1900 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



607 



time was so much taken up that he could read 

 but little about bees. He examined Glean- 

 ings, and said it was a good paper, but asked 

 me if the book was not worth more to him (a 

 beginner). I told him that the paper would 

 be worth more to me ; but to one just com- 

 mencing the business the book is worth more, 

 as the information is more condensed, and it 

 is easier to locate just what is wanted, and he 

 could rest assured that he had the latest and 

 best ; but if he had time to read, it would cer- 

 tainly pay to have both. He concluded to 

 read up in the book awhile, and then take 

 Gleanings. 



No. 4 cared little for the A B C book, but 

 was captivated with Gleanings. Not having 

 the dollar, he would not permit me to send in 

 his subscription, but said he would subscribe 

 when 1 went to transfer his bees (90 colonies). 

 He has had bees probably eight or ten years, 

 without any literature on the subject. 



No. 5 has Newman's " Bees and Honey," 

 and promised to take the ABC book later in 

 the season, and very likely will do so. 



No. 6 has a few cows and some chickens be- 

 sides his bees. He is making money, and is 

 too busy to read. My suggestion that he 

 might accomplish much more if he would take 

 some time to read did not shake his mossy - 

 back. The trouble is that he has very great 

 faith in a neighbor, and gets his information 

 from that source ; he, in turn, gets his infor- 

 mation mainly from his father, who reads, and 

 that makes my friend's bee-lore pretty well 

 strained. 



But to give up without a single subscriber 

 was too bad, so I concluded to make a final 

 effort. 



"You spoke," said I, "of dividing your 

 bees. Here is a plan in this book which will 

 probably be worth several times the price of 

 the book to you this season." Then I read 

 the Somerford method of increase to him. 

 He was delighted. Then I told him how a 

 friend varied the method, also my variation. 

 Of course, when he heard me tell it he liked 

 my plan better, and had me repeat it. Then 

 my best efforts were used to convince him that 

 all bee-keepers should read books which con- 

 tained so much practical information. How 

 many books did he buy ? Nary a one. 



Of course, apiarists are an intelligent lot of 

 people. A footnote is almost in sight which 

 tells what an immense amount of reading- 

 matter has been sent from Medina, to say 

 nothing of other publications Please tell us 

 how many never read, and only think occa- 

 sionally. How long could a bank or railroad 

 keep in business by such methods? When I 

 go out canvassing for bee books or papers 

 again it will be after my work at home is well 

 caught up and the desire to be a philanthro- 

 pist is quite strong. 



But the writer never undertook any thing 

 more popular than a Brosius pure-food-bill pe- 

 tition to our Congressman. Some would ask 

 what the bill had to do with whisky. I re- 

 plied that, when the Supreme Court of the 

 United States decides that whisky is a food, it 

 will certainly be governed by this law, if pass- 

 ed. Of course, a Californian could not resist 



such argument, and nearly all signed. Two 

 men without any business refused, also a farm- 

 er who smoked cigars, but can't afford catfish 

 at eight cents a pound. You see, one whole 

 man is generally made out of the same kind 

 of stuff. The following letter explains itself, 

 and also would indicate that those who say 

 " petitions do no good " are mistaken : 



11 '. A. H. Gilsbap : — I am in receipt of your petition 

 relative to the Brosius Pure-food Bill. In reply I de- 

 sire to thank you for calling this matter to my atten- 

 tion, and to state that it will have my careful atten- 

 tion and consideration Trusting that if I can be of 

 any service to you in any way you will not hesitate to 

 command me. If you want any thing, ask for it. I 

 am Yours very truly, J. C. Needham. 



THE SOMERFORD METHOD. 



This splendid plan of increase is all right if 

 you have a sufficient number of desl queens. 

 I am never so fortunate. It has been desira- 

 ble for me to modify the plan in order to make 

 rapid increase and properly improve stock. 

 But it takes more time than to follow Mr. 

 Somerford's method entirely. 



The modification which suits me best is, 

 first, to get queen-cells by the Alley, Doolittle, 

 Hyde, or other good plans, from your best 

 queen. Destroy as many of your worst queens 

 as is necessary. When the brood is sealed, 

 destroy all queen-cells of this inferior stock, 

 and the following day form nuclei, using the 

 cells from your choice stock, confining as Mr. 

 Somerford directs. My best success has been 

 where I stopped the hive-entrance with strips 

 of old grain-sacks, but it is always convenient 

 for me to liberate the bees if they fail to do 

 so. 



When the Somerford plan first came out in 

 Gleanings I decided it was worth more to 

 me than any article I ever saw in any bee-pa- 

 per. Valuable trial has confirmed this view. 

 So far as the record is public I had rather be a 

 Somerford than a Dewey. 



BELGIAN HARES. 



What you say in your June 1st issue about 

 this growing industry is quite interesting. 

 Do not expect as rapid increase as page 431 

 would indicate. A Timited experience with 

 over thirty pure and graded Belgians convinc- 

 ed me that, where feed is rather cheap, they 

 can be raised to an age of five months for a 

 feed cost of 25 or 30 cents each. The feed 

 was weighed. Of course, there is other cost. 

 If they can get gilt-edged treatment they 

 might pay well nearly anj' place ; but some 

 places are better adapted to making a large 

 business of it than other localities would be. 

 Perhaps they will eat any vegetable food that 

 a cow or chicken will, if it is in good condi- 

 tion, and some milk is quite beneficial. It is 

 a good business ; but your last advice (p. 446) 

 is good — " Go very cautiously." 



The Belgian-hare industry combines well 

 with bee keeping. Why not have a rabbit 

 corner in Gleanings? Chicken culture also 

 combines well with bees. Why not start a 

 chicken department also ? Where climatic 

 and other conditions favor, olive-raising dove- 

 tails much better with bees than either. Of 

 course, it would not do to leave them out. 

 Then would Gleanings be a bee-paper or a 



