792 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1. 



way, how should comb honey be served on 

 the table ? Some put a little on a dish at each 

 plate, while others put it all on one large 

 -dish, and let each help himself. But is not 

 the shape of the whole chunk, as it leaves the 

 section, entirely lost by cutting the comb into 

 smaller pieces? People should be led away 

 from what is a mere whim ; but if they insist 

 •on the whim, and are willing to pay for it, let 

 them have it. 



i* 

 Mr. Ed. Jolley says : "Nothing helps more 

 to sell comb honey than nice, clean, white 

 sections. It is always poor economy to buy 

 second-class or discolored sections. The retail 

 dealer will find readier sale for a poorer grade 

 of honey in nice, clean, white sections than 

 for fine honey in dirty or discolored sections." 

 In the latter case, why not point out the slight 

 bearing the section has on the matter, and say 

 that is not intended for food ? But as some 

 customers, especially women, are so notional 

 about mere looks, perhaps it would be well to 

 show them the great importance of buying 

 honey in very white sections. 



RAMBLE 178. 

 The Dog and the Grub-box. 



BY RA1IBI.ER. 



"Good-morning, Mr. Brodbeck." 



" Good-morning, Rambler. Well, you are 

 on time, I see." 



"Yes, Mr. Brodbeck; I always try to be 

 punctual in appointments. I do hate to ex- 

 pect a fellow for half an hour after the ap- 

 pointed time, and the longer I wait the more 

 fidgets I get ; and when I am not on hand at 

 the appointed time I feel that I am inflicting 

 the same discomfort upon the friend who is 

 waiting for me. Well, I suppose you have 

 every thing ready for a start." 



" Yes, all but loading a few things into the 

 wagon; and if you don't mind lifting them in, 

 Mr. Rambler, while I harness Prince, you 

 may do so. My old trouble, elephantiasis of 

 the plasmodium, bothers me again this morn- 

 ing, and I can not lift worth a cent." 



"All right, Bro. Brodbeck. Why, I can 

 lift any thing ; and it is a real pleasure for me 

 to aid you. I am sure you must be very weak 

 with that old complaint in your system, and I 

 hope this trip to the San Gabriel Canyon will 

 do you good. Why, I was once troubled with 

 the evolutionary phlandangoes, and really felt 

 — well, I suspect that a gypsum mummy 

 doesn't feel — but I felt about as they look ; 

 but I started right off on a camping-trip into 

 the San Bernardino Mountains, and came back 

 as chirk as a chipmunk. But, see here, 

 Brodbeck; what are you going to do with this 

 sledge-hammer and pickax? " 



" Ho, ho, Rambler ! Why, didn't you know 

 there is good gold-mining in the San Gabriel 

 Canyon ? Just think how nice it will be for 

 us to strike a gold-mine ! Won't that work 

 well after two failures in the honey crop, hey, 

 Rambler? " 



"Brodbeck, I am too full for utterance. 

 You strike me on a tender chord. Gold, gold 

 always so near, in other men's pockets, but 

 so far from mine. Why, Brodbeck, if it is 

 gold we are after, let's take a whole load of 

 picks and shovels." 



" Hold easy, there, Rambler; don't put that 

 grub-box under the seat." 



" Why, Brodbeck, it just fits in there ; and 

 then there is one advantage in having it under 

 the seat — you won't be getting your fingers 

 into it between meals." 



" Well, you see, Rambler, I want that place 

 reserved for Juno." 



" Great Scott ! " (I came near dropping the 

 grub- box) " and you are going to tote that 

 dorg too? Well, I do declare ! " 



" Yes, she is always so lonesome without 

 me; then there is a little whooping-cough in 

 the neighborhood, and I am afraid she will 

 get exposed, so I will take her along." 



" Well, now, you are the dog-goned-est fel- 

 low I ever saw. Why, when I owned a dog I 

 taught it to trot along under the wagon. 

 Why, I know a dog is happier to be allowed 

 to run and skip like Mary's little lamb. But, 

 say; I have another excellent plan. Put the 

 dog into a box and hang it on the hind end 

 of the wagon." 



"Not much. Why, Rambler, you talk as 

 though I do not know how to use a dog. 

 Why, a box is too confining." 



"Of course, Brodbeck; I understand all 

 that ; but I was going to suggest the attach- 

 ment of a ventilator ; but all right — we won't 

 have any mental aberrations over the matter. 

 But, say ; it occurs to me that you own the 

 horse, the wagon, and the dog ; now, do you 

 own and have a controlling influence over the 

 fleas on the dog? " 



" Well, that is another downright insult to 

 my knowledge of dogs. Why, Juno wouldn't 

 know a flea if she should see one." 



" That is probably a fact; but she evidently 

 knows when she feels them. That's right, 

 Juno ; dig 'em out. But say, Brodbeck, I 

 won't stand on such a little thing as a flea. If 

 they get too plentiful I can flee ; and if I flee 

 you will have to submit to all of the fleas or 

 flee yourself. Hurrah for the San Gabriel !" 



We had a delightful drive that day up 

 through the San Gabriel Yalley. While the 

 evidences of a long continued drouth were 

 visible, there were other evidences that even 

 long drouths are not without their blessings. 

 The salvation of this country depends upon 

 water; and as but little of it comes from above 

 it must come from below ; and during an un- 

 usual drouth there is an extensive develop- 

 ment of water. No matter how unyielding 

 the skies are, there is always plenty of water 

 deep down in the earth. Wells are drilled, 

 and in many places the artesian water flows 

 in copious streams from the pipes; but usually 

 the pump is resorted to, and steam, gasoline, 



