NOVEMBER 1, 1914 



and water tight. I'ropolis is antiseptic, as 

 are all the resinoids and terebenthinates. 



Miicli of the secret of llie cure of foul 

 brood by the Alexander method is due to 

 the bees cleaning up and glazing the cells 

 with propolis. In case of infectious disease 

 in our homes, we clean house and fumigate. 

 The busy bee is none the less wise by in- 

 stinct. Give bees sn old moldy dirty comb 

 and they immediately proceed to clean it 

 up, and then varnish every particle of its 

 surface with propolis, nature's antiseptic 

 varnisli and glue. 



When hives are neglected for a long time 

 the beekeeper is apt to find more propolis 

 deposited about the angles of frames and 

 covers than is convenient to handle. How- 

 ever, I am always glad to find a good 

 supply, and willingly take the time to save 

 it. 1 use it for vaiious i:)urposes. 



PROPOLIS AS A HKALING SALVE. 



When melted and strained it forms a 

 hard brittle mass. Melted and mixed with 

 an equal measure of linseed oil, and boiled 

 for a minute or two, it produces one of the 

 most healing salves. The product is not 



859 



sticky nor adhesive like a varnish, but is 

 soft, melts witli body heat, and is velvety 

 and soothing' — an unexcelled dressing for 

 chapped hands or any abrasion of the skin. 

 This is a stock formula: Equal parts of 

 propolis and linseed oil boiled together. 



SHOE-POLISH AND LEATHER-DRESSING. 



To any quantity of this stock mixture, 

 add sufficient lampblack to give the desired 

 color, and sufficient powdered graphite to 

 give the shine. Mix thoroughly, and apply 

 with a cloth a light coat. Polish as with 

 ordinary polish, using preferably a clotli 

 polisher. This polish is water-proof, re- 

 stores the fiexibility and life of old leather, 

 and one good application a week is suffi- 

 cient. The polish may be restored as often 

 as desired, when the shoes have become 

 soiled, by rubbing with a polishing-eloth, as 

 it wears a long time. The first application 

 to an old rough shoe will not polish well; 

 but after it is worked into the leather it 

 Avill give a lasting polisli. This is a valu- 

 able formula. Try it, and I'eport results. 



Auburn dale, Fla. 



ALFALF A = GROWING IN ENGLAND 



i;V B. BLACKBOUKN 



As we grow a good deal of alfalfa in this 

 part of England, perhaps a few notes on 

 the question of when to cut the crop may 

 be of interest. It is generally nnderstood 

 that the correct time to cut it is just before 

 it comes into bloom. If left longer the 

 leaves at the bottom of the stems begin to 

 turn yellow, due, apparently, to the sunlight 

 being gradually shut off by the growth over- 

 head. The stems themselves become tough 

 and wiry, and in this state are not relished 

 by stock. The second cutting will also be 

 checked, so that it is apparent that there 

 must be a loss in every way, except, possi- 

 bly, in actual weight. 



On the other hand, it should not be cut 

 too soon, as then the alfalfa will not con- 

 tain the same amount of nourishment, and 

 there will be a considerable loss in weight 

 when made into hay. The first two crops 

 are cut, therefore, when just coming into 

 bloom. The third and last cut is generally 

 allowed to come well into bloom. As this 

 is very much lighter, there is no after-crop 

 to spoil, and we aim to get as much weight 

 as possible. Owing to pressure of other 

 work such as harvesting, the last cut is 

 often left standing longer than it would 

 otherwise be. 



Alfalfa is of very little use to o%ir bees. 

 There was one exception to this in 1911. 



Colored plate of alfalfa from one of the govern- 

 ment publications in New Soutli Wales, sent by T. 

 G. Adamson, Nemingha, Tamworth, who also sup- 

 plied the specimens from which the color engravings 

 were made. 



