DnDDnnDnDnDDnnDnnDnDaDDDnDDDnnnD □ D D D D D D •<°^(^^^i D D D D D D D D ^ Ri Vn ^ in " D D * TOLIVJ Iff ^ D D •9 S^^^Ag 'f D ,^^^^^^H D "^^fRsT^** D ^^^^^^1 D D ^^^^^^^m D D D D D D D D UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS D D D LIBRARY D D D D D D D a D D D a D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D n D D D D D D D D D D D n D D D D D D D naaaDDnnDDnnDnnDnannnDDDDDnnDnnn V LIBRARY MASoACHubtTTS Ai^.HERST, MASS. m (Bkmin^B m Mtt Culture Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky. The flying cloud, the frosty light': The year is dying in the night ; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new. Ring happy bells across the snow : The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more: Ring out the feud of rich and poor. Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring out old shapes of foul disease: Ring out the narrowing lust of gold : Ring out the thousand wars of old. Ring in the thousand years of peace. — Tennyson. JANUARY 1919 Vol. XLVII No. I m We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. Do not sell until you have seen us. We will pay you spot cash for anything you sell us. Get our prices on cans and cases. Los Angeles Honey Co. | 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts. 1 Los Angeles, California m Telephones: Home 10419; Main 5606 M iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy I Leutzinger & Lane ^ Wholesale Dealers and Shippers of I EXTRACTED AND COMB I HONEY I CORNER DRUMM AND OREGON STREETS I SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA WE STERN BEEKEEPERS ATTENTIO N!! We pay spot cash for Hon- ey and do not handle on Commission. Wr i t e us what you have or expect to have to sell, we buy any quantity. -:- -:- -:- IllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllO^ Beeswax Wanted In big and small shipments, to keep Buck's Weed -pro- cess foundation factory go- ing. We have greatly in- creased the capacity of our plant for 1918. We are paying higher prices than ever for wax. . We work wax for cash or on shares. Root's Bee-supplies Big stock, wholesale and re- tail. . . Big catalog free. Carl F. Buck The Comb-foundation Specialist Augusta, Kansas EsUbUahed 1899 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^^ "Griggs Saves You Freight" 1 TOLEDO I BEE SUPPLIES FOR NEXT SEASON'S USE | Place your order now and get the j large early-order discount besides M avoiding the spring congestion and m delays which always come. M 1919 Season will be the largest in = history, owing to high prices received M for honey, and all factories will be | taxed to limit. Already our December M orders are as heavy as last June. Can M we count on your order? A list of M goods wanted will bring back prices g at once. M Better send your name for our new M catalog when it is out. M HONEY AND BEESWAX always 1 wanted, cash or in trade. g I S. J. GRIGGS & CO., I Dept. No. 25 Toledo, Ohio J " Griggs Saves You Freight" llllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE JANUARY, 1919 Honey Markets 4-5 Editorials 9-10 Bees in Pound Paekafjes E. R. Root 11-13 Most Honev for the Money H. H. Root 14-15 Bees Not Proved Guilty Prof. J. Troop 15-16 Stage Folk, too, are Beekeepers Mrs. J. T. Carlisle 17-18 A Jersey Skyscraper C .E. Fowler 18-19 Bees Kept in a City for Years John C. 0 'Donnell 19 The First Wax-Rendering— Oh! C. D. Stuart 20-21 Is It a Safe Practice? J. F. Kight 21-22 Novel Marketing Idea Stephen T. Byington 22 Stray Straws Dr. C. C- Miller 23-24 Siftings . .J. E. Crane 25 Our Food Page Stancy Puerden 26-27 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 28-29 From North, East, West, and South 30-34 Heads of Grain from Different Fields 35-38 The Best from Others lona Fowls 39-40 Just News 41 Gleaned by Asking lona Fowls 42-43 Bees, Men, and Things 44-45 Our Homes A. I. Root 46-48 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. — One year, $1.00; two years, $1.75; three years, $2.50; five years, $4.00. Single copy 10 cents. Canadian subscription, 15 cents additional per year, and foreign .sulsscription, 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscriptions, not paid in advance, or specifically ordered by the subscriber to be continued, will be stopped on eixpiralion. No subscriber will be run into debt by us for this journal. CHANGE OF ADDRESS. — Give your old address as well as the new and write the name to which the journal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Should be sent by postoffice money order, bank draft, express money order, or check. CONTRIBUTIONS to Gleanings columns solicited; stamps should be enclosed to insure return to author of manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES. — -Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkably satisfac- tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY. — 'The publishers use utmost diligence to estab- lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser using space in this journal. Entered as second class mail matter at the Postoffice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly. Space occupied by reading matter in this issue, 66 2-3 percent; advertising, 33 1-3 percent THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Publishers, Medina, Ohio Editorial Staff E. R. ROOT A. I. ROOT lONA FOWLS H. G. ROWE Editor Editor Home Dept. Assistant Editor Managing Editor 2 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Januaey, 1919 Hill llllllllllllillllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllll^ I READY MONEY I I FOR YOUR HONEY!! [ I SHIP NOW. If you have hon- j i | i ey for sale, we want to buy it. j Qxir NcW Home = I I Ten thousand producers in aU I I g I parts of the world witness to [ ^ „ . I 1 = li- T 1,1* f *u- i,^ r.^ We are now located at Fearl i = m the reliability ot this house. = _ ^^ . ^ , i 1 = -XT r, * 1 * = and Walnut htreets, and are = = 1 No purchase too large or too = . , , ^^ ' ^ i 1 = 11 T¥T I, Ji J^ '= in the largest Honey House = = a small. We handle many car- i . , w^/ i 1 i loads a year. Send us a sample I ^^ *^ ^.^^. ^^' . , ^^ ^^^ 1 | g J . ui ^ = are in C-incmnati don t for- = = m and name your most reasonable = ,, i ^ m • \T7 1 +-,^^ ^ ^ = S^t to call on us, for it will i = m price. We buy every time your if, ' = g m • • .-r = be a pleasure for us to i = m price iustines. i ^ i g = * i snow you our wonderful = m I PROMPT REMITTANCE. Re- | new home. I | 1 mittance sent by return mail I _ ^ ^ ^ I ( 1 for every shipment we receive. B 1 Honesty and integrity during the many years in the honey 1 1 business have won for us the good will and confidence of | B thousands. g I OLD COMBS AND CAPPIINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We | M pay you the highest market price for beeswax, and charge you but 5c g B per pound for the wax rendered. It pays to send us your old combs g g and cappings. g I WANTED, COMB HONEY. Comb and extracted Honey find ready | B sales here. Tell us what you have. We buy beeswax at high prices. M I Always glad to reply to inquiries. B I WE SELL LEWIS BEEWARE. "Lewis," stands for the highest qual- | M ity Beeware known. Safe and reliable, "Made like furniture." We g = are glad to fulfill your needs. g I I DADANT'S FAM- I I ROOT'S SMOKERS I | I I OUS FOUNDATION | | AND EXTRACTORS | | 1 SEND FOR OUR 1918 BEE CATALOG | I THE FRED W. MUTH CO. f I PEARL & WALNUT STS. CINCINNATI, OHIO | ,]iiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ iiii January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 3 llllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli^^ Bee Supplies Bee Supplies || Service and Quality || Order your supplies early so as to have I B everything ready for the honey flow, and = B save money by taking advantage of the I B early-order cash discount. Send for our cat- f | log; better still, send us a list of your sup- I 1 plies and we will be pleased to quote you. I | C. H. W. WEBER & CO. I| 2146 CENTRAL AVE. | 1 CINCINNATI, OHIO I | -7llllllll!llli;illllllllllllUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!lrllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilili |llll(lllllllllllllllll!illlllllllllllllllllllllllil!llllllllllll!llllllllllllllllllliliy II WHICH EXCELS? i| II ACTUAL TESTS AND RESULTS || I I I This past season we have carefully tested SUPERIOR FOUNDATION 1 i B M I I alongside of foundation of other manufacturers, including one in i | B g I I particular that claims the "bees take to theirs first, " the tests being \ \ m S I ) conducted in neighboring apiaries as well as our own. These tests ut- 1 I m g I i terly disprove any such claim. We find that the age and weight of the I I M g I I foundation used are foremost among the determining factors. If foun- I i | g i I dation fresh from the mills is used alongside of foundation that is sev- I I g g I I eral years old, the bees will naturally select the freshest foundation I | B J I I first. Nor would it be a fair test to use heavy foundation of one make | | H g I I against lighter foundation of another make. These conditions being 1 I g g I I equal, our experiments are highly gratifying. SUPERIOR FOUNDA- I I g g I I TION is unexcelled in quality by any other make. | I = m I I Our machines are operating at full capacity to supply the ever-increas- I I B g I j ing heavy demand for SUPERIOR FOUNDATION. Order from j I 1 g I I your dealer. If he cannot supply you order from us. I I B II SUPERIOR HONEY CO., OGDEN, UTAH || GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 HONEY MARKETS The important news in the market is that all the restrictions on honey exports were re- moved Dec. 20, and the export of honey to Europe is now possible as and when shipping- space is available. This circumstance is like- ly to strengthen the market, which has not materially weakened at any time recently. Offerings have been freer in December than before the armistice was signed but not at appreciable lower prices. As a whole, we believe the honey market is in a strong po- sition. Below we give market quotations that re- flect almost every kind of opinion as to prices present and future: U. S. Government Market Reports. HONEY ARRIVALS SINCE LAST REPORT. Medina, O. — 1,386 lbs. Florida; 900 lbs. "Wiscon- sin- 6,750 lbs. Ne-vv York; 2,557 lbs. North Caro- lina; 9,800 lbs. Michigan; total, 21,493 lbs. arrived. SHIPPING POINT INFORMATION. San Francisco, Calif. — -Supplies light. Practical- ly no demand; movement draggy. Cash to producer on farm, very fe-w sales; extracted per lb., water white 22-230 ; sage white, 20-22c; light amber and alfalfa, 19-20c; white alfalfa, 20-20 1/20; dark amber, 16-17C. Beeswax: 36-37c per lb. Los Angeles, Calif. — Demand very limited, move- ment slow. Cash to producer on farm, extracted: white supplies practically exhausted, no sales re- ported; alfalfa, 20-21e; sage and mountain buck- wheat 2iy>-22c per lb.; comb, white alfalfa, per case, Inyo County, $5.50; Nevada, $4.50; Southern California, $6.50-7.00, per case. Beeswax: 35- 371^0 per lb.; many growers holding for 40c per lb. TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. (fThe prices quoted in this report, unless other- wise stated, represent the prices at which the "wholesale carlot receivers" sell to the "Jobbers." Arrivals include receipts during preceding two- weeks. Prices represent current quotations.) St. Louis. — Supplies moderate. Demand moderate, prices slightly lower. Sales to jobbers: extracted, Southern, barrels, amber, 22-24c per lb.; California and Southern, amber, cans, 24-26c per lb. Comb, practically no supplies on market. Beeswax: prime, 40c per lb. . , New York. — 250 barrels and 15 tierces from Porto Rico arrived. Demand and movement slow, prices slightlv lower. Sales to jobbers: extracted, Porto Rico, $2.35-2.60, mostly $2.35-2.40 per gal- lon; California, white, 25-26c per lb.; light amber, 24-25C- New York, buckwheat, 21-23c per lb. Comb, New York buckwheat, 25-30c, mostly 28-30c. Bees- wax: 390 bags arrived from West Indies. Receipts moderate. Demand moderate; light, 43-44c; dark, 42-43C per lb. Denver. — Approximately 38,000 lbs. extracted ar- rived. Supplies moderate. Demand and movement slow. Little change in prices. Sales to jobbers: comb, few 24-section cases, No. 1 white fancy, $6.30; No. 2, $5.85. Extracted: light amber, most- ly 24c per lb. Beeswax: cash to growers, f. o. b. Denver, 38c per lb. Cincinnati. — No carlot arrivals. Less than car- lot and nearby receipts very light. Sales to jobbers : extracted, demand and movement slow, few sales; white sage and sweet clover, 29c per lb. Comb, de- mand and movement good; 24-section cases. No. 1 white heavy, $7.00-7.25; fancy white heavy, $7.50. Beeswax: demand slow, average yellow, 40-42c per Kansas City. — One California arrived. No cars on track. Supplies moderate. Demand and move- ment moderate. Little change in prices. Quality and condition generally good. Sales to jobbers: comb, Missouri, No. 1 light, $8.50 per case; Colo- rado, No. 1, $7.25. Extracted, per lb., Colorado, light' 25c; California light, 23c. Minneapolis. — Homegrown receipts light. Sup- plies moderate. Demand and movement good. Sales direct to retailers: comb, Colorado, prices slightly higher- qualitv and condition good; 24-seetion cases fancy white, $7.50. Extracted: Colorado and Min- nesota, quality and condition generally good, 60-lb. cans, 2714c; 10-Ib. cans, 30c. St. Paul. — Homegrown receipts light. Supplies moderate. Demand and movement moderate. Sales direct to retailers : comb, Colorados, prices slightly higher; quality and condition good; 24-section cases fancy white, $7.50-8.00. Extracted, Colorado and Minnesota, quality and condition generally good; 60- lb. cans, few sales at 30c. Chicago. — One Utah, 1 Colorado and approxi- mately 300 packages by freight from California ar- rived. Extracted, supplies moderate; demand slow; movement draggy; prices slightly lower. Sales to jobbers: western, white, 24-25c ; amber, best, 23-24c; quality and condition fair, 20-22c. Comb, supplies light; prices higher; 24-section cases, No. 1, mostly $7.00. Beeswax, 35-40c per lb. Philadelphia. — Total receipts : extracted, approxi- mately 3,000 barrels Southern; approximately 150 cases New York. Comb, 250 cases Vermont, 150 cases New York. Very little trading. Slight im- provement in dem-and. Few sales to manufacturers. Extracted, per gallon, Southern, $2.35 ; Porto Rico, $2.40. Spokane. — No arrivals reported. Supplies light. Demand and movement slow. Very few sales ac- count of high prices. Quality and condition good. Sales direct to retailer. Idahos : extracted, 5- and 10-gallon cans, white alfalfa, 25-28. Comb, white alfalfa, 24-section cases. No. 1, $7.25; No. 2, $7.00. Cleveland. — Arrivals unreported. Demand and movement slow. Prices lower. Sales to bakers and confectioners : western, 60-lb. tins, white clover, 29c; light amber, 26c per lb. EXPORT DISTRIBUTION OP HONEY FROM JULY 1 TO NOV. 20. Total, 3,970,732 lbs.; to France, 492,301; to United Kingdom, 2,877,671; to Canada and New- foundland, 575,599; to all others, 25,161. Charles J. Brand, Chief of Bureau. Washington, D. C, Dec. 14. General Quotations of Wliolesalers. [These firms are asked to quote the whole- sale price they make to retailers. Accord- ingly their prices must be figured at least one profit higher than the price paid the pro- ducer. The large dealers do not quote prices in print that they will pay futurely to pro- ducers.] NEW YORK. — We quote from several of the leading honey dealers in New York City, date of Dec. 16, as follows: "Import conditions are allowing large lots to ar- rive again of Southern grades. Exports are now be- ing arranged for London accounts which will proba- bly hold good qualities of extracted at today's levels in price. White extracted, we believe, will hold normal for present prices until Florida crops are ascertained. Comb honey seems slow at high prices. Comb honev, extra fancv, per case, $9.00 to $9.50; fancy, $9.00 per case;" buckwheat $8.00 to $9.00 per case. Extracted honey, white, 25-26c per lb., in cans; light amber, in cans 23-24c, in barrels, 22c; amber, in cans, 19-20c, in barrels, 19c." "Honey is still on conservation list. No exports. West Indian honey coming in freely at $2.25 a gallon, mostly for manufacturing purposes. Now that sugar is plentiful, look for lower prices all along the line. Am having more offerings from bee- keepers now than at any time this season." "Honey is quiet with a very limited domestic demand. There is considerable inquiry for export, but as yet it is impossible to make shipments altho it is expected that the steamship companies will soon be in a position to accept freight. This should benefit our market considerably. I quote today $2.30 to $2.40 per gallon for extracted." "Strengthening owing to lifting of export em- bargo. Extracted honev, light amber, in cans, 24 %c f. o. b. N. Y." "Market firmer as looking for the export ban to be lifted any day. Extracted honey, white, per 11 ., 20-22c; light amber, in cans, 18c, in barrels, 17c; amber, in cans, 17c; in barrels, 16c." "Honey is removed from conservation list. Look for strong market and high prices when exporta- tion begins. Importation also allowed which will offset exportation somewhat. Extracted honey, white, 25-26C." January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE LIVERPOOL. — The market is in a disturbed state in consequence of the arrangement of the armistice. Every one is naturally in the dark as to tlie effect of this upon world prices of all commodi- ties. According to the public report,s which reach us from places in Belgium and Germany which have been reoccupied by the Allies, the general position of economic affairs would not appear to be so black as it has been painted. Of course, nothing can affect the position of the world's supplies of natural prod- ucts until the nei.xt harvest. Now that the great wastage caused by submarine destruction is past we shall rapidly pass to normal conditions. Honey is notoriously high in price and we are afraid it must come down. Since our last report prices, if any- thing, went slightly higher; but now the market is on the easy side. For good extracted honey we quote 45 to 47 cents per lb. Californian sold at 46 to 47 per lb. ; Argentine sold at 45 to 47c ; Cuban and Jamaica sold at 44 to 45c; Chilian, no first hand offering; price nominally 44 to 45c. The market for beeswax remains dull; for good quality we quote 48 to 50 cents per lb. Taylor & Co. Liverpool, Eng., Nov. 25. ST. LOUIS. — No comb honey in this market. Ex- tracted in only fair demand, but stock on hand is not large. Extracted honey, light amber, in cans, 21-22c; amber, 20-21c. Clean, average yellow bees- wax, per lb., 40c. R. Hartman Produce Co. St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 16. KANSAS CITY. — Our market is fairly well sup- plied with both comb and extracted honey. It is moving in a moderate way and no one is buying heavily, as they look for lower prices. Comb honev, fancy and No. 1, $7.00-7.25; No. 2, $7.00. Ex- tracted honey, white, 25c ; light amber, in cans, 25-27c ; amber, in cans, 24-25c. Clean, average yel- low beeswax, per lb., 35-40c according to grade. C. C. Clemens Produce Co. Kansas City, Dec. 17. TORONTO. — Five and ten-pound tins of honey are selling at 28 to 30c per pound. The demand is light on account of thei unusually high prices. Ebv-Blain, Ltd. Toronto, Ont., Dec. 16. HAMIT^TON. — We are getting many inquiries from people who have honey to sell, both light and dark. There is no demand here for dark and not much for light. Price seems too high for the trade. Hope the trade will be better after Christmas. Ex- tracted honev, white, 27c. F. W. Fearman Co., Ltd. Hamilton, Ont., Dec. 16. MONTREAL. — Good demand for honey. Clover honey rather scarce. Dark and buckwheat very plentiful. Demand for export is over for the pres- ent. Comb honey, extra fancy, 30c; fancy, 29c; No. 1, 27c; No. 2, 25c. Extracted honey, white, 25c; light amber, in cans, 22c, in barrels, 21c; amber, 20e, in barrels, 19c. Gunn, Langlois & Co., Ltd. Montreal, Can., Dec. 16. SYRACUSE. — There is practically no comb honey to offer here. Extracted is moving slowly with a very light demand. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 28c; light amber, in cans, 25c; amber, 22c. Syracuse, N. Y., Dec. 18. E. B. Ross. BUFFALO. — Ever since taking off of restric- tions on sugar, it seems everybody has got extracted honey for sale, and the market has been dead. Eighteen to 20c for the best extracted, and it goes slow at that. The market is bare of comb and it will bring 35 upon arrival for goods that will show up No. i. Comb honey fancy, 35c; No. 1, 33c; No. 2, 30e. Extracted honey, white, 18-20c; amber, in cans, 18c. Gleason & Lansing. Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. 16. CLEVELAND. — Comb honey is selling very slow- ly on account of high prices. The supply in our market, altho not large, is fully equal to the demand. Comb honev, fancy, $8.25 to 8'.50; No. 1, $8.00; No. 2, $7.00-7.50. C. Chandler's Sons. Cleveland, O., Dec. 16. PORTLAND. — Honey market very dull and slug- gish. Prices dropped considerably since last report on account of the taking off of sugar restriction. Some large stocks on hand. Comb honey, extra fancy, per case, $7.00; fancy, $6.75; No. l", $6.50; No. 2, $6.25. Extracted honey, white, 24c; light hmber, in cans, 20c; amber, in cans, 18c. Portland, Ore., Dec. 12. Pacific Honey Co. TEXAS. — Good demand. Supply limited. Comb honey. No. 1, bulk, 22c. Extracted honey, light amber, in cans, 20c. Clean, average yellow bees- wax, per lb., 36 to 38c. .1. A. Simmons. Sabinal, Tex., Dec. 18. ARIZONA. — The price on honey has dropped owing to the sugar conditions which have loosened up. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb, 32c. Phoenix, Ariz., Dec. 12. L. M. Lossing. FLORIDA. — All the honey in this section has been sold and there will be nothing to offer before Ma v. S. S. Alderman. Wewahitchka, Fla., Dec. 11. WHERE CYPRESS HIVES ARE MADE | Mr. Beekeeper: — Let me send you my Cypress Catalog, explaining the merits of my Cypress goods i and give me a trial order, and be a pleased customer. Prices are right and the hives are ever-' | lasting' in any climate. A large stock of everything used in beekeeping. I am fully ready for § orders and will appreciate them. E I J. J. WILDER WAYCROSS, GEORGIA! I GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Januarv. 1919 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy Season 1919 Begins EASON of 1918 is now closed. Inventory taken and supplies ordered for Syracuse Branch for 1919. Where would I be next summer if I delayed getting in my stock till next May? For the last month I have had some orders from beekeepers that are wide awake, but I would be greatly pleased if more orders are received long be- fore the time they will be needed. This will relieve me quite a lot next summer when the behind-hand ones begin to know they are in want of supplies. ii F. A. SALISBURY 1631 WEST GENESEE STREET SYRACUSE, NEW YORK JANUARY, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE NEWRlNGHAM BEE SMOKER In 1878 the original direct draft bee smolcer was invented and patent- ed by Mr. T. F. Bingham, of Michigan. Mr. Bing- ham manufactured the Bingham Smoker and Bingham Honey-knife for nearly thirty-five years; and in 1912, becoming a very old man, we pur- chased this business and joined it to our established business of beekeepers' supplies and general bee- \\are. Those who knew Mr. Bina;ham will join us in saying that he was one of the finest of men and it gives us much pleasure to help perpetuate his name in the beekeeping industry. Bingham smokers have been improved from time to time, are now the finest on the market, and for over forty years have been the standard in this and many foreign countries. For sale by all dealers in bee supplies or direct from the manufacturers. Size of Stove Weight Smoke Engine 4 x7 inch 2% lbs. Doctor 3 72x7 inch 2 lbs. Two al;ove n copper, extra, each Conqueror 3x7 inch 1% lbs. Little Wonder 3x5 1/2 inch 1%, lbs. Retail $1.50 1.15 1.00 1.00 .80 Bingham Honey Uncapping Knives with New Cold Handles We are furnishing the same quality steel, best money can buy, thin-bladed knives that Mr. Bingham manufactured years ago. The old timers all remember these knives and many are writing in as Mr. Volstad in the following letters. The substitutes offered by others have not given the satisfaction desired. A. G. Woodman Co. Lyle, Minn., .Tune 21, 1917. Gentlemen: — Have you the thin good-working uncapping-knives we used to get about 20 years ago, and that worked to perfection ? We sent an 8% and 10 inch knife and received the following letter: A. G. Woodman Co. Gentlemen: — Knives received; glad you sent them at once, been looking for but did not know where to get them. Lyle, Minn, July 5, 1917. They are just what I want and have K. H. Volstad. Many of the most extensive honey producers insist on the Genuine Bingham knives. Mr. N. E. France of Plattsville,*Wis., gave us a fine unsolicited testimonial on the steam-heated Bingham knife, too long for this space. Weight Price 8 1/2 inch blades 12 oz. $1.20 each 10 inch blades 14 oz. 1.35 e-ach 10 inch blades, steam heated with tubing 20 oz. 4.00 each Steam Generator, with safety valve 40 oz. 2.00 each Double burner oil lamp stove 7 lbs. 2 . 00 Postage extra. TIN HONEY PACKAGES 2 lb. Friction top cans in cases of 24 2 lb. Friction top cans in crates of 612 2% lb. Friction top cans in cases of 24 2% lb. Friction top cans in crates of 450 5 lb. Friction top pails in cases of 12 5 lb. Friction top pails in crates of 100 5 lb. Friction top pails in crates of 203 10 lb. Friction top pails in cases of 6 10 lb. Friction top pails in crates of 113 Write for prices on friction top cans and pails and 60-lb. cans, giving quantity wanted. A. G. WOODMAN CO., Grand Rapids, Mich. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 lllllllllllllll 30 CTS. A POUND Is what the British beekeeper has had to pay in transportation charges alone, in order to get Dadant's Foundation. When shipping conditions became so acute last spring, it was very difficult to get ocean transportation for anything, and it was some time before the usual shiiDment of foundation to our agents in the British Isles could be dispatched, and then only at the phenomenal charge of 30 cents per jjound to cover land and ocean freiglit, in- surance, cartage, war risk, etc. But even at that high rate, the beekeepers of the British Isles were insisting on being supplied with ''Dadant^s Foundation." They know what it means to get a pound or two more of honey in these times of sugar scarcity. READ THIS LETTER THE SHEFFIELD BEEKEEPERS' SOCIETY Hon. Secretary — G. Barratt. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. Gentlemen: I shall be greatly obliged if you will inform me whether there is any likelihood of getting foundation thru for the coming season. I do not intend to do without your foundation unless I am obliged to do so. If possible, will you please send me a supply by parcel post. I think the limit is 11 pounds. I want light brood, British standard size. G. B ABB ATT, Oct. 15, 1918. 546 Ecclesall Boad, Sheffield, England. But the original cost, plus .30 cents per pound transportation, is no object if the results obtained are proportionate. The Secretai-y of the Sheffield Society is evidently one of those who gets the results. Why not do likewise? Transportation charges to the most distant points in the United States are only a small per cent of what our allies have to pay. DADANT & SONS HAMILTON, ILLINOIS JlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllUllllllllllllUlllllllllllllllllllllll^ E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 3 EDITORIAL WITH THE WAR OVER and the restric- tions on the use of sugar removed, it is time to suggest the pro- Now for Some duction of some Comb Honey. comb honey for the coming season. Very rightly and patriotically the beekeep- ers of the country heeded the call during the war to produce extracted honey to the exclusion of comb honey, in order to meet a great food demand for sweets. This was not only right but profitable. Conditions are now changed, and comb honey should once more be given recognition, not only for its own excellence but to stabilize honey prices and relieve what may be an over- production of extracted honey. To many consumers there is no honey lilie comb hon- ey. Its attractive appearance, its unrivaled flavor, and its very stamp of the beehive give it a peculiar appeal. All beekeepers who have comb-honey equipment will serve themselves well and serve the future honey market well by producing comb honey the coming year. O) to ^ CH 03 AT SAN DIEGO, CAL., a lady at the close of the University short course in beekeeping said to Dr. E. F. Seemed as if She ' ' Got Real Religion. ' ' Phillips and his staff that she felt as if she had just come from an old- fashioned Methodist camp meeting where she had got real religion. She had enjoyed every minute of the course, had gathered new inspiration, and now felt that she could be a real and better beekeeper. Others^ expressed themselves in a similar manner. It was remarkable how the attendance kept up in spite of the flu, which was bad. The beekeepers sat clear thru the sessions, giv- ing the closest attention. The staff of instructors consisted of Dr. E. F. Phillips, Geo. S. Demuth and Jay Smith of the Bureau of Entomology, Wash- ington, D. C; Prof. Geo. A. Coleman of the University of California; M. H. Mendelson, a lifelong and extensive beekeeper; Frank C. Pellett of the American Bee Journal; and E. R. Root of Gleanings in Bee Culture. The whole keynote of the course was bet- ter beekeeping and better beekeepers. In addition to demonstrations, theory, and practice, particular attention was given to bee diseases, their detection and cure. Foul brood, European and American, has got a strong foothold in California. Considera- ble difficulty has been experienced because in many cases one disease has been confus- ed for the other. Foul-brood inspection has so far been unable to hold the disease in check. It is to be hoped that these short courses will do much to clear up the con- fusion as to the two brood diseases. A NEW YEAR AGAIN, and a new period in beekeeping. The great war now ended has touched and Beekeeping in changed beekeeping the New Year, as profoundly as it has many other in- terests and industries. Because of the world- wide shortage of sweets, the importance and possibilities in beekeeping have been brought to the attention of everybody as never before. So it is that the business of j^roducing honey has been, in a way, digni- fied. The price level of honey has risen, never to return to the old low levels. With this bettered position of the honey-producer and of honey, comes a new impulse for bet- ter beekeeping. The better beekeeper — the good-business beekeeper — is already here; but more of them are on the way today than ever before. It is not going to be long till many honey-producers are going to con- duct beekeeping as well and as wisely and as scientifically and in as business-like way as the successful stock-breeder of the corn belt conducts his business. The new year will see a greater advance along these lines than any of the years that have gone before. So' it's a hearty welcome that the beekeepers of the world extend to 1919. SINCE ARRIVING in California (from where this is written) the Editor of Glean- ings has been in- That New vestigating, as he Metal Comb. could, the alumi- num-comb inven- tion, originating with the MacDonald Arti- ficial Honey Comb Company, Upland, Calif. We find a general feeling out here on the Coast that this new beekeeping invention is full of promise. To say that it is (or can be made) a success would be premature. That bees have filled sample combs of it with honey and sealed it with their own cap- pings is proved by the specimens that were 10 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 on exhibition at the beekeepers' meeting recently held in San Diego. That queens have laid eggs in it and that bees will raise nice brood and seal it over is equally proved by sample combs that were shown at the same time and place. That bees will always fill it with brood or honey is claimed by some who have tried it, to be untrue. In- deed, as stated in December Gleanings, our own bees rejected such comb given them in late fall at Medina. Such a test at such a time, however, we would not regard as con- elusive. The fact that bees and queens have used the substitute comb leads to presump- tion that the new all-metal combs when per- fected may prove a success, so far as the bees are concerned. Whether the new arti- cle can be made a commercial success, that is, can be put on the market at a price that will compete with combs built from comb foundation, remains to be seen. The pres- ent price for 10 all-metal combs, Langstroth size, is $6.00 f. o. b.. Uplands, Calif. The makers believe that this price can be re- duced when the present war price of alumi- num reaches a more normal figure. While the advantages claimed for the metal comb are not as yet proved, it would seem that actual tests might prove a part or possibly all of them. If so, will the public, assuming that they cost twice as much as wax combs, pay the extra price? Perhaps so. In a future issue we shall have some illus- trations showing the details of construction. In connection with this subject of metal comb, it is interesting to know that Quinby succeeded many years ago in making artifi- cial comb out of tin in which the queen laid and bees were reared. But Quinby 's conclusion was that metal combs were im- practicable because of weight and expen- siveness. Aluminum for commercial uses did not exist in Quinby 's day, else he might not have condemned metal comb as being either too heavy or too expensive. See ' ' Quinby 's New Beekeeping, ' ' edited by L. C. Eoot, pages 193-195. A. I. Root more than 40 years ago experimented with metal comb and found that bees would occupy the cells when coated with wax. L. C. Eoot in his revision of Quinby 's work on beekeeping expresses his ' ' belief in the future success of complete artificial comb." VERY RECENTLY we were in a piece of woods down in a gully that we thought would afford an Windbreaks ideal spot for a on all winter apiary. The Four Sides. very day we look- ed over the loca- tion there was a strong wind. Remarkable to relate, the sweep of wind thru this gully, in spite of the trees, was strong. The more we have studied into this matter of wind- breaks, the more we feel that the fences used by R. F. Holtermann, entirely sur- rounding an apiary, as shown on pages 591 and 592 of our issue for October, are better than an enclosure of trees not closely plac- ed. For example, a north wind could not glance up and then down and out. It will sweep over the top because there is no outlet on any one side. The Holtermann fence is made of cheap boards 10 feet long, altho longer might be better. They are nailed upright on cross- pieces fastened to posts. His apiaries cover a relatively smaU plot of ground and are surrounded on aU four sides, for the reason, we suspect, that south and east winds are sometimes as destructive as those from north and west. Usually shelter on the north and the west sides has been considered sufficient. During the past winter two of our yards had an ex- posure from the southwest of a couple of miles, with absolutely nothing to stop the wind. In both there was considerable loss, and in one over half the covers were blown off, notwithstanding there was good protec- tion on the north and the west. This blow was followed by a heavy rain that soaked into the packing and later froze. The re- sult can be imagined. For years we have noticed that where there is a long windsweep from the south or the east there were liable to be some losses; and we have come to the conclusion that it is almost as important to protect an apiary from the south and the east as it is from the west and the north. Coming back to the form of fence adopted by Mr. Holtermann — upright boards nailed on to cross-pieces — it is cheap and effective. The boards should not be placed nearer to each other than half an inch. The theory of a windbreak is to break the force of the wind rather than to put up a solid slab against which the wind may glance and then curve downward. When a blast of air filters slowly thru an obstruction its force is broken. As already mentioned, another secret of Mr. Holtermann 's success is that his yards surrounded by board fences are relatively small. He usually selects an apjile orchard and then surrounds it with his fence. The colonies are placed in groups of four; and this arrangement makes it possible to put a large number of colonies in a small space. When it comes time to pack, the hives are moved close together, in groups of four, six or eight inches apart and then packed. We dare not tell you the big crops of hon- ey Mr. Holtermann has secured. It should be made clear that it is not the location (which is good), but it is the man and his methods that really make these yields possi- ble. If there is any one factor that has contributed to his remarkable success it is his good wintering, and no small part of that wintering is his scheme of windbreaks. We are adopting the Holtermann form of fence; and where we have a long wind- sweep we have decided to protect all four sides — east and south as well as west and north. .Tan-uarv. 1910 flT, EANTNGS TN BEE CULTURE BEES IN POUND PACKAGES A Comparison 'with JVintered-o'ver Colonies. Results with Two Pounds Shipped North in Early Spring By E. R. Root AT one of the Ontario conventions some four or five years ago I told something about the possi- bilities of ship- ping bees ■\\uth- ont combs by exjiross to tlie North; and, when I intimated that it might be possible (I did not say it was) to make two pounds of bees without combs shipped from the South in April do as well as a colony wintered over requiring be- tween 30 and 40 pounds of stores, the eon- ^•ention thought I was joking; and then when they found I was serious they "gave me the laugh. ' ' On the basis that the colony would require 40 pounds of stores, the price then being 12 cents in Canada, I figured it would cost in the neighborhood. of five or six dollars to winter over a colony of bees. At the prevailing price of $1.00 a pound for bees, without queen, we in the North could get, I figured, two pounds of bees and a queen from the South in early spring for about $3.50. I went on to say that m.any a colony wintered over would not have two pounds of bees in the spring. After my talk that day several came to me and asked if I w'as not a little wild in my as- sertions. When I said no, they seemed to feel I would be wiser some day. Well, the result was that a number of beekeepers thought enough of the proposition to try it out the following spring. For results of this, see Gleanings, page 744, for 1915, and page 108, for 1917. In the last reference C. W. Hellen, Markham, Ont., secured from 17 one-pound pack- ages of bees, each with queen. 1,800 pounds of honey and had' left 17 nice colonies for winter. This actual performance went clear beyond my dreams, and he was a beginner. In the mean time I began to talk the pound-package business in Gleanings. We shipped bees without combs all over the United States; and when the candy was made right, and the weather was not too warm, we could send them long distances. About this time the beekeepers in the South began to advertise bees in pound- package lots in a large way. Thousands upon thousands of dollars' worth' of bees were sold to beekeepers in the North. Some beekeepers reported most gratifying results. In the mean time the jjrice of honey began to mouut, and the demand for pounds of bees became greater. Then came the severe winter of 1917-18, when there were severe losses all over the North. This, of course, stimulated still more the demand for bees in package form. The result was that many of the package men were oversold. Others accepted cash orders when they should have returned the money. A Remarkable Record. The man who has kept the most careful record of the possibilities of a two-pound Eig- 1. — One of David Running's outyards run for extracted honey. The bees in this yard were wintered in the cellar under the building shown in the background. Thei cellar referred to is the famous David Running cellar, inenlion of which is made on page 524, September issue, and in which there has been perfect wintering for the last 15 years. 12 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 package of bees received from the South and shipped North is David Eunning, Filion, Mich., president of the National Beekeep- ers' Association, and acknowledged to be one of the authorities on cellar wintering. If any man in all the United States could winter bees, to compete with bees in two- pound lots from the South, that man was Fig. 2. — This colony occupying the five-story hive is one started from two pounds of beies received in the latter part of last April, at David Running's home yard. As will be seen by the general article, these two-pound packages received by express from the South went a little ahead of the colonies win- tered in the Nortli. Mr. Running. The following statement of what he did was read before the Michigan State Beekeepers' convention last winter: Twenty 2-pound packages of bees delivea-ed at my station on the 27th of April cost $3.25 per package at shipping point. The express charge was 27 cents each, and they were fed about 5 pounds of honey per package, which, at 17 cents per pound, would equal 85 cents, making a total cost of |4.37 per package. These 20 packages produced a total of 1,675 pounds of honey, or an average of 83% pounds per colony, which, at 17 cents per pound, would bring $284.75, or $14.23% per colony, making a net return of $9.86% per package. Ten packages delivered May 15, or 18 days later than the other twenty, cost $3.00 at shipping point. The express charge was 37 1-7 cents per package each, and these were also fed about 5 pounds of honey each, wlucli, at 17 cents per pound, would equal 85 cents, making a total cost of $4.32 Vi per package or colony. These 10 colonies produced a total of 585 pounds of honey, or an average of 581/^ pounds per colony, which, at 17 cents per pound, would bring $99.45, or $9.94 1/^ per colony, making a net return of $5.72 per colony. You wall notice from these figures that the pack- ages received first gave me. $4. 14% per package more than those which were delivered 18 days later, or an average of 23 cents per day for each package for the 18 days. The Filion apiary in which these packages were worked also contained 50 colonies which were wintered in good condition, and which produced a total of 2,875 pounds of honey, or an average of 571^ pounds per colony, which, at 17 cents, would bring $488.75, or $9.77% per colony. Now taking these 50 colonies to cost the same as the average cost of the 30 packages would bring them at $4.32 1-6 per colony, which, deducted from the above $9.77%, would leave a net return of $5.45 1-3, or $4.41 less than the average net re- turns from the first 20 packages received, and 27 cents per colony less than that secured from the last 10 packages. There are two things brought out by this statement: 1. That the bees received from the South on the last of April did relatively much better than those received 18 days later. 2. That the two-pound packages re- ceived both on April 27 and May 15 yielded in the one case 26 more pounds of honey per colony, and in the other case one pound more honey per colony than those that were wintered over in the North. In this he ex- ceeded my tentative statement at the On- tario convention. Limitations of Pound Packages as a Bee-Supply Source. It would hardly be fair to make this a basis of comi^arison between all bees ship- ped from the South the last of April and those wintered outdoors or in the cellar; but it goes to show that my ' ' wild ' ' statement made at the Ontario convention was not so wild after all. Remember I said I thought it might be possible. I did not say then, neither do I say now, that packages of bees in two-pound lots will, on the average, yield larger returns per colony than bees wintered Fig. 3. — ^This picture sliovvs a row of hives, the colonies of which came from two-pound packages received from the South, and which, according to David Running, held their own against bees that wintered in the cellar under the most favorable con- ditions, over. But suppose these two-pound packages are a better investment than entire colonies wintered in the North, yet there would not be facilities enough in the South to take care of the Northern beekeepers if all these January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 13 Northern beekeopors were fools enough to extract all the honey away from their bees, brimstone them, and then expect to buy more bees with the money received from the sale of honey saved by not wintering those bees. During these after-war times — when all kinds of shipments are badly congested — the Northern beekeeper should depend mainly on wintering just as he has been doing for years back, and use bees from the South as so much increase. When the price of honey is so very high — 20 cents and more — he can better afford to run his wintered-over bees without increase than he can to divide them and run for honey and increase both. The of fun and health going and coming, and learning something about increase in the South. If he succeeds he will be that much ahead. Bees by Mail. Now that bees without combs in package form are admitted to the privilege of parcel post under cei'tain restrictions, it will be possible to get bees by mail in small lots. At all events, the express companies will have a warm competitor in Uncle Sam. This one fact will have a tendency to keep down express rates on bees; but it should be clear- ly understood, however, that the postal au- thorities assume no responsibility for safe arrival of bees. However, in many and Fig. 4. — A package that Uncle Sam will accept for shipping bees by mail. It is made up of sawcuts slightly less in width than Vs inch. These sawcuts on all six sides take the place of double wire screen, which is also permitted in a second type of cage. time will never come when one can afford to extract all the honey from his bees, brim- stone them, and buy more bees. Another Possibility. The beekeeper can, perhaps, afford to ex- tract nearly all the honey from his combs, and, as soon as the bees have stopped breed- ing, shake them into combless cages, send them South by express, follow them to des- tination on the same train, unload them, and let them loose on the combs or frames of foundation at the receiving point. He can then run them for increase or honey or both. In April he can cage the queens, and, as soon as brood hatches, ship the original colonies and their increase to the North. I am not so sure but one could take his regular truck, and, before the roads break up, shake his colonies into two-pound cages, make up a truck-load of three or four hun- dred, and arrive at some point in the South about a week later. In April or May follow- ing, the process could be reversed. I hope that no reader of mine will enter upon either of these propositions on a large scale. Let him feel his way carefully. If one has a little Ford, let him try out the proposition of loading a hundred packages, putting them on a trailer, or, better, in a truck body made especially for the Ford. He could, perhaps, afford to lose a hundred packages and charge up the loss to a barrel perhaps most cases the shipper will guaran- tee safe arrival. If the postmaster at desti- nation reports the bees dead or in bad order, and signs a certificate to that effect, the Fig. 5. — This is a package that has been used with the greatest success in sending bees clear across the continent without combs but on frames of foun- dation. Experience from the tests already made shows that on long distances the bees will draw out the comb, and the queen will lay eggs. In numerous instances we have had drawn comb and young lar- vae on arrival at Medina. See page 532, September Gleanings. shipper, in my opinion, should replace. If the shipper is not made responsible for ar- rival in good condition, he will be liable to become careless. 14 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January. 1919 MOST HONEY FOR THE MONEY A Great 'Difference in Percentage of Honey ^-Received by the Purchaser Be- cause of Size and Kind of Package By H. H. Root DURING times like liiese when it is the certain duty of us all to economize in the use of food, it is almost as important to ef- fect a saving in the cost of the package and in the labor of packing as to make a saving in the food it- self, for providing the package to hold the food is a problem nearly as serious as that of providing the food. Those who are in- terested in making the shrunken dollar go the farthest will do well to consider the effect of the size of the package on the cost of the food contained in that package. While practically all foods are involved, since we are interested primarily in honey, we will confine our attention to the cost of several different sizes of packages for holding the product of the bees. The accompanying table gives a record of the costs of honey in glass jars from three ounces up to two and one-quarter pounds, and in tin cans from the two-and- one-half pound size uji to the gallon. Each is considered in lots of one thousand, in or- der to have a uniform basis for comparison. Since the costs of these packages are chang- ing almost constantly no importance can be attached to these figures save in their re- lation to each other. In other words, it would be unsafe to base an estimate on cost figures for any one size of package to- day. The proportionate cost of the pack- ages and labor for packing, however, re- mains about the same. The honey is all figured at a uniform price of nineteen cents a pound. A little study of this table, es- pecially of the ., , ^ , , percentages in the last column, shows conclusively how the proportionate value of the honey to the total cost of the package increases material- ly with the size of the package. In the smallest-sized jar the honey itself repre- sents only 59 per cent of the cost of the package. In the case of the two-and-one- quarter-pound jar the honey makes up 86 per cent of the total cost of the package. The proportion is still greater in case of the tm cans. It is interesting to note the small cost of the labor and overhead expense in case of the five-ounce jar. This is partly due to the fact that this jar was handled iii such large quantities that the labor was greatly simplified, but primarily to the fact that no label had to be put on, the cap being lithographed. In the accompanying diagram the shaded portion represents the value of the honey compared with the total cost of jar or can. In other words, since in the smallest-sized jar the cost of the honey is 59 per cent of the total cost, therefore the shaded portion is just 59 per cent of the whole diagram, the unshaded portion representing the cost of the package, the labor, overhead expense, etc. As the size of the jar or can increases, Cost Analysis of Various-sized Honey Packages. 2 3 4 5 6 7 •<-> O • -r^ C3 ^^ O CO •M '-' ^ — a oi Ci -^ ^ ^ " ^ o ° ° c'Sc'Ze "-^f^Poo m A^ o a o o ph E-| (^ *^ 3-oz. jar 187.5 35.62 16.12 .44 8.39 24.95 60.57 59. 5-oz. jar 312.5 59.37 21.04 ... 3.81 24.85 84.22 70. 6-oz. jar 375. 71.25 24.24 .44 7.70 32.38 103.63 69. 8-oz. jar 500. 95.00 31.96 .44 7.55 39.95 134.95 70.4 14-oz. jar 875. 166.25 36.34 .65 7.69 44.68 210.93 79. 2^-lb. jar 2250. 417.50 46.38 1.65 19.04 67.07 484.57 86. 21/^ -lb. can 2500. 475.00 45.66 2.43 21.30 69.39 544.39 87. 5-lb. can 5000. 950.00 63.50 2.43 32.00 97.93 1047.93 90.6 y2-gal. can 6000. 1140.00 93.50 1.37 33.60 128.47 1268.47 89. 1-gal. can 12000. 2280.00 170.00 2.03 63.33 235.36 2515.36 91. Costs of various-sized packages of honey in thousand lots. The honey is all figured at 19c a pound. The first column, as indicated, gives the size of the glass jar or tin can. This figure multiplied by 1000 (divided by 16 in case of the first five items') gives the number of pounds of honey in one thousand jars, as in second column. This multiplied by 19 gives the cost of the honey alone as in third column. The fourth column contains the cost of the jars or cans, including the caps or covers. The sixth column contains the cost of the labor, also cost of power, heat, and other overhead expenses. The seventh column is the total of columns 4, 5, and 6. The eighth is the total with the cost of honey added. The percentages in the last columns are obtained by dividing the cost of tho honey iu column three by the tofa] cost in column eight. JANUAEY, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE the proportionate cost of the package (in- cluding material and labor) decreases, and the proportionate value of honey increases. The increase is fairly regular, altho the percentage falls back a little from what gallon and gallon tin cans. This is due to might be expected in case of the one-half the small screw-cap opening, making the labor of filling proportionately greater. This may not be interesting to all bee- keepers; some are concerned only with the problem of jjroduction. And yet, the proper disposition of a crop ought to be just as interesting as the production of that crop. SHAOEp PORTION INDICATES COST OF HONEY COMPARED TO THE TOTAL COST OF THE JAR OR CAW Diag am showing relative value of honey and ccntainer. The shaded part represents the value of the lioney (percentage of honey vahie marked) while the unshaded parts represent the proportional cost of the container. Note how very much larger is the proportional cost of the contiiner in the small sizis. BEES NOT PROVED GUILTY Careful Review of the Known Facts Does '^N^t Warrant the Conclu- sion that They Spread Fireblight By Prof. J. Troop TH E m e a n s 0 f distribu- tion of pear blight, o r fire- blight, or twig- blight, as it is variously called, has long been a m y s t e r y and still remains more or less of a mystery, in spite of the fact that many scientific articles have been published concerning it. Eecently, a num- ber of articles have been written upon the subject the sole object of which seems to be to connect up the honeybee as the main culprit in spreading the disease in our or- chards, and some of the results of experi- ments, which have been conducted along this line, would seem to favor this theory; yet, when all the facts are connected up, the bee usually has the best of the argu- ment. Many people are prone to ignore facts and accept theory instead. For ex- ample, there are good orchardists who have so much faith in the theories which they have heard presented, or which they have read about on this subject, that they would not allow a bee in their or- chards, if it were possible to keep it out. The fact is, about all the evidence we have on the subject is circumstantial, and that is very often far from reliable. It is well known that bees visit apple and pear blossoms for the purpose of obtaining pol- len and nectar, out of which they make food for the young bees, storing the surplus hon- ey in the hives for future use. Soon after the visits of the bees to the flowers, possi- bly indications of the blight begin to show themselves; therefore, according to the rea- soning of some, the bees must have intro- duced the germs, regardless of other possi- ble causes. This reasoning is very much like that other fallacy; viz., that bees destroy ripe fiuit, because they have been seen working like troopers gathering the juice and carry- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE .Taxcarv. 1919 ing it to their hives. Wasps and English sparrows, the real culprits, were not caught at it; hence they go scot-free. Unless our theories will coincide with the facts in a case, they should not be given too much prominence. At the annual meeting of the American Association of Economic Entomologists held at Columbus, 0., in December, 1915, Pro- fessor Gossard of the Ohio Experiment Sta- tion gave the results of a series of experi- ments, in which he showed that the germs of fireblight (Bacillus amylovnrus) would remain alive in honey as long as 47 hours, which would give ample time and oppor- tunity for the bees to carry the germs, which they might have attached to their legs or proboscides, to the apple or pear blossoms during their periodical visits. He says: "A fresh culture of B. amylovorns was inoculated into a tube of unsterilized honey and incubated there from 4 to 47 hours. At the end of the 4th, 28th, and the 47th hours, inoculations were made from the infected honey directly into the tips of apple shoots. These inoculations gave 84, 64, and 52 per cent of infection, respective- ly, as against 0 per cent, in the checks kept for comparison. These tests prove conclu- sively to us that the blight organisms, in honey, can remain sufficiently virulent for 47 hours to produce infection, with the ex- treme time-measure of virulency probably not reached. Tests of this kind were made with fresh apple honey and also with well- ripened honey taken from the hive in mid- summer, and the results were substantially the same." Quoting furthel- from the same article, he says: "It is evident from these results that the formic acid of honey is not imme- diately fatal to the blight organism, and, while we may guess, from the fact that we could get no infection after a certain limit of incubation, that the bacilli simply sur- vive for a time without multiplying, we are unable to reject entirely the possibility of their multiplying in the comparatively raw nectar when it is first carried into the hive and has undergone but little of the curing process. Anyhow, we believe we have prov- ed that if one bee carries 100,000 bacilli into the hive one day, that on the following one or two days, each of 1,000 bees has the pos- sibility of carrying a considerable fraction of 100 virulent bacilli out to fruit blossoms, because practically all the bees in the hive are at work during the night curing the honey. This would seem to go a long way toward explaining the wholesale infection that occurs in the latter part of the bloom- ing period. However, it must be remem- bered that this surmise, as yet, rests' upon inference alone." These results would be very conclusive if it were not for that little word IF. The germs of the disease may be placed in honey and kept alive for some time, but there is no evidence to show that the germs were actually carried into the hive by the bees. nor that any were carried out by them on their periodical visits to flowers. It seems to me that one, and perhaps the most impor- tant, point has been overlooked in this dis- cussion, or else the writers have taken it all for granted; and that is, granting that the bees do get the bacillus in honey, or from some other source, and carry it to the flow- ers which they visit, and so inoculate the nectar, how do these germs get into the circulation of the sap? Does the nectar fur- nish a medium in which they will grow and penetrate the epidermal cells, and so get into the circulation, without further assis- tance, or is it necessary for them to be arti- ficially introduced by some foreign agent? Almost every orchardist knows from ex- perience that he can inoculate a healthy branch with the blight virus by the simple prick of a needle which has punctured a diseased branch, but the needle must actu- ally puncture the bark in each case, in order to be effective. Now, the bee, in securing the nectar, does not break the skin or epi- dermis, but simply reaches down and sucks up the nectar. How, then, is it going to introduce the virus into the tissues of the branch, even tho it may have it on its proboscis at the time of visiting the flowers. If, as some authorities have supposed, the nectar is secreted by glands which have no epidermal protection, in other words, which have a direct connection with the tissues and circulation, it is easy to see how the virus might enter the circulation thru the nectar; but, so far as I am able to ascertain, no actual demonstration of that fact has ever been made, and until it is made, there must remain a doubt in the minds of many as to whether the bee is responsible for the trouble or not. In this connection, I quote from an article written by Prof. J. H. Mer- rill, Assistant Entomologist, Kansas Agri- cultural Experiment Station. He states that, "before the blight can be transferred from flower to flower some agency must transfer the bacteria from the canker to the blossom. The bee would take no part in such a distribution as it passes directly from flower to flower without alighting on the branches, and thus it is hard to conceive how the bee could in any possible way trans- mit the bacteria from the canker to the flower." He further states that, "the wind probably plays little or no part in the dis- persion of the bacteria. In an article in Science, Nov. 1, 1918, en- titled "Pear Blight Wind Borne," the con- clusion is reached from facts given, "that there must have been some agency of dis- persal other than insects, and that insects were not even of primary importance as car- riers. The only tenable hypothesis is that wind was the chief agent of transmission. ' ' Here we have just the opposite conclusion of that expressed by Professor Merrill. It is evident, therefore, that there is still room for investigation along this line. But we all know that the apple aphis, Aphis pomi, makes its appearance quite (Continued on page 60.) .lANTARY. 1019 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 17 pLFRb THE^FIELp 'of EXPERIE STAGE FOLK,TOO, ARE BEEKEEPERS How Hanson fie Drew Enjoy Their Vacations Keep- ing Bees in Michigan ' ' Stage folks. ' ' too, can enjoy bees and succeed with them. In fact, their usual summer vacation period just nicely meets the time requirements for earing for the bees. And what a joyous good time my hus- hand and I have, caring for our pets in the good old summer time! Our vacations are spent at East Jordan, Mich., in a real bee country. We joined the Michigan Beekeepers' Association four summers ago while attending a foul-brood demonstration at Fuch 's apiary in Wolver- ine, Mich. F. Eric Millen of the Michigan Agricultural College showed us how to get rid of foul brood. We had played Cheboy- gan the previous week, and beekeeper L. S. Smith there told us of the foul-brood dem- onstration to be held. We met Mr. Smith while in Cheboygan, and he was more than nice to us, exemplifying the generous spirit of the beekeeping fraternity in general. He invited us to his house on Sunday, when we had a very pleasant visit and talked bees and bees and bees. That was our first season with bees then. We had just bought two colonies about two months previously, and he gave us a lot of most valuable in- formation. This year we began packing our bees Sept. 12, and used Ira Bartlett 's quadruple win- ter cases. Mr. Bartlett could not furnish us as many cases as we needed, so we made three more ourselves. We have 20 colonies of bees, and it took us five nights to pack. We packed four hives (one case) each even- ing, and got them packed Sept. 17. The equinoctial gales arrived in full force Sept. 18, and raged for several days; so we were fortunate in getting the bees packed just when we did. We stayed for the Charlevoix County fair, and took first and second prizes for comb honey. We left that place Sept. 28, and hope to return about May 12, next year. That was the date we returned to our Michigan play-and-work ground last year. It seemed just the right time to unpack the bees. When Editor Boot visited East Jordan last summer I think that Ira D. Bartlett told him of one of our hives that had been turned upside down during our winter 's absence. It had evidently been that way all winter long. Mr. Bartlett righted it for us previously to our return in May (about two weeks before our arrival), and the bees still lived. The queen came thru in excel- lent condition, altho there were only about three frames of live bees found upon ex- amination; but we frequently gave them more brood, and that hive produced four supers of comb honey. It was a colony that originated in a late swarm and was packed in a single packing case a year ago. I have Mr. and Mrs. John T. Carlisle, .stage arti.sts, and their apiary in northern Micliigan. 18 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE JANUAKY, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE marked this hive by an X. It is beside the apple tree. My husband and myself are known to the stage as Hanson & Drew — ^and we are proud to call ourselves beekeepers. Mrs. John T. Carlisle. Detroit, Mich., Nov. 18. A JERSEY SKYSCRAPER A Beekeeper Who Believes That the Honey Crop Can be Doubled While this part of New Jersey is not an extra-good honey country, yet this year has been exceptionally good, our usual five- weeks' flow from the middle of May to the middle of June being reenforced by an un- This colony filled two large supers after this picture was taken, making five large and five small supers besides the brood-chamber, making a hive TA feet high (10 frames), equal to an eight-frame hive nine feet high. usual gentle fall flow lasting two months. I am, therefore, sending a photo showing what a happy combination of locality, good season, good queen, good hive, and good beekeeper can accomplish when only a few colonies are kept. A few years ago I had boats to let, and two fishermen from the city hired a boat for all day. They had all kinds of fancy lines, poles, hooks, and bait, and during the day they caught two small fish. That after- noon a boy from the town, with a sapling for a pole and a piece of white salt pork, caught a nice mess of fish in a couple of hours. What made the difference? That boy is now Harry Edsall, the owner of the hive shown in the photo, which produced 400 pounds of honey this year, while the colony of his next-door neighbor produced less than 10 pounds. What made this differ- ence? The fisherboy used a bait that could be easily seen by the fish; put it in a part of the pond where there were some fish at that time of the day, and moved it around so the fish could not see what it was, and they grabbed it because it moved at just the right speed. The beekeeper put his bait just where he wanted the honey, and kept moving it just ahead of the demand of the bees. He watched the bees and knew what they were feeding on, and knew when the honey flow would begin and when it would stop. Then he knew from sad experience the necessity of a good queen, for two years before he had ten good colonies till Euro- pean foul brood struck them, and then he had only two. So his queens are now all Italians from the best breeders. As for the hive, just look at it and re- member that the bees had to build half the comb from sheets of foundation. The hive is a regular standard hive with three full- depth supers and five shallow supers. More- over, the colony has filled two full-depth supers since the photo was taken; therefore, in all there are five full-depth, five shallow supers, and one brood-chamber, making a hive 71/4 feet high, or the equivalent of an eight-frame hive nine feet high. Notice how level the hive is — no danger of falling over, and no props needed. The two next- best hives had 150 pounds of honey each. Can it be possible that a good queen can make all the difference between 150 and 400 pounds? If .so, then this queen (honey at 25 cents) was worth $62.50 more than any of the others, just as a honey-producer, in one year. I feel sure that the honey crop of the United States could be doubled if all the beekeepers would get the very best queens, and add new ones every j^ear. Let all de- spondent beekeepers troubled with foul brood take heart and get the very best Italian queens they can. In the last two years I have lost half of my bees by Euro- January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 19 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE pean foul brood, and this year I bought 36 queens for 30 colonies. Hereafter I expect to get 50 per cent more honey eaeli year be- cause of the experience I had with foul brood. So, cheer up, you European foul- brooders. Buy good queens and be happy. Hamnionton, N. J. C. E. Fowler. BEES KEPT IN A CITY FOR YEARS How a Trade Worker Has Loved and Kept His Bees Efficiently My father, T. O'Donnell, is now 71 years of age, and has kept bees since he was about 15 years of age, inheriting the fondness for them from his father in Ireland, who also acquired his knowledge from his parents be- distance (not more than 100 feet) at which they are located from a city school of 1,300 pupils, my father's home being at 815 So. Kildare Ave., Chicago. We have never had a single complaint from the school or the neighbors. Scores of beekeepers, some amateurs and some very successful, residing within a radius of 100 miles from our home will recognize this apiary as the one which served as a "hotbed," as it were, for them to draw upon after one or more failures in their 'initial attempts to master the art of beekeeping. These men, no doubt, will give" testimony to the fact that the old gentleman in the picture gave them many good, com- mon-sense pointers to help them attain the success they now enjoy. Mr. O'Donnell's apiary which lias lont? proved a success altho kept within the city limits of Chicago. fore him. Altho working at a trade until one year ago, he has had as many as 52 colo- nies of bees, and seldom if ever lost a colony thru outdoor wintering. Every fall he has pursued the practice of filling the supers with dry leaves, hay, or straw, and placing them over the hive, also regulating the en- trance by means of movable blocks to suit all changes of weather conditions. The hives are packed around the outside with hay and stand on their summer stands for the win- ter. Some knowledge of the quietness of the bees can be gained by observing the short Bee-veils and gloves are seldom used in our apiary, and it is interesting to know that about 90 per cent of our swarms have been hived by my mother while my father was at work. It has always been my father 's rule never to mind how much honey he gets, but how well are the bees supplied with it for their long winter rest. Tliis only goes to prove that he has a natural fondness for bees, al- ways with an eye to their comfort and progress, rather than the financial gain to be acquired thru them. Chicago, Ills. John C. O 'Donnell. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE THE FIRST WAX-RENDERING— OH ! The Man's and the Woman's View or this Inter- esting Calamity Even Mr. Webster must have passed thru the vicissitudes of the first wax-rendering, because in his dictionary he describes wax as "A thick, viscid, tenacious substance, ex- creted by bees from their bodies and em- ployed in the construction of their combs; its native color is yellow, and it has a pe- culiar smell resembling honey, which is de- rived from the honey deposited in the cells." Mr. "Webster also speaks as follows of foreign substances in wax: "When bleached and freed from impurities, wax is white, brittle, and translucent in thin segments, and has neither taste nor smell;" but he does not tell us of what those im- purities consist. That seems to have been the original discovery of the senior mem- ber of a recently established domestic firm of beekeepers, details of which may be found set forth in his diary under the head- ing, "Wax Kendering, " tho the diary of the junior member also contains much val- uable data. His Version. "Tuesday, October 12, 1915.— When old combs are broken for melting, there is so much dirt mixed with the wax that there is no use trying to separate it, unless the wax is tied up in a piece of strong cloth. After the free wax has melted and floated to the surface of the water, the mass in the sack should be put under pressure. This will drive out more wax, which does not float by itself clear from the mixed dirt. This dirt is composed of cocoons, quite a lot of dead bees, more or less propolis, and black stuff that I do not know how to name. When T melted the wax from some old frames I must have had three or four pounds of old comb, out of which I secured three-fourths of a pound of wax, and I melted it three or four times before I could get it free from dirt, altho the wax being lighter rises to the sur- face of the hot water and holds the dirt un- derneath it. When the mass hardens, the wax will be found fairly clean, but adhering to the bottom of it will be the dirt which can be broken oif, in a measure, altho some particles will be incorporated in the under side of the wax cake. ' ' Old combs should be melted in boiling water to prevent the wax from burning, and the work should be done in an outhouse, and old clothing should be worn, because wax is very dirty and clings to clothes or leather or anything else it touches, but it can be washed off with gasoline or benzine. "Since old combs yield not to exceed 25 per cent of their weight in wax, it does not pay to spend one 's time in rendering them, unless one has from 50 to 100 pounds in combs and an abundance of free fuel, since a lesser amount would not pay for the time and expense. ' ' Wax that is almost pure can best be melted in a double boiler." Her Version. "Tuesday, Oct. 12, 1915.— Declared a holi- day for the senior member to take Cousin Sue, who is to remain another week, on a trip thru the valley, and washday for me, because I took her out yesterday. S. M. (Senior Member) rose at 6 o'clock and don- ned his paint clothes. It looked suspicious, and I reminded him of the proposed trip. He said, 'Plenty o' time; car leaves at 10:40,' and disappeared. "8:30. Sweet sickening odor from kit- chen. Investigated. S. M. in preoccupied mood, stirring a curious black mixture in my new granite kettle. "8:45. Smelled gas. Investigated. Kit- chen vacant. Mixture boiled over; flame extinguished; streams of black liquid trick- ling down the sides of stove to floor. En- ter, S. M. Sulphuric fumes mingled with aforesaid odors, as he hastily emptied por- tions of mixture into large blue enamel boiler, re-lit gas and added more black material to both boilers. 'Eendering wax,' he volunteered as the sweetish odor per- vaded the entire house. "9:00. A third cooking-vessel brought into action. "9:30. Mixture poured into my jelly bags and squeezed. Bags burst. Mixture returned to boilers for second melting. "10:00. Cousin Sue in best black, pa- tiently waiting. S. M., 'the world forgot- ten,' and, except for his immediate family, 'by the world forgot,' put the teakettle over the remaining burner. Remonstrated. Abstracted answer, 'in a minute.' Odor more nauseating. ' Men are all like that, just little boys when they are insterested, ' comforted Cousin Sue, from the wisdom of 70 years. "10:45. Cousin Sue sewing strong canvas bags for wax. Car tooting farewell in the distance. "11:00. Mixture boiled inside canvas bags (third time). Thin yellow coating on surface of water. Bags removed, pressed, and hung in picturesque rows on veranda railing. "11:30. 'When do we eat?' from S. M., triumphantly skimming a few remaining flecks of yellow from the surface of water in boilers. 'No luncheon has been planned, and no place to cook it if it had been. You two were to lunch at the Inn, ' I reminded him. And urged by the pangs of hunger, he set the boilers aside, made a swift toilet, called a jitney, and with Cousin Sue, caught the 12:10 interurban. Another proof that a man 's stomach is a sure route to other sensibilities. "4:30 P. M. Order restored. Results: January. