A gentleman from Minnesota assures us that in the southern part of that State fully 10 feet of snow has fallen since the great storm of Oct. 14. Losses and privations have been _the rule_ during the past 5 or 6 months. Fuel has been so scarce that in some places even the “liberty pole” has been sacrificed for use as fuel; those sections cut off from communication have been deprived of tea, coffee and sugar, and the coffee-mill has been made to serve the purpose of the flour-mill, to grind wheat for family use.
Heavy sleet storms have destroyed the timber, the principal sufferers being peach, soft maple, hickory and elm trees.
Birds, sheep, cattle and hogs have perished by thousands, being deprived of food and shelter and cut off from succor by the waves of death from the north and west, and the oft-repeated blizzard. Even mankind is no exception--untold numbers have been sacrificed upon the altar of the storm-king. Snow, hail, wind, blinding storm and blizzard-blast have united with poisoned air and miasmatic vapor to sweep men, women and children into the tomb, and is it any wonder that our pets--the bees--should suffer in common with all other forms of life?
But how difficult it is to discover the “sweet uses” of all this adversity! True, it may point out the more hardy kinds of trees, insects, birds and stock, to withstand the rigors of such seasons--upon the principle of “the survival of the fittest”--and it may teach men a valuable lesson on the necessity of securing more perfect ventilation, drainage and pure water.
When the unprecedented season shall have passed, let us try to fathom these deep lessons in respect to our bees. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here which we could learn in no other way. Close observation and profound study will no doubt be amply rewarded. “Let patience have her perfect work.”
☞ Dr. Ehrick Parmly, the genial Recording Secretary of the North American Bee-Keepers’ Society, made us a very pleasant call last Thursday afternoon, on his return from a three weeks’ tour through Colorado. We are glad to say the Doctor was looking and feeling remarkably well after his extended trip, and his jovial good nature done much to banish the gloom occasioned by the drizzling and monotonous snow which was then falling.