0<T(ii;i;u, li)l7 



GLEANINGS IN BEE C U L T U K E 



819 



to get by the entrance. Have watched tlieiii 

 })ra('tice their tactics as long and late as 

 they could be seen. Aj)parently fearless, 

 they light on the bees clustered outside and 

 hurriedly try to pass. This scramliling to 

 get by seems to excite and cause the bees to 

 become flurried and instead of attacking the 

 moths they begin to run around promiscu- 

 ously in all directions. The busy moths 

 seem to take desperate chances, pushing and 

 dodging thru the entrance and the demoral- 

 ized bees seem so badly rattled as to lose 

 their fighting qualities. Whether there will 

 be an extra crop of wormy combs time alone 

 will tell, but at present indications point 



that way. ' ' 



* * * 



Mr. F. L. Gaines of Greenfield, Mass., 

 sends this one along to be embalmed in the 

 "Around the Ofiice" column: "On page 

 574 of July Gleanings the man who had 

 'combed honey' for sale reminds me of one 

 of my 'Down-East' honey customers. One 

 day he came to me and asked: 'Say, you 

 got any more of that extract of honey?' 

 Upon learning that I had plenty, he replied: 

 "Wal, fetch me daoun some." 



* * * 



A. E. Crandall of Berlin, Conn., recently 

 sent to the Gleanings' office in a queen mail- 

 ing cage a specimen of the spider family on 

 a slip of goldenrod on which a bee had 

 been killed by this spider. It was a cra^ 

 spider, and yellow as was the blossom it was 

 on. There is a white variety that lies in 

 wait for bees on white blossoms. The crab 

 spider spins no entrapping web, but with 

 arms outspread and concealed by its color 

 awaits the coming of its victim, the bee, 

 and by a swift movement grapples it in a 

 death embrace. I hardly need to arise and 

 remark that he is one of the orneriest little 



pukes on earth. He is so • (censored) 



tough that a bee can't sting into liim. 

 There was one rather pleasing- thing, tho, 

 about the spider that Crandall sent us — that 

 was the pin it had sticking straight thru 

 its abdomen. It looked fully as painful as 

 any pin. 



KIND WORDS 



"gather up the fragments:" a pew kind 

 words and something more. 



Mr. A. I. Root: — I have just been reading Our 

 Homes for July, and it so coincided with the in- 

 structions of our community for the past 100 years 

 that I could not forbear dropping- you a line of con- 

 gratulation. I always turn to that part of GIjEAN- 

 INGS, for it is so practical. 



In a late paper telling the woinnu wliat to do for 

 their country they were advised "to preacli the gos- 

 pel of the clean plate." This we have preached as 

 well as practiced at the risk sometimes of ridicule, 

 and I am sending you a little book, "Juvenile 

 Guide," in which, on page 111, you will find the gist 

 of Our Homes in said issue of GiiE.\NiNGS. This 

 little book was written by our people, with selections 

 by the best authors on the best of subjects for the 

 guidance and culture of tlie youth and children of 



our community. The poem iiiiMitioned was often 

 framed for our dining-room. 



Amelia J. Calvuk. 

 Mt. Lebanon, N. Y., Aug. 2. 



Permit me to add that the little l)ook, 

 " Juvenile Guide; or, Manual of Good Man- 

 ners," was published in 1844, especially for 

 the youth of that date; and I heartily be- 

 lieve that such a book just now, to be read 

 by young and old, would be a blessing to the 

 world. Below is the poem mentioned: 



TABLE MONITOR. 



Gather up the fragments that remain, that nolhiny 

 he lost. — Christ. 



Here then is the pattern which Jesus has set ; 

 And his good example we cannot forget : 

 With thaiAs for his blessings his word we'll obey ; 

 But on this occasion we've something to say. 



We wish to speak plainly and use no deceit; 

 We like to see fragments left wholesome and neat. 

 To customs and fashions we make no pretense; 

 Yet think we can tell what belongs to good sense. 



What we deem good order, we're willing to state; 

 Eat hearty and decent, and clear out our plate: 

 Be thankful to heaven for what we receive, 

 And not make a mixture or compound to leave. 



We find of those bounties which heaven does give. 

 That some live to eat, and that some eat to live — 

 That some think of nothing but pleasing the taste, 

 And care very little how much they do waste. 



Though heaven has bless'd us with plenty of food: 

 Bread, butter, and honey, and all that is good : 

 We loathe to see mixtures where gentle folks dine. 

 Which scarcely look fit for the poultry or swine. 



We often find left on the same china dish, 



Meat, applesauce, pickle, brown bread, and mixed 



fish, 

 Another's repleuish'd with butter and cheese. 

 With pie, cake, and toast, perhaps, added to tlie.se. 



Now if any virtue in this can be shown 

 By peasant, by lawyer, or king on the throne, 

 We freely will forfeit whatever we've said, 

 And call it a virtue to waste meat and bread. 



Let none be offended at what we here say; 



We candidly ask you, is that the best way ? 



If not, lay isuch customs and fashions as;i'le, 



And take this monition henceforth for your guide. 



THE " BEE BUCK," AND SOME KIND WORDS FOR THK 



SMALL SAMPLE OF BEAUTIFUL CALIFORNIA 



HONEY. 



Dear Friends: — Good morning! I am sending you 

 a sample of honey I produced — or, rather, the bees 

 did under my instructions. Ask dear Mr. A. I. R. 

 and Dr. C. C. M. if they ever saw any nicer. I 

 have one swarm, or colony, I guess you call them, 

 that has filled four ten - frame supers to da'e. 

 and I believe they will fill two more before the sea- 

 son is over. Isn't that pretty good? I might add 

 that I am an Ohio boy from Meigs Co., or I wa.9 a 

 boy in the early seventies; and that reminds me of 

 di.scussing the merits of A. I. liools bee-book with a 

 distant relative of Will C. Carleton— Will L. Carleton 

 by name. He was telling something about it, and 

 called it A. I. Root's " bee Buck," and from that 

 day to this he goes bv the name of " Bee Buck." 



I hope tlie blessed Master will continue his bless- 

 ings on you all, and give you your portion of his 

 spiritual happine,«s. 



My good brother A. I., I have read your Home 

 department witli much interc^st, and hope you may 

 live many years to continue the good work. 



Orcutt, Cal., June 6. C. E. Dillinqer. 