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE gas consumed, 80 cents; three boilers scrap- ped, about $2 secondhand vahiation; jitney fares, 50 cents; to say nothing of the loss of my jelly bags, all for a cake of wax that one could buy for 20 cents. Of course, that was not all. There was sufficient to wax the kitchen floor, had not the diabolical stuff been carried on our shoes to other parts of the house. ' ' My old doctor tells me there is nothing so restful to the nerves of a harassed wom- an as scrubbing. That may be true; but just between us, Old Diary Book, I have ordered the plumber to extend the gas pipe into the basement and attach thereto a gas plate." These records disclose the fact that a wax-extractor was purchased for the re- mainder of the wax-rendering. The season 's crop amounted to 20 pounds from the melt- ing of old and broken combs, and the cap- pings from 32 combs of honey — in all, 320 ounces. Allowing i^ ounce each for the 32 combs extracted, or 16 ounces, would leave 304 ounces from 144 old and broken combs, or, 2 1-9 ounces each. It is an interesting fact that difficulty was experienced in removing from the hives old dark-colored combs for melting, be- cause the queen invariably used them for brood-rearing in preference to new clean fully drawn combs. The combs were finally removed by placing them over queen-ex- cluders until the brood hatched. Despite the dead bees, cocoons, propolis, and the dirt that the senior member was at a loss to name, the residue of the old combs, accumulated from the melting in the solar extractor, proved to be an excellent fuel. It makes a quick hot fire. It gives a flame like burning fat. It is especially useful as kindling, and while still damp from the wax- extractor, this mixture, known as slum-gum, may be put in small wooden boxes, pressed down and dried in the sun, and later chop- ped out in chunks when required for use. So, even in the winter months, the cheer- ful glow from the family hearth is a con- tinual reminder of one's erstwhile summer friends, the Honeybees. C. D. Stuart. Los Gates, Calif. IS IT A SAFE PRACTICE? A Mild Treatment for American Foul Brood That Has Proved Successful In 1916 I wrote you that I had cured a colony of bees that was in the incipient stage of American foul brood, by cutting out the cells that were diseased. These cells were limited to three and all on the same comb. You wrote me 'to watch results next year, as I might not have removed all the infected, honey, and the disease might break out again. However, the cure was perfect. Now, I am going to tell you another one that some of your most severe critics may object to before investigation. It is generally conceded that American foul brood is the most dreaded of all the diseases that bees are subject to, not that it is hard to get rid of, but valuable combs and the benefit of that particular colony as a honey-producer for that year are lost. It certainly disheartens one when he finds a few cells diseased in a splendid colony of bees, thinking the only remedy is to shake them on foundation and destroy all combs in that hive. I am now going to tell you how I have absolutely cured four colonies dis- eased with American foul brood, with the loss of only the individual combs diseased, and I still retained the full use of these colonies as honey-producers. Within a radius of one mile from my api- ary there are many colonies of bees in lots of from one to five, about all diseased with American foul brood. Thru the kindness and vigilance of the State entomologist, we got busy and made a clean-up, and I had to keep an eye on my bees almost daily for a time to see that no disease was present. In early June I discovered that four colo- nies out of twenty were diseased, and, as the infected cells were confined to three combs each in two hives, and two combs each in two hives, I decided to apply the "nursery" method. This consisted in plac- ing these diseased combs, bees and all (be- ing sure not to take any of the queens), in an empty hive. This I did about sundown with as little fuss as possible. I then moved all the combs in the former diseased colonies close together, put in dummies on the sides, and closed up the hives. The next day the working bees of the newly made diseased hive went to their respective homes; but there were enough young bees left to take care of the unsealed larvae, and within a few days this nursery hive was running over with young bees. As soon as all were hatched, I shook them on full sheets of foundation, and the trick was finished. The old colonies went right ahead as if nothing had happened to them, and piled up a nice surplus, and in none of the colonies did the disease reappear. I have just finished taking a nice shallow super of honey from my nursery colony, which, I am sure, if added to the surplus I have taken from the old colonies, would bring the average up to normal. I allowed this nursery colony to rear a queen to suit themselves, and they have done a good job of it, for she is now laying well. In fact, this nursery colony is one of the very best in my apiary. What have I gained by this ' ' nursery ' ' method? Let us figure a little. I lost only 10 diseased combs^ instead of 10 diseased GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE ones and 30 that were not diseased, or a total of 30 saved as against 40 lost. I have extracted a nice lot of honey from each colony, including the nursery colony, and gained one colony of bees. Had I applied the old method of shaking in June, what would I now have? I would have four colo- nies of bees that might have to be fed to get thru the winter. J. F. Kight. Indianapolis, Ind. [Some of our readers, especially foul- brood inspectors, might question the advisa- bility of publishing this method of cure, for the simple reason that, while the plan is all right for experts, the average beekeeper, not carrying out the directions properly, would spread the disease rather than hold it under control. We were a little undecided what we should do ourselves. On referring the matter to Dr. Miller, he said: "The care- less man is not likely to try it, for he will not discover the disease till well started; and, if he does try it, he can at the most only prolong the disease. The benefit to the careful man will outweigh the harm to the careless one." We believe that Dr. Miller is right, and therefore we are submitting the plan to the public. We may say that this has been tried before by some good beekeepers, and it has given excellent results. While it is true that the disease may apjjear in some other combs, yet, if the process is continued, American foul brood will be eliminated with little or no expense. It should be under- stood that, while this plan is good for a few stray cells that may appear, it will be wholly inadequate where the colony is badly infected. Nothing short of shaking on frames of foundation will suffice. — P]ditor.] NOVEL MARKETING IDEA Do the Work of Taking Comb Honey Out ot the Super in the Presence of Customers To retail a bit of comb honey, take an un- touched super to a big factory that em- ploys a lot of hands, and open it at the lunch hour. The work of getting out the sections will draw the crowd; and the busi- ness of breaking the propolis, a visible proof that you are opening the original package sealed by the bees themselves, helps give the crowd confidence that this is the real, unadulterated stuff. Women are best customers on the whole, tho men are more apt to take more than one section at a time. Most of what is bought will be bought to take home, but some will be taken for eating with lunches on the spot. In such sales you naturally do not scrape the sections. Purchasers don 't object to propolis under these circumstances, when they see for themselves that it is the seal of the bees' packing and not an accidental defilement by human hands. At the same time, of course you sell better by making a lot of interesting talk about the bees and their work, and among this talk it is as well to get in something about the antisep- tic varnish with which the bees cover all cracks in which germs might lodge. "Anti- septic varnish ' ' is not only a better name for selling purpose than bee glue, but is really more truthful; for it is for the pur- pose of antiseptic varnish that the bees use it, not for gluing; the gluing effect comes incidentally, just as the same result com.es from our own varnishes and paints. That we name it "bee glue" is a piece of the conceitedness of the human race, talking as if the important aspect were that which con- cerns our personal convenience. Give your bystanders scraps of propolis the size of an apple seed or smaller, and tell them to rub these between their fingers and then smell the delicious scent of the woods on their finger-tips. The fact that you don 't scrape the sec- tions nor furnish cartons enables you to go just a cent or two below the grocer's price without being really a price-cutter; but I am not sure of your needing to do it, for you have a good selling proposition without any discount. The question will depend on your personal temperament. Don 't go a nickel below the grocer. It is doubtful whether to make a difference in price between fancy sections and No. 1; but, if you have sections quite imperfectly filled, you give them a dis- count price proportioned to the amount of honey in them, and then they go off all right, especially to the customers who buy for eat- ing with li;nch. Obviously this is primarily a method for the backlotter who can take this super to the factory where he works every day, where personal acquaintance increases every- body's confidence in his reliability, and who can leave the unsold part of the super there to meet the requests that will keep coming day after day from those who want another section, or who did not buy at first, but have now heard from somebody how good it was, and perhaps have been given a spoon- ful to taste. But I don 't see why the large producer, if he has section honey, should not follow this method if he has business in town at such an hour as nmkes this conven- ient for him. If you sell at twelve and a half cents above what the wholesaler would give you (which is a low estimate for this year), and if in 60 minutes you sell a dozen sections (which even a bad salesman ought to do in his first attempt by this method, un- less he had struck a very unlucky factory), that is $1..50 for an hour's pleasant work, and you build up tlie public demand for honey. Stephen T. Byington. Ballard Vale, Mass. January, 1919 gIjEanings in bee culture A BEEKEEP- e r who wants to roar a f o w (]ueen-cells for his own use sometimes puts in the center of a colony having a choice queen a frame filled with foundation. After this is drawn out and filled with eggs, it is given to a queenless colony to rear cells upon. When the cells are completed it is annoying to find often two cells at one point, but on opposite sides, only one of which can be saved. A. Chenowith gives in the American Bee Journal a way that nicely overcomes this difficulty, altho he does not give it for that special purpose. Take two sheets of foundation, place these together with two sheets of tissue paper between them, cut- ting the paper a little smaller than the foun- dation and pressing the edges together. When your cells are ready to cut out, trim off the edges of your comb and the two sheets will readily separate, so there will be no cells on opposite sides of the same comb. » * y A California correspondent writes: "On page 666, November Gleanings, you say, 'Breed from the best; kill all queens that fall below the average. ' Now when is a queen poor?" He goes on to say that some queens start out with a rush and later slack up, while others reverse the process. Well, to decide whether a queen is poor or good, you must not jvulge alone by what she does in any one part of the season, but by what she does — rather by what her workers do — in the whole of a season. From that it fol- lows that you cannot judge by what she does the year in which she is born, for the first part of that season 's work is done by the worker progeny of her predecessor. But in the next year keep tally of every pound of honey taken in the whole season, and if it falls below the average you may count her a poor queen. « * * M. S. Phillipps writes: -'It seems that those skyscraper hives would cause the bees to waste a lot of valuable time going up from the entrance to the top super of honey, for, as all beemen know, the bees will stop to finish all frames of honey by sealing over with wax parts of combs that are unneces- sary. I believe that better results can be had by taking sealed brood from those ex- tra-strong colonies and building up the weaker ones; besides, it is possible to have colonies that are too strong, the bees get- ting in one another 's way by overcrowding. It must take a loaded bee a long time to travel thru a crowded hive up to the 4th, 5th, or 6th super. ' ' It certainly is good policy, under right conditions, to draw brood from strongest to build up weaker, but when skyscraping begins it is supposed that all are already brought up so that there are no weak to help. Isn 't it a mis- take to- think of a field bee car- rying its load to the 5th or 6th super? If it carried honey there, wouldn 't it also carry pol- len, and do you ever find pollen carried to a 5th super? If I am rightly informed, the field bee dumps its load into cells in the brood-chamber, and then the young bees take the thin honey into their sacs and evaporate it by thrusting it out with their tongues, and while doing that they may just as well be promenading up into the top stories to deposit their loads there. I've never seen any striking proof that a colony was too strong. * * » I wonder if I couldn't do something to- ward bringing agreement in that little dis- agreement on page 729. Mrs. Demuth says a day came in late fall when every bee ex- cept the queen seemed to fly. Mr. Crane says, ' ' I watched very closely last autumn, but saw no day when it looked as tho half of the bees flew out; " and the editor says it would depend on the lateness of brood-rear- ing. It might be this way: It so happened that in Mr. Crane 's region there were a number of flight-days at frequent intervals, so that at no time did all the bees feel the need of a flight: in Mrs. Demuth 's region it happened that for two or three weeks there was no flight-day, and when a warm day came all wanted to take advantage of it. That is, the longer the confinement the more bees to fly. Another year conditions might be reversed. "Can Bees Hear? Who Knows?" heads an item by A. I. Eoot, page 739. One day, years ago, a swarm was beginning to enter a hive, if I am not mistaken returning to its own hive, but I wanted it to enter another hive I had placed for it. I moved the old hive to a new place, sonie of the bees of the swarm still calling loudly at the entrance, but in a little while the swarm found it, and began to enter. Quickly I set the hive on a wheelbarrow and started it to traveling about. So soon as it was on the move the swarm left it, but if I stopped it was not long till the swarm found it. I don 't re- member the outcome, but I know that the swarm found the hive every time I stopped. It could hardly be that the bees found the hive by sight, for we know their hive is lost to them if at any time moved a very few feet; and if they didn't hear the continuous call at the entrance how did they find the hive? ■ » * * lona Fowls does not agree with me that there is less danger of bees starving in win- ter in large hives than in small ones, page GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 743. I wonder, Miss Fowls, if we are talk- ing about the same thing. I suspect you are talking about your bees under your man- agement, in which case I agree with all you say, including your conclusion that ' ' good colonies, if suitably packed, will win- ter on even seven frames," and I should hardly quarrel with you if you made it six frames, always supposing they were six heavy frames of honey. But when I am asked, "Is a ten-frame hive better than an eight-frame hive? it is not an experienced beekeeper like you who asks the question, but a beginner who is likely to leave the bees to their own devices in making prepara- tion for winter. Suppose he has 50 colonies in ten-frame hives and 50 in eight-frame hives. It is pretty safe to assume that at the approach of winter each of the larger hives will have two frames of honey more than the smaller ones. In the larger hives the bees may become stranded at one side of the hive and starve, with plenty of stores a|t the other side. There is much less dan- ger of this with the smaller hives. In the smaller hives the total amount of stores may not be enough to prevent starA-ation. There is much less danger of this with the larger hives. When a good colony dies in a ten- frame hive, leaving stores out of reach, I think it is the exception and not the rule. When a colony in an eight-frame hive has insufficient total stores, it is the rule with- out exception that it dies. When I had ten- frame hives it was a rare thing that a colony starved leaving honey in the hive. With eight-frame hives I have had seasons when, without any attention on my part, every hive was so well filled that not a colony was in any danger of starvation; and I have had so poor seasons, especially so poor in fall flow, that three-fourths of the colonies would have starved but for my interference. So taking the average beekeeper with 50 hives of each kind, in the average season, don't you believe that for every colony starving with honey in the larger hives two would starve in the smaller hives? I don't know, and will be glad to change my belief if you give me sufficient ground for the change. [If it is true that the average bee- keeper does not see that his colonies are provided with sufficient stores for winter, then you are quite right in saying such colonies will winter better in the larger hive.— I. F.] * * » That ' ' very exceptional wintering inci- dent, ' ' as the editor calls it, is given by Eva A. Brown, page 722. My first impression on reading it was that the air in the cellar was below the freezing point all winter long, and bees wintered well there. It may not have been so bad as that. With the door from kitchen to cellar open most of the time, it may be that the air was above the freezing point without thawing the vegetables. Still it could not have been much above freezing. Well, if those bees had been on their sum- mer stands, with a uniform temperature of about 32 degrees, we would have considered the conditions quite favorable for good win- tering. Why not in the cellar? Two reasons: the first being that the confinement in cel- lar was much longer than on summer stands, altho we don 't know how much longer. The second reason why bees stand a temperature on their summer stands that they will not stand in the cellar is that the air is purer outdoors. In this case, with the door open between cellar and kitchen, the air could hardly have been very bad at any time, es- pecially as we are told that the air could be be felt moving in the cellar when the wind blew. So, barring the chance for flight on summer stands, why shouldn 't these bees winter well? No doubt the editor is right in calling th« case "very exceptional," and I suspect it is so because it is very excep- tional to have air in cellar about as pure as outdoors. In her interesting discussion of cellar temperatures, page 718, Belva M. Demuth springs something new — at least it's new to me — when she tells us that the temperature of the cellar should be lower toward spring than earlier, because the imeasiness of the bees at the later time makes them raise the temperature of the brood-nest. No doubt she 's right, and it complicates things. She doesn 't say just how many degrees warmer, and I don 't suppose there is any definite figure that will apply to all cases. Anyway, it will be a varying factor, gradually getting lower the longer the confinement continues; and, I suppose, if we keep the bees under the very best conditions the difference be- tween the beginning and the end of winter need be but a few degrees, while it may be very much more if conditions are bad and the bees become very uneasy. Will there ever be agreement as to best temperature for bees in the cellar? Ameri- can Bee Journal and Gleanings say 40 to 45 (altho the former thinks it might reach 50 in the middle of the cellar or between hive- rows) ; Mrs. Demuth thinks somewhere be- tween 45 and 55; and Dr. Phillips says 50. Even if you knew exactly the right point, don 't forget that thermometers vary a good deal. Fin E A N I N G S IN BEE C U T> T U R E 31 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH iiig two distiiu't diseases — American and Europoan — even tho our government special- ists are agreed that the two are quite dif- ferent. Twice the Orange Belt Co-operative Hon- ey-Producers' Exchange has had to call off its annual meeting on account of the "flu." The last date set was Dec. 6, but, as the ban is still in force in Riverside, the meeting has again been postponed. This exchange con- sists of San Bernardino and Riverside Coun- ties, and includes by far the largest orange- honey-producing territory of any exchange in the State. Orange honey is the very ear- liest of our California product and is often on the market soon after our Eastern friends take their bees from their winter quarters. Last winter proved to be one of the mild- est ever known in southern California. For just about one year no rain fell in our part of the State. The eucalyptus bloomed all winter and furnished honey abundantly. Anyone having bees near a large number of these trees found the hives getting heavy with honey in the winter. Some apiarists were able to extract considerable almost pure eucalyptus honey. The bees built up and were strong early in the season. Those who moved their apiaries or already were in reach of the orange groves reaped a rich harvest from that source. After some 20 years of experience, I never expect to see a better honey flow from the oranges than we had last season. December is none too early to begin getting ready for the orange honey. A colony short of stores now will be slow in starting to build up in the spring. There seems to be plenty of sugar available for bee-feed, and, from what I can learn, the beekeepers are quite generally availing themselves of the opportunity of feeding wherever it is necessary. Ordinarily, when honey was cheap, little anxiety was felt as to whether a colony got thru the winter safely or not; but now, with the high prices for the crop of the last two years, it looks as if we really owned something worth while in a few colonies of bees. Perhaps California has experienced in the year 1918 one of the most satisfactory hon- ey seasons in its history. The crop was not a large one; but all got some honey, and many a good crop, while everybody re- ceived a big price. Heretofore beekeeping has been looked upon by the great majority of people of moderate means as a side 'issue along with something else, or as a vocation for an old man, some one who likes to get a little easy money without much work. When some of the beekeepers who had been quietly goin on, ' ' saying little but sawing wood," as the old adage goes, began to deposit ten, twelve, or fifteen thousand dol- lars in the bank as returns for their honey crop), even the bankers began to sit up and take notice. Honey production will here- after be looked upon as a pursuit deserving a place beside other worth-while industries. Many are asking questions and becoming interested in the business. When some par- ties found that the writer had as much mon- ey invested in beekeeping operations as they had in a 10-acre orange grove, they were amazed. They thought that a few hundred ' ' beehives ' ' did not amount to any- thing, and that all a beekeepjer has to do is to work a little during the honey season, take off the honey, and get his money — with nothing to do the balance of the year. Many are now willing to invest thousands of dol- lars in the business in the beginning; while those who have been making a success the past years, have worked up from a very small outlay. War conditions, together with the restrictions on sugar, have caused the public to use honey almost universally. Thousands of people w^ho never used it be- fore have found out that they like this sweet substitute, and they will hereafter use it regularly. People come to my place and hesitate about buying a five-pound bucket of extracted honey, saying that they do not eat much honey and that five pounds would last them a year or two. In many instances they come back in two or three weeks say- ing, ' ' We all seem to like that honey, and it is so good for the children, ' ' and they continue to buy. These things all combin- ed to make 1918 a most encouraging year for the southern California beekeeper. The future of beekeeping was never brighter than it is for 1919. We cannot expect to get the high prices of war times; but we are better satisfied with our pursuit, have a bet- ter standing among the industries, and are well content to make beekeeping our life work. L. L. Andrews. Corona, Calif. * * * In Minnesota.— °" account of the prevalence or influ- enza the State Board of Health placed a ban on all state gatherings; and, consequently, the Minnesota beekeepers were not allowed to hold their annual meeting during the first week of, December as planned. Instead the meeting will be held January 2 and 3, in con- nection with the annual short course at the University Farm — that is. if the ban is lifted in time. At this writing a second wave of the epidemic has struck Minneapolis, and over 20 of the schools have again been closed. The outlook for the beekeeping industry in Minnesota is especially promising at this time. While harmony has prevailed among the various departments in the past, there has been a lack of teamwork. But now, largely thru the efficient work of our spe- cial field agent, Mr. McMurry, plans have been worked out which, I believe, will re- sult in much greater co-operation in the fu- 32 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH ture among the Division of Bee Culture, De- partment of Agricultural Extension, Min- nesota Beekeepers' Association, and the State Apiarist Department. These units will function as in the past, but under the new arrangements each will be an aid to all the others. Mr. McMurry's territory includes Wisconsin with Minnesota. Each alternate month is spent in this State. Be- ginning with January he will start work here under the new arrangements, and we trust that Minnesota beekeepers will rally to his support and assist him in every way possible. He is a man of large vision, and is rapidly getting a grasp of the problems and conditions of beekeeping in the North- west. Chas. D. Blaker. Minneapolis, Minn. In Michigan. Keep after your State legislators. At the com- ing session, let 's try to have an assembly of men informed regarding the interests of the beekeepers. Information is essential in order to secure intelligent legislation. Upon returning from a trip thru the northern counties of the State, Mr. Ewell, extension specialist, reported a large num- ber of colonies outside without protection and with no prospects of any except snow. This is the usual thing all over the State. The time may come when all beekeepers will appreciate the necessity of adequate pro- tection, but the time will never come when all will protect. The superiority of the big two- and four- colony packing cases has been very evident here during the last 10 days. We have had some very bright but cold days. On such days the bees flew from the double-walled hives, and most of them were chilled before returning. But no bees were seen flying from the big packing cases. Surely, those bees which are quiet and remain inside dur- ing such weather are wintering better than those that fly out whenever the sun shines brightly. As this is being written, the prospects for a beekeepers' short course at the College this winter are very good. The course would be designed specially for amateurs and would not be particularly interesting to the professional beekeepers. If sufficient in- terest is manifested in this course, it will likely be made an annual affair at the Agri- cultural College. It is proposed to hold it the latter part of March. Anyone interested should write the undersigned for particulars. The postponed annual convention of the State Beekeepers' Association will be held in Lansing, Jan. 21-23. This date is final and will not be changed. Unfortunately, two Canadian and two Michigan beekeepers did not get word of the change in date and appeared in Lansing on Nov. 19. An in formal but interesting small-sized conven- tion was held in the parlor of Hotel Downey. If a complete jsrogram is not in your hands on Jan. 1, write for one. The following is a brief summary of it. The president 's ad- dress will be of special interest to every one and will be delivered at 1 p. m. on the first day of the convention. President Campbell will have a message which will be of very great importance to every bee- keeper. Be sure to be on time for this. E. E. Eoot, C. P. Dadant, J. N. Harris, and others will discuss the subject of ' ' Large Hives." J. N. McBride, State Market Di- rector, will speak on ' ' Co-operative Mar- keting." Hon. Geo. A. Prescott, Federal Food Administrator, will speak on a subject to be announced later. More topics and speakers are as follows: "The County As- sociation," Miss A. Sly; "Two Queens in One Hive," Arthur Sharrow; "Combless Packages," E. A. Leffingwell; "Honey Re- sources of the Upper Peninsula," B. F. Kindig. Others will be announced on the printed programs. Headquarters will be at the Detroit and Kerns (Wentworth) Hotels. Place of meeting announced on programs. B. F. Kindig. East Lansing, Mich. * # * In Ontario. — :^Y T"f' ^,T^ ^^"^^ had about putting bees in the cellar are past for this year. If I must worry, my energies in that direction will have to be focused on when to take them out. The good friend at the Fenelon Falls yard who had agreed to put the bees in the cellar (bees are 70 miles away from my home) wrote under date of Dec. 5 that he put bees in cellar the week before, which would be the last part of November. Judg- ing by weather here in York County, I think they went in at as good a time as could be had this past fall, for altho No- vember was milder than usual, yet we had no real warm day that would give a thoro flight. The season to date (Dec. 9) has been favorable for outdoor-wintered bees, as we have had little severe weather yet — only a day or two with temperature of about 12 above zero for the coldest. Owing to abundant moisture and a mild fall, clovers have gone into winter season with a good top growth, and present prospects are that the clover in Ontario will be at least of normal acreage next season, pro- vided the winter and the spring are favora- ble. By the term ' ' clovers ' ' I have rather in mind alsike principally, as it is the great yielder of honey here in Ontario. Of course, white clover yields some in many localities, but it is much more fickle than alsike. Then again, white clover, so far as my observa- tion proves, rarely winterkills. The worst kind of weather for this plant usually oc- curs when we have a hot and dry August, .T.VM-ARV. lOlO G L K A N T N G S IN B K K C U L T U R E FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH the plants then being killed out root and branch. A number of Canadian beekeepers have already placed orders in the South for combless packages of bees next spring, pro- vided that prices are not too high. During the last few days some of the breeders have sent out their literature, and prices are certainly not low. Whether they are too high in comparison with the price of honey and other products is another question; but, I venture to say that should the tables be reversed and we were in the South, the chances are that we would quote just as high if in the package business. The dis- turbing part of the situation is not so much the price, so far as I can figure out; but it is a question of being reasonably sure of getting the bees delivered without heavy losses in transit, said losses to be borne entirely by the consignee. True, the ship- pers guarantee safe delivery when sending by parcel post, but on express shij^ments all literature that I have seen so far says em- phatically, ' ' by express, at receiver 's own risk." While it is only natural that ship- pers are anxious to protect themselves against loss, on the other hand it is just as natural that purchasers desire the same pro- tection, and I doubt if many will make very heavy purchases unless those conditions are somewhat modified. While bees will not be admitted into Canada by mail under pres- ent regulations, I understand that the mat- ter is now under consideration of the postal authorities and that a decision is likely to be handed out in the near future. But granted that we get the same ruling as prevails in the U. S. at present, I fail to see how this will helj? the shipper out very much so far as guarding against losses is concerned, as the custom house ordeal will still have to be encountered. Granted that customers are assured of safe delivery by any means of transportation, and prices are not too high, I certainly feel sure that a great volume of business will be done next spring in combless packages of bees, as many beekeepers, both amateurs and pro- fessionals, are contemplating doing business in that line, provided the difficulties in the way are not too burdensome and risky. I have just learned that the Ontario Con- vention will not be held till some time in January. No program has been received as yet, and so I am not sure of exact date. No doubt, the late date is accounted for bj^ reason of the influenza epidemic that pre- vailed in Toronto and other places a short time ago, but which is now, happily, so far as Toronto and vicinity are concerned, al- most a thing of the past. The late date will take away all excuse of being too busy to attend and we should have a bumper at- tendance. I hope to be pardoned for once more re- ferring to another frontispiece of Glean- ings— that of December issue. The picture shown there is, I think, a companion pic- ture of one shown a few months ago. My reason for referring to this matter again is because the pictures taken, of which these are some of the samples, were among my very first efforts at working the camera. I barely knew how to manipulate the ma- chine, and yet the pictures of that first attempt are about the very best ever ob- tained with the machine, altho I have snap- ped scores since that January day some years ago up in the yard near Coldwater. Whether it was because of better films than can be obtainetl now or because I was more careful in getting correct distances, fo- cusing, etc., I am not sure; but the fact is that I have rarely equaled and more rarely ' bettered the results of that first day. In starting out another year, I wish to make a personal statement relative to the matter of answering correspondence that invariably follows writing for any publi- cation. Usually I try to answer all letters; but this last summer, owing to being unusu- ally busy and short of help at times, some letters were never answered. To such as received no answer I would ask your for- bearance, and I promise to try to do better in the future. May all the readers of Glean- ings have a happy, prosperous, and peaceful New Year. J. L. Byer. Markham, Ont. » * ♦ T„ Tfkvic Mention has been made but once or twice m beekeeping literature of bulletin 685 of the United States Department of Agriculture. This bulletin, entitled "Honeybees and Honey Production in the United States," was is- sued last June. Now is the time of the year for reflection, for study and plans for the future; the time for soap-box politicians and stove-league-ball players. The basis for much of the discussing of this bulletin is the 1910 census, but the yearly crop reports are used to bring the data nearly up to date. The portion of this bulletin pertaining to Texas is extremely interesting and should be carefully considered by every progressive beekeeper in this State. First, it is a mat- ter of considerable pride that Texas is rank- ed as the first State in the United States in the colonies of bees, with 238,107 colonies. However, it is estimated that in 1918 this number had been reduced to 192,400 colo- nies. The causes for this very decided re- duction is the first matter to attract atten- tion and should be of great concern to all. We find that the data collected indicate a very great increase in loss by disease during the summer. This may be partly explained by the natural spread of American foul brood which is being reported each year over new territory as beekeeping methods improve and box hives are being discarded. As a matter of comparison it is shown that GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH Texas suffers the greatest loss from disease of anj' State, Oregon being in second and California in third place. The winter losses suffered in Texas are certainly a surprise, as it has always been considered that in this State we had no wintering problem. It is shown that we lose one out of every four colonies in this way. While there are losses somewhat greater, nevertheless our losses are entirely out of proportion for the condi- tions. When the causes for this great loss are investigated it is found that a failing queen heads the list and starvation is sec- ond. These two items have received much consideration during the pa^t fall, and it is indeed interesting to know that these as- signed causes are backed by facts. The honey-production data are very in- teresting, it is stated that during the five- year period of 1913-17 the average produc- tion per colony was 37 pounds. This esti- mated production gives a sum considerably more than it was ever possible to ascertain from trade estimates. In the matter of honey production Texas is comparatively low, due very largely to the low production of 1917. But such excuses do not justify a production as low as is shown. Of the hon- ey produced 69 per cent is extracted, 22 per cent is bulk comb and 9 per cent is sec- tion. Texas has been considered a very large producer of extracted honey, but the tables show six States producing a larger percentage of their crop in this form. Even in this State there has been an increase each year in the proportion of extracted honey produced. Of the honey produced 33 per cent is classed as white, 38 per cent as light amber, 23 per cent as amber and 6 per cent as dark. In 1917 it is stated that 68 per cent of the honey produced was used at home and only 32 per cent was sold to mar- kets outside of the State. There is shown an increased home consumption of honey. The price of honey had advanced but very little in the period under discussion. The source of the honey in this State is equally interesting, and the distribution of the honey flora is shown to be as predicted. Of the liectar-secreting shrubs, mesquite 13 per cent, catsclaw 8 per cent, and quajilla 4 per cent, produce 25 per cent of the total crop. Cotton produces 24 per cent, alfalfa 11 per cent, and horsemint 19 per cent of our honey crop. Viewed from a state-wide standpoint these figures are very interesting and show a different balance of plants than is ordinarily supposed. As to the distribu- tion of the honey-producing plants, it is shown that the south and the southwest sec- tions with shrubs and horsemint produced two-fifths of the total crop. The west section with alfalfa as the principal source of honey produced one-fifth of the crop. The remain- der of the State, given as central, east, and north, with cotton, horsemint, and miscel- laneous plants, prodviced the other two-fifths of the honey. After due reflection on this summary of a vast complication of figures, it should be the aim of every beekeeper to do his part in bettering the conditions and the produc- tion of this State. It was shown that losses were excessive — in fact, as bad as any State in the Union. Let each strive to put Texas again in first place in the beekeeping world, a place justly deserved. Eeports from every section point to the return of normal condition of the honey plants. In the late November the early spring flowers were up better than in April, 1918. The horsemint is abundant over all the territory of its range. Native plants, wild flowers, and trees have all been put in first-class condition by the fall rains. Those beekeepers who put their bees in good con- dition to go thru the winter are sure to have bees on hand for the spring flow. H. D. Murry, well-known queen-breeder, has moved from his home in northern Texas to Soso, Miss. Here he will engage in the early rearing of queens. He expects to re- turn to Texas in time to take up his work here. F. B. Paddock. College Station, Tex. * * * In Florida.— ^^s^^t "«^' ^^""^ ^^^ ^!f * three or tour weeks, as the time for Florida beekeepers to take some action in their own immediate localities to avert a situation which has for the last four or five years been growing into what may at any time become a serious menace to their business. The manufacturers of in- secticides are advertising and advising the citrus-growers to spray their trees while they are in bloom, claiming that by so doing they will secure brighter fruit, and that spraying will help the bloom to set. We, of course, know the fallacy of such claims, but are we doing anything to teach the orange- grower that spraying in bloom is not only a waste of money but also a detriment to his chances of a successful crop? It is true that so long as lime-sulphur sprays are used we have nothing to fear, for these only drive the bees away from the groves, and it is im- possible to spray all groves on a location at the same time. Still we have no guarantee that lime-sulphur sprays will always be us- ed; and it is always possible that a poison spray may be advocated and used by some- one who has given no thought to the matter, and is led by the advice of those whose busi- ness it is to sell insecticides. With white fly as prevalent as it is this year, it may be advisable to warn the orange-growers against allowing any spray to be used on their trees which might be detrimental to the health of our bees. This may be a false alarm; I hope it is, but I don't know. Apopka, Fla. Harry Hewitt. Jantarv. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 35 HEADS OF GRAIN ¥?FROM)apDiFFRPKNT~FrFT^ The Bees and While stationed last the Soldiers. spriugf at Camp Mc- Clellan, Alabama, the bee fever seized those of us who at our homes had been amateur bee-farmers, and our thoughts were often diverted from sol- diering and "squads east" and "squads west ' ' by reports that swarms of bees had been observed in some particular corner of the camp. At such times the most enthusi- astic veterans of Langstroth frames and various kinds of smokers availed themselves of the earliest opportunity to find the alleged swarms. On May 27 there appeared to be an pjiidemic of swarming. One lot of golden- striped beauties had taken refuge in a pile of empty drainpipe quite near my tent, and The horseshoer soldier and his two swarms of bees safely hived in nail-kegs. had lost no time in setting up housekeeping. Some small pieces of comb were construct- ed; but several days later these bees va- cated their new house, leaving no "new ad- dress ' ' at which they might be found. But we had better luck with two swarms which one of our horse-shoers (Pyrhus D. Shelor) installed in a couple of old empty horseshoe-kegs. Both colonies went to work without delay, and before we entrained for a port of embarkation they were safely transferred one night to a farm near by. "While my home is in Spottsylvania Coun- ty, Va., and three summers have passed since my own bees have h;id my attention, yet wherever I happened to camp I have been on the lookout for some of my pets. At Brownsville, Tex., in the fall of 1916, some most primitive hives' were found and photo- graphed. Over here in France so far but three colonies have been seen. They were in the province of Vienne, near Portiers, in August; and even the hives, like nearly all the buildings, were roofed with red tile. The bench on which they rested was perched on the rocks above the roadside along which I hajipened to be traveling. Wm. D. Kichardson, No. 1,296,437, Sgt. Co. E, 104th Amm. Train, American E. F. France, Nov. 6, 1918. Foundation— Do the Occasionally it is Bees Discriminate? claimed that the bees will draw out one make of Weed Process foundation quicker than they will another make of the same process. Are the bees not governed by ex- isting conditions as embodied in the foun- dation, rather than by a discriminating in- stinct that some claim for them? The hu- man being may be led to believe that a cer- tain brand of merchandise excels another brand that is identical in quality, and that is produced from the same materials by the same identical machinery in each instance; liut the bees are not subject to human per- suasion, and, therefore, not influenced in this manner. We have carefully tested out the founda- tion of different manufacturers, our own in- cluded, as well as that of one manufacturer in particular who claims that the "bees take to theirs first," the tests being con- ducted in neighboring apiaries as well as our own. These tests utterly disprove any such claim. We find that the age and weight of the foundation used are foremost among the determining factors. If foundation fresh from the mills is used alongside of foundation that is several years old, the bees will naturally select the freshest foun- dation first. Nor would it be a fair test to use heavy foundation of one "make against lighter foundation of another make. These conditions being equal, our experiments are highly gratifying, as we find the bees do not use the discrimination that is claimed for them. The charm that is claimed for certain foundation did not cause the bees to ' ' take to theirs first. ' ' We shall be pleased to have others verify these results with personal experiments of their own. While we do not claim that our foundation will charm the bees, we do claim that they will recognize its high quality as quickly as they will that of any other make that is manu- factured anywhere in the United States. To state that they will draw it out quicker than 36 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN IT ^OM IJ DIFFERENT FIELDS they will the same Weed Process foundation of other manufacture would not be fair to the other manufacturers of the same prod- uct, unless, of Qourse, we should use founda- tion that is subject to the conditions above outlined, in which event it would not be an impartial test. Superior Honey Co. Ogden, Utah. A Big Queen- Breeder's Apiaries. The apiary of J. P. Moore, the widely known queen-breeder, is situated about a mile from the little town of Morgan, Ky., and comprises some 600 nu- colonies. The winter loss here last season was only 18 per cent, and all colonies are wintered in two stories. The capacity of this yard is 900 queens per month. It will be noticed in the illustrations that all nu- clei are raised about three feet from the ground to prevent backache incident to con- stant stooping. This is no small matter for consideration when the nuclei run up into the hundreds. There are four on each stand. The honey crop was far below normal this year, probably about 12,000 pounds. As a rule, two men run this yard from May 15 to Dec. 15, and one extra man is engaged dur- ing extracting time. The main flow is from sweet clover; but considerable honey is also secured from white clover and locust. Goldenrod and asters furnish a limited fall flow. Albin Platz. Cincinnati, 0. That-Comb-Honey Ratio Again. A corner of Moore's apiary. clei in addition to 285 full colonies. These 285 colonies include an out-apiary of 85 Several times has Dr. Miller puzzled over the relative amount of comb to extracted honey that could be produc- ed by the same number of colonies, and I have never noticed any one attempting to answer the question, altho I believe it is asked sin- cerely, and not with a view to entrap some thoughtless "fly" mind. It appears to me the answer is one of locality, or, rather, of latitude. There might be a place, say Marengo, where the temperatures are so equable, night and day, that the ratio of comb to extracted might be as 2 to 3. An- other place, with colder nights, might make A section of J. P. Moore's apiary at Morgan, Ky., showing the manager and honey house --i i|i known queen-breeder. .ell- January, 1919 GLKANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 37 HEADS OF GRMNlQFiMQir DIFFERENT FIELDS the ratio 2 to 4; but if one were to travel away to the north, where the nights are considerably cooler, the proportion would vary still more in favor of extracted. While I have not tried to raise any comb honey for a few years, I have seen a hot sunnnor when I did get about 50 combs from a hive. But usually it is too cool here at night (and that is what makes the good wheat that brings th« world ehampionshij) to Canada) to allow the bees to break into clusters small enough to produce comb hon- ey, and, consequently, some summers we can not get a single comb except in shallow supers, while at the same time I have got 100 pounds of extracted. "What, in this in- stance, is the ratio of comb to extracted? W. J. Boughen. Valley Kiver, Manitoba. ,©$= Quadruple Double Walled Hives. lustration has been The QuadruDle double- walled hive shown in the accompanying il- used with success by Hugh L. Lynn, Livia, Ky. There are two This Qiuidrupk'd tloul)le-walled liive makes it pos- sible to use summer covers and have the hives of different heights. Tlie brood-chambers remain pack- ed the year round. entrances on the south, one on the east, and one on the west. For convenience in han- dling, the four hives in each group are five Mr. Lynn is careful to have his hives dissimilarly arranged, as A.I. Koot recommended many years ago. inches apart. This makes it possible to use summer covers and to have the four hives at different heights. The roof, or water- table, reaches to within about an inch of the top of this brood-chamber, thus leaving plenty of room for the summer cover, even when no super is being used. It will be noticed that four of the roof boards have less slope than the lower roof- ing, the projecting ends serving to hold the winter case in position. As a winter protection, above this double- walled hive are placed the winter case of leaves and the cover herewith shown. This case is made narrower at the top in order to reduce the size of the roof. This winter case (or cover) paeked with leaves roofs the quadruple double-walled liive. Get Your Price ' ' Tlie Price Ques- for Honey. tion, " by A. S. Brown, page 724, December Gleanings, should be read over two or three times by the crazy fellows who take any old price for their honey. To endeavor to edu- cate people to thinking they want honey, is a fine idea, and is my favorite plan of work- ing. The other suggestion: "When whole- saling, sell at wholesale; when retailing, sell at retail, ' ' will cure a lot of your honey-sell- ing troubles. I have kept bees for seven years and have had no trouble in cultivating a class of trade that pays 25 cents per sec- tion, in spite of the stores and some bee- keepers that persist in selling at 15 cents, or two sections for 25 cents. The past two seasons stopped that nonsense. Two years ago I had 1,500 fine sections. There was no GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January. 1919 HEAPS OF GRAIN TPfioiiirDIFFERENT FIELDS ready sale for me until about Nov. 15, when the hurry-up fellows had disposed of their cheap stores. After that I sold all of mine at 25 cents, and supplied my customers up to Aug. 15, 1918. Hamlin B. Miller. Marshalltown, la. Honey as a It is not often that one Balance Wheel. can find flaws in Dr. Miller 's "Straws." So I grasp this opportunity. On page 602, October Gleanings, he says: "There is an- other reason, likely more important, for having a goodly store of honey in the brood- chamber thru the winter. It serves as a sort of balance wheel equalizing the heat. In ordinary weather the honey is warmed up to something like the temperature of the brood-nest. Then, when the thermometer takes a sudden plunge away below zero, the bees with a big lot of honey do not get the full effect of it because the heat that has been stored up in the honey is slowly given out, and its seems that such a colony should stand the shock better than the one with the empty combs. ' ' This reminds me of the lady that had a newly arrived Swedish girl for a servant. The girl complained of cold feet at night and the lady told her to take a flatiron to bed with her, and in the morning asked her how she got along. The girl replied: "All right — after I got the flatiron warm, but I nearly froze to death while trying to get it warm." Why not use a flatiron or bricks instead of honey? It would be cheaper. The doctor's theory might work all right if he warmed the honey every night, but how about it when the honey gets cold and the bees have not only to warm themselves up (say five pounds of bees), but must also warm up 10 or 20 extra pounds of honey? Then, too, I don't see how in ordinary (winter) weather the honey can be warmed up to something like the temperature of the brood-nest unless the honey is in the cluster, which would apply to only a small part of the honey in the hive. I think his theory would sound better in mild weather, before a cluster is formed, for then the bees and honey would both be in the same atmosphere, so to speak. If, according, to Phillips, the inside of the hive outside the cluster is of the same temperature as outdoors, the bees would get but little heat (if any) from hon- ey outside the cluster — certainly not as much heat as the honey would get from the bees. I am not saying anything against lots of honey in the hive for the bees to eat. Hammonton, N. J. C. E. Fowler. THE BACKLOr BUZZER. Ma says she isn't given to bragging-, but she will say this, that she notices that some beekeepers spend more time these days clipping coupons off their liberty bonds than fringe ofi' their shirt cutts. January. 1919 G I, K A N T N G S IN BEE O TT I. TURK I N discussing large hives the editor of the America n Bee Journal, De- cember, rather questions the as- sertions of some beekeepers that claim to h a v e had queens fill 16 frames with brood. In his opinion part of those frames were rather plentifully supplied with honey. He states his belief that 12 frames, Langstroth size, will provide sufficient room for the best queens. He also says that the younger generation of Dadants are positive that an active beekeeper, with these large hives and a Ford, can properly care for a thousand colonies in different apiaries. * * » "reminiscences of CANADIAN BKRKEEPING." The December American Bee Journal con- tains the following interesting statements by J. R. Black: "When I left the University in 1875, I had a nervous breakdown, which disturbed me chiefly in the prevention of sleep. When the medicine man had diagnosed my case, he said, to my surprise: 'Keep bees.' I asked him, 'Why?' He answered, 'Keeping bees will take you out of your study, away from your books, and give you a sun bath.' — In a few days the doctor came with a colo- ny from his own apiary, and I made a be- ginning in beekeeping." * * * "Forty years ago the late D. A. Jones was easily the most prominent apiarist in Canada. ' ' His big undertaking was a visit to the East, for the purpose of securing for Canada new races of bees superior to the na- tive ones. These he believed he found in Palestine and the Island of Cyprus, and he accordingly returned with a number of colo- nies. These strains were somewhat popular for a few years, but when put in competi- tion with the Italians failed to make good. The Cyprians were too irritable and the Palestinians not prolific nor good honey- gatherers. * * * ' ' While the claim that a purely mated Italian queen will cure any colony infected with European foul brood, may be more than is warranted in the actual issue, it is certain that once such a stock appears in a clean colony its immunity in- future is one of the things to be confidently expected." [We have known of exceptions however. I_ pi * * * ' ' No change in Canadian beekeeping of the past half -century is more marked than the Government's relation to it." * » * IMPORTATION OF THE ITALIAN BEE. The history of the importation of the Italian bee is given by C. P. Dadant in the American Bee Journal. The first attempt at exporting them was made in 1843 by Capt. Baldenstein of Switzerland, when he em- ployed two men to carry a colony of Italians across the Alps. His inability to keep the W^^^^^^^^ 39 race p u r e at- tracted the at- tention of Dzier- zon, who in 1853 also imported one from Italy and from this one colony suc- ceeded in rear- _„ . ing 30 pure queens. Owing to natural barriers it has been possible for the Italians to remain so long pure. The bees of Nice are black, and the change from blacks to Italians is grad- ual from Ospedletti to Genoa. North of these mountains the bees are pure Italians as they are in the entire peninsula. After breeding from this strain for four years, Dzierzon wrote: "This race of bees is still industrious, as beautiful and as docile, as it was the first season. Nay, in several of my colonies, as the result of careful breeding, it is even handsomer, — as I invariably use the brood of the handsomest and most fertile queens for multiplying. ' ' Mr. Dadant states that the first Italian bees successfully imported came from Dzier- zon's apiary and were purchased by Samuel Wagner and Eichard Calvin, in 1859. The first man to import largely from Italy or Italian Switzerland was Adam Grimm. In 1867 he brought over 100 Italian queens. Five years later, Chas. Dadant made a special trip to Italy, but failed in bringing more than 20 to America alive. It was not till 1874 that queens were imported in any great numbers. The early failures, however, taught many essentials of transportation for long distances. Dark honey as food in transit almost always caused diarrhea, and all honeys proved less healthful than sugar syrup or candy. Active field bees stand the trip better than young ones, but there should be some young ones with the older ones. The bees are apt to chill and die if the tempera- ture falls below 60 degrees F. When import- ed they should be kept supplied with plenty of air in special repositories as live animals. Unless there is brood or the food is too dry, water is entirely unnecessary, and pol- len is very injurious, especially if in the honey consumed during transit. ANOTHER PLAN OF SWARM CONTROL. "Variation of the Demaree Plan for Swarm Control, ' ' by W. J. Sheppard, is an article appearing in the December American Bee Journal. The heading is very unfor- tunate, as is also the attempted comparison, since the plan given has no relation to the Demaree plan, there being an entirely differ- ent principle involved. It is possible that the plan has merit, but as to calling it ' ' Demaree, ' ' there are features so radical- ly different that if the plan proves of value, we propose calling it the "Sheppard Plan." The last of May when the brood-chamber is full of bees, Mr. Sheppard places the queen with two or three frames of unsealed brood in the center of a second story over a 40 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 queen-excluder, filling the remainder of the first and the second story with frames of comb or full sheets of foundation. Eight or nine days later all but one of the queen- cells that may be built below the excluder should be destroyed. As soon as the young queen below is mat- ed and laying, the old queen can be removed. If desired, she may be given two or three frames of brood and a good nucleus started, or she may be left until the combs below are partly filled with brood. Eight or nine days after her removal from the second story , any queen-cells started above are de- stroyed. It would seem to us that as the colony became more powerful, there would be a chance of a swarm issuing; but, with the old queen above the excluder and a young one below, Mr. Sheppard says there is little danger. Nor is there any likelihood of the colony swarming, during the rest of the season, since colonies headed by such young queens seldom swarm. He further states that he has found that when the new wire queen-excluder was used the bees, as a rule, would build queen-cells (evidently he intended saying "would not build queen-cells ' ') except when a shallow super was put above the first story and a second wire excluder over that, leav- ing the queen and brood in the third story. If an ordinary zinc queen-excluder was used instead of a wire one, there was no trouble in getting the bees to start queen-cells. « • » "Weak Spots in Inspection," an article in the Western Honey Bee, says Prof. Frank Pellett admits four defects in inspection work: (1) lack of funds; (2) payment of inspectors upon a per diem basis; (3) mis- takes and bad judgment of new men; (4) unreasonable and ignorant beekeepers who defy inspectors. To us 1 and 3 seem most serious. If sufiicient funds were available perhaps poor inspectors would never be sent out, and yet lack of funds is no valid ex- cuse for their employment. The ignorance of such inspectors has completely queered all inspection work in many localities. In speaking of the "rake off" which the middlemen get on honey deals, the Novem- ber Western Honey Bee claims "statistics show that the beekeeper is getting but 35 cents out of each dollar paid by the con- sumer for his honey. ' ' According to this, when honey is retailing at 45 cents, the pro- ducer is getting less than IG cents, and when retailing at 30 cents, the producer gets 10^ cents. « » » ' ' To make success, buy your bees and supplies right, cut cost of production by less fussy methods, winter in the cellar where successful, and sell as much of your crop to retailers and consumers as you pos- sibly can. Save even fifty cents per colo- ny on wintering and get fifty cents per colo- ny's product above jobbers' prices and you will have success if your location is at all good." — F. W. Lesser, in November Horti- culturist and Beekeeper. * * * ' ' The great Miller & Lux landed interests in Central California have at last opened their lands to the advent of beekeepers, which they have always refused to do here- tofore. It is said that a certain beekeeper has a contract to place 4,000 colonies on these properties the coming year. ' ' — No- vember Western Honey Bee. * * * "Beekeeping, insofar as the forage is con- cerned, is practically unlimited in the valley regions between the San Gorgonio Pass and the Colorado Eiver, ' ' says Charles W. Mix- ter in the November Western Honey Bee. ' ' Mesquite, the chief forage for bees in that section, is more plentiful than it was ten years ago." * * * The MacDonald Aluminum Honeycomb Company will soon pass into the hands of a large, corporation, it is stated in the No- vember Western Honey Bee. In speaking of the aluminum combs, the editor holds they are still in the experimental stage but con- siders the invention very valuable. Wild buckwheat or rabbit brush (botani- cally, Eriogonum nudum or leafless buck- wheat) yielded 100 pounds per colony this year in Albert Lane 's apiary in Los Angeles County, according to the November Western Honey Bee. This plant usually does not yield enough for surplus, but when condi- tions are just right a fine white honey of excellent flavor is pr'oduced. * * * A case of selling diseased bees came to the attention of the South Staffs and Dis- trict Beekeepers' Association, who decided to make a test case and, if possible, put an end to such a practice, as stated in the Oc- tober British Bee Journal. The defendant was convicted and fined £3 5s. and costs. This precedent will doubtless be of help to other beekeepers' associations. ' ' I have found that it has cost me about five cents per pound to produce ripe extract- ed honey. This is an average for 13 years with an average production of 15 to 20 tons a year." — F. W. Lesser, in November Can- adian Horticulturist and Beekeeper. * * * "Eelaxation in the sugar restrictions may have some effect on the demand for honey, but hardly enough to affect the demand for honey of this year 's crop. ' ' — M. G. Dadant in December American Bee Journal. ' ' Langstroth needs no monument to his memory, except the fact that he gave free- ly and willingly to his brethren of what he discovered and knew. ' ' — John Moore in The Canadian Horticulturist. c u January, 1919 THE dates of some of the beekeepers' conventions soon to be held are as follows: Kansas State Beekeepers ' As- sociation, Jan. 7 and 8, at the Chamber of Commerce, Topeka; Pennsyl- vania State Beekeepers' Association at Har- risburg, Jan. 22 and 23; Michigan State Beekeepers' Association at Lansing, Jan. 21 to 23; Illinois State Beekeepers' Associa- tion, at Leland Hotel, Springfield, Dec. 17 and 18; Minnesota Beekeepers' Association, Jan. 2 and 3, at Eoom 4, Plant Pathology building. University Farm, St. Paul; New Jersey Beekeepers' Association at Trenton, Jan. 16 and 17; Western New York Honey Producers' Association at the Genesee Ho- tel, Buffalo, Jan. 10 and 11; Ohio Beekeep- ers' Association, Jan. 28 and 29, at Botany and Zoologj^ building, Ohio State University, Columbus; National Beekeepers' Associa- tion at Hotel LaSalle, Chicago, Feb. 18 to 20. It will interest many of the possible attendants of the National meeting to know that Dr. C. C. Miller expects to attend one day. » * * The A. I. Eoot Company of California has recently been incori^orated under the laws of California with a capitalization of $200,- 000. The officers of the new company are: J. T. Calvert, president; Miss Hazel A. Doyle, vice-president and manager; Ernest Andrew, secretary-treasurer; H. A. Sweet, general superintendent. These officers, with C. F. Stone, are directors of the company. The office and factory are located at 1824 East 15th St., near Alameda St., Los An- geles- All kinds of bee supplies and founda- tion are now manufactured at the new plant, and the company has been formed for the special purpose of taking care of the Pacific Coast trade and the Pacific export trade. Stock is being sold so far as possible to California beekeepers. It is hoped to make the new company very largely a California institution. J. T. Calvert, treasurer of the A. I. Root Co., who went to Los Angeles early in October to supervise the affairs of the company in.its early stages, met with a serious automobile accident Nov. 4, in which he had the misfortune to have his thigh broken, a result of which is that he is still confined to a bed in the Clara Barton His- pital at Los Angeles. His full and early re- covery is confidently expected. * * * The U. S. Department of Agriculture, in its honey-crop report for 1918, states that the total crop of the past season was about equal to that of the previous year and only a few per cent below the average of the last five years. It is stated that the crop was unusually good in the East and South as well as in the Rocky Mountain region (ex- G LEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE JUST NEWS Editors 1 c e p t i n g Ari- zona) but poor in the Mississip- ])i Valley region. There was a marked increase in the produc- tion of extract- ed honey and corr espon ding decreases in comb and chunk-honey pro- duction. The increase of colonies since spring is reported as 16 per cent, this being about three per cent less than the losses last winter. The States which suffer- ed the severest winter losses last year were those east of the Mississippi from Virginia and Kentucky northward and in the West- ern States from Colorado and Utah north- ward. At the date of the report, Nov. 21, the condition of strength and healthiness of colonies is 94 per cent of normal, being aver- age for that date. A 100 per cent condition is reported from Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Alabama, and New Jersey, and all New Eng- land is close to that figure. * * * The annual meeting of the New York State Association of Beekeepers' Societies, held at Buffalo on Dec. 3 and 4, was fairly well attended, and the program brought out much of interest and profit. O. L. Hershiser of Kenmore was elected president, and J. H- Cunningham of Syracuse was elected secre- tary-treasurer. » « * Dr. C. C. Miller is the subject of an ex- ceedingly interesting sketch in the Ameri- can Magazine for December. Most beekeep- ers know as much about the Doctor as this article tells, but it will prove exceedingly interesting to a great body of American citizens who are not beekeepers. * » * Apiculture in Quebec is going ahead fast. The American Consul there reports that the yield of extracted and comb honey for 1916 was 3,041,930 pounds, w^hile five years before the total annual production was only 1,- 393,460 pounds. ^ ^ ^ The convention of the Wisconsin State Beekeepers' Association, held at Madison, Dec. 5 and 6, was not largely attended be- cause of the influenza epidemic, but its meet- ing proved exceptionally interesting and profitable. Gus Ditmer was elected presi- dent to succeed N. E. France, and Edward Hassinger, Jr., was re-elected secretary. » » * At the first annual meeting of the bee- keepers of Chenango County, N. Y., Dec. 14, I. W. Bedell of Earlville was elected presi- dent, and T. R. Gordon of Norwich was made secretary-treasurer. It proved an excellent meeting of enthusiastic beekeepers. » * * The annual meeting of the Nebraska Hon- ey Producers ' Association, on account of the influenza epidemic, has been postponed to a future date not yet announced. 42 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 c u QUESTION. — Every morn- ing on get- ting up and examining one of my hives, I find a few dead brood at the entrance. The brood is white and very rarely cut in pieces. There are no symptoms of European or American foul brood, and no cases in the vicinity. You might say that it is chilled or starved brood; but this has occurred in the hot summer, and the colony has always had sufficient stores. Neither is it drone brood. This is the only colony affected. L. Longtin. New Orleans, La. Answer. — The brood has evidently been overheated. Sometimes in a hot climate, if the sun shines directly on the side of a hive, the brood next that side will be killed and drawn out at the entrance. In a large api- ary there may not be found more than one or two in that condition, all depending on the exposure to the sun, amount of ventila- tion, and size of colony. Question.^ — ^In books and in Gleanings various instructions are given about making increase from strong colonies. Now, can you tell us beginners what constitutes a strong, a medium, and a weak colony, in terms of comb-surface area and the density of the bees covering it. Santpoort, Holland. W. B. Wallace. Answer. — When speaking of colonies of bees the terms "strong,^' "medium," and "weak" are used very loosely. Much de- pends upon the size of the hive one is using, and upon the time of the season. Since you speak of making increase you are doubt- less thinking of warm weather, when the same number of bees would be scattered over a much larger space than they would occupy on a cold day in the fall. In fact, a colony that on a warm day would appear to fill a hive completely, might during cold weather cover no more than five or six frames. During the summer when the hive cover is first lifted, and before the bees have had time to rearrange themselves after their disturbance, if it is found that the bees cover all of the frames clear to the outside, it would be pretty safe to consider them a strong colony even before removing any frames from the hive. On removing them, however, one would find the bees covering practically all of the combs pres- ent in an ordinary ten-frame standard hive. If, on this first glance, it is found that the bees cover no more than seven or eight frames, we would call that colony medium; if less than this, weak. As previously stat- ed, it is very difficult to give definite figures for a question of this sort, some beekeepers having colonies much larger than those we have indicated. Questions. — Might I request your indulgence to answer me a few questions concerning the article, "Swarm Control," which appeared in June number of Gleanings? (1) After removinjj original colony from the top of the hive at the end of eight days, will it require any further precautions for swarm- ing other than breaking down cells when the same GLEANED by ASKING 1 Zona Fowls ^^^^^^^^ are found? (2) Tliis colony pro- duces the crop ; will as large a crop be produced per colo- ny as if the plan had not been fol- lowed? (3) May tliis plan be follow- ed more than once in the same season with the same colonies for rapid increase? (I realize that if so, there would naturally be a great diminu- tion of the crop.) (4) If your plan is strictly fol- lowed, as set out in this article, will the swarming impulse be always satisfied and swarming be com- pletely eliminated? (5) If the plan be practiced with a given number of colonies, can the number be doxibled and a normal crop expected the same season ? S. .J. Manchester. Toronto, Can. Answers. — (1) Since only capped cells were removed at the first manipulation, one should expect to find more queen-cells in the top story at the end of eight days. All of these may be removed but one. In the lower hive it is very rare that further cells will be found. (If cells are found in the lower hive, it is usually on account of a failing queeii or because young bees were left be- low at the time the brood was raised. For best results only field bees should be left below.) (2) Larger, for no time has been lost by loafing, that generally accompanies swarming. Also, the colony is larger than would be the case, had they swarmed nat- urally. (3) It should be noted that this plan as described is employed only after queen-cells have been started and usually not until after they are capped; therefore, since the colony seldom starts other cells, after these manipulations, there would be small chance of repeating the operation •with the same colony. It is possible, how- ever, that one might vary the method by ap- plying before queen-cells are started and thus make repeated increase, tho we be- lieve there are much better ways of making rapid increase. The main idea of this plan has been to prevent or keep down natural increase, not to make more. (4) No, there will be a few rare exceptions. (5) We be- lieve any colony will produce more honey, if kept contented and no increase made; still we know of no plan that will result in as large a crop, and at the same time allow increase if desired. Question. — In Gleanings, page 682, a beekeeper of 50 years' experience claims the bees carry out honey in the spring to make room for new honey. Miss Fowls says they do not. What, then, I ask, are the little white grains, that so closely resemble granulated sugar, that they do carry out in the spring? If the frames are examined at this time, some will be found quite dry, but containing many of these little grains. Is not this granulated honey ? Cincinnati, O. J. B. Roebling. Answer. — At any time of the year, re- gardless of the moon, when bees are work- ing on a coarse-grained candy or granulated honey, more or less of it falls to the hive floor; and whenever the weather is warm enough these particles are hauled out of JAXUAKV, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE the entrance. This, in our opinion, is re- moved simply because, unless sutSciently moistened, it is not in suitable condition for the bees' use, and not because there is nectar in the fields. In fact, bees often store new honey right in the same cells on top of the candied honey. If combs of candied honey are removed from the hive, uncapped, dipped in hot water, and returned to the hives wet, much of this honey will be saved that would otherwise be wasted. Question.- — Why are drones tolerated in colonies as late as Deceml>er 6th? Claude Barker. Avilla, Mo. Answer. — Drones maj' be found late in the fall, if there is a late fall flow or if the bees are fed regularly. Otherwise, their presence would indicate the absence of a good queen, and the colony would be found to be queenless or possessed of a failing queen, drone-layer, or laj'ing-workers. Question. — Three of my colonies have foul brood. Do you think that by wintering them with healthy ones in the same room of the cellar, I endanger the healthy colonies? J. B. Bowman. Bridger, Mont. Answer. — If right conditions could be maintained so that the bees would remain contented in their hives, there would proba- bly be no spread of the disease. Still, we would not care to take chances on such a proposition. Question. — At Grand Rapids I became acquaint- ed with a beekeeper that advocates the attic way of keeping bees with no swarming, but I would like to look up the matter some before deciding on no-swarm hives. Will you kindly give me your opinion? Wm. J. Runyan. Coopersville, Mich. Answer. — Bees may be kept in the attic; but this in no way prevents swarming nor has there yet been invented a practical non- swarming hive. From your allusion to Grand Rapids we rather suspect you have in mind the Pearce new method of beekeep- ing. If so, we suggest that you would doubt- less be interested to read a book review as given on page 633 of the October number of Gleanings. Questions. — (1) Would you expect an untested queen from the mails, introduced late in the fall after all brood-rearing had stopped, to do as good work the next year as one that had been intro- duced earlier and had layed a few weeks? (2)1 noticed at different time.s, during the honey flow in some colonies, the bees working under the can- vas quilts made a sound not unlike rain falling on a newspaper. I thought they were propolizing ; but now in fall feeding, with quilts off and clean feeder-boards on, I notice the same sound. The bees are not flying, so could gather no propolis. Could you tell me what they are doing when making that sound? E. C. Hardie. Burford, Ont. Answers. — (1) When untested queens are introduced as late in the fall, it sometimes happens that they do not lay at all until the following spring. However, if fed for a time, they may sometimes be induced to lay even, tho it is late. Whether or not they lay in the fall, we believe that there will be no difference in their work the following spring. (2) This sound may result from the bees performing the washboard move- ment, the cause of which has never been definitely proved, yet we do not know. To our knowledge they make no strange sound when propolizing, for the propolis when gathered is soft. Question.- — Please let me know whether it is in- jurious to people to eat honey that has been thru a solar wax-extractor. Margaret Ullman. Illinois. Answer. — Not in the slightest. The honey will be very thick and have a waxy flavor that is rather pleasant to many, some even preferring it to a honey of more delicate flavor. ANSWERED BY DR. C. C. MILLER. Questions. — (1) Would you please tell me how to rear queens for use in my own apiary next year, as some of my queens are getting to be quite old? (2) How old should a queen be before she is re- placed by a young one? (3) How may I work from hybrid bees to Italian? Can I put tested Italian queens in the hive in place of the hybrid queen, or will the hybrid bees all have to be killed off first 1 (4) M'^hich is the best way to buy bees — in pound packages or in nuclei ? G. T. Pettys. New York. Answers. — (1) In the limited space al- lowed here it would be impossible to tell very much about rearing queens, as it would take a whole book to go into the subject ful- ly. Indeed two very good books have been published on queen-rearing, the first by G. M. Doolittle and the other by Frank C. Pel- let, and you can get either from the office of Gleanings. I might say briefl}^ that one Way for you to do is as follows: see that the colony containing your best queen is built up very strong, giving it sealed brood from other colonies if necessai'y. When the hon- ey flow begins, take out two frames with adhering bees, the queen on one of them, and put them in an empty hive on a new stand. Shake into this nucleus the bees from one or two additional frames for good measure. Ten or eleven days later return the old queen to the old stand, taking away the hive containing the brood and queen-cells, and divide this latter into as many nuclei as you can, each nucleus having two or more frames of brood, and see that each nucleus has a queen-cell centrally located where there is no danger of its being chilled. In about three weeks from the time you began operations you should have a laying queen in each nucleus. (2) Opinions differ, and lo- calities differ. In some localities it may be better to requeen annually; in others better not. In my own locality, which is probably much like yours, I never requeen at all, un- less there is some fault to find with the queen besides old age, leaving the bees to requeen when they like. (3) If you intro- duce an Italian queen into a hybrid colony, you need pay no attention to the worker bees. In a month or two the bees of the old queen will be gone, and all the workers will be daughters of the new queen. (4) If you get them near by, the nucleus may be better, and 2- or 3-pound packages if you send a longer distance. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 c u ^^TT is Dec. 12, J_ a n d we have had six inches of rain and spring is here. Out- doors is a carpet of green and bees are work- ing on blue gum (eucalyptus) and some other plants."— J. G. Harman, San Diego County, Calif. "How is this for a story! My next-door neighbor, a man of veracity and keen dis- cernment, informed me that his great Ehode Island Eed rooster, a proud handsome bird of two summers, had swallowed one of my honeybees and had gone crazy. For three long days my neighbor could distinctly hear the bee buzzing in the crop of the noble bird. At last he could stand it no longer; so, on a Sunday morning when the family was away at church, this good neighbor decided to end the misery of the rooster and also to liberate the unfortunate prisoner. First, this gallant but now crazy bird was made unconscious by decapitation; then his crop was cut open, but before the operator had time to decide what should be done to the inmate, the honeybee, overjoyed by its freedom, made a bee line for the hive. This is surely a new, tough specimen of a honey- bee. Think of it! Three days in the crop of a rooster without losing consciousness, and when liberated returning at once to its old job of making the world a little sweeter! If this stunt is repeated I shall call this strain my Jonah bees."— H. W. Watjen, Bristol County, E. I. (Watjen is a preacher, too. — Mng. Editor.) "Last year we sold honey to grocers in pint Mason jars. This year on account of the increase in the cost of jars and higher price of honey we desired a container hold- ing less than one and one-half pounds and cheaper than the glass jars. In the water- proof fiber cartons we found a container that has proved perfectly satisfactory. At first, the grocers did not know whether the honey would sell as readily as in glass jars and ordered only a small quantity. Filled with white-clover honey the demand has been very good, and not one complaint hasi been made. The grocers like these, for they do not leak and will not break. They do not have to be washed before filling and so re- quire less work than the glass jars. * * * Forty-three of my hives were packed for wintering and fence posts, with wire stretch- ed, seit on all four sides and fodder leaned against the wire to make a wind-break. "^ — ■ D. F. Eankin, Jackson County, Ind. "I started in winter quarters last season with 40 ten-frame hives, and lost only one. The temperature was below zero for weeks at a time. I used no packing whatever. I think my success was due largely to leaving the bottom-boards with the large entrance open the full width of the hive so that mois- BEES, MEN AND THINGS (You may find it here) 3 %j ture c 0 u 1 d es- cape. I had boards 10 inches wide and a little longer than the width of hive laid against the hive over the en- trance so that no wind could blow in. I have some hives with metal covers and some with exselsior covers and did not use any supers above filled with leaves. I think if the entrance is reduced the supers filled with some absorbent above are necessary to take care of the moisture- Why should I change when I am very suc- cessful ill wintering as above described?" — Earl B. Waggoner, Madison County, Ills. "The Chinese consider 6 to 10 pounds of surplus honey a good catch. They are very careless about their bees and let them come and go according to the 'good luck' of the family. You find them in dirty old tubs, un- der the eaves of the houses, hanging over a pigsty, in a hole in the mud wall — here, there, and everywhere. The last colony I purchased cost me 30 cents in gold. I took it out of the kitchen cupboard; bees on one side of the shelf and the basins, etc., on the other side. Next day I was taken to see an- other colony. I found it in an old box under the bed, but the people were unwilling to sell thinking that to disturb the bees would in- terfere with the 'luck' of the place. The bees had been under the family bed for seven years, and the neighbors came round to protest when I thought of removing them. It is not at all unusual to find two queens in one tub. They seem to work on merrily together. Chinese bees are usually quiet and easily managed. I lift them about in handfuls and rarely need to use smoke." — Edward J. Blandford, North-West Kiangsi Mission, Wucheng Ki, China. ' ' On the evening of Nov. 19 I put my 22 stands of bees in the cellar, very heavy with stores of about 100 pounds each. The un- usual weight unfortunately toppled over their base and all fell forward on their fronts with tops and bottoms off, and the cellar was so full of bees that the electric light and kerosene lamp could hardly be distin- guished. With the help of a neighbor I had them all back by 1 o 'clock in the morning. We walked in bees and mashed them, put- ting back the covers and bottom-boards, and I swept up about two quarts of dead bees. How they ever got back and were satisfied I am unable to tell, but two days later the cellar was as quiet as tho nothing had hap- pened; and hardly a hum is now percepti- iDle in the cellar, with the temperature rang- ing from 47 to 53 degrees." — Hamlin B. Miller, Marshall County, Iowa. ' ' My rather carefully kept record ghows this to have been the poorest year for bees since 1884 — 82 per cent winter loss — actual, not estimated. With 20 scattered apiaries January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE under my i-arc I could coino pretty close to a census. * * * Foul brood is also firm- ly established here. In treating it the queen seems to be the point to start from in our research, and the tlow of nectar certainly has a lot to do with both the control and the incidence of European foul brood. I noted with much interest that after the cold win- ter young and high-grade queens became drone-layers. There was a very great mor- tality of queens as brood-rearing started, and laying-workers would appear in 48 hours after the death of the queen. ' 'George W. Adams, Essex County, Mass. ' * I believe, if we could persuade hive- makers to make up hives full one and one- fourth inches thick, the winter-case prob- lem in our latitude (39) would be practical- ly solved. You ask why"? I had occasion to notice many hives in Wirt and Eitchie Coun- ties, W. Va., and invariably the old home- made hives, made from thick lumber, I14 to 1^/2 inches thick, and protected from windsweep, were the ones that had lively bees in them after the hardest winter ever known here." — E. R. Ferree, Wirt County, W. Va. ' ' We have three pests to contend with here, namely: foul brood; the wasp, for which we bait a wire flytrap with a small piece of salmon; and a very small ant. * * * Winter packing is hardly neces- sary for this latitude, as I have a number of stands that have wintered well under a low shed closed on three sides but entirely open to the east, tliis being the direction from which we seldom have any wind. Bees re- main in this shed the year around. ' ' — J. W. Beckley, Marion County, Ore. "In the field around me sweet clover grows eight and nine feet high, and last year I cut and measured one stalk nine feet, ten inches. Along the roadside, it grows to that height. » * * Before tacking the metal on my covers I place several thick- nesses of newspaper between the wood and the metal. I thought this would act as extra insulation. As this cost nothing, I thought I would hand the idea along." — Maurice Grinbh', Toronto, Ont. ' ' The season just past has been one of the most peculiar for several years. The most peculiar feature was that from Apr. 2 to Aug. 25 there was not a day but that the bees had plenty of honey to gather, some- thing I never knew before. However, the honey crop fell short of the average. The spring was exceptionally favorable, but the summer very unfavorable because of cold and wet. ' ' — M. E. Ballard, Delaware Coun- ty, N. Y. ' ' I believe the fact that we are called 'beekeepers' even by ourselves has belittled the honey-producing industry. In using the term 'beekeepers' and 'beekeepers' asso- ciations' the public is not brought face to face with the product of our business. We are 'honey-producers,' and should call our- selves and our associations such." — Ivan Whiting, Sheboygan County, Wis. ' ' We have this year produced 102,616 pounds of honey from about 868 colonies spring count, and finished the season with 1065 colonies that have the largest winter stores ever left, nearly five combs to each colony, besides all they have in the brood- nests, so as not to draw on the sugar sup- ply. I have bought out my father 's interest in the business." — E. F. Atwater, Ada County, Ida. "This winter is starting in much the same as last winter did, with snow from Dec. 1 on. If the snow stays it will be much better than without it. I had to double up half of my colonies for stores. Applied for sugar cards in September and received them in late November. ' ' — Robt. Elwell, Providence County, R. I. ' ' Here in eastern Pennsylvania the bees that survived last winter's severe losses have done well. Many lost all the bees they had. But I recall one beekeeper who had extra-good wind-breaks and his colonies came thru in excellent condition. ' ' — Elwood Bond, Monroe County, Pa. ' ' All the honey has been sold at a good price. At a sale here bees in old boxes sold for $9.00 per hive. A few years ago I bought a hive for $1.00. So you see the bee busi- ness is looking fine here. ' ' — S. T. Bowman, Morris County, Kans. ' ' The beekeepers around here had a very successful season, generally speaking. My own averaged more than 100 pounds started on foundation. These were packages from the South."