152 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15. 



seems that it is not settled yet. The writer took some 

 little part in this discussion in 1870, and among his re- 

 viewers was C. P. Dadant, then quite a young man. 

 And now, after an elapse of nearly 30 }ears, we find 

 him hammering away in Gleanings for the past two 

 months along the same line — not settled, but a great 

 deal of the rubbish has been cleared away. 



Thaddeus Smith. 

 Pelee Island, Ont., Dec. 26, 1898. 



I commenced bee-keeping April 10, 1877, with one 

 stand, and have made bees pay. I have ISO stands at 

 present, and have produced several tons of comb hon- 

 ey. I have taken Gleanings right along since 1878. 



Oakley, 111., Frank Baker. 



I have taken Gleanings these many years. I don't 

 remember whether I have taken it since the first num- 

 ber or not: but I remember well when it was printed 

 by wind, since which time it has been printed by steam 

 and edited by wind; but it has been a very genial and 

 salubrious kind of wind, however — any thing but a 

 dead calm for me. Joel Hilton. 



Los Alamos, Cal., Jan. 16. 



I took Gleanings before Blue Eves was born, for I 

 remember reading about her. We do not want a 

 year's subscription granted us: for if it had not been 

 for Gleanings we should not be to-day where we are. 

 I should like to have Mr. Root visit us and see our 

 grand new greenhouse we have built. It is 110 feet 

 long and 30 feet wide. J. W. Nicodemus. 



Newcomerstown, O., Jan. 11. 



I think I am among the first to take Gleanings. I 

 can remember your rejoicing over the advent of Blue 

 Eyes. I have been reading it very nearly ever since. 

 It always has been a welcome visitor. I like your 

 Home Papers, Notes of Travel, and J. H. Martin's 

 Rambles. The American Bee Journal is one of my 

 favorites with Gleanings: and mav thev prosper. I 

 was horn in Jefferson Co., O., Feb. 11, 1828. 



Nevada, Iowa. W. K. Smith. 



That souvenir carries me back in mind nearly a 

 quarter of a century, when Gleanings was a 25-ct. 

 publication, less than two years old, but to my mind 

 it was very large for its age. It evidently possessed 

 wonderful vitality and a large amount of brains, as is 

 evidenced by its progress up to the present time. Al- 

 though I am past eighty years old, my interest in 

 Gleanings does not decrease. T. H. Peavey. 



Epworth, la. 



A. I. Root: - I have not been a subscriber nearly as 

 long as some of the veterans, but I subscribed soon aft- 

 er hearing of Gleanings and at one time it saved me 

 ten dollars in preventing my buying a farm-right to 

 make the Golden hive, which Gleanings showed up 

 to be a humbug. 



Also am well pleased with the stand you take in the 

 Hall water-cure, Electropoise, and other like humbugs, 

 and very much enjoy your Home Papers, Notes of 

 Travel, Rambler's letters. Miller's .Straws: in fact, all 

 of it r want Ernest and the boys to give the " old 

 man " all the space he wants; and when he travels 

 have him take more time. J. J. McGowan. 



Swan Quarter, N. C, Feb. 5. 



I first subscribed for Gleanings in 1879, having 

 seen your advertisement in the American Agricul- 

 turist ( " Friends, if you are in any way interested in 

 bees or honey," etc.)'. I was 20 years old at that time, 

 and have kept bees ever since; also had bees one year 

 before that. Since my marriage, 12 years ago, I have 

 made bee keeping my main business, with varying 

 but usually excellent success. My largest crop of hon- 

 ey was taken in 1X8!) from 73 colonies, spring count, 

 and was 13,000 lbs. extracted honey. I have been 

 greatly indebted to Gleanings for my success. Have 

 purchased most of my supplies from you. I have a - 

 ways read and appreciated the Home Papers. On 

 one occasion I read one for a sermon in our church 

 when our pastor was away. For a good many years I 

 saved and carefully put away all my Gleanings, but 

 have given away a good many to neighbors; also sold 

 some numbers to you in answer to your call for back 

 numbers. G. H. Pond. 



Bloomington, Minn., Jan. 9. 



