994 



GLEANIJSIGS IN BEE CUi^TUKE. 



Dec. 



to g'o, except the changeableness of tlie wintry 

 weather. The decision was finally made in their 

 favor, and willing hearts and hands soon made 

 them ready. 



A deep snow had fallen a few days previous, 

 then a rainstorm coming on a short time before the 

 eventful morning in which they were to start, left 

 the roads in such a condition that they could not 

 reach the station without being carried, at that 

 early hour in the morning, as it was several miles 

 distant. So Arthur's mother volunteered to act 

 as driver. At two o'clock in the morning, Ai-thur, 

 with lamp in hand, was arousing the family, 

 and at three they were on their way to the station. 

 They arrived in due time to attend the morning- 

 session of the convention; and to say that they en- 

 joyed it would be but a meager expression. They 

 met with many whose names were as familiar as 

 household words, but their faces were as strangers. 



Upon their return home they gave such an accu- 

 rate description of what they saw and heard that 

 the whole family seemed to have had the benefit 

 of a part of it at least. The convention was the 

 crowning enjoyment of Arthur's boyhood days; 

 and should his success in life be oven greater than 

 a farmer-boy might anticipate, his mother will at- 

 tribute it to his first swarm of bees, and the associ- 

 ation and influence connected therewith. 



1 am happy to tell the readers of Glean- 

 ings that it was my good fortune to meet 

 Arthur and his father and mother at the re- 

 cent State Convention at Ypsilanti. I am 

 glad the little story tells the dark side of bee 

 culture as \vell as the bright. 1 am also glad 

 to know that Arthur was not disheartened, 

 even after his heavy losses. If he continues 

 to attend conventions, and gather facts from 

 the bee-journals, lie will, without doubt, suc- 

 ceed. After one has successfully brought 

 his bees through the winter once or twice, it 

 seems to be a comparatively easy matter 

 thereafter. 



A GOOD REPOET FROM "W. E. FLOWER. 



THE ALLEY THAI' 



AND QUEEN-EXCLUDlN(i HONEV- 

 BOARDS. 



HAVE used half a dozen of Alley's queen- 

 traps for two years, and they have never 

 failed to catch the queen. I have also used 

 half a dozen of your zinc honey-boards for 

 the same length of time, and they have 

 proved a grand success. With these two ap- 

 pliances I have no fear of swarms %.oing to the 

 woods, or queens getting into the .sections. I don't 

 want to puft' you or Alley ; but if you think it worth 

 while I will give you a brief article describing how 

 I use them to prevent absconding and aftor-swarm- 

 ing, and but little increase. I can and do go to 

 church and Sunday-school every Sunday during 

 the swarming season, and have not lost a swarm in 

 the two years that I have used them. I don't sup- 

 pose that my methods would suit either Heddon, 

 Doolittle, or Hutchinson; but they might suit some 

 one who, like myself, keep a few colonies, and who 

 have to leave home to work in a factory all day, and 

 have no time during working hours to be hunting 

 (|ueens, climbing trees, etc., after swarms. 

 Ashbourne, Pa., Nov. 6, 1886. W. E. J'lower. 



Friend F., we are very glad indeed to hear 

 from any one who has fotmd these helps a 

 positive success. 



Every boy or (JTirl, under 15 



years of age, who writes a 



•letter for this department, containing 



SOME VALUABLE FACT, NOT GENERALLY 

 KNOWN ON BEES OR OTHER MATTEHS, 

 will receive one of David Cook's excel- 

 lent live -cent Sunday-school books. 

 JIany of these boolis contain the same mat- 

 ter that you find in Sunday-school hooks 

 costing from 81.00 to SI. 50. If you have had 

 one or more hooks, give us the names that we 

 may not send the same twice. We have now 

 ■'^V i< in stock six different books, as follows; viz.; 

 W'/' Sheer Off, The Giant - Killer, The Roby 

 ^ " Family, Rescued from Egypt, and Ten Nights in 



a Bar-Rooni. We have also Our Homes, Part I., and 

 Our Homes, Part II. Besides the above books, you may have a 

 photograph of our old house apiary, taken a great many years 

 ago. In it is a picture of myself. Blue Eyes, and Caddy, and a 

 glimpse of Ernest. We have also some pretty little colored 

 pictures of birds, fruits, flowers, etc., suitable for framing. 

 You can have your choice of anyone of the .above pictures 

 or books for every letter that gives us some valuable piece of 

 information. 



Ct)XDVCTED bV ERNEST R. ROOT. 



"A chiel's amang ye takin' notes; 

 An' faith, he'll prentit." 



JIMMY S SUCCESS. 



J[f' FTER the events recorded in the last 

 ^'bi issue, Jimmy went to bed, but not un- 

 jlsr til he had washed the mud from his 

 -■^ face. 



"Well," he thought, as he lay in 

 bed, " if the mud didn't do my face no good, 

 it made pa laugh, and 1 guess he won't 

 make me give up my bees after all."' 



His miiid wandered from one thing to an- 

 other. He thought what Sam would say 

 when he heard what happened ; then he 

 wondered whether his three other colonies 

 had enough feed. He well knew tliat the 

 robbed colony was in no condition to winter. 



" By cracky I" he said, almost aloud, "Mr. 

 Green told me to open the entrance of that 

 hive which was being robbed to-day, and I 

 forgot it. I must do it to-night. But ma 

 won't let me hx them up to-night." 



A bright thought entered Jimmy's mind. 

 He crawled out of bed, raised the window 

 very carefully, and stepped out into the 

 night air with only his night-gown on. It 

 was chilly; "but," he thought, "it won't 

 take me but a minute." 



In a moment more the entrance was open- 

 ed, and he hui'ried back to his window. 



"Cracky!'' said Jimmy, as he tried to 

 raise it, "I forgot about that ketch when I 

 left, and how am I to get in again? " 



There was only one alternative, and that 

 was to knock at the door. It was so chilly 

 that Jimmy did not hesitate long, attired as 

 he was, and gave a knock. In response, his 

 father came to the door. 



"Why, how came you there? I thought 

 you went to bed over an hour ago,'' said he 

 greatly surprised. 



" Yes, I did go to bed," explained Jimmy, 



