48(5 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 



humanity. He takes great interest in tempci-ance 

 work, and has been an active member of the Good 

 Templars since 1805. My flrst knowledge of Mr. 

 Root came from his making a ten-mile trip and 

 back after dark, over almost impassable roads, to 

 our little village, for the purpose of organizing a 

 Good Templar lodge. Mr. Quinby and himself 

 were two of those who voted the first Prohibition 

 ticlfet in St. .lohnsville (why don't they change 

 that name?) and he has been an active supporter of 

 that party ever since. 



In 1869 he was married to Mr. Quinby 's only 

 daughter, and his home is one in which intelligence, 

 roflnement, and happiness reside. I never met any 

 one who appreciates his home, family, and friends, 

 more than does Mr. Root. His wife has been a true 

 helpmate to bim; and in the re-writing of Mr. 

 Quinby's book she took a prominent part in the 

 composition of the same— a service she had also 

 rendered her father in his last revision. Mrs. Root 

 has had entire charge of the education of their two 

 daughters, the elder of whom has just passed from 

 the home instruei ion into the high school, while 

 the younger will take another year to graduate in 

 the home course. 



There are very few men who have had the large 

 and varied expeiience with bees such as has fallen 

 to the lot of Mr. Root. I suppose all such could be 

 counted upon the fingers of one hand, for there is 

 no branch of bee culture, either theoretical or prac- 

 tical, with which he is not familiar. He has been 

 an extensive producer of both comb and extracted 

 honey; is thoroughly familiar with the details of a 

 large supply-business, including the purchasing of 

 bees in box hives, and transferring and Italianizing 

 the same; the rearing and shipping of queens, to- 

 gether with a large experimental knowledge and a 

 large e.xperience as writer and author. For the 

 past year he has resided at the sea-shore, and, his 

 numerous friends will be glad to learn, with health 

 much improved; and we all unite in wishing that 

 he may be spared to the bee-keeping fraternity for 

 many years. P. H. Blwood. 



Starkville, N. Y. 



Many thanks, friend E. I was somewhat 

 acquainted with some of the facts you men- 

 tion, and 1 heartily indorse what you say 

 about the book, "Quinby's New Bee-keep- 

 ing." Many other writers have written in 

 regard to bees ; but I think no other author 

 has ever been so much of a practical honey- 

 producer himself as father Quinby and his 

 energetic, go-aliead son-in-huv, the subject 

 of our sketch. Mr. Langstroth never pro- 

 duced any very large crops of honey, if 1 am 

 correct. It did not seem to be quite liis 

 forte. Neitlier has Prof. Cook, nor has your 

 liumble servant. We are, however, think- 

 ing of raising a crop of honey this present 

 season. Well, for the practical bee-keeper 

 the writings of (Quinby and L. C. Root are 

 of the greatest value. These writers did or 

 do practice, year after year, what they 

 preach, after a fashion w'hich none of the 

 rest of us seem to have been able ; that is, 

 to prove the truthfulness of our teachings 

 by tons of honey. It is true, that we here at 

 the Home of the IIoney-Bees have built up 

 a large l)usiness in selling queens and bees, 

 and this makes tliis feature of our book 

 valuable. Prof. Cook, from his position, 



gives us scientific facts in regard to the hon- 

 ey bee that no other writer does, and so 

 with the other authors. There seems to be 

 plentv of room, and no need of contlicting, 

 and little or no repetition. I never really 

 understood and appreciated friend L. C. 

 Root until I became acquainted with him at 

 the bee-keepers' convention at Albany, N. 

 Y. At the close of the flrst day's sessi(m 

 the idea began to impress itself very strong- 

 ly on my mind that it was a national mis- 

 fortune that many of the great minds of the 

 present day are not acquainted with each 

 other. For instance, when I noticed how 

 very much alike in spirit were L. C. Root, 

 Prof. Cook, Ur. Miller, Dr. Mason, and 

 others whom I might mention, I felt bad to 

 think that they could not all be present and 

 get acquainted with each other. I hope the 

 gentlemen will excuse the liberty I have 

 taken ; but I feel sure it will do no harm. 



Some years ago I wrote to Prof. Cook that 

 he absolutely 7nust get acquainted with Dr. 

 C. C. Miller ; and I wrote Dr. Miller the 

 same thing. It was not very long after, that 

 these two men became such a pair of 

 brothers at all our conventions that it was a 

 subject of remark. I felt gratified to think 

 that my convictions were right ; and the 

 fact has been impressing itself upon me for 

 along while, that our leading men can not 

 afford not to know each other. In this matter 

 of temperance alone, which our good friend 

 Elwood has alluded to. suppose York State 

 is struggling against the evil. L. C. Root 

 takes in the condition of affairs, and per- 

 haps at times feels almost weighed down 

 with needs and responsibilities, especially 

 when he takes a look at the young men push- 

 ing into manhood in the State of New York. 

 Prof. Cook feels the same thing in regard to 

 the State of Michigan ; Dr. Mason in Ohio, 

 Dr. Miller in Illinois. Suppose these four 

 get together and learn to know each other, 

 shake hands all round, and talk over mat- 

 ters ; why, this very thing of itself doubles 

 their mental and physical strength to stand 

 up and flght againslt the evil. I will tell 

 you what I should like to see — a little prayer- 

 meeting with these four men present. All 

 the rest of the world might come too if they 

 wished, and I assure you they would be 

 welcome. But four just such men, with 

 Christ Jesus in all their hearts— yes, with 

 Christ Jesus in their midst, who can tell 

 what a power they might be for good ? 

 Now, I presume every State in the Union 

 can furnish such a man. It would be very 

 sad indeed if it could not furnish just one. 

 But you know I am speaking particidarly of 

 bee-men, and I shouldn't wonder a bit if 

 that is to be one of tlie good things that come 

 from these illustrated biographical sketches. 

 They help good men to kn<iw each other. 

 For "my part I thank God from the bottom of 

 my heart that he has given me the privilege 

 of assisting in m;iking good men acquainted ; 

 therefore, dear friends, I take pleasure in 

 showing to you here our good friend to 

 whom we are all deeply indebted — L. C. 

 Root ; and I don't want to have you forget 

 our other good friend, Mr. P. H. Elwood, 

 who has been so kind as to give us this bio- 

 graphical sketch. 