I have had as many as loO colonies of bees to care 

 for, the greatest vield in one season being 7000 lbs. of 

 lioney. I bought sections of you when you ran by 

 windmill power, and rejoiced with you when you put 

 in your first engine. I have drifted west, and am 

 building up a new apiary in Oregon. People here are 

 getting interested in the bee business very much; al- 



most every one has a few colonies in box hives; but a 

 great many are transferring to movable-comb hives, 

 and are becoming interested in progressive literature. 



I join the Editor in wishing we could all be together 

 and have a big talk, and I join him too in his opposi- 

 tion to vice and immorality. Jesse W. Thornton. 



Oak Creek, Ore., Jan. 10. 



It ma)' interest Mr. A. I. Root to know that I have 

 read Gleanings continuously since 1870, though I 

 have not taken it myself all that time, and so am not 

 entitled to any prizes. Two neighbor bte-keepers' and 

 myself for several years cast lots to decide which we 

 would take, and took about all the bee-papers publish- 

 ed in America, and exchanged for read' ng. But, what 

 is of more account, I became interested in the garden- 

 ing articles through the enthusiastic, euteitaining 

 happy way in which they are written, and it is very 

 largely through their influence that I now have a fruit 

 and vegetable farm of 40 acres, and a very congenial 

 occupation and better health. Although the place is 

 young yet, it already yields a good living for my fam- 

 ily and is yearly becoming more profitable. " Calam- 

 ity howlers" get no sympathy with us. 



Covert, Mich., Jan. 23. H. D. BuRRELL. 



Mr. Root: — Reading the letters of the veterans 

 makes my mind run back to about 1870, when by some 

 means I got a copy of Gleanings. At the time 1 had 

 twelve or fifteen colonies of bees, and that was about 

 all I had of this world's goods. I remember how I 

 read and re-read it. Then I sent for back numbers 

 and subscribed for Gleanings. Then I did get inter- 

 ested in bees and Gleanings. I talked bees and 

 Gleanings to my friends until I actually got people 

 to subscribe for it, who were not interested in bees. 



Say. friend Root, do you remember the first order I 

 gave you for goods ? I had to ask you for credit, as I 

 was so desperately poor: but I told you I was honest, 

 and would do as I agreed. To-day I own a farm of 

 over two hundred acies, and do not owe a dollar on it, 

 just outside of the town of Syracuse: and, by the way, 

 it is one of the be.^t farms in Northern Indiana. I do not 

 say this boastingly. I have the bees to thank for it. 

 For fifteen years I made b< e-keeping a specialty — did 

 nothing but attend to my bees. That is when I made 

 the most money in my life. Several years I sold over 

 one thousand dollars' worth of queens per year, be- 

 sides bees and honey I sold. I remember how I long- 

 ed and wished for the time when Gleanings would 

 come; and when it did come, what a feast ! and how I 

 did enjoy reading it ! Those were happy times. How 

 I enjoyed the Home Papers ! and how vividly I re- 

 member some of the first ones to this day, especially 

 those written about yourself. You do not know how 

 much good they have done me My bee-keeping life 

 — that is, when I made bee-keeping a specialty — has 

 been the happiest part of my life. I still keep bees — 

 about 100 colonies. By the way, I have some fine reg- 

 istered stock, both cattle and sheep: but I have noth- 

 ing on the farm that pays as well for the money in- 

 vested as my bees. I attribute my success in bees to 

 always trying to apply the golden rule. 



Syracuse, Ind., Jan. -t. I. R. Good. 



Potato Seed-Ball Seed. 



Genuine — hybridized. Thousands never saw this 

 rarity; thousands more have tried in vain to get the 

 seed. Don't miss this one opportunity to get some and 

 try your hand at growing new seedling varieties of po- 

 tatoes. Fortunes have been made with seedlings, and 



Your Fortune 



may be in 

 One of These. 



Nothing that grows is more 

 in ensely interesting. They 

 will produce an endless vari- 

 potato seed-balls. ety of k i nc i s , colors, and shapes. 

 As easily grown as tomatres. My seed is a wonderful 

 success, and will be a prize to every one. I send com- 

 plete directions. Order to-day. 



Large packet (100 seeds), with catalog of bargains, 

 ONE DIME, or 12 cts. in stamps; 3 pkts., 25c, prepaid. 

 Itif 300 mixed varieties of the most beautiful flower 

 seeds free with prompt orders naming this paper. 

 Address A. T. COOK (Seedsman), Hyde Park, N. Y. 

 In writing, mention Gleanings. 



