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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 1 



seem almost incredible; but when I was 

 shown large fine queen-cells built out in ex- 

 actly the same way, and as fine- looking 

 queens laying eggs in the twin nucleus hives 

 as I ever saw in my hf e, I was converted to 

 the new plan. This has been done on the 

 line of Swarthmore, Doolittle, Wardell, and 

 others. The colony that was starting these 

 cells is, of course, very strong, and they 

 have been made entirely queenless and brood- 

 less, with plenty of bees of just the right 

 age, and pollen and honey without limit. 

 Just before the grafted cups are given, the 

 bees of the entire colony are smoked and 

 shaken out in front of the entrance to get 

 them to fill with honey. In that condition, 

 with no brood to feed, they will lavishly feed 

 the grafted cups.* The larvae for these, of 

 course, are from our best selected breeders. 

 By the way, I think I might mention the 

 fact that we have just paid Mr. Vernon Burt 

 $25 for a queen from his yard, that has made 

 such a record that we consider it a good in- 

 vestment. I believe $25 is the most money 

 we have ever paid for a queen since I bought 

 my $20 queen of L. L. Langstroth in 1865, 

 when I first started-41 years ago t As it is 

 an easy matter now to raise queens by the 

 hundreds or thousands from eggs from any 

 particular queen, it behooves us to spare 

 neither time nor pains, and I might almost 

 say money, in getting the very best breeders 

 to be had. -A. I. R. 



J. C. ACKLIN. 



J. C. AcKLiN was born March 22, 1852, in 

 Fayette Co., Pa. His father was a farmer 

 and stockman, as well as carriage-maker 

 and general contractor. J. C. assisted his 

 father as wood carpenter and painter in the 

 carriage-making, and was government in- 

 spector on some contract work. About 1882 

 he started west with the idea of going final- 

 ly to California, but stopping for a time at 

 points on the way. He spent some time in 

 Bavfield, Wis., also Ashland, and came to 

 •St." Paul in 1884. Here he met Miss Helen 

 iGoodsell, and they were married in 1885. 

 Mr. Acklin was a contractor and builder. 

 Early in 1890 they went west, setthng for 

 about a year in Pueblo, Colo. Here Mr. 

 Acklin superintended the erection of several 

 large school buildings, having at one time 

 over 80 men working under him. They went 

 west to California, but in the fall of 1891 

 they returned to St. Paul, where they have 

 remained Eince. Ethel was born to them in 

 December, 1892. and early the next year 

 they began handling bee-keepers' supplies. 

 During the hard times then prevailing, there 

 was very little building going on, and Mr. 

 Acklin secured a position with the Great 

 Northern R. R. as lumber inspector, which 

 he retained for a number of years. During 

 this time Mrs. Acklin managed the bee- 



* This is a plan that our Mr. Wardell has practiced for 

 us for a number of years. 



t To be more exact, the bargain is that Mr. Burt is to 

 have 25 laying queens, daughters of this special queen, 

 for the queen herself. These 25 laying queens would be 

 worth to us or Mr. Burt more than 11.00 each.— A. I. R. 



supply trade with what assistance he was 

 able to render nights and mornings. With 

 the increase in the business the burden 

 proved too great for Mrs. Acklin, and he re- 

 signed his position with the railroad com- 

 pany to give his whole time to the supply 

 business and bees, of which they have main- 

 tained several out-apiaries. 



Mr. Acklin was always actively interested 

 in the Minnesota Bee-keepers' Association 

 from 1893 till the time of his death. He has 

 been a member of the executive committee 

 for the past five years ; has been a principal 

 exhibitor at the State fair for the past 12 

 years, carrying off many prizes. Mr. and 

 Mrs. Acklin have always been closely asso- 

 ciated, helping each other in all their work. 

 Sometimes we are disturbed, and tempted 

 to lose faith in humanity, especially when 

 we read the newspaper accounts of the num- 

 ber of people who have gone to the bad, es- 

 pecially when somebody who has always 

 seemed to be straight and square turns out 

 badly. At such times it behooves us to look 

 around and see how many great and good 

 men and women there are in this world of 

 ours. You need not suggest that they may 

 turn out badly after all, for we who are be- 

 tween 60 and 70 years of age can point to 

 thousands who have lived and died without 

 a taint or flaw on their good name or the 

 good life they have lived. When I heard of 

 the sudden and unexpected death of Mr. J, 

 C. Acklin my mind at once reverted to the 

 time when it was my good fortune to spend 

 a sabbath with him in their own home in St. 

 Paul, Minn. Mr. Acklin seemed to be a 

 rather quiet sort of man. He was always 

 dignified and gentlemanly. I remember with 

 what pride he showed me around that beau- 

 tiful park of Lake Como, and in his quiet 

 way remarked there was no beer sold there, 

 and not even a dancing- pavilion was to be 

 seen. He also told me there was to be an 

 open-air Endeavor meeting in the evening. 

 The next day they showed me their beauti- 

 ful church, and it was my privile^-e to hear 

 an excellent discourse from their talented 

 minister.- Mr. Acklin was a large man— not 

 only physically, but he was one who took an 

 interest, both in his own city and in the 

 affairs of his State and nation. We discuss- 

 ed ways and means for looking after the 

 best interests of our boys and girls, not only 

 in their city, but in all the cities of our land 

 and among the rural population. He knew 

 what was going on in the world, and seemed 

 glad that it was his privilege to subtract 

 from the evil and add to the good. I was 

 impressed with their beautiful home and de- 

 lightful home life. 



We can not fathom just why God seemed 

 to have deemed it best that Mr. Acklin's life 

 should thus have been cut short in its prime; 

 but I think that all who knew him can imite 

 with me in saying, "May God be praised 

 for the example of such clean, pure, manly 

 lives as was exemphfied in the life of our 

 friend J. C. Acklin," May the comforting 

 influences of the Holy Spirit be with his be- 

 reaved family and many friends.— A. I. R. 