— C. C. Crosskill, Clarksburg, Ont. ' ' This has been an extra-good year for honey with us. All sold at from 25 to 28 cents for clover and basswood, and 21 cents for buckwheat. ' ' — J. I. Gillman, Locust Hill, Ontario, Can. "The value of clover alone in adding ni- trogen to the soil would justify its use in the crop rotation, as proved by tests here. ' ' Bulletin of the Ohio Experiment Station. ' ' The real beemen are nice fellows. A nervous and irritable man does not stay with the bee work long, as the bees move him on." — E. E. Mott, Cass County, Mich. ' ' My 20 colonies made me a net profit of $319.55 this year. I have the onlv bees in this country.""— C. S- Hall, Bal'a" ":-*-, Ky. ' ' We are having good rains here and look for a bumper crop. ' ' — W. E. Tuttle, Mon- terey County, Cal., Nov. 28. ' ' This is the first time in 30 years I have fed bees for winter. ' ' — Gene Rogers, Se- bastian County, Ark. 46 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 OUR HOMES A. I. ROOT We trust in God. — I. Timothy 4:10. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not. — Psalm 37:35. IN the month o f October, 1878 (just 40 years ago as I wi-ite), when we were putting- up the first brick building just opposite our railroad de- pot, I had the mason put in the middle o f the east front of the building, clear up to the top, a block of sandstone with an old-fashioned straw hive carved on it and right above it were the words in large letters, " In God we Trust." This inscrip- tion is, of course, still there. It is so close to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad that the passengers who go by daily are sure to see it as they take note of the building that is now simply a part of the other buildings of the A. I. Root Co. During the years that have passed there have been many com- ments in regard to this inscription that has appeared for so many years on the face of our coins. Years ago they used to laugh about it; but as time passed and the business grew, and its reputation spread further and further, I do not know but the gTeat busy world began to think it was not only a good thing to have " In God we Trust" stamped on our coins, but that it would also be a fine thing if more business houses had it over their doors, and better still, inscribed on the hearts of the proprietors. I recently saw in the Sunday School Times a statement to the effect that the Times people had published a little book giving the names of the various business firms who had prospered and flourished for a long period of years; and they paid strong emphasis on the fact that these old business houses that continue to grow and prosper were, almost without exception, under the management of a Christian man, and, with few exceptions, a man or com- pany of men who are regular attendants at chu>--'' ond Sunday-school, and many of *■' ..n prominent workers in Sunday-school. Heinze, the pickle man (" 57 different kinds of pickles"), is even yet, in his old age, a great Sunday-school man; and just recently he gave a splendid address to a great convention of Sunday-school work- ers in some eastern city. Some years ago the skeptics used to be fond of saying that there was more crook- edness among church members than among any oth- er class of peo- ple in the world. I have not heard this lately, but occa- sionally we hear something of the sort. The whole wide world has be- gun to realize that not only peace of mind and tranquillity of soul come from trusting in God, but also financial jorosperity — a prosperity that stands the assault of years. Well, what brought this whole matter to mind w^as that at one of our stockholders' annual meetings one of the speakers, in commenting on the legend cut in stone over our first building, said that some years ago there was much talk about adulterated li- quid honey and honey in the comb manu- factured from parraffin and glucose with- out the bees ever having had anything to do with it. Some of our older beekeepers will remember about our offering $1,000 for a single pound of manufactured comb hon- ey, and afterward $10,000. Of course, not even one pound of bogus honey was ever gotten hold of. Well, this talk recalled the fact that once A. I. Root Avas accused of making honey mostly or entirely of glu- cose, etc. Yes, it got into the papers also; and one editor came down to our place and charged me with it. I told him he was welcome to visit the premises and go every- where and look everywhere. When he ask- ed me if I had any glucose on the place I showed him a little bottleful — perhaps half a pound. On another occasion somebody on the street declared that A. I. Root's honey was bogus and all of it manufactur- ed. A lady who had a daughter for many years in my employ called him to order right there on the street. She said in sub- stance: " My good sir, my daughter is in the employ of A. I. Root, and has been almost ever since he commenced business. If he were doing anything of that sort, do you think I would consent to let her work for him, or that she herself would consent to continue in the employ of such a man, es- pecially when right over the front of the building, cut in sandstone, is the motto, "In God we Trust?" Now, friends, I suppose you have the matter clearly before you. Would it not take considerable " cheek " for any man January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE in any business to put up a motto like tliat and then proceed to defraud and ciieat his fellow-nien, especially if his business con- tinued to grow and prosper year after year? Falsehood, "camouflage," and some others of these new things just started with the war, deceive a good many and succeed for a time, in the business of cheating and swindling; but all such enterprises soon get to the end of their string. As I write on this 2nd day of October, Germany is fast approaching the end of the string I have been speaking of. She has managed to get along in her iniquitous ways for an unusual number of years; but her doom is now coming ; and, as I write, it seems to be coming swifter and faster every day. Dear reader, no matter whether you are old or young, man or woman, boy or girl, will it not pay you to remember the legend on the coins in your pocket — "In God we Trust?" and may this not only be writ- ten and stamped indelibly in the innermost recesses of your heart, but may it be your constant effort both day and night to live up to the little precept and to make the great God, who rules in heaven as well as here on earth, your daily confidant, coun- selor, and friend. THE SUNFLOWER : NOT ONLY MILK AND HONEY, BUT PERHAPS BUTTER ALSO FROM THE SAME PLANT. The article in our issue for October in regard to sunflower for silage has brought foi'th quite a little correspondence. About tlie first of Sei^tember I planted some seeds of the Mammoth Russian sunflower to see what it would do so late in the season. To- day, Nov. 8, some of the plants are nearly two feet high ; and one of our cows eats them with avidity. I first gave her some sunflower heads that I found in a neigh- bor's garden. These she devoured eagerly, and aftei-ward chewed up the stalks that bore immature heads. After having got this taste, she eats my young plants eager- ly, and " calls for more." The other cow (we have only two) does not seem to " catch on," and the same is true of the horses, from which I am led to think it is somewhat of an acquired appetite like sweet clover. A Government bulletin, No. 687, records some experiments in regard to using oil from sunflower seeds for human food. This oil compares favorably with any other food oil known ; and if it can be produced cheaply enough, it would be very likely to take the place of butter. Since butter is so high just now (60 to 70 cents) it seems quite likely the oil from sunflower seeds might be eatable. I found the clipping below in the Plain Dealer: "We passed thru an immense field of sunflowers. I looked inquiringly at Richter. ' We extract oil from them,' he explained. ' You will see thousands of fields just like this one all over Germany.' " I have read somewhere that in Russia sunflower seed is a gi-eat staple, the people using the meats in place of animal food, and also using oil. We have some reports in regard to 100 bushels of seed to the acre. From what I can gather, my impres- sion is that it is only occasionally that sun- flowers yield honey in any considerable amount. I shall be vei-y glad to get addi- tional information. The Government bulletin, dated May 25, reads as follows: " The crop was harvested for silage on September 22, at which time on about 50 per cent of the plants the seeds were well formed and in the ' dough ' stage, while the remainder were not so nearly ma- tured. The yield from the plat in which the plants were thinned to 15 inches was at the rate of 16.91 tons per acre, and from the plat thinned to 6 inches the yield was at the rate of 19.42 tons per acre.." My little planting has demonstrated what has already been said, tliat the sunflower stands frost much better than corn. At this date, Nov. 9, we have had no severe frosts here in our locality; and light frosts that cut down the late corn seem to have had little or no effect on the sunflowers. THE ELECTRIC WINDMILL; FLORIDA GARDEN. Day after tomorrow is Thanksgiving day; and it should be, and God grant that it may be, the greatest icorld-wide Thanks- giving the whole wide world has ever known — a thanksgiving with less " booze " than the world has ever known in propor- tion to the population. Noav to come away down to m7j little world, in my modest Florida home you may care to know what makes me more than ordinarily happy. I found my good friend Kaiser had the' elec- tric auto in fine trim, with the batteries well stored and the windmill rejoicing (?) in a new rubber endless belt. The common belt wore out during the summer, and the Goodyear R ubber Co. of A kron, 0., made us a rubber belt which they think will stand Flor- ida warmth and winters. Remember, this is the second auto on the whole face of the earth (so far as T have been able to learn) that is propelled by wind power. I feel a thrill every time I look up at the beauti- ful windmill; and every mile I ride in the electric auto I have a succession of thrills. Both of these beautiful pieces of machin- ery are but the realization and culmination of the two playthings of my boyhood. I think I may confess to you, dear friends, one more reason for thanking God 48 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 from the very bottom of my heart. The companion of my boyhood and kmd counselor of my early manhood is still with me by my side; and still to me, as described in the good book, " Her piice is far above rubies;" yes, indeed, or wind- mills and electric autos. How about the garden? Well, Wesley was offered such big pay (on account of the war) that the garden was nearly a " wilderness of weeds " when we aiTived. He didn't even get around to harvest the corn; but the Florida rats did a very good job, leaving us the cobs to show there was corn. There were two crops that thrived in spite of the wilderness of weeds — the roselle, or " Florida cranberries," of which I have said so much in past winters, and sweet potatoes. The roselle was ready to gather when we arrived. The sweet po- tatoes came up all over " volunteer," and in spading u}? the beds for our crops we find more fine potatoes than we can use at present. Some time in October Wesley planted one bed of Irish potatoes, and there are a few now as large as hens' eggs; but as they are growing thriftily it will not paly to disturb them just yet. Irish po- tatoes in the groceries are 75 cents a peck, and some of them are badly scabbed at that. In the last 10 days we have jDlanted peas, corn, snaj) beans, turnips, onion-sets, etc. ; and with the abundant summer show- ers, all (except the corn) are up so as to present a most beautiful picture from the top of the tower of the windmill, 50 feet high. Why does not everybody down in Florida grow his own potatoes (and other garden stuff) as we do, instead of paying 75 cents a peck for poor ones? I suppose it is because they think it is " too much trouble," and do not love the work as I do. Of course, we may have a frost as we did a year ago; but we have managed so Ave have suffered very little loss by frost so far during past winters. THE FLORIDA HOME; ELECTRIC WINDMILL. Today, Dec. 9, I am 79 years old. Yes- terday I walked fully sis miles, and then, instead of feeling tired, I felt more like walking than when I started. Because the wind didn't blow with sufficient force for several days, the auto " ran out of juice," so Mrs. Root (she is 77) and I both decided to walk a distance of a little over a mile to church — I walked also to the evening serv- ice. It still remains to be tested how many miles per day the average Florida wind will give. GROWIXG YOUR OWN GARDEN SEEDS. Once more I am strongly impressed witli the imiDortance of saving seed from your own garden, especially with beans, peas, and corn. When gathering beans and peas for the table or market, save carefully for seed every pod that is overripe, and when planting time comes another season, just contrast these " home-grown " with what you buy of the average seedsman. Very often we put in an extra amount of seeds, because we have learned by experience that many seeds don't grow. Should they hap- pen to grow, however, you have an expen- sive " thinning out " of the plants. I have just been hoing a row of lima beans, the seed having been brought from Medina. I put one bean just where I wanted a plant, and there is hardly a missing plant in the whole long row. It is just the same with all other seeds of our own growing. Now look at your seed catalogs, and see what you have to pay for peas, beans, and corn. Just a year ago today, we had that awful freeze, the worst in Florida for about 25 years. Today, as I write, the mercury is 80, and tomatoes, beans, etc., are unharmed so far. New potatoes are 90 cents a peck; potatoes shipped in from the North, 70 cents. BEEKEEPING IN FLORIDA UNDER PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. Again and again I have letters asking about Florida as a place for beekeeping, and what part of Florida is most favorable, etc. The following clipping pretty well answers the above : The A. I. Root Company, Medina, Ohio, has paid the beekeeipers of Flo^rida something over $50,000.00 up to the present date for their honey crop for 1918. In answer to the question as to where are the best locations in Florida for bee culture, my reply is that no one can answer. There are certain lo- calities that give tremendous yields during particu- larly good seasons. Sometimes these big yields come from the northern part of Florida, sometimes from the east coast, and again the west coast, and I think there is promise that a great heretofore unexplored or undeveloped field will.be found in the vicinity of Lake Okechobee. Mr. Daniel Ab- bott of Bradentown, Pla., whose principal business is eggs and chickens, keeps 50 or 60 colonies of bees as a sort of a side issue. We have recently paid him over $1200.00 for his honey crop. Mr. Notestein, also of Bradentown, who has something like 150 or 175 colonies, has received from us dur- ing the present summer a little over $1,600.00 for his honey. Of course, the prices are just now away up. A few days ago I asked the price of peaches in one of our Medina groceries. When he replied, I gave a low whistle, and then he said: "Well, Mr. Root, the price is awful. It's just like honey. We iised to sell a tumbler of the 'Airline Honey' for ten, cents. Now it's 25 cents." I didn't find any more fault with the price of peaches. The shortage of sugar has made it exceedingly important that the honey that has been going to waste in the State of Florida, be just now gathered as much as possible. Of course, the price will go down after the war, but so will the price of everything else; but please keep in mind that bees where intelligent- ly managed " both work for nothing, and board themselves." A. I. Root. .lANTARV. 1919 n 1. E A N T N a 8 IN BEE CULTURE 49 American Fruitgrower OCTOBER, 1918 ePLY & HONEY CO., Ltd. — 73 Jarvis St., Toronto, Ont. (Note new ad- dress.) Full line of Root's famous goods; also madein-Canada goods. Extractors and engines; Gleanings and all kinds of bee literature. Get the best. Catalog free. FOR SALE. — Only about 100 dovetailed and 100 home-made hives with about that many supers of each kind left, as per our advertisement in Nov. and Dec. numbers of Gleanings. We offer 30 10- frame dovetailed standard hives, Hoffman frames, new, nailed and painted, $2.00 each; new nucleus and cages nailed, ready for use, 20 3-frame, 25c each; 57 2-frame, 20c each; 28 2-pound cages, 35c each; 148 2-pound cages, 25c each; 150 1-pound cages, 20c each. The Hyde Bee Co., Floresville, Texas. 1 9 H) G h E A NM N G S IN BEE CULTURE 51 FOB SALE. — 1,000 thick top bars, staple-spaced frames, regular, $40. 10-oz. screw-capped jars, 2- gross crates, $6.50 gross. I. J. Stringham, Glen Cove, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Giving up beekeeping — -must sell immediately. Hives, extractor, new honej-cans, foundation, etc. No bees. Price list furnished. H. Hirsch, Box 47, Sta. W., New York City. FOR SALE. — 100 3-story 10-fr. colonies, mostly 1918 Berry queens. Root hives, metal tops, wired frames. Your choice from about 1^0 colonies. Can furnish two good locations for 1919, alfalfa, sweet clover, and heartsease. Harry A. Huff, Chapman, Kans. FOR SALE. — 16,000 sections. Roots' extra pol- ished sections, style 2-beeway, 4 ^4x4 ',4x1%, at 20 per cent discount from January factory prices. 10,- 500 in the flat, balance in glass-side 18-seetion su- pers, with separators. Part have full foundation, some drawn combs, balance no starters. Supers free. D. E. Lhommo-dieu, Colo, Iowa. AUTOMOBILE^^ REPAIR AUTOMOBILE owners should subscribe for the Automobile Dealer .and Repairer; 150-page il- lustrated monthly devoted exclusively to the care and repair of the car. The only magazine in the world devoted to the practical side of motoring. The "Trouble Department" contains five pages of num- bered questions each month from car owners and repairmen which are answered by e.xperts on gaso- line engine repairs. $1.00 per year. 15 cents per copy. Canadian subscriptions, $1.50. Postals not answered. Charles D. Sherman, 107 Highland Court, Hartford, Conn. WANTS AND EXCHANGE WANTED. — Second-hand two-frame Cowan ex- tractor. S. P. Heavlin, Seville. O. "WANTED. — 25 to 300 colonies of bees within 300 miles. E. A. Harri.s, Albany, Ala. WANTED. — Five to fifty bee colonies, in ten- frame dovetailed hives. A. Arnold, Stelton, N. J. WANTED. — Colonies of bees in Georgia or Ala- bama. C. S. Gilson, Dalton, N. Y. WANTED. — Colonies of bees in lots of anywhere from 5 to 500. State lowest cash price wanted. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. WANTED. — Barnes saw, or some saw suitable for small electric motor, for cash, honev, or bees. E. W. Brown, Willow" Sjirings, Ills. WANTED. — Old combs and cappings for render- ing on shares. Our steam equipmpint secures all the wax. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — Would like to buy or work on shares 300 colonies. Capable of managing efficient- ly. Geo. Lesser, East Syracuse, N. Y.. R. D. No. 3. WANTED. — One four-frame extractor, second- hand, in good repair. E. E. Cotant, Stanfield, Ore., Box. No. 22. WANTED. — Foundation machines. State size, kind, condition, when bought new and price asked. Grand Haven Pattern Works, Grand Haven, Mich. One practically new No. 5 Oliver typewriter, per- fect condition: for sale or will exchange for ex- tractor or other beekeepers' supplies. C. F. Strahan, Linwood, Nebr. WANTED. — Beeswax. We will pay for average quality beeswax delivered at Medina, 36c cash, 38c trade. We will pav 1 and 2c extra for choice yellow. Be sure your shipment bears your name and ad- dress as shipper so we can identify it on arrival. The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. WANTED. — Shipments of old comb and cappings for rendering. We pay the highest cash and trade prices, charging but 5 cts. a pound for wax render- ed. The Fred W. Muth Co., 204 Walnut St., Cin- cinnati, O. OLD COMBS WANTED.— Our steam wax-presses will get every ounce of beeswax out of old combs, cappings or slumgum. Send for our terms and our new 1918 catalog. We will buy your share of the wax for cash or will work it into foundation for you. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton. Illinois. ^HNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii^ REAL^ ESTATE FOR SALE. — Edgemont Fruit Farm and Apiary, one mile from prosperous town, highly improved, good buildings, all in bearing orchards" of choicest varieties, from which is obtained a good income. If desired, will include our apiarv, one of the best in the valley. We realized $20.00 per colony the past season. Write for prices and terms. W. A. Dennis, Olathe, Colo. FOR SALE. — On account of failing health, I wish to sell my 80-acre farm, bees and supplies. 40 acres cleared, balance very easy to cle.ar ; iVo miles to town, 1 mile to school; on telephone line and rural route; good new residence and out-buildings: good well of soft wafer in engine room. Bees in 10-frame L. hives, frames nearlv all wired; good supply of supers same size. This is an A No. 1 location for bees and honev. Price $5,000 for the farm, bees and supplies; $3,000 cash, balance on time. This is a bargain. S. D. Clark, Weyerhauser, Wis. BEES^ AND QUEENS Finest Italian queens. Send for booklet and price list. Jay Smith, R. D. No. 3, Vincennes. Ind. Hardy Ita'.ian queens. W. G. Lauver, Middletown. Pa., R. D. No. 3, FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian queens. W. T. Perdue. R. D. No. 1, Ft. Deposit, Ala. No more queens this season. Roofs beekeepers' supplies. A. W. Yates, Hartford, Conn. Well-bred bees amd queens. Hives and supplies J. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each six for $5.00. E. A. Simmons, Greenville, Ala. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from May 15th to Oct. 15; 10 or more, $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwichtown, Conn. THREE-BAND ITALIANS ONLY. Untested queens, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12. $9.00; 50, $35.00- 100 $67.50. H. G. Dunn, The Willows, San Jo.^e, Calif! FOR SALE. — Pure-bred Italian queens ; also a few hundred pounds of bees. Queens ready April 15. Orders filled promptly or monev returned. O. P. Hendrix, West Point, Miss. GOLDEN S THAT ARE TRUE TO NAME Un- tested queens, each, $1.00; 6,. $5. 00; 12 $9 00- 50 $35.00; 100. $67.50. ' ' ' Garden City Apiaries, San .Jovse, Calif. Three-banded Italian queens and bees bv the pound, also nucleus, in Root's shipping-cafes, if preferred, or buyer furnish own cages. ^ Send for price list. J. A. Jones & Son, Hope Hull, Ala. FOR S.A.LE. — Golden Italian queens which pro- duce gentle yellow bees, the hardest workers we have known. Untested, $1.00, tested. $1.50. Wildflower Apiaries Co., Trust Bldg., Little Rock, Ark. Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees; the highest kind, gentle, and as good honev gather- ers as can be found; each, $1.00: 6. $5. on- tested, $2.00; breeders, $5,00 to $10.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, V^; 52 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 Red clover Italian bees and queens in one and two-pound parkases for sale. Bees that produced for N A Kimery of Liberty, N. C, $2,000 worth of red clover seed first crop. The M. C. Silsbee Co., Avoca N. Y., savs: "Bees purchased of you last reason produced over $50 worth of honey per colo- ny 1918 crop." These colonies all headed with our Queens. For truth of this statement we refer you to the above-named parties. We strictly breed for honey-eatherin? qualities and beauty, last but not least'for hardiness. We try to please our customers. Write your needs. May and June delivery H. B. Murray, Liberty, N. C. HELP WANTED WANTED — Good experienced man; also some good helpers. Good chance for willin? workers. * Penn Co., Penn, Miss. WA.NTED — Man who thoroly understands the production of extracted honey, sober industrious and agreeable. Top wages to the right party. f! a. Young, Box 465, Mountain Home, Ida. WA.NTED — Two bright, intelligent hustlers, who want" to learn bee business. Will teach you the business, good board and home in village, and some wages Up-to-date equipment including auto truck. D. L. Woodward, Clarksville, N. Y. WANTED — Men of energy, character, and clean habits, as helpers in our ten apiaries, over 1^00 colonies, crop in 1918 over 100.000 pounds. Best chance to learn. Write immediately, giving age, height, weight, experience, references, and wages. all in first letter. Need one experienced man and students E. F. Atwater, Meridian, Idaho. SITUATIONS^^JWANTED WANTED. — A position in apiary in Southern California, by an experienced hand. Want place to live. Address . ^ „ . ^ i B. C. Crowfoot, Fleming, Box 84, Colo. WANTED — Married man, 29, has had five years experience as beekeepe"|717 r^ A IVTl V This gpecially prepared food = = JJlLX-J ^rVili-'j- lor bees has given satisfaction = = wherever used. If you have any colonies that are short g I of stores by all means iise this candy. Send for circular = = and catalog of supplies. ^ I H. H. JEPSON j I 182 Friend Street Boston, Mass. | iiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiininiininniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiiininiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iimii •T-jT-i-f-^Q We furnish full colonies of bees in r5f<.h,^ chaff or single- walled hives, nucleus colonies or bees by the pound in sea- Prices on application. Ten • oz. screw - cap- jars, two gross crates at $7.50 a gross Bon. ped IJ.STRINGHAM, GLEN COVE,N. Y. iliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH THIS MACHINE Makes Gardening Pay You Can Keep Your Garden in Perfect Condition All Season Without the Tire- some Work. BARKER WEEDER, MULCHER AND CULTIVATOR Is pushed along the rows at an ordinary walk. Blades revolving against station- ary knife (like a lawn mower) destroy the weeds and at the same time break up the clods and crust into a porous, even mulch. For deeper cultivation, it has easily at- tached shovels — making three garden tools in one. "Best Weed Killer Ever Used" The BARKER chops the weeds and up- turns their roots. Works close to plants. Guards protect the leaves. Cuts run- ners. Leaves a mulch which draws and holds the moisture at the plant roots. Send us your name and address on the coupon below and we '11 mail you our FREE BOOK Tells about this wonderful machine and what users think of it; also authentic information on care of gardens. Fill out the coupon and mail it now, or send postal. BARKER M'F'G COMPANY DEPT. 10 DAVID CITY, NEB. Barker Mfg. Co., Dept. 10, David City, Neb. G-entlemen : — Send me., postpaid, your FREE Booklet and Factorv-to-User Offer. Name Postoffice State January, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 53 AROUND THE OFFICE M.-A. O. Floyd Markhain whats secretary of the National Beekeepers ' Association in a let- ter to Gleanins winds it uji tliis a way: "P. S. to M.-A.-O..— I got a dandy skunk last week but I didn 't try any of Mel Prit- chard's 'scentsless' tricks. No! I just kept to the windward and basted him on the head with a stick; but 'just afore I done it' I run away. ' ' Mel, I aint myself a carin about it at all whatever so I aint, nor what else ever hap- pens to you. But are you a likin the way Markham spelt that word that means havin no scent? I wouldn't like the sound of it if I was you so I wouldnt. * * * Some way I have a feller feelin for W. A. Latshaw livin at Clarion, Mich. It's because he seems to be in trouble most of the time that I warin up to him. He 's mostly had trouble with fillin his honey orders and with (Continued on page 55.) Hi^-^i>friiiii ""-m Positively the cheapest and strong-est light on earth. T Used in every country on the elobe. Makes and D^ burns its own eras. Casta no shadows. Clean and W odorless. Absolutely safe. Over 200 styles. 100 to 2000 Candle Power. Fully Guaranteed. Write for catalog. AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE. THE BEST LIGHT CO. ,& =\, 306 E. 5th St.. Canton. O. IIII!]||||||||]|III1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII[|||||||||||||IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^^ BEEKEEPERS ATTENTION!!! iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii [iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiii The use of the best and most up-to-date equip- ment is a big factor in successful honey produc- tion. Begin 1919 preparations by ordering equipment now. Delay spells loss. We have a large stock of high - grade supplies Will be glad to quote prices on receipt of a list of your requirements. Western Honey Producers 1929-1931 Fourth Street Sioux City, Iowa HRONABEi GARDEN TOOLS Answer the cardencr's biif questions: How can I grow plenty of fresh ves- etables with my limited time? How can I avoid backache and drudgery? IRONAGEZ^a^DliUs Do the work ten times faster than the old-fashioned tools. A woman, boy oreirlcanpushone. Manyquick- ly-adjusted combinations. Light, strong and durable, Will help you cut the high cost of living. Broad range of prices. Write us for free booklet today. Bateman M'f'gCo., Box44G.Grcnloch,N > Doul.le ■ Single Wheel Hoe BEE -SUPPLIES FALCO N LINE We carry the largest supply in our section. Send us your inquiries. Lowest Prices, Quality Considered C. C. demons Bee Supply Co. 128 Grand Ave. KANSAS CITY, MO. Bee Supplies AT WHOLESALE CHARLES >10M»K>If;j. I'lant. r'\ I All boxed ready to ship at once ; 275,000 | i Hoffman frames, also Jumbo and Shallow | i frames, of all kinds, 100 and 200 in a box. 1 1 Big stock of Sections, and fine polished i i Dovetailed Hives and Supers. Send for a 1 1 price-list. I can save you money. | g Will Take Beiswax in Trade at p = Highest Market Price. s I Charles Mondeng | I 146 Newton Ave., N. Minneapolis, Minn. | liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 54 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE January, 1919 ^IllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllO^^ lilt = PENNSYLVANIA I BEEKEEPERS \ \ We can supply you quicker and better | I than the factory or any of its branches. | I Order your supplies now. Right near the | I middle of the State, with four railroads | I going in all directions, we promise quick, | I deliveries. I I CARLOADS OF ROOT'S I I GOODS I i Our Special Catalog is something new. | I They are being mailed now. If you fail | I to get yours, drop us a card with your | I name and address. Just the things need- | I ed for beekeepers in Pennsylvania, not a | I lot of other things to confuse. | I Our 22 years' experience in beekeeping I 1 and selling carloads of bee supplies are | I combined in the preparation of this cir- = i cular. I I THE NEW SIMPLEX f I SUPER I I is a feature. It is the P super for the Plain I I Square Sections, greatly simplified. Sec- I I tion Holders and Fences full length, do- f I ing away with the fussy wedges, etc. | 1 Hives. Sections, Foundation, Extractors, [ I Smokers, etc. j I PROTHERO, BAILEY & I GOODWIN I Pennsylvania Distributors ',f i I Root's Bee Supplies \ 1 DUBOIS -:- PENNSYLVANIA I .lANUARV, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 55 Around the Office — Continued gettiu help and with the rest of the world. He seems to be plain spoken too for the oth- er day when writin to a complainer of his 'n concernin his help leavin him and a good share of the human race risin up agin him, Latshaw said: "I assure you that nothing is being done intentional to cause trouble on my part as I have plenty of trouble in the natural course of events without that." Then he tells about honey bein stolen from him and his enemies a pesterin of him and says: "However, now I am getting a line by which I may be able to be dragging them around by the hair of the head before long, then I look for smoother sailing for awhile at least. ' ' I can 't help warmin up to Lat- shaw when I read these deep down senti- ments of his, for they ring true and bile up out of real experience. They aint jest theory like so much beekeepin literatoor is. Mr. Latshaw knows what he 's talkin about, and knows trouble when he sees it, I bet. A man like me or Latshaw knows exactly what it is not to do nothin intentional to cause trouble on our part and yet get it in the natural course of events in bucketfuls con- (Continved on page 57.) SWEET CLOVER White Blossoms; the prreatest monpy-making crop of today Bi(» money lor tlie lurmLTS vvlio grow it. Builds up hino rapidly and produces heavy, money-making crops while domg it. Excellent pasture and hay: innoculates land for alfalfa. Easy to start; grows on all soils. Our seed all best scarified hulled, high-germinating and tested. Qual- ity guaranteed. Write today for our big, Profit-Sharing Seed Guide, circular, free samples. Address American Mutual Seed Co., Dept. 95 1 Chicago, Illinois Hill's Evergreens Grow All hardy stock— twice trans^ planted — root pruned. Pro- ^ tect buildings, stock, crops. Hill's Evergreen Book, illustra- ted in colors, Free. Write today^ 0. Hill Nursery Co.. - Boi 2463 Dundee, III. Evergreen Specialists SWEET. Easy to start. Grows anywhere. Not only a good fertilizer, but pro- duces immense crops. Big money- maker. Crops worth $50 to $125 per acre. Greatest forage plant that grows. You cannot miss it by sowing oui Buperior scarified seed A. A. BERRY SEED CO.. Bo Don't delay writing for our 1919 catalog (116pag:es)and circular giving full par- ticulars. We can save you money on guaranteed seed. 966 CLARINDA, IOWA illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllH ■ THE DOMESTIC BEEKEEPER Successor to the Beekeepers Review, published monthly at Northstar, Michigan, at $1.00 per year, by E. D. Townsend. Published for the honey-producer, by a honey-producer. Eveiry hon- ey-producer should know and subscribe for the Domestic Beekeeper. The Domestic Beekeeper will help you to produce a crop of honey; when harvested, it will help you to dispose of it to a good advantage. Tliousands of dollars have been saved beekeepers by following the advice of the Do- mestic beekeeper in the sale of honey. If you have received less than 25c per pound, in 60-lb. cans, for your best 1918 crop of extracted honey, you are likely not a subscriber to the Domestic Beekeeper, or, have not followed the advice of the Editor. Isn't it about time that you get out of that "rut" and sell your honey to a better advantage? The Domestic Beekeeper for 1919 will advise you from month to month what the Jobber is selling for and instruct you how to secure HIS price for your product, which is usually two or three cents per pound more than HE will pay you. Get neixt to this better way of selling before your 1919 crop is ready for the market, by subscribing for the Domestic Beekeeper at once. From many kind letters received, we will submit three late ones which will give the reader a fair idea of what our subscribers think of the Domestic Beekeeper. Remember that it does not cost Domestic Beekeeper subscribers a cent to sell their honey to a good advantage, as we advertise it for them free of cost. Why not every one of the readers of GiE'T?{^ ITS FREE beveral New Features. WRITE TODAY Based on our experience as the oldest mail order seed concern and largest growers of Asters and other seeds in America. 550 acres and 12 greenhouses in best seed grow- ing section. Our Guide is full of helpful informa- tion about planting, etc. —an invaluable aid to a successful garden. Illustrates and describes leading Vegetables, Flowers, Farm Seeds, Plants and Fruits. This book, the best we have issued, is yours, ab- solutely free. Ask for your copy today before you forget. JAIVIES VICK'S SONS 33 Stone Street, Rochester, N. Y. The Flower City ^Newcastle FOR hardy, vigorous, free-blooming rose-plants get Roses of New Castle. Grown on their own roots in fertile soil Wc are expert rose growers with a life- time of experience back of us. Every desirable rose in cultivation included in our highly select list— an immense stock at right prices. Our rose book for 1919, "Roses of New Castle, " is a completf book on rose culture. ConL-iins information and advice that will help you. Elaborately printed in colors. Send today for your copy— a postal win do. Address HELLEEBEOS. CO.,Boxll8.NewCa8tle,Ind. BARNES' Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circular saw, which is made for beekeepers' use in the construction of their hives, sections, etc. Machines on Trial Send for illustrated catalog: and prices W. F. & JOHN BARNES CO 545 Ruby St ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS BANKING BY MAIL * AT 4% HOW TO Help America BY BANKING YOUR MONEY In these times every true Ameri- can appreciates any suggestion which will assist him to increase his co-operation with our coun- try's cause. One way in which you can help America is to BANK YOUR MONEY BY MAIL with a strong bank such as this. Any funds deposited with us di- rectly contribute to America's financial strength — and you re- ceive 4 per cent interest, com- pounded twice a year. Deposits may be safely sent in the form of check, money order, draft, or the currency; by regis- tered mail. Write for',Detailed Information ' USAVINGS ""< DEPOSIT BANKC9 MEDINA, OHIO A.T. SPITZER, Y'res. E.R. ROOT, Vice-Pres. ,_ E.B. SPITZER. Cashien I ; ASSETS OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS ^BDCSBCC Hit ifjc 64 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Januaby, 1919 Choose either of these shoes and we will send a pair simply on your request. Don't send a penny— no need even for a letter. A post card will do. They are such tremendous bargains that we know you will want to keep them. But you decide after you get them. They go at our risk on approval. This special offer is made because you can't judge the splendid style, quality and value of these shoes from pic- tures. You must actually see them. If you don't consider them startling values, ship them back and and we will refund your money. Great Work Shoe Penny Order This SFioe by No. X15012 This shoe is built to meet the demand of an outdoor city workers' shoe as well as for the modern farmer. Send and see for yourself what they are. Built on stylish lace Blucher last. The special tanning process makes the leath- er proof against the acids in milk, manure, soil, gasoline, etc. They outwear three ordinary pairs of shoes. Y9ur choice of wide, medium or narrow. Very flex- ible, soft and easy on the feet. Made by a special process which leaves all of the "life" in the leather and gives it wonderful wear- resisting quality. Has double leather soles and heels. Dirt and waterproof tongue. Has heavy chrome leather tops. Pay $3.85 for shoes on arrival. If, after careful examination, you don't find them all you expect /I iS^HBdSi^^PS send them back and we "^ will rpturn your money. No obligation on you at all. This is our risk, not yours. Order by No. X15012 Work Shoe Remarkable Bargain Same kind of shoes the soldiers wear. You know that means strong, durable, built for hard service. Will long outlast any ordinary shoes. Lace Blucher style. Special tanning process leaves all the "life" in the leather and gives it wonderful wear-resisting qur.hties; also makes it proof against acids of milk, manure, soil, gasoline, etc. Genuine Munson Last. Wide and comfortable. Smooth, soft, easy toe. Double oak // solid leather soles and double wear leather heels. Color— ^ Tan. The very shoe you want for real wear. Di^s^est Ji value for your money. Stands all kmds of haid u ,age, / wetting, etc. A wonderful outdoor and farm vv^ork shoe bargain. Size 6 to 13. Send today— no mci.ey Pay ^^■.lO for shoes on arrival. See how well made they are. if you don't say this is the biggest shoe bargain you can find. / or if for any reason shoes are not satisfactory, return them '} and we will refund your money. Be sure to give size, and order by No. X16014. Send Today! Don't hesitate a moment. This sent on-approval money-back o'^'er saves you from any risk or obligariar Keep the shoes only if satisfied that they are unparalleled bar- gains. And send while these wonderful bargains are offered. Write today. LEONARD -MORTON & CO. Dept. XI 060 Chicago Order This Shoe by No. xieoi4 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^^ m ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiliiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiin:iiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiinii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin>iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii>Niiiin^ y Be Your Own Judge (I II No matter what the manufacturer CLAIMS, the final decision || II as to whose goods you buy is based upon the quality of the |g li goods you have already purchased. You know better than || 1 1 any one else in the world whether they are satisfactory or not. 1 1 II Satisfaction, together with service, means repeat orders. U II 9 /-< 1 ^^ ^^^^ *^ y^^^ *^^ *^^^ basis. It isn't merely 1 1 II Root S Comb the first order that we want —- it's the re- || II Foundation peat orders that we are looking for. We || II are willing that our comb foundation be |i 1 1 compared with any other make on the market. Then we want | g II you to BE YOUR OWN JUDGE. || II is made by the well-known Root-Weed Pro- || 1 1 Root S cess ™ the same as all other good makes of || II Foundation fo^"iciation. But — j| II Being the originators of this process, as well |i II as the sole manufacturers of the machinery which rolls out |a II the foundation, we have the best facilities as well as the most || II experienced workmen for making this famous brand of goods. || II rni wT ^^ selected from large stocks. Only the best- || II The wax flavored and lightest-colored is used for foun- || li Wp TTse dation. Inferior grades are disposed of thru || II the many commercial channels open to us. |i II SOME MAKERS CLAIM, as a talking point, that they use no acid in j| II refining their wax. After repeated tests, and on the advice of the U II most competent chemists, we have found that nothing will cleanse, |g 1 1 purify and sweeten the wax like melting it in boiling water and add- 1 1 1 1 ing a very small amount — l-18th of one per cent -- of sulphuric acid. | g II After the refining process is complete, and the acid washed out (as |g j I soap is rinsed out of clothes after being washed), tests show that NOT | g i i A TRACE of acid remains. I B The A. I. Root Company Medina, Ohio New York Philadelphia Norfolk Los Angeles Chicago St. Paul San Francisco Indianapolis ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^^ MR. BEEKEEPER YOU CAN HELP | THE WORK OF RECONSTRUCTION 1 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii = I Ordering Your Supplies Now g I . . BY . . M M ordering standard goods so as | M to enable manufacturing plants B M to increase production | B wintering your bees with care- B I ful attention to their comfort g I and safety 1 § Get busy now and make up a list of your requirements M g — take advantage of prevailing transportation condi- g g tions, later on it may be more difficult to secure prompt g g shipment. Remember, every pound of honey produced g g \\dll release its equivalent of butter or sugar for other g g purposes of food. g 1 INCREASE YOUR HONEY PRODUCTION g g THE ITALIANS ARE OUR ALLIES 1 G. B. Lewis Company BEWARE V/HEnC YOU BUY YOUR BEEWARE Watertown, Wis. MAKES THE FINEST Order from your nearest distributor ^iFanings in H^tt (Unltnvt | = Vol. XLVII FEBRUARY 1919 No. 2 = -T'<"f ana L.ultivalor Easy to push, fast, thor- ouKh. low incost. Opens and covers furrow for seed and fertilizer Cul- tivates wide or narrow rows Turns soil and cov- ers scratch foods in pou I- try yards 30 other Iron Age Combinations. Send for free booklet today, and learn how to garden the modem, easy way. BatemanM'f gr Co.,Boi 208 GrenIoch,N.J. RA RDr^nC Most Profitable chick- 04 DntkUO ciis.ducks.geeseand tur- kc.N's. ( hoicc, pure-bred, hardy northern rui.seil. I'owl.s.eHKt^, incubators at low prices. America's greatest poultry farm. 26 years m^iiw in business. Valuable new 112 page Poul- '"■««3S(E,i- try (.;uide and Catalog free. Write today. R.F.NEUBERT Co., Box 837 Mankato, Minn. Special Offer Everbearing I PLANTS ' Strawberries POSTPAID AMERICrS. PROGRESSIVE. SUPERB, FRANCIS, Peerless Some of each while in supply. When sold out of one or more we will send the others. Don't delay. 100 Plants. 81.75; 200 Plants, S3. 40; 300 for $.5.00 Catalog free C. N. FIANSBURGH & SON . . JACKSON, MICHIGAN i][iiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!i!iiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin{iiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii I BE CAREFUL [rrsTor/oran^Bret- | I Rufus Red Belgian Hares | ^ Only Pedigreed Registered Slock. Prices Reasonable ^ j JOSEPH BLANK | = 428 Highland Ave. Mount Vernon, New York ^ iiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Ut 'iii f I li i lit ii4^Slklif. I WHERE CYPRESS HIVES ARE MADE | ^ Mr. Beekeeper: — Let me send you ray Cypress Catalog, explaining the merits of my Cypress goods m U and give me a trial order, and be a pleased customer. Prices are right and the hives are ever- = H lasting in any climate. A large stock of everything used in beekeeping. I am fully ready for = H ordeir,s and will appreciate them. E I J. J. WILDER -:- -:- -:- -:- WAYCROSS, GEORGIA | GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 llilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllll^^ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII M From Central NEW YORK Shipments of Bee Supplies- can be made promptly on time, and freight will be saved thereby. Bee- keepers, as the years go by, are getting in the habit of ordering supplies earlier. This fall we had an exceptional increase of early orders. A few years ago, most, if not all, waited till May and June before ordering, with the result they were not prepared for the season. One of our largest beekeepers of the State made a practice of getting ready during the fall and winter and secured large returns during the s-eason following. In fact, he cleaned up after the year's crop — all separators, supers, and everything piled away nicely. Now he is gone, but left every- thing in good shape. If every one would follow his example, what a large yield of honey would be se- cured. We are glad to say quite a large number do. "Why not, if you have not already done so, estimate your requirements for next season? One of our beekeepers that secured a year ago $10,000.00 worth of honey, this year secured $14,000.00 — a fortune. Why not get in line and get your sliare? F. A. SALISBURY 1631 WEST GENESEE STREET SYRACUSE, NEW YORK Fkhiuarv. 1910 O 1, E A N I N G S IN BEE C U I. T U K E 71 Winter Problem Solved by the Hive with an Inner Overcoat. For your inforniatioii and to l)e convinced of the efficiency of this hive, s'end for a sample. For a limited time one sample hive will be sent set up and equipped as per this illustration at the special price of $5.00. PKOTECTION HIVE, showing how insulation is arranged when no winter rini or chaff cushion is used. A piece of burlap, bagging or similar material is telescoped down over the brood nest between the inner and outer walls with the Inner Overcoats. The Inner cover is laid bottom side up over the Inner Overcoats, providing a dead air space over them. Added insulation is provided, by laying a piece of newspaper on top of the board. Our new illustrated catalog for the season of 1919 and a special circular of the AVoodman Protection Hive, showing 10 large illustra- tions will be sent upon request. Send us a list of your requirements and let us- figure with you on your wants for the coming season. A. G. WOODMAN CO., Grand Rapids, Mich., U. S. A. 72 GLEANINGSINBEECULTURE February, 1919 Anticipate Your 1919 Bee Requirements Now Help Us Co-operate with the Gov- ernment hy Ordering Your Bee- Supplies for Next Season Now. . . Transportation conditions may not permit of prompt shipment later on--Now, of all times, the beekeeper '^ SHOULD NOT PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW WHAT HE CAN DO TO- DAY." You owe it to your country and to yourself to pre- pare at once for the gathering of the 1919 crop. Have You Enough Hives? Have You Enough Supers? Have You Enough Frames? Have You Enough Sections? And have you enough of the rest of the things you will need? The Lewis Factory is now operating night and day to take care of the season's demands. . . . Help us while w^e are lielping you— Place your orders now, so manufacturers and dealers can help their country, your country, you, and themselves by preparing now for your needs. The New Lewis Catalog will be out This Month G. B. Lewis Co. . . . Mfrs. Beeware Watertown, Wisconsin E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 1 EDITORIAL FROM TIME TO TIME, there have come suggestions to Gleanings that the beekeep-"- ers of America If We Can might well set Do It Well. about raising a fund to relieve the sufforiiigs and losses of the beekeepers in the devastated war regions of Europe. These suggestions have come of kind hearts and broail sympathies. Very many beekeepers in America doubtless would be glad to con- tribute, for as much as has already been given by America to relieve the awful suf- fering of Europe, more needs to be given, and many of our beekeejiing brothers across the Atlantic are sorely in need of help. May we observe that if a beekeepers ' fund is to be raised in America for the re- lief of beekeeping sufferers in Europe, it should be a generous sum. The beekeepers who have met with war disaster in Belgium, France, and the Balkans must number many thousands. An American beekeepers ' war- relief fund should accordingly foot up to many tliou^ands, if any substantial relief is to be afforded. To ac;omplish this requires organization and large effort. The appeal will have to be wide and thoro. A considerable executive force will need to be organized in America. On the other side of the Atlantic a trustworthy distributing agency must be found or provided. It is a big work and needs to be done quickly. Yet, so far as any suggestion has reached us, it has con'^isted only of suggestion and en- thusiastic approval of the idea, without of- fering any practical plan of procedure on which the big work may be got under way. Merely approving and asking what is to be done about it, doesn 't get anything done nor does it give evidence of comprehending the size of the job. Gleanings does approve of any practical plan to aiil our brother beekeepers in Eu- rope. But, if it is to be done, it should be well done, for otherwise it would prove a discredit to us as American beekeepers. Therefore we suggest that the National Bee- keepers ' Association consider the whole sub- ject at the annual meeting to be held within a few days. If, after considering all fac- tors in the case and all other relief agencies now at work, it is thought best to make a distinct nation-wide apjieal to the beekeep- ers to give to this beekeepers' cause, it seems to us the appeal could come from no lother source so appropriately as from the National organization. From a letter just received from Dr. E. F. Phillips of Washington, we learn that Mr. Graham-Burtt, Mission Anglo-Americaine de la Societe des Amis, 53 Eue de Rivoli, Paris, France, is interested in this work. We suggested to the officers of the National Beekeepers ' Association to get in touch with Mr. Graham-Burtt in advance of the meeting to be held Feb. 18 to 20 in Chicago, learn what aid is needed by our suffering beekeeper brothers ' ' over there, ' ' how it can best be given, and how it can be most economically and surely distributed. We are for helping our beekeejDer broth- ers in Europe and doing it as a body of bee- keeping brothers in America — if it can best be done this way and can be well and creditably done. Othei'wise, we are not. Our sincere hope is that it can be creditably done. THE ARTICLES on bees and fire blight by Prof. Troop and John H. Lovell printed in this and the Janu- Combat This ary issues should Hurtful be carefully read Fallacy. by beekeepers in order that the facts anrospec'ts 0 f further il e - velopments b e - yond that of any other com- inoinvealth, is where I shall be making my home for the next two months. The beauti- ful climate, the sceuei'y that is the equal of any in the world, and last, but not least, the wonderful beekeeping possibilities, all hold out an alluring hand of welcome to an Ohio editor who, they say, is needing rest and a change. Some Vast Bee Ranges. When I first came here I intended to stay only a month; but when I heard of the vast bee-ranges up in the mountains where there are no bee -, and of other ranges from which carloads of honey are coming, I felt that I must stay long enough to investigate the first-mentioned ranges. It should be stated in all fairness that many and most of them are out of reach, for the reason that there are no roads to them as yet. These ranges of sage and wild buckwheat will never be good for anything but bees; and as soon as they are made available by roads there will be an enormous increase in the production of honey. There is too, so I am told, terri- tory now available that is not occupied. California's Great Beekeeping Possibilities. Eight here let me snv that there is terri- tory here that is o ver sto c'k e d . There is not a particle of need of this, and there should be a law to stop the encroach- ments of poach- ers. I shall stay here long enough to find where there is room for everybody who would like to come out here for his health and the fun of keeping bees. But it is only fair to say that a ten- derfoot may get only expensive experience (of the kind that Josh Billings tells about) without even the fun or funds, for it is not all gold out here. But so great are the pos- sibilities for bees that the Governments of the United States and of the State of Cali- fornia jointly arranged last November and December for a series of short courses in beekeeping in the State, taking in a series of localities. In spite of the influenza, which was bad, the courses, with one excep- tion, were well attended. Beekeepers every- where have declared that they were of great value; and so strong has been the re- quest that they be repeated this coming winter that they will undoubtedly be given again, beginning at Riverside, which, un- fortunately, had a rigid influenza ban when the courses were held there this year. Successful Beekeepers' Study Courses. The remarkable thing is that the bee- keepers — not amateurs but pioneers — sat thru the long sessions night and day for a Fig. 1. — The celebrated Mendleson apiary at Piru, Calif. This is acknowledged to he the prettiest and most orderly keipt apiary in all California. Its owner is very methodical and orderly in his habits. Every- thing must be neat and clean. This is one other reason why he prefers farmerette beekeepers. 76 G I, E A K T X G S IN BEE C F E T U R E February, 1919 Pig. 2. — This is not a gang of highway robbers l:ut a nie,eting of beekeepers wearing " flu " masks. At Visalia, Calif., where there w-as held a short course in beeikeeping, the influenza was so bad that masks were required to be worn indoors where there was any crowd. In one respect this was one of the most remarkable gatherings of beekeepers ever held m the history of beekeeping. The attendance at this meeting would have been much largeT had it not been for the "flu." whole week at each of the places, giving the closest of attention. Dr. Phillips aiid his staff of assistants gave particular considera- tion to bee diseases — how to distinguish one brood disease from another; the potency of education rather than police powers to hold them in control; the need of strong colonies; what might be done in se- curing crops of orange honey at the ap- proach of the flow; the value of pro- tection in a climate where during nights and mornings in the winter the temperature drops almost and sometimes quite to the freezing-point, and then runs up to 70 de- grees during the middle hours of the day. On this last point, M. H. Mendleson, a Fig. 3. — Farmerette beekeepers who worked for M. H. Mendleson of Ventura, Calif., last season, rearing queens and extracting. Mr. Mendleson — who ought to know because he is a bachelor — says this kind of help is the> best he ever had. Tliey are better for queen work and cleanei' in uncapping and extracting than any men that he ever had. Their dress is sane and safe. FEBRrARY. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 77 pioneer beekeeper of the State, said that he had proved to his own satisfaction tliat it paid, and paid well, to give bees protection. It saves brood and saves stores, which, at 25 cents per ]iound, is no small item. A Big Beekeeper and His Work. Speaking of ^lendleson, he is one of the beekeepers whom I helped in his extracting in 1901, and who proved to mo that the big extractors should be run with an engine and not by hand power. After he had "work- ed" me all day in iurning the crank he gave the boys the tip to flood me with combs — and they did. Let me now introduce you to his farmer- ette beekeepers, who, he says, are better than boys or men for all beework except taking combs from the hives and lifting and toting supers to the extracting-house. These farmerettes include one dressmaker, one schoolteacher, a nurse, and the mother of a boy in France. The suit without a blouse, says one of the "ettes, " is a Peggy Jane. The other suits with a blouse are one-piece overalls gathered at the shoe-tops. Farmer- ettes are so common in the West that they do not attract attention. The girls go in these suits from yard to yard. Mr. Mendleson has some 800 colonies, and one year produced over 100 tons of honey. f'ig. 4. — The beekeepers who took the beekeeping short course at San Diego, Cal., for the week of Nov. 23 to 30. At the close of one of the sessions tliey came out in front of the building where the picture was taken. In addition to producing honey he is now raising queens; and beekeepers out here tell me that the farmerette brand are of the very best — both the kind that the beekeeper wants to cook his meals and the kind that he puts in his hives. Of the former, Men- dleson says he positively has none to spare. He may need more, as some have swarmed out already. Fig. 5. — This picture shows the staff of speakers (excepting Prof. Coleman of the University of California) at the short beekeeping courses given at various jjlaces in California. Beginning on the left, the speakers are Geo. S. Demuth and Dr. E. P. Phillips of the Bureau of Entomology; Frank C. Pellett of the American Bee Journal; Jay Smith, special Government field agent in beekeeping for California; E. R. Root of this .iournal; and M. H. Mendleson of Ventura, Calif. Just as the camera was clicking Jay Smith made a re- mark causing a smile that wouldn't come off from the face of Mr. Root. The Jay, as he was called, had a habit of bubbling over now and then. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 THE BEES ARE NOT GUILTY discovery of the True Agencies of Spreading Fire Blight and the Exon- eration of the Honeybee By John H. Lovell ABOUT a score of years ago bees were accus- ed of being a se- rious factor in the spread o f fire blight. Al- tho this charge was b a s e d on wholly insufficient observation and experi- ment," it was generally accepted, doubtless, as Merrill observes, because bees are so abundant in orchards at blooming time. By tending to check the growth of bee culture this belief has been injurious to both bee- keepers and fruit-growers. But during the last half-dozen years evidence has rapidly accumulated, which shows that blight is spread by other agencies and fully exoner- ates the honevbee. The Nature of Fire Blight. Fire blight is a bacterial disease, which attacks th« twigs and ends of the branches of apple and pear trees and blights the leaves and flowers. If not checked it may extend to the entire branch, or may finally even kill the tree. Usually the infections die out in a few weeks; but, here and there, at the point where the dead limb joins the living wood, a few survive the winter. In the spring they resume their activity and exude a gummy substance filled with germs. They are called "hold-over can- kers." From these cankers the germs are widely disseminated thru the orchard, and a new outbreak of blight follows. The question at once arises, what agencies act as carriers of the germs. It is certain that the honeybee is not one of them, for it re- stricts its visits entirely to the bloom of the trees. There is not a single instance on record of a bee visiting the exuding can- kers. Nor is it claimed that they do. Dur- ing three years' close observation at bloom- ing time W. A. Ruth did not observe a sin- gle case of an insect visiting the exuding cankers. It has been suggested that ants, which roam everywhere, may carry the blight bacteria to plant lice feeding on the leaves; but this supposition does iiot appear to be based on direct observation. It is probable that the wind, not insects, as will be shown later, is the chief agent in their distribution. When Outbreaks Occcur. There may be repeated outbreaks of fire blight in April, May, June, July, and Aug- ust; but the chief months for blight are May, June, and July. Thus this disease is by no means confined to the blooming time of the apple and pear. Clearly the ap- pearance of fire blight, when there ^ is no bloom on the trees, '-an not be attributed to the honeybee, for it can prove an alibi; it is busy elsewhere. Yet these outbreaks are as severe as, or more so than those which occur in blooming time. Leaf Hoppers Important Carriers. IiT a paper on the control of fire blight by A. C. Burrill, ])ublished in Phytopathology, Dec., 1915, there was described a series of experi- ments, which shows that aphids, or plant lice, and leaf hoppers carried the infection from blighted leaves to perfectly healthy shoots of the wild crab apple. After five years' experience Burrill believes that in the orchards and nurseries of Wisconsin leaf hoppers (Em- podtica mali) are the most important car- riers of blight during July and August. Plant Lice Chief Distributors. In Kansas, according to J. H. Merrill, (Bee Inspector 's Report, Iowa, 1916, page 33) plant lice, which are the most common and widespread siK'king insects in Kansas orchards, ha\'e been found to be the chief distributors of blight bacteria. Aphids, which had been permitted to crawl thru pure cultures of fire blight, were then plac- ed on terminal twigs and enclosed in cheese- cloth to exclude all other insects. These twigs blighted and were the only ones that did. Furthermore, it has been observed that in seasons diiring which plant lice are most abundant, fire blight is also most prevalent. In 1913 in K^ansas orchards they were very common and so was fire blight; but in orchards in which they were controlled there was little blight. In 1914 there were few aphids and little blight, and this reciprocal relation was again notice- able in 1915 and 1916. Merrill says that the amount of blight can be decreased by controlling the aphids. Stewart also ob- served that in apple nurseries fire-blight epidemics follow rapidly in the wake of aphid epidemics. Sucking Insects Important Distributors. In New York orchards in July, accordinrr to Stewart, the tarnished plant bug and several other sucking insects are important distributors of blight. Finally D. H. Jones has added to the list a beetle of the genus f^coh/fiis, and on further observation many other insect carriers will doubtless be dis- covered. There is no lack of puncturing and biting insects in immense numbers, which, it is certain, are active in spreading fire blight. Bees Never Puncture Leaves. It will be noticed that all the insects mentioned in the two preceding paragraphs have mouth -parts, which can puncture or bite thru the epidermis of the leaf. In this way the germs are placed in the tender tis- sues, multiply rapidly and produce infec- tion. "Insects," says Merrill, "with suck- ing mouth-parts are admirably suited to this [)urpose." Stewart and Leonard state that except for blossom blight the bacteria can not gain an entrance in the host tissue and produce infection except thru a wound or the punctures made by insects. Honey- February . 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 79 beos iiexor i)uiu-tuio the leaves; indeed, under normal conditions they never visit them; nor do they puncture the flowers of the apple or pear, for the nectar is easily accessible on a flat disc. If, however, blijjht is chiefly distributed by the wind, the prickino; in of the germs, altho a great advjintngo, is not an actunl necessity. An Alibi for Bees. It is clear that all infection of the leaves and twigs must be due to other agencies than the honej'bee, since the latter confines its visit strictly to the flowers. Further- more, since bees visit the trees only during blooming time, it is only during about two weeks out of 14 or 15 that it can be ac- cused of being a carrier of blossom blight. Let us now inquire if honeybees are re- sponsible for the spread of blossom blight. As they do not visit the foliage they can not be the agency, which, in the first place, brings the blight to the bloom. In Kansas orchards, Merrill states, this is done by plant lice, which in large numbers enter the apple buds and suck their juices before they open, at the same time inoculating them with blight bacteria. Thus the flow- ers blight in the bud before bees begin their visits. Once the bloom is blighted it is no longer attractive to honeybees; for, if we remove the petals of a healthy pear blossom, bees will at once cease to visit it, altho they will continue to visit other flow- ers near by. Twenty-three pear blossoms received 24 visits from honeybees in half an hour; the writer then removed all the petals and in the half hour following there was not a single visit, altho the denuded blossoms contained nectar and the bees of- ten visited other flowers near them. Thus bees might fly indefinitely betw.een the un- contaminated blossoms without disseminat- ing the blight. But it must be remembered that the bloom is visited by many insects besides bees, especially by flies and beetles which do not exhibit flower fidelity. As they alight on the leaves both in search of food and by chance, and will freely visit the blighted blossoms, they can not fail to spread the blight among the flowers. Inci- dentally it may be remarked that not all blighted pear blossoms are the result of fire blight. In the Hudson Valley, accord- ing to Dr. E. Porter Felt, the injury is caused by pear thrips. These little insects, which are about 1-20 of an inch long, appear on the trees as the buds start and seek shel- ter in the expanding flower buds, blasting the bloom, which presents a brown seared appearance. Summary of Above Observations. A brief summary of the above statements is as follows: 1. Fire blight appears both before and after pear and apple trees bloom, and in nursery plantations which have never bloomed. With such outbreaks the honey- bee has no connection. 2. It has been shown experimentally that fire blight is spread by hosts of sucking and biting in- sects, such as plant lice, leaf hoppers, the tarnished plant bug, and probably many flies and beetles which puncture or feed on leaves and flowers. 3. Since honeybees restrict their visits to flowers they do not carry blight from the foliage to the bloom. This is done in many instances by plant lice, which creep in and infest the buds before they expand; and also doubtless by many flies and beetles which fly freely back and forth between the leaves and the bloom. Honeybees will not visit blighted inconspicuous bloom, but flies will often do so. While honeybees may occasionally car- ry the germs, they are of so little impor- tance compared with other distributors that their absence from orchards would proba- bly not affect the prevalence of blight. Pear Blight Wind Borne. At this point the defense of the honeybee against the accusation of carrying fire blight rested up to Nov. 1, 1918. On this date there appeared in Science a paper by F. L. Stevens, W. A. Euth, and C. S. Spooner of the University of Illinois, en- titled "Pear Blight Wind Borne," which advanced new and revolutionary evidence in favor of bees. A brief abstract of this paper given largely in the words of the authors is as follows: Twelve-mesh wire- screen cylinders, 15 cm. in diameter and .30 cm. long were constructed to enclose parts of single branches. Some of the cyl- inders were slipped into closely fitting sleeves of fine bolting cloth. The ends of both kinds of cj^linders were covered with canvas extending past the wire far enough to permit secure tjdng. The exposed wire of the first type of cylinder was painted with a mixture of tanglefoot and benzine. No insects were found in any of the cyl- inders except one which was accidentally permitted to dry, and in which two insects were found, but the shoot did not blight. The purpose of the following experiments was to discover whether infection was as common in the cylinders as in the open. Ten cylinders enclosed flowering wood. Flowers in two of the cages blighted. Forty cylinders, 20 of the bolting cloth and 20 of the tanglefoot type, enclosed terminal growth. Thirty per cent blighted, which was practically the same proportion as pre- vailed among the unenclosed terminal shoots, as was shown by a count of a thou- sand terminal shoots on these and adjacent trees of the same variety and age. Since insects did not obtain access to the shoots the blight bacteria must have been carried by the wind; and "insects were not even of primary importance as carriers." This con- clusion was further supported by two facts: (1) there was a lack of insects in the or- chard in sufficient numbers to account for the large amount of twig blight — aphids and leaf hoppers were entirely absent dur- ing the period of infection; (2) insects were entirely absent from the exuding cankers, where they might receive their initial con- tamination. During three years of close ob- servation during blooming time not a single insect was seen to visit the cankers. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Febrl'ary, 1919 ANNE LESTER and DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS By Grace Allen — Chapter I THE Second Officers' Training Camp had bestowed its commissions, and the young men were leaving for home. Eobert Lester, wearing his new captain 's bars, and young Jack Lowe, proud and en- thusiastic in his first lieutenant's uniform, sat together on the northbound train and talked over their plans. A fine friendship had sprung up between the two, and now Jack was urging the other to drop off at SjJringville to spend a day or two with him at the farm, before going on to his own city home. ' ' Can 't do it, Jack, ' ' Eobert replied, thanking him- "I'm not going to do a thing till Anne gets settled. You see when a girl hasn 't anybody but her brother, and he 's likely to get orders for France any day — " ' ' Of course, ' ' Jack agreed. "1 don't know what she'll do," Eobert continued. "She's not the kind to do nothing. Mother died five years ago, when Anne was fifteen, but she kept the old ser- vant and stepped right into being house- keeper for Father and me. Then when Father died, nearly two years ago, we just kept right on, we two, the same way, with old Maggie to do the work and Anne to boss things and keep them running smooth — and by Jove, she does make a home homey. But now . Well, she 's talked about getting a job. But you know you couldn 't imagine Anne in a regular job. Women do such things, of course, and Anne 's as smart as a whip — but she 's not that kind, somehow. She's different." ' ' Of course, ' ' Jack said again, vaguely. Then presently, "What does your sister seem to care most for. Bob?" * ' Outdoors and books — says she wishes her family 'd been farmers instead of bank- ers. " "Outdoors and books? Well, if that's not my Daddy! " Then suddenly Jack turn- ed, with his face shining. "I've got it. Bob! Send her to live with my folks while we're both gone!" Bob smiled. ' ' Anne 's not the kind you ' send,' Jack- " "Well, I bet she and Dad'd be regular pals. And she'd just love my Mother. And Mother 'd love her, too. You see" — looking very young and embarrassed — " I 'm all they've got, and it's going to be hard for them, too." "But they're comj^lete strangers. Jack," Bob protested. ' ' Well, they wouldn 't be long. Nobody is, with Dad. I tell you. Bob, it's an in- spiration! You can see, yourself, how fine it would be for my folks; and as for your sister, there she'd be, right on a farm, with plenty of outdoors and books. Books and Dad and Jong winter evenings! Bob, you don't know my Daddy! He's a bee- keeper! " ' ' Would that make Anne especially keen about him?" inquired Captain Bob politely. "Would it? Well, I guess yes! 'Out- doors and books'! Sounds as if Dad had said it. If there's anything he likes better than a book, it 's another book. Philosophy, religion, poetry, science, and of course everything about bees. Then in the spring and summer when the bees themselves get to humming round in the orchard and clover — well, I've got a hunch he and Miss Anne are a pair. That is, if she's not scary. Bees do sting — even Dad 's sometimes- ' ' "Hm! You said I didn't know your father," Bob remarked scornfully; "Well, you don 't know my sister. Anne 's not the scary kind. But, look here. Jack, she won 't want to go live with strangers." The young lieutenant solemnly rose. ' ' Captain Eobert Lester, ' ' he began, salut- ing pompously, "I have invited you to visit me at my home. You're crazy to come, be- cause you're awfully fond of me, naturally. But you won 't leave your sister. So I hereby formally invite your sister, too. So does Mother. Sure she does. She always does. All my friends and their families have a standing invitation from Mother. You 've only to tell your sister that if you stay there in town, you'll be so eternally lionized, with those two new silver bars of yours, that you'll never get a minute alone with her; while out there on that farm, you two can take endless tramps together, un- interrupted,' and plan things all out — be- cause your dear friend promised you so. And your dear friend is a gentleman and — get it right. Bob — and an officer. ' ' "Jack, you're too modest. But you're a brick at that, and I'm much obliged- I'll just try that on Anne now, sure enough. But suppose she should decline? Maybe she wouldn 't care for the country in win- ter. ' ' ' ' You may know reveille from taps, Cap 'n Bob, but you 're none too smart at that. Folks that love outdoors love it for itself, not for its trimmings — it doesn 't have to be appleblossomtime forever. Why, my old Daddy can discover colors all over' a winter landscape, when the earth 's as bare and brown as dirty khaki!" "So can Anne," grinned Captain Bob. ' ' We '11 likely come. ' ' ' ' And if Dad doesn 't do the rest, my name's not Jack Lowe." About ten days later Dad did the rest — or he and Anne together did it, to the great delight of the two young men. They were standing, the four of them, at the far end of the woods lot; the sun had slipped down behind the hill, and the sky behind the bare maple was aflame. For a minute they were February, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 81 so still they hoard a woodpcckor tapping on an old oak noar by. "It's beautiful here," Anne said softly at last, "beautiful. I hate cities. And I 've loved our week here. Mr. Lowe, if brother Jack hadn't gone and got captain- ized, I 'd be wheedling him to buy your farm for me, this minute. ' ' "I'm afraid I wouldn't be selling, tho, " the old man replied- ' ' I love it myself. But Miss Anne, what makes you go back to the city? We wish you'd stay here, Mother and I. ~ We talked about it last night. You see — with our boy — and your brother — ^both gone — we 'd be so alone here, and you 'd be so alone there — and — • — ■" ' ' Do you mean for us to be alone all to- gether, here — while they're away?" Anne asked slowly. "Yes," he said, "that's what I mean." "It would be lovely," she said softly. "I'd read you Marcus Aurelius and Vir- gil and Isaiah, ' ' he tempted. The girl fairly crowed. "I'd read you Whitman and Eupert Brooke and Tagore," she retaliated. "And Maeterlinck," insisted the man. ' ' And Henley, ' ' gloated the girl. "Then you'll come?" She turned to her brother. "It's for you to decide, Anne, ' ' he smiled. ' ' I have already decided, ' ' she answered, and laid her hand in Daddy Lowe's. ' ' Poor misguided young thing, ' ' murmur- ed Jack teasingly, ' ' she '11 grow up to be a beekeeper, sure! " Within a month both young men had gone, and Anne had settled down on the Lowe farm for an indefinite stay with the two old people. "It's hard to say which I love more," she wrote her brother, "the sweet-faced, frail little mother, with her spirited sense of fun, or this strong, fine old man, who lives so simply and thinks such big thoughts. But I do seem to chum more with him — he takes in all outdoors, some- how, and gives me a jolly feeling of down- right farmery, and we have such grand reading sprees nights and stormy days, with the mother knitting or sewing- Anyway no- body could feel exactly chummy with Mrs. Lowe; it would seem too familiar, like try- ing to chum with the Madonna- I do be- lieve she is really a saint, a saint with a sense of humor.' ' Meantime Mother Lowe was writing Jack: ' ' Your friend 's sister brings a very sweet young breath into our old lives, and she is lovable indeed. Her devotion to your father makes me most happy, but — will she love him later, when the bees begin to sting?" Being keenly alive, especially to things out of doors, Anne was interested in every phase of the farm. But from the first, the quiet beeyard attracted her. One cold day she walked over to it with Daddy Lowe. The sky was that dead gray that drops great snows on the earth. But the sun was just breaking thru, and everything was white and glistening. The trees hung their heavy branches low, while row on row, the bee- hives were nearly hidden beneath the heaps of drifted snow. "It's beautiful, but won't they all smother, with the snow over their doors that way?" Anne asked anxiously. "The snow is so porous they get all the air they need, ' ' he answered, ' ' and it helps to keep them warm. ' ' Then he showed her some big packing cases. ' ' There are four hives in each of these, for the winter," he explained, "with chaff over them and under them and all around. Most of my bees have chaff only on toj), but — ' ' ' ' Well, I should think they 'd need it all around, thick and warm," Anne interrupt- ed, pulling her furry cap lower. ' ' I don 't see how they can live thru winter weather anyhow. They don 't indulge in furs or blankets — and they 're so little- ' ' Then he told her about the cluster, "In winter, ' ' he said, ' ' the bees leave the sides and bottoms and corners of the hive and gather together in a ball, some of them in the cells of the comb and the rest all bunched up together so that the whole thing's like a ball, a live ball. There they take exercises, as it were, to help keep warm. It always gives me a queer feeling to come and stand near tliem this way, and try to imagine what 's going on inside there. There there are, thousands of tiny bits of life, not sleeping, yet all grouped together in that wonderful and mysterious cluster. The warm inner ones gradually come out while the chilled ones on the outside slip slowly in towards the warm center. And somewhere at the heart of each cluster is the queen." "The queen?" queried Anne, big-eyed, "the queen?" "The mother, more correctly. But she's called queen, and she 's a beauty. Long and slim and really royal looking. ' ' ' ' ' Divinely tall and most divinely fair'?" quoted Anne interrogatively. ' ' Exactly. And likewise ' imperially slim. ' Miss Anne, you '11 love them. Wait till spring when the apples bloom, and we '11 open the hives. Then you shall see them all, and learn their ways and a little of their mystery. But come, you're getting chilled. Let 's go in- I 've got some supers to put together. ' ' "And I'm to help? — whatever supers may be?" ' ' Well, how much of a carpenter are you?" Anne meditated. ' ' I 've pulled tacks, ' ' she ventured, "I've driven nails to hold pictures and stewpans. And I don 't stick my front finger straight out on the handle of the hammer, either. Can any man re- quire greater skill than this, even for supers?" (To Be Continued.) GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 SOME REMARKABLE RESULTS Accomplished by Members of the Oklahoma Boys and Girls' Bee Club To increase the beekeeping industry of the State and to train up young beekeepers is the object of the Oklahoma Boys and Girls ' Bee Club, in which 97 members have just completed their first year 's work. This club is organized and directed by C. F. Stiles, Field Agent in Beekeeping of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, under the supervision of John E. Swaim, State Boys' Club Agent. The rules for the bee club were made out with the idea of developing good, practical beekeepers. Any boy or girl between the ages of 10 and 18 years, inclusive, may join, if he will agree to follow instructions and keep a yearly record of his work. Members are required to have or purchase at least one colony of Italian bees in a modern 10-frame hive. If Italian bees can not be purchased, any kind may be purchas- ed, but an Italian queen must be introduced early in the season. The lO-frame hive is specified, because it has been found by ex- perience to be best adapted to Oklahoma conditions. Timely instructions are pre- pared and sent to the members about every two months. These written instructions are supplemented by personal visits by Mr. Stiles. Practically all the hives are run for chunk honey, altho a few of the boys and girls use an extractor. The use of the section suj^er is discouraged, as the average season is not adapted to the production of fancy section honey. Each club member is required to keep a complete expense-and-production record. It includes such items as number and value of One of the Oklahoma girls busy in her study of bees. colonies at beginning and end of season, number of hours member worked each month, cost of supplies, value of surplus honey and wax, and yearly profit. Other data, such as number and dates of honey flows, date of swarming, etc., are kept. The record book, together with a story of the year 's work, is handed in to be graded. Prizes are given for the best records, great- C. F. Styles, Stillwater, Okla., director of the Oklahoma Boys and Girls' Bee Clul successful labors. on the scene of his Fkbrtarv. 