833 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1. 



strips of canvas, folded, and sewed on a sewing- 

 machine on one edge, making, as it were, a 

 long tube about two inches in diameter. This 

 was sewn to another tube of the same descrip- 

 tion until the required length of hose was se- 

 cured. The whole is then soaked in linseed oil, 

 when it is ready for use. Ordinary hose pipe 

 of this capacity is very expensive; but for the 

 purpose of irrigating, this home-made article is 

 as good as any, and vastly cheaper. 



By the way, I must not forget to mention 

 that Mr. Walter Harraer has deserted the bach- 

 elor ranks, and taken unto himself a helpmeet. 

 She seems to enter thoroughly into all his plans, 

 and I have not the least bit of doubt that Mr. 

 H. has done wisely in deserting bachelorhood. 



Of course, I had a delightful time at this 

 pleasure-resort during the short time I was 

 there, stopping at the cottage of my uncle. 



From Lake Onekama I went back to Manis- 

 tee, and there took the steamer to Chicago. 

 Although riding on a bicycle over Michigan 

 sand is bad. it is not to be compared to feeling 

 not quite seasick, but so near it as to have no 

 appetite. I made up my mind that next time I 

 would either use the wheel or cars. 



On arriving at Chicago late in the evening I 

 stopped at a hotel just opposite one of those 

 sky-scrapers, at the top of which the American 

 Bee Journal is issued. Next morning I found 

 myself a little bit the worse for Chicago water. 

 I do not wonder that it is bad. considering the 

 fact that the Chicago River pours right into 

 the lake. You will remember how the Rambler 

 characterized it on page 129 of this journal for 

 1892. It is simply an open sewer right in the 

 heart of one of the greatest business centers of 

 the world. I am glad to know that there is a 

 movement on foot for carrying the sewage some 

 other way. 



Well, the next morning I called upon Bro. 

 York. He was in the midst of his work, get- 

 ting ready for the next issue of his journal. 

 Notwithstanding this, he dropped every thing, 

 and we had a delightful chat about the bee- 

 publishing business in general, during which 

 we were joined by Mrs. York. When I told 

 friend Y. that I could not stay more than three 

 or four hours, he would not have it so; and it 

 was only by giving him a vague promise that I 

 would come back on my return and make a 

 longer stay that he would let me go; ancl T did. 

 Tjater on I will tell you of the York bees. Dr. 

 Peiro, etc. 



After a brief chat, and dinner at a restaurant. 

 I started on the wheel en route for Dr. Miller's. 

 Mr. York had told me that it was exactly 6.5}^ 

 miles from Dr. Miller's place to the city; and 

 as it was then one o'clock, and not having 

 fully recovered from Chicago water, I felt as if 

 it were a little doubtful whether I could make 

 the run in the afternoon. I was wheeling rap- 

 idly out of the city when suddenly I came be- 

 fore a statue of a policeman holding up his 



hands in silent protest. This proved to be non<^ 

 other than the one erected on the spot where 

 that terrible Hayinarket riot of May, 188(5, oc- 

 curred. 



Neither Bro. York nor 1 knew the exact route 

 out of the city to Marengo; but I made up my 

 mind that I should find some one who would 

 know the way; and, sure enough, I was fortu- 

 nate enough to find a wheelman who was going 

 out my way. He was the business manager of 

 a large concern in Chicago, and was out for 

 recreation. He had not expected to take more 

 than a run on one of the boulevards, but he 

 very kindly offered to pilot me out on the road 

 that would lead me to Elgin, some 45 miles out. 

 This, he explained, was a part of the celebrated 

 century-road course taken by the wheelmen of 

 the city, and, of course, it was just- the one I 

 wanted to take. 



It is sufficient to say, that I got into Elgin in 

 good time. But now the fun was in getting to 

 Marengo. The wheelmen seemed to have con- 

 flicting ideas as to which was the best route. 

 In fact, everybody I met along the way would 

 say, after I had taken one way, that I ought to 

 have taken the other. From the best informa- 

 tion that I could get, I finally, at dusk, got 

 within 12 miles of Marengo, knowing thai I had 

 still gone enough miles, if I had taken the right 

 road, to have carried me to the home of Dr. 

 Miller. Very fortunately, I found a friend who 

 outlined for me very carefully the road I should 

 take. He told me that I should follow that road 

 and take the second turn to the right; pass two 

 four-corners, and take the second road at the 

 left at the next five-points. After I had gone 

 on a distance I inquired of a farmer the road to 

 Marengo. He told me that I should pass by 

 the second turn and take the third, and with 

 such assurance that it seemed to me he must 

 know what he was talking about. Of course, 

 it was my luck that I followed the advice of the 

 wrong man, and took the wrong turn; but the 

 road proved to be so bad that I knew it could 

 not lead to a town of any considerable size. I 

 retraced my course, and finally went back to 

 the second turn, and then anxiously looked 

 along the road to see a light; but everybody 

 had gone to bed. I finally met a man who told 

 me that, in his opinion, I ought to have taken 

 another road. I finally began to be disgusted 

 with all human nature, and particularly with 

 my own. The night ride was exceedingly un- 

 pleasant; and an occasional yelp of a dog, 

 rushing out as if it were going to tear me to 

 pieces, did not add to my pleasure. But I pur- 

 sued the road, and made up my mind that I 

 would bunk myself in a haystack all night, 

 when, lo! came the four-corners, and in a little 

 while after the second four-corners, and finally 

 five-corners. Arriving here it was a conundrum 

 which road I should take; but fortunately I 

 took the right one, and somewhere about 10 

 o'clock at night I was trying to gain admission 



