32 



only ones that would be hurt. The Postofflce De- 

 partment is run as a political machine, to give fat 

 offices to henchmen at immense expense. About 

 ten million dollars could be saved annually by 

 abolishing the salaried postmasters, leaving the 

 assistants to do the work as they now do. This 

 would also greatly benefit the people by removing 

 and duleting the many disturbing, oflensively par- 

 tisan politi<-ians. 1 know a postmaster who has a 

 business of his own where he may be found six or 

 eight hours a day. lie drops in at the postofiice 

 two or three times a day, usually, and spends the 

 rest of his waking hours at the club. About the 

 hardest work he does at the postofflce is drawing 

 liis salary of §200 a month, ft costs me f6 cents to 

 send a pound of laundry to the agent at the post- 

 office nearest my own. two miles away. A 300-lb. 

 man with a lo(i-lb. trunk and a 50-lb. suit-case may 

 go on the same train for 5 cents. Is that good busi- 

 ness management? I can send the pound package 

 to New Zealand. lO.OliO miles, for 12 cents. Yet the 

 government lorbids the railroads charging more 

 for a short haul than for a long one. The Farm 

 Journal, published in Philadelphia, price the paper 

 just double for delivery in Philadelphia that they 

 price it for delivery in San P'rancisco, Alaska, or 

 Mexico. Is that business? A law of the United 

 .States forbids any one carrying letters or packages 

 (mailable) between po.stotfices : yet the express 

 companies are allowed to carry nearly all daily 

 papers, and millions of other packages under four 

 pounds, greatly injuring the government. If a 

 common citizen attempts to use a postage-stamp a 

 second time it may cost him a heavy fine and im- 

 prisonment: but the express companies may de- 

 fraud the government out of millions of dollars 

 with impunity. 



If you have not seen the document on parcels 

 post by Hon. David J. Lewis, Cumberlend. Md., you 

 should ask him tor a copy and read it. His is the 

 best solution of the parcels-post question. 1 believe. 

 He proposes to buy the express companies for some 

 forty millions of dollars and run them at cost to 

 the people. He shows that the express companies 

 have contracts with the railroads to cairy express- 

 age at about M cent a pound, while mail costs the 

 government over 4 cents. Most of the parcel-post 

 advocates talk 8 cents a pound, which Is prohibi- 

 tive, and of no value to producers or consumers of 

 one pound in a thousand. Personally I would not 

 be in favor of paying the express companies for 

 their charters or contracts, deeming them thieves, 

 robbers, and lawbreakers: and thieves ha\e no 

 right to stolen property. Hut it would lake years 

 of litigation to ou.st them, and it would be cheaper 

 for the people to buy them out an<f get the benehts 

 of low rates of transportation. By all means write 

 for a copy of Mr. Lewis" document and read it, and 

 then tell your readers to do likewise. It is an eye- 

 opener by a man who has studied the question 

 thoroughly, and written ably on it. The document 

 is free. .Mr. Lewis being a Congressman. 



A Rf.\der. 



My good friend, there are two reasons why 

 your chickens decUne soy beans, chufas, 

 and dandeUons. First, they are not hungry 

 for green food, like the flock belonging to 

 my daughter. Second , they have not been 

 educated to eat these things. This whole 

 matter comes right along with the statement 

 from so many that cattle and horses will not 

 eat sweet clover. They have not become 

 acquainted with sweet clover. Domestic 

 animals, like human beings, become accus- 

 tomed to a certain diet, and very often 

 think they can not live on any thing else. 

 Changing the food of a lot of chickens to 

 something they are not used to will often 

 stop their laying. This has often been com- 

 mented on. 1 feel .sure you can teach your 

 chickens to eat chufas, soy beans, and dan- 

 delions. Down in Florida, where green 

 stulT is often scarce, the yxjultry seem to eat 

 every thing green greedily. As an illustra- 

 tion, it is of no use to try to grow potatoes if 

 the chickens can get at them. They will eat 



Gleanings in Bee Culture 



off the tops and then scratch out the tubers 

 and eat them. A hen with chickens is espe- 

 cially expert at that kind of work. 



The book we sell on green manuring men- 

 tions particularly plowing buckwheat under, 

 two crops, one right after the other. Crim- 

 son clover and alsike both do splendidly 

 when sown with buckwheat in July or Au- 

 gust. 



Parcels post is coming; and if our great 

 nation of people keep urging, it will come 

 all the sooner. 



I agree with you in regard to the excessive 

 use of sugar. My health is very much im- 

 proved since I have given up sugar for so 

 long a time that I have aliiiost lost my ap- 

 petite for it. Sugar on fruit or any fruit 

 sauce spoils it for my use. ^"ery likely you 

 are right about using uncooked wheat. That 

 is Terry's great forte, as you may recall. 



ABSCONDING SWARMS, AND SOMETHING 

 ELSE. 



The following is from our good friend 

 Calvin S. Hunter, of Seven Mile, O., the 

 man I visited, and which visit I reported on 

 these pages — the man whose hobby has 

 been, during a good long life, more corn 

 and better corn. He is also something C'f a 

 poet as well as a most earnest Christian, as 

 you will gather from the little poem at the 

 end of his letter. 



Mr. Root: — I am sure you will be glad to hear how 

 the four swarms of bees that came to me last sea- 

 son In five days are coming on. They were surely 

 welcome, for we are very fond of bees, and had 

 none. We think that the " .streak of luck " was to 

 include five swarms in five da.vs. But one was 

 lured into the hollow of a great maple near by. 

 They have done remarkably well, so that no neigh- 

 bor who needed honey has been disappointed, and 

 our bee inspector says they are the nicest black 

 bees he ever saw. I have hopes that my luck has 

 not entirely changed: for, although I have tried to 

 prevent swarming, yet late in May, this year, one 

 of the swarms showed signs, and so I got a hive 

 ready; but before 1 got away, here came a swarm 

 rolling like a balloon down the lane from the west 

 gate, and it just covered the lid of the hive I was 

 fixing, so I feared the queen was outside: but it 

 was all right. 



I send you some of my verses, entitled — 



THAT NEW LIFE. 



We are nearing that home where our loved ones 

 must sleep. 

 And the friends are so weighted with sorrow: 

 But though hearts are bowed down like the willows 

 that weep, 

 Vet we know we shall meet them to-morrow. 



Refrain. 

 For they'll watch and they'll wait at that beautiful 

 gate: 

 They will cherish fond memories ever: 

 Tho" life's sun disappears in the mists of the years. 

 Vet that new life, it fades not — no, never. 



Oh! we're fast passing through this dark valley of 

 tea's: 



Kach kind friend that we lose gives us warning 

 That it may be to-day, and can be but few years 



fCre we all greet that heavenly morning. 



Then we'll keep a brave heart while forgetting our 

 fears. 

 Tho' earth's ties ruthless Time may soon sever: 

 For life's sun it sinks fast when 'tis weighted with 

 years. 

 P.ut that new sun will shine on for ever. 



Seven Mile, O., .July 18. 



Calvin S. Hunter. 



