JULY 15, 1913 



19 



THE REDBUa OF THE SOUTH; SOMETHING MORE 

 FROJI MADELINE PRUITT. 



In Gleanings for Aug. 1, 1912, p. 499, L. A. 

 Cameron says I'm overdone on the redbug ques- 

 tion. When I said " everywhere," of course I 

 meant wherever their natural abode is. I didn't 

 suppose they would be found in water, swimming 

 about like fish, in pecan-kernels, on snow-capped 

 mountains, etc., nor at all times of the year, for 

 they, too, have their season. Neither is it a mistake 

 as to their rearing offspring in the flesh. As to the 

 grease remedy, of course one must apply it as soon 

 as possible, and not delay until the swelling is high, 

 and the insect buried too deeply for the grease to 

 reach its foothold. Nor did I anywhere state that 

 every one was pestered with them. As to the editor's 

 statement about not being bothered with them in 

 winter, there is no doubt about that ; for that is not 

 their season. Prom the last of March, all April, 

 May, June, and late in July, is their main flourish- 

 ing season. If spring is late and dry they do not 

 appear at all. They abound in most weed-s, espe- 

 cially broomweeds and horehound. Then, too, the 

 editor appears to think that I imagine all itches are 

 caused by redbugs, such as hives, summer heat, 

 poison oak, cowage, vine-poison, etc., when anybody 

 should be able to distinguish between them. 



Itching sores caused by redbugs are scattered 

 over the body. Single pimples, and in twos and 

 threes, after irritation, become raised white bumps ; 

 then, as they progress, a small water blister in the 

 center of the pimple and surrounding flesh is in- 

 flamed slightly. After one breaks the blister the 

 place burns, then a scab forms, and each time the 

 scab is removed the sore becomes larger and more 

 irritating until the insect dies and nature causes 

 the flesh to expel the injured particles and carcass. 

 This last is not very scientifically put, but the best 

 I can do. Neither is it a mistake as to their lasting 

 two weeks at times. They frequently last three and 

 four. If no remedy is applied, and scratching in- 

 dulged, the sores can be made exceedingly painful 

 and of long standing. Of course, town people seldom 

 go out among weeds of any kind, and therefore do 

 not come in contact with them. No one gets drowned 

 if he stays away from water, nor burnt if he stays 

 away from fire. 



.-Vs to thinking Texas was like what Sheridan de- 

 scribes war, I emphatically deny any such meaning. 

 If it were, a lady could hardly so pronounce it. 



Abilene, Texas, March 11. M. E. Peuitt. 



SPECIAL NOTICES 



Bv Our Business ilANAOER. 



BUCKWHEAT seed. 



Now is the time for sowing buckwheat. We are 

 provided with a choice lot of seed, both Japanese 

 and silverhull, which we can ship by first train from 

 Medina. Price of either varietv, $1.25 per bushel; 

 $2.25 per bag of two bushels; 10 bushels, $11.00, 

 bags included to ship in. Send in your orders. 



sweet-clover seed. 

 We have alreadv had a call for price on a carload 

 of sweet-clover seed, and we should like to hear from 

 those of our readers who are in position to furnish 

 any seed, either hulled or unhuUed, white. The time 

 for sowing seed is at hand. The weather conditions 

 were unfavorable last year, resulting in a short crop 

 and high prices late in the season. Let us hear from 

 those who will have seed to furnish. 



Kind Words from our Customers 



Please find enclosed one dollar for renewal of my 

 subscription to Gleanings, which expires July 1. 

 I have been a reader of Gleanings for about ten 

 years, and I have gotten more good out of single 

 chapters of Uncle Amos' Home talks than aU the 

 subscription price I ever paid for Gleanings. 



Lucasville, O., June ^2. Cass. Schoonoveb. 



SECOND-HAND CANS. 