1919 a T. E A N I N G S IN BEE CULTURE 83 A FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE est profits, highest yields, and best ('.\liil)its at county and state fairs. Altho 191S was one of the poorest lioney seasons in the history of the State, a num- ber of young beekeepers produced over 100 pounds of surplus per hive. The first prize in production went to Roy Smith, an ophan boy of Darlington, whose colony of three- banded Italians stored 125 pounds of sur- l)lus honey. A little girl, Edith Couch of Choctaw, Okla., came second with 122% ])ounds. Her sister Edna, who was also a A mc:iil,ev of the Oklahoma Boys and Girls' Beie Club who uses homemade packing (:ase.s for win- tering. club member, had a colony that stored 112 [jounds in the supers. These two girls have a brother who also aspired to be a real bee- keeper. Altho he made a good record, he was beaten by both his sisters. His bees produced 68 pounds. One of the most progressive and enter- prizing bee-club members is Neil Wood ward, who lives on a farm near Oklahoma City. He started the season last year with five colonies. He had two swarms, sold cue colony, and secured 200 pounds surplus, which was sold at a good price in the city. He winters his colonies in wooden packing cases with two hives to the case. He has never had a loss with this method. At the Masonic Home at Darlington, Okla., 10 boys and girls became interested in beekeeping and joined the club. The Trustees of the Home bought each of them a hive of bees. None of these youngsters had ever worked with bees, and some of them had never seen a real honeybee at close range, yet under the instructions of l\Ir. Stiles they were abl(> to secui'e a com- bined sur|)lus of 1,100 pounds, and increase their colonics to 2.5. Two of these were transferred from boxes and the remainder were swarms. A yield of 125 pounds, the state record, was made by Roy Smith, one of the youngest members. The bee club is a comparatively new thing in Oklahoma, but its effects are already be- ginning to be seen. Its membership of 97, which will be doubled in 1919, is scattered over the greater part of the State. Boys and girls who knew absolutely nothing about bee culture, are becoming experienced apiarists. The old folks, seeing what their children or their neighbor's children are doing, are beginning to realize the possibili- ties of keeping a few bees for pleasure and l)rofit. It is exjjected by the men who are back of the movement that the boys and girls' bee club will make a great change in the beekeeping map of Oklahoma within the next few vears. W. J. Green. Stillwater, Okla. HOMEMADE HIVES Are They Always a Nuisance ? A Beekeeper Who Thinks They Are Not When the_ bees from that two-frame nu- cleus you received and placed in the back lot with so much pleasure begin to in- crease, and there is need of new hives, do not be discouraged because you have no money to buy them. I will tell a little of my experience, hoping it may be of some help to those situated as I was. From local merchants I purchased soft- pine drygoods boxes, and with only a hand- A liomcmade hive with hive-stand and bottom-board comiiined. saw, square, plane, and hammer, I made them into hives which have been in use since 1912. The intention was to let the bees earn money enough to buy themselves a new house; but I see no reason why I GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE should diseard these old ones, even tho the bees have made enough each year to buy a new one. Boxes with boards tongued and grooved should be secured, so in case there are no boards wide enough for the bodies they can be spliced. I made the ends dou- ble. This keeps them from gaping at the corners; and by taking out the two outside combs, putting in division-boards, and pack- ing, they make a good hive for winter in a moderate climate. I have bought boxes for 15 cents, each of which would make a com- plete hive except the frames, which I al- ways bought factory-made. When the bees began to increase faster than I had time from my main business to make hives for, complete hive bodies were bought, making at home only the bottom- boards and covers. The illustration will show how these were made. Notice the hive-stand and bottom-board combined. They are very convenient, even tho they are somewhat heavier. "When the pieces of the stand rot from resting on the ground, others can soon be nailed on. A cheap grade of roofing helps to make a cover which does not leak. By making the covers deep, two blocks of wood or pieces of brick may be placed underneath on top of the inner cover, thus doing away with the shade-board. For winter I place newspapers over the inner cover, filling deep covers with leaves. With a little e»re one can turn them over the hive without spilling out the leaves. If vou have all the work vou can do at good wages, perhaps this plan will not ap- peal to you; but with an hour or two a day of spare time, and a love for the bees, it is regarded only as a pleasure. My apiary has increased from the two-frame nucleus bought in the spring of 1912 to more than 100 colonies, and they are nearly all in hives made as described. The bees have paid all expenses for hives and supers, built a work- shop and honey-house, bought an extractor, besides some Liberty bonds, and all the work was done aside from my regular busi- ness. This is not so wonderful from a busi- ness standpoint, but with the i:)leasure added it is worth while. Wm. Bair. Odon, Ind. [There is no reason why homemade hives may not be made by those who have time, if such hives are made standard, and if the beekeeper is a good enough carpenter to make them exactly true. Otherwise home- made hives are a long-drawn-out nuisance. —Editor.] a — 03 ^ Sb . =t!3 HOW HE WINTERS HIS BEES A Homemade Hive-cover that Lasts for Many Years As you can see by the accompanying pic- tures of my beeyard, I believe in protection, both as to windbreaks and packing. The tight board fence is but six feet high, but the yards are narrow and short, being di- vided off in sections. I have about 200 colo- nies of bees at present, all in first-class con- Olsen's beejards are narrow and short, divided by wind-protection fences. Febriary, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 85 t FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE tlition both as to stores and bees. This season they arc packed in the brood-cham- ber with an eight-inch chaff tray on top, r Another view of the Olsen hives. covered with tarred paper. I like that way better than the double tier as shown in the picture. Prepared that way I hardly ever lose a colony. This fall I am trying a few packed by the Demuth plan, as that appeals to me as being the ideal way of fixing them for winter. J make my own hives and frames, and can say that no factory-made hives excel them for durability, neatness, and fit. They are interchangeable in every part. I believe I have the best cover that can be made, ex- cept the metal cover, for this trying climate. ^t was only after several attempts that I succeeded in making these good covers. A rim 2 inches deep was made, and then tak- ing boards 6 inches wide I beveled them on the outer edges and nailed these boards so beveled on to the rim. This left 4 inches between the two boards of the cover. This four-inch space I filled at each end with a block 4 inches long, and covered the length- wise open space with a board 5% inches wide, double-beveled on top. This plan gives the top of the cover a slanting-roof effect tliat sheds rain well and quickly. The covers so made 25 years ago, out of good lumber, are nearly as good as when first made, while all other kinds (except a few metal covers) went to pieces and were gone years ago. Hooper, Utah. Sophus Olsen. WINTER-ENTRANCE QUESTION Small Entrance Good, but Should be Level with Bottom-board OLsen's worlishop and high board fence in back- ground. In reading November Gleanings I was very much impressed with the perforated- entrance-bloek plan. No doubt the fewer holes you have the better; but that part of it depends largely upon the locality. In my section, which is along the eastern shore of Virginia, I should not like to use a very small entrance, on account of such damp atmosphere prevailing here. I have lost colonies in the winter because of too small entrances, these not allowing enough room for the damp air to get out. Speaking of the holes, I am bound to acknowledge the fact that they are all right; but why consider only the escape of warm air, and not also the poor working force of bees that is detailed to drag out the dead bees. It looks like a man 's jump- ing on a fence and then reaching down and grasping hold of whatever he can get on the other side. Why not cut pieces out of the block % X % and then allow the block to rest on the bottom-board? By doing so you still have the holes, and all the bees have to do is to drag the dead ones right out without having to raise them up while standing on their heads? M. L. Jones. U. S. S. Delaware. [If the entrances were too small to allow damp air to get out, they would doubtless be small enough to prevent damp air from entering; and Dr. Phillips claims that if bees are wintered in the way he advises there will be no necessity for planning a wa}^ to get damp air out of the hive, for there will be none in. Dead bees that collect on the bottom- board would be more apt to clog the en- trance if the entrance were on a level with the floor. If it is true that with these small entrances the colony will not allow dead bees to accumulate, of course this ob- jection would not hold. We are trying some both ways here at Medina. — Editor.] 86 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 c ur STRAY STRAWS Dr. C. C. MiUer HH. BOOT, , I 'm de- lighted to see you putting in use a talent for juggling with figures as shown on pagei 14, January Gleanings. Those who have never tried anything of the kind Avill hardly appreciate the labor involved in that table of cost of honey packages. Please juggle some more. This comparison of prices is especially in- teresting at this time when so much thought is given to the matter of conservation and of waste. Suppose 375 pounds of honey are to be furnished to consumers. It may be furnished in 3-oz. jars. It would take 2,000 jars, at a cost of $121.14. It may also be furnished in 5-lb. cans. It would take 75 cans, at a cost of $78.60. The difference between $121.14 and $78.60 is $42.54. Doesn 't it look a good deal like a dead waste of $42.54 to have the honey put up in 3-oz. jars rather than in 5-lb. cans? But that is figuring everything at cost. Sup- pose we figure on actual sales to consumers. In this market the consumer has iDeen pay- ing $1.60 for a 5-lb. can, so he would pay $120 for 75 cans. A 3-oz. jar would hardly be sold for less than 10 cents, so he would pav $200 for 2000 jars. The difference be- tween $120 and $200 is $80. Very likely the consumer would think himself $80 out of pocket to buy in the little jars, if he could get the 5-lb. cans. There may be markets in which the con- sumer prefers the very small package, but it lies a good deal in the power of the pro- ducer to influence sales in larger packages, and, if he is a lover of his kind, that's ex- actly the thing he will do. « * * J. E. Crane says, page 25, "I suppose I have fed more than 50,000 pounds of sugar during the past 10 years without the addi- tion of a pound of honey or an ounce of acid to prevent granulation, and I do not see that the syrup granulates any more than when I used honey or acid. ' ' Grace Allen says, page 29, "We have often fed sugar syrup, one part water to two generous parts sugar, several times 2i/4, and occasionally 2i/^, with neither honey nor acid added, and have never experienced the slightest granu- lation. ' ' Same thing with The A. I. Boot Co., and probably hundreds of others. Does- n 't that warrant us in saying that acid is never needed in sugar syrup and can do no good? And if it isn't needed and does no good, I 'm afraid it may do at least a little harm. Now arises one who says, "But it does granulate with me; granulates badly." What are you going to do with him? You might say to him: "Well, adding acid doesn 't do any good anyhow. Mr. Crane says there is a little granulation without the acid, but no more than with it. ' ' But 1 it would be a hard job to make a candy- maker believe that acid does not prevent granulation. The candy - books make acid a first requisite in making fondant- I asked an experienced maker of home candy, ' ' Can you make fon- dant without acid?" "No; it'll grain every time." I think we shall have to ad- mit that acid lessens the danger of granu- lation in those cases where it is likely to occur, and to recommend the use of acid in such cases. But who can tell us in what cases granu- lation is likely to occur, and why it occurs in one case and not another? As Mr. Crane says, the bees have a trick of changing the syrup so as to lessen granulation. I think it is generally agreed that to give the bees the best chance to do this the syrup should be fed thin and early. Possibly it doesn't matter so much about the thickness if fed early enough. But if fed late it will hardly do to feed thin, for if fed late enough the bees cannot evaporate it, and then there will be trouble. The whole thing is in some- thing of a muddle. * * * J. F. Dunn is enthusiastic over double- walled hives that he has been using for a good many years. They are made of cypress boards % inch thick, or of pine % inch thick. Neponset paper is glued on the out- side of the inner wall and the inside of the outer wall. Between the walls is an inch of packing of cork "ground up, regranulated until about like flour." Thus packed, the hive is no heavier than the ordinary single- walled hive of seven-eighths lumber, but greatly superior. "Bees seldom swarm in these hives or cluster outside on a hot day. They are so perfectly insulated the bees have no trouble in keeping their hives at any temperature they choose even in the coldest weather, and are very quiet at all times." He used four-colony cases for years, and bees wintered well in them. ' ' But, ' ' he says, ' ' four of my cork-packed hives cost less than four single-walled ones plus cost of a winter case; and the time consumed in preparing for winter is almost negligible. ' ' — Canadian Horticulturist. * » * As to that new metal comb, mentioned on page 9, January Gleanings, it would not be a very reckless thing to predict that not many years from now it will be forgotten. This is on the< general principle that the great majority of the new things that have been discovered and invented in the last half century have been relegated to the junk heap. Yet so long as one out of 10 may prove to be a success, it is well to foster the other nine until their failure is proved. FKr.KIARV. 1919 GLEANINGS IN B K E CULTURE 87 Of course, there is the chaiieo that alumi- num comb, even after having made a bril- liant showing, may develoji some unexpect- ed objection tliat will throw it out of the running. But let us look kindly and hope- fully toward its future. If it should suc- ceed, it will be especially valuable in re- gions where AnivPrican foul brood is found — and it is becoming difficult to locate regions where it is not found. To the man who has had experience with American foul brood, probably the thing that he dreads most about it is the melting up of his nice brood- combs. Indeed, if taken in time — even if not in time for the Kight treatment — it may be so managed that the set-back from it is hardl}' worth considering, were it not for the remorseless destruction of brood- combs. And unless there is something I don 't understand about it, with aluminum combs the disease may be destroyed and the combs saved. That will be worth thousands of dollars. * * * lona Fowls, you 've done a rather daring thing, page 42, January Gleanings, in trying to tell what is "a strong, a weak, and a medium colony. ' ' I don 't know that any one else has ever done it, and I don't know that any one can do it better. It surely is important that we have a more definite un- derstanding about some of the terms used in beekeeping. For instance, when we speak of a bad case or a mild case of foul brood, do you and I have the same idea in mind? If a beginner were to ask me what I meant by a bad case of foul brood, I 'm afraid he wouldn 't get a very satisfactory answer. Possibly I might say, "Oh, a case in which a lot of the larvae are diseased. ' ' And the conversation might continue like this: "But what do you mean by a Mot'?" "Why, a considerable propor- tion." "But what proportion is a consider- able proportion?" Thus driven into a cor- ner, ' ' Well, I don 't really know, but I think I should call it a bad case if 50 per cent of the larvae were diseased." And I don 't at all know whether that would be right or not. Do you? What we need is some sort of authoritative answer that shall be definite and specific, something af- ter this fashion: If less than one per cent of the larvae are diseased, it is a very mild case; if one to 10 per cent, mild; 10 to 35, medium; 35 to 50, bad; and beyond 50, very bad. ' ' Those figures may not be at all cor- rect, but I'm trying to give the idea. Now who will help us out on these things? I am tempted to say to you. Miss Fowls, in the words of Mordecai to Esther, "Who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this"? You wouldn 't think to look at C. E. Fowler that he was a man of such vicious disposition, but see how he goes for me with a flatiron and a Swedish girl on page 38, January Gleanings. Well, if his bees are stupid enough to start in with cold honey, same as the girl did, then it may turn out the same way. Anyway, I 'm not so set on having honey a balance-wheel but that I can forgive the attack, but I cannot forgive the insidious attack on page 18. It's a put- up job between him and the editor. Know- ing I 'm still sore from the tumblei I got from my high horse about skyscrapers, they rub it in by giving that skyscraper pile of Harry Edsall. Well, it 's a long lane that has no turn. [I will guess it is, and that you will be in ambush right at the ' ' turn ' ' with a big shillalah. — Mng. Editor.] » * * You say, Mr. Editor, page 13, ' ' The time will never come when one can afford to ex- tract all the honey from his bees, brimstone them, and buy more bees." That, of course, refers to buying bees from the South in spring. Like enough you're right, and yet a pretty good case can be made out from David Eunning's statement. A package, when fed up, cost him $4.37. If he had a colony in the fall from which he could ex- tract 26 pounds of honey, brimstoning the bees, and should sell that honey at 17 cents, it woukl bring him $4.42. He could then kill his bees, spend 4.37 for the package, and be 5 cents to the good. I am, however, just a bit skeptical as to the package always giv- ing as good a return as the home-wintered colony. A. I. Root says a good word for sunflow- ers, page 47, January Gleanings. I planted quite a patch one year, but saw no striking evidence that it was of much value to the bees. A good deal is said about the Mam- moth Eussian variety, but I have some doubt about its being better than the com- mon. It has much larger seed, but it 's the shell that 's large without any corresponding enlargement of the kernel. I suspect more meat and oil would be found in a pint or a pound of the common sunflower than in the Mammoth Eussian. Still, I don't know very much about it, and I don 't know which kind would yield the most oil per acre. * » * Here 's a rather striking ad of a commis- sion house in a Chicago daily: STOP THE "FLU" Eat Honey Oranges Grapefruit * * * Mr. Doolittle advised, page 597, October Gleanings, that sections should be taken from the hive as soon as sealed over. That 's right; only once in a great while the sec- tions will be filled and sealed so rapidly that under ordinary conditions they will be- come watery when stored in the honey-room. So it is well to be on the lookout for such very white sections, and give them an extra chance for ripening, either on or off the hive. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 T C SIFTINGS J. E. Crane ^^^^^^^^ HAT ac- count of alumin u m combs by E. E. Eoot, page 10, is fine. Now, it may be true that bees will breed and store honey in such combs; but one thing is certain, when such combs get clogged with old hard pollen and other refuse we cannot scrap them into beeswax, which we find very convenient to do in the case of all-wax combs. Perhaps a word or two about bees flying late in the season will be in order. I do not think brood has anything to do with it, as the brood is usually all hatched in this section by Sept. 25 and so could not in any way influence the flight of bees two months later. If the temperature is low all thru November as a year ago, bees will fly spar- ingly on some of the warmest days, as was the case in the fall of 1917. But if the weather is cool thru late October and till the latter part of November, and then there comes a warm, sunny day, with the ther- mometer up to 60 degrees in the shade, bees will fly a great deal, as was thei case this year of 1918. * * * That article by J. F. Kight is of much scientific interest, as showing the possi- bility of curing American foul brood in the early stages of this disease. However, its practical value does not seem large, as probably not one beekeeper in a hundred would discover this disease until past cure. I tried curing a few colonies of this dis- ease more than 40 years ago by cutting out the very few cells I found, but without suc- cess. It was a rule of Moses Quinby years ago to destroy any colony in which even one cell of diseased brood was found. * * * I have received from O. F. Fuller of Blackstone, Mass., a beautiful sample of clethra honey. It is of fine color and quality. He informs me that some beekeep- ers have received from this source as much as 300 pounds from a single colony. This plant thrives from Maine to Florida near the seacoast. Another species that grows into a tree is found in the Central States and still another on the Pacific coast. « « * The possibilities of pound packages, as given on pages 12 and 13, certainly seem great. The prophecy of yesterday becomes the realit}^ of today. A dozen years ago flying machines were little more than a dream; today they are a reality as truly as automobiles. We anticipate great things from this source, in the near future. * * * That hive illustrated on page 18 is a sky- scraper, sure, for we can see where the up- 1 %J per story touch- es the sky at the t 0 p 0 f the picture. Well, if beekeepers do not produce more honey this year than ever before, it will not be the fault of Gleanings in Bee Culture in trying to in- duce them to do so. Such pictures are a healthy stimulus. * » * I was reading in an old book some time ago of a wonderful remedy for many kinds of the troubles from which mankind suf- fers. It might almost be called a panacea. It should be in every family and neighbor- hood. It is especially valuable where two or more beekeepers are trying to cover the same territory. It is easily remembered: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." [You have quoted the best authority on earth. But out in California and Australia they are looking about for some law-made assistance in "such cases thereto pertain- ing- ' ' You may recall also something about trusting the Lord but at the same time keeping one's powder dry. Isn't it time for a little powder, possibly? — Editor.] » * * "Can Bees Hear? Who Knows?" page 23, January Gleanings. Yes, sir, bees can hear; else why do they use different sounds, one for anger, one for joy, another for a call, and, perhaps, many we do not under- stand? If honey is coming in freely, we do not need to open a hive to find it out, for we can tell by the sounds that come to us from the a^^iary. * « * Dr. Miller, I believe, is the first to give the correct temperature for the cellar win- tering of bees (see page 24). He says: ' ' Find out at what temperature bees are ouietest bv your thermometer in your cel- lar, and then try to hold it there, keeping in mind that Mrs. Demuth says a lower temperature is needed towards spring. ' ' * * * My experience has been that for bees wintered outdoors there is much less dan- ger of starvation when on seven or eight combs than when wintered on ten combs. They need much more honey in the larger hive to make them safe. If wintered in the cellar, the same rule will hardly apply (see page 24). ^ ^ ^ December, 1918, was much milder than a year ago, tlie thermometer scarcely getting down to 10 degrees, while in December, 1917, there were several mornings when it registered from 12 to 25 degrees below zero. * * * "It has always been my father's rule," says C. 0 'Donnell, page 19, ' ' never to mind how much honey he gets, but how well the bees are supplied with it for their long win- ter rest. ' ' A good rule. Pebruarv, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE TTHIl a r y C "THIS Febru- Foo (1 Page is not for y o II , Mr. Beekeeper, n o i- is it even for Mrs. Beekeeper this time. It was written for the ladies and gentlemen of twelve years old and under. I hope there are some in your family. Children, I am going to tell you u true story about a little girl just eleven years old. When she was six she began going to school — just like you did, or will, if you are not yet six, and she went to school every day and studied her lessons and had lots of fun, just like yon. But this fall, when she was in the seventh A grade and everything was going fine, a great, big, terrible giant came to the town where she lived, and he scared the fathers and moth- ers and health officers and school board so badly that they closed the picture shows, the churches and Sunday schools and even the public schools, and kept all the children at home. The reason they did this was because wise people found that the wicked old giant went where there were crowds, and he' liked crowds shut up in close rooms where the air grew bad. The strong- est locks on doors could not keep that old giant out, yet no one ever saw him, for he was in- visible. You know what invisible means, don't you? It means he was just like the air around us, and you could not see him at all. But he slipped into crowds and softly toi¥;hed many people, and nearly everyone he touched became very sick in a few days, and had dreadful pains, and many of them died. There, you can guess that giant 's name, can 't you. It is ' ' influenza ' ' and we call him ' ' Flu ' ' for short. He came to our town, and he went to your town, and I believe he visited every town in our whole country and nearly every place in the whole world, and everywhere he went he took sickness and sorrow and death. Now, this small girl (we may as well call her Helen) is used to studying and learning many interesting things all thru the school year, and when old giant Flu scared the peo- ple so badly that there were no schools she hardly knew what to do with her time. She played and played, and she read all the stories she could find. Just about that time the girl who had been helping her mother OUR FOOD PAGE Stancy Puerden ? with the house- work went to a city to work in ^ a factory. A s \j Helen 's mother is not very strong, she would have had a hard time if some good fair- ies had not helped her. You did not know that there were fairies outside of story books, did you? Well there are, wonderful ones; and I suspect I could find some right in your own home if I should visit you. Helen 's mother named three of the most hel^jful fairies in their home Jane and Sal- ly and Sukey. These fairies are the best workers you ever saw, but they all need some human being, like you or me, to watch them and work with them. Good Jane is the fairy who cleans rugs and curtains and mattresses; but, altho she does just dandy work, she needs someone to lead her around by the hand to see that she gets over every bit of the rug. As is often said of her, she fairly eats dirt. Helen and Jane can work beautifully t o - gether, but to tell the truth, Helen would far rather work with Sally- It 's Sally 's business to wash all the soiled clothing, sheets and pil- low cases, table linen, towels, etc. You have often heard your moth- er talk about how hard it is to find a good wash- erw^oman, haven't you? Helen 's mother feels just that way about it, too, and she does not like to send the washing out of the house to be done in some kitchen which may not be clean and where old giant Flu or some other bad old giant would sprinkle the clothes with dis- ease germs. Also, she does not fancy the light-gray complexion of clothes which visit steam laundries. That is just the way your mother talks, isn't it? Sally is big and strong and willing and does very interesting things. She can wash a large tubf ul of clothing in 15 minutes, and when they are clean she can lift all those clothes right out of the water at once and then whirl them around, like a merry-go- round or honey-extractor, until they are as dry as if they had been run thru a wringer. That -is the part of the work where Helen likes to boss Sally, for, wonderful as she is, Sally hasn 't much head on her and has to be directed when to do the different things. After the clothes have been boiled and thoroly rinsed, Helen and her mother give them back to Sally to let her whirl so GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 them again until they are dry enough to hang on the line, and good Sally never smashes buttons nor presses creases into the cloth, and yet she can whirl those clothes much drier than a wringer makes them. Helen also likes to push Sukey around, altho Sukey is hot-tempered and has to be handled with care. She and Sukey togetlier can iron one of her best gingham dresses until it looks like new. Now don 't you honestly think the fairies in Helen 's home are just as nice as the story book fairies? The queen of these fairies is called Electricity. But altho the fairies help so much with the hardest part of the housework there are many things they cannot do. They cannot make bread and cake and pies and get din- ners and suppers and breakfasts, and that is very important work, for people must eat to live. You know small girls always like to do just what they see their mothers do, and so Helen very much wished to try to cook- When she was a tiny girl she used to make cakes of cornmeal and water, and then, when she had gone off to play with her dolls and forgotten them, her mother sent them to the chickens or pig. But a young lady of eleven is too old for play-cooking so her mother let her try some real baking that the family could eat. One of the first things she made was cornbread or johnnycake. Her mother gave her the recipe and worked at something else in the kitchen, so she could watch the mixing, but she did not touch it at all. Helen did every- thing from beating the egg thru measuring out the sour milk, the cornmeal, flour, soda, salt, and shortening. And what do you think her father said when he tasted that jchnnyeake ? He said, "It is very strange Helen can make a better johnnycake than ycu can, mother, when you made up the reci- pe. ' ' My, but that made Helen 's eyes sjjarkle and her cheeks grow red. I think the next thing she made was a pumpkin pie^ — the filling, not the crust. You see her mother was too busy to teach her cooking in the order that a cooking-school teacher would, so Helen made things just as they were needed for the family. Now Helen has an older brother that is just the worst tease you ever saw. He always makes believe he does not think Helen can do things well, and he never thinks of giving her a compliment. You know brothers are sometimes like that. But let me tell you how he gave her a compliment for her pie without meaning to. He ate every crumb of a large piece every time she made a pie, so she knew he liked it, even if he did not say so in words. Well, Helen went right on learning to cook nice things for the family until she knew how to scramble eggs, make tea and coffee, bake, fry and oven-fry potatoes, make graham mufiins and baking-powder biscuits, piecrust, boiled salad dressing and fruit salad, tomatoes on toast, chocolate pudding and buckwheat griddle cakes. She has cook- ed a meal all alone several times and served it on the table. Her dad is so proud of her griddlecakes that one Sunday evening he invited in several of the neighbors to eat buckwheat cakes which she had mixed and baked all alone, and she often makes them for breakfast- When she learns to cook something new she copies the recipe down in a nice little blank book, so pretty soon she will have a cook book all her own. One day when Helen 's mother had been baking some bread her father held up a slice and said, ' ' Helen, if you will bake a loaf of bread as good as that I will give you a War Savings Stamp for your book. ' ' Your mother can tell you that a good loaf of bread is one of the hardest things for a cook to make; that is, it takes more care and skill than most fancy desserts. But Helen started right out after that War Savings stamp, armed with her mother's bread recipe, cut in two, to make it easier for small girls to handle. I shall have to admit that a fairy helped her, not one of queen Electricity 's fairies, but just a plain fairy, called Lizzie. You see Helen 's mother had been helped the past five years by two Hungarian Lizzies, one after the other, just she often said she had never had a tin Lizzie yet. But when her last Hungarian Lizzie had gone she decided to name the bread- making fairy ' ' Lizzie. ' ' You see that is a very good name for her, for she is made of tin and has to be cranked just like the tin Lizzies that are made in Detroit. But it is very easy to crank that kind of a tin Lizzie, and she is so helpful in making bread. Helen first measured the flour which the recipe called for and sifted it and the salt into the Lizzie and covered it and put it into a warm place. Then she took the rest of the flour and mixed it with potato water and yeast and sugar and beat it well and put that in a warm place too. You see bread in the m.aking is just like a new baby sister in one respect: — it must be kept cuddled up in a warm place. This work she did just before supper time, about 5:30. At bedtime (she had to stay up a little later that evening, but you see there was no school) she turned the sponge into the Liz- zie, added the rest of the warm water, and turned the crank about three minutes. By that time it was a dough, smooth and easy to handle. Now Helen's mother thinks white bread is finer and lighter, if the dough is taken out and kneaded by hand a few minutes, so Helen turned hers out on the kitchen cabinet, on which some flour had been sifted so the dough would not stick, and kneaded it carefully about two minutes longer. The kitchen had to be warm or the bread would have been chilled, and then it would have been sullen and refused to rise- When the dough was smooth and elastic it was put back into the Lizzie, carefully cov- ered and cuddled under a clean old blanket, kept for that purpose, and put in a small room over the furnace. In making bread by (Continued on page 118.) FKIUMAIiV. 1910 a I. K A N T N O S IN BEE C U T. T U R E 91 c LJ HOW fast sliall side liners i ii crease? W o 1 1 , it 's this way. 1 f you're keeping bees for fun, jjnd you can get more fun out of 50 hives than out of 5, keep 50. But if 50 will worry and crowd you, changing your fun into hard work, stick to 5, or some happy number be- tween. If, in addition to the pleasure of caring for them, you are likewise interested, as you should be, in seeing how much sur- plus honey you can coax out of each colony, and. how much profit each colony may be made to yield, then do notice what C. E. Fowler says on page 18, January Gleanings. "I am, therefore, sending a photo showing what a happy combination of locality, good season, good queen, good hive, and good bee- keeper can accomplish when only a few colonies are kept. ' ' .And then please notice the photo. There is a law, so I have heard, operating in the business world, known as the law of diminishing profits. Because five hens (fed perhaps on table scraps) net their owner five dollars, it is unwise to assume that 5,000 hens will net 5,000 dollars. Be- cause a side liner, working five colonies in- tensely, thoroly, enthusiastically, gleans an average of 100 pounds each, he is not in a position to assume that he could get the same average from 100 colonies. I know at least one side liner who has increased too fast, and is, moreover, in dan- ger of continuing to do so. Every year, sin'^^e that particular little back yard has had more than eight or ten colonies, there has been a large per cent (a much too large per cent) of non-producing hives. That cer- tainly cuts the average badly. Better one hive yielding surj^lus than a score that give you naught. Of course, that 's a side-line view- There are necessarily other angles of vision and judgment. When it comes to doing it all on a large scale, on.ly the great totals to be considered, there is an intensive method, and there is an extensive method. Without doubt, it is largely a matter of tempera- ment which is better suited to individual beekeepers. But if it is a few hundred pounds of honey you want, with the chance of perhaps making a record, and plenty of good fun doing it, with as small an invest- ment as practicable, then the odds are that your greatest satisfaction lies within the limits of a few hives, very carefully kept. And along this safe route lies good beekeep- ing. * * * A Tennessee Side Liner. I want to tell you about Wm. Morris of Hendersonville, Tenn., and his method of wintering.' One Sunday last month we went to visit him. The interurban took us a de- lightful run from our county into his, giving Beekeeping as a Side Line 1 Grace Allen ^=s^^^^^^^ us a glimpse of the shacks and stacks of the largest powder plant in the world, rolling us thru attractive country and past prosperous farms. Then we walked to Mr. Morris' place, dropped down into a hollow just over the brow of a small hill. Part of the residence is old, old, old — no one knows, Mr. Morris says, just how old, but it was built while that section was part of North Carolina. ' We went into the shop, a sturdy old log structure, with an im- mense fireplace across one end. In contrast to the delightfully quaint flavor of all this was the modern outfitting of the shop — a gasoline engine, rotary saws, sliding tables, and various impressive things I hesitate to describe or even mention lest I advertise my own ignorance. You see Mr. Morris is a practical woodworker, and he has made al- most everything on the place except those old buildings. My constant questioning, "Well, did you make that too?" became quite superfluous. He had apparently made nearly everything around. It was in California, where he lived for several years, that Mr. Morris got his first experience in beekeeping. Being very en- thusiastic about the work, which he studied thoroly, he resolved, upon returning to Tennessee, to try his hand at it here. When we met him about five years ago, he had thirty-odd colonies, amazingly tiered, in a small city back yard. They were then strictly a side line, to which he was utterly devoted. Now that he is in the country, he is approaching the one - hundred - colony mark, in spite of the loss of last winter that made him turn his attention so seriously to the problem of wintering . He has recently moved about 80 colonies a few miles away to a sweet-clover area, and will set about building up another home apiary in the spring. Now about this Morris plan of wintering. His colonies are in standard 10-frame hives. In winter they are placed this way: at the bottom a body of empty combs, with a well-contracted entrance; over this, a rim- med cover like an escape-board without the escape, but with a round hole bored in each forward corner; over this the brood-cham- ber; then a little rack placed crosswise of the frames to allow a runway under burlap; then a tray of chafP, with burlap tacked across the bottom-; and last of all the jacket. This jacket is made of 1-inch material, dressed to %, of a size to allow a %-inch dead air space all around the hive. It slips down over the chaff tray, over the precious brood-chamber and about two inches down on the body of empties, where it conies to rest on a cleat (1 inch by 2, I think), that goes all the way around this body, thus effectually closing the air space. All pos- 92 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 191& sible cracks between the different bodies are thus covered and protected from draft. Tiny %-inch blocks, properly placed at each corner of this roundabout cleat, will hold the jacket in position, equally spaced- Cold winds, blowing thru the contracted entrance into the center of the body, of emp- ty combs, can not strike the bees, up there above the escape-board. Neither can bright light shine in to rouse them. Raised well away~ from the entrance, anyway, they are further protected from the exposures by this board, with its only opening at the two for- ward corners. These holes provide the bees, of course, with air and exit. This board is the only feature that is new to me, but the combination is new. Moreover, it is con- vincing. Perhaps the majority of bees in this section will always winter unprotected. Yet a growing numbei* of progressive bee- keepers are looking for some method of pro- tection that will be efficient, but less cum- bersome and troublesome than the big pack- ing cases recommended by the Department of Agriculture. The Morris method may come very near solving the problem. At any rate, some of us are very much interest- ed and are watching the Morris bees with great hopes. * * * There is a certain grocer in this "Athens of the South" who is having a hard time conquering the intricacies of the honey busi- ness. First, his display of section honey bore the sign, ".50c a pound." Then some one must have enlightened him as to the error of that eaeh-little-box-weighs-a-pound idea, and now his' display is bravely herald- ed to the passerby as selling for "50c a Cone. ' ' It was night, and the store was closed, when I saw it, or I might have ven- tured in to undertake a diplomatic correc- tion. Yet it is almost too good to change. "50c a Cone"! * * » Beekeepers expect all sorts of questions, but this one was unexpected enough to be refreshing. It was when I was opening a few hives on the campus of Peabody Col- lege. I was alone, which was fortunate, as the bees were decidedly temperamental that day. One young lady hovered near. ' ' Do you reckon they'll sting me?" she called out. "Better not come any nearer," I told her, as they were particularly unpolite at that moment. Then I forgot her. But after a few minutes a voice came floating over the breeze, asking with evident interest and baffled curiosity, "Just what's the idea of the veil?" I have always known that bee- veils were not especially becoming, but had supposed they had the virtue of being self- exp^.anatory. * * * A WARM DAY IN EARLY JANUARY Sometimes a year arises in his -winsome youth And fells grim Winter, unaware, and stands All warm and radiant for a few swift days. Before the tight-lipped Winter gathers back His strength to claim his rightful length of life. And in those few swift days We drink the promise of the beauty Of the wonder days to be. Today is such a time, and here I sit, Bathed in warm sun, in this my quiet spot. Sitting on a beehive, where a scorer Of liives are pouring out the bees to meet the sun. They hum around. And lull me to a strange content, • That, mingling with old longings and the call Of things I know not if I dream of or remember. Stirs within my heart an ancient mood That hearts, I think, have always known. For even as I thrill to sudden rapture, A sense of sadness almost brings the tears. Even while I surge towards heights of aspiration, A quiet peace is bidding me. Be still. Even while I would be swift in great achievement. The lotus mood is drowsy in my blood. There is a sense around of Beauty soon to come, Beauty, that some swift and perfect day, Shall come and walk beside me, Yes, beside me and within. Until I too shall be a part of very Beauty's self. Against the sky's blue wideness The bare treetops are swelled with mystery ; The grass is brown in patches, green in spots; Dry vines, and ugly, rattle in the breeze. While roses thru their thorns show hints of discontent That shall unfold in time to living leaves. My cock crows challenge to my neighbor's, And a cat, awaking from her sunny nap, Goes stretching lazily along the fencer. The sparrows twitter ; a gray and black woodpecker Bores and pecks and taps, up and down a tree — And I — O Poet-Heart that hath no Poet- Speech, How shall we terll to other hearts These things we feel ? These things that strike so deep thru eye and ear. They are not all. There is a Spirit here, And in this Presence I sit quiet. Here among my hives. The bees hum on. The winter sun is warm. Old, old questions drift across to vex and tease, Then slowly slip away, till lost at last As in a quiet pool of wonder. Shall I not sit and listen here to life And touch perhaps the very garment's hem. The young year standing forth like a flushed god, While the hours pass by and by ? One dreaming hour ago I read a holy book Of One who walked with men Among warm groves and gardens. Talked with them by twos or threes or crowds. Along the seas and lakes. And prayed alone on hillsides In the quiet hours and places. He has much to do with these my thoughts. My wonders, Much to do, I think, with Beauty and with Life. What i.s- Life, O Beauty yet to be? And what, O Life, is Beauty? No answer. Yet, somehow, The very asking brings the Spirit near. Is this, then, prayer ? Is this, then, answered prayer ? Febriarv. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BKK CULTURE FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 93 In Northern California. _N o \' e m b e r and Decem- ber •were excellent wintering months. The weather was cold and afforded little oppor- tunity for flight, which resulted in but a small consumption of stores. The rainfall to date for the valleys is normal, but the foothill slopes of the mountain ranges will require two or more inches of rain during January in order to secure a good spring flow from such localities. There is a very active demand for bees and in some in- stances single-story colonies have sold as high as $10 per colony. Scattered colonies including box hives and the like are being purchased rapidly by extensive beekeepers. This fact will minimize the danger of con- tamination thru disease in commercial api- aries, such small lots of mixed bees hav- ing often been a source of trouble. Mr. Andrews, correspondent of southern California, in January Gleanings, mentioned the fact that many of us in California are unable to satisfy ourselves that American and European foul brood are two distinct diseases. In our part of the State this question is likewise debated among our leading beekeepers. Some of us contend that the two diseases are not distinct, reasoning that their symptoms in some instances are so similar that differentiation is made im- possible- Nor has this been our only diffi- culty; for there have been cases where symptoms pointed toward American, and, strangely enough, the treatment for Euro- pean in such cases proved efficacious during the latter part of last season. In such cases foul brood may reappear the coming spring. The writer will confess that he has marked colonies for American treatment, and, to his surprise, before such treatment could be carried out, the bees had cleaned out all infected material, not having left a single cell with a diseased larva. Several reports have come to hand recent- ly that colonies have been stolen from out-yards, and it would be well for beekeep- ers to visit their bees at intervals during the winter. Not only is this wise on ac- count of theft, but also because cattle may knock over hives, and the wind may blow off covers or even supers (a super contain- ing no honey may easily be blown off). The California Honey Producers' Co-operative Exchange will soon issue to the members of the local exchanges warning signs, which will call for a reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone damaging or stealing any apiary property of a member. It will not be out of place at the present time to give a short review of our industry during the past year. The honey crop was from 20 to 50 per cent below normal and from 10 to 40 per cent below the average for the year 1917. The cost of production has increased by about 40 per cent over last year. However, the increased value of honey has more than made up for both the smaller crop and the greater cost of pro- ducing it. Twenty-five years ago and at frequent intervals thereafter, California beekeepers have striven to market their crops by means of a marketing organiza- tion. Last year thru the united efforts of the California State Beekeepers' Associa- tion and prominent beekeepers not within the Association, a permanent co-operative marketing organization finally was estab- lished. The California Honey Producers' Co-operative Exchange not only has under- taken to market the products of its mem- bers, but likewise to purchase their supplies, aid them in matters pertaining to legisla- tion, and help them thru educational chan- nels. With us, honey production is now an established industry. The very fact that the beekeepers of the State have organized so quickly and successfully, has boosted the price of honey on the California markets several cents. Henceforth the Exchange never will permit the price of California honey to drop anywhere near the low levels to which it has fallen in the past. Whether or not there will be an export demand for honey, it will be but a short time before the Exchange will bottle the greater part of its sweets, and by means of judicious advertis- ing will maintain a price equitable for both the producer and consumer- Modesto, Calif. M. C. Eichter. * * * In Southern California.—'^ "" l\^' ^ '' condltionri at the present writing are much different from what they were last year at this time. We have had more rain than at this date one year ago, but we have also had consider- able dry north wind. If January proves to be as wet a month as the average for the past 20 years, we shall start the season with good prospects. We have just had several nights of frost, the most severe for six years. Just what effect this will have upon the eucalyptus and other winter-blooming flora, I am unable to say as yet. Last winter being a very mild one, this bloom was of much value to many beekeepers. It is too early for the frost to do any damage to the citrus bloom, or to most of our surplus honey- producing plants. The writer recently visited the "Eegion- below-sea-level, ' ' around the north end of the Salton Sea in Riverside County. This great basin is supposed to have been at one time a part of the Gulf of California. The Imperial Valley lies to the south of the Salton Sea and the Indio-Coachella Valley to the north. In these two valleys are found the great early-vegetable sections of Cali- fornia- The Indio-Coachella Valley is the only section in this country where dates are grown successfully for commercial use. Ar- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH tcsian wells furnish the water for irriga- tion purposes, and many fine ranches are being developed. Mesquite grows plentiful- ly over most of the country and is a good honey-yielder. This, together with alfalfa, furnishes most of the honey produced. Al- tho the cultivated territory is limited, the few hundreds of colonies of bees located there have done very well and have never failed to give a good honey crop. The annual meeting of the California State Beekeepers ' Association has been called for Jan. 29, at 2 p. m., at Exposition Park, Los Angeles. The sessions will con- tinue thru the next day. A fine program has been arranged, and many prominent bee- keepers will give their views on subjects pertaining to the industry and of special interest to beekeepers of the Great West. Queen-rearing, honey-production, organiza- tion, increase, selling the crop, and buying supplies are some of the topics up for dis- cussion. This is the 30th annual meeting and it seems like a home-coming for the beekeepers to get together once a year. It has always been the practical rather than the theoretical side of the industry that drew the crowd. Eiverside County has an ordinance per- taining to the moving of bees and a^so to the giving of notice to the county bee in- spector of the arrival of the bees. A carload of bees was recently shipped into Eiverside County from out of the State, and the colo- nies Avere located near the orange groves. No notice was given to the proper authorities. The owner was arrested and fined $50, of which $10 was paid, and the balance re- mitted upon confession of guilt on the part of the beekeeper and his pleading ignorance of the law. It will be well for any person shipping bees into California to inform him- self of the laws on the subject, thereby making unnecessary the repetition of this unfortunate occurence. Altho some coun- ties have ordinances so strict that they practically prohibit the bringing of bees into the county, it is hoped that it will never be necessary to frame such for the orange-growing sections. At the same time, the beeman who perhaps has a small orange grove, with a comfortable home on it, and who pays taxes and makes his living here in southern California, does not particularly enjoy the idea of having a carload of 300 or 400 colonies of bees set beside him — es- pecially by some one who is only here for a few months to get all he can out of our early honey flow, and then beats it for his northern home, to make a crop up there. When the inspector looks over these import- ed bees and finds disease a-plenty — well, how would you like it? If you are coming to southern California with a car of bees, please try to bring clean bees — colonies free from disease — and then go to some of the leading beekeepers in the neighborhood and ask them to help you secure locations. You will not find them such bad fellows and may avoid ill feelings in the future. It was very unfortunate for the beekeep- ers of this part of the State that they miss- ed the fine course of lectures advertised to be given at Eiverside by Phillips, Coleman, and other prominent beemen. Eiverside was under such strict ban for the " flu " at that time, that the meetings could not be held on the dates set. One of the most needed additions to our business, in southern California in particu- lar, is a thoroly reliable queen-breeder, who w^ill have facilities and equipment enough to supply queens in numbers at the time the beekeepers want them. We have sev- eral apiarists, who raise some queens for sale, but there seems always to be a time in the spring when there is a big demand for queens that cannot be met. A pleasant surprise to beekeepers is the news that they have good prospects of get- ting supplies much cheaper than they got them last year. The Orange Belt Co-opera- tive Exchange has already made a contract whereby its members are to get foundation made for two cents a pound less than they were able to contract for last year. While they have no contract for cans and cases as yet, there is confidence that they can get a better price than they obtained last season. Other supplies will, it is thought, not be any higher than last year, and many expect much lower prices. My local lum- ber merchant asked me the other day if I wanted any material for hives as he was ordering a car of soft pine, such as all of our hives are made of. Last year he could not get this material at all, which shows that the war is over ajid that the Govern- hient is releasing materials which were hard to get last year. The date of the annual meeting of the Orange Belt Co-operative Honey Producers' Exchange has again been set: — this time for Monday, Jan- 13, at 10 a. m. Eiverside is the meeting place. There will probably be nothing to interfere with the meeting this time, as the " flu " conditions are much im- proved in these sections of the State. Corona, Calif. L. L. Andrews. * * * In Michigan "^^^^ state Beekeepers' o * Association is now pre- pared to furnish a list of its members to advertisers or others interested. Apply to the undersigned, inclosing a stamped en- velope. The writer is trying to get together a list which will contain the name of every beekeeper in the State who is sincerely in- terested in the production of honey and suppression of disease. It is expected that within a short time a letter will be mailed monthly or as frequently as expedient to each name on this list- The letter will con- February. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CITLTURE FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH tain data, information, and suggestions of particular importance to Michigan beekeep- ers. If you are not already on the list of j)ersons who receive the circular letters from the State Beekeepers' Association, then please send in your name. The Legislature is now in session. Many of the members are in favor of increasing the appropriation for inspection work. There are many who are "neutral" and some who are against it. Now is the time to get right after the representatives and let them know your sentiments if it is to do any good at this session. One letter to one representative might save the day. One "kicker" in the Legislature frequently up- sets the program of a dozen others. Be sure that YOUR representative is informed of the need of a further appropriation. A short course for beginners and ama- teurs in beekeeping will be given at the Agricultural College beginning Feb. 24 and continuing till noon of March 1. Eight hours a day will be devoted to lectures and laboratory exercises in beekeeping. The course will deal chiefl}^ with the particular information of which the beginner feels in need. The instructors at the College will be assisted by a well-known honey producer who will lecture chiefly on methods of pro- duction. This course is in no way intended for professionals. The object is to get the beginners started along the right path. For further particulars, write to A- M. Berridge, Director of Short Courses, East Lansing, Mich. On Dec. 17, a joint meeting of the Lamb- ton County Beekeepers' Association of On- tario and the St. Clair County Beekeepers' Association of Michigan was held at Port Huron. This meeting was one of unusual in- terest and enthusiasm. Mr. Armstrong from the Ontario Agricultural College and Mr. Eumford, Deputy Provincial Inspector, both gave very helpful addresses. One of the best features of the meeting was the ban- quet which was held in the evening. The toastmaster, John Farrell of Ontario, was a master in his position and so conduct- ed the program of toasts that every person present felt fortunate in being there. We need more of such meetings as this one. The very energetic County Agent, C. L. Brody of Port Huron, was largely responsi- ble for the success of the meeting. Meet- ings were also held during the month in Lapeer, Genesee, and Jackson Counties. The continued epidemic of "flu" compelled the abandoning of most of the program of meetings- B. F. Kindig. East Lansing, Mich. * * » In Ontario ^^^'^ month of December here in Ontario has been much milder than usual for this time of the season. About 10 above zero was the cold- est— quite a contrast to the December of 1P17 when we had several days away below zero. Generally speaking, milder weather earlier in season, with the extreme cold later on, is better for the outdoor bees than with conditions reversed; but too long a spell of very mild weather late in January is often harmful, ,as brood-rearing is apt to start. As a rule, we have our coldest wea- ther here in February; and, with much brood in hives in January, an extremely cold spell lasting for weeks, following the mild weather of the previous month, often causes colonies to go to pieces badly. Janu- ary to date (8th) has been moderately cold with two days below zero. On the whole, I should say that the winter season so far has been fine for the bees, altho they did not have so late a flight as we would have liked. After all is said and done, the main factor in good wintering for our locality isn 't so much a question of weather condi- tions as one of stores, because an abundant provision of stores of good quality will generally bring the bees thru all right even if weather is bad; while, on the other hand, if stores are light or poor in quality, all the good weather conditions and good prepara- tions in the way of packing, etc., are all for naught. A very mild January when, as intimated, bees are inclined to start brood-rearing heavily, is the kind of a season when the brood-nest is about solid with honey. Such a condition proves a real bonanza, as the brood-rearing space is so restricted that the queen has little space to deposit eggs. That was the theory that the late Mr. McEvoy worked on, and the longer I keep bees the more I am convinced of the soundness of the plan in practice as well as in theory. To all who say that colonies can have too much honey and too little "winter nest" for good outdoor wintering in a climate similar to ours, I respectfully suggest that they try the matter out. Restrict the brood-nest in the fall and then feed these colonies so that combs are literally solid, and let that condition remain as long as it is possible to get the bees to take the feed (this for an extreme test), and if the colonies are reasonably strong in bees and reasonably protected, I feel almost like saying that I will stand the loss in wintering if loss oc- curs. As to this question of freezing the bees by reason of too much honey in the brood-nest, claims have been made that cannot be verified by experiment. No, we do not prepare all our colonies in that way, not even the majority of them. Reasons are obvious, for with so many bees it would take too much work. But one thing I am sure of is this, that all colonies thus pre- pared have always wintered in good shape, while many others, in the same winters, not thus prepared have not done so. Owing to the influenza epidemic and other contributing circumstances, the date of the GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH annual Ontario Convention is the latest on record. I have no program as yet, but have received notice that the convention will be held in Toronto on Feb. 3, 4, and 5. The meeting will be, I presume, at the usual place — the Carlsrite Hotel, near the Union station. With a fairly good season just past in the way of a honey crop and good prices, enthusiasm is high among the fraternity, and naturally we expect a good attendance at the cons^ention. However, we always ex- pect that much and are never disappointed in that line, as an attendance of from two to three hundred is a common occurence. I have just learned with regret of the sudden death from influenza of a young beekeeper engaged extensively in the busi- ness— Mr. Brunne of Arnstein, Ont. Mr. Brunne, with his father, operated a number of apiaries in the Parry Sound district of Ontario, a poor farming section in a general way, but a fairly good beekeeping district. The surplus obtained is from clover, rasp- berry, basswood, and fireweed, the sources being in value in order named, if I remem- ber correctly. Mr. Brunne was a young man full of energy, just on the threshold of a useful life. As to what Mr. Andrews says on page 30, January issue, in respect to European foul brood "and American foul brood being dis- tinct diseases, I ask if it is not locality, then what is it that would cause Mr. Andrews to make such a statement? Here in Ontario, at least, the two diseases, while having some things in common, have on the other hand so many things different that the veriest novice, seeing and studying them side by side for a season, wouid know positively that the diseases are entirely different. A comb filled with scales of dried-down larvas from American foul brood cannot be used again, under any circumstances that I ever heard of, without transmitting the disease to any colony to which said comb is given. A comb filled with dried-down larvse, half- dried larvae, or rotten larvae from European foul brood can be given to bees and not transmit the disease to bees that seemingly are immune to it. Do these conditions hold good in California or do they not? While I am not sure about it myself, yet I certain- ly believe the same results would be obtain- ed with this test as we get here in Ontario- If wrong in this surmise, I will gladly be corrected; but, if right, then Mr. Andrews should not advance such views. Markham, Ont. J. L. Byer. * * » T„ nPexas ^^'^ second annual meeting CAdS. ^^ ^j^g county apiary inspect- ors was held at College Station on January 24 and 25. This meeting was a school of in- struction at which time plans for the com- ing year 's work were discussed with the inspectors. Particular attention was given this year to the new regulations, which are to be rigidly enforced, that will prohibit th« shipment of any honey at any place in the State without a certificate of inspection. Beekeepers of the State are warned to be prepared to meet the new regulations by having their yards inspected during the sea- son. It is too early to discuss at this time the details of the program. On Dec. 30, 31, and Jan. 1, there were held in San Antonio, Tex., the widwinter meeting of the educational section and the annual meeting of the business section of the Texas Honey Producers ' Association. These meetings were very well attended by representatives of several of the beekeeping sections of the State, the average attend- ance at the sessions being about 45. A very enjoj^able part of the three days ' program was the banquet given by the Bexar County Beekeepers' Association to the visitors. The field meet which was planned for New Year 's day could not be held on account of the severe weather. The program of the educational section was devoted to matters concerning the general uplift of the indus- try in the State. These sessions were pre- sided over by E. G. LeSturgeon of San An- tonio, who is president of the section. A talk by Prof. H. B. Parks, Apicultural Ex- pert of the Extension Service of the A. & M. College, outlined the work which is being done with the beekeepers. The results shown certainly jarove the value of the work. Plans for more extension work, were outlined. In a talk by F. B. Paddock the more important results of the foul-brood eradication were mentioned. The chief plans for the coming year include more drastic regulations pertaining to the ship- ment of honey in the State- In the new regulations the shipper of honey will be re- sponsible for the inspection certificates. The president brought before the meeting the outline for the legislative action of the section. This is to include a request for a bill which will create experimental apiaries to study the problems of beekeeping. Eeso- lutions were adopted expressing confidence in the present efforts of foul-brood eradi- cation and asking that no change should be made in the present management. A com- mittee was appointed to prepare for the beekeepers of the State a list of terms properly defined. The meetings of the busi- ness section were presided over by Louis Scholl of New Braunfels, the president. Matters discussed at these sessions per- tained to the advancement of the associa- tion. A report of the manager showed the wonderful results that have been attained, especially in the two worst years in the his- tory of Texas beekeeping. The directors of the association in their meeting declared the guaranteed dividend of 8 per cent to be be retroactive to the time when the money of each stockholder was placed with the as- sociation. The manager was given a vote Fkbri'Arv. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH of confidence bv the directors and elected for another year. Appreciation was ex- ])ressed to Louis H. Sclioll as editor of the Beekoejiors' Item for his efforts for the bee- koeiiing industry of the State. Considera- ble additional stock in the association was subscribed by those at the meeting. The entire three days of meetings were filled with profitable exchanges of ideas and con- struction plans. Those who attended were convinced that the programs were the best that have ever been held. Several of the large beekeepers in west Texas who lost so heavily last year are now trying to buy bees to fill their empty fix- tures. Some of the parties are interested in the purchase of box hives- It is' to be regretted that a large number of the box- hive bees can not be transferred to modern hives, but the owners of the box hives are always very reluctant to dispose of their holdings. The mild treatment of American foul brood is certainly not safe in Texas. The most drastic measures are not more than equal to the task. Every effort is being made to discourage treatment, as the experi- ence of the best beekeepers has shown posi- tively that utter destruction is the real saving. There will be considerable competition this year between the Texas beekeej^ers and the northern buyers of package bees. The losses in the State are going to be made up as soon as possible thru the purchase of bees in anv shape from package to colony. F. B. Paddock." College Station, Tex. * * * In Florida During the last two months reports have been coming from all parts of Florida indicating that paralysis is more prevalent than usual. This is the only disease to which our bees are subject. There appears to be no remedy; nor is any needed, as the malady disappears of its own accord as soon as nectar begins to come in freely. Unfortunately, it appears at a time when every bee lost counts against a successful honey crop, because it is the bees that live thru the winter that gather the bulk of our orange honey, and a colony badly affected by paralysis seldom amounts to anything for the spring flow. Some years ago I used to have many paralytic colonies every spring. In some cases a strong colony would dwindle to a point where there was only a pint of bees, and then they would build up again in a remarkably short time; but since 1914 I have seen nothing of this disease except, perhaps, an occasional bee. The most extensive beekeeper in this part of Florida once told me that he had the same trouble every year until he placed his hives in sheds where the sun would never strike them. It is significant that paralysis has not appeared in my yards since the ma- jority of the hives have been well shaded, tho in my ojiiniou dampness is the cause of the trouble. Altho we cannot tell at this' time what the prospects are for a croi^ of orange hon- ey, we can assume, provided there is no freeze, that it will be the biggest there has been for many years. The fall flow, lasting as it did well into November, has given us such strong colonies that we cannot fail to make the crop if we get the bloom. The experienced beemen will be prepared to care for the flow as they have never been pre- pared before, since no expense is being con- sidered- Buzz saws all over the State are busily cutting out hive material, and big increase is being planned by all. Now, Mr. Beginner, and you who own a few colonies of bees and work them on the "let alone and get all I can" principle, let me talk straight at you, for I can say here what I cannot say in person. This is the beginning of February, the bee-year has just commenced, and in four or five weeks swarms will be hanging in your yard. Have you ordered your supplies, your hives, su- pers, and foundation, or are you relying, as usual, on the generosity of your neighbor to accommodate you out of his own stock? I am speaking not only for myself but for everyone who is engaged extensively in bee- keeping, when I say we do not want that class of beekeepers around us. You are a nuisance when you come expecting us to furnish the supplies you should ha^^e bought long before; and, if we charge a little more than catalog price, it does not begin to pay for the valuable time your request requires us to expend. It is difficult for us to refuse to sell a hive or some foundation when we know that your bees are not provided for, and when you see that we have big stocks of just what you want. You should remem- ber that these abundant supplies have all been paid for months before we expect to use them, and, tho we may have more than we shall use immediately, we do not want to sell and then have to replace at a higher price. We are not ia the bee business to accommodate you and make good your fail- ure in your care of your own property. Most of us will willingly get what supplies' you need if you will tell us well in advance; but we do not anticipate your need when ordering our supplies. You come to us for advice, and it is freely given, tho it has been Nearly bought by hard experience; but you should not expect us to furnish the capital to carry on your business. If you have not ordered your supplies you have not a day to spare, as freight shipments are subject to much delay. For those of you in Florida the nearest agent carrying a full stock of goods is L. W. Crovatt, Savannah, Ga. I may speak plainly, but I wish you every success in the coming season. Apopka, Fla- Harry Hewitt. 98 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN W^^- DIFFERENT FIELDS Can Bees Hear? A. I. Boot, page 739, Possibly, Yes. asks this question. This is something that I have often thought of myself, because a few years ago I had a little exj^erience that almost convinced me that bees can hear, but yet I do not know. One evening after sun- down in the midst of the honey flow I had ground my scythe, and in walking along in front, of a row of hives there was a post about 10 feet from the entrances of a few hives. When I got to the post I hit, it a light blow with the blade, which gave a bell-like sound, when out shot a few dozen bees from several hives close by. I repeated the act several times, and it always had the same effect on the bees. Did the bees, hear it or feel it? They surely did not see it. It seems to me that some of our old-time beekeepers like A. I. E. himself, and Dr. Miller, who have, perhaps, worn out several of their wives' dishpans in their early days of beekeeping in calling back runaway swarms that were nearly out of sight, should surely be able to give us some light on the subject. If bees could hear 40 years ago, they surely can do so yet. Who knows? I believe bees can and do hear. Dakota, 111. A. A. Augenstein. I should like to relate an experience we had two summers ago. There were a few half-grown pigs in a pen a few rods from an apiary of 200 colonies. Occasionally a pig would get out; and in catching and lifting him back over the fence there would be some good sharp squealing. Whenever this happened when the bees were flying well overhead, scores of them would come at us so furiously that we were obliged to hurry operations or take a severe stinging before we could get away. The bees would come for rods, fast and mad, directly for us. It was not the motions we made that caused it, for we tried it. It happened fully half a dozen times before we fixed the fence. Do not the bees hear the piping of young queens. F. W. Lesser. East Syracuse, N. Y. A. I. Eoot revives the old question: "Can Bees Hear?" It seems to me that such a question could be easily answered by any apiculturist who has at one time or another noticed what happens when by accident a bee is pinched on top of the frames and in the vicinity of other bees. The injured bee gives a "war whoop," followed by an immediate rushing of bees to that spot. Could the bees have seen such an accident? No; nor could they have felt it. What then called them to the assistance of the in- jured member? Simply the sound of dis- tress. There are numerous other bee be- haviors that can be accounted for only by sound. For instance, how would the guards at the entrance obtain help, if they could not make others hear and understand the vibrations of their wings? There is no more conclusive proof of the presence of a sense of hearing in bees than the fact that they can distinguish and will follow different sounds, unless it be the positive discovery of the ears themselves. Lawrence F. Bellman. Ft. Atkinson, Wis. A Homemade In an old-fashioned Extractor. milk-can cut a six-inch hole in the bottom. To the edges of this attach with solder about an inch of the top part of the funnel. Then punch four holes in the lower edge of the funnel and attach a cheesecloth strainer. If the can is not deep enough to take the frames, attach a band of iron to the top. Next make a frame of wood and wire at- tached to the shaft and held in place at the bottom with a strip of iron with a hole in thei center. In this frame the extracting- siipers as well as section boxes slide in and A homemade honey-extractor. out easily. A couple of old gears will com- plete the outfit as shown in the picture. The old can was given to me. I had on hand the old pieces of iron, solder, etc., so the whole affair, including paint, cost but $1.69. The standard is simply but solidly built. Any size of dish may be used underneath by sliding a board thru the different cleats at the sides of the legs. My honey crop totaled 226 pounds this season, about half of which was extracted. Center Eutland, Vt. E. L. Palmer. Objects Strongly to The article by J. F. That Treatment. Kight, appearing in the January issue, raises a question that should be ventilated. There are altogether too many beekeepers who now try to cure American foul brood in that way. At the beginning of my bee- FKlilUARV. 1910 a L E A N T N 0 S IN BEE CULTURE 99 HEADS OF GRAI?ni?PqQ(rD^FFMENTJ^ kooping eureor I spent two years with a man of world-wide reputation. His system of curing American foul brood was to move the colony with diseased cells to an out- apiary, called a hospital, and there cut out the cells as Mr. Kight advises. He never was free from disease during my stay with him. In some cases this treatment might be the means of curing the disease, in others it might not. In another instance, I knew of 100 colo- nies of bees gaining access to a tank of diseased honey in the autumn after breed- ing had ceased. Following my advice, the owner examined the colonies frequently in the spring, and, whenever ho found a cell of American foul brood, he cut it out and kept on w'atching to prevent the disease get- ting a start. Yet under even such favorable conditions as these, the beekeeper did not succeed in eradicating the disease by this method- The trouble is, one rarely knows when and how the germs have been brought in. My practice has been to destroy every source of infection, and, whenever I have found the disease in one or two colonies in a large apiary of 100 or more, the bees have been brimstoned, the combs burned, and the hives disinfected. E. F. Holtermann. Brantford, Ont. 30 ^^ taB^: On a Roof in This snap-shot shows Detroit. one colony of bees on the roof above my home near the large Liberty (air-plane) Motor Co. I saw this was a good location, since the flight of the bees would be clear above the street traffic, and there is an abundance of flora in the adjacent fields. So I sent away for a colony. The hive ar- rived all right except for a couj^le of Beekecpiiii; on a roof in Detroit. broken end-bars and a slight tear in the screen which let a few bees out. With the assistance of the neighbors I hoisted the colony to the roof by means of the clothes- line. At first I feared for the bees on ac- count of the wet and cold, and also insuffi- cient stores; but dandelions, followed by fruit bloom,' saved them. They- swarmed once, but I did not lose either the queen or the bees; and after I had cut out queen-cells and given ventilation they gave up swarm- ing. They gathered about 110 pounds of surplus honey, mostly from white clover. In August, from sweet clover and wild flowers, they brought in enough for winter. I packed the hive in a box, surrounding it with newspapers and furniture packing, and placed it near a corner brick wall which serves; as a windbreak. Detroit, Mich. Scott Mizenes. A coioiiy of Italian bees that built tlipir honie in the open in Posey County, Ind. It was suspended among grapevines and harseweeds, and wa.s half as large as a full-sized barrel. On Dec. -22, 1918, when this colony was put in winter quarters, it was vory strong and had 50 lbs. of honey. CC: ,ca= Big Results from Tliis spring I started Three Colonies. with three colonies. Six queens were order- ed from the South to be shipped May 10. Before arrival one colony swarmed. Upon receipt of the queens the parent colony, as well as the two other colonies, was divided into three parts each. This gave me "the makings" of 10 colonies. Later another queen (not ordered) was received. So I robbed nuclei to start a nucleus. This gave me eleven ' ' makings. ' ' All colonies are in ten-frame hives. I had no combs excepting those in the three original brood-chambers, they having been run for comb honey; but I used full sheets of foundation upstairs and 100 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN S. FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS down — rather hard on the nuclei, but it was the best I could do. The crop was 564 pounds surplus, all taken from supers. The brood-chambers are packed solid with honey, and I have used no sugar whatever. By using sugar for wintering I could have taken another 100 pounds of honey from the brood-chamber; but instead I have saved 16 pounds of hon- ey for possible spring use. (These are in- cluded in the 564 pounds.) I expect to make further increase in the spring, and find I have to ' ' dig down ' ' and get a honey- tank, uncapping-can, etc. Don 't you think I did well with three colonies'? Edward M. Barteau. Brookhaven, N. Y. Combs, full of holes and rough, but taken from one of the record-producin? colonieis of E. S. Kinzie at Arlington, Calif. «B= .