918 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Dec. 1. 



" from the word go," and never a failure, the 

 more I wanted some large panes of glass, sup- 

 ported by permanent Cyprus rafters; so, just 

 for the fun of It, I went to figuring up how it 

 could be done. I found I had rafters enough 

 by using some old ones. By the way. I want to 

 say a good word for the cyprus sash-bars made 

 by the Lockland Lumber Co., Lockland, O. 

 When our machine-shop was built, four years 

 ago, about a dozen were taken from a green- 

 house, and hastily thrown down under the 

 eaves. To protect the cellar from frost, saw- 

 dust was piled over the rafters, and there they 

 were, over four years, exposed to winter's snow 

 and sleet, and summer's sun. But, come to get 

 them out and sweep them off. they were almost 

 as straight and sound as the new ones that had 

 been stored away in the warehouse. We wait- 

 ed for Indian-summer weather; but a good 

 many of you know it did not come for two or 

 three weeks. I made a nice pattern of the wav 

 I wanted the sash-bar cut, including some nice 

 and complicated framing, both at the top and 

 bottom of the twenty-foot stick. Then our 

 friend " Art," from the saw-room, set his ma- 

 chinery so he cut the whole 28 exactly like it. 

 Then friend " Iper," from the paint-shop, gave 

 them all two good coats of paint, including the 

 top and bottom strips, which were 28 feet long. 

 Holes were bored in the rafters, where they 

 were to be nailed with great spikes to the plates 

 of the greenhouse, every six feet. Finally a 

 day came when I thought I could start the 

 work outdoors, even if it was pretty cold. The 

 greenhouse boys — " Frank '* and "Fred" — 

 were quite ready to follow me, and my framing 

 and planning all seemed to work to perfection. 

 We had set two rows of glass and part of an- 

 other. They were butted together with thick 

 paint between the edges. The tins were driven 

 home with a machine made for the purpose, 

 and I was just showing the boys how to run on 

 the liquid putty and afterward to sift on the 

 sharp white baked sand. 



Let me explain to you why we were anxious 

 to rush the work. All of my hot-water pipes 

 were exposed to the weather. When it went 

 down to only 1.5 above zero about the middle of 

 November, the only cover for the greenhouse 

 consisted of some old cotton sheets. They were 

 rotten already: and the snow, sleet, and fierce 

 wind flapped them about so much that the hot- 

 water pipes had been frozen once, and I feared 

 the consequences of another such blizzard. 

 While I had my hands and head full in direct- 

 ing the boys how to do the work, somebody 

 raised up the dirty flapping cotton sheet and 

 saluted me thus: 



" Is this indeed Bro. A. I. Root?" 



My hands were sticky with liquid putty: and 

 my old clothing, worn specially for the occa- 

 sion, was pretty much in the same predica- 

 ment, and I really felt as if I hadn't time to say 



how d' do?" to anybody, let alone shaking 

 hands and visiting. Something must be said 

 in answer to this question. I was ^4. T. Root 

 sure enough, without any doubt; but about the 



hrntlier" part, it seemed to me there was a 

 little uncertainty. My visitor was dressed in 

 military costume. He was a very bright, at- 

 tractive-looking young man, and he seemed so 

 delighted to see me that I hastily nibbed the 

 putty off my lingers, fished my dirty silk hand- 

 kerchief from the pocket, of my soiled overcoat, 

 while I told the boys to go ahead the best they 

 could. 1 found the new friend to be Fritz 

 Malan He is an Italian, and has kept bees in 

 sunny Italy. In fact, he was an enthusiastic 

 reader of Glkanings. and an admirer of your 

 humble servant when General Booth came near 

 his home and called him to join the Salvation 

 Army. An interesting letter will be found in 



Gleanings for 1889, page 622, from his pen.. 

 Our young friend was devoted to his bees, and 

 was doing well; but when the light of thegospel 

 of Jesus Christ shone down in his heart he- 

 straightway left bees, home, and all his posses- 

 sions, and followed the general. He is now his^ 

 private secretary. When they came to Cleve- 

 land, however, ]\Ialan petitioned for just a few 

 hours to go down and visit the Home of the 

 Honey-bees, and call on his friend A. I. Root. 

 This latter personage has a reputation, as you 

 know, of being somewhat of an enthusiast in 

 "the kingdom of God and his righteousness," 

 as well as in bees, gardens, strawberries, green- 

 houses, etc. 



I have before spoken of the Salvation Army. 

 I knew a little of General Booth, and of the en- 

 thusiastic reception he was getting, not only 

 from the great cities of the United States, but 

 from the great cities of the whole world. I 

 told friend Malan that I had planned to go and 

 hear General Booth when he came to Cleve- 

 land: but here I was, full of busine.ss and 

 worldly cares, and had even forgotten the 

 appointment. The boys were already coming 

 to a standstill. I turned my young friend over 

 to.Iohn and Ernest, to have them show him 

 the hospitalities of our establishment, and 

 made arrangements as best I could to have the 

 boys finish covering the greenhouse alone if the 

 next day should be mild enough. I suggested 

 to the young Salvationist, that, if a big wind 

 should come up when the glass was half on, it 

 would probably blow my greenhouse all to 

 pieces: but notwithstanding, I thought I would 

 take the chances and go with him on the train 

 that would leave in a little more than an hour. 

 I can not remember exactly the answer, but it 

 was something like this: 



"No, no, Bro. Root: the greenhouse will not 

 blow to pieces, and I think you will find that 

 the boys will manage tip-top while you are 

 gone. I know by experience that it is some- 

 times a pretty hard matter to let every thing 

 go, and follow the call of Jesus Christ; but I 

 know, too, that he that loseth his life for 

 Christ's sake shall find it; and that he that 

 forsakes houses, or brethren or sisters, or father 

 or mother, or wife or children or lands, for his 

 sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall 

 inherit eternal life." I do not think that my 

 friend put in those words exactly, but it was 

 something to that effect. We are all familiar 

 with the Bible teaching in that respect. 

 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his 

 righteousness, and all these things shall be 

 added unto you." 



When he started for Medina he did not think 

 he was going to be able to take me back with 

 hira: but he seemed greatly delighted to have 

 me stop my work and give him so much of my 

 time. During our trip on the cars he unfolded 

 something of General Booth's industrial work 

 among the outcasts of the great city of London. 

 He told me of the 2000 acres that had been 

 given him, of the number of poor people to 

 whom he had given employment, and had en- 

 listed in the Salvation Army. He told me 

 about the lost women whom General Booth set 

 to work raising strawberries. Then he quoted 

 an answer the general gave in one of his talks 

 to somebody who. like myself, asked him how 

 it was possible that their institution could go 

 on without ihe general there to manage it and 

 direct. Now. this answer, mind you, is second 

 hand, and it may be quite different from the 

 general's own words; but the idea was some- 

 thing like this: General Booth replied that the 

 secret of his success was because of the many 

 helps he had received. England gave him 2000 

 acres. The poor people whom he had saved 

 from sin and ruin gave their time, or, at least. 



