from five to nearly a hundred in one 

 winter. Here in Medina, during the past three 

 months, with the aid of sitting hens (no incuba- 

 tor) I have hatched nearly one hundred chickens 

 from the eggs laid by three choice pullets. The 

 expense of feeding, especially w^here the fowls 

 have a large range, is but a very small item com- 

 pared with the value of the stock. When it 

 comes cold weather, so that something must be 

 invested in the way of winter protection, instead 

 of undertaking to winter them suppose you just 

 sell out for what they will bring during October 

 and November. Very likely you will not make 

 very great wages; but if you are obliged to be 

 outdoors on account of health, as I am, I think 

 you will find it quite a profitable investment all 

 around. It is an easy matter to keep an account 

 of what your stock costs, and the feed during the 

 summer; and the fun of seeing the chickens hatch 

 out is worth to 7ne a " whole lot. " 



THE DECLINE OF BUCKWHEAT. 



Probably few bee-keepers are aware that there 

 has been a serious decline in the production of 

 buckwheat as a farm crop in America. In 1866, 

 which is the furthest back we can go for an au- 

 thentic record, the area of land devoted to buck- 

 wheat was 1,045,000 acres, and the yield was 

 22,791,000 bushels. The value of the crop for 



that year was $15,413,000. At present the aiea 

 in buckwheat is about 750,000 acres, with a yield 

 of 14,500,000 bushels, valued at $8,000,000. In 

 former times Pennsylvania led the way in buck- 

 wheat production; but now she holds a secondary 

 position to New York, which at present holds 

 the banner. 



Possibly adulteration had considerable to do 

 with the fall of buckwheat in popular esteem; for 

 until the passage of the national pure-food law it 

 was generally mixed with any kind of dark fiour 

 which happened to be cheaper. Some people re- 

 fused to buy the mixed goods; and if others did 

 purchase the stuff, what they got was only half 

 buckwheat at the most. 



The demand for buckwheat ffour is better than 

 it used to be, and there is a big field for the grain 

 in connection with poultry. For the latter it is 

 an ideal feed, and has the merit of being easily 

 grown. The probabilities are that buckwheat 

 will rise to its former position. Bee-keepers 

 could do much to help it to attain a higher posi- 

 tion among the crops. There is plenty of suit- 

 able land tor buckwheat in New England, New 

 York, and Pennsylvania, and it is a pity that 

 more of it is not grown. vv. k. m. 



TEMPERANCE 



.'V MINISTER WHO IS NOT AFRAID OF BECOMING 

 UNPOPULAR BY SPEAKING THE TRUTH. 



The following, by the Rev. U. S. Tabor, we 

 clip from the Manatee Ri-x'er Journal, Florida, 

 for May 22. Perhaps I should explain that the 

 temperance people of Manatee Co. have lately 

 organized what they call The Patriotic League, 

 and this clipping is in regard to it: 



You can generally count that the sheriff who goes around with 

 the smell of liquor on his breath will not disturb the peace of 

 anybody but a kinky-headed negro who is selling it. If he goes 

 to search a dnigstore he will wire the boys, " Look out! I'm com- 

 ing! Get all the booze hid out." 



This is a local-option county. More than once it has shown 

 that a majority of her people did not want intoxicating liquors 

 sold within her borders. Now, why have we had 29 persons with 

 license to sell liquors in the county? Because the laws have not 

 been enforced. And why have the laws not been enforced.' Be- 

 cause the people of the county have not demanded their enforce- 

 ment. And why have the temperance people not demanded 

 their enforcement.' BA:ause there was no one to speak except 

 private individuals, and they felt that their speaking would not 

 produce results. 



But suppose that all the people in this county were organized ; 

 and suppose that the president of that organization, representing 

 hundreds of voters, the best men in the county, and hundreds of 

 women — the good and true in all our churches and out of our 

 churches — should demand of the officers of this county (in the 

 name of the organization) that the laws be rigidly enforced, and 

 assure that officer that these hundreds of the best people were 

 back of him, what would be the result .' 



There would not be a blind tiger left to tell the tale ; the 

 whisky crowd would quit poking fun at us and saying, " Prohibi- 

 tion doesn't prohibit." If it does not, it is your fault and mine. 

 Are you willing to act the part of a man, a patriot, and, as far as 

 your powers go, with love to all and malice to none, stand as a 

 soldier by the side of your neighbor for the enforcement of law r 

 If so, join The Patriotic League of Manatee County. 



My good friend, have you such a minister in 

 your locality to stand up bravely for godliness 

 and righteousness.'' Perhaps you have if some 

 good man like yourself would show him this ar- 

 ticle and tell him you are ready to stand by him 

 and back him up in the glorious work of putting 

 down sin and Satan and holding up Christ Jesus. 