£«= 3» Tor Watering Bees In answer to the in- on Desert. quiry of W.. E. Wood- ruff of Cottonwood, Ariz., as to a dependable contrivance for watering bees on the desert, I hereby wish to describe a device that will answer the requirements as stated and will be unfail- ing in its operation. Take a barrel that is tight, place a fau- cet in the lower hole near the bottom. In the top of the barrel bore a hole large enough to take a fair-sized funnel. Make a bung that will fit this hole so as to be perfectly tight. The spout of the faucet is to extend into a shallow pan of any di- mensions to answer the respective require- ments. A rack of lath or other material can be placed in the tray to prevent the drowning of bees. If lath are used, the spout of the faucet should be placed about one-quarter inch above the bottom of the pan. Turn off the faucet and fill the barrel with water to the top. Drive the bung in the top tight, open the faucet, and the water will run out until it is even with the open- ing of the faucet. As the water is used or falls below the spout, a small amount of air will pass into the barrel, allowing the corresponding amount of water to pass into the pan. A piece of pipe with an elbow on the end will answer as a faucet; but when the barrel is being filled the opening on the pipe will have to be plugged to prevent the water from running out as fast as poured in. If a barrel is not large enough, a tank of any size could be made and used in the same manner. Albert G. Hoffman. Buffalo, N. Y. The Government eixlension men, while giving a course of instructions to beekeepers at Visalia, Calif, re- cently had their attention called to the two large colonies of bees that had built combs under the cornice of the court house about 60 feet from the ground. The combs are exposed the year round, and yet the colonies seem to prosper. One colony is a swarm of the other. The getting of the pictures, of which this is one, drew a large crowd, including the fire department and the sheriff, who had come not to arrest the trespassers but to assist in getting the pictures. The combs are shown above the crosses marked on the picture. February, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE c THE annual mooting o f the Miniio- sota Beekoopors ' Association, t o have been held Jan. 29 and 30 at the West Ho- tel, Minneapolis, was postponed a second time on account of the flu opi- doniic. The regular Minnesota beekeepers' i-iiort course will not be held this winter, but the annual meeting of the association will still be held at a later date. The beekeepers of Franklin Co., O., or- ganized a county association on Jan. 10 at the Chamber of Commerce, Columbus. There are about a hundred live beekeepers in the capital county of Ohio. JUST NEWS Editors 1 t r a i n commer- cial beekeepers and not to make mere beekeepers. The tuition in the course is free to all resi- d e n t s of New York State. The course has been care+"u']y organized along the lines of the teaching given at the California courses durirg November and De"ember that proved so highly successful. The school will be held in room 392, Eobert Hall, Cornell Uni- versity, the first session beginning Feb. 24 at 10 a. m. The names of instructors appear- ing on the progj-am are Dr. E. F. Phillips, E. E. Boot, Geo. H. Eea, Geo. S. Demuth, A. Gordon Dye, O. L. Hershiser, C. P. Dadant, J. G. Needham, and S. D. House. The annual meeting of the Missouri Api- cultiiral Society was held at Columbia, Jan. "1 to 24, during the State farmers ' week. An excellent program was prepared; and the advance announcement spoke most hope- fullv of the beekeeping prospects in the State. * * * The Chicago - Northwestern Beekeepers ' Association will hold its annual meeting jointly with the National Beekeepers ' As- sociation. Accordingly, the Northwestern 's meet will consist of a morning and after- noon session, on Feb. 18, the National 's first session coming on the evening of the 18th. The place of meeting is the LaSalle Hotel, Chicago. Speakers on the program are Dr. E. F. Phillips, Editor C. P. Dadant, Edward Hetfinger, Jr., and Miss lona Fowls. * * » At the annual convention of the Western New York Beekeepers ' Association held at the Genesee Hotel, Buffalo, N. Y., Jan. 10, 11, James H. Strout, Lockport, was re-elect- ed president, and Howard M. Myers, Ean- somville, was re-elected secretary. There was an excellent attendance, and unusual in- terest was taken in the proceedings. An interesting and significant fact is that the Western New York Honey Producers ' As- sociation is now incorporated under the laws of New York. The Ifith annual convention of the Kansas State Beekeepers' Association was held Jan. 7 and 8 at the Chamber of Commerce, Topeka. An excellent program was sent out in handsomely printed form. The annual meeting of the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers ' Association was held at Harrisburg Jan. 23-24. An interesting pro- gram had been prepared, w^ith Dr. H. A. Sur- face in charge as president. W. A. Pryal, long a resident of Oakland, Cal., a widely known beekeeper, and one whom many readers of Gleanings will re- call as a contributor to this journal, died Dec. 29 last. He was a man and beekeeper of exceptional ability and of the highest standing. TJie first annual meeting of the Chenango Co., N. Y., Beekeepers ' Society was held on Dec. 14 at the county court house, Norwich. There was a large attendance of beekeepers from Chenango and adjacent counties, and an excellent program was carried out. The officers for the coming year are: O. W. Be- dell, Earlville, President, and L. E. Gorton, Norwich, Secretary- treasurer. The New York State College of Agricul- ture, in co-operation with the Bureau of Entomology of the U. S. Department of Ag- riculture, will conduct a six-day school for commercial beekeepers at Ithaca, N. Y., the week of Feb. 24. This course is practically the same as that which was given recently for three weeks in California by Dr. E. F. Phillips and his assistants. This school is in no sense a beekeepers ' convention such as beekeepers ordinarily attend in winter time, but will be a systematic course in beekeep- ing, with emphasis placed on the fact that the primary part of this course will be to The H9th annual convention of the Na- tional Beekeepers' Association will be held at Hotel LaSalle, Chicago, Feb. 18-20. Among the names aj^pearing on the program are those of Prof. Francis Jager, Collin C. Campbell, E. D. Townsend, Dr. E. F. Phil- lips, Prof. F. Eric Millan, Charles B. Jus- tice, Kennith Hawkins, Prof. H. F. Wilson, C. P. Dadant, Prof. E. G. Baldwin, and E. E. Eoot (if not detained in California). Every wide-awake, forward-looking bee- keeper in the United States is urged to at- tend. 102 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U r. T U R E Fkbriarv, 1919 c LJT^ QUESTIONS. — ( 1 ) W li n t has become of the famous Alexander plan for a plurality of queens in one hive? Was Mr. A 1 e x - ander the only one who ever made a success of it, and is it entirely aban- doned? (2)Ten queens in 10 hives each with one or two pounds of bees will develop very slowly, ow- ing to a lack of bees to take care of the brood. These same 10 queens in one colony of 10 to 20 pounds of bees will each have plenty of bees and heat enough to cause them to commeince laying eggs at 100 per cent rate. Such a colony after three weeks ought to produce frame.s of hatching brood every two days, thus giving one full-colony increase every other day. In other words, one strong colony on May 1, provided with 10 good queens, ought to produce 15 good colo- nies in each of the months of June, July, and Aug- ust, and each of these colonies would have enough time to gi-ow into excellent colonies for wintering, the cost of these 45 colonies being only thei price of 10 queens in May and some feed. Will this theory come true? (3) If several queens in the samei hive (without excluders) are tolerated only during the honey flow, will they be tolerated if the colony is fed daily with a thin sugar syrup? Emil Wyldert. New Jersey. Answers. — (1 and 2) By a little calcula- tion it will readily be seen that theoretically 15 good colonies could be built up in 30 days, as you suggest, using only 10 queens and a large quantity of feed. However, in actual practice we find queens and bees re- fuse to behave with mathematical exact- ness. Moreover, a plurality of queens in one hive is not successful. At the time Alexander brought this plan before the bee- keepers, many tried it, but the method was dropped in a very short time. At the pres- ent date, we believe the only way it is be- ing tried is simply to use two queens in the same hive during the summer, usually having two queen-excluders intervening be- tween the chambers containing the different queens, it generally being found, if only one excluder intervenes, that sooner or later one of the queens will disappear. (3) We see no reason why this might not be done immediately following the honey flow, and yet we have never tried the plan; in fact, except in cases of supersedure,' we have never been successful in having more than one queen in the same compartment. Question. — An old box-hive beekeeper told me to wash the inside of the hive with salt and water, and the bees would not swarm out, but stay every time. Do you know if this is true ? Ernest Peterson. Illinois. Answer. — No. We wish it were. Questions. — (1) How many colonies would it be best to keeip for about 50 acres of alsike clover, pro- vided there is a good stand of clover, nO' other honey plants in the vicinitv, and the weather and moisture are suitable? (2) Why is alsike cut for seed the first caitting? Isn't there as much seed in the second cutting? (3) Is alsike clover the best yielder of all the clovers ? If not the best, what is better ? Illinois. Walter R. Suhre. Answers. — (1) In a good locality, during GLEANED by ASKING 1 lona Fowls tU E a goo d season, 50 acres of al- s i k e clover would probably supply consider- able surplus for 2 0 colonies o f bees- This would, of course, vary from year to year, and it is therefore difficult to give a definite answer. (2) Eed clover is fertiliz- ed to a great extent by bumblebees since the corolla tubes are so long that honeybees are generally unable to reach the nectar. Since only the queen bumblebee lives over, there is no chance for fertilization of the first cutting. Alsike, being fertilized by bees, bears seed for the first cutting and accord- ingly is probably exhausted by the second growth so that it does not mature properly. (3) Altho white sweet clover and alfalfa are very good yielders, we know of none more reliable than alsike. Question.. — Will it be safe to feed bees with comb honey which has been treated with carbon bisulphide to kill moth larvae and eggs, after such combs have been aired 10 days or two weeks? Nebraska. C. W. Farrington. Answer. — The combs of honey will be per- fectly all right to feed the bees; in fact, the honey may be ea'ten by human beings without any danger of poisoning. Question. — A beekeeper in Minnesota told me that if a hot uncapping knife is used, the ends of the cells are so singed or melted that bees do not like to lengthen or build them up again. Is there anything to this ? J. W. Beckley. Oregon. Answer. — No, not in our experience. Question. — Will you please tell me what preserva- tive! to put in honey to prevent it from fermenting? Brilish Honduras. Donald A. Spratt. Answer. — In order to prevent honey from fermenting it should be left on the hive until it is thoro!y ripened. As the bees ripen the honey it becomes thicker and thicker, and is thus less liable to fermen- tation. Honey should be kept in a warm dry place. The best temperature is 70 to 90 degrees Fahr. No preservative should be put in honey in order to keep it. Even if such a chemical could be found which would not injure the flavor of the honey, the beekeeper would still be prevented from its use by the pure food law. Well-ripened honey in a place such as we have indicated ought to keep for years. Question. — I had 1 een planning a winter case that would hold four hives, giving one entrance on each side, when I found in Gleanings, page 598. almost the identical thing I had been planning. The va- cant space at the center T da not likej but see no way to prevent it and still have one eintrance on each side. Mr. Foster gives the mea.surement as 48 inches by 49 V^ . It seems to me this would cause a great waste of lumler, but by cutting all pieces 48 inches and nailing up one end in, and the other out, as you would in putting in inside forms for concrete work, you would have a box 47 V4 inclu's scjuare, provided yor.r lumber was Fioi-.RUAuv. 191 n G I- K A N I N G S IN BEE C U li T U R E % im-h. Tin's would give 5\^ inches of packing on Jill side's. A. W. Lindsay. Michigan. Answer. — Apparently you have misunder- stood tlie description of Wesley Foster's ease. We believe he uses all 48-inch lum- ber % inch in thickness. The dimensions of 49Vi.' by 4S are the outside dimensions, and the reason that the two sides are 1^2 inches longer than the ends, is because the end-pieces are nailed on to the ends of the side-pieces- The thickness of the %-inch lumber at each end of the side boards, would therefore make the sides 1% inches longer than the ends. If the corners were lapped serial!}', as we understand you to suggest, the outside dimensions of the case would be 48%x48%. if this same %-inch lumber were used. However, if %-inch lumber were used and half the boards cut 1% inches shorter than the other, it would be possible to have a perfectly square case if the corners were lapped as in Wesley Fos- ter 's case. There would, therefore, be no material difference in the price of these three cases, and the manner of matching the corners woukl simply be a question of personal preference. Question. — What do you think of the following plan of winlerin;?, which I am now trying out? Take ordinary 10-frame Langstroth hives, fasten the bottom-board and roof securely, close the sum- mer entrance, and turn the hive on end, the bot- tom being to the front, then bore a 1-inch hole at the bottom of the bottom-board for a winter en- trance. Secure the hives with props, so that they cannot blow over, and then leave without any other protection. Washington D. Keyes. Penns.\ Ivania. Answer. — This plan has been suggested by several other beekeepers, who intend try- ing this method of wintering with double- walled hives. The part of the hive that is the top during the summer would need some extra packing, and in some cases the bottom also would need more protection. This could, perhaps, be arranged by means of a large telescope cover, but it is possi- ble that the cost of such a cover might make the regular Demuth style of winter- ing preferable. We shall be glad to receive a report from you next spring. Question. — How can I fasten foundation into ex- tracting frames? Martin Seipp. Minnesota. Answer. — To fasten foundation into ex- tracting frames, the frame should be held with the bottom-bar up, and leaning out a lit- tle way from the operator. The triangular piece may be removed from the top-bar and the sheet of foundation then laid against the shoulder in the bar and resting against the wire. The piece of wood removed is then laid against the edge of the foundation where it con-,cs in contact with the top-bar, and is nailed in place with two or three small nails. After this the frame should be placed over a block just the right size to fit into the frame, the foundation being next the block and the wires on top. The wires may then be imbedded with a spur wire imbedder, using only just enough pres- sure to imbed the wire in the foundation, without cutting thru the foundation. If the wires ( ut the foundation at any place, the bees will j)robably remove a part of the foundation there and replace with drone comb. Question. — Do you consider the %-inch space under the brood-frames too much? I find them buildiny; burr-combs from the bottom-bars to the hive lottom. A. W. Lindsay. Michigan. Answer. — We do not think %-inch space any too much under the brood-frame, and as far as their building burr-combs from the bottom-bars to the hive bottom is con- cerned, this would not trouble us. Of course, if such burr-combs became so high that there was danger of crushing bees when returning the combs to the hives, it would be necessary in those rare cases to scrape the bottom-board. However, we do not think you will have any trouble from this cause. Question. — Please tell the surest and quickest way to requcen a colony of bees having laying workers. E. D. Howell. New York. Answer. — In the September issue of Gleanings, under the department ' ' Gleaned by Asking," you will find a method given for introducing a queen to a laying-worker colony. In addition to this we might say that some good beekeepers simply exchange places of the laying-worker colony and some other good strong colony, and then requeen in the usual way. Question. — We are just beginning in beekeeping, but plan to branch out until we reach a full 50-hive apiary. We are in a very fine country for bee pas- ture. It could hardly be better. Would you advise us to go in for e.xtracted honey or for comb honey ? Montana. W. A. Petzoldt. Answer. — Your locality is more suitable for extracted honey than for comb on ac- count of the cool nights. During the night the bees build a great deal of their comb; and unless the supers are quite warm the bees will not go into them to carry on this work. ANSWER BY MEL PRITCHARD. Question. — I am a beginner, and it is my ob.iect to locate near Fort Myers, Pla., and build up an apiary. I understand tlmt is a good location, but would like your opinion con( erning it. Oregon. A. P. Applegate. Answer. — Three years ago I spent several days wuth the beekeepers at Ft. Myers, and . was not very favorably impressed with that region as a location for honey production. I found most of the beekeepers were rather discouraged. The cattlemen burn over a great deal of the land during the winter in order to improve the spring pasture, and this destroys the bloom of the saw palmetto, which is one of the main honey plants of that locality. If you are able to locate where there is plenty of tupelo, you can be reasonably sure of a honey flow from it. This, together with orange and bloom that is general over the State, would enable you to get a good honey crop. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 c a ONE of Cali- f 0 r n i a ' .s daily news- papers reports the following conversation as having taken place between Charles Foss, a beekeeper wiith 8,000 pounds of honey to sell, and a honey buyer who came to his door to purchase his crop: "You are buying honey to sell it at an exorbitant price. I am going to sell mine at six cents a pound to persons who need it and can not pay your price. God gave us the bee and He charges us no tax on it. He gave us the flowers from which the bee draws its honey and they cost us nothing. Why, when the world is overwhelmed with suffering, should some men profiteer at the expense of those who suffer most? Some day I hope to look in the face of Him who gave us the bee and the flowers, but I could never look Him squarely in the eye if I had made a single penny out of a fel- low creature's stress." The newspaper adds that Foss sold his entire crop at the price of six cents when he could have got 22 cents, selling it to people near his own home who consumed it themselves. "We are reading with great interest on this side your revelations about large hives. Somewhere about 1860 a certain Mr. Wood- bury made a 10-frame hive, I41/2 inches square and 9 inches deep, and we have never got away from that hive. The result of con- fining brood to such a small space for gen- erations has been to develop such poor queens that many now teach that the 10- frame British hive can not be bettered. Those who import prolific foreign queens and trv to keep them laying on 10 British combs 'find that those bees (Italians, Ameri- cans, etc.) do nothing but swarm. So back we go to our degenerate British bee. For- tunately, Isle of Wight disease is doing something to exterminate the unfit — both bees and beekeepers." — John Anderson, Lecturer in Beekeeping, The North of Scot- land College of Agriculture, Aberdeen, Scot- land. ' ' I have been troubled with bronchitis for some years, and last winter I had the grip which left me in bad shape. So last spring I began taking a teaspoonful of extracted honey every night just before go- ing to bed, and I do not have any more trouble from these ills." — H. Galloway, Multnomah County, Ore. "The season I have just finished has been the best I have ever experienced in my 30 years of beekeeping. My honey season started about the last of September, 1917, and finished about the last of April, 1918. The drones were flying and swarms were fly- ing all thru this period — in fact, drones were flying as late as midwinter, which with us is June 21. This was two months later than BEES, MEN ANDJTHINGS (You may find it here) 1 in a normal sea- son. I started last September with 73 colonies and finished with 141 and produced 33,420 pounds of ex- tracted honey, all of good qual- ity, an average of 237 pounds per colony. The price here ranges from 8 to 12 cents per pound, packed ready for export. Beeswax sold from 36 to 48 cents a pound and for a short time was up to 60 cents a pound."— A. P. Haberecht, Henty, N. S. W., July 17, 1918. ' ' I before stated some of the advantages of large cubical ('square') hives. I will take 10 hives of 2,250 square inches of comb capacit_y and go to any man 's locality and produce more honey with less expense than he can with any hive smaller than that size. ' ' — T. K. Massie, Mercer County, W. Va. ' ' I moved my bees to winter quarters after Dec. 1, but did not cover the front of the hive as the weather was mild, and the next day and for several days thereafter saw drones flying in and out. Never heard of drones so late in the season before. ' ' — C. A. Kinsey, Gallatin County, Mont. ' ' We had a dandy year and I had several of those ' skyscrapers. ' I allow no swarm- ing, but use the double brood-chamber of 10 frames each, raising the first way above the second. It is a great system. ' ' — C. L- Eion, King County, Wash. ' ' There are now in this province of On- tario over 8,000 beekeepers. Tho the precise figures are not available, it is estimated that the product this year amounted to about 5,000,000 pounds." — The Toronto Globe. "I will be 81 years old Jan. 6 and had concluded to quit the bee business and had about sold out; but I think now I shall stock up some in the spring. ' ' — G. T- Willis, Vermilion County, Ills- "In 1916 I sold about $300 worth of hon- ey from 12 colonies by spring count. I am a farmer way up in ' that blustery Nebras- ka,' too."— G. L. Mills, Merrick Countv, Nebr. ' ' Very mild winter here on the Kansas- Nebraska line, and bees are wintering well with some outside protection." — Ealph Livers, Nuckolls County, Nebr. ' ' Today, Dec. 19, bees are gathering some pollen off the dandelion. Did you ever hear of the like at this time of the year?" — Wm. Kemp, Shelby County, Ind. ' ' An open winter here. Prospects are good for honey crop next year. ' ' — D. F. Eankin, Jackson County, Ind. ' ' The prospects for clover for 1919 look good. ' ' — G. W. Haines, Fulton County, N. Y. Fkbruarv, 19in G T. K A N T N G S IN BEE C U I. T U R E 105 UNDER " ^r i n 0 r Tools and Appliances of the Modern Api- ary," by D. M. Macdonald, in the December British Bee Journal, we find the following: "A small rake, called a ' queen-persuader, ' is periodically run over the surface of sealed comb every time the hives are examined in the spring and early summer. In this way the bees are given the smell and taste of honey. The bees, trans- ferring this to the neighborhood of the brood, feed the queen, and thus induce her not only to start laying, but to keep it up even when nothing is coming in from the fields. ' ' [In our basswood apiary we have used such a tool for getting combs in the right condition for shipping one-frame nu- clei.] * * * inheritance; thru dronis. Certain traits are more readily transmit- ted by drones than queens, claims C. P. Da- dant, in the January American Bee Journal. He recalls that at the International Con- gress of Beekeepers held at Paris in 1900 the assertion was made that gentleness or irritability is transmitted thru the drones; that a black queen mated to an Italian drone will have progeny of a gentle disposi- tion, while an Italian queen mated with a black drone will produce bees with the characteristic temper of the blacks. Mr. Dadant says he hasi since that time proved the theory true, having corroborated it in his own experience. « * » WRESTING SUCCESS FROM FAILURE. Stick-to-it-ive-ness is necessary for suc- cess with bees, claims D. Anguish Lambeth in the December Canadian Horticulturist and Beekeeper. He believes one should have the staying qualities of a Jack Johnson, so that when he gets a hard blow in the first or fifth round he comes up smiling, refusing to "take the count." Among the many successful beekeepers Mr. Lambeth has known, he says there is not one who has not received at some time or other bad blows and reverses sufficient to put him out of business, but each time he came back "wresting success from grim failure just because they knew how to hang on." A good illustration of this is found in an article by G. C. Greiner, appearing in the January American Bee Journal- In the spring he found himself practically destitute of bees, from the ravages of foul brood. He straightway purchased and built up in prep- aration for the coming flow. The result was an average of 280 pounds of surplus per colony, one-third of the honey being comb. One colony made a most remarkable record. Early in the spring it was of medium size, but was large enough to divide .^=s^^^^^^^ on May 10, and again on June 2; also on July 12 the first division cast a swarm, so that the one colony increased to four and also produced 610 pounds of honey. Mr. Greiner says the secret of his heavy yields is leaving the brood-chambers undis- turbed during the honey flow. Unless abso- lutely necessary he never opens the brood- chamber from the time spring management is over until the following spring. [In the phrase "Unless absolutely, necessary," Mr. Griener doubtless has in mind the need of occasional inspection for disease. We are certain he would consider this essential.] INSPECTION -WORK IN TEXAS. Organization for bee control in Texas ex- eels that of any other State, says Frank C. Pellett, in the January American Bee Jour- nal. The work of disease-eradication has been placed in the hands of the State Entomologist, Prof. F. B. Paddock, who has appointed a chief inspector and 40 local in- spectors. In this work Mr. Paddock has unlimited authority in making and enforc- ing all necessary regulations. In any locali- ty where inspection is to be undertaken, he believes co-operation and organization im- pei-ative, and therefore requires county or- ganizations to name two or more men who would be acceptable to the county. From these the selection is made. When cleaning up a locality the inspectors begin at the center of infection and work outward. They are required to examine every comb in every apiary inspected, and in case of a queen- rearing yard, every colony within a radius of a mile is also examined before a certifi- cate is granted. [Let us hope this good work will spread to other States also. The present inspection work in many places is deplorable.] * * « LICENSING BEEKEEPERS. European foul brood has become so preva- lent in British Columbia that a demand has arisen that beekeepers be licensed. In the December Canadian Horticulturist and Bee- keeper is a proposed amendment to the Foul- brood Act, which, it is hoped, will be passed at the next session of the Provincial legis- lature. It would require all beekeepers to register annually and pay according to the number of colonies, with $5.00 for the maxi- mum. The Minister would have power to refuse registration to any beekeeper whose methods he had grounds for believing a menace to good beekeeping. * * * HAVE BEES A SENSE OF DIRECTION! The sense of direction is discussed in the January American Bee Journal by Prof. Emile Jung in a clipping taken originally GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Pebruarv. 1919 from the "Echo des Alpes. " He has been trying out Fabre 's experiments along this line, but has drawn a somewhat different in- ference. A few bees were marked, put in paper bags, and liberated at different dis- tances from their hives. At about half a mile distant the bees all returned; at two miles a small number were lost; at four miles 17 out of 20 returned; and at eight miles none returned- Professor Jung be- lieves this indicates no sixth sense of direc- tion, but that the bees return only when they are able to find landmarks which they recognize. This seems borne out by the fact that of bees liberated two miles out in the lake none returned. VALUE OF DOUBLE-WALLED HIVES. Double-walled hives have been quite neg- lected in recent discussions on wintering, as- serts W. A. Chrysler in the December Can- adian Horticulturist and Beekeeper. The main argument against these hives, he says, is their cost, weight in handling, and greater liability to cause poor wintering. The first point rather fades away when we consider the cost of a winter case. In re- gard to weight, he says the double-walled hive does not need to be lifted; but he es- timates that packing and unpacking the sin- gle-walled hives in an apiary of 100 colo- nies would require 14,000 pounds of lifting. In refutation of the third point he says that, after an experience of 30 years with various kinds of wintering (except cellar wintering), he has found the double-walled hives much the safest and most practical. He also adds that 28 years ago he visited an apiary of 200 colonies, all in double- walled hives. This fall he again visited the same yard and found the owner still as well pleased as ever with this kind of wintering. [In even as severe a winter as last, one can winter several hundred colonies in double- walled hives with less than one per cent loss if he knows how.] * ♦ * CHAMPION OF SMALL HIVE. Large hives are commented on by Miss Emma M. Wilson in the January American Bee Journal. She says that, tho Dr. Miller, if he were beginning again, would have a larger hive than the eight-frame, his helper does not agree with him on this point, since the eight-frame is much easier to handle; and, as for the danger of starving in winter, she says those women not willing to give the necessary attention in the fall should either use larger hives or let bees alone. LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. Forest-reserve locations in California have been investigated, and range for thousands of colonies found, according to the December Western Honeybee. This work has been done by the United States Bureau of En- tomology and Forest Eeserve. The best of the localities that are at all accessible are already occupied; but there will be many other good ones available as soon as facili- ties can be provided for reaching them. These ranges are to be classified according to their value as bee-pasturage, and the li- censes will be so granted that beekeepers will be able to locate no closer to each other than three miles- In some other parts of Cali- fornia that are already overcrowded there has also been some talk of requesting the legislature to place a limit to the number of apiaries that may be established within a certain space. * * » LIMITING BOUNDARIES. Among resolutions lately passed by the Auckland branch of the National Beekeep- ers ' Association may be found in the No- vember New Zealand Beekeepers' Journal one recommending that the Grovernment limit boundaries so as to prevent overlap- ping of beekeepers ' territory, and that the law forbid the removal of bees from one locality to another unless the proposed loca- tion be certified by the Gov-ernment inspect- or to be suitable for the purpose. » * » STEEL DRUMS FOR CONTAINERS. An effort to secure more dependable con- tainers for shipping extracted honey is men- tioned in the December Western Honeybee. Fifteen-gallon steel drums are proposed, and a rate of $1.12i/^ per 100 pounds suggested as a carload minimum of 50,000 pounds. These drums are practically indestructible and may be handled with ease and safety. * * « PROPHECY ON PRICES. • ' We do not see how prices can drop very much before the next crop comes on, as there is such a small amount left in the hands of the producer- Our idea now is that the market will stiffen just as soon as ship- ping space becomes a little more easily avail- able." — M. G. Dadant, January American Bee Journal. * » « GIVING BEES TO SOLDIERS. Maimed soldiers and sailors are each of- fered a colony of bees and hive complete by W. Ion in the British Bee Journal for Nov. 21. He says, if thruout the United Kingdom 999 other beekeepers would do the same, that the returning soldier beekeepers could immediately restart in beekeeping. * » » ANOTHER PROPHECY ON PRICES. Honey, being a luxury, may be one of the first food products to drop in price, says the editor of the Domestic Beekeeper in the December issue, yet he does not look for . much of any reduction from present prices for a year or two at least. » * « BEES ON SHARES. Keeping bees on shares,J- B. Lundie, in the Australian Beekeeper, considers to be worth more than is usually paid. He thinks such work should command as much as two- thirds of the honey and wax. Fkbriarv, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE W- 'ITH this m b e r , we again start a series of talks explaining just how any one may begin beekeeping, how he may p u r - chase his bees, what supplies he will need, and exactly what he should do each month in order to obtain the best results from his colonies. In beekeeping literature one will find quite a confusing conflict of opinion con- cerning almost every method of beekeeping. We do not purpose leading the beginner thru any such bewildering maze, but shall attempt to tell him one good way of doing each thing necessary to success. Why" Begin? That there will be a large army of be- ginners this year is certain. Never before has beekeeping been so popular as now. We could hardly expect honey to continue at high war prices, but the greatly increased use of honey convinces many that the price will not fall back to its old level. Still, tho many are turning to beekeeping, the beginner need not fear insufficient nec- tar for the increased number of colonies, as a recent Government bulletin claims the bees are now gathering less than 3 per cent of the amount of nectar available. Nor is there any danger of overproduction, since people are fast learning that honey is a more healthful sweet than sugar and are accordingly using more honey. At present we use only 3 per cent as much honey as sugar, so it is evident that a much greater amount could easily be used if available. There is, therefore, no doubt that it will paj^ to join the ranks of the producers. Those Who Will Succeed. Years ago, those who would keep bees were obliged to grope about in the dark, and many found experience so dear that no profits remained. Today, with our modern apparatus, and our books and magazines explaining the best practices of the best beekeejiers for years past, any intelligent, wide-awake person in a suitable locality could hardly do otherwise than succeed. The beginners who will develop into the best beekeepers are those who are enthusiastic enough to study the subject well, to take one or more current bee journals, and visit apiaries of up-to-date beekeepers. They should not have so exalted an opinion of their own skill that they are unable to ac- cept suggestions from those of wider ex- perience. Yet at the same time they should not follow others blindly but should think for themselves- Above all else the beekeej)- er should have a real love for his work, a determined perseverance in the face of ob- stacles, and a firm conviction that beekeep- ing in the long run pays and jiays well- Profit from Others' Experience. As we mentally view this large class of 107 beginners, we find ourselves wondering how the end o f t h e year will find them, how many b ad mistakes will have been made, what per cent will have been successful, and what per cent failures. From our correspondence, we have kept a pretty close tab on the beginners. Perhaps this year's class might be saved certain mis- takes by learning wherein some of last year's class failed. One person started with " vim and vigor but with too little protection from stings, and, therefore, after getting a few stings, was content to leave the colonies entirely to their own devices. At the end of the season, he wrote us a tale of woe because his bees had stored nothing. Another read volumes and volumes on beekeeping, but thruout the summer never opened a beehive, nor cut out a queen-cell, nor added a super, nor hived a swarm with- out first discussing it with his beekeeper friend. (We shall have to admit that this beginner made money on his bees this year, but we doubt if he will continue to do so.) In another instance the owner did not purchase suitable supplies, and her make- shifts caused such crooked combs that she found it impossible to remove theni and, therefore allowed swarms, after-swarms, and more after-swarms. And she couldn't see what under the sun was the matter with her bees, for they were nice Italians, and she had tried the let-alone-plan on them and it simply didn't work at all. One unusually bright man learned so much in one sliort month that he felt im- pelled to visit the neighboring beekeepers all around, not for advice, no, bless you! but to point out wherein all their methods were entirely wrong. Many and varied were the methods he practiced and taught, but few were the pounds he garnered. It seems hardly fair to tell of failures and not of successes, but really our mails were full of the successes of beginners, and in a number of instances those with a great enthusiasm but practically no experience for outstripped, in average crop per colony, their more experienced neighbors who count- ed their colonies by the hundreds. Our Information Bureau. In order to prevent avoidable mistakes, we ask all our beginners to write directly to us concerning any questions on beekeep- ing that may chance to arise. We hope our readers will take advantage of this oppor- tunity as we have an information depart- ment designed especially for their needs. Sometimes we run across such questions as the following: , ''I took my lioxes of honey and loft them standing on end to get the bees out. They GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 got out all right, but so did the honey- What was the matter?" "I have a good colony of bees, but it's all wormy — hundreds of little white worms curled up in the bottoms of the cells. How can I kill them?" ' ' There is something about supplies as listed in bee-supply catalogs that I cannot, as yet, make out. It is 1 NP, 1 KD, and 5 KD. As 1 KD is always cheaper than 1 NP, I guess that it is of inferior quality. Am I in the right?" "Could I winter my bees in a beehive my father made? It is big enough to hold eleven bees." "Gleanings says, to prevent swarming, empty supers should be kept above the brood-chamber. I tried this, but the bees put honey in them every time. What shall I do? I am trying burlap between supers and brood-chambers now. Maybe this will work better. ' ' Now we hope to be forgiven for smiling over a few of these, when we frankly admit that if we were to change occupations with the writers of these same letters, we know our questions would be quite as unusual as these mentioned. We will go further than this and say that in the same letter that rouses our mirth and from the same beginner who claims to know nothing about bees, we sometimes learn something decided- ly worth wliile. His brand-new, unusual way of looking at an old truth sometimes throws an entirelj^ new light upon it. Be- cause of the assistance we are able to give, and also because of the help we ourselves receive, we sincerely welcome all letters of inquiry. Arrange for Purchase of Bees. After fully deciding on entering beekeep- ing, about the first step should be to make some definite arrangement for purchasing bees, to be delivered at the coming of set- tled warm weather, for one would hardly care to invest in beekeeping supplies before making certain the bees would be available at the desired time. The very best waj' to get bees is to pur- chase them from a reliable bee-breeder or from some beekeeper near home, and to buy entire colonies in good standard hives. If such are not obtainable, good colonies in dilapidated or poorly constructed hives may sometimes be purchased at a very low price from farmers in the vicinity. This would be a good proposition for an experi- enced beekeeper, but might prove rather troublesome for a beginiaer, since the bees would have to be transferred, that is, taken out of the old hive and placed in a new one some time during fruit bloom, which process will be described in a later issue- Again, one may oftentimes secure the very best of colonies at a low price by leaving hives containing necessary fixtures with some farmer-beekeeper, with the under- standing that whenever the bees swarm, the farmer will hive such swarms in these hives and keep them for the beginner until he finds time to take them home- Yet in this case the farmer 's colonies might not swarm early enough, and the beginner, therefore, not obtain his bees soon enough to start beekeeping at the first of the season. However the bees are purchased, it is well to have them first inspected by a good bee- keeper, in order to be certain the colonies are strong, in good condition, and not dis- eased. Besides buying entire colonies it is also possible to purchase nuclei (small colonies) on combs, but, on account of the danger of such combs being infected with disease germs, we consider it a safer investment to buy bees in combless packages, which may now be sent by express or parcel post. When buying nuclei a queen should be pur- chased with each and introduced (that is, put with the bees) according to the direc- tions which accompany her. Directions also accompany ea- h nucleus, explaining just liow the isees may be moved from the box to their new hive, and how fed until they build up into a good colony, which a two- or three-pound package would probably do in six or eight weeks. If a nucleus is pur- chased after the first main honey flow, they may, by feeding, be built up into good colo- nies by fall; but, unless there should be an unusually good fall flow, they would not be apt to store much surplus honey (honey in excess of their winter needs). Unless one could obtain one entire colony having a number of frames of brood (un- hatched bees), so that one frame of brood could be given each nucleus, we would hard- ly advise buying nuclei, since it would take them so long to build up. The full colonies are much more desirable even at the higher price. Discussion of Next Issue. After one has investigated the matter and made certain he can obtain the bees when he gets ready to buy, the next step is the purchasing of supplies, which will be dis- cussed in the next issue. Supplementing These Articles. Since the procedure to be followed each month differs in the West, North, and South, it is quite obvious that, unless these talks are so general as to rob them of much of their value, they could not possibly apply each month to conditions in all parts of the United States the following month. As far as possible, however, we shall speak of sea- sons rather than actual months, and shall also supplement these talks by referring the beginner to other articles in the same issue. Some of these references will point out the need of different treatment in different parts of the country, while some will give the experiences and successes of other be- ginners. This month we refer the beginner to the Oklahoma Boys and Girls' Club (page 82), how fast to increase (page 91), begin- ners in Florida (page 97), beekeeping on a roof (page 99), "Big Eesults from Three Colonies" (page 99), and "Wresting Suc- cess from Failure" (page 105). February, 1919 THE parable that con- t ai n s our fii-st text has sometimes been called " the par- able of the rich fool." As a geii- e r a 1 rule all mankind agree that it is a good thing to make provision for a rainy day. Ev- ery man should make it his busi- ness to provide for himself, his wife, and for his household. In fact, we are in the habit of thinking this is the first and highest obligation that rests ujion our shoulders; but evidently the dear Savior did not consider it as the most important thing. Humanity would naturally inquire, " Well, what is a fellow to do if he is not to provide first for the needs of his house- hold for the coming winter?" Our second text answers the question. " Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Well do I remember the time when I first discovered this precious text. I had, perhaps, seen it in my childhood, and very likely repeated it in Sunday-school ; but I did not think or consider what it meant until I had grown up to manhood. May God forgive me for those selfish years when I had little in mind but to make money and more money. The question naturally arises, " Wliat did our Savior mean by the expression, ' the kingdom of God, and his righteous- ness"?" AVhere ?s God's kingdom'? On this 11th day of October, 1918, the whole wide world is getting a better glimpse of man's kingdom, or a man-made kingdom, than ever the world had before. God forbid that tliere should ever be again, in the history of the world, another kingdom like that of Germany at the present dav. Man's kingdom is a selfish one — all selfish. The kaiser is held up before us every day just now as an instance of the most awful kingdom the world has ever seen, and it is fast being set aside. God's kingdom, or something like it, and his righteousness, are to take the place of such a kingdom as Germany represents. When the United States first entered the war Germany tried to persuade us that this nation Avas just after " more territory," like Germany and all the rest of the world. In vain did our good President and the heads of our nation GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE OUR HOMES A. I. ROOT Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease; eat, drink, and he merry. — Luke 12:19. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his right- eousness; and all these things shall he added unto you. — Matt. 6:33. Love ye your enemies and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again. — Luke 6:3.5. 109 declare we did not want more territory — es- pecially more territory gained b y bloodshed. If o u r nation could gain more territory by fair and satis- f actoi-y p u r - chase, as in the case of Alaska from Russia and the Danish West Indies from Denmark, it would be all right, but not right otherwise; and the world has been watching our nation to see if we act as we talk. Our third text reads, " Do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again." I think that, when I first got hold of that precious promise or command, I gave a shout. I read it to my mother; and the readers of Gleanings of 45 years ago will recall some of the experiments I made to test its truth- fulness. I sent Gleanings to missionaries free of charge, and many copies of it are still going to them. I know what the postal administration says just now about cutting off complimentary copies. But the copies that go to missionaries are at pres- ent paid for just the same as all others; but the missionaries did not pay it. You will remember I told our clerks years ago, when even postage stamps were scarce in our little printing-ofiice, that the great Father above would furnish the stamps to pay the postage on our journals to the remotest missionaries on the face of the earth ; and the stamps have been forthcom- ing dulling these jiast forty years and more. It just begins to be plain to me that this little text, " do good and lend, hoiDing for nothing again," may apply to nations as well as to individuals. There has been quite a little criticism from certain quar- ters because the United States did not keep out of the war; and I sujopose that every one of you knows that our nation had no selfish motive in becoming involved as she is now. It was really to " do good and lend," tliat prompted America to do good to other nations, not only to France and England, but the whole wide world. How much do you suppose the United States has "lenf'f My stenographer and life- long friend, W. P. Root, says the amount lent to the allies up to Oct.' 21, 1918, was $7,520,476,666 — an amount of money more 110 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 than double our entire national indebted- ness at the close of our own four years of war. How is that for lending? And the amount loaned bj^ individual Americans is reckoned by the hundreds of millions. Did the world before ever hear of such a thing? And the glorious part of it is that our na- tion did it exactlj^ in the spirit of that wonderful text, collecting it all from our own peojDle, " hoping for nothing again." One of the conditions just now imposed on Germany is that the great seas — God's great national highways — shall be open to ail the nations of the world. It is the most gigantic undertaking the world ever saw or heard of. Nothing has ever transpired that can compare with it, even in the small- est degree. Our second text will come in I'ight here also. America has been truly seeking the kingdom of God and his right- eousness; and God's coming kingdom be- gins to be visible here and there all over the world. And one of the greatest glimpses comes with the abolishment of the liquor-traffic. While I write, the sa- loons are going out of business by the hun- dreds and thousands; and they are giving it up good-naturedly, without any hostile feelings toward the new ordinances or to- ward ' us fanatics " as we were called a short time ago. A new heaven and a new earth seem ready to be ushered in. Of course the cost was awful ; but the great God above seems to have decided that noth- ing short of such a chastisement would bring about this great reform. On the heels of the abolishment of the liquor-traffic comes the investigation in re- gard to houses of ill-fame. Our great cities, one after another, are instituting a crusade or houseeleaning; and this terrible tramping under foot of God's holy com- mand, " Thou shalt not commit adultery," seems to be yielding its awful punishment. Men who are afflicted with these unmen- tionable diseases can not fight; and T might almost say they can not be cured. They and their companions in crime are to be either done aw^ay with or made over; and, finally, in this new kingdom of God that is being ushered in, we are to have better Ijabies. Their mothers are to be bet- ter cared for before and after the babies are born. See what is said about the babies in our November issue. Well, ever since Gleanings was started I have had some rare enjoyment in follow- ing out that injunction, " Do good, and lend." Wlien I got hold of that new an- nual, white sweet clover, I felt it would do lots of good to send the seed free of charge to the readers of Gleanings. Just as soon as the seed was mature enough to be gath- ered, I so announced it in our October is- sue; and before I had reason to suppose the journal had reached our readers calls came for a little pinch of the seed, and I realW felt happy in filling the orders. *An unexpected thing made me feel still hap- pier. Almost every letter asking for seed had a kind word in it; and some of them mentioned the enjoyment they had receiv- ed from the seeds I had sent them free of charge in past years; and while these good friends were writing me they told me some of their troubles or asked my advice in regard to some way they had planned for investing their money. As they sent a directed stamped envelope for reply I could easily offer a little word of counsel, and especially with the aid of the efficient stenographers here in my Medina home. Now, it is not always money that we may do good with, and lend. Every one of us has opportunities every day of our life to lend a helping hand. We can lend our tools — yes, let us keep on lending, even if it does sometimes make us trouble. Lend to your i^oor unfortunate neighbor. If he is young and inexperienced, you can, per- haps, show him a better way of doing his work. Wlien you happen to have more fruit or vegetables than you really need, " do good and lend, hoping for nothing' again." For fear you may find fault for my fre- quent repetition of this beautiful text, I want to tell j'ou that in the years that are 2)ast these precious texts have become music to my eais. I like to say them over and over again to myself when alone; and I like, also, to thank God for that precious Bible that contains these wonderful truths that, if practiced, will bring about God's kingdom and his righteousness here on this earth of ours. *After we had been sending out quite a lot of packages of seeds Mrs. Root interposed that perhaps the seed would not grow — that it mi^ht not he suf- ficiently mature. But I wanted to have all orders as much as possible filled before I went back to P'orida. So I planted some seed in a box of rich soil ; but as it did not seem to germinate after sev- eral days I was a good deal worried. .Just this morning, however, I found quite a number of seeds coming up. The trouble was, I did not keep my loves where it was warm enough; and so I am happy again in the consciousness that the seeds we are sending out will grow and produce white sweet clover the first summer. Some of the plants are now higher than my head, and covered with bees, when the weather permits, even during this middle of October. AVIATION ANG STIINIULANTS. In the Sunday School Times for October 3 was an item that brought to mind a coup- February, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 111 le of incidents of years uiio. Below is the clipping: ALCOHOrj NOT GOOD FOR AVIATORS. When the Wright brothers visited Friince with their perfeicted flying marhine a number of years ago, they surprised those who sought to do them lionors witli their total abstinouco liabits. An opinion against the use of alcohol in flying expressed by one of tlie brothers was widi'ly circulated. But since then there have been flyers who have thought they could combine alcohol with the dangers in the air. If you want to know Iioav it turned oit with the young' man who thought a drink might help him handle flying machines, you had better get that number of the Times and read the whole of it. When I first had an intimation tliat the Wright brothers were experimenting with a flying machine, I told our people here that I felt as if J could not rest unless I went down to Day- ton to see the bi-others work. I had just succeeded in getting one of the first au- tomobiles, and with this I started on my ti'ip. I found them on the very same avia- tion grounds that are now occupied, a few miles east of the city of Dayton. In order to be on hand, I obtained board and lodg- ing at a fannhouse near by. At first I was somewhat worried for fear the broth- ers w^ould not care to have a speftator hanging around, and maybe meddling while tliey experimented with an apparatus that might mean death instead of success in navigating the air like a bird. As the neighbors seemed to take no particular in- terest in the experiments, we three were, most of the time, a good deal alone, and we soon became fairly well acquainted with each other; and it was one of the happiest of my " happy surprises " when the brothers insisted that I should go home with them and get acquainted with the'r bright sister, Katharine, who was at the time the housekeeper for the two voung men. Perhaps I might mention incidental- Iv that this good sister, who was at thc^ time a school-teacher, had helped more or less in financing the boys in their novel undertaking. Next morning at breakfast Katharine passed me a cup of very frag- rant coffee. I took it as a matter of course; but when both of the young men shook their heads, declining the coffee, I ventured the question, " Why, look here, friends, I won- der if you have been making coffee just for myself when I never drink either tea or coffee unless it is on an occasion like this, to be like other folks." Now, friends, listen to the reply. I can not remember now whether it was Wilbur or Orville who spoke ; but it was something like this: " We do use coffee to some, extent ordi- narily; but today we expect to make one or more fiights; and when we are going to handle that fiying machine we want every bit of strength of. mind and body to en- able us to do just the right thing at just the right time; and we have learned by experience that a cup of coffee is a detri- ment and a hindrance; therefore no coffee in the morning when we expect to make fiights during the day." Well, here is the moral to rising young men, especially those who are doing their best to rise. Cut out or cut off, whichever you choose to put it, everything in the way of stimulants. Use milk as a beverage, not only in the place of booze, but in place of tea and coffee. SALOONS AND THE " CHICKEN BUSINESS." Just one more incident tliat occurred during that eventful sunniier. The farm- house where I had board and lodging was kept by a renter by the name of Beard. Mrs. Beard was an invalid suffering from lung trouble. The doctors declared that her only hope was to get outdoors and keep outdoors. They recommended garden- ing or raising poultry, or something that would keep her in the open air. Nights and mornings, before the Wright brothers got around, I became quite well acquaint- ed with Mrs. Beard. I tliink she had girls who did most of the housework, and she spent a great part of her time outdoors in raising chickens. Of course I could sympathize with her, as I had been more or less of a " chicken man " all my life, and was able to give her some advice. She suc- ceeded in growing a beautiful flock of chickens — I think something like a hun- dred, and she got to be quite enthusiastic in the work and was evidently fast getting the better of her lung trouble. What do you suppose happened? When the chick- ens were of the very best size to be sold as bi'oilers in the big city of Dayton, some chicken-thieves came in the night and took every last one — not a chick was left. Mrs. Beard was heart-broken. As the family was short in finances the blow seemed all the harder. Her hard work for weeks and months was all swept away in a single night; and before the winter's snow came on, Orville Wriglit wrote me that my good friend Mrs. Beard had died of "quick con- sumption." The loss of her chickens and the discouragement had spoiled her en- thusiasm, and so her old trouble came back. The loss of that beautiful lot of chickens, the outcome of a sunniier's hard work, had cei'tainly much to do with hastening her death, even if not the real cause of it. Where does temperance come in in this part of my story? you may ask. It comes GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 in right here : The neighbors all around the Beard home lost chickens in a like man- ner. One farmer got up and attempted to stop the thieves; but they raised a shotgun and told him to go back into the house or take the consequences. With a telephone, however, he raised the neighbors and they followed the load of chickens into the city of Dayton. The driver finally evaded them by going into a part of the city where almost every house was a saloon. Of course the police were notified; but they excused themselves in some way, and said nothing could be done about it. My good friends, the above is a sample of the sort of policemen we used to have years ago when the liquor gang put in of- ficers that were according to their liking. Even the city police were of a class that could be persuaded to look the other way when somebody called on them to inter- fere with the liquor-trafific. Once more may the Lord be praised that we have a better class of city officers, and that the saloon business, like the slavery of olden times, is largely a thing of the past. This is dictated the 19th day of October, so I can not tell now the outcome of the coming election. HELP FOR DEAF PEOPLE. Dear Sirs: — I am anxioiis to know if A. I. Root has found anything to benefit liis hearing. I seem to be much the same as he is in regard to hearing, I can't hear at church nor at any public meeting, but can hear ordinary conversation, if near. I have had put into my hands a circular from the General Acoustic Co. (which A. I. R. mentions in back num- ber of Gleanings, p. 818, Dec, 1913). There may be improvements since that; but I am sure A. I. R. will know of it if there is anything that will materi- ally help. I have noticed remarks since the above, but notliing encouraging from A. I. R. I have tried Wilson's ear-drums, but with no benefit; auriphone, etc., no benefit. 1 shall deem it a great favor for any information on this subject. John Allan. Newboro, Oamaru, N. Z., Aug. 13, 1917. My good friend, I am sorry to tell you I have not as yet succeeded in getting any- thing that helps my hearing equal to put- my hand over my ear. It is something I camiot quite understand. I have tried elec- tricial appliances, some of them costing as much as 50 or even 75 dollars; but while they enlarged the sound tdiere was so much confusion of other noises that it really gave me no help, and I have tried the thing long and patiently loo. What I want most is something to enable me to hear a sermon or a public speaker. It has occurred to me several times that something tliat would take the place of my hand would be a relief to my arm when holding it up so much of the time, and that, at the same time, ought to collect the sound better than my naked hand. Last winter I procured on trial what I believe is called an " autophone." As soon as I j^ut it up to my ear, the tick of the clock rang out sharp and clear, and I fairly shouted at the result; but when I came to call Mrs. Root from another room I was terribly disappointed t-o hear the same rattling noises to such an extent that I could hear better with my hand than with the instrument. I'here is quite a difference in people's voices. Some speakers I hear without any trouble, while others, who speak sufficiently loud, I cannot " catch on " to at all. I should think that I am,, perhaps, i>eculiar, or di'j'ferent from other people were it not for the fact that so many report an experi- ence similar to mine. In Florida I saw a friend of mine using one of the electrical appliances. He used it two or three Sun- days and then came to ciuu-ch witliout it. When asked, he replied that after investing quite a sum of money he found he could heai- better without the device. Another friend, at our Chautauqua, said he had made a like investment, but fijially laid it aside aaid had not used it for several montlis; and it was not because his batter- ies had run down either. In regard to the Wilson ear-diitms, I have never met a per- son 3'et, face to face, who had received any benefit from them whatever; and yet these same " ear-drum " people send out a little book containing more than a hundred testi- monials from all over the land. Since the above was put in type I have purchased a little instrument called the Gem ear phone, 47 West 24th St., New York. It cost $35, and is an actual help. ^Mien Mrs. Root sits opposite me at our dining-table, with the receiver placed near the sugar-bowl, pointing toward her, I can hear every word very distinctly when she speaks in just an ordinary tone of voice; but when 1 attemi^t to use it to hear a ser- mon, unless I am within a few yards of the speaker, it is little if any better than my hand up to my ear. They all assure me, however, that it will serve me better after I get used to it. The particular objection I have to it just now is that it is quite a little bother to lug it around, even if it does weigh only a few ounces. My right hand is always with me, and is, as a matter of course, " right at hand " without any bother, and without any batteries to be re- newed once in five or six weeks. Fkhriarv, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 113 in 1918 From This Half Acre of Kellogg Everbearing Strawrberries Mr. H. L. Lake, of Rupert, Idaho, who owns this short half acre of Kellogg Everbearing Strawberries, says: "I used to think that the $500 to $1200 per acre reports in your strawberry book were considerably overdrawn, but I no longer doubt the big crops and bin profits realized from Kellogg strawberries. Last season, from less than one-half acre of Kellogg's everbearers, I realized $582.92 besides all the berries we used and canned at home. None were sold for less than 30c per quart. The vines were loaded with berries when freezing weather came." H. L. Lake. This is only one of many thousands of ex cellent reports we are constantly re- ceiving from enthusiastic customers. Growers everywhere (many of them beginners) make at the rate of $500 to $1200 Per Acre from KELLOGG Pedigree Strawberry Plants These are the world's heaviest fruiting and most profitable straw- berry plants. They are the result of more than forty years of scientific selection, restriction and breeding. The Kellogg trade- mark insures the very best strawberry plants grown. Our Free Book, "KELLOGG'S GREAT CROPS OF STRAWBERRIES AND HOW TOGROW THEM," pictures m colors and fully describes the leadmg and biggest money- making standard and everbearing varieties, also the woild famed KELLOGG STRAWBERRY GARDENS More than 50,000 familRS t hi oughout the t ountr\ are enjoymg dehcinus Kellogu stiavvbtme'- tht year 'round age, wetting, etc. A wonderful outdoor and farm work shoe bargain. Size 6 to 13. Send today— no nun oy Pay $4.10 for shoes on arrival. See how well m.ido the\ are. If you don't eay this is the biggest shoe bargam \ou can Imd, or if for any reason shoes are not satisfactory, rt'turn them and we will refund your money. Be sure to give size, and orderby No. X16014. Send Today! Don't hesitate a moment. This sent on-approval money-back o^er saves you from any risk or obligation. Keep the shoes only if satisfied that they are unparalleled bar- gains. And send while these wonderful bargains are offered. Write today. LEONARD -MORTON & CO. Dept. XI 061 Chicago Order This Shoe by No. X16014 GLEANINGS IN BEE 0 U E T U R E Fkbruarv. 1919 THIS MACHINE Makes Gardening Pay You Can Keep Your Garden in Perfect Condition All Season Without the Tire- some Work. BARKER WEEDER, MULCHER AND CULTIVATOR Is pushed along the rows at an ordinary walk. Blades revolving against station- ary knife (like a lawn mower) destroy the weeds and at the same time break up the clods and crust into a porous, even mulch. For deeper cultivation, it has easily at- tached shovels — making three garden tools in one. "Best Weed Killer Ever Used" The BAEKEK chops the weeds and up- turns their roots. Works close to plants. Guards protect the leaves. Cuts run- ners. Leaves a mulch which draws and holds the moisture at the plant roots. Send us your name and address on the coupon below and we '11 mail you our FREE BOOK Tells about this wonderful machine and what users think of it ; also authentic information on care of gardens. Pill out the coupon and mail it now, or send postal. BARKER M'F'G COMPANY DEPT. 10 DAVID CITY, NEB. Barker Mfg. Co., Dcpt. 10, David City, Neb. Gentlemen : — Send m&, postpaid, jour FREE Booklet and Factorj--to-User Offer. Name Postoffice State Our Food Page — Continued from page 90. this method the room should be kept just about as warm as a sitting room. In the morning Helen rose early and found her bread twice as big as it was the night before and nice and light and bubbly around the edges. She took it out and kneaded it again very lightly for about half a minute, cut in two, shaped "it in loaves and put them in warm bread pans which had been oiled. These she i)ut back in a warm place, closely covered, and in about an hour those loaves had grown to twice the size again and were ready to be baked. Before putting the bread in the oven she brushed the top of each loaf with melted butter to make a crisp, brown crust. When they had baked about an hour in a moderate oven Helen lifted them out of the pans with a clean towel, set them on the edges crosswise, to cool, wet the top crust of each loaf with water to prevent it from being too hard, and then went off to play. And that evening a War Savings Stamp came out of Helen's father's pocket and was stuck in Helen 's book. Below I am giving you the recipe just as Helen used it. To make four large loaves of bread instead of two, change the word cup to pint, the word pint to quart and dou- ble all the other ingredients. 3 cups warm water 1 small potato, riced % cake dry yeast 2 tablespoons shorten- 2 teaspoons sugar or honey 2 teaspoons salt V2 teaspoon soda ing about ^Yz pints bread flour At 1:30 p. m. sift 3% pints of the flour, the soda, and the salt into the bread mixer and set aside in a warm place. Put the yeast to soak in y2 cup of the warm water and heat another cup to boiling and pour over the shortening, the sugar, and the riced potato. When the latter has cooled to luke- warm add the yeast and the water in which it was soaked and one pint of flour, beating it until it is a smooth batter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until 9:30 or 10 o 'clock. It should then be light and full of bubbles. Pour over the flour in the mixer, add the rest of the warm water, l^/^ cups, and turn the crank three minutes, or until a smooth dough is formed. As flour varies so much it may be necessary to add more to make a smooth dough. Fair bread may be made without any hand-kneading, but a little better texture is secured by removing the stirring rod and kneading by hand a couple of minutes either in the mixer or on a floured board. Then cover and let rise in a warm room over night. Early in the morning, knead lightly, divide into 'two large loaves, put in oiled pans, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour. In cold weather it often takes longer. Bake in a moderate oven about one hour. If preferred the sponge may be started late in the evening and the dough mixed in the morning. (•'KHUIAUV. 191!) ii9 a L E A N I N li S IN B E E 0 U L T U K E lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^^ llTHE GHKAT YEAR OF 1919 IS HERE, AND SO IS THE|| II Severin Capping Melter& Separator |j ^ = (COMBINED) I I It got a fine start in 1918 from advertisements which f M brought inquiries and orders from producers in all | M large honey-producing sections, in this, and other | g I'ountries. Get the best — it pays in the end, just as = J the best Extractor does- Saves time, labor, and fuel- | M Seeing' the great need and demand for these melters, 11^ am better prepared to till orders than in 1918; but, | ^ owing to the great need of topper by the Government, | ^ I am li nited on supply material, as I use only the | ^ 1 est. Handled right, this melter will do the work | s where others fail. | ^ F. J. Severin -:- Imperial, Calif. 1 1 ♦falcon'' iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'i:iiiiiiriiiiiiiH" Your Duty — Do You Know Itf It is to get ready for the coming season and be ready for the first honey flow. This will net you profits. Prepare your bees for a big year and take no chances. Get the best to do with and have the best results. Our Duty — Do We Know It ? We get the beekeepers ready for the big season. Supply them with the best of everything with which to work and get the best results. Send us a list of your requiremeiits for quotation. TO DELAY MEANS LOSS TO YOU. "Falcon" service cannot be beat. Catalog and Simplified Beekeeping on request. W. T. Falconer Manufacturing Company Falconer, New York "nvhere the best bee hives come from" llllllllillHlllililiilliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii.iiii' T^'C^^ iiiiiliiiiilliiliiilllllllillllillllllllliiillllliiiiiliiiiillllllilllllllllllll lilllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllH II QUEENS BEES BY THE POUND queens [j ^ I Thiee-banded and fiuldcn Italian.s. Tlie best of cither. They are hustlers — gentle to handle. | = s I cap their honey white, are very resistant to Euro^pean foul brood. Now that peace has been | ^ ^ I declarel, and our boys will be home from service, we believe the Express companies will be i ^ = I able to deliver. So we are also quoting prices by Express. | = J i Booking orders now, one-fourth down, balance at shipping time. | J W I BY PARCEL POST, PREPAID BY EXPRESS F. U. B. CALALLEN | g = I One 1-pound package $2.90 One 1-pound package 2 . 40 = ^ ^ I One 2-pound package 5.00 One 2-pound package 4.25 | ^ ^ 1 One 3-pound package 7.00 One 3-pound package 6.25 | ^ g I Select Untested Queens, $1.50 each Tested $2.50 Select Tested $3.00 | g s 1 Ten per cent discount on orders amounting to 25 packages or more. Add price of Queen : s m I wanted when ordering packages of bees. Breeders, $5.00 and $10.00. Send for Free | s % I Circular giving details. References: The Guaranty State Bank, Robstown, Texas, and \ ^ ^ I The City National Bank, Corpus Christi, Texas. | s 1 1 NUECES COUNTY APIARIES, CALALLEN, TEXAS 1 1 M\ E. B. AULT. Proprietor | ^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 120 G L E A N T N G S I N B E E C U L T U R E February, 1919 BARGAIN PRICES = ON = BEE SUPPLIES We have just bought the stock of The Root Co.'s Des Moines branch, which was moved to Council Bluffs several months ago The stock consists of goods made before manufacturing costs were so high. We bought at remark- ably low figures and will give you the benefit. Don't waste any time— write us immedi- ately for prices on the supplies you want. Mention the Root Des Moines stock so you'll be sure to get the lowest prices. 1®E RlGlTrN TheKretchmer Un:>^gS!!^'llL^sfS't^^\ Dept. G Council Bluffs, la. Fkhriarv, 1919 G LEA KINGS IN BEE CULTURE AROUND THE OFFICE M.-A. O. BEE-SUPPLIES FALCON LINE We carry the largest supply in our section. Send us your inquiries. Lowest Prices, Quality Considered C. C. demons Bee Supply Co. 128 Grand Ave. KANSAS CITY, MO lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ The above piclier was taken as when the man as whats in the for ground didn 't know it. He aint a bad lookin feller at that, be- hind a bee vale. He has soniethin as seem- inly is eomfortin to him greatly in his mouth as what I and "Uncle Amos" don't approve but we woant to blame for that. {Continued on paue 125.) Order Bee Supplies EARLY We can supply you with the best of everything. Dovetailed Hives, Supers, Frames, Honey Sections, and Comb Foundation. Be prepared for the com- ing season. Our catalog ready Jan. 10. Send fo r it. August Lotz Co., Boyd, Wis. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ lliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ PLEASE NOTE---WE SELL ROOT'S GOODS ONLY We have a complete stock. Our prices are identical with those of the factory. Our service is immediate. It's belter business for you to use the best goods, and get them early. Keep ahead of your work. We suggest that you consider a Buckeye outfit. It's the best in hive equipment. SEND FOR 1919 CATALOG BEESWAX WANTED FOR CASH OR TRADE M. H. HUNT & SON 510 N. CEDAR ST., LANSING, MICH. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Pebkuarv, 1919 Get Bigger Crops from Every Acre Patriotic farmers and gardeners will make every foot of land yield bigger crops of corn, vegetables and fruit. Don't experiment with untried novelties or varieties that do not have a good reputation. America must not "fall down" on food production this year. Sow the Best Seeds Your Money Will Buy Sixty-five years' experience in seed-growing and selling are back of the stocks we offer. A multitude of American farmers will say, "there are no better and few as good." Everything you need for farm, garden and orchard can be secured from The Storrs & Harrison Co. America's Largest rJepartmental Nursery Our 1919 Catalogue lists standard farm, vege- table, and flower seeds, fruits, shade trees, shrubs and evergreens. Write today for copy. The STORRS & HARRISON Co Box 534, Painesville, 0 Bee Supplies AT WHOLESALE All boxed ready to ship at once ; 275,000 Hoffman frames, also Jumbo and Shallow frames, of all kinds, 100 and 200 in a box. Big stock of Sections, and fine polished Dovetailed Hives and Supers. Send for a price-list. I can save you money. Will Take Biiswax in Trade at Higheit Market Prict. Charles Mondeng | 146 Newton Ave., N. Minneapolis, Minn. | OverstoGked Big Discount 25% OFF SOME ITEMS Will Sell at Following Prices W hile Stock Lasts Massey Hives, 1-story, Five, $14.25 Scalloped Separators, 100, 1.52 Hive Hooks. 100, 1.50 Super Springs, 100, .85 Ventilated Bottoms, 8-fr., 5, 2.70 Ventilated Bottoms, 10-fr., 5, 2.80 Division-Boards — standard, 10, .75 Aluminum Wiring Tool, each, .30 Rubber Coated Gloves, pair, 1.20 The Kretchmer Mfg. Co., Council Bluffs, la. Dept, G. Illlllllllll llllllllllll February, 1919 GLEANINGS IN B F. F, r TM. T T' 1; F f:3 11 "' '"' 'I BANKING BY MAIL i. AT 4% Opportunities are ol value only to those who are ready to take ad- vantage of them. The present, of all times in history.'is when oppor- tunities will be found on every hand for the person who saves. To save successfully you need a SAVINGS AC- COUNT. We invite you to open an account BY MAIL in our Savings De- partment at 4 per cent com- pound interest. Deposits may be safely sent in the form of check, draft, money order, or the currency by registered let- ter. BANKING BY MAIL IS SAFE, CONVENIENT, PROFITABLE —TRY IT. USAVINGS DEPOSIT BANKGI MEDINA, OHIO > A.T. SPITZER, Pres. E.R. ROOT, Vice-Pres. , E.B. SPITZER, Cashien I ; ASSETS OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS 1-^ROSE BUSHES ^1 Send $1.00 and receive postpaid now or later these strong hardy plants. Collection has Pink and White Ma man Cochet and Climbing American Beauty— alone worth price of the twelve. All grown on own roots in best rose soil in America. Our 1919 book " Roses of New Castle " describes and illustrates immense stock of roses, shrubs, bulbs and seeds. Life-time of experience in this book /j-tr. Send postal today. HELLER BROS. CO. Box 218, New Castle, Indiana ROSES Agenta Wanted Deliveredv^uFREE ^^ Your choice of 44 styles, colore ».;and sizes in the famous line of -"'RANGER" bicycles, shown in full color in the big new Free Cata- log. We pay aiJ the freight charges from Chicago to your town. 30 Days Free Trial frtlt bicycje yuu select, actual riding test in your own town for a full month. \ Do not buy until you get our great \ iieiv trial offer and low Factory- V Direct-To-Rider terms and prices. TinCC LAMPS, HORNS, pedals, ■ lllki^ single wheels and repair parts for ali makes of bicycles at half usual prices. No one else can .offer such values and such terms. SEND NO MONEY but write today for the big new Catalog. It's free. FAn^'^C'-E COMPANY tilllOept. A153. Chicago Farm, Garden and Orchard Tools Answer the farmers* big queptions. How can I grow crops with les3 expense ? How can I save in plant- ing potatoes? How make higb priced seed go farthest? The IRON AGE Potato Planter solves thelabor problem and makes the best use of high priced seed. Means $5 to $50 extra profit per acre. Every seed piece in its place ■ and only one. Saves 1 to 2 bushels seed per acre, form depth; even spacing. Wo make a full line of potato machinery. Send for booklet today. No Misses No Doubles BatemanM'f'gCo., Box 20B,GrenIocIi,N,J. RHODES DOUBLE CUT PRUNING SH RHODES MFG. C( 528 S. DIVISION AVE., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. •THE only pruner made that cuts from both sides of the limb and does not bruise the bark. Made in all styles and sizes. All shears delivered free to your door. Write for circular and prices. 