126 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15. 



their point of view, looked like a silver cord 

 winding in and through the shadows uf trees 

 and shrubs. Now and then could be seen oval 

 ponds glistening in the sun like beads upon the 

 cord; clusters of live-oaks snuggling close to- 

 gether like consulting friends; tall prim gum- 

 trees in regular order like sentinels upon the 

 outposts; willows, their long pendent branches 

 toying in the pools; climbing roses and flower- 

 ing vines hiding rocks, or pendent from the 

 cliffs, their many-hued blossoms lighting up 

 each crag with a glory of color, and tilling the 

 air with fragrance; and the effect of all was 

 simply enchanting. 



"Doctor, I am charmed," said Fred, with 

 enthusiasm, as he looked down upon the beauty 

 below and around them. "I never thought 

 that a place on earth could be made so beauti- 

 ful." 



" Neither could it," replied the doctor, " ex- 

 cept in this glorious California." 



"But, doctor," said Fred, with an eye to 

 practical n-sults, '• if you would throw this val- 

 ley open to the public it would bring you a 

 revenue equal to a gold-mine." 



"Gold! gold!" said the doctor, with much 

 feeling; "is there no place on this broad earth 

 where man may seek a home, and rest from the 

 gnawing, sordid greed for gold ? Is there noth- 

 ing higher, nobler, in this life than to grasp, 

 grasp, and hoard a paltry bauble that for a day 

 brings pleasure, and for eternity leaves a sting? 

 Gold! that cause of ceaseless strife wrecks 

 nations, divides our race, rends families, de- 

 bauches the church— away with it! let this 

 valley, with its crystal water and untainted 

 air, be free from It; and, though we eat but a 

 crust, let it be with contentment, and great 

 gain to body and soul. But 1 do not blame 

 you, Fred, for looking upon the money value of 

 this valley. You are young, and come of a 

 thrifty race of people who have carved out 

 meager fortunes on the sterile hills of the far 

 East, and to you this probably looks like a 

 waste of opportunity; but when the gray hairs 

 peep in profusion from under your hat-brim 

 you will or should have a different view of such 

 things." 



" Well, doctor, this is your paradise, and you 

 seem to have entire control of it, and I know it 

 would mar its peace and quiet, and perhaps 

 prevent many of your experiments if the public 

 were allowed to enter; and. though I know the 

 evils of the worship of gold are many, I also 

 know that gold properly used brings with it 

 countless blessings, and I am sure you could 

 use it as such. But even if you do not let the 

 public in, when I look over the valley I sadly 

 miss two very important elements— so impor- 

 tant that the beauty is marred without 

 them." 



" Now, Fred, I am curious to know what 

 your two elements are. To me this valley is 



near perfection. If gold will plant your lack- 

 ing elements, it will be forthcoming." 



"Yes, you have it, doctor, near perfection; 

 and to add the last touches needs neither silver 

 nor gold, but love. It lacks lovely woman and 

 romping children. In my far eastern home I 

 have a loving mother; and, aside from the 

 home loves, the neighboring children were my 

 best friends. Doctor, let me sing you my love- 

 song;" and for the first time in many weeks 

 Fred sang: 



I love it, I love it, the laugh of a child, 



Now rippling and gentle, now merry and wild; 



Kinging out on the air, with innocent glee, 



The merriest sound in the world for me. 



Oh! the laugh of a child, so wild and so free, 



Is the merriest sound in the world for me. 



Memories that had lain dormant in the doc- 

 tor's breast for years were touched. He brush- 

 ed a tear from his eye, but bruskly remarked, 

 " Fred, you are too sentimental. For a change 

 of subject let us look at our apiary;" and he 

 led the way down the terrace. 



Fred Anderson, the enthusiastic bee-keeper, 

 now forgot his other s-urroundings, and began 

 to speculate upon the wonderful apiary he 

 should see. The doctor had exploited the won- 

 ders of the valley for honey production so high- 

 ly and learnedly, of course the apiary would 

 be upon the same scale. They descended to a 

 little amphitheater that sat back from the ter- 

 race proper, and covering, perhaps, and acre of 

 space — an ideal location for an apiary. On the 

 far side of it, against an odorous bank of helio- 

 tropes, were ranged ten colonies of bees in 

 rough hives made of old gasoline-cases. 



" For heaven's sake, doctor," exclaimed Fred 

 in astonishment, and a tinge of anger in the 

 tone, " those are not all the bees you have in 

 the valley?" 



" That is certainly all," said the doctor; " but, 

 even were there fewer, Fred Anderson, what 

 are you going to do about it?" 



WARNINGS TO BEE KEEPERS, IN BEE - SUPPLY 



CATALOGS. 



Although the bee-journals have cautioned 

 their readers over and over again not to ship 

 their honey to new and untried firms, it is evi- 

 dent that many bee-keepers, notwithstanding, 

 are doing it right along, and are suffering the 

 consequences. The probabilities are that they 

 do not take any bee-journal. Perhaps they 

 think they can not afford it. After they have 

 lost several hundred dollars through an irre- 

 sponsible or dishonest commission house, per- 

 haps they will begin to think they can afford 



