1908 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1179 



GLEANINGS FROM 

 THE PACIFIC COAST 



By Prof. A. J. Cook. 



POULTRY AND BEES. 



There are few inquiries that come to the ex- 

 perienced bee-keeper more frequently than this: 

 " What other occupation can one combine profit- 

 ably with that of bee-keeping.?" While the con- 

 centration of effort is wise in all our plans, work, 

 and efforts, and while the specialist is most likely 

 to make a shining success of his work, yet in case 

 of bee-keeping, with its numerous off-years, it is 

 wise to find some supplemental pursuit that will 

 enable one to keep the pocketbook occupied in 

 these same off-years. Is not poultry culture the 

 one best suited to this need of all our rural pur- 

 suits.? If one has a special leaning toward fruit- 

 growing, then that may well be considered; but 

 poultry culture is interesting, profitable, and 

 there is always sure to be a demand for the prod- 

 uct of the chicken-fancier. The same habits of 

 punctuality, alertness, push, that make the success- 

 ful bee-keeper are just what are demanded to win 

 success in the care and management of poultry. 

 I have been successful with both bees and poul- 

 try, and I am persuaded that no other line of 

 work will prove better suited to the average bee- 

 keeper than the care of poultry. 



AN UP-TO-DATE POULTRY-BOOK. 



The above is suggested by the fresh reading 

 of Brigham's Progressive Poultry Culture, which 

 is just from the press. It is published by the 

 Torch Press, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It is octavo, 

 293 pages, and thoroughly illustrated. The 

 price is .$L50. The writer is not only an expert 

 with poultry, but has a thorough college educa- 

 tion, and so has breadth of view, and is doubly 

 well prepared to give his readers the very best 

 that is known regarding this interesting pursuit. 

 He shows his wisdom by suggesting that a thor- 

 ough college education is desirable in any walk 

 of life, and so the one who is to breed and rear 

 fowls will succeed better if he is thoroughly 

 versed in the several lines of study required in 

 our best colleges. 



I am sure that Mr. Brigham is correct in this 

 position. Were I a ditcher I should wish the 

 best education, as that would enable me to dig 

 better ditches; but, more, I should see more in 

 the digging than the ditch. I believe that the 

 great advance just before us is the more general 

 education of the masses. This will tend toward 

 equality; and the more that people are alike in 

 opportunity and ability, the more of fellowship 

 and happiness will be secured. 



This volume is by a thorough scientist, and so 

 all the instruction and suggestion is scientific. 

 The author, as a teacher in one of the leading 

 agricultural colleges, is the better prepared to 

 treat the several questions in a scientific manner. 



Such questions as care, management, houses, 

 runs, diseases, vermin, food, and breeds are thor- 

 oughly and plainly discussed. The author has 

 no pet breed to thrust before his readers, but gives 

 the merits of the several breeds, and leaves the 

 reader to decide which it shall be. There are 



good illustrations of the several leading breeds, 

 with the merits of each judiciously portrayed. 

 No experienced fancier can read what is said 

 about roup without feeling that he is receiving 

 advice from a real authority. What pleases me 

 very much is the admirable index, as one is able 

 to find at once just what he may need in any 

 emergency. I am sure that any one who wishes 

 to add to his pursuit of bee-keeping that of chick- 

 en-raising, or any one who wishes the latest and 

 best in breeding and caring for fowls, will make 

 no mistake in securing and studying this latest 

 book on the subject. 



ROOM AT THE TOP. 



I heard a good amendment to the above the 

 other day. There is always room at the top, and 

 the elevator is now running. It is absolutely 

 true that there is always good picking at the top. 

 The crying need of our time is for men of thor- 

 ough preparation — men who can do things. To 

 be able to do a thing a little better than any one 

 else gives one wonderful independence; but to ac- 

 quire this proud position requires the hardest of 

 effort. I know a young man who was without 

 means fifteen years ago, when I came here. He 

 is now worth near or quite half a million. The 

 whole secret of the matter is, that he has spared 

 no effort to do the very best. He had a great re- 

 sponsibility placed upon him, and he shouldered 

 it and worked so diligently and thoughtfully that 

 every move was in the line of success. He soon 

 was indispensable; and lest the great corporation 

 that employed him might lose his invaluable 

 care and service he was given a large share of the 

 business on condition that he would stick by for 

 a series of years. He has push, acumen, and in- 

 tegrity. No wonder he has pushed rapidly to 

 the top. That is a trio that will land any one 

 possessing them at the very front. We have 

 many students who are paying their own way en- 

 tirely in the college. Some of these have done 

 more than pay all their expenses, and yet have led 

 in their classes. It requires no very great fore- 

 sight to see where these young people will bring 

 up. I wish to add that, in more than one case, 

 these parties are ladies. Does it not make one 

 proud of his kind and country to know that a 

 girl all unaided will reach a first place in college, 

 graduating in the lead of her class, and that our 

 great country makes such achievement possible.? 



PEAR-BLIGHT, ONCE MORE. 



Our readers will remember that pear-blight a 

 few years ago broke out in the orchards of Cen- 

 tral and Northern California, and worked havoc. 

 It will also be remembered that serious complaint 

 was made regarding the bees and the part they 

 were taking in this mischief. Gleanings urg- 

 ed rightly, that, while bees did aid in spreading 

 this dread disease, they were in no wise necessary 

 to the dispersion, and that without bees the havoc 

 would be as great. The disease ran riot, and the 

 bees remained undisturbed. I am glad to report 

 that the malady is much less this year than on 

 previous years. The one remedy that has been 

 applied with more or less thoroughness is severe 

 pruning of all blighted branches, cutting well 

 back from the wilt, and making free use of 

 germicides as the cutting was being done. The 



