1907 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1201 



362 colonies, with about the same result as 

 with 100. 



Good gallberry locations are nearly num- 

 berless, and large quantities of this fine hon- 

 ey are wasted each year in locations where 

 there is not a bee to gather it. The gallber- 

 ry should be put in the list of the best honey- 

 plants of the United States. 



Cordele, Ga. 



SOME GLIMPSES OF A. I. ROOT'S ROB- 

 INSON CRUSOE ISLAND. 



BY M. L. BREWEK. 



Last winter, while planning our annual 

 vacation, I noticed that the senior member 

 of The A, I. Root Co. was at his island cot- 

 tage home for the winter, and I proceeded 

 at once to write him for directions how to 

 find the path to his front door. In due time 

 said directions were received, though they 

 led by a watery way. 



After some wandering we located at Sara- 

 sota, Florida, within fourteen miles of the 

 desired place, and at the end of railroad 

 transportation. Sarasota is located on Sara- 

 sota Bay, twelve miles below the Manatee 

 River, on the most beautiful sheet of water 

 it has ever been our fortune to see. The bay 

 is about two by four miles, open water, and 

 as completely landlocked as can be by a net- 

 work of keys varying in size from a rod 

 square to hundreds of acres in extent, and 

 covered with tropical foliage. One can cruise 



for days through the channels and passes, 

 and here we find the homes of the sturdy 

 fishermen whose vocation is very similar to 

 that of those Christ called, and of whom he 

 so often speaks. 



Here we find beautiful winter homes, and 

 more building all the time, and, I believe, 

 the best fishing-waters of the southwest coast. 

 Amid such suiToundings, while on a cruise 

 down the bay, neighbor Love and the writer 

 called at Osprey to inquire of the postmaster 

 if he could tell us where we could find A. I. 

 Root. "Why," said he, "Mr. Root is here 

 now, for his boat is at the landing, and I 

 will find him for you." Then a desire of 

 thirty years' standing was realized, for the 

 writer has done business with the firm, and 

 has known the family "on paper" as they 

 grew up for that time. After self-introduc- 

 tions and "greetings," for it was like meet- 

 ing an "old acquaintance," we could not re- 

 sist the pressing invitation to accompany Mr. 

 Root across the bay, one mile further, in his 

 sail-boat, to his cottage on the key. Bro. 

 Root was captain, and Bro. Love and I sail- 

 ors; so, after varying experiences of rowing 

 and sailing, we landed safely at port, where 

 we were met and welcomed by Mr, I. T. 

 Shumard, his wife, and two charming little 

 daughters, Flossie and Clara. Bro. Shumard 

 is one of the progressive bee-keepers of the 

 South, and raises queens for the Root Co., 

 and was very busy at the time of our visit. 



Chat soon carried us over space and to oth- 

 er years, and it soon developed the fact th.it 



FIG. 1.— MR. AND MKS. SHUMARD, FLOSSIK. AND CLARA ON THEIR ISLAND HOME, NEAR OS- 

 PREY, FLORIDA. 



