416 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 15. 



can do this work better than one, for you need 

 both hands to use the hoe, and another person 

 must keep a smoke constantly going over the 

 surface to keep the bees down. Spread a cloth 

 on the ground to catch the burr-combs as they 

 drop from the hoe. It will save picking them 

 up. All this is a good deal of trouble, and. if 

 thick top-bars will do a»vay with burr-combs, 

 then I vote for thick top-bars. 



If Mrs. Axtell will li y wearing a sheepskin 

 slipper or moccasin (such as men sometimes 

 wear inside their rubber boots) inside her light 

 rubber boots. I think she will iind them heavy 

 enough, and more comfortable than the heav- 

 ier boys' boots would be. Also. I think she will 

 find the cause of honey-dew on her plants either 

 the aphis or scale louse. Either of these insects 

 will cause it, sometimes in very large (|uanti- 

 ties. As the aphis is very easily detected, I 

 should think it more likely the scale louse. 



Many thanks to Miss Nellie Linswik for in- 

 formation in regard to gloves. I am sure your 

 gloves, being white, will save yon many stings. 

 But, how about the propolis on the ends of your 

 lingers? for I must confess I dislike the pro- 

 polis on the ends of my lingers and under my 

 nails fully as much as the stings. It is such a 

 comfort to pull off my gloves and find my hands 

 clean. I am now wearing a i)air of sealskin 

 gloves, such as Mr. Thomas wrote me about, 

 and like them very much. I wish you would 

 try a pair. Miss Nellie: I think you would like 

 them. If those who wear gloves were generally 

 agreed that white sealskin are the best, it 

 might be a good plan for Mr. Root to keep them 

 in stock. 



I have also had a chance to test my new 

 aprons, and at present I think they are grand. 

 What I may think of them when the thermom- 

 eter stands at 100°. I do not know y(!t. Mrs. 

 Hai'rison, if you can endure them during June, 

 July, and August. I believe you would like them 

 during the early spring and fall. 



I am very glad. ^Ir. Root, you have given us 

 a ladies' department. I only hope the ladies 

 will not be so hard worked through the summer 

 that they will be too tired to write. 



Marengo, III, A])ril 35. Emma Wii,son. 



SHOES FOR I-ADY BEE-KEEPERS. 



Reading over the articles on gloves and othei' 

 suitable apparel for wome7i in th(! apiary, I 

 liave noticed nothing regarding the shoes. 

 which to me is an all-imi)oi'tant matter: for un- 

 less my feet are dry and warm I get sick; and if 

 my shoes are not easy and comfortable I am 

 nervous and out of sorts every way. 



For spring work, the shoe I prefer is just high 

 enough to support the ankle: of light-weight 

 leather, front lace, with common-sense heel. 

 These slioes are on the market here — very neat 

 and durable, too, for about !P2.00; but on a wide 

 last, E or E E. As I n^quire a narrow shoe, I 

 have to have mine made to oi'der. One's feet 

 do not tire so soon with the ankle supported, 

 and thes(^ shoes are not so warm as the I'egular 

 boot. For s(mietbing to keep tiiese from ab- 

 sorbing moisture when the ground is muddy or 

 damp. I use boys' rubbers. These coiu(! in one 

 size, and are more durable than are those made 

 for women. 



GI.OVES. 



We are now using men's gloves, of a thin 

 leather that is almost white, and so cheap that 

 they sell for about 40 cents a pair. We add a 

 linen gauntlet witli rubl)er in the top. We 

 very much prefer to wear gloves among tiie 

 bees. They not only protect fi'om stings, but 

 keep the hands soft, and in condition for needle 

 work and very many things we women have to 

 do a.side fiom work in the apiary. 



For these I bought tive-cent shirting, and 

 made by the pattern recommended by Miss Wil- 

 son. These will wear well, protect the dress, 

 and not be so warm as ticking. An ulster, as 

 recommended by Mrs. Stow, is an excellent 

 dress for bee-work. It is loose and cool, and 

 covers one from head to foot. 



THE HAT. 



I like one which I fashion out of tolerably 

 coarse braid, into a shape similar to a '"sun- 

 down." This is cool, and will protect the face 

 and neck'. We have tried broad-rimmed hats: 

 but when we stoop over, or the sun is low, it is 

 very apt to peep under and blister our skin, or 

 make it so red as to be sore. We should get 

 sunburnt too: and what woman, who has ob- 

 served the aptitude of the opposite sex to ad- 

 mire beautiful women, wants to yield her 

 charms, if she has any, but rather protect 

 them ? 



We must have Gleanings: and as we can't 

 express a "candid and outspoken opinion," find- 

 ing fault, we send subscription. We are always 

 profited by reading Gleanings, and we would 

 have no part omitted. We are especially glad 

 of the Home Talks, and of the recent addition 

 of a Ladies' Depai'tment. 



Mrs. Milton Cone. 



Chillicothe. Mo.. April 11. 



BEE- APRONS FOR WOMEN— ANOTHER MATERIAL. 



I see by Gleanings, Feb. 1. that Miss Wilson 

 is at a loss to know of what material to make 

 her aprons for the apiary. I am going to use 

 blue denim (I believe that is the right name), 

 such as men's overalls are made of. only I shall 

 use thinner goods than aic usually put into 

 men's clothes. I use the thinner cloth because 

 it is easier to wash, and is not so stiff' and clum- 

 sy as the other. I know the honey does not 

 soak through and soil my husl)aiid"s clothes un- 

 der his overalls, so I think the same goods 

 will save my dress. Last .reason I wore calico 

 until I became convinced that it was little bet- 

 ter than nothing, as I tore one to pieces on an 

 average of once a week, for our apiary is sur- 

 rounded by sumac bushes and black-sage brush, 

 and the swarms invariably took to the sumac 

 for alighting-places. Now, there is nothing 

 like brush for catching one's apron, and pick- 

 ing it full of holes. After the calico I used 

 gingham, but that was but little better, so now 

 lam going to make a raid on goods used for 

 men's clothes, and see if lean get satisfaction 

 out of that. 



NO GLOVES RECOMMENDED. 



I think if Miss Wilson will leave off' her gloves 

 entirely slie will Hud that propolis has not so 

 strong an af'hnity for her naked hands as it. has 

 for her gloves: and I am ct)nvinced that the 

 bees have no such grudge to pay off' <»n the bare 

 hands as th<'y have on hands in a glov(>. Last 

 season was my second year with the bees, and I 

 worked without gloves, receiving but f(>\v stings, 

 perhaps half a dozen in all. The season pre- 

 vious t wore buckskin gloves and I'eceived as 

 many as half a dozen stings in them in a day. 

 The l)ees. although belonging to two diff'enMit 

 ai)iari('s. wer<' of the same kind of cross hybrids. 

 There aic lots of wild bees in tlu' mountains 

 back of us, and, strange to say, they are all hy- 

 brids, some of them showing two and thi'ee 

 bands. I have found many a wild swarm hei'e. 

 but I have th(> liist swarm yet to Iind whos(- 

 woi'kers do nf)t show the yi'llow bands of the- 

 Italians, and yet there has been no imported 

 queen brought liere for years. 



Mrs. Mattik A. Bonfoky. 



South Kivei'side. Cal.. Feb. 2(5. 



