648 



GLEANINGS IN Bt:E CtJLTUltE. 



Aug. 



trial. The whole thing is so utterly ridic- 

 ulous that I did not intend to dignify it with 

 a notice. We .see it, however, in so many 

 papers, and, worse still, some pretended 

 scientists are trying to discover an explana- 

 tion for it, that I think best to give it this 

 passing notice. It is lamentable that our 

 periodicals will stoop to pick up such folly, 

 and pass it along. 



Since the above was in type, we have the 

 following from Prof. Cook : 



Dear Friend:— 1 heard years ago of the absurdity, 

 that holding one's breath would exempt him from 

 stings. I thought at once that it was nonsense, but 

 put it to the test. It was one of the most satisfac- 

 tory experiments I ever tried. I think the bee ap- 

 preciated the joke, for I rarely get a more painful 

 thrust. It was like brother D. A. Jones's ice water. 

 He told me that ice water would prevent all pain 

 from a bee-sting. 1 said, " Produce the water." I 

 pinched a bee, got the sting, and at once thrust my 

 hand into the cold water. I do not think I was hurt 

 worse from a bee-sting that whole season. 



A. J. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich., July 31, 1888. 



And SO, friend Cook, you really made a 

 test of the matter, did you? Well, I didn't ; 

 but I did try putting kerosene on a sting, and 

 the sting was the most painful one I perhaps 

 ever experienced in my life. I might have 

 rushed to the conclusion that tlie oil made it 

 worse ; but my opinion is, that it had no ef- 

 fect whatever. The sting simply happened 

 to be a severe one. 



FURTHER PARTICULARS IN REGARD TO POUDER'S 

 OPEN-SIDE SECTIONS. 



Friend Root:— You have illustrated and explained 

 my open-Side sections so clearly that further ex- 

 planation would seem useless, but I fear you have 

 misconstrued some of the most important features. 

 I do not use the T super; but if I did I should cer- 

 tainly want to use these sections in connection with 

 it. You state that the projecting sides should be 

 the same width as the separators used— Si^ inches. 

 I would use separators 3'/2 inches wide, and have 

 the projecting sides of my sections only 254 inches. 

 Thus you will see that they can be used in the T 

 super (or any ordinary crate) without having the 

 sides closed with the T support. 



When filled with honey they have a plump ap- 

 pearance that is equaled by none other. The 

 friends who are looking for non-propolizing bees 

 should give these sections a trial, as they are pro- 

 polized very little, and are easily scraped. In fact, 

 they are entirely free from the defects that I have 

 seen mentioned about other open-side sections. 



Walter S. Pouder. 



Groesbeck, Ohio, July 19, 1888. 



Thanks. It is true, that the projecting sides 

 could be made narrower, or 2i inches, in- 

 stead of 3i. This would obviate the difficul- 

 ty we mentioned, of direct passage from 

 side to side over the upright of the T. But 

 it would increase the expense of the cutter- 

 knife necessary for making the openings. 

 It would likewise give the bees a better op- 

 portunity to chink propolis between the 

 sides, for the upright of the T forms a space 

 of 3^2 inch. In this respect it would be open 

 to the same fault as the regular open side in 

 the T super. It seems our friend Byron 



Walker advertised and sold these or very 

 similar sections some six j^ears ago. He 

 will give particulars in another issue. 



HONEY FROM THE MESQUITE ; ENCOURAGING FOR 

 TEXAS. 



I have sent you by to-day's mail some flowers of 

 the mesquite (Algarobia glandulusa), from which we 

 are now getting quite a flow of honey, which comes 

 in as the horsemint dies out. We have had too 

 much rain for the horsemint. We got only about 

 35 lbs. per hive from it; but they are filling up fast- 

 er on the mesquite, which is the fullest of flowers I 

 ever saw it. The mesquite is a low spreading tree, 

 looking much like a peach tree, hence they are oft- 

 en mistaken by "tender feet " for an old orchard; 

 the roots penetrate the soil deeply, with few or no 

 surface roots. The main root is a tap-root, and the 

 leaves make but little shade. They do not more 

 than half shade the ground, so they do not inter- 

 fere with the grass. In addition to the honey from 

 the flowers, the wood makes the most lasting fence- 

 posts for our barb-wire fences, if they are cut in 

 the spring, and the bark peeled ofl' so they will sea- 

 son quickly before the worms get into them. They 

 make good firewood, a dry mesquite limb being 

 nearly like coal for heat. The seed is borne in a 

 pod about 6 to 10 inches long, and when ripe is ex- 

 cellent food for all kinds of stock — equal to grain. 

 The seeds are very hard, and pass through cattle in a 

 fine condition to germinate, and are scattered in 

 that way. The blooms are successive, and this 

 quality makes it more valuable for the bees, the 

 season generally lasting 6 or 8 weeks, and the beans 

 are a long time falling too. The leaves are fine 

 food for stock when they can reach them. The 

 honey is whiter and nicer flavored than the mint, 

 and drouth does not entirely cut off the honey crop, 

 for last year I got about 40 lbs. per hive. The dry- 

 est year we ever had here, they brought it in and 

 sealed it up as they gathered it. G. J. Elam. 



Marlin, Tex., July 7, 1888. 



COGGSHALL BEE-VEIL, AND HOW TO MAKE IT. 



Friend Boot:— Jn a recent issue of Gleanings you 

 described the way to make and use bee-veils. We 

 all have a way of our own in making and using and 

 wearing the same articles, and we are quite apt to 

 think it is as good if not a little better than any oth- 

 er way. I will describe mine, and leave you to judge. 

 Get a wide-rimmed hat, 3 inches wider than an ordi- 

 nary chip hat. It must be a stiff-rimmed one. 

 For veiling, use black milenett (milliners use it In 

 the construction of bonnets). I have it sewed on 

 the hat two inches fi-om the outside of the rim on 

 the under side. I will not attempt to give the exact 

 length to have it cut, as some heads are larger than 

 others. Sew a hem of strong cloth on the lower edge 

 of the veil; use a flat shoe string, or a strong cord, 

 for a gathering-string. Gather the back half and 

 sew it fast to the string or cord so it will not pull 

 out, then all of the folds or gatherings are in the 

 back part of the veil. Now put the hat and veil on; 

 draw up the cord and tie tight, or moderately so, 

 under or below your collar. The advantages are, a 

 bee can not get in under the veil; you know when 

 the sun shines on the facing you can not see as well, 

 nor see a queen to distinguish her from a worker, 

 nor eggs in the cells. The rim of the hat projecting 

 beyond the veil shades it so you can see every time. 

 When going from one apiary to another, tuck the 



