344 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15. 



see no difforence about seeds in the manure. 

 The bushes kill out all weeds, and keep the 

 soil moist. We expect to pick 125 bushels the 

 coming summer. E. U. Parshall. 



Cooperstown, N. Y., Mar. 8. 



[Friend P., your suggestions are indeed val- 

 uable; but I am afraid the rest of us will not 

 all succeed as well as you do; and, by tlie way, 

 you have not told us what the variety is that 

 you work thus in matted rows. The weeds in 

 the manure that we get at our livery-stables, 

 especially the docks, dandelions, and thistles, 

 would choke out any variety of raspberries we 

 have ever cultivated. In fact, I have been try- 

 ing the same thing. When Terry recommend- 

 ed the straw mulching it occurred to me I 

 could get coarse stable manure almost as cheap 

 as the straw, and I thought it ought to be 

 worth ever so much more. I like this coarse 

 stable manure for mulching, tiptop, if it were 

 not for this one thing— the weeds. Our Turner 

 raspberries have made such thick matted rows 

 that the weeds grow very little; but the rasp- 

 berries also amount to very little on account 

 of the tremendous amount of plants. When 

 you tell us what variety it was, will you please 

 say also how much ground is occupied by the 

 141 rods'?] 



NASTUKTIUMS. 



Nasturtiums are sometimes used in salads, 

 and to garnish meats, not omitting the flowers 

 when in bloom; and the seed, at least, is often 

 used in pickles. Botanists apply the name 

 "nasturtinum " to water-cresses and allied 

 plants. Ruth Moore. 



Tiffin. O. 



[Landreth catalogs it as "Indian cress, or 

 Nasturtium."] 



THE EXCELSIOR BEE PALACE. AND PATENT 

 HIVES IN GENERAL. 



It has been so long since any thing of this 

 kind has come up. we had begun to hope that 

 it was ended. But a circular just comes to 

 hand from Washington, D. C, from which we 

 make the following extract: 



Tlien get as many swarms of bees as you are able 

 to g-et (the more the better), and get them now this 

 \ ery spring, and commence bee-raising at once. Hnd 

 ] promise you that this very year you will Inythe 

 foundation of an Independent fortune, and at the 

 same time you will find it the most pleasant and 

 profitable occupation of your life. Do not neglect 

 it— do not lose this year's opportunity, and you will 

 see "that hard times will come again no more." 



Of course, the average bee-keeper of our land 

 would only smile at such a circular; but it is 

 the unlearned, and those unacquainted with 

 the bee-journals, who may be entrapped. The 

 circular is the more dangerous because it 

 quotes A. I. Root as a man who has " built up a 

 mammoth business, and accumulated a colos- 

 sal fortune" in bee culture. It aiso quotes 

 Jennie Atchley as the owner of an apiary of 

 1000 hives, having made all her money by rais- 

 ing queens. Perhaps Dr. Simpson means to be 

 truthful in this circular: but it is really a 

 string of falsehoods and misstatements. I am 

 inclined to think that much of it is the re- 

 sult of a want of knowledge in regard to bee 

 culture. The last sentence in the circular 

 rather gives us a clew to some of his extrava- 

 gant enthusiasm; viz., " Farm, township, coun- 

 ty, and State rights on reasonable terms." I 

 hardly need add, that no patent hive or bee 

 palace of any sort is needed to secure the very 

 largest possible results in bee culture. 



A. I. R. 



BUSIWESSS 



ANACER 



CRANE SMOKERS. 



We call the attention of our readers, in want of a 

 good smoker, to the advertisement of the Crane, on 

 another page. As now made they are simply per- 

 fect, and they are sent each one in a pasteboard 

 box, which, for the dealer, keeps them in excellent 

 shape. 



BUSINESS AT THIS DATE. 



Our receipts for the month of March show an in- 

 crease over the same month for several years past. 

 This was undoubtedly due mostly to the warm 

 weather so long continued early in the month. 

 Though orders are liolding up well, the cold weather 

 through which we have been passing has diminished 

 them somewhat. 



SECONDS IN RUBBER GLOVES. 



We have several dozen pairs of No. 10 and No. 12 

 rubber gloves that were classed with seconds at the 

 factory. Tlie defects are so slight that, for all 

 practical purposes, especially for handling bees, 

 they are just as good as first grade. We ofler them, 

 while they last, at half price— 75c a pair, postpa'd, 

 or 16. .50 per dozen pairs. 



SECTION-HOI,DER BOTTOMS, %XlJ^Xl8. 



Wl" have a quantity of section-holder bottoms .V 

 inch thicker than the regular size, which we offer 

 at the same price as the regular V inch, to those 

 who prefer a heavier bar. They measure 5^xl's'xl8 

 inches, slotted, for 4 regular 4 '4 -inch sections. Price 

 60c per 100; $2.50 for .500. With the 14-inch end- 

 block, double this price. 



GLOBE LAWN-MOWERS. 



We quote a reduction of 50 cts. each on tlie prices 

 of lawn-mowers given in our catalog, on page 50, to 

 our readers and their friends. There is no better 

 cheap mowei' made than the Globe. We have had 

 one in use on our lawn for five years, and it runs 

 easy and doe-< splendid work. Witli above reduction 

 the prices will be, for Ki-inch. $:3.50: 13-in., ^3.75.; 

 14-in., S4.0(l; 16 in., $4.25; 18-in., $4.5i). 



SPKAY PUMPS AND SPRINKLERS. 



Those interested in these goods will find them list- 

 ed again on the inside cover pages of this issue. I 

 hardly think you will find pumps of equal value of- 

 fered elsewhere for the l<iw prices we name. Those 

 who wisli to liuy in quantities, or act as agents, will 

 do well to write for our wliolesale prices, stating 

 which pumps they desire prices on, and, if po.ssible, 

 the number wanted. As we have liought for this 

 season nenrly a tliousand pumps and sprinklers, we 

 are prepared to give bottom prices. 



GREEN WIRE CLOTH FOR S<'REENS. 



Some liave Incjuired if we still handle wire cloth 

 for screens. This is listed on page 10 of our catalog. 

 We liave it in full rolls, 100 feet long, and any com- 

 mon width, 24, 26, 28, 30, 1^2. 34, 36, SS. 40. and 42. at 

 $1.75 per 100 .x^unce feet, or cut pieces at 2c per sq. 

 foot. We have also a few rolls 8 inches wide, 10!) 

 feet long, that we will sell at $\M) eacli, and a few 

 12 inches wide and 100 feet long, at $1 .50. Tiiis will 

 do just as well for queen cages and covers for nu- 

 cleus hivt s as the wider, and it comes cheaper per 

 square foot. 



OFF-GRADE MAPLE SUGAR AND SYRUP. 



The short crop of maple products in this section 

 was the result of very warm spring-like weather 

 during the first three weeks of March, soon after 

 tlie sugar-buslies were opened This was followed 

 by another cold spell in which a good deal more 

 sugar and syrup has been made. This is l3eautiful 

 in color, hut has a buddy taste. We could supply 

 any wlio want this kind of syrup, at 30e per gallon 

 less tlian the first run, and sugar at 3c per lb. less. 

 We shall lie pleased to mail samples of either for ,5c 

 to pay postage and packing. We can still supply 

 first-run syiaip and sugar iis (juoted in last issue; 

 namely, $1.10 per gallon ft)r syrup; in lU-gallon lots, 

 f 1.00; sugar at 10, 9, and 8 cts. per lb. for No. 1, 2, 



