58 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan 1. 



DOOLITTLE IN FAVOR OF TALL SECTIONS, AND 

 WHY. 



DooLiTTLE, in his article in last issue, gives 

 pretty strong testimony in favor of tall sec- 

 tions. You will note that he says that his own 

 preference is for such, and that his reasons for 

 preferring them are that "more in number can 

 be set over a given space;" are "of symmetri- 

 cal proportions," "pleasing to the eye, and do 

 not give a scrimped appearance or pattern," 

 and that " they bring two or three cents more 

 per pound in the market." Mr. Doolittle was 

 speaking in favor of sections 3J^' x S^g" x 1%. 

 This is so near the 4 x .5 7-to-foot that is more 

 commonly used that I have no doubt his argu- 

 ment would apply with equal force to them. 

 We as manufacturers dislike very much to help 

 push along an odd-sized section; but if a cer- 

 tain shape brings more money to the producer. 

 Gleanings can not and must notkeep its mouth 

 shut.n Our journal is first and foremost the 

 advocate of the honey-producer, and, second- 

 arily, of the supply-dealer. 



All through York State the tall section has 

 been used to a more or less extent; and just at 

 this time, when beekeepers are preparing to 

 order their stock, they would like to hear of all 

 the good and bad things about the tall sections. 

 Mr. Doolittle has spoken a word for them, and 

 Mr. Salisbury, of the same State, has given a 

 note of warning. Let's hear from more. 



DAEK CLOUDS AND THE SILVER LINING- AT THE 

 REVIEW OFFICE. 



Bro. Hutchinson, of the Review, has been 

 passing through deep waters. First it was the 

 long and serious illness of his daughter Ivy, 

 resulting in the breaking-down of her nervous 

 system, and now she has been obliged to leave 

 home for special treatment for mental disorder. 

 Mrs. H., on account of the long strain and 

 weary hours of watching, is completely broken 

 down in health, and now she has had to go 

 away for treatment. Our friend not only 

 misses the wise counsels and assistance of his 

 helpmeet, but he has to labor alone under the 

 strain that his loved ones are away and sick — 

 being cared for, it is true, by trained experts, but 

 away from him. 



I am sure the readers of Gleanings, especial- 

 ly those who take the Review, will sympathize 

 most sincerely with Editor Hutchinson; but in 

 spite of all the trouble and disadvantages un- 

 der which he is working, it is a pleasure to note 

 that he seems to see a silver lining to it all, and 

 this is what he says, after asking his readers to 

 extend a little leniency: 



I am doing the best that I can under the circum- 

 stances, and feel sure that these troubles can not 

 always last; that I shall yet be able, as of old, to 

 make the Review one of the best journals that there 

 is for the practical honey-producer. It is my life- 

 work, and 1 love it. 



It is true the Review has been a little late; but 

 its standard of excellence has been remarkably 

 well kept under up under the circumstances. 



It is the prayer of the editors of Gleanings 

 that all things may come out well in the end. 



THE BICYCLE IN THE REVIEW FAMILY. 



Bro. Hutchinson is now in possession of a 

 steed— not a real live one, but a real high-grade 

 one. He says he felt many times as if he want- 

 ed a bicycle, but— well, he could not afford it. 

 When his wife was sick he took long walks 

 with her for her benefit. Then the thought 

 occurred to him, "Why not a wheel?" He 

 secured one,, and he and Mrs. H. and the girls 

 learned to ride it, although they met some dif- 

 ficulties at the start. When he bought a type- 

 writer he wondered if he could afford it. After 

 using it a while he did not see how he could 

 afford not to have it. The same was true with 

 the bicycle. He says: 



And then if the brain lags, and the work moves 

 slowly, take a spin of twenty minutes over the 

 smooth walks of the outskirts of the city, and come 

 back with the pulses bounding and the "blues" 

 le^t scattered by the wayside. My brother editor, 

 Ernest Root, will know exactly how I feel, and so, I 

 hope, do many others of my readers. I am reMlly 

 hopeful that, by another summer, wife and I may 

 be chasing each other over hill and dale— on wheels. 



Yes, indeed, friend H., I know what it is to 

 come back with the " pulses bounding," with a 

 feeling of invigoration and a clear head for 

 work. " Blues "—well, I do not know that I 

 ever had them — but I have had something 

 worse. Thanks to the beef diet and wheel- 

 riding, I have a clear head, clear countenance, 

 good health, and weigh the most I ever did in 

 my life. 



Mr. Hutchinson adds another paragraph, 

 which is right along in line with what I have 

 been preaching, off and on, for some years. I 

 wonder that more bee-keepers do not avail 

 themselves of the use of the bicycle for out- 

 apiary use. Even if they have a horse, there 

 are many times when they could make a trip 

 so much quicker on the steed of steel— one that 

 never requires feeding, never gets to balking, 

 and is always ready. Mr. Hutchinson says: 



If I were running out-apiaries, I think that I 

 should see to it that everything needed to work 

 with was taken to each apiary, and then I should 

 use a wheel as a means of conveying myself from 

 one yard to another. 



THE united states BEE-KEEPERS' UNION. 



Mr. Hutchinson has not said very much on 

 this subject in his own journal; but in the 

 December number he has an editorial which I 

 copy entire. 



I fear that the great majority of bee-keepers do 

 not really understand what was done at the last 

 meeting of the North American Bee-keepers' Asso- 

 ciation. It changed its name to the one that stands 

 at the head of this article, and adopted a new con- 

 stitution that will enable it to take on new and im- 

 portant functions. This constitution has been pub- 

 lished in most of the bee-journals. It has not ap- 

 peared in the Review, but I think now that it ought 

 to have been published there; however, I presume 

 that most of my readers have seen it. If they have 

 not. Gleanings or American Bee Journal will gladly 

 mail any one a copy containing it. In January the 

 members of the National Bee-keepers' Union will 

 vote whether they and their money shall be merged 

 into this new United States Union. If this is not 

 done, if amalgamation does not take place, then 



