1898 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



771 



more and get the very best. This preference 

 seemed to be based not so much on the fact that 

 cream-colored goods looked inferior, but on 

 the supposition that the wood was less tough, 

 and hence n:ore liable to break at the folds. 

 Several dealers testified to having sold cream- 

 colored sections since they could get no other in 

 the rush of last season. This experiment they 

 -would not try to undertake again, as their cus- 

 tomers entered a " vigorous kick." 



Attention was drawn to the f^ct that cream- 

 colored sections were not necessarily inferior, 

 in point of toughness or strength of wood, to 

 the ordinary white basswood. The wood 

 might be cream-colored because of inferior 

 timber, and it might be cream-colored because 

 it might be summer instead of winter cut. In 

 either case one timber would be as tough as 

 the other — the only difference being in the 

 color. Basswood, to be white, should be cut 

 in the winter, aad piled during freezing 

 weather; otherwise it was liable to stain. 



As to whether the ordinary white honey 

 showed off any better in cream-colored sec- 

 tions, there was a diversity of opinion. Some 

 thought the honey looked whiter; others, in- 

 cluding Dr. Miller, could not see that it made 

 any difference. 



CUBAN HONEY, AND ITS EFFECT ON AMERICAN 

 MARKETS. 



A very interesting paper from O. O. Pop- 

 pleton, on Cuba as a country for bees, was 

 read at the Omaha convention. He kept bees 

 on that island a few years ago, but at present 

 was in Florida. He spoke of the fact that api- 

 culture in Cuba was now in a crude state, hut 

 there were opportunities for a wonderful devel- 

 opment of the business. Indeed, he thought 

 it might outrank California. He went so far 

 as to say that Cuban honey could be produced 

 for two cents a pound. 



In the discussion following, the general 

 consensus of opinion seemed to be that nearly 

 all the honey coming from Cuba had an insip- 

 id or inferior flavor ; and that, while it might 

 compete in the market with some honeys pro- 

 duced in the southern part of the United 

 States, it could not have much effect on the 

 honeys of the northern portion. The point 

 was made that the honey taste or honey stan- 

 dard of a locality is gauged largely by the kind 

 produced in that locality. For instance, in 

 certain parts of York State buckwheat honey 

 is preferred to white by many. In Cuba the 

 " bellflower " would have the preference, and 

 that, indeed, was pronounced to be a honey of 

 very fine flavor, but not of such a flavor as 

 would tickle the palates of those who have 

 been used to the p.;culiar taste of Northern 

 basswood and clover. It was further shown 

 that Cuban honey had been generally quot- 

 ed as so much a gallon, and that in many 

 places in the United vStates it had sometimes 

 gone begging; that it was fit only for the use of 

 bakers, who prefer it to honeys of a lighter 

 color and milder flavor. Indeed, some one 

 said the bakers preferred the rank dark hon- 

 eys because the milder flavors would entirely 

 disappear in the baked goods, while the strong- 

 tasting article would make a honey-jumble or 

 cooky of a distinct honey taste. 



^1 



NOTES or TRAVEL 



I BY A. I. ROOT. 



YELI-OWSTONE PARK, CONTINUED. 



One of the pleasant features of Yellowstone 

 Park is the number of tourists one meets 

 every little while. Some of them travel in 

 very rude and commonplace vehicles. F'or 

 instance, we saw one outfit that consisted of a 

 little cabin made of rough pine boards mount- 

 ed on a rude cart drawn by one horse. A 

 stovepipe stuck out of the roof of the cabin. 

 Inside there was an arrangement for sleeping, 

 cooking, dining, etc. A good many go in 

 families, or a crowd of several, with ordinary 

 canvas - top - covered wagons. The regular 

 transportation companies have, as a rule, very 

 nice coaches. I remember passing several 

 times what they called the Chadburn Com- 

 pany. These are, perhaps, the handsomest 

 coaches seen in the park. A wagon follows 

 after them, carrying the tents, etc., which 

 are set up at every stopping-place. The 

 coaches look very well, it is true; but the 

 glimpses we had of their hasty camping-places 

 showed that they were any thing but attractive 

 compared with the Wylie camps. You see, 

 every thing has to be torn to pieces and load- 

 ed up every day, and they are not as pleasant 

 or tidy as the permanent camps. The Chad- 

 burn rigs, however, are very cheap. They 

 make the round trip in about five and a half 

 days, and charge $2-t, every thing furnished. 



A good many go on horseback. Several 

 times I noticed a young lady (with a party of 

 nice people) riding a very pretty pony. Her 

 pony was so well trained, and so obedient, she 

 would alight whenever she wanted to exam- 

 ine any thing more thoroughly, and he would 

 stand until she came back or called him. She 

 was very tastily attired in a neat riding habit. 

 Not only was her pony a beauty, but the 

 young woman herself made one forget the 

 springs and geysers sometimes. When near 

 the Black Growler she left her pony at a 

 little distance, and made her investigations at 

 about the same time I made mine. "Jim" 

 was pricking up his ears at the sight 

 of the escaping steam, and he seemed a 

 little alarmed at the terrific uproar. When 

 his mistress had finished her investigations 

 fhe beckoned him to come on, as she was 

 ready to ride. Just at this point I was more 

 interested in seeing whether Jim would march 

 right straight up to his mistress, so close to 

 the hissing steam, than I was in the geysers. 

 He went up a little way, then stopped, and by 

 his actions he showed he would like to be ex- 

 cused from going any nearer. At this she 

 spoke a little peremptorily : ' ' Come right along, 

 Jim. It won't hurt you a particle. Don't 

 you see / am here? Come, I say." To my 

 great surprise, the handsome, obedient, and 

 intelligent animal obeyed her command, and 

 came right up, even though he trembled 

 with fear. He had been so well trained, and 

 evidently had such confidence in, and love 



