268 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 



that I am in no way responsible for the sudden rise 

 in the value of such things; neither is it in my pow- 

 er to avoid it. I should be very glad indeed to give 

 you the same goods at the same prices, year after 

 year, without any change, but it is not possible. 

 Bear in mind that we say in our price list, in two 

 places, that all goods are subject to changes in prices 

 without notice. 



Our engraver failed to get a good picture of friend 

 Mutb, and so he will try again for next month. 



Our bass wood is now in nice order for sections; 

 but I tell you, the demand for them is keeping our 

 machines " a buzzing," sure. 



Did you ever! We have received 530 new sub- 

 scribers during the mon'h of Api-il, and Gleanings 

 now stands 5508, which is higher than it ever stood 

 before. 



Until further notice, the price we pay for dollar 

 queens will be 90 cts. each, and we shall sell them 

 for $1.50. We have now a nice stock on hand, ready 

 to be shipped by return mail. 



dzierzon's rational bee-keeping. 

 Mr. Newman has kindly sent us a work entitled 

 " Rational Bee-keeping," by our old father Dzierzon, 

 the originator of the theory bearing his name. The 

 author is not only a thoroughly scientific bee-keeper, 

 but a naturalist. He has probably made greater 

 strides in scientific apiculture than any one man. 

 His book contains his many discoveries, together 

 with his valuable experience and research. In addi- 

 tion to this are foot-notes by C. N. Abbott, the for- 

 mer editor of the British Bee Journal. We thus have 

 the opportunity of direct comparison and verifica- 

 tion. As regards the nature, the distinctive charac- 

 teristics and explanation of some of the peculiar 

 phenomena noticed in bees, the book seems to stand 

 among the foremost, if not in the front ranks. I 

 hardly think the implements of the apiary would be 

 at all suited to American bee-keepers; but as for 

 real scientific value, it would well repay any bee- 

 keeper whose attention is at all inclined to scientific 

 research, to purcha^se a copy. It contains 350 pages, 

 fully illustrated. We can mail it to any address for 

 two dollars. 



STEEL goods; RUST AND FROST. 



Be carefuU how you rub your fingers on bright 

 finished steel goods, especially if they are to be put 

 away unused after being so handled. Machinery is 

 usually oiled when ready to ship, but not always. 

 Another thing: Be careful about unpacking steel 

 goods or cutlery in a warm room, after they have 

 been shipped during cold frosty weather. You see, 

 the air we breathe is something like a sponge, and 

 will suck up and hold lots of water. Now bear in 

 mind, that the warmer the air is, the more water it 

 will hold. All right; now, then, if we have a room 

 full of warm air, fully charged with water, it will 

 have to let go of some of this water, if we cool it 

 suddenly. Now you see why iron or steel gets wet, 

 and rusts, if we bring it into a warm room, when it 

 is icy cold. We say it " sweats," when it is nothing 

 but just what I have told you. 



Moral.— Do not unpack fine steel goods that are 

 icy cold, in a wa"ra room. Unpack them in a cold 

 room, and let them warm up gradually. Great in- 

 jury has been done to valuable cutlery by not keep- 

 ing this in mind. 



MAT FOR COVERING THE FRAMES. 



No bee should ever be allowed to get up under the 

 cover of a Simplicity hive. The wood mat, enameled 

 sheet, or the burlap sheet, whichever be used, should 

 always fit bee-tight. Now, a beginner would be quite 

 likely to think this a very troublesome process, and, 

 in truth, it is a little troublesome to fit a mat or 

 sheet down the first time it is used. But be^not dis- 

 couraged, friends. Take a little time to press it 

 down nicely all around the edges and corners the 

 first time you put it over the bees, and you will find 

 that the next time you come to open the hive it will 

 stay in its place nicely without any trouble. Fur- 

 thermore, the bees will very soon wax it all around 

 the edges, so that iti opening the hive you need only 

 to pull it loose from the attachments, except one 

 side, and this side answers as a sort of hinge to make 

 it come in place; and when replaced it should al- 

 ways be put back in the same position. Now, then, 

 when I cnme to see you, don't let me ever find a hive 

 where the cover is waxed down, and comes off with 

 a snap, because you have at some time or other al- 

 lowed the bees to get up under the cover. 



TO OUR PATRONS. 



The flood of orders at present seems to be almost 

 beyond our ability to fill. Now the question comes 

 up, if somebody has got to be delayed, or go without 

 his goods, who among you shall it be? As we can al- 

 most fill three or four orders for regular goods while 

 we are fussing with one order for odd-sized hives or 

 sections, it would seem to be our duty to decline any 

 orders for the present, other than for the regular 

 goods described in our catalogue. Secondly, as we 

 regard it almost a sacred duly to wait on those who 

 have sent the money with their orders, is it any more 

 than jus. ice that orders accompanied by cash should 

 have preference? You know, friends, that where a 

 man sends money he has a right to complain In a 

 way that one who has not sent us money can not 

 consistently do. In saying this I take into account 

 that we have many old and tried friends who always 

 send us the money when we express a wish for it, 

 and whose word is money; but even then, where 

 the cash has been some little time in our hands, does 

 it not make a difference? 



Now in regard to discounts. As a rule we make 

 no discounts to anybody, aside from those given in 

 our price list. If anybody wants to get goods at the 

 10 rate, he must order 10. The only exception we 

 have made to this is where somebody takes the pains 

 to get an order from his ijeighbor. In such cases we 

 have generally allowed a discount of 5C; but on 

 some goods we handle, our prices are so very close 

 we find it almost impossible to do this without loss. 

 We will do the very best we can, dear friends; but 

 if that should not be satisfactory, we will promise 

 to return your money promptly the very moment 

 you ask for it. As I told you a short time ago, mail 

 orders, and orders for g0f>ds by express, go (with but 

 few exceptions) the day the order is received, or the 

 next day at the furthest. It is orders by freight, 

 calling for a great variety of goods, that we have to 

 delay; and many times we could send these off 

 promptly, if you will add, in closing your order, 

 " Send us what you can of these at once, and the 

 rest when I order again." Where you are ^sending 

 us orders every few weeks, this plan may answer 

 very well; but where you want your goods to come 

 all in one lump to save freight charges, it becomes a 

 little more difficult. 



