524 



ever taught. This testimony was of greater value 

 as it came from one who has been teaching for many 

 years. The student took prizes in chemistry and 

 physics, and gave his commencement address in Lat- 

 in. He is now a freshman in Harvard University. 

 His career is the more remarkable in view of the fact 

 that, twelve years ago, he was uncivilized in the 

 jungles of Africa, and in this short time has accom- 

 plished so much. His earnest purpose is to return to 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



his own people, and during holidays he has been 

 working upon his native lingo, reducing it to written 

 form, and, with the assistance of a teacher, translat- 

 ing from the Greek Testament into this language all 

 of the parables of our Lord, and the first few chap- 

 ters of the gospel of St. John. This is one of many 

 cases for which it is our privilege to work at North- 

 field. Sincerely yours. 



East Northfield, Mass., Dec. 25. W. R. Moody. 



HIGH=FEE§§UEE GAEDENING 



NEW POTATOES AT 60 CENTS A PECK. 



The above is the price we pay at our 

 grocery here in Medina for new Red Tri- 

 umphs — the same kind that I grew down in 

 riorida, and these were probably shipped in 

 from Florida or some of the Southern 

 States. But even at 60 cents a peck they 

 were not first-class. They were all rather 

 small, and some of them quite small, and 

 quite a few of them were imperfect. A year 

 ago I talked to you about growing a few 

 potatoes in your back yard so as to avoid 

 being obliged to pay the extravagant prices 

 that generally rule in June. When I got 

 back from Florida the first thing I did was 

 to plant some potatoes; but just as it has 

 often happened before, I could not get seed 

 of the Red Triumph. In fact, I could not 

 get any seed of early potatoes of any sort, 

 with the exception of one seedsman in our 

 town who had a few potatoes that were 

 brought in by some countryman who called 

 them Early Ohio; but the seedsman was 

 frank enough to say he did not believe they 

 were true to name. I planted some of these 

 at once; but as my ground was not in proper 

 condition they are now, June 13, only just 

 showing blossom-buds. Some of you may 

 say tliat if we try to grow a few extra-early 

 potatoes in the back yard it may cost us CO 

 cents a peck; but I am sure it need not. As 

 a proof, a good neighbor of mine, Mr. M. 

 D. Kimmell, just a few minutes ago said if 

 I would go down and take a look at his 

 garden he would give me a nice mess of new 

 potatoes. He said they were Burpee's Extra 

 Early. 



Now wake up, friends, you who love to 

 make garden, especially quite early in the 

 spring, and who also love short cuts be- 

 tween producer and consumer; turn in and 

 help me practice what I preach. Terry has 

 finally decided potatoes to be the most 

 wholesome vegetable; in fact, it comes next 

 to home-ground wheat. I think potatoes 

 and wheat of our own growing, and home 

 grinding of the wheat, may be a large factor 

 in attaining an age of a hundred years, and 

 a fair use of all our faculties. 



Later. — After the above was i)ut in type 



I came across the following in the Jackson- 

 ville Times-Union: 



Within a period of ten days St. John's County 

 shipped 1200 cars of Irish potatoes, and then some 

 people wonder if there is any thing in farming in 

 Florida. 



Sure enough ! The above comes in nicely 

 with people who are inclined to run down 

 Florida. Just think of it ! 1200 carloads 

 shipped from one single county, and that 

 in a period of only ten days ! Good for 

 Florida ! 



BUGS ON SQUASHES, ETC. 



On Sunday morning, June 7, although I 

 was out just about sunrise, I found a swarm 

 of little striped squash-bugs had pretty 

 nearly riddled my thrifty Hubbard squashes 

 that I started in the hot-bed. They were 

 just swarming over the dozen hills. I did 

 not look around for any covering or screen, 

 but caught the bugs, as far as I could, be- 

 fore they flew away, and mashed them 

 between my thumb and fingers, letting them 

 drop all around the ground. Then I went 

 to the next hill and did the same thing. By 

 the time I reached the last of the dozen hills 

 there were more on the first hill, and I kept 

 on until Mrs. Root called me to breakfast. 

 Now, even though it was Sunday, 1 decided 

 1 could not have my squashes all ruined 

 that way; and I spent quite a little time in 

 getting some boxes to put around each liill. 

 I did not have boxes enough, so there were 

 several hills uncovered. My conscience 

 troubled me a little, I admit, because of what 

 looked so much like work on Sunday ; but T 

 thought the circumstances demanded it. 

 Now for the outcome. The squashes I did 

 not cover were not troubled worth mention- 

 ing, after which I concluded to mash the 

 bugs and drop them around on the ground. 

 In fact, these hills did rather better than 

 the covered ones, because the box cut off the 

 light. At the present writing, June 13, I 

 have not been able to find a bug since that 

 Sunday morning; and my impression is that 

 the sight of their mashed and wounded 

 companions scared them so that they all 

 flew away to " healthier " hunting-gn'ounds; 

 and this only emphasizes the conclusion I 



