Gleaningi in Bee Culture 



1 lie handy board sifh w alks between the hives. 



try that furnishes, I might say, shiploads of 

 honey, much of which is now going to waste. 



Again we board the launch. As we go 

 " tuppy, tuppy " down the stream we find 

 other bee-keepers located a good deal like 

 those already shown. For example, Mr. B. 

 F. Tucker, at Bluffston, has between 250 

 and 300 colonies. 



As we hasten down toward Appalachicola 

 we make no more stops. But I said to my- 

 self, "If it were not for malaria and mos- 

 quitoes, this would be the greatest bee- 

 keeper's paradise I ever struck in all the 

 United States, and I have now traveled 

 nearly every foot of territory where bees are 

 known to thrive." I doubt if this country 

 will ever be overstocked. 



Our friend Mr. A. B. Marchant, at Mar- 

 chant's Landing, must be better located 

 than most of the bee-keepers on the river. 

 He is on comparatively high ground, on 

 good land where he can do any thing else 

 he pleases. Unfortunately our friend has 

 suffered severely from two fires, losing his 

 home in both cases, and, unfortunately, his 

 business has increased to such an extent 

 that he finds himself with too many irons 

 in the fire. Besides a sawmill, bee-ranch, 

 and orange-grove, he is also extensively en- 

 gaged in queen-rearing. As we went down 

 the river out into the Appalachicola Jiay he 

 showed me islands off in the distance where 

 queens could be mated to choice drones. 

 He has not worked out the scheme yet, but 

 hopes, before another season rolls by, to fur- 

 nish ishind-bred queens mated to choice 

 hand-picked drones. The islands are just 

 far enough from the main land to furnish 

 ideal conditions. If he can possibly get the 

 time he will give us the benefit of his ex- 

 periments along this line. 



I can not droj) this Appalachicola district 

 without referring to one or more prominent 

 bee-keepers in that section, whom T was un- 

 able to visit at this time. For instance, 

 there is Mr. S. S. Alderman, at Wewahitch- 



ka, further up the river. At one time he 

 had as many as 1500 colonies, but now he 

 has only 1000. He does not employ a num- 

 ber of men to work for him, but farms his 

 bees out on shares. 



THE BEE-STING CURE FOR RHEUMATISM. 



[The following letter was sent to Mr. Fred W. 

 Muth. who, because of the widespread interest 

 shown in the bee-sting cure, sent it on to Glean- 

 ings together with his reply.— Ed.] 



I am a sufferer from arthritis (chronic 

 rheumatism) of the joints — some call it 

 rheumatic gout. I have just read the arti- 

 cle in Country Life in America for Decem- 

 ber on your application of the bee-sting on 

 Mr. licnner's arm for his rheumatism. I 

 decided, at any rate, to trespass upon your 

 courtesy and ask for your opinion, as you 

 have had ex]ierience. We have few bees 

 near by. Is the sting of all species of bees 

 equally efficacious ? about how long a time 

 is required to inoculate the system with the 

 formic acid from the bee? I have a long 

 vacation in the summer, and I am wonder- 

 ing if I could have you get your bees to 

 work on me next summer? I would gladly 

 meet any reasonable ex])ense. Please ad- 

 vise. I have little or no rheumatism in the 

 muscles — all in stiffened, swollen] joints. 

 Could the sting be applied there?* I have 

 tried all known remedies, but nothing is of 

 the least service. I am ready for something 

 heroic, and sincerely trust you will do a 

 suiferer from a terrible disease the courtesy 

 of telling him whether you would be willing 

 later to try your l^ee cure on him, 



Ct. Prentice Carson. 



De Land, Fla., Dec. 8. 



[The writer is not a specialist onjthis sub- 

 ject, and can not advise whether all kinds 

 of rheumatism can be cured by bee-stings. 

 On the other hand, were I a sufferer from 

 rheumatism as you are I would surely try 