124 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 Early-order Discounts will Pay you to Buy Bee Supplies Now 32 years' experience in making everything for the beekeeper. A large factory specially equipped for the purpose ensures goods of highest quality. Write for our illustrated catalog and discounts today. Leahy Mfg. Co., 95 Sixth St., Higginsville, Missouri SOUTHERN HEADQUARTERS ITALIAN BEES AND QUEENS 1 lb. Isees, no queen $2.25 to demand return of empty cages at his ex- 2 lbs. bees, no queen 4.00 pense. For 50 or more, 20c less on. each swarm. These 1 Untested Italian queen $1.25 go express charges collect, at buj'er's risk. 12 Untested Italian queens 13.25 If wanted by Parcel Post add 50c for 1 lb. ^0 or more, each 1.00 and 75c for 2 lbs., for guaranteed safe ar- lested queen 2.00 rival at your postoffiee. Shipper reserves right No disease ha.s even been in my vicinity. W. D. ACHORD -:- -:- FITZPATRICK, ALABAMA lyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy EASTERN BEEKEEPERS We are having mild winter weather and bees are wintering perfectly, which means early swarms and big increase in bees. Are you among those that are prepared for this increase? Remember Bees are Valuable and you cannot afford to let them tly away for lack of hioes and other supplies. Also, comb honey is all cleaned up and a good crop of comb honey will have a ready market next summer. Lewis sections are guaranteed to fold perfectly square without wetting the joints. Have you ever tried them? A trial will convince you; and they should be filled with Dadant's Foundation for best results. Catalog, also Beginner's Book fre«. Deroy Taylor Company, Newark, Wayne Co., New York ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ 1 1 QUEENS THAT WILL PLEASE If ll QUEENS THAT ARE BRED FOR BUSINESS |l They are hardy, long-lived, gentle, and disease-resisting. They are as good as any and far superior to most — bred from imported stock, which produces a bee that is the best in the world for honey-gathering, and are non-swarmers. They are now giving service in nearly every country in the world. Have your order booked now. All that we require is one-fourth cash and balance at shipping time. We guarantee every queen to reach you in first-class condition, to be purely mated, and to give perfect satisfaction, in the U. S. and Canada. Prices — April 15 to July 1 Untested $1.25 Selected Untested... 1.50 6 $6.50 7.50 12 $11.50 13.25 Tested 2.50 Selected Tested 4.00 6 13.00 22.00 12 24.50 41.00 L. L. FOREHAND FORT DEPOSIT, ALABAMA || Fkhrvarv, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 125 Around the Office — Continued He was in Californy at the time at the head of the beekeepin extension courses bein given out there. Wiien hes at Wasliinton hes at the head of all the beekeepin every- where. Somebody around the office here once called him old a])is tyrannus. I asked what it means and Wallie Root what once was Stenog in Gleanins and knows even Greek said it meant BOSS and it was proper latin to apply to just such as him. Well, if he aint boss who is it as has got a right to be? I like a boss as is a boss. I dont know as he is. I dont want him to get down on me, anyway, so I don't know as he is a boss, so I dont. * * 4f Ernie Root 's out in Los Angeles, Cali- forny. He 's been with Phillips and his gang a teachin Rocky Mountain beekeepers how to raise honey in the east I spose but I dont know. Anyway, my boss and that whole caboodle of short-course lightshed- ders includin Phillips and Demuth and J. Smith and Pellett and Mendleson got under a considerable suspicion in Los Angeles city while they was there, so they did. They started out in broad day light, E. R. a lead- in em, to recounoyter the new Root com- pany factory out there. It woant a long distance to go and it woant no long-distance walkin record as what them fellers were after then or now or never but they kept a walkin and a walkin and some of em finally got dissatisfied as to where thev was at and ISGRAPE-VINES 69 varieties. Also Small Fruits, Trees, etc. Best rooted stock. Genuine, cheap. 2 sample vines mailed for 10c. Descrip- tive catalog free. LEWIS ROESCH, Box H. Fredouia, N. Y. as to the constantly prolongin continooance of the travel by foot. Not a one of em could have give a reasonable guess as to a single pint of the whole cumpass. They had got so they were turnin every corner they come to just for luck and were actin queer. The general direction they went resembled the track of a thomascat thru the backyards of his favorite adjacent neighborhood on a warm spring night. When the authorities finally got em to the rescue mission for lost children they soon got rational and said they had started out supposin E. R. could find his own shop in daylight. E. R. said he had taken too much advice as to general and particklar directions from the rest of 'em and that was the whole trouble. His wife went on to Los Angeles at once and is now with him. The others went home to their wives and presuminly are now all right again. They 're squeezin me out of Gleanins again almost, and I had one of the worst troubles I ever had this last cold snap of weather. OOD SEEDS GOOD AS CAN BE GROWN Prices Below All Others I will give a lot of new sorts free with every order I fill. Buy and test. Return If not O. K.— money refunded. Big Catalog FREE Over 700 illu.strations of vege- tables and flowers. Send yours and your neigrhbors' addresses. R. H. SHUMWAY. Rockford, IIL Write for Book Today FARM WAGONS High or low wheels — steel or wood — wide or narrow tires. Steel or wood wheels to fit any running: gear. Wagon parts of all kinds. Write today for free catalog illustrated in colors. ELECTRIC WHEEL COm 23 Elm Street, Quincy, III. GIANT TOMATO-GUCUMBER-PEANUMOc Here Are Seeds of Three 't uluable mid IntereHtins: Varieties You Should Grow lu Vour Ourdeii This Veur. Giant Ciimblng Tomato— Is one of the largest grown. Vines grow very strong- and will carry an enormous weight of fruit, very solid, crimson color; specimeus often weighing 2 to 3 lbs. each. Japanese Climbing Cucumbei'— Is a grand variety from Japan; can be trained to fences, trellises or poles and save space in your garden. Fruits early, grow !ng 10 to 15 Inches long, and are good for slicing or pickling. Early Spanish Pea- •^S^^?aESS?^^^^ 'Vf^^^^^^^'^^^^'^ nuts— Karlic'st variety and -fc—-* ^,^3^n«i-K«K*-. ^i.»r\,-^;wo n^ « a great Peanut for the North; easy to grow, enorm- ous yielder, and a few hills in your garden wiu be very interesting to show your' neighbors. Special Offer: L"eVg=J:" lar sized Packet of To- mato, Cucumber and Peanut for only 10c, or 3 Packets of each for 25c. UV new Seed Book of tarly Spanish I'eanuts Garden Seeds is included free. Order TODAY. F. B. MILLS, Seed Grower, Dept, 20 Rose Hill, N.Y. ciin.bing ( .uumher Giant llimbing lomato 1-26 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 ''Special Crops" A high -class il- lustrated month- ly journal devot- ed to the Growing and Marketing of Ginseng, Golden Seal, Senega Root, Belladonna, and other unusual crops. $1.00 per year. Sample copy 10c. Address Special Crops, Box G, Skaneateles, New York = "PTTTT r^* A TVTl V This specially prepared lood ^ = JjJliJli V^ri.il-L'i tor bees has given satisfaction = 1 wherever used. If you have any colonies that are short p 1 of stores by all means use this candy. Send for circular = = and catalog of supplies. S I H. H. JEPSON I i 182 Friend Street Boston, Mass. m iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiniiiiiniiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiii Ill iiiiiiiiii^ I When Ordering Supplies | 1 remember we carry a full stock and sell at the = 1 lowest catalog price. Two lines of railroad — s 1 Maine Central and Grand Trunk. ^ = Prompt service and no trucking bills. | I THE A. I. ROOT CO., Mechanic Falls, Maine. | i J. B. MASON, Manager. h SWEET CLOVER White Blossoms;the sreatestmoney-making crop of today Bic money for the farmers wlio grow it _ Builds up land rapidly and produces heavy, money-making crops while doino it. Excellent pasture and hay innpculates land for aHaffa. Easy to start; grows on all so''s-0"r seed all best scarified hulled, high-germinating and tested. Qual- ity Riiriranteed. Write today for our big. Profit-Sharmg Seed Guide, circular, free samples. Address American Mutual Seed Co., Dept. 95 1 Chicago. Illinois 450,000 200 varieties. Also Grapes, Small Fruits, etc. Best rooted stock Genuine, cheap. 3 sample blackberries mailed tor 100. Catalog free. LEWIS EOESCH, Box H Fredonia.N.Y. '8 CRYSTAL WHITE GLOBE ONION The Big Money Making Crop. $1200.00 from one acre is what our customer Mrs. Dorothy Buagen made last season. To help you do aa well and to introduce to you our Northern Grown Live "Sure Crop" Seeds we will mail >ou250seedofthismoatperfect White Oni' nndourniG 1919 GARDEN j AND FARM GUIDe| Send Postal Toda CONDON BROS., SEEDSMEN Rock River Valley Seed Farm BOX 79 ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS FREE SWEETi Easy to start. Grows anywhere. Not only a good fertilizer, but pro- crops. Big money- maker. Crops worth $50 to $125 per acre. Greatest lora^e plant that I it by sowing BUperior scarified A. A. BERRY SEED CO.. Box 966 CLARINDA, lOV'A ost Handlantorn A powerful portable lamp, giving a 300 candle power pure white light. Just what the farmer, dairyman, stockman, etc. needs. Safe — Reliable —Economical— Absolutely Rain, Storm and Bug 1 proof Burns either gasoline or kerosene. Light II weight. Agents wanted. Big Profits. Wrlla or Catalog. jj.j£ BEST LIGHT CO. 306 ' E. 5th St., Canton, O. Established 1885 It will pay you to get our cata- log and order early. Beekeepers' Supplies J ^ The Kind You Want and The Kind That Bees Need The A. I. Root Co. 's brand- A good assort- ment of supplies for prompt shipment kept in stock. Let us hear from you; full in- formation given to all inquiries. Bees- wax wanted for supplies or cash. John ]Nebel & Son Supply Co. High Hill, Montgomery Co., Mo. BARNES' Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circular saw. which is made for beekeepers' U'=e in the construction of their hives, sections, etc. Machines on Trial Send for illustrated catalog and prices W F. & JOHN BARNES CO 545 Ruby St ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS EVERGREENS r—38 Hardy Tested Varieties Best for windbreaks, hedges and lawn planting. Protect buildings, crops, stock, gardens and orchards. Hill's Evergreens are Nursery grown and hardy every- where. FromSl toSlOporhundred. Hill's Evergreen book and 50 Great Bargain sheet sent free. Write today. World's largest growers. Est.lS55. D. HILL NURSERY CO., DUNDEE, ILLINOIS Box 2460 Evergreen Specialists rnUIT Shrubs Berries, Vines, Evergreen, Shade Trees and Perennials. Ours are Guai*anteBd Our 1919 Catalog will save you money. Sent Fpcc. Write for it today. PROGRESS NURSERIES, 1306 Peters Ave.Jroy, 0, vrcK's GARDEN ^•^TTTT'NTT* FOR_^ anS FLORAL V3 Li LlJJ^ l9l9 ITS FREE -^ g^^^ral New Features'^ WRITE TODAY Based on our e.\perience ab the oldest mail order seed concern and largest growers of Asters and other seeds in America. 550 acres and 12 greenhouses in best seed grow- ing section. Our Guide is full of helpful informa- tion about planting, etc. — an invaluable aid to a successful garden. Illustrates and describes leading Vegetables, Flowers, Farm Seeds, Plants and Fruits. This book, the best we have issued, is yours, ob- ftoliitely free. Ask for your copy today before you forget. JAMES VICK'S SONS 33 Stone Street, Rochester, N. The Flower City l''h;i!KrAi;\-. 1910 a I, K A N r N « fe In bee culture 127 Complete IJne of Beekeepers' Supplies Catalog on RequeHt F. Coombs & Sons, Bratlleboro,Vt. rlRONAQEi GARDEN TOOLS Answer the gardener's big questions: How can I grow plenty of fresh veg- etables with my limited time? How can I avoid backache and drudgery? IRONAGEZ'rDHiVs Do the work ten times faster than the old-fashioned tools. A woman, boy orgirlcanpushone. Manyquick- ly-adjusted combinations. Light. strong and durable. Will help you cut the high cost of living. Broad range of prices. Write us for free booklet today. Bateman M'f'gCo.. Box44G.Grenloch.N.J. OTT'TT'O We furnish full colonies of bees in XjX-jJliO chaff or sinRlewalled hives, nucleus colonies or bees by the pound in sea- son. Prices on application. Ten - o/.. screw ■ cap- ped jars, two gross crates at $7.50 a gross. 1. J, STKl^iGHAM, GLEN COVE, N. Y. /'^\:^, '^^ ^'ake betlrr garden?, '^ ,^k All are tested for purity "^ and vitality. Have been ^ giving satisfaction for over 50 years. Be sure _^ nd try our 5 FINE VEGETABLES, 10c One large packet each of Bean, Beet, Lettuce, Radish and Tomato — postpaid. AUare heavy yield- ing and exceptionally fine in ality. Try them. Large CATALOG FREE Gives helpful culturalrlirectiona and offers strictly high gnde seeds at fair prices U rile |jj| for your fru cop% lo-dav. V:9 LIVINGSTON SEED CO. ^"l^'*. Box a47 Columbus. Ohio_ BEES, QUEENS AND SUPPLIES A FULL LINE OF ROOT'S GOODS. A COMPLETE LINE MANUFACTURED BY US FROM CYPRESS, THE WOOD ETERNAL. NO SUCH HIVE COVER ON THE MARKET. SEND FOR CATALOG. BEESWAX WANTED. THE PENN COMPANY, PENN, MISS. Illlllllllll! mill!! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I FOREHAND'S THREE-BANDS THE THRIFTY KIND Svrpa-ssed by none but superior to many. For 27 years they have pleased thousands of bee- keepers. And we guarantee that they will please you. Our queens are the imported queens Americiinized. Thi.s makes theim light in color, but they still retain the fine qualities of their imported mothers. They are thrifty, hardy, gentle, and beautiful. Deposit your order now so that > ou can get your queens when > ou want them. Only one-fourth cash down. We guarantee pure mating, safe arrival, and perfect satisfaition. Write for Circular. Prices After April 1 i q 12 Untested $1.25 |6 . 50 $11.50 Select Untested 1.50 7.50 13.50 Tested 2.50 1.3.00 24.50 Select Tested 4.00 22.00 41.00 W. J. FOREHAND & SONS -:- FORT DEPOSIT, ALA. " Breeders of the Best Bees " nil GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE February, 1919 y The American Bee Journal ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR, WORTH FIVE The American Bee Journal is read wherever bees are kept and the English language is spoken. It is improving all the time, and, if you have not seen it recently, you should get a sample copy and see for yourself the many practical features which it offers'. Illustrated articles on honey plants. Feature Stories of Beekeeping in many lands. New inventions, special methods, news notes, short »cuts, everything of interest to the beekeeper appears in its pages'. The oldest bee journal in the English language, better now than ever before. Edited by C. P. Dadant and Frank C. Pellett, questions answered by Dr. C. C. Miller. Books every beeman should have: — Langstroth on the Honeybee, revised by Dadant. ... $1.50 First Lessons in Beekeeping, by C. P. Dadant 1 . 00 Thousand Answers to Beekeeping Questions, by C. C. Miller 1 . 25 Productive Beekeeping, by Frank C. Pellett 1 . 75 Practical Queen Rearing, by Frank C. Pellett 1 . 00 Add 75 cents to the price of any of the above books and get the book and the American Bee Journal one year. American Bee Journal Hamilton, Illinois llilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllo^ I WHAT YOU GET j I When You Buy Root j I Quality Bee Supplies | 1 You send in your order for bee supplies | i — hives, supers, foundation, containers, | I or appliances. Your order is filled 1 ■ promptly from Root's nearest dealer or 1 B Service Branch. Then you are troubled g I by some beekeeping question which may | ■ come up — swarming, disease, robbing, or 1 i any one of many other problems which g 1 so often puzzle the veteran as well as the | I beginner. You look in all your books, 1 ■ but you can't get just the information | i you desire. Then you are "up the stump!" 1 j You Don't Need to be Up a Stump! j 1 Write to us and we will gladly answer all the S 1 cpiestions that are bothering you. We give | I all our customers the full benefit of our wide g M beekeeping experience. WE ARE THE g I ONLY BEE-SUPPLY MANUFACTURERS 1 i HAVING THIS PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE i I ON A LARGE SCALE, and we give all our | g customers the benefit of this vast store of in- | j formation FREE. THIS IS ROOT SERVICE | I One of Many Satisfied Customers Writes: | ■ I The A. I Root Co., Medina, Ohio. | 1 M I Your supplies are the best we have ever used. | g M I We were thinking of asking for prices two years | g M I ago, but were afraid of the freight charges. But | M M I we are satisfied now we can buy as cheaply of | g g I you, and get a better grade of supplies, than of f g g I any other place we ever bought. | g g I M. L & E. F. Skougard, Parowan, Utah. | g I THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Medina, ohio | g New York Chicago Philadelphia Syracuse San Francisco Los Angeles g g St. Paul Indianapolis Norfolk g ^miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiu FORTY YEARS OF SPECIALIZATION For this length of time we have been specializing on the manufacture of bee-comb foundation, always aiming to Make Dadant's Foundation a little better, if possible. Running several hundred colonies of bees ourselves, enables us to put our product to a real test in the hives under all conditions. We believe we have a product which cannot be equalled in perfection of sheets, in strength, in carefulness with which it is packed, and in the readiness with which it is accepted and drawn out by the bees. The many unsolicited testimonials which we receive strengthen us in this belief. Read this one from New York: Dadant & Sons, Syracuse, N. T., September 26, 1918 Hamilton, Illinois. Gentlemen: 1 am going to send you one keg of cappings to render and ivork into foundation for me, for your foundation cannot he surpassed, in my estimation. Put it up in regular Lang- strotli size, packed in wooden boxes, medium brood grade. Very truly yours, CHAS. G. SCHAMU, President Onondago County Beekeepers' Society. And this one from Texas: Kenedy, Texas, June 7, 1918 Enclosed please find bill of lading for beeswax sent by freight, which please hold until further notice. Also 120 pounds by express, for which please send me same amount in medium brood for regular Hoffman frames. Please send this by express as soon as possible. In conclusion I will say that after having used other founda- tion for years, your foundation is far superior to any I have tried, and I gladly pay express charges both ways in order to get it. Yours truly, M. B. HINTON. INSIST ON DADANT'S FOUNDATION WHEN OR- DERING OF YOUR DEALER. If he hasnt it, write to us. We also render old combs and cappings into beeswax, work beeswax into foundation and buy beeswax outright. Write for particulars. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Ills. iiiiiilliiiililllliiliiiiiiliiiiliiiiliilliiilllililiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ \B ^baitings *« Mn (Unltnvt | = Vol. XL VII MARCH 1919 No. 3 = :WM A California Eucalyptus infant —twenty-nine years old, eight feet in diameter iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. Do not sell until you have seen us. We will pay you spot cash for anything you sell us. Get our prices on cans and cases. Los Angeles Honey Co. 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts. Lo8 Angeles, California Telephones: Home 10419; Main 5606 I If Goods Are Wanted Quick Send to St. Louis | M Indications just now are very favorable for a good season ; but we are, of course, at the = ^ mercy of the weather conditions. A good season means an excessive demand for the line which ^ ^ we handle, and we mention this, urging our friends to place their orders before the goods are ^ = really needed, that none may be disappointed. We carry Root's goods and sell at their prices; ^ M and considering this as a shipping-point, we can save you time and freight by having your orders ^ = come to this house. If vou are new to the busineiss we should like to e.xplain that Root's goods = ^ are the very best that can be produced. If you have been using THE ROOT LINE you will rec- = ^ ognize the truthfulness of the above and will want more of the same goods. Promptness in filling ^ = orders is the motto here. We also give small orders the same careful attention that is given to ^ = large orders. Let us have the pleasure of mailing you our free catalog. m i Blanke Supply & Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo. | liiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ Beeswax Wanted In big and small shipments, to keep Buck's Weed -pro- cess foundation factory go- ing. We have greatly in- creased the capacity of our plant for 1918. We are paying higher prices than ever for wax. . We work wax for cash or on shares. Root's Bee-supplies Big stock, wholesale and re- tail. . . Big catalog free. Carl F. Buck The Comb-foundation Specialist Augusta, Kansas Establiehed 1899 "Griggs Saves You Freight" TOLEDO Do yon realize. Mr. Beeman, that the first of March has pass- ed? June will soon be here with its usual hustle and bustle for Bee Supplies. Why not send us your order now and get the goods wanted? Don't delay. A list of goods wanted, brings prices back by re- turn mail. BEESWAX "We use large quantities. Cash or in exchange for supplies. Free catalog ready to mail. S. J. GRIGGS & CO., I Dept. No. 25 Toledo, Ohio | " Griggs Saves You Freight" M March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C TT L T U U E 129 MARCH, 1919 Ilonev Markets 132-iaH Editorials 137-188 In the Imperial Valley E .E. Root 139-143 Taking Bees from Cellar Belva M. Demuth 143-145 Another Big-Hive Idea Harry Hewitt 145-146 Anne Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers Grace Allen 147-148 Is It a Safe Practice? Robert B. McCain, T. W. Riggs 149-150 Going Ahead Backwards Howard M. Myers 150-151 Another Kind of Windbreak Edward Hassinger, Jr. 151-153 Queen-Rearing— Does It Pay? . .C. D. Stuart 153-154 How He Began Beekeeping Ed. C. Hemp 154-155 What Kind of Big Hive— If? Chas. A. Brown 155 Stray Straws Dr. C. C. Miller 156 Sif tings J. E. Crane 157 Our Food Page Stancy Puerden 158-159 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 160-161 From North, East, West, and South 162-166 Heads of Grain from Different Fields 167-169 The Best from Others ' lona Fowls 170-171 Bees, Men, and Things 172 Just News 173 Gleaned by Asking ', lona Fowls 174-176 Talks to Beginners lona Fowls 177-179 Our Homes A.I. Root 180-184 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. — One year, $1.00; two years, $1.75; three years, $2.50; Ave years, $4.00. Single copy 10 cents. Canadian subscription, 15 cents additional per year, and foreign subscription, 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscriptions, not paid in advance, or specifically ordered by the subscriber to be continued, will be slopped on pi.xpiration. No subscriber will be run into debt by us for this journal. CHANGE OF ADDRESS. — Give your old address as well as the new and write the nanie to which the journal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Should be sent by postoffice money order, bank draft, express money order, or check. CONTRIBUTIONS to Gle.^nings columns solicited: stamps should be enclosed to insure return to author of manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES. — Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkably satisfac- tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY. — The publishers use utmost diligence to estab- lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser using space in this journal. Entered as second' class mail matter at the Postotifice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly. Space occupied by reading matter in this isnie, 69 per cent; advertising, 31 per cent. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, PubHshers, Medina, Ohio Editorial Staff E. R. ROOT A. I. ROOT lONA FOWLS H. G. ROWE Editor Editor Home Dept. Assistant Editor Managing Editor GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 HERE IS A REPRODUCTION OF Mutli's New Home in Cincinnati 2' 1 ^ 3 3 ^ ^uf rf 4:1 4 H '3 .. ,* ,J 1 i 1 'rA n 3 3 J 3 ^ 3-3 i- '3 '1 '^ H H w I '^ *}^mi 1 1 .iJL.JUi™!LJl *-^^-f 4. il il J J 1 1 3 2 2 1 'i'^LM (nn.»*.'«MHjjEt HON^EY ZiOHiX^ BEtKEEPERSlI ♦III ClIODIIF*; Anticipatii'.g the warts of tli? t'a;lc r.nd to r.ieet the demands of our customera, we are now located at Pearl and Walnut Streets, carrying tremendous stocks — making this the largest Honev House in the country. WHY YOU SHOULD BUY NOW! We advise you to buy your bee' supplies now. You not only get the benefit of favorable market conditions, but you are assured of immediate delivery. There will be no disappointment if you send your order for bee supplies to MUTH NOW. MUTH'S ADVANTAGES! We sell at factory prices, save you freight and give you the finest bee supplies manufactured. LEWIS BEEWARE DADANT'S FOUNDATION ROOT'S SMOKERS, EXTRACTORS, ETC. Our new 1919 catalog sent for the mere asking. Drop us a card now! OLD COMBS AND CAPPINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We pay you the highest market price for beesw^ax, and charge you but 5e per pound for the wax rendered. It pavs to send us vour old combs and cappings. WANTED, COMB HONEY. ' Comb and Extracted Honey find ready sales here. Tell us what you have. We buy beeswax at high prices. Always glad to reply to inquiries. We will appreciate a visit from you. When in the citj^ come and see us. THE FRED W. MUTH COMPANY Cincinnati. Ohio Pearl and Walnut Sts. 'The Busy Beemen" Maiuu, 1919 G LE A N IN G S I N B E E C U LT U RE 131 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ Bee Supplies Bee Supplies Service and" Quality Order your supplies early so as to have everything ready for the honey flow, and save money by taking advantage of the early-order cash discount. Send for our cat- log; better still, send us a list of your sup- plies and we will be pleased to quote you. C. H. W. WEBER & CO. 2146 CENTRAL AVE. CINCINNATI, OHIO ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^^ "SUPERIOR' FOUNDATION I FRT?"!? I \ Exhaustive tests among Jj X\J_J J_J nature of the honey flow, I I our 3,000 colonies of bees etc. Exactly the same I I in Utah and Idaho utterly dis- machinery, the same process and I I prove the claim of a certain manu- the same materials are used by I I facturer of Weed Process Founda- all manufacturers of Weed Pro- I f tion that the "bees take to cess Foundation. Other condi- 1 I theirs first." Any such faculty tions being equal, the bees will not i I among the bees is determined by draw out one brand of Weed Pro- I I the freshness of the foundation cess Foundation any quicker than i I used, the weight of the sheets, the another brand of the same process. I I LET YOUE OWN BEES PROVE THIS TO YOUE ENTIRE SATIS- I I FACTION. AFTER MAY 1st WE WILL FURNISH FREE FOUNDA- \ I TION TO ALL BEEKEEPERS APPLYING FOR SAME FOR EXPERI- j f MENTAL PURPOSES, THEY IN TURN TO ADVISE US OF THE I I RESULTS OF THEIR TESTS. -:- -:- -:- .•- .•- ... I 1 1 SUPERIOR HONEY CO., OGDEN, UTAH 1 1 = I Manufacturers of Weed Process Foundation ''Best by Test" i 1 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH^^ 132 GLEANINGSIN HONEY MARKETS The honey market is very quiet, with very little demand at the high prices at which honey is still quoted. The situation is prac- tically as described by a well-known New York honey-buyer a few days ago when asked about the honey market, his reply be- ing: "There isn't any honey market at present. ' ' As will be seen from price quotations be- low, honey-dealers are still quoting the high prices, but they are not moving their stocks at these prices. The hope in the situation is that there will soon come a readjustment of prices that will move honey stocks now on hand, and yet not reduce the price below a figure at which honey can be purchased in the future at a good profit price to the honey-producer. What that price will be must wait on the opening of the new honey season of 1919 and the trend of prices thruout the whole food list during the next several months. Below will be found the quotations as gathered by the Bureau of Markets and by dealers who regularly quote for Gleanings: U. S. Government Market Reports. HONEY ARRIVALS SIXCE LAST RETORT. No arrivals reported. SHIPPING POINT INFORMATION. San Francisco. — Supplies liberal. Practically no demand or movement, bu>ers holding off. Cash to producers at country loadiii? points: extracted, per Ih., water white, 18-19c; sage white 18c; light am- ber, 17c; dark amber 14-15c. J3eeswax, 36-38c per lb. Los Angeles. — No demand, practically no move- ment, no sales reported. Only few cars still in State. Beeswax : few sales. Cash to producer on farm, 38c per lb. TULEGRArHIC REPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. (The prices quoted in this report, unless other- wise stated, represent the prices at which the "Wholesale carlot receivers" sell to the "jobbers." Arrivals include receipts during preceding two weeks. Prices represent current quotations.) Chicago. — No carlot arrivals. Supplies liberal. Demand light, movement limited, prices unsettled. Sales to jobbers; extracted, per lb., white 20-24c, amber 18-26c. Comb: 24-section cases, No. 1, mostly $6.50 per case. Beeswax: refined 45-50c; unre- fined, mostly 42c per lb. Cincinnati. — 1 California extracted arrived, no carlot arrivals comb, nearby receipts very light. Supplies liberal. Practically no demand, no sales reported. Beeswax : demand and movement moder- ate: average yellow 40c per lb. Cleveland. — Demand slow, prices lower. Sales to bakers and confectioners: Western 60-lb. tins, sweet clover and orange blossom, 22-26c per lb. Denver. — Approximately 4 000 pounds extracted arrived. Receipts light. Demand and movement slow. Sales to jobbers: extracted, white, 20-22 %c per lb. Beeswax: cash to producer, 38c per lb. Kansas City. — I Colorado and approximately 60 cases by freight arrived, 1 broken car on track. Demand and movement moderate. Sales to jobbers: comb, Missouri, 24-section flat cases No. 1, $7.50- 8.00; Colorado No. 1, $7.50. Beeswax: 35-40c per lb. Minneapolis. — Homegrown receipts light. Siip- plies moderate. Demand and movement slow, little change in prices. Sales direct to retailers: comb, 24-section cases, Minnesota, quality and condition fair, dark color $6.00-7.00 ; Colorado, fancy white, duality good, condition generally good, mostly $7.50. Extracted: Western, quality and condition generally good, 60-lb. cans, mostly 25c per lb. New York. — ^Arrivals: 100 barrels Mexico 2.156 barrels West Indies. Exported: 2,245 cases, 127 barrels to England, 1,214 cases to Sweden. Demand BEE CULTURE March, 1919 and movement very slow, very few sales. Sales to jobbers: extracted, Porto Rican, $2.20-2.30 per gal- lon, few sales $2.40; New York, buckwheat 18-21c per lb. Beeswax : 442 bags, 90 boxes West Indies arrived. Demand and movement moderate; light, 42-43C ; dark 40-42c per lb. Philadelphia. — 1 Wyoming extracted arrived. De- mand very slow, weak feeling. No sales reported. Spokane. — No rail arrivals. Supplies not cleaned up. Demand and movement moderate. Quality and condition good. Sales direct to retailers: strained, Idaho, water white in tins 20-23c per lb. St. Louis. — Supplies light. Demand and move- ment slow. Sales to jobbers : extracted : Southern, light amber, per lb., in barrels 19-20c, in cans 21-22c. Comb: practically no supplies on market. Beeswax: prime, few sales 35c per lb. St. Paul. Stipplies liberal. Demand and move- ment slow. Sales direct to retailers: Colorado quality and condition good, fancy white, 24-section ca-ses, mostly $7.50. Extracted, Western, quality and condition generally good, mostly 25c per lb. EXPORT DISTRIBUTION OF HONEY. From data supplied by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, the following figures are com- piled: total export of honev for 10-dav period of Jan. 1 to 10, 1919, was 37,218 lbs.: e.xport during corresponding 10-day period in 1918 was 560,808 lbs. Total export of honev for 10-dav period of -Jan. 10 to 20, 1919, was 87,860 lbs.; export during corresponding period in 1918 was 873,597 lbs. Charles .J. Brand, Chief of Bureau. Washington, D. C, Feb. 15, 1919. General Quotations of Wholesalers. [These firms are asked to quote the whole- sale price they make to retailers. Accord- ingly their prices must be figured at least one profit higher than the price paid the pro- ducer. The large dealers do not quote prices in print that they will pay futurely to pro- ducers.] NEW YORK. — We quote from several of the leading honey-dealers in New York, under date of Feb. 15. as follows: "Demand for domestic and export, light. Con- siderable quantity is arriving from the West In- dies. Market weak. Comb honev, fancv, per case, $8.00; No. 1, per case, $7.50; No. 2, $7.00. Ex- tracted honey, white, per lb., 23c; light amber in barrels, $2.25. Clean average yellow beeswax, per lb. 40 to 42c." "Market dead. Extracted honey, white alfalfa, 25c: light-amber sage in cans, 26c." "Honey and beeswax are quiet and rather weak with plentiful stock on hand, and offerings for ship- ment. There is a fair demand, and export demand is expected, which should have a good effect on the market. Extracted honey, light amber, in barrels, $2.25; amber, in barrels, $2.10. Clean average vel- low beeswax, per lb., 41 to 42c; dark, 37 to 38c." "Our market is slower, undoubtedly on account of the plentiful supply of sugar everywhere. Ex- tracted honey, white, 18c; light amber, in cans, 16c; amber, in cans, 15c; light amber, in barrels, 14c; amber in barrels, 12e." BUFFALO. — Comb honey cleaned up. Demand for extracted honey very poor selling. Extracted honey, white, 18-20c; amber and light amber, in cans, 18c. Gleason & Lansing. Buffalo, N. Y., Feb. 14. CLEVELAND. — Comb honey is selling very slow- Iv, with prospects of low^er prices. Comb honey, fancv, per case, $7.75-8.00; No. 1. $7.25-7.50; No. 2, $6.25-6.50. C. Chandler's Sons. Cleveland, O., Feb. 13. PHOENIX. — No sales or purchases of honey the 75ast few months. Inquiries are coming in ,is to the price of honey for the coming season. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 37c. Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 14. L. M. Lossing. K.\NSAS CITY.— -The market on extracted honey is a little slow at the present time and is selling around 23 cents, which seems to be the top on the best white honey altho an occasional case brings more. The comb honey market is good, selling March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEEf CULTURE 133 around $7.50 per case. Clean average yellow bees- wax, per lb., 40c. C. C. demons Produce Co. Kansas City, Mo., Feb. 13. DENVER. — Comb honey in fair demand. Supply very light. Extracted honey, trade slow, supply good. Comb honeiv, fancv, per case, $7.50; No. 1, $7.00; No. 2, $6.50. Extracted, white, per lb., 25c; light amber, in cans, 23c ; amber 20c. For clean, average yellow beeswax we pay 38c cash, 40c trade. The Colorado Honey Producers' Asso. Denver, Colo., Feb. 14. ST. LOUIS. — Receipts of comb honey very light. Extracted dull. Offers libeiral. Price nominal. Comb honev, extra fancv, per case, $7.25; fancy, $7.00; No." 1, $6.50. Extracted light amber, in cans, 22c; amber, in cans 21c, in barrels 20c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 35c. R. Hartman Produce Co. St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 12. PORTLAND. — Honey is weakening quite a good deal on account of sugar restriction being taken off. Consumer not using honey as freely as heretofore. Comb honev, extra fancv, per case, $7.50; fancy, $7.25; No. 1, $7.00; No. 2, $6.50. Extracted hon- ey, white, per lb., 20c; light amber, in cans 18c; amber, 16c. Pacific Honey Co. Portland, Ore., Feb. 12. SABINAL. — There is a slackness in demand at this time, tho very little honey in the hands of pro- ducers. Extracted, light amber, in cans, 20-22c; amber, 18-20c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 38-40c. J. A. Simmons. Sabinal, Tex., Feb. 10. MONTREAL. — Supplies of honey quite large. Demand fairly active. Comb honey, extra fancy, per case, 30c; fancy, 28c; No. 1 27c; No. 2, 24c. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 27c; light amber, in cans 25c, in barrels 24c ; amber, in cans 22c, in barrels 21c. Gunn, Langlois & Co., Ltd. Montreal, Can., Feb. 13. HAMILTON. — Honey is moving better this month. Extracted, white, in cans, 26c. F. W. Fearman Co., Ltd. Hamilton, Ont., Feb. 14. TORONTO. — Prices have declined. The market is verv stagnant. Strained white clover honey is selling" .slowlv at 22-23c. Eby-Blain, Ltd. Toronto, Ont., Feb. 12. CUBA. — Extracted honey, light amber in bar- rels, $1.60 per gal. ; amber, $1.60 per gal. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 38c. Matanzas, Cuba, Feb. 14. Adolph Marzol. Classified Advertisements — Received Late FOR SALE. — 30 stands of bees. F. J. Rettig, "Wabash, Ind. FOR SALE. — Italian queens, hives, and supplies at low prices. R. Kramske, 1104 Victor St., St. Louis, Mo. FOR SALE. — 100 dovetailed 10-frame metal- spaced beehives with frames. Cheap. J. R. Marye, Bunceton, Mo. BEEKEEPERS OF THE NORTHWEST! Order ROOT Stipplies from George F. Webster, Sioux FalLs, South Dakota. FOR SALE. — New standard hives, bottom-boards, covers, and frames, at 33 per cent off usual price. Write for particulars. O. L. Rothwell, Gillet, Pa. FOR SALE. — Buckwheat honey in 60-pound cans, 2 cans in each case; 14 cases. Make me an offer f. 0 b. here. Robert Conn, Roaring Branch, Pa. FOR S.\LE. — Secondhand 60-lb. cans, two to the case, 50c per case f. o. b. New York. Also second- hand maple-svrup cans at 10c each. Hoffman &" Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Extractor, uncapping-can, honey- tanks, extracting outtit; hives in flat, all new. Bar- gain. Want beas, queens, or honey. The Liberty Press, Box 224, Shenandoah, Iowa. FOR SALE. — 2,760 lbs. No. 1 white extracted clover honey and 1,920 lbs. buckwheat honey in 60-lb. cans ; also No. 1 white extracted clover hon- ey in 10-lb. pails for $2.60 each. Charles Sharp, Romulus, N. Y. FOR SALE. — 600 colonies Italian bees, 1,600 supers drawn combs, 500 lbs. foundation, 500 lbs. wax, covered motor truck, two six-comb friction- drive extractors, gas engine, 600 excluders, 150 four-colony winter cases. One of the best locations in Canada goes with the bees. Everything must be sold. Am retiring from business. H. D. Mclntyre, Woodbridge, Ont., Can. EXCHANGE. — M-B.. P. motor with speed con- trol, 110 volt, perfect condition, for automatic hand extractor. C. C. Gray, Quincy, Ind. W^ANTED. — Two-pound packages of bees and queens, $2.50. O. N. Baldwin, Baxter Springs, Kans. Sp ecial Offer Everbearing I PLANTS Strawberries ] POSTPAID AMERICUS, PROGRESSIVE, SUPERB, FRANCIS, Peerless Some of each while in supply. When sold out of one or more we will send tlie others. Don't delay. 100 Plants, 81.75; 200 Plants. .?3.40; 300 for $5.00 Catalog free C. N. FLANSBURGH & SON . . JACKSON, MICHIGAN i!llllllllllllllllllllllllllll!llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!lllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllll^ Are you READY For Your Bees to Start Work? iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii It is good business for you to order early and use up-to-date supplies. OUR SERVICE is immediate and per- sonal. Lewis supplies are best. The best is the cheapest. Let us send catalog and quote prices. Western Honey Producers i DEPARTMENTC ^ Sioux City, Iowa 134 G LE A N IN G S I N B E E C U LTV R E Makch, 1919 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ Bi From Central NEW YORK Shipments of Bee Supplies can be made promptly on time, and freight will be saved thereby. Bee- keepers, as the years go by, are getting in the habit of ordering supplies earlier. This fall we had an exceptional increase of early orders. A few years ago, most, if not all, waited till May and June before ordering, with the result they were not prepared for the season. One of our largest beekeepers of the State made a practice of getting ready during the fall and winter and secured large returns during the s'eason following. In fact, he cleaned up after the year's crop — all separators, supers, and everything piled away nicely. Now he is gone, but left every- thing in good shape. If every one would follow his example, what a large yield of honey would be se- cured. We are glad to say quite a large number do. Why not, if you have not already done so, estimate your requirements for next season? One of our beekeepers that secured a year ago $10,000.00 worth of honey, this year secured $14,000.00 — a fortune. Why not get in line and get your s'hare ? F. A. SALISBURY 1631 WEST GENESEE STREET SYRACUSE, NEW YORK March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 135 Winter Problem Solved by the Hive with an Inner Overcoat. For 3^our inrorination and to be convinced of the efficiency of this hive, send for a sample. For a limited time one sample hive will be sent set up and equipped as per this illustration at the special price of $5.00. PEOTECTION HIVE, showing how insulation is arranged when no winter rim or ehaff cushion is used. A piece of burlap, bagging or similar material is telescoped down over the brood nest between the inner and outer walls with the Inner Overcoats. The Inner cover is laid bottom side up over the Inner Overcoats, providing a dead air space over them. Added insulation is provided, by laying a piece of newspaper on top of the board. Our new illustrated catalog for the season of 1919 and a special circular of the Woodman Protection Hive, showing 10 large illustra- tions will be sent upon request. Send us a list of your requirements and let us figure with you on your wants for the coming season. A. G. WOODMAN CO., Grand Rapids, Mich., U. S. A. C4 LEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy Don't Take Our Word For the claims we make in regard to Dadant's Foundation. Ask the beekeeiiers who have tried it side by side with other makes and who KNOW its value by the results. READ THIS: I Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, III. I I Gentlemen: Yotirs is certainly the best foundation by far, | I and if there is an honest advertisement in the American Bee Jour- \ I nal, it is yours on the 401st page of the December issue, as I found | I my bees to be the same as A. N. Norton's, of New Mexico. I used \ I foundation from , and from — , and yours all last f i summer, and the bees drew out yours and worked more quickly | I on it than on either of the other two brands. The only difference I I that I cotdd see was tit at there was a little difference in color. There I i must be something that the bees can tell better than ice can. \ I Yours truly, \ I Woodhull, III, Dec. 23, 1918. ELMER KOMMEB. | ALSO THIS ONE: i Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, III. i I Gentlemen: At ivhat price will ijou furnish me 1,000 jjounds i I of Medium Brood Foundation, in sheets to fit the Hoffman frames, i I packed in cartons and also packed 25 pounds in a box? | I One of the reasons I have for asking the price in the above ' I I paragraph is that I have used a great deal of your foundation, as \ I well as that of other manufacturers, and the bees certainly work \ I on yours quicker than on others, and possibly I might prefer to | I sell my beeswax to you, or to others and buy your product, even | I if at some extra expense. I have about 40,000 drawn-out combs \ i from found: J Hives owned Ij.v .(olin Nippert at Imperial, Calif. It seems to be the practice during the winter thruout California to contract the entrances of the colonies down to a very narrow space that will ad- mit not more than two or three bees at a time. There are two reasons for this. One. is to conserve the heat of the colony, and the other is to check robbing. Most colonies are wintered in two-story hives, one of the stories containing the stores and the other the colony. IHHHIi 1 .^ra*? ^^ ,.:. * * * Shedded apiary of W. W. Culver near Calexico, Calif. This is a typical example of a slied covered with arrow weed. Wires placed over the top bind the weed so that it does not blow off. This particu- lar apiary, says the owner, always gives him good yields because it i.s sjjlendidly protected by the windbreaks of the tl'ees on the north and the east, .''■inietliin^; of an idea of the cotton industry and of the productiveness of the soil can be gained by looking at this picture where there are 65.000 bales of cotton stored in an open field; it rains only about once or twice during the entire year in the valley. This cotton will be shipped before it gets wet down. 142 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE ilAKLH, 1919 ey resources of the county would be consid- erably cut down. The Board was asked to appropriate sufficient funds to hire a com- petent inspector to work for nine months in the year under Mr. George, who had been giving and would give his time, free of "W. W. Culvex''s }iandy wheelbarrow fur cai- rying combs from the hives to the extracting- house standing up on stilts, in the background. The shape of the wheelbarrow is so designed that the weight of the combs is thrown forward upon the wheel. Mr. Culver has his extracting-houses off to one side and elevated so that the honey runs by ^avity into a large galvanized tank below. He prefers to wheel the honey up an inclined sidewalk to the building where the honey can be run by gravity into the receiving tank. charge, as chief inspector. The petition was granted and the funds appropriated. There is every reason to believe that foul brood will now be definitely held under con- trol. From the illustrations given herewith it will be seen that all apiaries, on account of the extreme heat of the summer, must be .^^^j^mwwwwwi 1 1 If///// 81iedded apiary belonging to E. .J. Severin at Imperial, Calif. The slats are placed upon a framework and spaced about % inch apart. This arrangement breaks up the rays of sunlight, giving just the right amount of shade and at the same time allowing enough light so the beekeeper can see eggs in the combs. These sheds can easily be taken down and moved to a new location, while the sheds having grass or weeds for the top cannot be moved readily. One of the apiaries of W. \V. Culver situated between two rows of eucalyptus. There is a little too much of shade, probably; and the owner may move the bees and put them under a shed, in which case, he would prefer thp l3,th covering to the arrow weed. March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE kept niulor shade. The usual form is a shed covered with dried grass, or what is techni- cally called arrow weed. This shed runs nearly east and west; and during midsum- mer, with the sun directly overhead, the bees are in the shade from morning till night. During the winter and early spring, the sun, being at a lower angle, strikes the hives all day long at a time of year when it is needed. The arrangement is ideal for hot climates. It is also used in Arizona, New Mexico, and the West Indies. In place of arrow weed a number of bee- keepers of the valley have found that com- mon lath (such as is ordinarily used in plastering) is not only cheaper but better. It is actually cheaper to buy common lath at $8.00 per thousand than it is to hire a man, if you can get him, to cut the arrow weed, haul it, and fasten it upon the frame- work of the shed. As will be seen by the illustrations, the laths are nailed % inch apart upon the frames. This is better than a solid top. When the rays of the sun are broken up it answers the purpose. J. \V. Culver, as will be seen by one of the illustrations, is trying the experiment of putting one apiary between two rows of eucalyptus. He does not believe this will give as good I'esults as the shed. J. W. George of Imperial, Cal., and "W. W. Culver of Calexico, near the Mexican bor- der, are the two leading beekeepers in the valley. Mr. George has been gradually re- tiring, while Mr. Culver seems to be in the business as much as ever. TAKING BEES FROM CELLAR IVhen and Ho'W it Should be Done for ^est Results. Varying Condi- tions Require Varying Treatment By Belva M. Demuth OF the four or five months that bees are in the cellar, the month of March is the most de- structive to their vitality. This is especial- ly true if the stores consumed during the winter have been inferior or if the tempera- ture of the cellar during the earlier portion of the winter has been too low. During our earlier experience in cellar wintering we too frequently had both of these conditions in considerable degree, which, in every case, caused some extremely anxious days during the month of March on account of the rest- lessness of the bees. We have had many colonies that consumed more stores during March than during the entire previous pe- riod of confinement in the cellar. This meant, of course, that the bees were burn- ing out their lives rapidly by the extra ac- tivity which was induced by their discom- fort. This extra activity serves no useful pur- pose whatever, and, when once started the destruction of vitality and the consumption of the honey from which the extra energy is derived go merrily on with constant ac- celeration until the hives are placed on their summer stands and the bees have had a cleansing flight. In such cases the condi- tion of destructive restlessness has over- taken the bees before the arrival of spring. Some years ago many beekeepers advo- cated setting the bees out when they became restless, choosing for this a day suitable for a safe cleansing flight, after which they were returned to the cellar. This was in- tended to stop the rapid destruction of vi- tality during the latter part of the winter. Fortunately, it is possible by using better stores and keeping the cellar warmer, es- pecially during the early part of winter, to prevent this condition instead of applying a doubtful rem- edy after it de- velops. Midwin- ter flights, there- fore, are not now recommend- e d . However, the beekeeper who attempts to winter on poor stores in a cold cellar has reason to "Be- ware the Ides of March," for restless colo- nies previous to the arrival of spring pre- sent a serious problem. Restless Colonies Weaken Themselves. If they are placed on their summer stands at this time, on a day suitable for a cleans- ing flight, they will quiet down and may still have sufficient vitality left to care for brood to produce bees enough to take their places; but, if the restlessness previous to their removal from the cellar has greath' exhausted their vitality, they may spring dwindle badly and therefore be rendered useless for the season. Their subsequent safety and prosperity depend upon how nearly their vitality has been exhausted be- fore they have had their cleansing flight and the character of the weather after they are set out. If they are left in the cellar, they burn out their lives rapidly by cease- less and increasing activity. A good cleans- ing flight stops this useless activity, but we know of no remedy that can restore the ex- hausted vitality of colonies at this time except brood-rearing. Brood-rearing itself consumes bee life rapidly, and there may not be a sufficient amount of vital energy remaining to apply this remedy in time to save the colony. When the Cellar's Usefulness Ends. Colonies that are but slightly restless dur- ing early March may usually be left in the cellar until the arrival of favorable weather and the advent of natural pollen. However, when the time arrives that the bees are wasting their energy in the cellar more ]apidly than they would spend it to keep up GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 the ten:perature of the hive out of doors, they should by all means be put out on the first day suitable for a safe flight. The only reason for putting bees in the cellar at all is to conserve their energy, and when it no .longer does this they are better out of doors. Finally, colonies that have wintered well (i. e. have lived slowly) will usually remain quiet thruout March, and even thru the greater portion of April, if they should be left that long. They gradually become more sensitive to higher temperature and stagnant air in the cellar, but are sometimes so quiet that we have hesitated about tak- ing them out even when natural pollen was available. Thus, while successfully wintered colo- nies, retaining nearly the full measure of their vital energy of the previous fall, are abundantly able to endure the cold spells of early spring if put out earlj^, their continued quiescence makes it unnecessary to remove them from the cellar until the arrival of more favorable weather. The problems con- nected with removing the bees from the cellar successfully are much less exacting when they have wintered well than when they have not. The time for setting them out, the character of the day, the impor- tance of immediate flight, and all of the pre- cautionary measures to prevent drifting become less important with better wintering. Remove Two Months Before Honey Flow. We have a few times left such quiet colo- nies in the cellar as an experiment until late in April, with the idea of escaping all of the disagreeable weather of early spring. We found that they were, on June first, con- siderably behind the ones removed from the cellar about April first. Our honey flow usu- ally begins about the first of June, so we want every colony ready for business at that time. It seems to require about two months after being removed from the cellar to build up for the honey flow. We, there- fore, want our colonies on their summer stands not later than April first in order to have two months of brood-rearing before the beginning of the clover-honey flow. In practice, the bees have usually been put out the latter part of March. They sometimes have to endure some disagreeable weather after being put out; but strong colonies, well wintered, are abundantly able to do this. This fits in well with the old rule for tak- ing the bees out of the cellar at the time of the blooming of the soft maples, Eestless colonies may sometimes be taken out earlier to their advantage, and no colonies should be left in so long that they will have less than two months to build up for the honey flow. The Drifting Problem. We have had almost no trouble from drifting, except one spring when the bees were taken out on an abnormally warm day without the usual preliminary airing of the cellar. The bees rushed out pell-mell with- out marking their Jprations and drifted bad- ly. Ordinarily we leave the cellar door and ventilator wide open during the night pre- vious to setting the bees out. When this is done the bees are quieter and much more easily handled the next day. They are less inclined to fly from the hives while being carried out and are less eager to fly after being placed on the summer stands, thus greatly reducing that first mad rush from the entrance, which is almost sure to be fol- followed by drifting. A wet cloth for clos- ing the entrances of unruly colonies while the hive is being carried out is sometimes needed; but when the bees have wintered well, and the cellar has been thoroly aired the night before, the bees may be carried out without its use. As each hive is placed on its summer stand the entrance is con- tracted. This, we think, helps to prevent drifting since it restricts their flight. Any- thing that in any way tends to reduce the volume of flight, when first set out, dimin- ishes the tendency to drift. Good winter- ing, a thoro airing of the cellar the night before, careful handling of the hives while carrying out to prevent too great a dis- turbance, and contracting the entrances at the time of placing the hives on their sum- mer stands should prevent any trouble from drifting. We do not attempt to place the hives on the same stands they occupied the previous fall. Setting Bees Out When Too Cold. We formerly waited for a day suitable for immediate flight for setting the bees out, selecting, if possible, a bright warm morning with prospects of a temperature of 60 degrees or more during the middle of the day. The bees were taken out as rapidly as possible in order that all the colonies could have a good flight before evening. Latterly, however, the bees have been taken directly from the cellar to the out- yards on days too cold for them to fly. The entrance screens are put in place while the hives are in the cellar and the loading is done at the cellar door. In this case, it is sometimes several days before a suitable flight day occurs, tho we try to do this on the day preceding a flight day. This method eliminates much anxiety in trying to choose a suitable day, saves con- siderable hustle and worry in getting the bees all on their summer stands early in the day, and saves one handling of the hives in- tended for outyards. It has worked out highly satisfactorily with us when the bees liave wintered well, but we would not care to try it on poorly wintered colonies, Well- wintered colonies quiet down after the dis- turbance of moving and do not attempt to fly until a day suitable for safe flight occurs when they fly normally. We have not been able to detect any evil results when such colonies have been outside a week or more before having their first flight. Removing the bees from the cellar marks the closing act of wintering. It is but one of a succession of events which began last ^[A1U'JI, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 145 August. Its suecessful performance depends largely upon how each of the others has l)ecn done. Colonies that have been proper- ly wintered can be set out on almost any kind of day the latter part of March or first of April, and only the simplest precautions are necessary to prevent drifting. If they were alike in strength and vigor in Sep- tember, they should be alike now. How dif- ferent it is with colonies that have not win- tered well! With these the greatest care is necessary at this time, and no amount of skill can retrieve a situation lost earlier in the mai'ch of events. ANOTHER BIG-HIVE IDEA Thirteen -frame Hive for Brood- chamber 'With Eight -frame Supers. Saues Much Time, Work, and Cost By Harry Hewitt THE subject of larger hives is con- tinually c r o p - jnng up in our bee journals, and during the last few months has been a no- ticeable feature in Gleanings and the American Bee Journal. The merits of the long-idea, the 10-frame Dadant, the 10-frame story-and-a-half per- manent brood-chamber have all been dis- cussed, and next came the description of Adams «& Myers' 13-franie barns. The size of the hive is probably more a question of location than anything else. In this locality the 8-frame hive is almost uni- versal, and a great many successful apiar- ists are perfectly satisfied with its use. Per- sonally, I believe that our 8-fitime hive with good combs will turn out plenty of bees to handle the majority of flows, and I cannot thinlc that big brood-chambers have as much influence on swarming as is claimed; for I find that colonies where the queen has the run of two and three sets of combs are just as apt to swarm as where the queen is eon- fined to one set with an excluder. My rec- ord for the past season also shows that the heaviest yields were from queens confined to eight combs. In this locality it is not always best for our queens to raise a maxi- mum number of bees, for many of our flows are of short duration and are followed by periods of honey dearth. In a normal orange flow it is only the eggs laid during the first week that are of any value in securing the crop, and, should the queens continue laying to their maximum capacity for the succeed- ing two or three weeks, they will produce an enormous force of bees that will be con- sumers and not producers during almost the entire period of their field life. Altho I consider an 8-frame brood-nest ample for the needs of this locality when in the hands of an experienced beekeeper, it has its drawbacks when in the hands of a beginner, for there is the danger of taking away too much honey and allowing the bees to starve. This, however, is always the fault of the man and not of the hive. An- other failing, which applies equally to the 10-frame hive, is the difficulty in getting at the brood-nest when it is tiered up three and more stories high. Many colonies are al- lowed to run down, or are lost for no other reason than this inac cessibility of the brood- chamber. I cannot r e - member for what purpose I made a square hive, 13 - frame, about four years ago; but it has proved its worth to such a degree that my future permanent outyards will be equipped with these 13- frame brood-chambers. Do not think I am inconsistent in adopting this big brood-nest after my remarks about the 8-frame hive, for I am doing it not to give the queen more room but to save time and a great amount of heavy lifting. My object is to stick to the handy 8-frame equipment and at the same time have the immediate accessibility Hewitt's 13-l'i pers, showiiij til 8 fraino su- insjiecting the accessibility when colony. of the brood-chamber enjoyed by the users of the long-idea hive. The photographs show, better than any description, how this is obtained. It is true that only four frames can be taken out and one side of the fifth seen; but these five frames will invariably show the condition of the colony. This may appear an outlandish shape for a beehive, but its advantages are manifest, and it would solve the problem for those beekeepers who desire a bigger brood-nest, but who are afraid to make the change be- cause the cost would be prohibitive. The only additional cost would be for hive bodies and bottoms, and for the bodies only new rabbeted ends would be necessarv. 146 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 Tlie Hewitt combination hive, showing cover on brood-chamber and outside, view or arrangement for making a queen-mating nucleus. Altho I speak of the square hive as hold- ing 13 frames (as it will with 1%-inch spac- ing), this becomes such a tight fit when propolis has accumulated that it seems more practical to use only 12 frames and space them 1^2 inches. To cover the exposed frames a piece of 1x8 board is all that is necessary, for the bees speedily close up any cracks and make things weather-tight. In the side of the hive shown in the photograpli, it will be noticed there is a hole closed by a cork above a small alighting- board. This shows another use to which this particular hive has been put. By using a tight-fitting division-board and closing the front entrance to where the partition comes, a two- or three-frame queen-mating nucleus is formed in a few minutes, and the bees and combs are returned to the colony by taking out the division-board when the nu- cleus is no longer required. During the last few months many exten- sive beekeepers have visited my yard and most of them have noticed this big hive; but so far no one has recognized the con- veniences to which its odd shape adapts it. All those who commented upon it would prefer to use the same size of supers and so eliminate the only advantage that ap- peals to me. The advocates of the Jumbo frame and the story-and-a-half brood-nest lay stress upon the fact that a queen will place her brood in the shape of a sphere, and the deeper fi-ame will allow this to a greater ex- tent than the Langstroth. Altho this may be an advantage for a very short time in early spring, there is no necessity for it when the weather becomes warm and the colony populous. In bee-trees it is quite common to find brood-combs three feet and four feet long and only six or eight inches wide, and some of the swarms raised on such combs are the equal of any produced in a hive. The advantage of the square hive, used in conjunction with the 8-frame supers, will be not only in accessibility — and for outyards where quick inspection trips are desirable this is no small consideration — but in having the same standard frame in both brood-nest and super. Beekeepers attending the recent California beekeeping short course at the University Farm, Davis, Calif. March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 117 ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS By Grace Allen — Chapter II ONE morning March broke heavily over Daddy Lowe's farm. Wind and storm ruled thru that day, and the next, and the next, dying away at last into little pro- testing coughs against something young and warm that was coming. And on the fourth day there was blue in the sky and sun over all the earth. Daddj^ Lowe unbuttoned his overcoat, and walked around the syringa bush to tap on the window of the sitting room. "Come out, Anne!" he shouted. "Can't, possibly," called a voice behind him. And there was Anne herself with three gay daffodils. " 'I wandered lonely as a cloud,' " she began, showing her treasure, "and you accuse me of being inside." ' ' You weren 't among the bees, ' ' he pro- tested, "and they're flying." "Bees aren't the only thing in the world," she declared. "I wanted to see what the storm had done to the daffodils — they were all ready to come out when it struck them. And it hasn't hurt them a bit. Aren't they brave-hearted? That's what I love, Daddy Lowe — not just putting your lips together and being grim, and not being just patient and resigned, but being down- right brave, like a daffodil, and when the storm 's over, blossoming right on and being what you were meant to be. ' ' ' ' You are very young, Anne, ' ' the old man said gently. ' ' That is the right way, but it's the hard way." "Please don't say that. Daddy Lowe," she begged, as they turned towards the bee- yard. "I never could endure that idea. Whatever 's the right way ought to be the easy way, once we catch the hang of it. ' ' Daddy Lowe smiled. "Once we catch the hang of it," he repeated, " yes. For that end came all the law and the prophets. Per- haps the poets, too." "And maybe the daffodils?" insisted Anne gently. Then she stopped. From hive after hive the bees were streaming out into the sun. Their humming seemed suddenly to fill the world. For an instant she stood silent, a new look on her face, then she cried out merrily, ' ' The bees too. Daddy Lowe! I believe this would help people get the little knack of being brave and big and doing the right things easily." Then sud- denly, "Ah, now I know — this is how you got it!" "But I haven't got it," he said, shaking his head. ' ' The bees do help, but I haven 't got that little knack! You little child — to call it that!" ' ' You can 't make me angry calling me names on a day like this," she comforted him. "How near dare I gof" ' ' That 's for you to answer, ' ' he replied, sitting on a hive. ' ' But it is considered polite as well as discreet not to stand right in their way, in front of the entrances. ' ' So Anne politely sat down on another hive, and for a long time it was very still, except for that one great humming, which is like nothing else in the world. Slowly the listening look deepened in the girl's eyes. But at last she turned to the man. "Daddy Lowe," she said, smiling, "I can see contentment hanging about you like a garment. But there is a bee crawling across my hand. Of course, I am not afraid of him, but how does one get rid of him — most politely?" "One takes her up by her wings — so," replied the old beekeeper, skillfully taking possession of the bee. "Her wings?" echoed the girl. "Are these all lady bees?" "Yes," he replied, "there are no drones at this season." "From which I deduce that drones are not ladies, ' ' she observed. "Your deduction is correct." "If I keep on deducing, will I know everything about bees, or are you going to tell me, all in order, like a real story?" "You have never read Maeterlinck's 'Life of the Bee'?" "No. I've read 'The Blue Bird' but not the bee. Must I read it, or will you tell me?" ' ' Well, ' ' hg began, ' ' in each of these hives, if things are normal, is one queen-mother. She never goes out to the fields, but lays thousands of eggs here in the cells of the combs. Her eggs are like tiny specks of ivory — each in the bottom of a cell — you shall see them later. There are two distinct kinds. One develops into drones, the other into either one of two kinds of females — ■ either queens or workers. These are work- ers flying around here. "It takes three days for any of these little eggs- to hatch. Then they are tiny white grubs, or larvjE. The worker bees feed them, and they grow so fast that in about six more days they stretch out in their cells, and the workers cover them and leave them there. In about twelve days more, they gnaw their way out, bees. Most of them are these worker bees, undeveloped fe- males whose chief business in life is work. They are the nurses, the housekeepers, the gatherers of nectar and pollen and the de- fenders of the hive. The males are truly drones, for they don't do any work at all." "Stackers," scoffed Anne. ' ' So they are — they neither work nor fight. They are big and coarse and awk- ward, big eaters, good-natured but not very tidy. Usually there comes a time in late summer when their sisters think there is no longer any chance for any of them to mate with any young princesses, so they just kill them all off — usually by refusing 148 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 to let them in when they come home from some frolic out in the sun. So end most of the drones. That 's why there aren 't any this time of year." ' ' How can the same kind of egg make either a queen or a worker?" "I wish I knew. Which they become seems to depend upon the food given to the larvae. Most of them, oh, by far the most of them, develop into workers, but when the bees decide to raise queens, the food administration changes its regulations. They make the cells larger where the queens are to be — and when they finally come out they are beautiful, long and slim and golden. ' ' ' ' Have they wings ? ' ' ' ' Oh ves, wings like gauze, but strong and swift. ' '^ ' ' Well, if they never fly out, I don 't se(^" ' ' They do fly out. When the young queen is about a week old, she takes her wedding flight. But after that she stays quietly in the dark hive, laying thousands and thou- sands of eggs, and practically never leaves the hive again, unless with a swarm. ' ' ' ' I know about swarms — they all go off and live in a hollow tree." ' ' Sometimes. ' ' "Why do they go?" ' ' Usually because they have so many children they don 't know what to do. So part of them, including the queen, move out. ' ' ' ' Then those that are left haven 't any queen." ' ' They always leave young princesses in cells, ready to emerge soon. ' ' "I see. Then they hatch out and there are plenty of cpieens. And is there anything else?" "Well, there are a few details left! For instance, when those 'plenty of queens' hatch, either the first one kills the others, or they fight to the death, or the workers kill them — anyway, they have only one in each hive." "Please don't tell me those queens fight! It does seem as tho queens really might be 'too proud to fight'. How much fight and struggle and killing there is in this world! " She slid off her hive. "Oh, look at all these dead bees, in front, here!" she cried. "And see the live ones dragging the dead ones out?" "Yes, and there too! What makes them die?" "Old age and weariness. They had to work pretty hard during the winter to keep warm. That wore out some of them, and some of them were old enough to die, any- way. ' ' "How old are they when they're old enough to die?" "Fall and winter bees live several months, some of them on into the spring. Summer bees wear themselves out in about six weeks. ' ' Anne sighed. ' ' This is a lovely world, but there's an awful lot of sadness in it." They walked off together, slow and seri- ous. "Where do you suppose our soldier boys are now?" she asked presently. "And what are they doing? Are they both still all right? And how soon will we hear from them again?" The old man shook his head. ' ' There is one thing absolutely certain about war, Anne, ' ' he replied quietly, ' ' and that is that the ones at home will ask such ques- tions a thousand times before they are able to answer them. Our part seems to be pa- tience and resignation," he added, smiling. ' ' Well, ' ' she laughed, ' ' I don 't mean to criticise patience. Patience is all right when it 's big and strong and fine — but I honest- ly despise what some people call patience. Half the time it's nothing but lack of spirit and grit. As for resignation, the word somehow gets on my nerves. It's not big enough. Whatever comes to me, I do hope I '11 always be something bigger than just resigned." Mrs. Lowe met them at the door. "A let- ter from Jack, Father! " she exclaimed hap- pily. "I haven't quite worn it out reading it. He's in France somewhere. You have one too, Anne dear." "Did he say anything about Eobert?" Anne asked, seeing her own letter was not from her brother. ' * He was still in England, the last Jack knew," Mrs. Lowe replied. "Too bad they couldn't have stayed together." Anne eyed her letter suspiciously, then laid it aside. She opened it a little later, in her room. "0 dear!" she exclaimed, flushed and embarrassed, after she had read it. "Now what do I do next?" Neither the furniture nor the letter told her. "I know what I'm going to say," she explained to the silence, "but I don't know how to say it. ' ' That evening, after many efforts, she finally evolved what seemed to satisfy her. "Now, Mr. Theodore Eobinson, please, please, don't let me hear from you again," she remarked as she addressed the envelope. Then she drew the letter out to read once more. This is what she read: "My dear Theodore: You are utterly mis- taken. I was not torn away from home. I came here because I wanted to. And it's not a desert. It's a lovely farm, with little hills around the edges. I love it. There are bees here too, workers and queens and sure- enough drones, and bits of ivory eggs that turn into chubby white worms and then get wings and fly out and hum. I hate city noises, but this gets into your soul. I am always going to live in the country, where there are bees and daffodils and old men. So you see I can 't very well marry you, Theo- dore. Please forget that you asked me. With best wishes, your friend, Anne Lester." (To be Continued.) March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 149 FROM THETIEtDX)F EXPERffi •,4k- ^M IS IT A SAFE PRACTICE? Two Beekeepers Who Do Not Approve Kight's Foul Brood Treatment On page 21 of the January issue of Gleanings appears an article under the title, "Is it a safe practice?" The article de- scribes what is called ' ' the nursery meth- od" of treating a "mild" case of American Foul Brood. Now, Mr. Editor, I am one of those "foul-brood inspectors" (we call them inspectors of apiaries out here in Cali- fornia) who does, most emphatically, ques- tion this "method of cure." I disapprove for the following reasons: (1.) The method is in opposition to all the accepted scientific data we possess in regard to American foul brood. These data have been accumulated thru many years of the most careful and painstaking study and experimentation on the part of both scien- tific and practical beekeepers. Suppose it be granted, for the sake of the argument, that ' ' some good beekeepers have tried the method with excellent results." I would answer that statement with the Editor 's own words: "It is probably true that the disease may api)ear in some other combs. ' ' Is not that statement, in itself, enough to convince anyone that the method is unre- liable? A method that does not certainly eradi- cate disease, is not, and cannot justly be caUed, a cure. Picture in your mind the condition of af- fairs that would exist in the apiary of the average beekeeper who tries to treat Ameri- can foul brood according to this method. If it is a genuine ease of American foul brood, even tho only a few cells appear, there is no doubt but that other combs will show the disease sooner or later. These combs will have to be looked for, found, and treated. The process must go on until the last vestige of the disease has been eradicated. The method of treatment re- solves itself, finally, into a continuous per- formance in which, instead of eradicating the disease, the beekeeper is engaged in juggling diseased combs and colonies in the midst of a more or less healthy apiary. (2.) My second objection for disapprov- ing even the publicity of such a method of treatment of American foul brood is, that it tends to lessen the sense of danger and dread of the disease that should always exist in the minds of all beekeei^ers. There are entirely too many beekeepers who treat the matter of brood diseases lightly. The author's views of the details of this method of treatment are bound to create, or encourage, the belief that foul- brood infection is not as jeontagious as care- ful inspectors say it is.' What is still worse; Mr. Kight's publish- ed endorsement of such unscientific methods tends to increase the number of those who are willing to hazard their own and their neighbor 's interest for the sake of a doubt- ful experiment. If one man can try his lit- tle scheme of treatment and get by with it, why should not an inspector let every Tom, Dick, and Harry tinker with disease to his heart's content? What is needed, in order to rid the coun- try of the scourge of foul brood, is a whole- some dread of the infection — a dread that will prevent any such tinkering with dis- ease as described in the article referred to. (3.) My third reason for disagreement is found in the statement of the editorial note as to the people who are most likely to be benefited or injured by this publication. In my humble opinion, the ' ' careless man ' ' is the very fellow who is most likely to try the method. "The "careful man" will not try the method at all! Perhaps this is but the statement of personal opinion; in which case, the opinion of the authorities in bee culture would naturally outweigh that of a mere "foul-brood inspector." But if the opinion of an inspector is worth anything, it seems to me that it should be uttered in favor of more drastic treatment of all brood diseases; and that all temporizing, and much of the experimenting that is done, should be eliminated. The danger is not confined to the apiary that it infected, but menaces all the bees in the country. Whoever called this treatment of Ameri- can foul brood ' ' the nursery method " is to be congratulated on his choice of a name. It is, without doubt, a nursery of the dis- ease. Eobert B. McCain. Inspector of Apiaries for Santa Barbara County, Calif. An article entitled "Is It a Safe Prac- tice?" telling of the mild cure for Ameri- can foul brood, appeared in the January is- sue, page 21. May I venture to say from experience that it is not safe without one or two qualifications. Either the treatment should be employed only during a good hon- ey flow, or else the diseased brood should be removed entirely from the flying range of the bees treated. With either of these conditions suj^plied one can effect a consid- erable saving by using this plan, provided you figure foul brood is with you, like * ' poor relations, ' ' to stay, and the effort is merely to keep it in check. Here 's a tip on foul brood that 's worth remembering: If you are sufficiently afraid of it, it will not be liable to hurt you much; and just about the time you lose your fear of it, you are liable to get a pretty good jolt. I decided once that I was not afraid of 150 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE it any longer; so I stacked shook foul-brood combs in the same apiary with the treated bees, leaving enough nurse bees to look after the brood. This was during a brood- rearing honey flow, with a one-bee-way en- trance. Shook bees will work almost like a new swarm, but they are much worse to rob. There were a few field bees left with the diseased combs that went back to the old locations, and evidently they did some robbing on the practically defenceless brood for some time. I had recurrences for a year thereafter. Now I have as much re- * spect for foul brood as I ever did have, and a bit more of late, and I find I am not get- ting hurt much by it any more. My location is almost isolated. I've clean- ed up two yards entirely — not a cell for over two years. In the other two I have it down to less than 5 per cent. I would rather dig a hole and bury at night the whole blamed hive, bees and all, than take any kind of a chance of its spreading or recurring, for those two yards must be cleaned up, entirely. But, now, if I had disease all around me and some thruout my own bees, I would cer- tainly use this method — but only in a good honey flow, unless I could start a hospital yard at a safe distance. I know what it 's like to melt up a strong two- or three-story colony. But even so, I believe it safer, and I doubt the advisability of Mr. Right's treatment for more than about one beekeep- er in fifty. T. W. Riggs. Overton, Nev. Mr. Eight Takes Exception to Mr. Holter- mann's Comment. On page 98 of February Gleanings, E. F. Holtermann says, "there are altogether too many beekeepers who now try to cure Amer- ican fowl brood that way. ' ' This was said in criticism of my article, page 21, January Gleanings, on the treatment of American foul brood. This criticism is an injustice both to the readers of Gleanings and myself, for the reason that he evades the main points at issue by talking about the "cut out ' ' method when one can see that the nursery or hospital method was the treat- ment advanced. The cut-out method was mentioned only in the first paragraph of that article as being successful in one in- stance where the cells that were diseased were cut out. I would use the cut-out method only where there were but a cell or two that had American foul brood and confined to but one comb. If I had more than one hive diseased, no matter how limited, I would adopt the nursery method absolutely. In reading Mr. Holtermann 's criticism of my treatment and his brimstone method, one is led to believe he would advocate the extreme method in the cure of any con- tagious disease, whether in bees (or human beings). Going back to the cut-out method that Mr. Holtermann talks about, I wonder what would be his advice to the surgeon should one of his family show symptoms of cancer in a leg or arm or any other part of the body where it could be reached with the knife; would he suggest to cut it out or cut the patient's head off as a sure means of eradication? There are many things about the honey- bee to be learned, and I know of no better way than to experiment and adopt the methods most successful with the least pos- sible loss. J. F. Right. Indianajjolis, Ind. "GOING AHEAD BACKWARDS" That's What a Big New York Beekeeper Says ot Home Breeding of Queens The extension workers of the U. S. De- partment of Entomology as well as many other educators in apiculture are urging beekeepers to rear their own queens rather than to buy them of the men who have been and are making a specialty of queen-rearing. Such stuff is not going to get us very far. For however advisable it may be for the beekeeper to raise his own queens, there is not one in three hundred capable of select- ing stock whose progeny will maintain to any degree the qualities for which it was originally selected. The rank and file of farmer beekeepers, whom the extension workers are trying to induce to "keep more bees," are, to say the least, not anxious to spend any money on their bees for good queens or anything else, and they are the ones who are going to bite, and rear their own queens because it is cheaper. To raise good queens requires not only skill on the part of the beelceeper but also very favorable local conditions — conditions other than we have in western New York. The firm of which I am a member has spent hundreds of dollars in buying queens not only for their own use but also for improv- ing the surrounding locality by giving queens to near neighbors and selling at re- duced prices to those more distant and many times donating their own time for requeen- ing. This has been practiced over ten years, and still we are unable to secure pure mat- ing of one-tenth of the queens we rear for our own use. These mismated queens will often produce colonies that will outdo their ancestors, it is true; but were it not for the purchasing of two well-bred queens to each of these home-bred ones we would soon be out of the bee business, so far as honey production is concerned, for when it comes to the second and the third generations of thope home-bred queens they are worthless. We are still buying queens by the hundred ]\L\RCU, 1919 GLEAKINGS IN BEE CULTURE 151 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE and will continue to do so until conditions arc much changed. If beekeepers generally adopt this system of rearing their own queens, in less than five years we shall be back to where we started 25 or 30 years ago. Howard M. Myers. Ransomville, N-. Y. [There are a great many "farmer bee- keepers ' ' who own quite a number of colo- nies, and who do not feel that they can af- ford to buy queens for their entire apiary. These people may be capable of rearing queens quite successfully; aiid I believe that it is much better for them to purchase one queen of good stock to use as a breeder, and raise their own queens, than to allow the bees to requeen themselves year after year, as is often the case. While these home-bred queens are likely to be largely mismated, they are enough better than the third or fourth generation of hybrids so that it will pay well to raise them. — Mel Pritchard.] ANOTHER KIND OF WINDBREAK stalks Threaded in the Meshes of Woven Wire Do the Trick During the past year the value of a wind- break has been so strongly presented both by beekeepers and our Government experts, that I have been convinced of the necessity for one as a protection for any bee-yard. I had been thinking about windbreaks for five years or more and had planned one such as I would build, if I ever had occasion to Fia -The kind of wire fencing used in making cornstalk-fence windbreak. the Fig. 1. — View of Mr. Hassinger's apiary showing cornstalk-fence windbreak of different heights on two sides. