242 



GLEAKINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 



smokers with a small narrow tube, but not 

 so much so with those of a larger capacity 

 for fuel, as it burns out almost too rapidly. 

 For the latter, common stove wood cut into 

 short pieces and split up, does very well. 

 When some of the little folks are wanting 

 something to do, you can show them how, 

 and have a large basketful cut up and kept 

 in readiness, in some dry place. The sound 



hard wood, will last much longer than the 

 rotten wood. A couple of years ago, a friend 

 sent us a box of a mossy substance, which I 

 suppose to be peat from the swamps, but as 

 it did not burn very readily then, it was laid 

 aside and forgotten. This summer, how- 

 ever, I found ovu' boys using it in their smo- 

 kers, and as it lights readily with a match, 

 and makes a great quantity of .smoke, I am 



THE S3IOKK 



inclined to think we shall find nothing bet- 

 ter. It is very light, can be cheaply shipped, 

 and makes but a very small amoimt of ashes. 

 I would advise those wlio have peat swamps 

 near them, to make a trial of it. It takes 

 quite a time to dry thoroughly, which is the 

 reason we did not discover its valuable prop- 

 erties sooner ; if cut into thin slices, it would 

 probably dry much sooner. Ours came from 

 W. W. Bird, Freedom Mills, O., who, if I 



ii I PKEFKK. 



mistake not, offered to furnish it for $6.00 

 per cord. We will send enough by mail tt) 

 give it a good trial , for 5 cents. 



Yon Mill observe from tlie cut above, that 

 we have in reality retained the kettle idea, 

 but the smoker is small and made of tin. 

 To i)revent its being overturned, we have 

 given it a large base, like an oiler; it is in 

 fact, something like the Irishman's wall, 

 four feet high, and six feet thick, so that if 



