2'.)8 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Al'KIL J5. 



Iowa, Wt'sicni Illinois, and Northei'ii Michigan. 

 In an.^^wer to the second question. '" How does 

 their condition compare witii former years?" 

 most of them report " much better." 



At Medina, out of a total of :.'()0 wintered 

 outdoors we have lost only ;^, making our per 

 cent stand US'.,,. One was in a winter case, 

 another in a cliaff hive, and another in the 

 liouse apiary. By the way. the few colonies in 

 the house apiary fared very much worse than 

 those outdoors. During the first week in April 

 brood-rearing outdoors seemed to be progress- 

 ing finely: but during the last few days a cold 

 spell has set in. What effect this will have in 

 killing off unsealed larvie we do not know. 



The phonograph is proving to be a grand 

 success in our office. By its aid one typewriter 

 operator is enabled to do the work of nearly 

 two. In fact, one of our girls now transcribes 

 with the talking-macliin<* all the correspon- 

 dence of E. R. and .1. T. C. On the old steno- 

 graphic dictation plan she had all she could do 

 to handle Mr. C."s correspondence alone. We 

 suppose the reason why the phonograph is not 

 generally used in offices is because business 

 men who would use them for dictation are not 

 sufficiently expert in handling electi'ical ma- 

 chinery. The phonograph is. in fact, simpler 

 than a sewing-machine: but it is so new and so 

 different, that, when a thing gets " out of kil- 

 ter," the average business man. instead of try- 

 ing to fuss to get it in order, will give it up and 

 go back to the old way. The day must surely 

 come when the phonograph will be used ex- 

 clusively in all offices whei'e large correspon- 

 dence is carried on wholly through dictation. 

 It should be stated that the phono-graphophone 

 has not yet proven to be a success: but the 

 Edison phonograph has with us— at least so far. 



A NEW I'OUI.TRY-IJOOK. 



It would seem that the poultry-book business 

 is already overdone: but recently thei'e has come 

 to our table an excellent book entitled "The 

 Chicken Business, and How to Make it Pay :" 

 by H. B. Geer, of Nashville. Tenn., a well- 

 known poultryman, as some of you may know. 

 So far as we have been able toexamineit.it 

 gleams with experience. From the preface we 

 quote: "This book is written by a practical 

 ' poultryman for practical people, and with no 

 attempt at tine style or language;'" and such, 

 evidently, it is. To give you an idea of the l)ook 

 we will give you two or three selections: 



On page S. in speaking of yards oi' runs, he 

 says: "' To be a successful poultry-keeper it is 

 very necessary to keep the fowls on the premises 

 divided into small flocks of tifteen or twenty 

 to the flock."' In another place he says that 

 fifteen or twenty fowls will usually pay better 

 than fifty or more together. The reason of this, 

 we presume, is on account of disease and many 

 other ills to which poultry are subject when in 

 larger flocks. Again, he says, in si)eaking of 

 artificial hatchers or brooders. " We would not 

 advist^ Itersons of inexperience in poultry culture 

 to invest at the outset in an expensive incubator 

 with the expectation of making a success of it. 

 It is a great deal better and a great deal cheap- 

 er to experiment with a r.'.'i-cent hen as an incu- 

 bator at first. " The author does not discourage 

 the use of brooders and incubators: but he ad- 

 vises every one to be a little careful how he 

 invests his money in expensive ai)j)aratus at the 

 outset. The book is divided into chai)ters, and 

 every thing is made so plain that any bright 

 boy or girl could. u|ion reading the instructions, 

 successfully manage poultry, we think. The 

 price is 50 cents. It can be had of the author, 

 or of the imblishers. Foster i<: Webb, Nashville. 



THAT CASXDIAS I-M r.t!( M.I.IO. 



The unwisdom of incorporating the Nortii 

 American, and the subsequent non-affiliation 

 of the Ontario Society, is still harped on at 

 length in the CctndOidu Bee Jnurnal by two of 

 its corres])ondents. If the latter had left out. 

 or could leave out. their unchristian and 

 unkind thrusts toward ourselves and two or 

 three others on this side of the lin4'. we might feel 

 disposed to reply in detail. When controversy 

 arrives at this stage we w ould rather drop out 

 altogether, even if we are placed in an unpleas- 

 ant light by the other side, although we could 

 answer every one of the allegations. As we 

 said at first, we still insist that " further discus- 

 sion is ill advised and unwise." especially if it 

 must degenerate into a clannish and partisan 

 spirit. R. McKniglit's reply ue considered fair 

 and courteous, and so, also, do we consider the 

 criticisms of S. Cornell with reference to our 

 position regarding the best treatment for foul 

 brc )0d . 



With regard to incorporation of the North 

 American, if, in view of its unpleasant recep- 

 tion on the Canadian side, our American bee- 

 keepers would feel disposed to " throw up the 

 sponge '" we would be in favor of doing so, sole- 

 ly im the ground of peace. Perhaps on this 

 point we may difl'er with Mi'. Clarke. Our re- 

 lations with Canadians in general, up till now. 

 have been of the pleasantest. and we would 

 rather yield a point, or. if you please. •■ back 

 dow n " — yes. lose all the advantages of incor- 

 poration, rathei' than not enjoy cordial rela- 

 tions. 



THE INTKKXAE WATER CUKE. 



As nothing has been said in regard to this of 

 late, perhaps some of tliH friends would like tO' 

 know how it has turned out after longer ex- 

 perience. Well, so far as a forward movement 

 in the line of cleanliness that has heretofore- 

 been neglectvd is concerned I think it has ac- 

 complished a great deal of good: but as to cur- 

 ing the great list of diseases that it was claim- 

 ed to cure by those who sold the seciet foi' 

 several dollars, it is simply a disgrace to those 

 who have peddled it and received money for 

 the information. Some of you will bristle up- 

 again. I think quite likely; but, my dear fi'iends, 

 during my travels I made it a point to get the 

 opinions of some of our best physicians. Not 

 only that. I met and talked with many people 

 who used it. and a great many who paid money 

 for the secret. Like almost every otb(>r remedy, 

 it is useful in certain cases: but so far as being 

 a benefit when used indiscilminately. it is a 

 mistake. Your family physician can, as a rule, 

 guide you safely in this matter. Several in- 

 stances came to my notice where its use did 

 harm, without question: and I presume that 

 the (/renter par/ of those who were so enthusi- 

 astic about it a year ago have mostly abandon- 

 ed it — that is. for constant use year in and year 

 out. as recommended by Wilford Hall and his 

 agents. The idea that our family physicians 

 are hostile toward it because it cuts off their 

 practice is ridiculous; and any well-informed 

 man or woman of the present day should be^ 

 ashamed of such talk. It is a disgrace to the 

 present state of civilization. Of course, there 

 are. here and there, unprincipled physicians; 

 but as a class, the medical men of our age are 

 among the best informed, and, as a rule, they 

 are working hard on this problem that lies be- 

 fore us all — what is the cause of so much human 

 suffering, and how shall we lessen M? Now, 

 when you are tempted again to say Uiat all 

 doctors are rascals, remember it comes next 

 door to saying that " all men are liars."' 



Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; 

 but the greatest of these is charity. A. I. R. 