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE use one. The idea was to build an ordinary woven-wire fence and to thread cornstalks or sugar-cane stalks thru the wires, thread- ing closely enough together to break the wind without diverting it on to parts of the yard as a solid fence will do. Part or all of the stalks could be easily removed during hot weather, if desired, and later replaced. I have built such a fence about my apiary for protection this winter, as shown by the photographs. It may be considered experi- mental and too young to crow about. How- ever, the fence is cheap, and no one can lose much if it proves to be a failure. It is cheaper than a board fence, and it seems as tho it must answer the purpose much better. It should also be more effective than an evergreen windbreak. It is there or not there, as you wish, and it is not taking the fertility from the soil, which may be of greater use in growing food products. It is a long wait, also, for the twenty-odd years' growth required by the evergreens. The stalk windbreak requires but little space and is not bad-looking, as the photographs show. If it is to be more permanent, grape- vines, ivy, or morning glories may be plant- ed and allowed to run up the fence, to add to its beauty. Photos tell the story better than words. Fig. 2. — Hassinger' 12foothigh windbreak, made by using two widths of 6-foot wire fence, one above the other, and two lengths of cornstalks threaded into the wire. aURCll, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 153 r \ FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE Figure 1 shows in the background the six- foot fence on the south and the east sides of the yard as well as the twelve-foot fence on the north and the west. Figure 2 shows the fence, which is 12 feet high on the north and the west sides of the bee-yard. The stalks were threaded into the wire from the out- side between two wires near the top, one in the center, and two near the bottom, as a close view of figure 2 will show. The 12- foot fence consists of a double width of six- foot wire and two lengths of cornstalks. Perhaps almost any kind of woven net- ting would answer the purpose, but figure 3 shows a close view of the kind I used. No- tice the twist, the nature of which is such that there is plenty of slack to press the wires and to make room between them thru which to pass the stalks. The wire was listed as poultry and rabbit netting by a mail-order house. Wire six feet high, heavy grade, comes in ten-rod bales at 66 cents per rod. The space between the wires is 1% inches at the bottom and 4i/4 inches at the top. With this wire the stalks are easy to thread. The wire plus the labor and stalks and second-hand telephone poles at 70 cents each made me a cheap windbreak. Edward Hassinger, Jr. Hortonville, Wis. QUEEN - REARING— DOES IT PAY? Perhaps Not in Dollars, but in Acquirement of Bee Lore It Does Since no method has yet been discovered whereby nectar can be gathered and con- verted into honey by machinery, man has concluded that the life and prosperity of a hive depend upon a virile and protected motherhood. Otherwise, worker bees, which already are carrying pollen and nectar in loads many times their own weight, making wax, building cells, nursing younger sister bees, and doing military duty, would no doubt be spending their odd moments in reproducing the species. Artificial queen-rearing, like other stock- raising pursuits, is only another version of making two blades of grass grow where only one grew before, with the additional object of improving the stock by breeding only from the finest strains. Therefore, when the new firm of beekeepers became estab- lished, an Italian breeding queen was pur- chased from which to requeen the apiary and to provide queens for prospective new colonies. Of the 415 cells grafted, 109 were capped or accepted. Of these, 20 failed to hatch, and were found, fully developed, dead in the cells. Of the 89 that did hatch, only 36, less than half, mated and began laying. The other 53 virgins were lost, presumably on their nuptial flights, the majority proba- bly being ambuscaded en route by yellow- jackets, which increased to an army more and more formidable as the season advanc- ed. The voracious insects became a pest in dwelling-houses, and a menace even to pet animals — dogs and cats often being depriv- ed of their rations by a sudden visitation of the yellow peril, which, without a by-your- leave, would swarm over the food and carry off the meaty portions. Against such an enemy the virgin queen is defenseless — -six veteran bees, according to the observations of a statistically inclined beekeeper, being required to vanquish one yellow-jacket. The beekeepers of England, especially near London, are said by those familiar with api- culture in that country, to suffer greatly from losses caused by the yellow-jacket pest. A total of 36 queens, altho a small result for a season 's work, and only 33 1/3 per cent of the 109 cells capped, and 8 per cent of the total number of cells grafted, was still a sufficient number to requeen their small apiary, had not fresh disasters, not mentioned in the books, befallen them. At the end of the season, artificially reared queens in hives and nuclei numbered only 28, the other 8 queens having met their death during the delicate operations of cag- ing and introduction; 2 died in cages, to- gether with their attendants, while in transit from nuclei to their permanent homes in regular hives. An inquest was held. "Sun- stroke ' ' was the verdict, based on the ex- pert testimony of a beeman who learned that the cages had been exposed to the sun during the short time necessary to open the hives and spread the frames preparatory to introducing the queens. There being no other logical explanation, the verdict was accepted. But the same expert had nothing definite to offer when a beautiful golden queen was found lying dead in front of a hive two daj's after introduction. He said that bees would sometimes release a queen by eating thru the candy, and then execute her; but he could offer no satisfactory explanation for such conduct. A few days later another queen met the same fate, and the hive was finally requeened only by giving to it a frame of brood from which the colony pro- duced a queen more to their liking. Beginners are more or less prepared by reading for the eccentricities of royalty. ' ' The books say ' ' that young queens often return to the wrong hives after their mat- ing-flights, and that others are nervous and restless when the hive is opened for inspec- tion; but no account of a queen emerging from a hive at one end of a row and return- ing to the hive at the extreme other end, as the first young queen did, has ever been noted in literature. There were 19 hives in a row. In hive No. 1 the queen was due to begin laying, and the frames were inspected for eggs. None was found, and a diligent 154 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE search failed to locate the queen. In hive No. 19, queen-cells had been placed only a few days before. These were intact, altho a fine mature Italian queen was in full possession of the hive. All our other hives, with the exception of No. 1, being either queenright or supplied with cells not yet ripe for hatching, it was evident that the queen on her nuptial flight remembered that her hive was situated at the end of the row, but had neglected to make a memoran- dum as to which end of the row it stood. Matters were evened up by removing from hive No. 19 the frame of brood containing the queen-cells to hive No. 1, loft queenless because of its young queen 's defective bump of location. Again, the books say that a queen begins to lay in from five to ten days after mating, and that if delayed beyond that time she is likely to become ' a drone-layer. This particular queen waited three weeks. She then filled her hive in an amazingly short time, and, following a second call to ad- venture, swarmed out in August, three months after she was discovered to be in the wrong hive. Unfortunately the swarm was lost and with it the closing chapter of the queen's life history. The history of hive No. 1 was no less tur- bulent. The bees would have none of the strange queen-cells from No. 19, but pro- ceeded against them with systematic de- struction. When the lower part of one of the cells (the part next the comb) was eaten iway, a worker bee was seen to sting the exposed abdomen of a virgin queen which was struggling to free herself, but whose head was still imprisoned in the unbroken tip of the cell. We then introduced cells in wire protectors, but in each instance the queen would mysteriously disappear. Mean- while, laying workers developed. The frames containing the brood were judiciously dis- tributed among the strong colonies of the apiary, on the theory that the laying work- ers would remain with the brood and so be overpowered by the bees in the stronger colony in which they were placed. After a three-months' struggle the hive was success- fully queened. Three cases of balling were experienced. One queen managed to disentangle herself; and, the cover being off the hive, she flew away. Whether or not it was her nuptial flight is not known. At any rate, on the next visit she had returned to the hive and eventually became the mother of a large colony. The two other queens were rescued and placed in nuclei (by introducing in the usual manner) in order that they might have every chance of recovery. One died, and the other degenerated into a drone- layer. Estimated strictly in terms of dollars and cents, no one could possibly figure a profit on the firm 's first season in queen-rearing. The hard-headed business man would say to a beginner, "Buy tested queens from a re- liable breeder, and save money and time." But the new firm is neither hard-headed nor businesslike. Indeed the individuals who compose it have scarcely enough sand between them to dethrone a reigning queen, no matter how black or otherwise undesir- able she may be, to make room for one of their own new queens. As to business, however, the ambition of the firm to master the technicalities of bee- keeping outweighs even the very human de- sire for immediate monetary returns; and for one who would learn quickly the hand- ling of frames, the control of strong colo- nies, the wonder of their busy existence, the habits and the intimate family life of the bee, artificial queen-rearing is the shortest and surest route. C. D. Stuart. Los Gatos, Calif. HOW HE BEGAN BEEKEEPING A Naive Statement of a Beginner's Surprises and Experiences Year before last, a swarm of bees alighted on a lumber truck near where I was work- ing. One of the men took a soap box and set it under the swarm, picked up one end of the truck, slammed it down, and right there my beekeeping started. Just four days after this, another swarm alighted within a hundred feet of me while eating my lunch at noon. In five minutes I had them in another box. Now, I had always wanted to keep bees, but I did not know what to do with my captives. I look- ed at the pictures in the books. How was I to get those little square boxes on to that hive? Finally, I got a beeman to look them over. ' ' Oh, ' ' said he, ' ' you must get a hive and dump them out into it. ' ' Now, that was a stickler; but I wanted those bees, and so I sent to town for a hive and got it. Those bees had been in the old boxes for seven days. Then it was that the fun started. I got a woolen blanket, and then pulled off the board top. About half a bushel of bees hung to the top. I was surprised to get about 50 stings, but was bound to get the bees. I did not know a thing about the queen. All this happened about 6:30 in the evening. After dumping out the bees, I left them on the ground. In the morning they were still clustered around that new hive, refusing to go inside. I told the beeman about them, and he asked: "Did you put the queen in the hive?" I replied: "Queen be hanged! What is the queen?" He said: "You must get the queen. She is a large bee, the boss of the hive, and put her in the hive." Well, when the whistle blew that evening I hurried home. The bees were still bunch- March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE C(l up on tho hive. "Now for the queen," said T, and began pawing the bees over, get- ting a few more stings to help out. At last I caught her. It was easy to recognize her. I put her in the hive, but did not know enough to clip her wings. I thought that all I had to do was to put her in and the rest woukl follow. No. I gathered up all that I could and put them into the hive and went to supper and then to bed. Next morning I did not look at them before going to work. At night I hurried home and went straight to the new hive and lifted the cover very carefully, and, lo! there was not a bee inside. All were gone. Well, I took up the blanket and felt very wretched over the loss. I kicked the hive and then sat on it and began to think. My soap boxes were working with a will . Would I try to put them in the new hive? I would not. They would stay where they were. In fact, I did not know what to do, and so I hunted up another beeman. Now, do not think badly of these beemen in this neck of the woods. Maybe they are all right. This one advised me to let the bees fill the box with honey and then kill them. Kill those bees after they had filled the box! Well, I guess not! This beeman went away without my blessing. When he told me to kill those bees I took my jackknife and worked around the cover of that soap box, and when I got it open I found that those bees had a comb started diagonally across the box hive. I lifted it a little more very gently, when one slammed a sting into my nose. So I let the lid down and got my saw and cut into that cover very slowly and carefully. Not a bee made a move. It took me 20 minutes to do the sawing; but I was well paid for my time. I took the inside measure and made three frames and slipped them into the box. Three weeks later those frames were solid comb and honey. Kill my soap boxers, Mr. Beeman? I guess not. I like to get advice, but I do not always take it to keep. I am now making some 12- frame hives for next year. I now have five colonies, but one of them is hybrid. In this locality bees work on maple blos- soms, fruit bloom, bull thistles, and fire- weed. There is some clover here, but not much. Ed. C. Hemp. Snoqualmie Falls, Wash. WHAT KIND OF BIG HIVE_IF? A Californian View of the Tendency Toward Big- ger Hives The hive question, it seems, is one that will never down. Beginners are prone to seek a hive that will prevent swarming, but it is doubtful if any such hive will ever be found without encountering greater incon- veniences than swarming itself. The be- ginner who tries a new hive will have about 999 chances out of 1,000 to be wrong. It is claimed that there is a tendency in the direction of the twelve- and thirteen- frame Langstroth hives. Now, I have 200 20 x 20 or thirteen-frame hives in my api- ary, and I wish that I did not have one of them. They are too big — too large to han- dle, and too large for the average queen. Three years ago I got these hives and put 100 of my best colonies in them, and found that only four or five queens were capable of keeping such hives filled with brood. None of these queens was two years old. Moreover, I selected the best 100 out of 300 colonies to transfer to the large hives. A few of the queens used only eight combs, the average number of combs being from 9% to 10. Of course these combs were all worker. The queens will use more if there is much drone comb in the hive. With these large hives, supers the same size, and a queen-excluder on, but with suitable arrange- ment for ventilation and plenty of empty comb above and below, about 25 per cent of those colonies swarmed. They also after- swarmed as much as colonies in small hives. The size of the hive, however, does have something to do with swarming, for they will swarm worse from eight-frame hives than from hives of ten or twelve frames. The eight-frame hive has lost out entirely. I would not accejit eight-frame hives as a gift if I had the money to buy the ten-frame size. But while we have gone from the eight-frame to the ten-frame hive, I think there is much doubt whether the twelve-frame is better than the ten-frame. We can prevent swarming to a great ex- tent by using the ten-frame hive three high in operating for extracted honey, provided we work without queen-excluders — at least the excluders must be out of the way until the approach of the harvest. I know to a certainty that bees are much more given to swarming with the queen-excluders on in the early spring; and, so far as swarming is concerned, it would be advantageous to use no queen-excluders. But I prefer to use them except in early spring, for I think their value outweighs their disadvantages. It is quite possible that the Jumbo ten- frame hive has advantages over the stan- dard ten-frame size, but the regular Lang- stroth frame seems to be about right. Nevertheless, if we ever change to another style, it certainly should be larger and not smaller than the Langstroth. Small frames are an absolute nuisance at the time of ex- tracting. It is my belief that we should be very careful about changing from the stan- dard ten-frame Langstroth hive; but if we do change it should be to the Jumbo ten- frame hive, with the frames wired about every 1% inches to hold the foundation. Piru, Gal. Chas. A. Brown. 156 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 c STRAY STRAWS Dr. C. C. MiUer ur THAT 'S a good edi- torial, page 74, February Gleanings, the gist of which is that a man should not ad- vertise beyond his ability to perform. On the side a point is brought out that is worth considering. A has advertised, is flooded with orders, and turns to B, from whom he buys to help out. Evidently B has not advertised, and the question is whether it would not have been better, at least for B and the customer, if B had ad- vertised and shipped directly to the cus- tomer, instead of sending thru A. * * * Yes, as said in print beneath the picture, on page 76, the dress of those four "ettes" is "sane and safe," and, it might be added, very sensible. Yet the ' ' eternal feminine ' ' is still there, as you can see by the one sit- ting down. Her hands are saying, plainly as can be, "Is my hat on straight?" * * * Speaking of some of the California bee- ranges, you say, Mr. Editor, page 75, "These ranges of sage and wild buckwheat will never be good for anything but bees." In this day and generation, that statement is just a bit reckless. It would be nothing astonishing if something undreamed of should turn up, making that land valuable away beyond its value for bees, and who knows but beekeepers may be the pioneers in opening up those unexpected values? ^* * * Speaking of overstocked territory in Cali- fornia, you say, Mr. Editor, page 75, "there should be a law to stop the encroachments of poachers." Aren't you getting a bit reckless? I knew a man who once got into all sorts of trouble for advocating that a beekeeper should have a legal as well as a moral right to his territory. And yet, will some one please arise and explain why a man should have such a right in New Zea- land and not in this country? Also why it should not be that a man is just as secure in the bee business as in the cattle business. * » * As to that account, on page 104, of a man selling 22-cent honey at 6 cents for local consumption, likely not many of us have really learned yet that "it is more blessed to give than to receive"; yet the war, with its drives for Eed Cross and other things, has helped quite a bit. Even the churches are, as a rule, away in the background. The amount raised for benevolence is only a small part of that raised for local expenses, when in most cases it should be on at least a 50-50 basis. All that does not make sell- ing 22-cent honey to neighbors at 6 cents an example worthy of imitation. As a business 1 proposition it 's rotten, and I doubt the moral- ity of it. When Mr. Foss sold honev worth $1,- 760 for $480, he gave away $1,- 280. An excel- lent thing, if he could afford it, and the charity was judi- ciously bestowed. But by what sort of right did he give any of that money to those of his neighbors who were better off than he, "when the world is overwhelmed with suffering ' ' and thousands upon thousands are starving? Can he look squarely in the eye at the last those starving Armenians and others? * * * Prohibition promises to prove such an important factor in the national life of America that it ought to add at the very least 10 per cent to the intrinsic value of the stocks and bonds dealt in by Wall Street. There is no individual business in which it can- not be proved that great special good will result from abolition of the liquor traffic. That 's not copied from a Prohibition pa- per, but from a cold-blooded financial letter in a Chicago daily that up to now has ad- vocated the use of beer and wine to prevent the consumption of stronger alcoholic drinks! * » * E. J. Ladd has sent the following quota- tion from the excellent book of Dr. Henry Lindlahr, 'Nature Cure and the A B C of Natural Dietetics ' ' : Prominent chemists have discovered that foods contain in various chemical forms, and in exceed- ingly small proportions, certain substances which they have calleid "vitamines" ♦ * * meaning "living substance." It is assumed that these vita- mines are molecules highly charged with vital en- ergy, the essential element in nutrition. Thei discoverers of "vitamines" have found that boiling destroys a great many of these highly or- ganized substances and that temperatures higher than the boiling point kill most of them. It has been proved that animals will die of starvation when fed exclusively on foods in which the vitamines have been destroyed. Vitamines, the carriers of the life elements, are located largely in the outermost dark coverings of the rice kernel. In the various grains, also, the vitamines are present in much greater proportion in the outer dark layers and in the hull rather than in the interior substance. These discoveries of chemical and medical science seem to indicate that the positive "organic mineral salts" located in the outer parts and hulls of grains are the carriers of "vitamines." All the dairy products, including eggs »nd honey, are very rich in vitamines, or, as we express it, in the vito-chemical life elements and in •nimal magnetism. I hardly believe there is heat sufficient to kill the vitamines of the honey in the drink I take each morning, that being my sole breakfast. (See the department of "Gleaned by Asking" for more of Dr. Miller s contribution to this Glean- ings.— Editor.] March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 157 c LJ WE finished making last sea- sons' beeswax a week or two ago and had a total of over 450 pounds. It was made from cap- pings, scrapings, drone combs, sections of granulated honey, and old combs, some of which had been in use for over 40 years. * * * "Better one hive yielding surplus than a score that give you naught," says Grace Al- len, page 91, and she is right. We estimate the value of our bees by the strength of colonies, not by their number. » » * On page 86, in speaking of the granula- tion of sugar syrup fed to bees, Dr. Miller quotes Mr. Crane as saying, "there is a lit- tle granulation without the acid, but no more than with it. ' ' It would have been more correct to have said honey instead of acid, for honey was what I was thinking of. * * * In spite of Mrs. Puerden 's warning that "Our Food Page" was not for Mr. Beekeep- er in the February number of Gleanings, I could not resist the temptation to read it, and found in it not only a good recipe for bread but a most excellent recipe for do- mestic happiness. It is a keen source of pleasure for most parents to eat food their children have cooked. No more wholesome or healthful joy comes to childhood or youth than the satisfaction of having done some- thinghwell that grown-up people do. It mat- ters not whether it is cooking a loaf of bread, breaking a colt, or caring for a hive of bees. It lifts their young lives to a higher level. * * * Dr. Miller inquires, page 86, "Who can tell us in what cases granulation is likely to occur, and why it occurs in one case and not in another?" I can not, as I have not had enough granulation of sugar syrup when fed to bees to study the subject very care- fully; but, if I may indulge in a Yankee's privilege of guessing, I should say it would be more likely to occur in a weak colony than in a strong one, or when placed in cells in which there was some honey that granu- lates quickly. The Doctor closes his para- graph by saying, ' ' The whole thing is in something of a muddle." Not at all. Doc- tor. Just feed your bees the syrup early or late, and the bees will do the rest. There is far less danger of the syrup 's granulating than there is of the average honey the bees store. * * * That is certainly a most creditable show- ing of the "Oklahoma Boys and Girls' Bee Club, ' ' as given on page 83, a number of SIFTINGS J. E. Crane 3 u members produc- ing from 100 to 1 2 5 pounds o f honey to the colony, and that ill "one or the jioorest seasons ill the history of the State." Of vastly greater value than the lioney sold is the effect upon young lives by having met with success in their efforts. I know a college president who began his business career by building up weak colonies of bees and selling the surplus from strong ones, to secure an edu- cation. Later, he has taken a small, weak college and built it up into a prosperous in- stitution and secured an endowment suffi- cient for many years to come. * * * M. L. Jones, page 85, February Gleanings, seems to be much exercised in regard to the best way to get rid of excessive moisture in his hives. This is really an easy matter with a strong colony. A cubic foot of air at a temperature of 30 degrees will hold two grains, troy weight, of moisture when it becomes saturated. Raise that same cubic foot of air to 70 degrees, and it will hold four times as much moisture before it be- comes saturated; and, unless more moisture is added to it as the temperature rises, it becomes a very dry atmosphere. That is why the air in our living rooms in winter is so dry, and so many complain of catarrh. If the air in a beehive is too damp, we have only to raise the temperature to make it a dry air. This can be done either by warm packing or by reducing the size of the brood-chamber. * * * J. L. Byer, I have something to say to you. You say, page 95: "To all who say that colonies can have too much honey and too little 'winter nest' for good outdoor wintering in a climate similar to ours, I respectfully suggest that they try the mat- ter out." * * * "I feel almost like saying that I will stand the loss in winter- ing if loss occurs. ' ' Well, you ' ' almost ' ' have the courage of your convictions. Now, let me offer a proposition. Suppose you take a good colony of laees and on Nov. 1 transfer the bees to a brood-chamber or hive filled with combs that are solid with sealed honey, and try to winter out of doors the same as others. If I were a betting man, I would bet my cooky against your doughnut that they will be as dead as a doornail in the spring or at least nearly worthless. How- ever I won't bet; it is wicked. But, say! if they come thru in good condition, I will not only ' ' almost ' ' but be quite willing to stand the loss. I tried this matter out some 25 or 30 years ago by feeding 10 or 12 colo- nies until the hives were crammed with hon- ey in late October — with the result that some of them died, and others were greatly reduced by spring. 158 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE C ^^"T'LL tell you "X what I'll do," said the nicest man I know, "If you will be ready by the last of the week I will take you down to Florida for a few days." And we were, and he did, and that is" why you are going to be told some- thing about Florida foods this month. Let me start by telling you about our first meal on Florida soil, which will always re- main in my recollections as a banquet. Per- haps, in order to make it plain just why it is such a pleasant memory, it will be neces- sary to tell something of our experiences previous to that banquet. After a long delightful day of running among the moun- tains, dodging between them and sometimes taking a header right thru a mountain we (father, mother, fifteen-year-old boy and eleven-year-old girl) arranged ourselves compactly, if not comfortably in our berths, went to "sleep, and expected to awaken in Florida. But morning found our train stranded in the hills of Georgia where we were held 15 hours, waiting for a landslide to be cleared away. But the sun was warm, the scenery beautiful, we were together on a vacation, and we climbed up and down to our hearts' content, incidentally acquiring ravenous appetites. The food question did not trouble me any, that not being my busi- ness when we are traveling, but I noticed that the head of the family seemed anxious to keep us from straying far from the diner about the time brea'kfast should have been announced and wasn 't. When it was finally ready we had a good meal, but later comers were not so fortunate as the provisions gave out, and the chef was not resourceful enough to find any in the neighborhood, altho some of the passengers managed to forage for themselves. After the train finally got start- ed it dropped the diner, probably in Atlanta, where we were given a very few minutes to make a dash for the railroad restaurant. As the waiters there could not see any need of haste, even if there was a trainload of hungry passengers, we had only a sandwich apiece. After that not a bit of food was in sight until nine o'clock in the evening when we finally picked up a diner. By that time I had goiie to bed hungry and declin- ed to arise and accompany the rest to their belated meal. The next morning the provider of the family advised me to lose no opportunity for a meal hereafter when traveling, for (would you believe it?) they had cruelly dropped " that diner again in the night. However, as the breakfastless hours wore on I could not see that the others were en- during any fewer pangs of hunger than I. At last we stopped for ten minutes at a lit- tle Florida junction, and the livelier passen- gers sprinted toward a restaurant sign over OUR FOOD PAGE Stanty Puerden 1 March, 1919 the door of a little shack be- tween the tracks. Inside there was a row of stools in front of a coun- ter all too short. The best run- ners sat on the stools while the others stood behind and ate standing, as if they were at a reception, but with a difference. On the counter were plates of sandwiches piled mountain high, there were thick cups filled with coffee, and condensed milk for the coffee. In front of where we sat, for we were among the good runners, was a great plate of egg sand- wiches. These consisted of a couple of thin slices of bread put together without butter, and on top and extending beyond the bread on all sides was a sort of omelet. I think it was one egg, possible more, beaten a little and then fried and turned in plenty of fat. By the time one ha4 eaten three, as I did, her fingers needed a finger bowl, or rather a bathroom with soap, and there were not even napkins. But the food seemed clean, the eggs were obviously fresh and piping hot, the bread good, and everyone was hap- py. There were other sandwiches contain- ing some kind of meat, but the egg sand- wiches were too good to risk experiments on other varieties. I shall have to admit that I have hitherto looked on Florida as a State where they raised profitable crops of tourists and oranges and not much else, and because of the climate a sort of paradise for old people and invalids. Not really considering myself in either class as yet, I have not cared much for the State. Perhaps the fact that my pre- vious visits have been jjreceded by a killing freeze has made me blind to what a won- derful place it is. When we reached St. Petersburg and took the little steamer to cross Tampa Bay to Bradentown the air was so soft, yet invigorating that, like Harry Lauder, it "intoxicated us with bliss." Our Ohio friends had said, when told where we were going, ' ' Why should you go to Florida when we are having such warm weather here?" But, believe me, warm January weather in the North with gray skies, naked trees, barren gardens, and mud is nothing like the blue skies, sunshine, fruit, and flowers of Florida. An open win- ter in the North is the kind to run away from. The real thing with snow, ice, and tingling cold weather has charms of its own. Of course we went straight to A. I. Eoot 's little home in Bradentown, and of course we found him in his garden and happy. How I did wish for a good camera. But no half- tone could do justice to those long, orderly rows of luxuriant potatoes, the rich green of the foliage contrasting beautifully with the soft ashen gray soil. That soil, by the way, always makes me break the last of the March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 159 coinmaiidinents. Gray when dry, black when it is wet, soft and friable at all times, it must be a delight to work in it. Surely Eden had just such soil. In addition to the main crop of potatoes' there were green peas, string beans, lettuce, onions, and radishes in their prime with a promise of green corn, tomatoes, and other good things, providing Jack Frost is merci- ful, and he usually is on that favored penin- sula. And there were other things growing in that garden, cacti that bear fruit and other strange plants which Mr. Eoot de- lights to test, and the whole garden bears the stamp of his originality. If I ran across an A. I. Eoot garden in Africa I think I should recognize it. The children had the delightful task of picking their oranges and tangerines right off the trees. While the grapefruit in Mr. Eoot 's garden were gone they could be bought in Bradentown for 20 cents a dozen — think of it. We each ate a whole one every morning for breakfast. And when we were only an hour away from Braden- town we could have ordered them on the diner, but didn 't, for 20 cents a half a grapefruit, a nice little prolt for some one. If flowers are a fitting accompaniment to food on a dining table it is all right to talk about them on a food page, isn 't it, Mr. Managing Editor? I am going to any way. Here in Ohio we cultivate and spray and guard our hybrid tea roses and there is great rejoicing over a perfect bud. In Mr. Eoot 's garden there are buds in abundance that you couldn 't buy for $10.00 a dozen " in the North at this time of year, and grown with almost no care. They seem en- tirely free from the aphids that I fight all summer, and the foliage is remarkably free from disease. The next time that a nursery- man tells me that roses are at their best on a clay soil I shall tell him to go to Flor- ida and see the roses growing in the sand. To return to the subject of Florida as a food-producing state, we were taken to visit the largest producing grapefruit grove in the world at Manavista, across the wide Manatee river from Bradentown. It is said to contain 94 rows of grapefruit trees, 100 trees in a row. Most of the trees were large, like apple trees in an old orchard, and as the manager told us their yield this year was the largest ever known I infer that the fruit part of many northern breakfasts came from that grove. Here is where I saw an apparent waste that pained my Food Administration trained conscience. I saw another in the cotton fields of Georgia, but cotton is not a food, altho I do believe that land which has borne a crop of cotton too poor to harvest might better be put to raising food crops. As I was about to remark when interrupt- ed by myself, in this grapefruit grove and in other grapefruit and orange groves in other parts of Florida there are quantities of fruit on the ground. When I asked why it was not gathered I was told that it never was, that it would not do to ship altho it tasted all right if used at once. I believe an attempt to bottle the juice has been made, and it was not altogether a success. Surely it could be used for marmalade. Do you suppose some Floridian will read this and suggest that we Northerners may take care of our windfall apples and leave the windfall grapefruit and oranges to them? A pleasant surprise to me was to see acres and acres of thrifty-looking truck gardens on our way to the grapefruit grove and in other directions in Manatee County. I never before saw such quantities of fine head let- tuce, cabbages, beets, and celery. Later, tomatoes and green pepper plants will take their places. Honestly, I am ashamed to mention an- other attraction to a Florida winter, as the list is so long as it stands, but I just can- not omit strawberries. And it is not alone that strawberries may be had in winter but the fact that they may be had practically all winter, nearly a six months ' season, I believe. It makes me feel like accusing Mother Nature of partiality when you think that she grants Florida a six months' sea- son of our favorite berry while we do well if the season lasts four weeks. Maybe Florida is doing as much to pro- mote good health thruout the country by her citrus fruits and fresh winter vegetables as in affording a health resort and winter play- ground. She is certainly doing her part to- ward feeding a hungry world. It was a sur- prise to me to learn that the corn crop of the State had brought more money than the orange crop. And the Florida pigs had grown so plump that we had difficulty in finding a real razorback to show the chil- dren. While cattle are becoming quite plen- tiful in Florida, just between you and me they /lo not look like the ' ' contented cows ' ' of a Carnation milk ad., but I suppose they give milk. Dear me, after writing all this about Flor- ida foods I have omitted fish, oysters, sweet potatoes, bananas, sugar-cane syrup, and honey. Well, they are all there, and in abundance. I was certainly glad to have a chance at last to sample the cane syrup with all the sweet nature put in the cane left in the syrup. It is indeed a very different product from the molasses which is left after extracting all the sugar possible. Southerners tell me they like it quite as well as our maple syrup. Possibly that is because the best maple syrup is seldom on the market except in its native states. To me maple syrup is the second finest sweet in the world. I believe beekeepers general- ly will agree with me if I put honey first. * * * ORANGE MARMALADE. 1 lemon honey or sugar 3 oranges water Quarter the fruit, rejecting the seeds and any tough membrane at the core; put thru tlie food chopper, measure, and for every pint of fruit pulp add three pints cold water (Continued on page 195.) 160 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1916 T C LJ 'HE time of conventions is with us again, and the sound of ad- dresses is heard thru the Ian d . All good side liners should go to conventions. Unfortunately, a convention, like the very human beings therein coHvened, can be in only one city at one time. So neither the national nor" the state gatherings can pos- sibly be held in the most convenient place for everybody. But they are always con- venient for a great many and fairly acces- sible to still more. And they are very much worth while. Of course the professionals are always there, making most of the addresses and giv- ing freely of advice and experience; while the interchange of views and the arguments about methods, if satisfyingly enlightening, are largely in their hands. There are two reasons the large and suc- cessful beekeepers and honey producers are pretty certain to be found in faithful at- tendance upon conventions. One is that they realize how others now look to them as they once looked to some one else for leadership, and they are glad to do their share in a world where co-operation is one of the greatest words yet spoken. The other reason is their own eagerness to learn. We may not smile at this. This is the attitude that has made them what they are. Such men are always on the alert for new ideas. If they can pick up one suggestion of an easier or a quicker or a more efl&cient way to accomplish some desired end, they feel that that one little idea may more than compensate them for the expense and. trou- ble involved in attending the convention. If this is true of the big ones, how much more true of the small ones. They have so much more to learn. And in any assembly of live beekeepers there is a chance to learn. Our own Tennessee convention met with several disappointments, as there were three or four scheduled on the program who were not able to be present. But at that, it was a good convention, good particularly in the spirit of brotherliness it helped to foster. And always I shall regard that as a not un- important aim of conventions. Following a paper by George Ainslee, Knoxville, sweet clover came in for some animated discussion. When something bene- ficial to beekeepers does as well as sweet clover has done, so near to home as Ken- tucky is to Tennessee, it is time for the home people to take notice. This is true not of Tennessee alone. It is a truism. We ought not to wait for opportunity to come to us in such matters, we are to make op- portunity ourselves. Porter Ward told us how his own locality, which he formerly considered somewhat poor, has recently im- proved materially by the rather extensive Beekeeping as a Side Line LJ 1 Grace Allen introduction of crimson clover. Many another location has passed thru similar changes. Who can tell what can be made of medio- cre chances when deliberate effort is put forth toward improvement ? But the prize feature of our meeting was C. P. Dadant. Over and again, all thru the program, he answered questions on various subjects with directness and wisdom. His own paper on ' ' The Management of Out- Apiaries " came in the evening session, and it goes without saying that it was a forceful presentation of the subject. Plied with questions as to the advantages of those fa- mous big hives, he left his hearers well con- vinced of their many superior points. And he left them still more convinced of the friendliness and courtesy and force of the genial editor of the American Bee Journal. The Tennessee convention passed one rather important resolution, passed it with- out one dissenting vote, and with a great deal of favorable comment. The Tennessee State Fair management every year prints in its catalog a rule to the effect that exhibits in the Agricultural department must have been produced by the exhibitor the year ex- hibited. There has been no such rule in the Apiary section. Thus it has been left to the • judgment of each individual exhibitor to de- cide whether honey produced in previous years, or honey purchased from some other producer, might with propriety be entered. Judgments differ. So the Association went on record as desiring rules and restrictions in the Apiary section similar to those in the Agricultural section. A committee was ap- pointed to lay the matter before the State Fair management, and inform them of this earnest request of the association, "in con- vention assembled. ' ' Of course the little labeled samples of dif- ferent kinds of honeys are not supposed to be produced by the exhibitor, and granu- lated honey is not supposed to have been produced the year exhibited. So these are not to be included in this ruling. But sure- ly in the case of any extracted or comb honey regularly entered in competition for prizes, some such regulation is necessary, or at least wise and reasonable. The honey ex- hibit at State Fairs should represent a friendly, straightforward competition among honey producers of their own prod- uct, and should not under any circumstances slip down into anything less open and dig- nified. One thing that was again and again brought out at the Nashville convention was the necessity for reading. It is folly for the beginner to try to learn everything of his own experience. Others have studied out wise steps and successful ways of doing March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE things. All this accumulated wisdom is his for the mere reading of it, and the di- gesting, and the applying. Nor could any beginner expect the time of a convention to be given over to the explanation of what are mere rudiments, long known by all present except the two or three very new ones. Even were it reasonable to turn the meeting over thus to such primary instruction, the beginner could not learn it all that day. So the thing for him to do is, as has been said countless times, read — read — read. As one of Mr. Adkisson 's clever negro verses says in conclusion, " I's sho gwine git me some modjun hives, De Gleanin's an' A. B. C. ; Den de w'ite man an' de w'ite man's bees Aint gwine ter have nothin' on me." with honey; for such a warm, open winter as this is calls for a W(>alth of stores. Now if only the spring will not convict us of queens honey-bound in the fall! More than one bee- keeper is worried. * * » Three thousand tons of honey hoarded in Australia for speculation! Naughty, naughty somebody! * * * Some one asks, "If a man who works on a farm is called a farmer, and a woman who does the same work is a farmerette, why isn 't a man who works with beea a bee-er , or beer, and a woman who does the same work a beerette?" I don't know; perhaps it's contrary to the recent 18th amendment to the constitution. Those of us who had not heard the heavy news before were utterly saddened to learn at the convention of the death in France of Frank Eing of Franklin, Tenn., one of our younger beekeepers. Somehow it struck hard and deep, that news that day — he was so young, so strong, so upstanding, so boy- ish. The last time I saw him was at the State Fair in 1917, gay and full of light- hearted good cheer. At the Fair last fall his father took a bit of the red, white, and blue decoration from our booth to inclose with a message of good wishes I sent to Frank by him. I wonder if he ever got it. Oh, you who sit by the peace table in Paris, be wise and godly in your judgments. We have laid holy gifts on the altar of right- eousness— it is yours to see the altar kept clean and fair, worthy forever of the sacri- fice. They must not have died in vain, Frank Ring fresh from his bee-yard in Ten- nessee and those uncounted others from their homes over all the earth. ■*' You know Rupert Brooke 's wonderful sonnet beginning, " If I should die, think only this of me That there's some corner of a foreign field That is forever England." So, over there now, there is a corner of a French field that is forever Tennessee. Surely sometime soon there shall be blossom- ing things on it that shall bring the bees, and all around and above shall be a humming like the humming in the old yard at home. And, somewhere, Frank shall know, and smile. » » * It has certainly been a mild winter over all the country. The new year came in on rather a bad day, here, when the mercury dropped from 65 to 29 degrees, and there was sleet, and wind with a velocity of 35 miles per hour. Not very bad, yet that was the worst wind and the worst daily variation in the w^hole of January. The mean temperature for the month was 40 degrees, and that 's not very mean. Last year it was 26. Normal for January is 38. We are all feeling pretty thankful for that big fall flow, and the hives so heavy A certain sympathetic gentleman who be- lieves in poetic justice has admitted that if there were any of the beekeeping fraternity among those who were soused with molasses in the explosion of the molasses tank in Boston in January, he hoped it was some one who had rolled queen bees in honey. ' ' Serv- ed 'em right — let 'em find out how it feels, ' ' he imagined the queens murmuring, when the news reached them. The ground hog saw no shadow on the first of February, so, according to the queer old tradition, winter is practically over. Tree tops are full of promise. Onion sets are being quoted on the market page of the daily papers. The bees are bringing in pol- len. So, tho this is only the third of Feb- ruary, the wonder season seems to be almost upon us. Still there are many, of wide ex- perience and little faith, who cry, "Beware of February and March!" MY THOUGHTS. Some days my thoughts are butterflies. And some days they are bees, But every day they fly away Beyond the farthest trees To where some perfect beauty lies For either bees or butterflies. Sometimes they've color on their wings. Sometimes they hum a song. Sometimes they glean as for a queen Fair gifts I've wanted long, And bring me back the lovely things With raptured song and homing wings. And that is when my thoughts are bees, When every joyous flight Brings something back from that wild trade They make across the light. For fairy plunder no one sees My thoughts take flight like flashing bees. But when my thoughts are butterflies They rift so gently out I scarcely know they mean to go Or what they are about. They are more beautiful than wise When they drift out like butterflies. 162 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 @) FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH In Northern California. - There was 'b u t little rainfall here (luring January, not enough in fact to warrant the beekeeper to move into the Coast foothills. Unless several inches fall during the early part of February it would not seem advisable to move to this early source of nectar. Sjtring moving will be confined mainly to the almonds, prunes, and then to the oranges. The large almond- producing counties are Butte, Sutter, Yolo, Sacramento, and San Joafpun. The prune belt is found in Santa Clara and the orange belt in Tulare Coiinty. As yet there is no overstocking among the almonds and prunes, nor is it likely that there will be, altho each succeeding sjjring many more orchardists are paying beekeepers one, two, and three dollars a colony for bees placed in their or- chards. The value of moving to almonds and prunes is not so much for the crop of fruit-bloom honey so secured (as a matter of fact it is only under favorable conditions that a full extraction is taken off), but for the purpose of breeding up the bees into full colonies and for making some increase. Bees having received the benefits of almond bloom are usually in excellent condition to be moved to the oranges. On the other hand, in order to bring bees up to proper shape for the orange flow, they should have been left with ample stores the previous fall. By ample stores is meant from .30 to 50 pounds to the colony. Bees left with ample stores will always begin breeding early, and this early activity within the colony may be hastened by moving or stir- ring up the colony in some manner and by breaking the cappings of sealed honey near the brood from time to time. Likewise, at- tention must be paid to a sufficient source of pollen during the breeding period. Combs containing pollen help, but better and quicker results are obtained when the pollen supply conies fresh from the fields. If a beekeeper contemplates moving to the oranges and finds it impracticable to make a move to decidous fruit bloom, let him then take advantage of mustard and wild- radish fields. An early pollen and nectar source always gives better results than stor- • ed honey in the hive, and it is much the cheaper way to strengthen colonies for a main honey flow. Stimulative feeding, which is feeding small quantities at regular intervals, is a burdensome and laborious task and is not to be recommended to the beekeeper with outyards. The Central Valley Honey Producers' Co- operative Exchange, altho lacking three months of being a year old, had during 1918 a very successful season. It started on its career last April with but half its present membership of 43 members. Altho the members were not required to market their bee products thru the Exchange, the Exchange handled nevertheless slightly over 200 tons of honey and several tons of beeswax. With increased membership it is anticipated that the Exchange will handle the coming season double the output of last year. M. C. Eichter. Modesto, Calif., Feb. 5. » « » In Southern California -^ " ! ^ « " s period of dry, windy weather was broken Jan. 31 with a gentle soaking rain. From one and one- half to three inches of rain fell during the storm over the southern part of the State. We have now had considerably more rain than at this date last year. The sages, which are the first wild plants to show growth, sent out some new sjjrouts early in tlie winter but have grown little or none since. This rain will likely give them a new start. By Mar. 10, everything being favorable, several inches of growth should be seen, and by Apr. 1 blossoms should ap- pear. The orange buds are swelling and, as usual, the blooming season will be gov- erned very materially by the weather condi- tions. We have a variation of almost a mouth in the beginning of the prime blos- soming period of the orange — from Mar. 25 to Apr. 25. The California State Beekeepers' Asso- ciation held its thirtieth annual session in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, Jan. 29-30. E. R. Eoot, Editor of Gleanings, gave a very fine talk on honey, markets, and beekeeping in general. Mr. Root gave much encourage- ment to the beemen with the information that, in his opinion, honey would remain at a good price during 1919. From the articles appealing !> the Los Angeles papers giving Mccounts of talks before large audiences, it would seem that he is doing good work in getting our industry properly before the public. Pictures of Mr. Root, with his face covered with bees, were also found in the ]iapers. A. B. Shaffner, who has had much beekeeping experience, talked on market- ing the crop. R. Powell, president of the Riverside County Club, spoke on moving from the oranges to the sages. He paints his hives two coats on the inside and gives the outside three coats, and perhaps has one of the neatest apiaries in the county. Having everything uniform, the hives tight, good moving screens, and plenty of ven- tilation were some of the strong points in favor of successful moving. L. L. Andrews had assigned to him the topic, '^ Migratory Beekeeping." The shipment of four carloads of bees to northern Utah during the years 1912 and 1913, moving several hundred colonies 'two and three times each year to reach the orange, sage, wild buckwheat or river-bottom ranges have been part of his beekeeping experi- ences during the past 20 years. The aver- age price received for extracted honey dur- March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE OULTURB FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH ffl) iiig these years has been 6^/4 cents, ranging from 314 to 22 cents per pound. The of- ficers elected for the ensuing vear are: A. E. Whiteside, president; F. G. Bedell, vice-president; A. B. Shaffnor, secretary- treasurer; executive committee, M. H. Men- dleson, Frank Buchanan, Mrs. Ilussel J. Waters. The place of the next annual meet- ing was left with the executive board. Carloads of bees continue to arrive from Utah and Idaho. Many of these apiaries were taken in the fall to a place near a railroad siding, and when the proper time came, they were loaded on the cars. Some owners will run their bees largely for in- crease, the shipment of pound packages, and early queens for their northern yards. Oth- ers will apply all of their efforts to the pro- duction of honey, making only such increase as seems justifiable. About 3,000 colonies have already arrived and more will likely follow. The Orange Belt Co-operative Honey Pro- ducers' Exchange met in annual session at Pilgrim Hall, Eiverside, Jan. 8. It was decided at this meeting by a unanimous vote to unite with the State Exchange. H. A. Wagner of Eedlands, J. A. Mack of Bloomington, E. Powell of Eiverside, E. W. Home of Eiverside, and L. L. Andrews of Corona were reelected as directors. E. W. Home was chosen as secretary-manager and will have charge of all assembling of honey, distribution of supplies, etc. — in co-opera- tion with the State Exchange. General Manager Chas. B. Justice and State Market Commissioner Harris Weinstock were in at- tendance and gave excellent talks on mar- keting and the successful workings of the various exchanges in California. E. E. Eoot of Gleanings' fame was also there. In his address he surely gave us some valuable information about honey marketing and the uniformity of interest between the supply manufacturer and the honey producer. Mr. Eoot made it very clear why it is to the in- terest of the one as well as the other that the price of .honey should not be allowed to slump, thereby discouraging the buying of supplies as well as the production of honey. L. L. Andrews. Corona, Calif. In Michigan. The indications are that the demand for bees during the coming spring will be as great as or greater than it was last spring. More bees will be for sale, but the price seems to be even higher. The State Inspector of Apiaries is attempting to place buyers and sellers in touch with each .other thru secur- ing a list of colonies for sale and a list of persons desiring to purchase. If you wish either to buy or sell, write your wants to the undersigned. Much anxiety is being felt among some beekeepers because of the shortage of stores, due largely to the warm weather of the fall and the winter. An examination of some colonies which were fed up to nor- mal last fall has revealed the need of more food before spring. Every Michigan bee- keepe!' should make an exjimination of his colonies at the first opportunity. If food is needed and the weather is not suitable for feeding syrup, then feed hard candy or loaf sugar. From reports received, it is feared that there may be a repetition of the losses sustained a j^ear ago unless feeding is re- sorted to very soon. The writer was much impressed by the oft-repeated statement at the recent con- vention that the price of honey is in no way based upon the cost of production. How many Michigan beekeepers know how much it costs them to produce a pound of honey un- der their particular conditions? I venture to assert that not a dozen Michigan producers who read this paragraph can write to me the exact cost of production for the past year. If this statement is true (and I be- lieve it is), is it not high time that some steps be taken at once to determine ac- curately what it costs to produce honey un- der the varying conditions present in this State? It has been shown that nine persons out of ten are losing money with their chickens. May not that be true with the bees'? As long as it has not been shown that honey is being produced at a profit in the average yard, the statement of a loss can stand undisputed as well as a statement of a profit. If you are interested in this and if you would like to have the College take some steps toward determining this, then write me a letter at once stating the handicap which this condition imposes and ask that some steps be taken immediately toward determining the cost of production thru a series of several years. Don 't wait for some other fellow to write. Get busy yourself. If the beekeepers will not ask to have this done, who will? The annual convention of the Michigan State Beekeepers' Association, which was held in Lansing Jan. 21-23, was pronounced by those present as the best convention in many years. The attendance was above ex- pectation. An average of about 150 persons attended each session and it is estimated that over 250 persona were present at one or more of the sessions. The program was fol- lowed out as printed with few exceptions, one being that Miss lona Fowls appeared in place of E. R. Eoot, adding greatly to the interest and profit of the program. Gleanings surely picked a winner in securingMissFowls as assistant editor. O. P. Dadant was un- able to be present^ btit he forwarded his pa- per, which was read by the secretary, Ar- thur Sharrow, who was to have spoken on "Two Queens in One Hive," was called into Government work some time ago, and the letter notifying him of the date of the GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH convention did not reach him till too late. The whole time of the convention passed very quickly and profitably, and it was with reluctance that those attending sepa- rated at the close. The banquet was attend- ed by more than one hundred persons. Hon. Thomas Eeed, Speaker of the House of Representatives, presided as toastmaster. Among those who responded were Senators Scully and Watkins, retiring President Hon. Colin P. Campbell, incoming President Miss Addie Sly, retiring Vice-President Mrs. Floyd Markham, W. L. Cheney, L. C. Wood- man, and E. M. Hunt. The banquet was a most decided success and was thoroly enjoy- ed by every person fortunate enough to at- tend. It was decided to hold the next an- nual meeting at Lansing, the date to be an- nounced later. A summer meeting of the State Association will be held at some point in northern Michigan. The oflBcers for the ensuing year are: Miss Addie Sly, presi dent; Mr. Leonard Griggs, vice-president; B. F. Kindig, secretary-treasurer. A more extended review of the proceedings will be found from month to month in the Beekeep- ers' Letter, which will be sent to the names on our mailing list. East Lansing, Mich. B. F. Kindig. * « » In Ontario. — A. "^f^'^^.K^^ brood -nest about solid with honey is an ideal condition for a colony wintering outdoors to be in, during a very mild Janu- ary. That is what I meant to make clear on page 95, February issue of Gleanings. A regrettable error occurs in my copy for the February issue relative to the death of Mr. Brunne. Mr. Brunne, Jr., is alive and attended our convention in February, my informant having got the wrong informa- tion in a measure. It was Mr. Brunne, Sr., who passed away instead of the son, as I intimated . Mr. Brunne, Jr., informed me while at the convention that his father and his uncle both had died within a few days of each other. This is a very peculiar winter here in On- tario, and, no doubt, the same conditions in a measure prevail in a great many other sections in this latitude. It is now Feb. 7, and cars are running on the roads as in the summer season, and fields all around are bare of snow. There has been little severe weather to date, only a few days reaching zero, and the sunsets for the last few days remind one of late March instead of early February. What this brand of weather means for the bee business is, of course, only a matter of conjecture. Owing to little, extreme weather, clover and fall wheat ap- pear to be all right, but what is in store during the next six weeks may tell another story. Eeports from Ottawa and from points near the Vermont boundary in Quebec state that there they have six inches or more of snow on the level and have had that about all winter. Bees have had thoro flights in southwest Ontario, while here (ours at least) have not had a general flight altho many colonies have had partial flights. The honey market seems to be dull and dealers are loath to buy large quantities and at prices anywhere near what prevail- ed a short time ago. Lack of export demand is their explanation, and while they do not claim that honey is actually much lower yet they hesitate to buy. Just recently I was shown a press item that stated that Great Britain had removed all import restrictions on syrups, molasses, and other articles of like nature (this would undoubtedly include honey), the ruling going into effect on Feb. 24. Possibly, this may clear up the market situation a bit; but, personally, I believe the crest of high prices has been passed, and that honey in line with other food commodi- ties will gradually fall a little from present quotations. The Ontario Beekeepers' Association met in Toronto on Feb. 4, 5, and 6 with a large attendance, running between 200 and 300 for the various sessions. Interest was keen thruout the whole three days and a profit- able and pleasant time was spent. Dr. Gates made his first appearance before the Ontario members of the fraternity since ac- cepting the office at Guelph, and met with a very cordial reception. His announcements as to policy to be formed sound progressive, and he will have the good wishes of the great majority of the beekeepers of the Province. Space forbids my going into de- tails, but aside from work in laboratory and actual teaching in the college, much ex- perimental work is contemplated. Nearly if not all the speakers on various topics at the meeting were optimistic as to the future, but most thought that there would be a slight falling off in prices next season in case a good crop was assured. The impor- tance of having motor cars for assisting in apiary work was emphasized by a number, and in this respect it would have been a source of interest to have ascertained how many in attendance were using autos. Cer- tainly the number would have been quite large, while but a few years ago it was an easy matter to mention the few that used cars. Generally speaking, a light truck was favored rather than a heavy one, or trailer. We have a trailer for one of our cars, but after two years' use have come to the con- clusion that we would much prefer a light truck. Farming combined with beekeeping was a live subject, and while the argument can be made interesting from the stand- point as to whether specializing pays best in either line as compared with the two combined, certainly it was made apparent that some good beekeepers and some good farmers are combining the two with great Mar( n. 101! GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH success. Little new legislation in any line was suggested, altlio the usual discussion (a beekeepers' convention would seem queer without it) on foul-brood matters and sug- gested improvements to the law were not wanting. The officers elected for the ensu- ing year are about the same as last year, excepting that Dr. Gates of the College, Guelph, Ont., is now secretary. All business in connection with the Association should be directed to him in the future instead of to Mr. Hodgetts at Toronto. J. L. Byer. Markham, Ont. * * » In Minnesota.— TJ^e influenza is on the wane m Minnesota. Special Field Agent McMurry had started work here again the first of January but was compelled to stop on account of the epidemic. After being postponed twice the annual meeting of the Minnesota Beekeep- ers' Association was held in Minneapolis on Jan. 29 and 30. The attendance was more than 125, and the meeting was con- sidered by many to be one of the best in the history of the association. Prof. A. W. Rankin, in his opening address as president, laid special emphasis on the importance of forming local associations affiliated with the state association. He also suggested that inasmuch as the war is now over it might be well for beekeepers to produce more comb honey. Twenty per cent of those present signified their intention to produce comb honey next summer. A committee was ap- pointed to consider and report as to the best plan for those to follow who have not more than five colonies and desire to produce only comb honey. Prof. L. V. France gave a report on the distribution of bees and bee- keepers in Minnesota. So far as he has been able to gather information on the subject he finds that the counties having the largest number of colonies are Fillmore, Hennepin, and Morrison. A demonstration of fall and winter insulation was given by Dr. L. D. Leonard. His method consists in putting insulite on the frames under a two-inch telescope cover and then tacking insulite on the sides and ends of the hive. This is put on the hive early in the fall and remains on in the cellar and until late in the spring. H. L. McMurry mentioned as one of our un- solved problems the content of honey as re- gards the injurious factors in various hon- eys for wintering. He expressed the opin- ion that there are more losses from im- proper food than from any other cause. Prof. E. W. Thatcher, Dean of the Agricul- tural College, brought a message of optim- ism concerning the future and assurances of his hearty co-operation with the work of the beekeepers of the State. Frank S. Pool, who served as sugar representative for Min- nesota, gave an interesting review of his work with special reference to his dealings with the beekeepers, which he said were very pleasant. Prof. R. A. Dutcher of the State University spoke on the subject, ' ' Does Honey Contain Vitamines?" His address was exceedingly interesting. He said that he had been able to find only small quan- tities in honey. Carl B. Stravs, Superin- tendent of the Department of Bee Culture at the State fair, made an earnest appeal to the beekeepers of the State to take greater interest in the fair and to recognize it as one of the greatest means of advertising Minnesota honey and thereby aid in build- ing up the industry in the State. (I shall have more to say along this line in a fu- ture issue.) Major Francis Jager, who has charge of the Division of Bee Culture at the State University, gave the closing address on the subject, "Bee Culture and the War." The following list of officers was elected for the ensuing year: President, Prof. A. W. Rankin, Minneapolis; first vice-presi- dent, C. M. Peck, Excelsior; second vice- president, Mrs. D. F. McQuire, Hopkins; secretary-treasurer, L. V. France, University Farm, St. Paul; member of the executive committee for three years, O. L. "Wille, St. Paul. Chas. D. Blaker. Minneapolis, Minn. T„ Tpxas "^^^ mild winter prevailed in Texas as well as thruout the North. Along with the increase in tempera- ture there has been an increase in moisture. This last feature has been most gratifying after three long years of drouth. At this place we entered the year with an accumu- lated deficiency equal to the normal annual rainfall. There are many who feel that a mild winter will bring an early spring. However, those best acquainted with possi- ble weather behavior in this State predict that the spring will be cold and late. It has been observed that excessive rains during the winter tend to prolong the jjeriod of cold in the spring. The problems of such a spring are a matter of mijch concern. The bees may be encouraged to build up exces- sively, and a late freeze may cut off the food supjily at a critical time. Our bees were bringing in great quantities of pollen on Jan. 29 from three possible sources. Elm was in bloom at that time, and the spring beauty was attracting quantities of bees. Peach trees in the more protected places were in full bloom so that the bees were bringing in new nectar. On this date (Feb. 7) the first examina- tion of our bees was made. We had been awaiting anxiously a day that would be warm enough for such work. Our colonies went into the winter under varying condi- tions, and curiosity was running high by this time. We found some colonies made by late divisions to be short of stores, to which a frame of honey was given. In every colony eggs were found, and in the GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH best colony there were eggs in five frames out of the ten frames. This colony had brood almost ready to seal. It would seem that every beekeeper would be anxious to learn the condition of his bees as early in the spring as possible. Such an examina- tion is certain to disclose many weak spots which can be strengthened. The great demand for bees is already felt. One of the biggest shippers is sending an agent out to locate every bee that may be for sale. Such effort will result in much good for all concerned, in that it will take bees from a jirobable non-productive situa- tion to one of extreme production. Most of the shippers of package bees have already booked all the orders they can fill with nor- mal conditions. Since it has become possi- l>le to ship bees by parcel post, the express companies have taken a different attitude toward the package trade. A year ago they were more than indifferent to the pleas for better service. Now they are making in- quiries as to how their service can be im- proved. On Jan. 28 the Dallas County beekeepers held their second regular meeting in the Chamber of Commerce rooms. This associa- tion has recently been organized, very large- Iv thru the efforts of the extension service of the A. & M. College. The start which has been made is certainly very promising for the future. At this second meeting there were 76 j^eople in attendance. Many mem- bers reside within the city but have become interested in beekeeping from the stand- point of backlot effort or a small outyard. Much important business was transacted and steps were taken toward securing an in- spector, as foul brood is known to exist in the county. The second annual meeting of the county apiary inspectors, held on Jan. 24 and 25, was considered a very profitable meeting by those who attended. There were 18 in- spectors present, sickness preventing the six others from attending. These meetings have become necessary, as they bring to- gether once a year all of the inspectors so they can prepare their plans for the coming year. Much discussion w^as given to pro- posed changes in the foul-brood regulations concerning the shipment of honey. College Station, Tex. F. B. Paddock. * * » In Florida '^^^ beekeepers of Florida should thank Hafford Jones, food administrator for Hillsborough County, for the interest be is taking in the matter of spraying during citrus bloom. Several articles have appeared in the news- papers and more are to follow, so let us all do our utmost to educate the orange-growers whilst they are in the mood to take notice. I have heard of two cases where apiaries were ruined last year by ill-advised spray- ing with arsenate of lead. Don't forget tliat if one little no-account grove is poison- sprayed on your range, it may mean the loss of your crop, if not of your bees. Another question that is worthy of con- sideration arises from the difficulty that is being experienced in buying bees in Florida. Last year was such a prosjierous one that no one is willing to sell, and the few small lots that could be bought have been picked u]> by the established boemen near by. Let- ters are coming in daily asking where bees can be bought, and there appears to be none for sale. Many Northern beemen have stated their intention of coming to Florida and bringing their bees with them, and it is such letters that cause anxietj^ Is there not some danger of foul brood being intro- duced into Florida if this movement of bees l)egins? Most beekeepers will be careful, but some will not. At present Florida is free from foul brood, but we have no law to jnevent the shipment of diseased bees into the State; and should it once get firmly es- tablished it would prove disastrous to the honey industry, for it is safe to say that not one in twenty would know how to cope Avith foul brood. Not only would the bee- keepers suffer, but the orange-growers would find a considerable decrease in their crops. It seems reasonable to believe that if the beemen and the orange-men will com- bine, they shoiild have influence enough to insist upon the Legislature 's preventing the shipping of diseased bees into the State. Can 't we take hold of this situation before it is too late? In speaking of foul brood to one extensive honey producer, he expressed the belief that it would be a good thing if disease would clean out all the small api- aries. It might be good for a few who have had experience in the North, but it would be far from good for most of us and also for the small orange-growers that do not enjoy the privilege of being near large aynaries. It appears there has been a considerable flow from the pennyroyal and maple, tho it is too early to look for reports of surplus. Those fortunate enough to get these flows should have their bees in fine shape for the orange, which will be in full bloom by the time this appears. There will certainly be a very heavy orange bloom this year, for the buds are already showing in great pro- fusion at this time (Feb. 5). This bloom is coming also on the old wood, and most bee- keepers seem to think that such a bloom yields better than one that comes of the new growth. It is probable that another bloom will arrive with the new growth, and so lengthen the flow. I believe that is what haj)pened in 1914 when the flow lasted from Feb. 20 to Apr. 15. In that case we shall make a fine crop, but otherwise our bees will not be in condition to do their best work in this locality, for we do not get pol- len early enough to start brood-rearing. Apopka, Fla. Harry Hewitt. March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE HEADS OF GRAIN 44™^^QOlFBERENT^_n How a Neighbor May Suffer. It may interest the reader to learn where my bees got foul brootl. Between the white-clover and buck- wheat flows a year ago last summer we had a week or two of complete honey scarcity from natural sources. In spite of this my bees were bringing in honey at a lively rate, and, judging from their commotion and gen- eral behavior, they were robbing at some near-by place. Wishing to ascertain the cause of the trouble, I followed their line of flight until I came to a neighbor's bee-yard of five or six dead colonies. Among them stood a box hive, bottom side up, rotten with American foul brood; and, to make it still handier for my bees, some of the combs were broken or cut out and scattered over the ground. It was too late to lock the proverbial stable door after the horse was stolen. Still, at night, when the bees had quieted down, I gathered up all the combs, broken pieces, hive and all, and consigned the whole outfit to the flames. G. C. Greiner. La Salle, N. Y. [As stated on page 105 of February Gleanings, Mr. Greiner lost practically all of his colonies by his neighbor's careless- ness.— Editor.] 