1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



513 



TO MAKE HONEY CAXDY. 



J. B. Weber wishes to make honey candy. If 

 put into dishes which have contained candied 

 honey the process will be hastened. 



HATS. GLOVES. AND VEILS. 



For gloves I like a stocking-leg with thumb 

 and hand covered with denim. The fingers 

 are free, the hands do not tan, and the bees 

 can not sting through tliem. They do not offer 

 to sting the ends of the fingers. 



To make the hat-brim broader without tiie 

 inconvenience of a bi'oad straw brim, take 

 straw-colored paper and cut it in strips about 

 two Inches wide. Plait, and baste around the 

 brim. I could hardly do witiiout it. Three- 

 quarters of a yard oif mosquito-netting, with 

 brussels net for the face, a rubber at the top to 

 fit the hat-crown, and a string at the bottom to 

 fasten about the neck, makes a good and cheap 

 veil. 



SEALING HONEY. 



Why do not my bees seal honey promptly? 

 They were gathering honey, though slowly. 

 They were strong enough to swarm. We ex- 

 amined honey again and again, each time de- 

 ciding that it must be left a little longer to com- 

 plete the sealing. At last it was browned. 



GAKDENING. 



I am very glad that the ladies have a depart- 

 ment in trLEANiNGs. I very much wish that 

 they would respond to Mr. Roofs request that 

 they tell us how they enjoy stirring the mellow 

 soil, and watching the plants grow. I find the 

 soil heavy and hard to work. If I would see 

 the plants grow, I must wage an unceasing 

 war against weeds, insects, droughts, and frost. 

 We had quite a hard freeze last night, and 

 have been hard at work to-night covering 

 plants with straw and paper. We think Paris 

 green the best remedy for the striped cucum- 

 ber-bug. Last yeai' our first tomatoes brought 

 eight cents a pound. I should like to know 

 whether any of the ladies can dress so as to do 

 real work inthe garden, and yet be presentable 

 when callers arrive. 



You mention a book on tomatoes as being tlie 

 only one. I will send you a copy of one written 

 by F. F. .Smith, then of Aurora. He is now- 

 raising roses. His greenhouses are at the cor- 

 ner of tiTth St. and R. I. R. R.. Chicago, near the 

 Cook Co. Normal. I think this book a good one. 

 My favorite tomatoes are Ignotum for early, 

 and Livingston's beauty. Libbie Williams. 



Delavan, Wis., May 26. 



[Yes, my good friend, it is emphatically true 

 in gardening, that "' there is no excellence with- 

 out great labor.'" This matter of dress for gar- 

 deners, both men and women, is one that inter- 

 ests me. W^hen I get right do\vn to business 

 with the plants, not only my boots but my 

 clothing generally looks quite unpresentable. 

 People will come along and ask me all sorts of 

 questions about A. I. Root. Sometimes they 

 venture the remai'li that he must be a queer 

 sort of genius, until I begin to think I can not 

 longer conscientiously avoid telling them that 

 I am the very chap himself. I am exceedingly 

 obliged to you for the tomato-book, for it plain- 

 ly indicates that friend Smith is a real live gar- 

 dener, and loves to make things grow.] 



moderate success, ten years. I never wear any 

 thing on my hands while working with bees, 

 and get but few stings during a season. I must 

 have free use of my hands and fingers. I re- 

 move propolis with hot water, soap, and am- 

 monia. I cover tan with gloves or mits when I 

 go to church. Sunday-school, etc. I wear a 

 light-colored calico dress, gingham apron and 

 sunbonnet. all well starched and smoothly 

 ironed. ]My oversleeves are fastened above the 

 elbow, and drawn closely around the wrist. I 

 seldom have to hive a swarm, as I try to keep 

 ail my queens clipped. I could not sit down, 

 nor get down on my knees, and handle frames 

 with bees, on account of rheumatism, of wliich 

 the stings have not entirely cured me: there- 

 fore I have my hives stand on benches twenty 

 inches high, under the shade of very large ap- 

 ple-trees. " I enjoy standing erect while at 

 work. When very tired I go into the house and 

 lie down. Mks. Mary Hunter. 



Vicksburg, Mich., May 10. 



a COUNTRY' COUSIN S EX1'P:BIENCE. 



Will the ladies kindly allow a "■ country cous- 

 in '■ to enter their Conversazione? I. also, have 

 felt ■■ lonesome and disappointed " when 

 Gleanings arrived without a "piece" from 

 the pen of my favorites — Mrs. Harrison and 

 Mrs. Axtell. I have kept Italian bees with 



MAY- 15TH gleanings ; ONE OF THOSE LARGE 



bee-aprons. 



I received the May 15th Gleanings last even- 

 ing, and I could not close my eyes until eleven 

 o'clock, as it was so interesting. We generally 

 get our mail in the evening; and you may be 

 sure that, when Gleanings comes, it is a late 

 hour when our eyes are closed. 



I am going to try my hand at bee-work this 

 season. "We have moved our apiary of over 100 

 colonies into the heavy basswood: and if good 

 care and strong colonies is all that is needed this 

 year I think we shall get a good crop of honey. 

 I notice the bee-keeping friends are expecting a 

 favorable season. 



APRONS. 



I have some of those large aprons, such as 

 Miss Wilson speaks of, but mine are made of 

 heavy shirting. I think I shall like the materi- 

 al better than any thing spoken of in Glean- 

 ings, as they look nicer, and are much easier 

 laundried. Speaking of washing reminds, me 

 that perhaps all ladies who do their own wash- 

 ing mav not know the benefit of using kerosene. 

 If a tablespoonful is put into the suds they are 

 to be soaked in or rubbed through, the ease 

 with which the dirt comes out is surprising. 



I have not selected my gloves yet, and am 

 still at a loss to know what kind to get. al- 

 though I have watched Gleanings closely on 

 that subject. 



I make our own foundation. Last year was 

 mv first experience in that line or in any work 

 concerning the apiary. I did not undertake to do 

 anv thing in regard to handling the bees, but I 

 am' going to make their acquaintance next 

 week, and show my husband what help I can 

 be in the vard. I know he will appreciate it, 

 as he has kept bees so long without a wife's 

 help. Mrs. F. T. Hall. 



Prairie Farm, Wis., May 21. 



give, and IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU. 



Friend Root:— The text, " Give and it shall 

 be given unto you," and your writings have 

 called forth this note. I think, and know by 

 experience, that the mori^ we give the more we 

 shall receive. Nearly t« o years ago I was left 

 alone, with the responsibility of making our 

 living from 35 acres, and rearing up two chil- 

 dren for God. Of all we sell, we lay by a tenth 

 for benevolent purposes, and have enough more 

 to use ourselves than if we gave notliing to the 

 cause of Chiist. I work and plan as much as 

 the next woman, doing all our work that we 

 may have means to give. I have 12 colonies of 

 bees, and keep bee - supplies, make founda- 

 tion, milk two cows, keep sheep, pigs, etc., and 



