1891 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



515 



WHY THOSE CAKES FROM JAPANESE BUCK- 

 WHEAT TASTED BITTER. 



I think I can explain how the buckwheat 

 cakes spoken of by friend Hann tasted bitter, 

 for I had a similar experience. The bitter taste 

 comes from the bran tliat is left in the flour if 

 the buckwheat was not perfectly dry when 

 ground. That taste will be more pronounced if 

 the cakes are kept a little too long on the grid- 

 dles. When I had my buckwheat ground last 

 fall it was a little dainp. and lots of the flour 

 went with the bran. We tried the shorts, or 

 middlings, for cakes: and, while the fl en tr was 

 all right, the cakes made with the shorts had 

 that bitter taste. The great trouble with the 

 Japanese is tlie size of the grain, which is too 

 lai'ge for most mills. I. H. Putnam, of River 

 Falls. Wis., who owns a mill, told me that, 

 when giinding Japanese buckwheat, he put up 

 a spout to biing back the grain that was car- 

 ried over and would have been lost, and so got 

 a better yield than with the common kind. 



GusTAVE Gross. 



Hillsborough, Wis., May 22. 



SPRAYING trees; TWO HORSES KH-LED BY 

 E.VTING THE GRASS tTAfugjj thE TREES. 



For the benettt of others I thought I would 

 report the fact of a neighbor losing two valua- 

 ble horses by their eating grass a short time in 

 an orchard where tlierv had been spraying done. 



Nokomis, 111., May 23. E. S. Sandford. 



[We sent the above to Prof. Cook, who re- 

 plies:] 



If this be true, the Paris green was used al- 

 together too strong, or else, more likely, was 

 spilled. It should never be used stronger than 

 1 lb. to 200 gallons of water. Then it may be 

 used very thoroughly, and still will do no harm. 

 I experimented vci y thoroughly two years ago, 

 and proved ptisitivcly that there was no danger. 

 I am willing to turn my horse into any orchard, 

 if properly and cautiously sprayed. Of course, 

 we can never be too cautious in using such vir- 

 ulent poisons. I sprayed trees with a mixture 

 twice as strong as should be used, then penned 

 hungry sheep under some which I sprayed 

 thrice; cut grass very close, and fed it to my 

 horse, and this grass was all eaten in a few 

 minutes. This I did twice, and I had thick 

 papers under two trees, which caught all the 

 poison. This was analyzed, and a poisonous 

 dose was not found in all that fell. Thus it will 

 be seen that I have reason for my faith. So I 

 say again, if this report be true, the cause lay 

 in improper spraying or terrible carelessness. 



A. J. Cook. 



Agricultural College, Mich., May 29. 



THE USE OF THE WORD " FRIEND," ETC. 



I think those who have been born and reared 

 in the "Great West" will not object to being 

 called " friend." 



MY POTATOES. 



One day while preparing dinner I cut off the 

 ends of potatoes containing long sprouts. I re- 

 moved all but one. and then planted them jn a 

 large flower-pot. which I had previously half 

 filled with fresh horse manure, beaten down 

 and covered with rich earth. I took them into 

 the honey-house during cool nights. Tliey re- 

 mained only a few days in the pot. as my hus- 

 band disliked to see me carrying them around, 

 and I set them out in the garden. But, how 

 they have grown, being far ahead of others 

 planted in the open ground about the same 

 time! Mrs. L. Harrison. 



Peoria, 111., May 11. 



I have noticed, Mrs. H., that there has been 



considerable discussion in regard to the word 

 " friend." Now, why not let each one act ac- 

 cording to his own pleasure and feelings? I 

 like to address my neighbors as "friends" in 

 the way I have been accustomed to do; and I 

 suppose there is a general agreement so far. 

 When it comes to an enemy, however, or some- 

 body with whom you have had disagreement, 

 is it consistent or wise to address such a one as 

 friend ? 1 presume I got into the way of so do- 

 ing in trying to obey the injunction of the 

 Scriptures. " Love ye your enemies." It is no 

 easy task, I tell yoii. foi me to love everybody; 

 but when I have fought down rebellious feel- 

 ings so that I have a real honest desire to love 

 those who are unlovable, then I feel happy in 

 telling them what I feel in my heart. When I 

 say " friend " so and so I do not by any means 

 mean to convey the idea that they feel friendly 

 toward tne, but only that I feel friendly toward 

 them, and feel an anxiety to do them friendly 

 service. For instance, if some one is using to- 

 bacco in a way that is very offensive and disa- 

 greeable to me, I shall make very much better 

 headway in inducing him to stop for the time 

 being by addressing him as,f?'JeHr7. and at the 

 same time having a friendly feeling in my 

 heart. I feel sure there is no hypocrisy about 

 it; for wh(!n I absolutely can neii feel friendly 

 toward a person, I do not use the term; there- 

 fore 't becomes an outward evidence to those 

 about me that I have con(iuered wrong feelings 

 toward them; and the word "friend" often 

 helps me to accomplish difficult things, in the 

 same way a good long stout crowbar helps us to 

 move obstacles that we could not possibly stir 

 without its use. — In regard to the potatoes, you 

 have got the idea exactly, of getting early ones 

 for the early market. — Here is something more 

 in regard to the very matter of which we have 

 been speaking:] A. I. R. 



"friend" or "sir" — WHICH? 



Friend Root: — The question has come up in 

 the Americem Bee Joimuil, p. 600. as to whom 

 we should address as "friend." This question 

 has puzzled me considerably, and I should like 

 your views on it. There areeditors and writers 

 of bee-journals whom I am not personally ac- 

 quainted with, but I have very friendly feelings 

 for them, and should like to addre.ss them as 

 "friends." I am not personally acquainted 

 with W. Z. Hutchinson or A. I. Root; but I al- 

 ways address them as "friend," and they recip- 

 rocate. 



There is another class of editors and writers 

 whom I have no desire to address in this famil- 

 iar way. Their writings show that, if you 

 should meet them personally, they would be 

 distant and reserved, at least on first acquain- 

 tance. Some of our religious and agricultural 

 journals address their subscribers as "dear 

 friend," and it does not seem out of place to me. 



W. P. ASPINWALL. 



Harrison, Minn., May lo. 



more HEALTH PAMPHLETS. 



Please let me have some more of your health 

 pamphlets, as Dr. Hall is flooding this part of 

 tiie conntry with his mysterious pledge and cir- 

 culars, and T am afraid he gets many a hard- 

 earned dollar from poor people hei"e. 



Mound City, 111., May 13. M. R. Kuehne. 



I am using the Wilford Hall treatment, and 

 have gained 15 lbs. since using it. I find the 

 best results by daily use. Dr. Hall has done the 

 human family more good than any other living 

 man, in my opinion. Long may he live to enjoy 

 the fruits of his experience and labor. 



Nevada, O., May 19. B. F. Smith. 



