140 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUBE. 



At Ait. 



kind, and I think there would be demand enough 

 to pay for getting them out. E. Liston. 



Virgil City, Cedar Co., Mo., Jan. 32, 1883. 



Thanks, friend L. Now who among our 

 readers can send us a blank, such as patent- 

 medicine men carry V 



"the old woman that lived in a shoe," etc. 



You have read of the " old woman that lived in a 

 shoe," etc.? Well, I have more bees than I want, or 

 know what to do with; and if they swarm as they 

 did last year, I shall be sorely puzzled. I have 

 black, hybrid, and Italians. I haven't time to at- 

 tend to them. If you get scarce, send me some cag- 

 es, and I think I could send you a bushel or so. I 

 know I shall have the bee fever when spring opens. 

 As the darkey said, I had a "simpsom" of it the 

 other day, when I heard such a roaring in my bee- 

 yard that attracted my attention nearly a hundred 

 yards off. The bees were out in fine force. The 

 cold wave has kept them indooi-s until to-day. I no- 

 ticed them peeping out, and occasionally one on the 

 wing. 



A fever that even quinine won't help. 



Quinine will keep off an ordinary fever, but I don't 

 know how to provide against the bee fever. Do y ou ? 



EUaville, Ga., Jan. 17, 1883. C. H. Smith. 



Who will help friend S. out of his trou- 

 ble? Can't Mrs. Ilarrison^tell him what will 

 do when quinine tails? She seems to be 

 quite a wise doctor. 



a plea for patent-hive men. 



Judging from a letter lately received from a lady 

 in Alabama, you owe the " Golden " bee-hive man a 

 compliment. She says, " Until last year, nearly 

 every one here used box hives; but the Golden bee- 

 hive man came along, and he deserves this much 

 credit: he interested many in bees, and opened the 

 way for information. I do not know why it is 

 counted among the ' humbugs.' " 



In this letter she says that she has ABC and 

 Gleanings; and as this Golden bee- hive man 

 opened the way for information, he must have told 

 his patrons of your publications. I have been told 

 several times, by persons, that the first they knew 

 of improved bee culture was by traveling patent- 

 hive men, and you should not be too hard on them, 

 brother Root. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



Peoria, 111., Feb., 1883. 



I " give in," my friend, that " patent-hive 

 men " are sometimes of value, by turning 

 the attention of people to the subject of bee 

 culture. The yellow fever also turns peo- 

 ple's attention to the subject of cleanliness ; 

 Out I don't believe I should call it a very 

 good thing to have around, though, after all. 

 Can't we learn bees, and be clean, without 

 paying so dearly for itV 



OREGON AND WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 



I see in your comments on the communication of 

 friend March, of Washington Territoiy, in August 

 number of Gleanings, you ask why they can not 

 raise peaches and grapes, with such a climate as he 

 describes, and then said: "Perhaps it doesn't rain, 

 and you have to irrigate, as they do in California." 

 Now, Mr. March has given a truthful account of the 

 climate. They do not have to irrigate, for it rains 

 enough, I assure you; but the truth is, that any 

 thing will not do well in Washington Ty., or in this 

 portion of Oregon, that requires warm nights to 



grow in, for the nights here in summer are nearly 

 always cool, and seldom hot and sultry, as they are 

 in the east. That is the reason why peaches, corn, 

 and melons do not do well here. 



HOW FAR BEES USUALLY FLY. 



As to the account Mr. March has given, of bees 

 working long distances from their hives, I do not 

 doubt that they sometimes fly several miles through 

 an open country, after flowers, when there are none 

 nearer; but I think that in a country interspersed 

 with timber, bees seldom gather much honey over 

 two miles from their hives. M. E. WarrEN. 



Portland, Multnomah Co., Or., Dec. 3, 1883. 



BEES AND neuralgia. 



In years past I was a great sufferer from neural- 

 gia, so I can sympathize with Mary Smith (in Glean- 

 ings); and while questioning myself as to the pro- 

 priety of sending a prescription to a bee journal, 

 the words came, "To him that knoweth to do good, 

 and doeth it not, to him it is sin." I thuik hers is a 

 very severe remedy, as a bee-sting makes me sick 

 for several days. I did our extracting last summer. 

 I have never been stung while working amongst 

 them, as I never venture without the armor. 1 like 

 working among the bees. It Is healthful, and quite 

 exciting — enough so for weak nerves. 



The following I have taken for years, and it al- 

 ways cured for a time. One oz. tincture of iron; 25 

 cents' worth quinine; mix. Take ten drops (then 

 increase to fifteen) in about four table-spoons of 

 cold water four times a day. Eat plain food — gra- 

 ham bread. 



I like the Home readings, as they do me good. I 

 like the principle of carrying our religion into our 

 working homes. May wisdom be given thee, to lay 

 judgment to the line and righteousness to the plum- 

 met of the gospel, is the desire of thy friend — 



Jane H. Idyle. 



Heathcote, Ont., Can., Feb. 15, 1883. 



Many thanks for your kind words, my 

 friend ; but I am almost afraid your remedy 

 is not one to be advised, even though it does 

 bring relief. Your remark, " for a time," 

 covers the whole ground. I believe our best 

 physicians are getting to be a little loth in 

 recommending quinine. Better take the 

 graham bread, and plenty of outdoor air 

 along with the bees. 



FROM 1 TO 15, and 300 LBS. HONEY. 



After my loss by fire in Kansas last year, I brought 

 one colonj% saved from the burning wreck, and 

 without feeding increased to 15, and 300 lbs. honey. 

 But being in a strait with our church building, I 

 sold them for $50.00 and put it all into the Lord's 

 treasury. I have now 4 stands of blacks, which I 

 bought very cheap. Our church and S. S. and Band 

 of Hope are prospering. B. of H. numbers nearly 

 200. C. H. Wright. 



Siloam Springs, Benton Co., Ark., Jan. 33, 1883. 



Truly, friend W., you have reason to trust 

 in the Lord. With such a locality, surely 

 you will prosper. 



THE SQUEAKING MOTH. 



Some years ago, when I was living in Nevada City, 

 Cal., my notice was several times called to large bee- 

 tles, or pinch-bugs, that were brought around the. 

 door in the early part of the evening by a young 

 cat, and I soon noticed that they would make a kind 

 of grating or squeaking sound. This noise I found 



