:29(] 



GLEANINGS IK UEB dlTLTUtlfe: 



Apr. 



shut, so that we can scarcely recognize them when 

 suffering with pain. It is all right for friend Doo- 

 little to " groan once or twice and dance a little," 

 and for Mrs. Harrison to use "a wet-sheet pack; " 

 but every one doeStl't enjoy such proceedings. 



THE NEW .7APANESE BUCKWHEAT. 



I got a fourth of a pound of you last spring, and 

 sowed it on rather poor, sandy soil, and the yield is 

 about six pounds. Of course, I can not tell how 

 much honey it yielded, but it was a beautiful sight 

 to see the bees "just flock" bil the blossoms. 

 Sometimes two bees would attempt to explore the 

 same blossom at the same time. I have seen more 

 bees on the Clarkia and on the Chapman honey- 

 plant, but never with the enthusiasm they showed 

 on the buckwheat. I've just stood and laughed to 

 see them go for it. No, I didn't lie down and laugh, 

 for it is too much work to get up with my 230 

 pounds of " corporosity." I doubt not but the 

 yield of buckwheat, honey, and laughter, would 

 have been much greater had not the drought been 

 so severe. 



BEES IN WINTER QUARTERS. 



As an experiment I put a few colonies of bees in 

 winter quarters on the 19th of October, a few days 

 after the first killing frost. Several years ago I 

 reasoned that, if nitrogenous food produced diar- 

 rhea in bees in winter, the lack of bee-bread in the 

 hive would nrevent it, and practice has sustained 

 the theory. Now, I thought that, if exercise wears 

 out the bees and makes them consume more stores, 

 putting them in winter quarters would prevent the 

 wearing-out process, and save honey. What will be 

 the result? We shall see. Another thing taken in- 

 to consideration, is the alternating cold nights and 

 days, and warm nights and warm days; and as the 

 right temperature and proper food is the key to 

 successful wintering, it seems to me it must be a 

 saving to put " our pets " away for a good rest as 

 soon as their season's work is done. The outdoor 

 temperature has varied from 24 to 68° since the 

 bees were put in the cellar, but the thermometer in 

 the cellar has not been below 48° nor above .50. 



Auburndale, O., Nov. 3, 1887. A. B. Mason. 



I am very glad to know, doctor, that you 

 still use and like the Given press. Hereto- 

 fore it has transpired that those who suc- 

 ceeded in making foundation on wires with 

 the Given press used a smaller frame than 

 the L. I want to have you tell us if you are 

 talking about a full-sized L. frame when you 

 give the Given press such praise.— On two 

 accounts I am sorry you gave that remedy 

 for bee-stings. The first is, that every man, 

 woman, and child will want us to publish 

 tJieir bee-sting remedy just because we let 

 you publish yours; and 1 hope you will for- 

 give me for saying that the second reason is, 

 that I do not believe the cloves affected the 

 sting a particle, one way or the other. Xow, 

 do not be in a hurry to "talk back, but please 

 remember, as I have told you so often before, 

 that bee-stings generally get well anyhow, 

 and the majority of them about as soon as 

 they do when you apply your remedy. I 

 supi)ose the reason you recommend applying 

 it immediately is because it might get well 

 before you got your bottle uncorked, if you 

 did not hurry iip. Then, you know, there 

 wouldnot l)e any chance to say the remedy 

 did it.— I hope the Japanese Imckwheat will 

 make you laugh still harder this year.— Xow, 



perliaps our readers will wonder what in the 

 world you mean by giving a report about 

 your l}ees in winter quarters, that was writ- 

 ten away back November 8. The reason 

 why your article was delayed so long— well, 

 we aren't ready to tell just now why it was 

 held ; but if the doctor will tell us how those 

 few colonies put in the 19th of (Jctober are 

 by this time, we shall know whether to take 

 stock in his plan of putting them in so early 

 or not. 



HEAD-WEAR IN THE APIARY, FOR 

 WOMEN. 



SUGGESTIONS ON THE COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE 

 OF HATS AND BONNETS. 



K. ROOT:— The ladies' straw bonnet I meant 

 to recommend for a bee-hat is not shaped 

 at all like any Shaker bonnet that I have 

 ever seen, and I used to wear them when I 

 was young. It is far superior, in my esti- 

 mation, because it flares a little from the back of 

 the head, keeping the top of the head cool. Those 

 of us who are troubled by overheating will find it 

 invaluable, as well as those of us who wear our 

 hair coiled upon the back of the head, to give room 

 for the hair, which makes it feel comfortable on the 

 head; besides it does not break and wear our hair 

 off like a hat. 



I did not intend recommending its use for the 

 wear of men, although I did mention Mr. Axtell 

 liking to wear one so well, as he has the headache 

 so much, and it keeps the head cooler than a hat. 

 It does not bind around the head like a hat— a feel- 

 ing that is very annoying to me when I am sweat- 

 ing. I always want to keep pushing my hat up, so 

 it will not fall down over my forehead, and that 

 is one reason 1 do not like a hat. The bonnet 

 keeps the forehead and top of the head cool, and 

 does not flop around from side to aide, or down over 

 the eyes either. The wire cloth naturally keeps 

 pushing the hat up, even if we do pull it down 

 around the head, unless the wire cloth is short; and 

 if short it gives a feeling of smothering when it 

 rises even with the mouth; and we women-folks 

 (judging other women by myself and hired girls) 

 much prefer wire cloth for a face-protector, as we 

 get far less stings than when we wear brussels net. 

 or any cloth face-protector. For gentlemen who 

 have whiskers it is all right. Mr. A. likes brussels 

 net, but we women get too many stings upon our 

 noses, cheeks, and chins. I am afraid I should not 

 like bee-keeping if I were obliged to wear brussels 

 net, even on the back of my bee-hat, as the net 

 clings to the neck so closely the bees sting through 

 tar more often than through calico. The calico is 

 sewed upon the back and sides of a bee-hat or 

 bonnet. It also keeps one from getting so badly 

 tanned. 



Another reason for liking the bonnet is, it does 

 not rumple our hair so much as a hat, and this 

 makes us feel very uncomfortable with our hair 

 torn down over the eyes. Those who wear bangs 

 would not be thus annoyed; but some of us middle- 

 aged ladies can not think of making ourselves 

 look so hideous as to cut off our front hair. When 

 I am obliged to work with bees all day I find it a 

 great comfort to roll the front of my hair under 

 tightly, commencing where the hair is parted in 

 front. It keeps the hair up much better than by 



