438 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 1. 



bution for all Southern California ; and the 

 pioneer firm for handling bee-keepers' sup- 

 plies to any extent was G. G. Wickson & Co., 

 who were the first to handle the A I. Root 

 supplies. The pioneer local manufacturers of 

 supplies exclusively is the Bennett Bee-hive 

 Co., who also publish the Pacific Bee Jounial. 



The Union Hive and Box Co. have a large 

 trade in various kinds of boxes, and are also 

 successfully manufacturing hives. Their mot- 

 is "Good work or no pay." This year they 

 handle the A. I. Root supplies, and are the 

 only firm that has a stock of eastern supplies 

 on hand. I present a photo of their factory. 

 Our coast manufactories are not very exten- 

 sive, but there is plenty of time and a chance 

 for them to grow ; and it is a good plan to 

 have several manufactories, for then competi- 

 tion comes in and the bee-keeper gets his 

 supplies at a cheaper rate. 



Latest dispatch. — I think the police will not 

 get after that city bee-keeper if I give his 

 name. It is Mr. Bennett, the manufacturer of 

 supplies, and the editor of the Pacific Bee 

 Journal. Mr. Bennett is a member of the Na- 

 tional Guards, and at the present writing there 

 is a prospect that he may be called to the pat- 

 riotic duty of guarding the Philippine Islands. 

 All honor to the brave bovs in blue ! 



TANGLED. 

 A Correspondent who would Like to be Unraveled. 



BY J. J. M'COY. 



I have been a constant reader of Glean- 

 ings for many years, and I have carefully fol- 

 lowed such advice as is given by those I con- 

 sidered most competent to advise. Up to the 

 present time, Doolittle, Hutchinson, Dr. Mil- 

 ler, and a host of others of more or less note, 

 have all been given due consideration. But 

 now I am completely tangled, all mixed 

 through, and what will be the outcome is 

 more than I can tell. I can't see any shadow 

 of coming events, or, at least, if I do they are 

 mixed with a general conglomeration of rub- 

 bish, broken separators, old-style sections, 

 thick top-bars, hives with entrances sufficient 

 for rats to creep through, and a great many 

 other things, while in the background float 

 the spirits of Huber, Langstroth, and Qninby, 

 smiUng. Why, I can't tell; and the more I 

 study about matters the greater the confusion. 

 For relief I turn to my favorite authorities, 

 and find but little to comfort me. Have they 

 all gone daft ? Is all this true that they teach ? 

 Do Dr. Miller, W. B. Ranson, and their fol- 

 lowers, know that " T supers " are better than 

 all other surplus arrangements? Does The 

 A. I. Root Co. know that the section-holder is 

 superior to all other "fixin's" for surplus 

 apartments? Does Doolittle know that his 

 smgle-tier wide frame is superior to all other 

 methods for securing his XXX facers? Don't 

 they think so at least ? and don't they think 

 so awful strong ? Of course, they do; and I, 

 just like them, think that Ranson, Doolittle, 



Miller, and all the A. I. Root tribe and all 

 their followers couldn't run after me fast 

 enough to induce me to use any of them as a 

 gift in preference to my present arrangement. 

 But this is only a small matter as compared 

 with the " New Idea " fences (not picket, but 

 plank), plain no - bee-way - non - peep - hole 

 earless sections (how does that name strike 

 you?). 



I guess Dr. Miller will roll his sleeves up 

 now, and, with Doolittle. make a raid on me. 

 Well, let 'em come. I have a friend who can 

 hold Doolittle level, and I'll keep the flies 

 from tickling the doctor's nose a little while 

 (if I can); and as for the rest of my opposers 

 I guess they won't bother till they get their 

 new " post and rail " fence comple*:ed, seeing 

 that spring work is here with the ' ' Ides of 

 March," and so many things to do. I guess 

 they won't bother for awhile, at least. 



Say, Doolittle, I wouldn't tell people that it 

 is honest to fill the center of cases with buck- 

 wheat honey and XXX facers next the glass, 

 for fear they might not read the rest of the 

 conditions, but just take it for granted to be 

 " <? la Doolittle, ' ' and go and do it, to their 

 sorrow, and then something will get you, sure. 

 And now comes the editor, and says the front 

 of the case will be apt to have the best honey 

 out for display, and not for the purpose of de- 

 ception. Now, who said buckwheat honey 

 wasn't good ? Something will get you too. 

 Better " look a little out;" may be you'd better 

 take that back, and "say 'em to-night," and 

 then "say 'em to-morrow night," and "say 

 'em all the time." 



But I have wandered away from the start- 

 ing-point. Will some one tell me where I 

 am ? Oh, yes ! what is one to do about rever- 

 sible bottom-boards when all the hive-bottoms 

 are " spiked " fast ? Must he "kick" them 

 off as Coggshall does his supers, and then feel 

 for the bottom corner of his breeches pock- 

 ets? Then the perfectly level hive, the tip- 

 ped-to-front hive, the large-front and rear-en- 

 trance hive, the deep or shallow hive, the 

 ten-frame, the eight-frame, the single-walled, 

 the double-wall, the Bristol, the Danzy, the 

 Heddon, etc. ! Then the separators, wedges, 

 springs, thumbscrews, slats, honey - board, 

 drone-traps, queen-cages, cell-protectors, and 

 what not — oh, dear me ! I am completely 

 " bomfoozled. " I wish some kind friend 

 would unwind me. But, say; do it gently; 

 don't twist my neck, please. I was born that 

 way; don't kick me "a la Coggshall." I 

 might attempt to kick back. Don't take me 

 to the chopping-block as Rambler's man did 

 "Susan B." I haven't "usurped preroga- 

 tives," but let me down " aisy loike." I feel 

 better now, for I just " thot " of my last sea- 

 son's crop of honey, 6000 pounds from 60 col- 

 oniep of bees, spring count. " How's that for 

 high ? ' ' Do any of you want to know how I 

 did it ? 



Mt. Erie, 111. 



[Yes, and while you are about it "sail into 

 us some more," and don't forget to give some 

 of the other chaps a jab. Misery loves com- 

 pany, you know. — Ed.] 