We still have a plentiful supply of those good 

 second-hand 60-pound cans. While we do not as a 

 rule recommend for choice white extracted honey 

 any thing poorer than new cans, yet these are so 

 good we use them ourselves for our best extracted 

 honey. Thev are just as good as any for amber and 

 oflf-grades. Price $3.50 for 10 boxes; $7.50 for 25 

 boxes; 100 boxes or more, 25 cts. per box; two cans 

 to the box, and boxes put in good condition for re- 

 shipping. 



A kind WORD for terry's he.\lth book. 



Please renew my subscription to Gleanings and 

 send me Terry's book on health. This will make the 

 third book. I wish every beekeeper would buy at 

 least one of these books. This is my second winter 

 since I read the book, and I haven't had to take a 

 drop of medicine since. I haven't even had a cold to 

 speak of, although I have always been subject to 

 colds, grip, and pneumonia in the winter. I am win- 

 tering my bees out of doors this winter, and they 

 have come tluough very strong, but are short of 

 honey and pollen. I am informed that bees are 

 starving to death where neglected. 



Warsaw, N. Y., March 26. W. W. Sheewin. 



potatoes, 16 QUARTS TO THE HILL. 



Your ABC potato-book came in due time, and I 

 read it through at once. It was very interesting to 

 me, but Mr. Root's narrative about Bermuda Island 

 is a tame affair compared to the climate, scenery, 

 and productiveness of the soil here on Brewster 

 Plats, Washington, U. S. A. I dug hill after hill of 

 potatoes this year, 1912, each hill filling a 12-quart 

 pail heaping full of good-sized potatoes. This was 

 just a common thing; and the preparation of the 

 soil and cultivation were almost nothing compared 

 to what is done in Bermuda Island or what Mr. 

 Terry did. 



Mr. Terry's writings are so sensible, practical, 

 and interesting on potato culture that I am enclos- 

 ing the price, as I find it in Gleanings, for his 

 book, " How to Keep Well and Live Long." 



Brewster, Wash., Nov. 10. V. W. Clough. 



beekeepers AS A RULE SEEM TO BE "AN EXCEP- 

 TIONALLY CLEAN, KINDLY, AND UPRIGHT 

 BUNCH OF MEN," ETC. 



Returning to the subject of Gleanings, allow me 

 to confirm what I hear from so many others, that 

 the fraternity of beemen seems to be composed of 

 au exceptionally clean, kindly, and upright bunch 

 of men. Especially am I among that number who 

 so frequently express themselves as indebted to 

 A. I. Root. Nor is this expression merely compli- 

 mentary or formal. I am at a loss for words to say 

 just how Mr. Root's writings have helped me to- 

 ward truly better things more than almost any thing 

 I have read in years. If Mr. Root is like his writ- 

 ings, and I believe he must be, he really has re- 

 ligion, which, though it exists, is none too plentiful; 

 and because it is close to the real thing it is "not 

 puffed up," and does not "exalt itself unseemly." 



Pellston, Mich. J. D. ROBINSON. 



from " KIVEE TO KIVER." 



I sent you one dollar for subscription on Feb. 

 1.3. May be this was over due; any way, here's an- 

 other, as I find Gleanings interesting from " kiver 

 to kiver." This is my second season, as I started 

 last year with a three-frame nucleus and have now 

 three colonies, and shall soon be able to write " Pit- 

 falls of Beginners." As the old boatman said when 

 some one asked if he knew the harbor rocks, "I'd 

 orter- — been on every one." I am also going to tell 

 you about " Katherine," my White Leghorn, with a 

 record of two hundred and, and — well, frankly, I'm 

 afraid to say, as a certain one might lay aside his 

 prescribed teaspoon long enough to call me a favor- 

 ite epithet. Her daughter's records were more be- 

 lievable, and her granddaughters are still " in the 

 making." 



The wind is getting around into the East, and I 

 am hoping, as we need rain badly. As the negro 

 parson said, " May it fall upon the just and the un- 

 just ; but, O Lord, let it fall heavier upon the latter. 

 Yes, dear Lord, soak 'em I " 



New Rochelle, N. Y., June 25. H. L. Loomis. 



