1886 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 



41.) 



'' lacky tack." Following the sound of the 

 noise I passed into the paper-room and book- 

 bindery. I then sauntered into the sample- 

 room. What do yon tliink I saw? There 

 were Hiram, Franky, Minnie— yes, and Ella 

 too. Sitting at a table, each one had a mal- 

 let, and something to do. Sections, heaps of 

 'em, were they driving up square. Tick 

 tack, click, clack, that was the noise every- 

 where. ''What to do and how to be happy "' 

 seemed to be fully exemplified upon their 

 bright happy faces, and I didn't feel a bit 

 mad when 1 saw how rapidly and how nicely, 

 too, they were folding together those one- 

 piece sections we manufacture. It seems 

 these children had seen what pretty work it 

 was, and they had teased their mother, who 

 "lias charge of the room, to let them do it 

 too. As she was somewhat behind in her 

 work, she consented to let them try ; and 

 when I saw them I was fully convinced that 

 they were the best automatic section-formers 

 I ever saw. Little 7-year-old Ella was keep- 

 ing up with the older ones. How fast do 

 you think she could fold them? We kept 

 track, and found that she could fold a whole 

 box of 500 sections in just about two hours. 

 From the looks of her bright face I don't 

 think she ever had any play that she enjoy- 

 ed better. The iiuestion of "what to do and 

 how to be happy" secm?d to be fully solved 

 for her. Now,! was wondering if other lit- 

 tle folks couldn't do it too. I imagine that 

 your papa, if he is a bee-keeper, has lots of 

 sections he wants folded, and perhaps he has 

 got a bright boy or girl who wants a job, 

 and a chance to earn money. We pay S cts. 

 per 100 for putting up sections in our facto- 

 ry. At this rate little Ella earned 1-5 cts. for 

 the two hours she worked, or at the rate of 

 li cts. per hour. I think that is doing pret- 

 ty well for a 7-year-okl chick. Of course, she 

 would get tired if she folded more than one 

 box at a time. 



Now, I do not know of any thing you can 

 do at present that will help your father more 

 for the coming fiow of honey. I should like 

 to have reports from the liitle folks, telling 

 how fast you can put together sections. If 

 you will do real well I will send you any 

 thing you may choose from the lO-cen't 

 counter. Ernest. 



A PETRIFIED WASP'SNEST. 



My lather has a petrified wasp's nest. It is about 

 as big around as my fist. The cells are mostly filled 

 up, and some of them arc raised, while others arc 

 slightly broken. It looks a good deal like a honey- 

 comb. He has also some with fern leaves on them. 

 They are very pretty. Carhie Memck, age 10. 



Waverly, Neb., March 30, 1886. 



Now, Carrie, are you sure it is a petrified 

 wasp's-nesty From your description I am 

 inclined to think it is the work of some in- 

 sects like the coral insect. Something in re- 

 gard to this has already appeared in our 

 back volumes. 



AS OLD FOGY. 



I read all th? little letters and your loot notes. 

 Ma says that honey and croton oil (equal parts mix- 

 ed), given every two hours in teaspoonful doses is 

 the best remedy lor the dysentery that she ever 

 saw. She filso has a dropsy iccipe wl.l^h takes a 



quart of honey to make it. Wc have a neighbor 

 who claims to be an old bee-keeper. He says if he 

 had a mind he could make all the neighbors' bees 

 come to him and stay. Do you think such a thing 

 possible? If so, is he not an enemy to bee-keepers 

 near by, if he is not honest'/' Tommy Buown. 



Searcy, White t'o., Ark., Mar. 1, 18S(5. 



Don't be alarmed, friend Tommy; that 

 neighbor you mention has probably got a 

 few old-fogy ideas in his head, one of which 

 is that he could call all his neighbors' bees 

 to himself. lie might induce them to call 

 on him for a short time by setting out syrup, 

 or starting a cider-mill, but the bees, after 

 they had feasted themselves at his expense, 

 and had pestered him all they could, would 

 return home without so much as saying, 

 " Thank you." Nothing so much annoys me 

 as to hear one of these old seers boast of the 

 big things he can do. Eknest. 



THE NAUGHTY SABBATH-BHE AKEItS. 



I wrote just one year ago, and told you about pa's 

 bees commencing to carry in pollen <m Sunday, the 

 1st of Feb. Now, these Sabbath-breakers commenc- 

 ed at work this year on buds of watei'-elm, on Sun- 

 day, the 31st day of January; so with all of our 

 example and teaching we have failed to teach them 

 better. Lizzie L. Mullin, age 10. 



Oakland, Colorado Co., Texas, Feb. 17, 18S6. 



Thank you, friend Lizzie. It is true, the 

 bees never respect the Sabbath ; but work- 

 ing on Sunday isn't the worst thing they 

 do. I have sometimes thought that Sunday 

 was their favorite day for stealing and get- 

 ting into mischief generally, and on holidays, 

 wdien folks are not at home. Several times 

 on coming home from church I have found 

 the little scamps on a " regular tear," as the 

 boys say. Eknkst. 



HOW TO EXTRACT, AS TOLD BY .JACOB. 



When we extract we take the smoker and smoke 

 the bees well, and then take the combs out of the 

 hive. We next cut the cappings off with a knife, 

 and then put it in the extractor. We then turn the 

 handle around. But if larva' are in the combs we 

 have to turn \ery slowly. Wo turn until the hon- 

 ey is all out, and then take the combs out of the 

 extractor, putting them in the hive again. We take 

 the cappings off the combs, and then when we get 

 enough we try them up and then take the Avax down 

 to the drug-store and sell it. We got (35 cts. for one 

 pound nine ounces. Jacob Battersbv, age 11. 



Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. 



Your description is very good, and shows 

 that you have had some actual experience in 

 the apiary, aside from what can be learned 

 in books. ^_ Eknest. 



HONEY AND ALUM FOU COLDS; FROM A LITTLE 

 GIRL WHO LIVES AMONG THE INDIANS. 



Honey, with alum grated into it, is good for the 

 croup. I am an orphan girl. 1 live with Mrs. 

 Thomas, and take care of little Ollie. We keei) 

 bees, and take Gleanings. Mrs. Thomas and I aic 

 going to attend to the bees this summer. Drones 

 were flying the first day of April. Mrs. Thomas 

 has given away a good deal of honey. Wc make 

 candy of it too. Lillie Mills, age 11. 



Stringtown, Choctaw Nation, Ind. Ter. 



1 presume you have Indians all around 

 you. and that you do not find them so terri- 