01 — lo 1^ or: — xa What Is a Very Bad On page 86, February Case? Gleanings, Dr. C. C. Miller asked for fig- ures to determine the difference between a very mild and a very bad case of foul brood. My idea is that in a colonj^ with from 2 to ^0 frames of brood, if less than 10 cells are diseased, the case would be a very mild one; if from 10 to 40 cells, mild; more than 40 cells to one per cent, medium; more than one per cent, bad. Fifty per cent could safely be called rotten. Arlie Pritchard. Medina, O. [It would be impossible to get all bee- keepers to agree on figures to determine the seriousness of a diseased condition. For each one the figures would be high or low, depending upon his fear of the disease un- der discussion. If this estimate refers to European foul brood, we would not material- ly change it except to decrease the 50 per cent by at least half. In case of American foul brood, however, we would lower all of the figures considerably. — Editor.] Oi — lo^^cb =iff Granulated Cork Nearly all my hives for Packing. are double-walled. I buy thom in the flat and pack with granulated cork, such as Malaga grapes are packed in. I have no- ticed that when ice forms on top of hives and this ice is later covered with snow, that the ice on those hives which have a tray of forest leaves and pine needles on top, will be melted in an oblong circle over the cluster, showing the escape of heat thru the sealed cover, the packing material, and the outer cover. This condition does not appear when the trays are filled with granulated corkwood. This wood seems to be a far bet- ter conserver of heat, and is, therefore, a better packing material. Brookhaven, L. I. E. M. Barteau. The Wheelbarrow Here is another type for Bee-Hunters. of wheelbarrow known as the Toggenburg type, which is used principally for transfer- ring bees from the woods. He is also used for pointing game. Whenever I go bee- hunting, I let him go too as he is a great wooj)lying the gasoline, there would likely be germs stored away in cracks or crannies in or under bits of wax or propolis, where the gasoline would not pene- trate. We regret that we are unable to give the exact information desired, but we know that, altho different chemicals have been tried, our best scientific men are not recommending chemicals in the treatment of this disease. Even as scientific an au- thority as Dr. E. F. Phillips says, "The dis- infection of hives and frames with chemi- cals is not recommended." Medina, O. lona Fowls. Honeydew in When walking thru a Winter. jiiece of timber land today, I noticed some small rocks and leaves lying on the ground covered with something that looked like glue. On close examination I found it sticky and sweet. It looked and tasted like honeydew. But who ever saw honeydew in a cold place like this in February? There were some pine trees near, and I noticed this substance hanging in drops from the leaves. I am sending you under separate cover two leaves that are coated with this substance. Please let me know what vou think it is. King, N. C, Feb. 2. " T. W. Gentry. [From the nature and taste of the sub- stance found on the two leaves sent, we should say this substance is honeydew, as strange as it may seem to have found it present under the conditions stated. — Edi- tor.] To Prevent In manipulating my Crushing Bees. hives I found I could not lift a frame with- out more or less end-motion. The result was, I continually killed the bees between the end of the frame and the wall of the hive. I found that, by driving a small staple near the bottom of the ends of the frames, I could handle all the hives I pos- sess without killing a bee. When the frame is lifted up the staple keeps the frame a bee- space distant from the wall of the hive until the frame is lifted clear of the hive. This idea might help others. Winnipeg, Man. J. F. Parker. THE BACK LOT BUZZER. Ma says noiv that March is around again, Pappy Sourweed is workinour advertisement in the classified column or we will not be responsible for errors. HONEY AND WAX FOR SALE Beeswax bought and sold. Strohmeyer & Arpe Co., 139 Franklin St., New York. Buckwheat honey in 120-lb. cases, at 17c per pound. C. B. Howard, Geneva, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Cloveo", amber and buckwheat hon- ey in 60-lb. cans. C. J. Baldridge, Kendaia, N. Y. FOR SALE. — 20 60-lb. cans buckwheat honey at 18c per pound. E. Gressman, Hamburg, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover and buckwheat honey in 60-lb. tin cans. H. G. Gable, Romulus, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover-amber honey in new 60-lb. cans. VanWyngarden Bros., Hebron, Ind. FOR SALE. — 20 60-lb. can.s of light amber hon- ey at 20c a pound, f. o. b. E. G. Shearing, Buhl, Idaho. FOR SALE. — Extra-good quality clover or white aster honev, packed in 60-lb. tins, two in a case. H. C. Lee, Brcwksville, Ky. FOR SALE. — 24 60-lb. cans choice buckwheat honey at 20c per lb., f. o. b. Akron, N. Y. Vollmer & Demuth. FOR SALE. — Choice buckwheat extracted honey fully ripened bv the bees, in new 60-lb. cans. O. W. Bedell, Earlville, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover and buckwheat honey in 165-lb. kegs; also a Vandewort 12-inch foundation mill. Geo. L. Ferris, Atwater, N. Y. FOB SALE. — 1,560 lbs. fine buckwheat honey in 60-lb. cans. Some clover mixture. John W. Hosie, East Aurora, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Michigan's Best extracted honey in packages to suit; white clover, raspberry, milkweed, buckwheat. A. G. Woodman Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. FOR SALE. — Dark amber extracted honey pack- ed 12 5-lb. pails to case, or' 50 5-lb. pails to barrel, or two 60-lb. cans to case, at 25c per pound. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, O. FOR SALE. — 40,000 lbs. carload choice clover extracted honey. Was all left on the hives until after honey flow was over. Put up in new 60-lb. cans. J. N. Harris, St. Louis, Mich. FOR SALE. — .40,000 lbs. of No. 1 extracted clover hone(\' and 35,000 lbs. of aster honey, both of extra-light color, heavy body, and fine flavor in 60-lb. cans. W. B. Wallin, Brooksville, Ky. FOR SALE.^ — Clover, heartsease. No. 1 white comb. $6.00 per case: fancy. $6.50; extra fancy, $7.00. 24 Danz. sections to case; extracted 120-lb. cases, 25c per Bound. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. HONEY AND WAX WANTED Small lots of off-grade honev for baking purposes. C. W. Finch, 1451 Ogden Ave.. Chicago, 111. Beeswax wanted. Highest prices paid. State quantity and qualitv. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. WANTED. — Extracted liouey, all kiudo and grades for export purposes. Any quantity. Please st-nd samples and quotations. M. Betancourt, 59 Pearl St., New York City. WANTED. — Comb and extracted honey, also bees- wax. Send samples. C. S. Fryer, 386 Halsey St., Portland, Ore. * BEESWAX WANTED. — For manufacture into SUPERIOR FOUNDATION. (Weed Process.) Superior Honey Co., Ogdem. Utah. WANTED. — White or light amber extracted hon- ey in any quantity. Kindly send sample, tell how your honey is packed and your lowest cash price; also buy beeswax. E. B. Rosa, Monroe, Wisconsin. WANTED. — Extracted honey in both light and amber grades. Kindly send sample, tell how honey is put up and quote lowest cash price delivered in Preston. M. V. Facey, Preston, Minn. WAJsTED.- — Extracted and comb honey. Carload or less quantities. Send particulars by mail and .samples of extracted. Hoffman & Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. BEESWAX WANTED. — We are paying higheir prices than usual for beeswax. Drop us a line and get our prices, either delivered at our station or your station as you choose. State how much you have and quality. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. iiiiiiiiiiiiii;i:ii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii[iiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiii!iiii:iii FOR SALE HONEY LABELS. — Most attractive designs. Catalog freei. Eastern Label Co., Clintonville, Conn. FOR SALE.- — A full line of Root's goods at Root's prices. A. L. Healy, Mayaguez, Porto Rico. FOR SALE. — aOO all-zinc excluders, 191/8x14, 30c each; 50 18%xl5, 25c each. B. F'. Averill, Howardsville, Va. FOR SALE. — SUPERIOR FOUNDATION, "Best liy Test." Let us prove it. Order now. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — To buy 200 or 300 colonies of bees, preferably in Northern Michigan. Closson Scott, 408 Belmont St., Warren, Ohio. FOR SALE. — Basswood trees, V2 ft. at $2.00 per 25, postpaid. Nicollett County Nursery, St. Peter, Minn. FOR SALE. — Comb foundation at prices that will save you monev. Wax worked for cash or on shares. Send for price list. E. S. Robinson, Mayville. N. Y. FOR SALE. — Perforated wooden well casing made of redwood, the best and cheapest well screen made. Send for descriptive circular. G. M. Hawley, La Mesa, Calif. FOR SALE. — Tomato seed. Chalk's Early Jewel, Redhead, and Livingston's stone, three fine vari- eties, all three packages, 25c. J. F. Michaeil, Winchester, Ind. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand 60-lb. cans, two to the case, at 60c per case f. 0. b. Cincinnati. Terms, cash with order. C. H. W. Weber & Co., 2146 Central Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio. CANADIAN BEE SUPPLY & HONEY CO., Ltd. — 73 Jarvis St., Toronto, Ont. (Note new ad- dress.) Full line of Root's famous goods; also made-in-Canada goods. Extractors and engines; Gleanings and all kinds of bee literature. Get the best. Catalog free. FOR SALE. — 130 8-frame Ideal supers wi+h fixtures for comb honev, $65.00: 130 8-frame comb- honey supers for WiscoTisin hive with fixtures, $65.00; 50 8-frame Wisconsin hives without frames, $75.00. W. C. Davenport, 2111 Nores St., Evanston, Ills. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 FOR SALE. — (Pan Handle beekeepers, please note, that you can buv Root bee-supplies "'next door." Will C. Griffith & Sons, Elm Grove, W. Va. FOR SALE. — If you wish to know where to save mone.v on bee supplies send for our new price list. It mav be worth your trying. H. S. Duby & Son, St. Anne, Ills. FOR SALE. — 3 No. 15 Cowan reversible ex- tractors, each $15.00; 2 boiler wax presses, each $10.00; 1 30-gal. tank, $5.00. All good as new. Also 50 new shipping cases and 2,000 sections. Edw. A. Winkler, Joliet, Ills., R. D. No. 1. FOR SALE. — 30 supers full foundation; 15 su- pers drawn combs; 20 supers empty frames; 15 hivei bodies with frames ; 8 hive bodies, drawn combs. Whole lot for $160.00, or sell in small quantities. No disease. A. I. Root Co. goods. H. D. Hopkins, Otterville, Mo. FOR SALE. — To reduce stock the following will be quoted at prices attractive, even to those at a distance. 8-frame standard hives; metal covers; K covers; A bottoms; P supers; sections; holders; cartons, shipping cases; Danz. hives; supers; frames; B-grade sections; Alexander feeders; Bing- ham smokers; foundation for split sections; D cases; a stock of 4x5x1% sections (regular for 8-fraine super), with cartons and shipping cases — all will be sold at great sacrifice. Mason Bee Supply Co., Mechanic Falls, Me. FOR SALE.^Only about 100 dovetaileid and 100 homemade hives with about that many supers of each kind left, as per our advertisement in Nov. and Dec. numbers of Gleanings. We offer 30 10- frame dovetailed standard hives, Hoffman frames, new, .nailed and painted, $2.00 each; new nucleus and cages nailed ready for use, 20 3-frame, 25c each; 57 2-frame, 20c each; 28 2-pound cages, 35c each; 148 2-pound cages, 25c each; 150 1-pound cages, 20c each. The Hyde Bee Co., Floresville, Texas. AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS AUTOMOBILE owners should subscribe for the Automobile Dealer and Repairer; 150-page il- lustrated monthly devoted exclusively to the care and repair of the car. The only magazine in the world devoted to the practical side of motoring. The " Trouble Department " contains five pages of numbered questions each month from car owners and repairmen which are answered by experts on gasoline-engine repairs. $1 per year. 15 cents per copv. Canadian subscriptions, $1.50. Postals not answered. Charles D. Sherman, 107 Highland Court, Hartford, Conn. POULTRY S. C. Brown Leghorns, good baby chicks. $15.00 per 100; $7.75 per 50; $4.00 per 25. Order from this advertisement. Safe arrival guaranteed. Cir- H. M. Moyer, Boyertown, Pa., R. F. D. No. 3. WANTS AND EXCHANGE WANTED. — Several hundi-ed colonies in good lo- cation, in any state. F. R. Roe, Palisade, Colo. W^VNTED. — To buy small yard of bees near La Junta, Colo.- W. I. Reed, 1709 Belmont Ave., Pueblo, Colo. FOR EXCHANGE. — A Ford car of late model, for bees or good beei supplies. H. E. Graham, Gause, Texas. WANTED. — Used hive's and supers, foundation mills. eNtrnctor.s. bees, and bee equipment. State lowest cash price wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — To buy or lease 500 to 1,000 colo- nies of bees. Anv location. Russell T. Stinnett, Hillsboro, Ore. W^ANTED. — Colonies of bees in lots of anywhere from 5 to 500. State lowest cash price wanted. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. WANTED. — To rent, 10-inch mill, for a- few days, within 200 miles of Evansville, Ind. John F. Hepp, Boonville, Ind. FOR TRADE. — 360 acres in Washington Coun- tv, Arkansas, for large apiarv. Frank Van Haltern, Box 248, K. S. A. C, Manhattan, Kans. WANTED. — Old combs and cappings for render- ing on shares. Our steam equipment secures all the wax. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED.^ — 250 colonies, or less, of bees. Name lowest cash price, style of hive, etc. A. W. Smith, Birmingham, Mich. WANTED. — ^To exchange California property for bees. Miss Alice Elflein, Menomonee Falls, R. D. No. 2. Box No. IQQ, Wis. WANTED. — 150 to 200 colonies of bees to work on shares. Extracting outfit. M. Knudsen, 320 Second St., Albert Lea, Minn. WANTED. — Good second-hand power extractor. W'ill pay cash or exchange comb-honey supers. Also have 60,000 folding cartons for sale at 1-3 price. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. WANTED. — To exchange paying jewelry and optical business, about $1,000, for bees, or will trade income propertv in Alpena. Mich., for bees, or bees and land. H. Aldied, Gladstone, Mich. WANTED. — ilOO to 150 packages of bees with queens, delivered to Toronto. Ont., by parcel post by May 24. Address particulars to Dr. C. J. Den- ins, c 0 St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont. WANTED. — Shipments of old comb and cappings for rendering. We pay the highest cash and trade prices, charging but 5 ets. a pound for wax render- ed. The Fred'W. Muth Co., 204 Walnut St., Cin- cinnati, O. WANTED. — Beeswax. We will pay for averaze quality beeswax delivered at Medina, 38c cash, 40c trade. We will pay 1 and 2c extra for choice ;» ellow. Be sure your shipment bears your name and ad- dress as shipper so we can identifv it on arrivnl. The A. I. Root Co.,' Medina, Ohio. WANTED. — To buy, from 50 to 200 colonies of bees in Oklahoma. Or would buy small place in the West, that is good location for apiary, with or without bees. Give full particulars in first let- ter. Distance from railroad no ob.iection. Eugene Couch, Choctaw, Okla. WANTED. — An apiary, by two brothers, single, abstainers, well educated and of many yeiars' ex- perience with bees ; also poultry and orchard work, either to rent or work on shares. Would consider buying and paying $500 cash down, the rest on time. Address F. L.. 1612 Larimer St., Denver, Colo. OLD COMBS WANTED.— Our steam wax-presses will get every ounce of beeswax out of old combs, cappings or slumgum. Send for our terms and our new 1919 catalog. We will buy your share of the wax for cash or will work it into foundation for you. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. 'iiiii[iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiHi>iiiiiiiiiinn!iii;;iiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiini>!niiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiiiii!iniii REAL ESTATE FOR SALE. — 80 colonies of bees in good condi- tion. Two comb supers to hive. 55 hives full of extracting combs. All supplies needed to run this year. Supply trade of countrv. House of eight rooms in .Tood condition : out-bui'dings and fruit, tine well of water. 0. Holdren, Darlington, Mo. March. 1019 G I. K A N" T N 0 S IN B K E CULTURE 1S7 FOR SALE. — One yard of beos, 100 hivos or more, 10 frame hives, Hoffman frames, everythint; ill excelleiit eonditioii. with or witliout equipment and location. No disease. Apply Cozy Nook Apiaries, Blaekfoot, Ida. FOR SALE. — On account of failina; health, I wish to sell niv farm and apiary. Farm 80 acres, 4 0 cleared, balance very easily cleared. Town 4 V^ miles, school 1 mile; on telephone line and rural route. Large, new frame residence, shop, small frame barn, chicken house, well of soft water in engine room. Good fences. Apiary, 125 colonies tees in lOframe L. hives, very heavy with honey; all strona; colonies. Good supply of full-depth ex- tracting supers. Frames nearly all wired. This is A JVn. 1 location for an apiarist. My bees aver- ared $25 per colony last year. Terms, $3,500 cash, balance on Ion? time. A bargain. S. D. Clark, R. D. No. 1, Weyerhauser, Wis. BEES AND QUEENS Finest Italian queens. Send for booklet and price list. Jay Smith, R. D. No. 3, Vincennes, Ind. Hardv Italian queens. W. G. Lauver, Middletown. Pa., R. D. No. 3. FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian queens. W. T. Perdue, R. D. No. 1, Ft. Deposit, Ala. We'l-bred bees and queens. Hives and STipplies. J. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. FOR SALE. — 1919 Golden Italian queens, price list free. Write, E. E. Lawi-ence, Doniphan, Mo. Queens on approval. Bees by package or colony. A. M. Applegate, Reynoldsville, Pa. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each, six for $5.00. E. A. Simmons, Greenville, Ala. Who wants a few hundred colonies of bees about June 1, 1919? J. Wilson Jones, Falfurrias, Tex. FOR SALE. — Bees by the pound for early ship- ment. Safe delivery guaranteed. H. E. Graham, Gause, Texas. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from May 15th to Oct. 15th: 10 or more, $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwiehtown, Conn. FOR SALE. — 180 colonies of bees in good sweet- clover location ; power extractor and complete equip- ment. Thos. Atkinson, Cazad, Neb. FOR SALE. — 800 swarms of bees in wired Hoff'- man frames, or help wanted to take care of them on shares. G. Frank Pease. Haughton, La. THREE-BAJSTD Italians only. Untested queens, $1.25; 6. $6.50; 12. $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. H. G. Dunn, The WiUows, San Jose, Calif. FOR SALE. — 150 colonies Italian bees in Root 8-frame hives. All in good shape. C. D. Pritchard, Artesia, Miss. Leather-colored Italian queens, tested, to June 1st, $2.00, after, $1.50; untested $1.00, $10.00 per dozen. A. W. Yates, 15 Chapman St., Hartford, Conn. FOR SALE. — Italian queens and bees by the pound. Early shipments. Guaranteed safe arrival and no disease. Brazos Valley Apiaries, Gause, Tex. GOLDENS THAT ARE TRUE TO NAME. Un- tested queens, each, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100. $75.00. Garden City Apiaries, San Jose, Calif. FOR SALE. — -Bright Italian queens at $1.00 each, $10.00 per doz. Ready April 10. Safe arrival fuarant'^ed T. J. Talley, R. D. No. 4, Greenville, Ala. FOR. SALE. — 300 colonies of bees in lofrani- well-painted hives, w-ired foundation, equipped for comb or extracted honey, 1918 queens. C. J. Freeman, Bagnall, Mich. FOR S.VLE. — Three-band Italian queens readv June 1. Untested, each, $1.00; 12, $10.00; 100, $80.00. Satisfaction and safe arrival guaranteed. A. E. Crandall & Son, Berlin, Conn. BEES FOR SALE. — Pure Italims of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain in standard ten-frame Langstroth hives. Write for price and particulars. D. E. McDonald. Rutland, B. C, Can. FOR SALE. — Italian bees in 8- and 10-frame hives. Hoffman and Danz. frames wired, full sheets of foundation ; also 1-, 2-, and 3-fr. nuclei. Henry Shaffer, 2860 Harrison Ave., Cincinnati, O. FOR SALE. — ^Golden Italian queens which pro- duce gentle vello'w beies. the hardest workers we have known. Untested, $1.00, tested, $1.50. Wildflower Apiaries Co., Trust Bldg., Little Rock, Ark. Three-banded Italian queens and lees by the pound, also nucleius, in Root's shipping-cases, if preferred, or buyer furnish own rages. Send for price list. J. A. Jones & Son, Montgomerv, Ala., R. D. No. 1, Box 11a. Golden Italian queens that produce go'.den bees; the highest kind, gentle, and as good honev gather- ers as can be found; May and June, untested, each, $2.00; six, $7.50; tested, $4.00: breeders, $5.00 to $20.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, Va. I will commence shipping tees on April 15th. Send your order early, and arrange for date of shinment. All orders will be shipped on date prom- ised. Bees; 1 lb., $2.25; 2 lbs., $3.50; Untested queens, $1.00 each. Discount in quantities. J. S. Morales, 1103 Egmont St., Brunswick, Ga. We will be obliged to charge $1.00 each for virgin queens and $2.00 for mated, as all queens reared last year were sold at a positive loss, as compared with honey, and we prefer to sell fewer and maintain their qualitv. C W. Phelps & Son, 3 Wilcox St., Binghamton, N. Y. Queens from one of Dr. Millers's breeders. Test- ed, $1.75 each; $18.00 per doz.; untested $1.25 each; $13.00 per doz. 1-frame nucleus, $3.00 each; 2-frame, $5.00 each; 3-frame, $6.50 each, without queens. We have never had any disease here. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. We have no package lees to offer and no untested queens except with nuclei. Deli.very jNnril 15. Geo. A. Hummer & Sons, Prairie Point, Miss. QUEENS: BEES BY THE POUND. — Three- landed and Golden. They are hustlers, gentle to hand'e, cap their honey white., are very resistant to European foul brood. Booking orders now-. One-fourth down, balance at shipping time. See large ad for January for prices on bees by the pound. Quote nuclei f. o. b. here, 2-frame nuclei. $4.50; 3-frame nuclei, $6.00; 1-frame nuclei with one pound extra bees, $4.50; 1-frame nuclei with two pounds extra bees, $6.00; 2-frame nuclei with one pound extra bees, $6.00. No discount on nu- clei. Select untested oueens, $1.50 each; 25 or more. $1.35 each; tested queens, $2.50: select test- ed, $3.00. Free circular giving details. Neuces County Apiaries, E. B. Ault, Prop., Calallen, Tex. WANTED.- romb honev. HELP WANTED -Beeman to work 200 hives of hee<. R. S. Becktell, Rifle, Colo. WANTED — Young man to work with bees and help on farm. State wa'^'es expected in first letter. E. G. Shearing, Buhl, Ida. WAJv^TED. — Young man as helper, also one ex- perienced in the extracted line. State age, experi- ence, and wages expected. Chas. Adams, 1816 8th Ave., Greeley, Colo. 188 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 WANTED. — One or more mem as queen breeders. State wages and give references in first letter. M. C. Berry & Co., Haynesville, Ala. WANTED. — Queen-breeder for coming season. State experience and wages expected. L. L. Forehand, Ft. Deposit, Ala. WANTED. — Two men with some experience to help with bees the coming season. B. B. Coggshall, Groton, N. Y. WANTED. — Good experienced man; also some good helpers. Good chance for willing workers. Penn Co., Penn, Miss. WANTED. — Two young men with good habits, to work with bees and on farm. 1,200 colonies. Give agei, experience, and wages. N. L. Stevens, Venice Center, N. Y. WANTED. — E.xperienced beeman for season of 1919. Middle west preferred. State wages and expeirienee first letter. Wm. Lindenmeier, Jr., Ft. Collins, Colo. WANTED. — Good capable, experienced man to help handle 300 colonies of bees. Give age and wages wan'e'l in first letter. .T. W. Hackney, Weldona, Colo. WANTED. — Two capable young men, clean in body and mind, as students in beekeeping for the season of 1919. For particulars address R. F. Holtermann, Brantford, Ont., Can. WANTED. — E.xperienced beeman and one helper. Fast workers and able to do heavy work. Prefer young men experienced in handling auto trucks. State all particulars in answering and wages want- ed. Ernest W. Fox, Fruitdale, S. D. WANTED.^ — About March 1, a man of good habits, who is interested in production of extracted honey, to assist in care of bees in outyards. Good board and lodging furnished. State age, weight, past experience, and salary expected. A. L. Coggshall, Groton, N. Y. WANTED. — We want to engage a young man or young woman, thoroly experienced in beei cul- ture, to start and manage an apiary, and assist in poultry department meanwhile. Will want to be- gin with about 50 to 100 colonies this season. Forrest Ferguson Farms, Dyersburg, Tenn. WANTED. — One experienced man, and students as helpers in our large bee business . Good chance to learn. Modern equipment and outfit, including auto truck, located nenr summer resorts. Write, giving age, height, weight, experience, reference, and wages wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Clarion, Mich. WANTED. — Experienced apiarist wants position. Thirty-three, doesn't use liquor or tobacco : no trifler or quitter, steady and reliable, will work on salary or on share basis; could invest $300. Stl.v -^Ifst. I'lim*. All boxed ready to ship at once ; 275,000 | Hoffman frames, also Jumbo and Shallow i frames, of all kinds, 100 and 200 in a box. | Big stock of Sections, and fine polished 1 Dovetailed Hives and Supers. I can give I you big bargains. Send for a new price | list. I can save you money. | Will Take Beiszuax in Trade at | Hiehtit Mariet Prict. = Charles Mondeng | 146 Newton Ave., N. Minneapolis, Minn. | Weeds and Mulches | In One Operation | DOES BETTER WORK THAN A HOE — TEN | TIMES AS FAST— SAVES TIME AND LABOR, | THE TWO BIG EXPENSE ITEMS — EASY TO | OPERATE. I FREE — Illustrated Book and Factory-to-User Offer j We want every garden grower to know just how this marvelous machine will make his work easier and increase his profits. So we have prepared a book showing photographs of it at work and fully describing its principle. Explains how / steel blades, revolving against a stationary knife (like a lawn mower) / destroy the weeds and at the same time break up the crust and clods / and pulverize the surface into a level, moisture-retaining mulch. / BARKER "Best Weed Killer Ever Used" / ^^^^; ?n^ ' ^ Dept. 10 LEAF GUAEDS — The Barker gets close to the plants. Cuts '''^ DAVID CITY, NEB. runners. Has leaf guards; also easily attached shovels / for deeper cultivatioir — makim] three garden tools in one. X Gentlemen. — - Send me .v,'^ -iXT • ojijj! / postpaid your freie book and A boy can use it. Five sizes. (Send today tor / Pactory-to-User Offer, book, free and postpaid. X BARKER MANUFACTURING CO. ^X ^^l^ Dept. 10 David City, Nebraska State Town R. R. No. Box GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 iiii!iiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiM QUEENS THAT WILL PLEASE QUEENS THAT ARE BRED FOR BUSINESS They are hardy, long-lived, gentle, and disease-resisting. They are as good as any and far superior to most — bred from imported stock, which produces a bee that is the best in the world for honey-gathering, and are non-swarmers. They are now giving service in nearly every country in the world. Have your order booked now. All that we require is one-fourth cash and balance at shipping time. We guarantee every queen to reach you in first-class condition, to be purely mated, and to give perfect satisfaction, in the U. S. and Canada. Prices — April 15 to July 1 Untested $1.25 Selected Untested. . . 1.50 6 $6.50 7.50 L. L. FOREHAND 12 $11.50 13.25 Tested 2.50 Selected Tested 4.00 6 13.00 22.00 12 24.50 41.00 FORT DEPOSIT, ALABAMA Mill if THE GREAT YEAR OF 1919 IS HERE, AND SO IS THEJl 1 1 Severin Capping Melter & Separator 1 1 (COMBINED) I i ^^ It got a fine start in 1918 from advertisements which brought inquiries and orders from producers in all large honey -pioducing sections, in this, and other countries. Get the best — it pays in the end, just as the best Extractor does- Saves time, labor, and fuel- Seeing the great need and demand' for these melters, I am better prepared to fill orders than in 1918; but, owing to the great need of copper by the Government, I am limited on supply material, as I use only the best. Handled right, this melter will do the work where others fail. F. J. Severin -:- Imperial, Calif. *' falcon' inirii!i'iiii;ii!iiiiiniiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii{iiiiiiiiiiiii!i£ Your Duty — Do You Know Jtf It is to get ready for the coming season and be ready for the first honey flow. This will net you profits. Prepare your bees for a big year and take no chances. Get the best to do with and have the best results. Our Duty — Do We Know It ? We get the beekeepers ready for the big season. Supply them with the best of everything with which to work and get the best results. Send us a list of A'our requirements for quotation. TO DELAY MEANS LOSS TO YOU. "Falcon" service cannot be beat. Catalog and Sinij^lified Beekeeping on request. W. T. Falconer Manufacturing Company Falconer, New Yo r k "nju/iere the best bee hi-ues come from"' "falcon'' ■Nr\i!('il, 1919 (CLEANINGS IN BEE C U T. T U R E The Best from Others.— Continued from Page 191. diseased but after two weeks' treatment the disease disappeared. Tliis culture affected the expulsion of the fecal accumulations, and also their nature, causing them to be less solid, and to be light gray in color rather than yellow or brown. This colony thrived during the autumn and winter, and remained alive until early the next spring. While the author does not consider this to be an absolute cure, he believes it will re- press and hold the disease in check; and by somewhat varying this treatment it might, perhaps, prove a cure. Immune Strains. — The real remedy, how- ever, he says, lies in producing an immune strain. Some colonies have been found that show considerable immunity. Such resist- ant strains have been collected and gradu- ally built up into an apiary of considerable size at Kilmarnock. Some of the colonies bred especially for immunity were for a year placed in the heart of a diseased dis- trict, but remained free from the disease. In raising immune strains, foreign bees were used largely. Tho not disease-proof, they do not succumb as easily as native strains. Crossing with Dutch, Italian, American, and Funics, increased the vigor and resistance. The best results were obtained from foreign bees, especially small-sized ones, from low wet districts lacking in sunshine. This work of producing immune strains is being continued in the hopes of combating the dis- ease by restocking disease-swept districts. 'DTT'TT'C' We furnish full colonies of bees in J3J_jJ_jO chaff or single walled hives, nucleus colonies or bees by the pound in sea- son. Prices on application. Ten - oz. screw - cap- ped jars, two gross crates at $7.50 a gross. LJ.STRINGHAM, GLEN COVE,N. Y. WING'S Vegetable Stand for big yields. We offer the best that can be grown and can supply you with all standard varieties. Readers of this paper need no introduction to Wing's Alfalfa seed, Corn, or other field seeds. Some of you do not know that our vegetable seeds are as good as our field seeds. Some of you, however, are finding out just how good they are, and as a result our vegetable department has been either doubling, tripling or quadrupling for years. As an indication of the quality of our seeds, we call your attention to the special premiums won at the Ohio State Fair for two successive years on vege- tables grown from our seeds. Part of these premiums are as follows: General display of vegetables, First Premium two successive years. BEETS— Four Firsts, out of five classes in 1918. CABBAGE— Three Firsts, five Seconds and four Third Premiums for 1917 and 1918. CARROTS —1917, two Seconds and one Third; 1918, two Firsts and First on display of all varieties. ONION— 1918, six Firsts and three Seconds on single varieties. First on chsplav of ten varieties. TOMATOES— 1915, general display, First Premi- um; 1916, did not show; 1917, ten First Premiums, two Seconds and two Thirds: 1918, First on dis- play. These exhibitors certainly won on quality, and we have m.ore seed just like they used. Write for Free Catalog It offers all the standard vegretables as well as manv noveltiea which you are unlikely to find elsewhere: also, all the standard flower seeds plants and Lulbs especially Gladioli. Iris Peonies and Dahlias as well as field seeds. Wing Seed Co., Box 137, Mechanicsburg, Ohio (The House of Quality and Moderate Prices) Early-order Discounts will Pay you to Buy Bee Supplies Now 32 years' experience in making everything for the beekeeper. A large factory specially equipped for the purpose ensures goods of highest quality. Write for our illustrated catalog and discounts today. Leahy Mfg. Co., 95 Sixth St., Higginsville, Missouri Banking BY HAIL r w TJT/^HEREVER you live you can open a Savini Account by mail with this strong bank. Hundreds of people in all parts of the world are availing themselves of the safety and conven- ience we afford. L Send today for our free booklet "Banking by Mail." ..J THE SAYINGS DEPOSIT BANK CO. A.T.SPITZER, Pres. E.R.ROOT.VicePres. E.B.SPITZER,Cash. MEDINA. OHIO 194 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH SOUTHERN HEADQUARTERS ITALIAN BEES AND QUEENS 1 lb. bees, no queen $2.25 to demand return of empty cages at liis ex- 2 lbs. bees, no queen 4.00 pense. For 50 or more, 20c less on each swarm. These 1 Untested Italian queen $1.25 go express charges collect, at buyer's risk. 12 Untested Italian queens 13.25 If wanted by Parcel Post add 50c for 1 lb. ^^ "■" ™o^'e. each 1.00 and 75c for 2 lbs., for guaranteed safe ar- Tested queen 2.00 rival at your postoffice. Shipper reserves right No disease has even been in my vicinity. W. D. ACHORD -: -:- FITZPATRICK, ALABAMA iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ II THE DOMESTIC BEEKEEPER il II BARGAIN WEEK || g I If UTCHINSON once told the writer than it cost him two dollars to secure I g B I 11^ new subscriber for the Revieic, the name now being changed to the | M g I Domestic Beelcecper. This meant that he paid out large sums for advertis- j g g t iiig, circulars, postage, and clerical help, all of which cost him good money. | g g i The thought occurred to Townsend, the present owner of the Domestic Beel'eeper, | g g i why not give this extra money to the subscriber, instead of paying it out as \,M g i mentioned above, and we have decided to do this very thing. Listen: the week | g M I beginning Monday, March 10th and ending March loth, will be bargain week | H g i for new subscribers to the Domestic Beekeeper. During this week and | = jl THIS WEEK ONLY | j g I after which the price will go back to the original price of a dollar a year, we | M M I will accept 50c for a full year's subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper. A | g g I post office money order for 50c will cost but 3c, or a check will do, and be sure | g M I your order bears one of the following dates: March 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, | g g I or 15th; six days only, other dates the regular dollar-a-year price will be | g B I strictly adhered to. I M g I It is customary for business houses to have bargain days, at which time f g g I they secure new customers, and why not a bee journal have bargain days to I g g I secure new subscribers? Eemember this is the first bargain days ever offered | g Ml by a bee journal, and may be the last, so we would suggest that all you pro- | g J I ducers who have been thinking of subscribing for the Domestic Beelceepe/r, take | g g I advantage of those liberal terms and get a full year 's trial subscription to the i g g I Domestic Beekeeper at half-price. Eemember that a postal order for fifty cents | H g I will pav your subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper a full year, providing you I | g I order iit March 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, or 15th. No other dates will do, | g g I for immediately following this bargain week, the price of the Domestic Bee- | M g I keeper will be a full dollar a year, the regular price. | g g I The Domestic Beekeeper has a department that sells subscribers' honey for I g g i much more money than the large buyers will pay. This department is free to all I M g I paid-in-advance subscribers. Then we buy beekeepers' supplies for our sub- | g g I scribers, at much below catalog price. A trial subscription will convince you | g = I that you cannot very well get along without the Domestic Beekeeper. I M i i EEMEMBEE THE DATE, MAECH TENTH TO MAECH FIFTEENTH, I g 1 I INCLUSIVE, AND LET THE FIFTY CENTS COME ALONG TO I g II The Domestic Beekeeper, Northstar, Micli. || iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ MAKru, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 19J Our Food Page — Continued from page 159. and let soak over niglit. In the morning put over the fire, bring to a boil, and remove from the fire and t-ool. Repeat this, bring- to a boil the third time, and simmer until the fruit is tender, which will be in a short time as the previous soalcing and eoolcing have softened it. Weigh, and for every pound of fruit pulp add ^4 pound of white honey. Return to the fire and cook until it will drijj from the side of a sj^oon in two or more rows of drops, when it may be poured into sterilized glasses and sealed with melted paraffin. After the honey is added it must be carefully watched and stir- red to prevent darkening. If light honey is used and the directions are carefully fol- lowed, tlie resulting marmalade will be light yellow in color, tender, and will keep its shape when turned out of the glass. Half sugar may be used with good results. GSAPEFRUIT MARMALADE. 1 errapefruil 1 lemon 1 orange honey or sugar water Select fruit with a fine-grained, thin skin, if possible, and then proceed the same as when making the orange marmalade. 0RANG3 SALAD. oranges lettuce leaves nuts whipped cream salad dressing Separate the required number of oranges into sections and cut the sections in halves crosswise with a sharji knife. Arrange the half-sections on crisp lettuce leaves to simu- late the petals of a flower with a spoonful of salad dressing in the center. Sweeten the salad dressing, either boiled or mayon- naise, with honey and add whipped cream to taste. Chopped nuts may be sprinkled on the centers of the flowers. ORANGE CUP. 4 slices pineapple 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 bananas shredded cocoanut 3 oranges honey Cut the fruit into euljes, add the lemon juice, sweeten to taste with honey, arrange in sherbet glasses, and sprinkle shredded cocoanut over the top. By cutting the oranges in halves and carefully removing the pulp you may make cups to use instead of the sherbet glasses. eilllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ VI CK'S GARDEN A'^TTTT^"^ FOR_^ anS FLORAL VSUIX^S l9l9 ITS FREE *^ WRITE TODAY Several New Features RasHii oil our experience at. the ulJost mail oi'dei- seeJ concern and lnig"si crowd's of Asters and otiier seeds in America. 550 ..cres and 12 greenhouses in best seed grow- ing section. Our Guide is full of helpful informa- tion about planting, etc. — an invaluable aid to a successful garden. Illustrates and describes leading Vegetables, Flowers, Farm Seeds, Plants and Fruits. This book, the best we have issued, is yours, ab- Kolntely free. Ask for your copy today before you forget. JAIVf ES VICK'S SONS 33 Stone Street, Rochecter, N. Y. The Flower City fiiii!iiiiiii!i:iiii!iiii:iiiiiiiii;iiii:iiii!iiiiiiii!!iiiiiiii!iiiii!iiiiiiiii!ii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ I W. H. LAWS' I New Prices on Italian I QUEENS ■ Untested 1 Each, $1.50; twelve for §15.00 i Tested i Each, $2.00 ; twelve for $18.00 I Select Tested I Each, $3.00; twelve for $30.00 1 Breeding Queens B None better; each, $5.00 J Safe arrival; satisfaction; no disease, g Above prices in keeping with all g beekeepers' commodities. I W. H. LAWS H Beeville, Texas ^ Bee County The Deroy Taylor Company NEWARK, (Wayne Co.) NEW YORK Have the Most Complete Stock of Bee Supplies and Honey-con- tainers, also Honey Separators and Smokers East of Buffalo, N. Y. .\re located on the Main Railroads; are Extensive Commercial Beekeepers, and offer Lewis Beeware (made like furniture), and Uadant's Foundation because we have found it the best. Now is the time to prepaie for those early swarms from the lees that are wintering so well. Send us that list and we wil quote you very low prices, quality considered. We also '"^"e you to begin to prepare to come to the State Meeting at our Home Apiary in August. °+" this spate for announcements regarding this meeting. Watch GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 Profitable Returns From Chickens and Rabbits A Back Yard flock will add dollars to your in- come and the luxury of fresh eggs for your family. But you need thei expert help of the Poultry Item as your safe guide. 75c a year; 2 years, $1.00; 4 months trial, 25c. Good Poultry and Rabbit Books, "Town Lot Poultry Keeping," just revised, 50c. With Item 1 yr., $1. (B'lexible binding, $1.00.) "Rabbit Culture and Standard," best book on rabbits, 132 pages, illustrated, 50c. With Item, $1.00. Cloth book, $1.00. Don't miss 100-page February num- ber. It tells how a subscriber got an extra $100 from a small town lot. Many other valuable helps. Where the Rooster Crows the Item Goes. The Poultry Item Box 70 Sellersville, Pa. Farm, Garden and Orcbard Tools Answer the farmers' big questions. How can I grow crops with less expense ? How can I save in plant- ing potatoes? How make high priced seed go farthest ? The IRON AGE Potato Planter solves thelabor problem and makes the best use of hiph priced seed. Means $5 to $50 extra profit per acre. Every seed piece in its place and only one. Saves 1 to 2 bushels seed per acre. Uni- form depth; even spacing. We make a full line of potato machinery. Send for booklet today. No Misses No Doubles BatemanM'f'gCo., Box 20B,GreiilocIi,N, J. Your comb honey will sell for just as much mon- ey, if stored in the 414 xlx %-2-beeway sections that we sell to our .subscribers for only $7.30 per thousand, as if \ou paid the regular price of $10 per thousand. They are No. 1 stock. You had bet- ter investigate that special bargain-week offer, where we offer a full year's subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper for only 50c. See page 194 for our large advertisement explaining this wonderful offer. Established 1885 It will pay you to get our cata- log and order early. Beekeepers' Supplies The Kind You Want and The "Kind That Bees Need- The A. I. Eoot Co.'s brand- A good assort- ment of supplies for prompt shipment kept in stock. Let us hear from you; full in- formation given to all inquiries. Bees- wax wanted for supplies or cash. John Nebel & Son Supply Co. High Hill, Montgomery Co., Mo. OOD SEEDS GOOD AS CAN BE GROWN Prices Below All Others I will give a lot of new sorts free with every order I fill. Buy and test. Return If not O. K.— money refunded. Big Catalog FREE Over 700 illustrations of vege- tables and flowers. Send yours and your neighbors' addresses. R. H. SHUMWAY, RockfonI, IIL Plow and Pull With ET^DD Or Most Your Other Cars Pullford $155 Qu^^:cy,v MAKES a practical tractor out of a Ford or most any other car. Easily attached to or removed from the car in thirty minutes. No holes to drill, no springs to remove. Practical, Durable, Reliable. NewFAN DEVICE Prevents Heatir.g Hundreds WORKING NOW for Satisfied and Entliusiastic Owners Pulls plows, harrows, drills, mowers, binders, hay loaders, road graders, wagons, trucks, etc. Steel wheels with roller bearings and tires 10 inches wide, two pairs of hardened Vanadium steel pinions, one for plowing and one for haul- ing speed. A tractor with the reliability and durability of the Ford car. Prompt shipment. Write for catalog. It was the Pullford attached to Ford cars pulling two 12-inch plowa runninpr on Kerosene, equipped with new fan device, that made amost successful demonstration at Fremont, Nebraska. PULLFORD COMPANY. Box 23C ephon* No. S4 Walton Heights, QUINCY, ILLINOIS Makih. 1910 G1,EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 197 Tlip Diimi'.itic Bffki'cpcr sells luindrods of tuns of honey annually for its subsevibers thru its free honey-forsaU> (h'i)ai-tnient. Tliis honey is sold for two or three dollars \h'v luindred pounds more than I he larse honey-buyers would give for it. Yoii who have lioney for sale sliould investigate this privilege by .sending in 50e for a year's subserijition, as ex- |)iained on page 19 1. SUJi t^ii>^i>friiiii Positively the chcarest and stronKcst light on earth. Used in every country on the globe. Makes and burns its own gas. Casts no shadows Clean and odorless. Absolutely s.ife. Over 200 styles. 100 to 2000 Candle Power. Kully Guaranteed. Write for catalog. AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE. THE BEST LIGHT CO, ^ 306 E. 5th St., Canton. O. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Order Bee Supplies EARLY We can supply you with the best of everything. Dovetailed Hives, Supers, Frames, Honey Sections, and Comb Foundation. Be prepared for the com- ing season. Our catalog ready Jan. 10. S end for it. August Lotz Co., Boyd, Wis. iilillll' 450,000 zoo varieties. Also Grapes, Small Fruits, etc. Best rooted Btock. Genuine, cheap. 3 sample blackberries mailed for 10c. Catalog free. LEWIS EOESCH, Box H Fredoula.N.Y. SWEETi _ I it by superior scarifiei A. A. BERRY SEED CO CLARINDA, IOWA ^mONAQE GARDEN TOOLS Answer the "war gardener's" big question: How can 1 produce the most food in spare moments? How meet increased costs and war taxes? IRON AGE ^li^'t'r ana Laltivator BatemanM'f fCo.jBox 20S Grenloeh.N.J Easy to push, fast, thor- ough low in cost. Opens and covers furrow for seed and fertilizer Cul- tivates wide or narrow rows Turns soil and cov- ers scratch foods in poul- try yards 30 other Iron Age Combinations. Send for free booklet today, and learn how to garden the modern, easy way. ^'i;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ I Discounts I Early Orders | I Liberal Discounts Allowed on Immediate Cash Orders. | I The Warm Winter Will Cause Abnormally Early | I Brood Rearing. Are You Prepared? I I We Can Help You by Prompt Shipment from | I Oar Large Stock | I If You Haven't Our 1919 Catalog Write for It at Once. | 1 Save Money on Discounts ■ The Kretchmer Manufacturing Co. Dept. G Council Bluffs, la. liiiilliiiiliiiliiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiillliiiiliiliiiiiliiilii 19B GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE March, 1919 osfHandlantorn A powerful portable lamp, giving a 300 candle power pure white light. Just what the farmer, dairyman, stockman, etc. needs. Safe — Relinble Economical— Absolutely Rain. Storm and Bug 1 proof Burns either gasoline or kerosene. Light in weight. Agents wanted. Big Profits. Write for Catalog. jj.je BEST UGHT CO. 306 E. 5th St., Canton, O. BARNES' Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circular saw, which is made for beekeepers' use in the construction of their hives, sections, etc. Machines on Trial Send for illustrated catalog and prices W. F. & iOHN BARNES CO 545 Ruby St ROCKFORD. ILLINOIS BEE-SUPPLIES F ALCO N LINE We carry the largest supply in our section. Send us your inquiries. Lowest Prices, Quality Considered C. C. demons Bee Supply Co. 128 Grand Ave. KANSAS CITY, MO |lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII§ = TlTi'T^ r^ATVTl"Y^ this specially prepared food 1 H ■L'-Lj-l-J Vj-n.±li-/ X lor bees haa given satisfaction ^ = wherever used. If you have any colonies that are short ^ = of stores by all means use this candy. Send for circular M = and catalog of supplies. = I H. H. JEPSON I i 182 Friend Street Boston, Mass. i GIANT FRENCH BEANS (Lincoln's French Asparagus Bean) THIRTY inches long. A remarkable vegetable that bears GIGANTIC stringless pods longer than a man's arm, and of delicious, rare, flavor. Not a novelty, but a Century old Ori- ental delicacy. Produces abundantly anywhere with 90 days growing weather. A valuable companion crop for Beekeepers, f ree Bulletin describing this and other superfine seed strains if ou mention "Gleanings." J. A. &B> LINCOLN, Seed Growers and Importers, 39 South LaSalle Street, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. 30 DAYS FREE TRIAL and freight prepaid on e^Pnew lyly "RANGER" bicycle. Write at once for our big cata- log and special offers. Take your choicefrom 44 styles, colors and sizes in the famous "RANGER" line. Marvelous improvements. Extra- ordinary values in our 1919 price olTers. You cannot afford to buy without getting our latest propo- sitions and Factory-Direct-to- Rider prices and terms. Boy3, be a "Rider .Agent" and , make big money taking orders ; for bicycles and supplies. Get \- : our liberal terms on a sample to in- troJuce the new "RANGER". TIRES, equipment, sundries and evervttiiriK in the bicycle lineal half usual prices. Write 7'oday. Cycle Company Dept B15':; Chicago Write for Book Today FARM WAGONS High or low wheels — steel or wood — wide or narrow tires. Steel or wood wheels to fit any running gear. Wagon parts of all kinds. Write today for free catalog illustrated in colors. ELECTRIC WHEEL CO., 23 Elm Street, Quincy, III. lids M[\\Mi\ The Best Strawberry Book Ever Written Pictures in colors and fully describes Kellogg's Big Four, Kellogg's Big Late and Kellogg's Everbearers— all prize winners; also Kellogg's New Race of Strawberries, big, sparkling beauties, and many other money-making varieties. Book also pictures in colors and fully describes the world-famed Kellogg Strawberry Gardens More than fiCOOO f.uTiilies throughout the country are en- joying delicious Kellogg Strawberries the year 'round, and many are making cash profits of $50 to $150 each year from Kellogg Strawberry Gardens. Let a paid, send today. Kellogg Garden add beauty, pleasure and profit to YOUR home. Our free book explains every detail; tells how you can compete for our BIG CASH PRIZES. ^60 oKi KELLOGG'S EVERBEARERS produce big crops of fancy berries each year from June to November. These ber- ries are big. dehcious beauties and sell readilv at 30 to ."iO cents per quart. You can grow them to perfection right in your own gardf n. Onr Free Booli tells all about hese wonderful Everbearers. Write for vour copy today— it's Free and postpaid. R. M. KELLOGG CO.. Box 400 Three Rivers, Mich. March, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 199 I BE CAREFUL jii.rni^r^^^T'^i^a I Rufus Red Belgian Hares I Only Pedigree.l R.-gislerc.l Slork. i'li.es ReaaoiuibU- I JOSEPH BLANK I 428 llighlaml Ave. Mount V<-iiioii, New York ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" MASOlN BEE SUPPLY COMPANY MECHANIC FALLS, MAINE From 1897 to 1018 the Northeastern Branch of The A. I. Root Company Prompt 311(1 BECAUSE — Only Root's Goods are sold. Tr»/Y> . . It 19 a business with us — not a side line. Eacient jTijjht mails daily. Service Two lines of railway. If you have not received 1919 catalog, send name at once. I BEE SUPPLIES I = We carry a complete line of A. I. ROOT i I BEE-SUPPLIES and sell at lowest cata- | ^ logue prices. Let us have your order. ^ I A. M. Moore, Zanesville, Ohio | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii,.^ NO CASH REQUIRED W8TH ORDER For Our Guaranteed FRUIT TREES, SHRUBS, VINES. PERRENNIALS Write today for our 1919 Catalog that tells the entire story. Yes, and we pay the freight. PROGRESS NURSERIES, 1306 Peters Ave.. Troy, Ohio Hiirs Evergreens Grow Best for windbreaks and hedges. Protect crops and stock. Keep house and barn warmer — save fuel— save feed. Hill's evergreens are hardy, nursei-v-grown. Get H ill' s free illustrated ever green book and list of 50 Great Bargain Of fers— from $4.50 up per Thousand. 56 years' experience. World's largest growers. 'Write O. UILLIiUBSERY 00. , Evergreen Box 2 'I' V K E APRIL, 1919 Hoiiov Markets 204-205 Editorials . . .... 209-210 t;alif ornia 's Bee Problems E. R. Root 211-215 Earlv Spring Management lona Fowls 215-220 Workers for the Harvest Belva M. Demuth 220-221 Aune Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers Grace Allen 222-223 l^ig Beekeeping Possibilities B. F. Kindig 224-226 What One Mistake Did Josephine Morse 226-227 It Works Very Satisfactorily Joseph H. Peterson 227-228 The N. Y. State Short Course R. F. Holtermann 228-229 His Start with Bees H. R. Pavne 229-230 The Two-Pound Package R. R. Banta 230 Strav Straws • Dr. C. C. Miller 231-232 Siftings J. E. Crane 233 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 234-235 From North, East, West, and South 236-239 Heads of Grain from Different Fields 240-242 Bees, Men, and Things 243 Just News 244 The Best from Others lona Fow^ls 245-246 Gleaned by Asking lona Fowls 247-249 Talks to Beginners lona Fowls 250-254 Our Homes A. T. Root 255-257 SUBSCEIPTION RATES. — One year, $1.00; two years, $1.7.5; three years, $2..50 ; five years, $4.00. Single copy 10 cents. Canadian .subscription, 15 cents additional per year, and foreign subscription, 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscriptions, not paid in advance, or specifically ordered by the subscriber to be continued, will be stopped oil eixpiration. No subscriber will be run into deibt bj- us for this journal. CHANGE OF ADDRESS. — Give your old address as well as the new and write the name to which the journal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Sliould be sent Ijy postoffice money order, bank draft, express money order, or clieck. CONTRIBUTIONS to Gleanings columns solicited; stamps should be enclosed to insure return to author of manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkably satisfac- tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY. — ^The publishers use utmost diligence to estab- lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser using space in this journal. Entered as second class mail matter at the Postoffice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly. Space occupied by reading matter in tliis issue, 70.5 per cent; advertising, 29.5 per cent. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Publishers, Medina, Ohio Editorial Staff E. R. ROOT A. L ROOT lONA FOWLS H. G. ROWE Editor Editor Home Dept. Assistant Editor Managing Editor 202 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 HERE IS A REPRODUCTION OF Muth's New Home in Cincinnati ^it, T- ■ « 3 J 1 'i w r «^1 t3 -1- 1 1 ''f '%' ^ w u 1 r * ^ 1- Anticipating the wants of the trade and to meet the demands of our customers, we are now located at Pearl and Walnut Streets, carrying tremendous stocks — making this the largest Honey House in the country. WHY YOU SHOULD BUY NOW! We advise you to buy your bee- supplies now. You not only get the benefit of favorable market conditions, but you are assured of immediate delivery. There will be no disappointment if you send your order for bee supplies to MUTH NOW. MUTH'S ADVANTAGES! We sell at factory prices, save you freight and give you the finest bee supplies manufactured. LEWIS BEEWARE DADANT'S FOUNDATION ROOT'S SMOKERS, EXTRACTORS, ETC. Our new 1919 catalog sent for the mere asking. Drop us a card now! OLD COMBS AND CAPPINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We pay you the highest market price for beeswax, and charge you but 5c per pound for the wax rendered. It pays to send us your old combs and cappings. WANTED, COMB HONEY. Comb and Extracted Honey find ready sales here. Tell us what you have. We buy beeswax at high prices. Always glad to reply to inquiries. We will appreciate a visit from you. When in the city come and see us. THE FRED W. MUTH COMPANY Pearl and Walnut Sts. 'The Busy Beemen' Cincinnati, Ohio APRIL, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Bee Supplies Bee Supplies Service and Quality Order your supplies early so as to have everything ready for the honey flow, and save money by taking advantage of the early-order cash discount. Send for our cat- log; better slill, send us a list of your sup- plies and we will be pleased to quote you. C. H. W. WEBER & CO. 2146 CENTRAL AVE. CINCINNATI, OHIO iilllii |yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiy^ 11 FREE FOUNDATION We want the beekeepers to veri- fy the results of our own tests among our 3,000 colonies of bees and the results obtained by oth- er large beekeepers who have used our foundation extensively. Therefore, after May 1st, we will furnish our "Superior Founda- tion free to all beekeepers apply- ing for srame for experimental purposes, they in turn to report to us the results of their tests. DON'T TAKE OUR AVORD that "Superior" Foundation is unex- celled in quality by any other make. Unsolicited testimonials such as the following, from bee- keepers that we have never met, speak for themselves : Lazear, Colo., Feb. 10, 1919. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. Gentlemen: — Please find enclosed check for 127 pounds of Medium Brood Foundation. Your foundation has given as good success as any I have ever used. The bees take to it as soon as the foundation with greater claims. 1 have been unable to see any difference whatever. Am going to boost your foundation whenever I can. Yours truly, EOBT. G. CRAIG. LET YOUR OWN BEES TEST OUR FOUNDATION 1 1 SUPERIOR HONEY CO., OGDEN, UTAH a I (MANUFACTURERS OF WEED PROCESS FQUNDATION) "BEST BY TEST" lilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllll^^^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Aprii., 1919 HONEY MARKETS There is no decided change to report in the honey market since last month. There is little demand and prices continue to de- cline somewhat. The quotations printed be- low best tell the present market conditions: U. S. Government Market Reports. HONEY ARRIVALS SINCE LAST REPORT. Medina, O. — 30,000 pounds Ohio. SHIPPING POINT INFORMATION. San Francisco. — 'Supplies light but not cleaning up. Practically no demand oi- movement, very tew sales, prices lower. Carloads f. o. b. usual terms. Extracted: per lb., sage white and water white 16-17c; light amber, 15-16c; dark amber 14c. Beeswax: per lb., 38-40c. Los Angeles. — Remaining supplies very Jighlt. Demand improving on account of increased export demand. Carloads f. o. b. usual terms. Extracted: California light amlier sage, nV2-18V2C per lb.; light ambea- alfalfa, 15^/4 0 per lb.; Idaho white al- falfa, no sales reported, asking 18c per lb. TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS FR(>M IMPORTANT MARKETS. (The prices quoted in this report, unless other- wise stated, represent the price at which the "whole- sale carlot relil GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE KANSAS CITY. — Tlie market is fairly supplied witli conil) honey, selling from $7.00 to $7.50 per case. Demand is light. Market is well supplied with extracted honey, seiUing slowly at 18 to 22c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, 35c per lb. C. C. Clemens Produce Co'. Kansas City, Mo., "Mar. 17. MONTREAL. — .Vniple supplies. Prices steady. Comb honey, extra fancy, per case, 30c; fancy, 29c; No. 1. 28c; No. 2, 25c. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 26c; light amber, in cans 25c, in barrels 24c.; amber, in cans 22c, in barrels 21c. Gunn, Langlois & Co., Ltd. Montreal, Can., Mar. 17. TORONTO. — Market is dull — demand very light. Prices declining. lOpound tins now selling at $2.40, 5-pound at $1.20, and GO-pound at 23c per lb. Eby-Blain, Ltd. Toronto, Ont., Mar. 17. HAMILTON. — Honey is selling slowly. Have had to reduce prices to get it to move. Several lots offered from beekeepers last week, but could not take them, as no demand. Extracted honey, white, 23c per lb. F. W. F&arman Co., Ltd. Hamilton. Out., Mar. 15. TEXAS. — Honey prices have a downward ten- dency, buyers holding back waiting for new crop. Extracted honey, light amber, 18-19c. Clean, aver- age yellow beeswax, 35c per lb. Sabinal. Tex., Mar. 13. J. A. Simmons. TRADE NOTES (■H.^XGK OF L()( ATIOX OF THE A. I. ROOT (O.'S BRANCH OFFICE AT CHICAGO. The Chicago branch of The A. I. Root Co., on May 1, will be removed from its present location at 215 W. Ohio St., to the 7th floor of the new Bauer Building at 224-230 W. Huron St., 4 blocks north of present location. This neiw location can be reached over the same surface lines or by way of the Northwestern Elevated, getting off at Chicago Ave. Station and walking 2 blocks south. ^iii!in!iiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii{iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiini{iiiiii^' j Distributors Root's Goods | I FOR PENNSYLVANIA | ^ Send for new special catalog featuring the ^'Simplex" = ^ Super, and giving instructions to beginners = I Prothero, Bailey & Goodwin i^u^is | I BE CAREFUL ]-f:^ rz^T^:, I Rufus Red Belgian Hares g Only Pedigreed Registered Slock. Prices Reasonable I JOSEPH BLANK = 428 Highland Ave. Mount Vernon, New York WANTED. — A man or woman who is or has been a practical beekeeper and who can write a good letter. Give training and experience. Ad- dress The A. I. Root Co., Medina, O. Write me for prices on queenless packages in quantity. E. A. Harris, Albany, Ala. STATE.MKNT OK OWNKR.SHH', JIANAGKMKNT, CIRCU- LATION, ETC., OF GLKANIXOS IN BKE (^UL- TURK, rUBLISHKI) MONTHLY AT ME- DINA, OHIO, RKQIIRKI) BY THE ACT OF AIKilST 24, 1912. Kditor. E. R. Root, Medina, Ohio; Managing Edi- tor, H. G. Rowe, Medina, Ohio; Publisher, Thei A. I Root Co., Medina, Ohio. Owners: Tlie A. I. Root Co. Stockholders holding 1 per cent or more stock as follows: A. L. Boyden, Carrie B. Boyden, Constance R. Bovden, L. W. Bovden, Mildred C. Brvant, H. R. Calvert, .T. T. Calvert, Maudei R. Cal- vert, A. I. Root, E. R. Root, H. H. Root, Susan Root, all of Medina, Ohio, Ralph I. Bostwick, Seville, Ohio. There are no bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders, holding 1 per cent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other se- curities. H. G. Rowe, Mng. Editor. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 20th day of March, 1919. H. C. West, Notary Public. PACKAGE BEES Queenleiss packages as follows: 1 lb., $2.20; 2 lbs., 14.00; 3 lbs., $5.75; untested queens, $1.25: tested, $2.50; select tested, $3.00. /Safe Di'lirerij Guaranteed. E. A. HARRIS, ALBANY, ALA. "Special Crops " A high -class il- lustrated month- ly journal devot- ed to the Growing and Marketing of Ginseng, Golden Seal, Senega Root, Belladonna, and other unusual crops. $1.00 per year. Sample copy 10c. Address Special Crops, Box G, Skaneateles, New York R'FF PAIVTIV This specially prepared lood JJAjXj \^r\.LMJ 1. tor bees has given satisfaction wherever used. If you have any colonies that are short of stores by all means use this candy. Send for circular and catalog of supplies. H. H. JEPSON 182 Friend Street Boston, Mass. ^ii:iiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:d Complete Line of Beekeepers' Supplies j Catalog on Request I F. Coombs & Sons, Brattleboro,Vt. i Please Excuse O. N. Baldwin. Baxter Springs, Kas., Mar. 5, 1919. Ttie A. I. Root Co., Medina, O. Gentlemen: — You have got me in an awful fix. You placed my "ad" among the "Classified Adver- tisements Received Late," following several "for sale" ads, and everybody thinks I have packages of bees and queens for sale, when the fact is I want to buy. I have about 750 letters. What shall we do .' Can you help us out ? O. N. Baldwin, So please don't expect Mr. Baldwin to furnish you with queens and bees — and his "ad" did not say he would. But — how an advertisement in Gleanings does bring business ! GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 From Central NEW YORK Shipments of Bee Supplies can be made promptly on time, and freight will be saved thereby. Bee- keepers, as the years go by, are getting in the habit of ordering supplies earlier. This fall we had an exceptional increase of early orders. A few years ago, most, if not all, waited till May and June before ordering, with the result they Avere not prepared for the season. One of our largest beekeepers of the State made a practice of getting ready during the fall and winter and secured large returns during the season following. In fact, he cleaned up after the year's crop — all separators, supers, and everything piled away nicely. Now he is gone, but left every- thing in good shape. If every one would follow his example, what a large yield of honey would be se- cured. We are glad to say quite a large number do. Why not, if you have not already done so, estimate your requirements for next season? One of our beekeepers that secured a year ago $10,000.00 worth of honey, this year secured $14,000.00 — a fortune. Why not get in line and get your s'hare? F. A. SALISBURY 1631 WEST GENESEE STREET SYRACUSE, NEW YORK iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy Al'RIIi, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULT TT U E Winter Problem Solved by the Hive with an Inner Overcoat. For your iiirorination and to be couvim'ed of the efficieiiey of this hive, send for a samphj. ["'or a limited time one sample hive will be. sent set up and equipped as per this illustration at the special price of $5.00. SIIMPLIFY YOUE WINTERING PEOBLEMS. How would you like to e'iniiiiate the expense, extra labor, and inconvenience of that back yard full of contrivances, in Winter Cases and other forms of packing insulation? Wouldn't it be worth quite a lot to you to avoid such congestion? It will be to your advantage to avoid excess equipment. The Protection Hive will give you a neat, compact, substantial and efficient outfit. Our new illustrated catalog for the season of 1919 and a special circular of the Woodman Protection Hive, showing 10 large illustra- tions will be sent upon request. Send us a list of your requirements and let us figure with you on your wants for the coming season. A. G. WOODMAN CO., Grand Rapids, Mich., U. S. A. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Ai'RiL, 1919 The Best is the Cheapest THIS APPLIES ESPECIALLY TO BEE SUPPLIES Yes — in .s-ouae isolated eases small lots of inferior goods ean he bought for less money than LEWIS BEEWARE But bear in mind that Avhen you 1)uy LEWIS BEEWARP] you buy something else besides good material and splendid workmanship — This something else is LEWIS SERVICE It costs money to establish and maintain a distribution service whereby no matter where you are you find LEAVIS BEEWARE al- most at your own door — to do this LEWIS Distributors must stock up in advance and be all in readiness when the season comes to give you— WHAT YOU WANT AND AVHEN YOU AYANT IT. A WORD ABOUT THE PRICE OF BEE SUPPLIES Remem])er la])or and lumber are the important elements entering into LEAVIS BEEWARE FIRST -THE COST OF LABOR Has not decreased since the Armistice was signed and prospects are it will be no lower for some consideral)le time to come. SECOND---THE COST OF LUMBER Is determined principally by the cost of lal)or and transportation — Both of thes'e are high and will stay high — everyone agrees. IN A NUT SHELL LEAVIS BEEAVARE IS SOLD AT PRICES CONSISTENT AVITH PREVAILING MARKETS AND IS AVORTH ALL IT COSTS. PRICES WILL BE NO LOWER THIS SEASON ORDER LEWIS BEEWARE EARLY BEWARE WHEREYOU BUY YOUR BEEWARE J r^ \A/I C s I*— ■ !■ ■" MAKES THE FINEST. INSIST ON THE BEEWARE BRAND G. B. Lewis Company SOLE MANUFACTURERS WATERTOWN, WISCONSIN E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 3 EDITORIAL A REPORT has recently gained eireulation in California that E. R. Root, now in that State, had offered An Untrue on behalf of his Report. company $25,000 to the metal - comb jieople for their patent. When Mr. Root first heard this rejiort, he regarded it as a joke. But as the report has been again and again repeated and many beekeepers have asked as to its truth, Mr. Root has wired Glean- ings to the effect that he has made no such offer whatever, and very certainly reserves his judgment of the metal comb until he has made a thoro test of it with the bees. UNLESS MAXV of our beekeepers will right about face, there is every reason to believe that the Necessity for coming year may Comb-honey experience a comb- Production, honey famine, and a n overbalancing of the market with extracted honey. So nobly did the beekeepers rally to their country's call for an increased food supply by producing extracted honey and so well did the change pay the beekeeper during war time that many have forgotten the real place that comb honey held before the war, and the place it will again hold as the coun- try gradually readjusts itself. No extracted honey, however excellent its flavor, can ever be quite so pleasing a table delicacy as fine comb honey. A vast number of beekeej^ers changed over last year and are now planning to con- tinue in the production of extracted — many of them large beekeepers, too. What is to be the result? Will there not be an over- production of extracted with a correspond- ing slump in prices; and will not comb-hon- ey production become nearly a lost artf If the public were sufficiently educated in the use of honey, there could be no possibility of overproduction for years to come. But the public is not yet sufficiently educated to demand honey as a food staple, so there is the need of laige production of the more attractive kind of honey — comb. Not every beekeeper is expert enough to raise comb honey. Those who are, and es- pecially those that have the necessary equip- ment on hand, could even now save the day, and incidentally increase their incomes for next year by returning to their previous practice of raising comb honey. IvNOWING THAT our readers would be in- terested in the condition of colonies and the crop prospects for Prospects for the coming season, the Coming we sent out queries Season. to many beekeepers thruout the United States. Theii' kind co-oyeration enables us to report a fine condition of colonies gen- erally and a good crop prospect the coming season. Only five per cent have reported anything less than good or excellent winter- ing. Eastern Virginia reports poor winter- ing, and California reports their colonies have wintered from 80 to 90 per cent as well as usual. More than one-third of the re- plies show a lack of stores. In a few cases equalizing will remedy the trouble; in oth- ers, feeding will have to be resorted to on account of early brood-rearing. Altho rather light stores have been reported from New . Jersey, Massachusetts, Iowa, and eastern Virginia, the greatest shortage seems to be in the North and West. Twenty i)er cent of those who replied to our questions either believed it too early to judge or else feared the open winter might have injured the honey plants, and were, therefore, unwilling to express an opinion as to crop prospects. Four per cent report the condition of the honey plants from .50 to 60 per cent of the normal condition at this time of year. The other correspondents consider the pros))ects all the waj' from good to excellent. BECAUSE OF THE exceptionally warm weather this past winter, colonies are now in an unusual con- Reciulre Special dition for this time Attention. of the year. Some colonies, especially those with little packing, have been weaken- ed by having the bees tempted out on sun- shiny days only to become chilled and un- able to return. Also, many colonies have been breeding earlier than usual and have GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Ai'RiL, 1919 thus used up considerable quantities of stores. In the case of hives not sufficiently packed it is possible that a sudden cold snap may now result in the destruction of all this brood and the consequent loss in the honey and energy expended in its pro- duction. As soon as a warm enough day ar- rives, an examination should be made, and the stores replenished if necessary. If pos- sible, frames of honey should be inserted; lacking these, a hard candy should be given. We notice one of the journals having a million circulation has in its January issue an article discouraging the use of hard can- dy, and recommending as feed to be placed on the tops of the frames a soft candy made by mixing pulverized sugar with extracted honey. This is exceedingly poor advice to be spread broadcast over the country, and we heartily condemn it. Such candy, if fed at all, should be placed in a dish; for it soon absorbs moisture, runs down between the combs, killing all the brood with which it comes in contact, and gradually spreads over the bottom of the hive and runs out at the entrance. In some cases we have known an entrance to become completely closed by the candy, and the colony killed outright. For a good candy we recommend the fol- lowing: Place on the stove a granite or aluminum kettle * containing granulated sugar and a little water, stirring until the sugar is all dissolved and the syrup very thick. Then bring the syrup to a boil. As soon as the boiling begins, the stirring should be stopped and the boiling continued until when one dips a finger into cold water, then into the boiling syrup and back again into the cold water, a thin film hardens on the finger and will just crack when the finger is bent. At this stage the syrup should be removed and poured into pans lined with paper. When pouring the syrup the dish should not be scrai^ed, nor the pans be moved or jarred until after the candy has hardened. When cold, the candy will be hard and transparent. A CONSIDEEABLE of a hornet's nest, or rather a bee 's nest, was stirred up among the beekeepers of Some New Bee California over Legislation. some proposed bee legislation that called for a tax of ten cents per colony, li- cense fees that might be revoked, and some appropriations of sums in amounts of $10,- 000 and $15,000 each. It appears that a proposed law in Cali- fornia must be submitted 30 days in ad- vance; but apparently legislators can get around that by proposing a dummy bill and then substituting another under the same title and number. There were several dum- my bee bills introduced, with the expecta- tion, so we are told, that they would be amended. Whatever the bills were, thej' were un- satisfactory to the rank and file of beekeep- ers. The Southern California Beekeepers' Association took up the fight against the bills and this was followed by the State Bee- keepers ' Association. Even members of the California Co-operative Honey Producers ' Exchange repudiated the bills, notwith- standing that one of their members placed one of these bills in the hopper, with no thought of its passage in that form. Who is responsible for the others no one seems to know. The thing that raised the ire of almost everybody was the i:)ro]3osed tax of 10 cents per colony and the scheme of licensing bee- keepers, with the possibility of the license being revoked at the will and whim of the inspector. After several conferences, a meeting of all the parties interested was held, and it was tentatively agreed at that time to drop all legislation for the time be- ing and wait until Dr. E. F. Phillips of the IT. S. Bureau of Entomology and his corps of workers should come back into the State the following fall. There the matter seems to rest for the present. There is probably nothing in a decade that has stirred up such a nest of mad bees, or more exactly beekeepers, as this proposed legislation of a tax of 10 cents per colo- ny, a license scheme, and the various funds, the meaning and purpose of which no one seems to understand. H. H. SWEET of The A. I. Eoot Company of California has for years used a scheme for making divi- I A Clever Idea. sion-boards for ear- ly spring that is not only unique and cheap, but useful. He wraps a newspaper of suitable length vertically around a common Langstroth comb. When this frame wrapped in news- paper is pushed down in the hive, the folds and projecting ends of the paper make a tight contact with the bottom-board, ends, and cover of the hive. A similarly wrapped frame on the other side of the brood-nest makes a tight warm compartment. If the two outside frames of a lO-frame hive are wrapped in the manner explained, it makes on the sides a double-walled hive for an 8-frame brood-nest. As the season advances and the bees need more room, they gnaw away the newspaper and fill it with brood, pollen, or honey. In the ease of a 3-frame nucleus, this scheme of using two newspaper-wrapped frames can be used to most excellent advan- tage, for a nucleus should not have more room to keep warm than is absolutely neces- sary. Mr. Sweet 's scheme of making division- boards out of brood-combs and newspapers may save thousands of nuclei all over the United States. It is so cheap and simple that where a bunch of bees in the spring doesn't fill the hive, the beekeeper can't af- ford not to use it, if they are not otherwise protected. Ariui., 1919 G T. E A N I N G S IN BEE CULTURE CALIFORNIA'S BEE PROBLEMS Marty 'Disadvantages Out There. As Good Yields in the East. The Winters Are Hard on liees By E. R. Root CC/^H, yes!" \J you say. "Cali- fornia, tlio land of sunshine, is a veritable p a r a- ilise for bees. All you 've got to do is to get the wild bees, that cost nothing, out of the rocks and they will earn you $25.00 to $50.00 per colo- ny. Yes siree! Honey just rolls in every day for six months in the year. Bees work for nothing and board themselves. No cold; no sickness for the apiarist; no wintering problem; no bee disease for the bees. Yep! The gold dollars fairly roll off the sides of the mountains where the sage grows, and into the pockets of the beekeeper. Whoopee! Let's all go to California!" As Good or Better Yields Elsewhere. Many beekeepers of the East, tired of their cold and severe-winter problems, may desire to come here, thinking the conditions are like those named above. Would that they were! I have spent some two months here already, and my conclusion is that there are some real and serious problems here. The chances of a beekeeper making a suc- cess here are no greater, if as great, than in some of the good bee States of the East. As large, or larger, aggregate yields per colony are secured in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Ontario, or New York, in spite of their long severe winters. I am not so sure but that the Rocky Mountain States may be ahead in yield per colony. As a matter of fact, the Eastern States usually secure their main cro]) in a month or 211 six weeks ' time During the rest of the year the bees require only intermit- t e n t attention, and during the winter months, no attention if outdoors, and \ery little if in the cellar. A Difficult Wintering Problem. In California, as pointed out in the last issue, there is a real wintering problem. The cool nights, down nearly to freezing at times, and the warm days are very hard on the bees, and any one back in the East who imagines there is no cold, no chilling of brood, no bee mortality in California, is seriously mistaken. Unless one happens to be where there is plenty of eucalyptus and other sources of nectar, there is great dan- ger also of starvation; and too many times the careless beekeeper has relied on winter flows that do not materialize, and his bees starve or are so weak as to be good for nothing . It is estimated by sojue good bee- keepers in the State that colonies ought to have in reserve from 30 to 50 pounds of honey, because they say if these stores are not actually needed, they can be extracted in the spring just before the first new crop comes in. There is no question but that an ample reserve of stores is a good investment. The real wintering problem here is that the breeding that goes on during the winter very often does not make up for the loss of the old bees that go to the fields and never come back, on account of chilly winds or the cold. Cold? Yes, during December, No. 1. — Apiary of L. W. Wells, at Somis, Calif. This is a characteristic view of the thousands of api- aries scattered over the hillsides of California during the winter. Notice that the bees are in two-story hives. 212 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April. 1919 January, and February an ov'ereoat is not uncomfortable to the beekeeper, even in the daytime. Thousands of colonies all over the State, so I am told (and this is borne out by personal observation in yards that I have inspected), hardly hold their own. Many become so weak that they are little more than two- and three-frame nuclei. The chill of the night kills a great deal of brood; moreover it checks the queen, and the con- sequence is there will often be very small patches of brood on two or three frames No. 2. — This should be studied in connection with Fig. 3. Method of packing a single-story colony that occiipie.s only 7 frames. An ordinary city news- paper is .iust about the right width to cover the top and sides of a 7-fraiiie cluster. The two ends pro- ject over the empty space on either side. Other folds of newspaper close up the space. See Fig. 3. which the bees are just barely able to cover and keep warm when the temperature drops during the night. Good management, particularly if the lo- calities are at all favorable, to a large ex- tent overcomes this heavy loss of bees from early fall until early spring; but even with the best of treatment there may or may not be a constant depletion in strength. The result is that colonies are not seldom too weak to take ailvantage of the orange flow, which is often heavy. So heavy is this flow that if there comes a day or two of cold and foggy weather, when the bees can not fly, that nectar will drip all over the cloth- ing of the pickers, as they take the matured fi'uit off the trees. It should be understood that there may be ripe fruit as well as new blossoms on the tree at the same time. The Need of Protection. What is the remedy? One word covers it, and that is PROTECTION. I am con- vinced that if bees need to be warmly hous- ed anywhere in the United States, it is in California. From some experiments that I have been making, I And that I have been able to build up colonies very rapidly by re- ducing the size of their winter quarters or giving them wrappings of paper. In a num- ber of apiaries that I have visited in the last month or so, I find that there are four- * Foul-brood Inspector Geo. B. DeSellem of Los Angeles County tells me that he has for years been advocating wintering in one story because two ' stories make ton much room for the bees to keep warm. and five-frame nuclei in the lower story of a 2-story 10-frame hive.* Bees in Califor- nia, so far as I have been able to see, are wintered mainly in two stories. In the fall their colonies are strong enough to occupy only one story, but they need the other story, some say, for the stores. On account of the severe fluctuation of temperature between night and day, in too many cases the strength of the colony goes down much more than it does in the East where the colo- nies are well packed or put in cellars. I should imagine that the actual loss in Cali- fornia is as great as in some States where the winters are very severe. This does not mean a loss of colonies, but a loss of bees. From the standpoint of capacity to produce honey, it would be better to have 50 colonies of fair strength than to have 100 that are weak. This is an axiom in beekeeping that is so generally accej^ted that it doesn't need any argument to prove its truth. I am convinced that N. A. Blake of Pasa- dena, Calif., is pursuing the right policy, when early in the fall he puts the story with the bees and brood on top, if it is not al- ready there, leaving the other story with the combs of stores beneath. This puts the bees up in the wariuest part of the hive. I find a great many beekeepers are leaving the bees in the lower story. When the cluster is down to five frames it is up against the problem of trying to keep its brood-nest warm, notwithstanding the heat is constant- ly rising into the upper story. Some argue that they put the upper story on top to keep the combs away from the moth miller. They would be just as safe be- low the cluster. Others sav that the bees No. 3. — In some cases where the l:ees are packed this way, the paper becomes damp from the breath of the bees. In other ca.ses bees will gnaw at the paper, carrying it out of the hive bit by bit. For tl-.is reason it is recommended to ufe oilcloth next to the bees and paper on the outside, as additional packing. would breed too fast if on top, and that when put below the colonies are stronger in the spring. I can 't see why. What Kind of Protection. I have spoken of the fact that I have been conducting some experiments. By crowding three- or five-frame nuclei down to the frames that they can actually cover ArRll.. 1919 G T. E A N T N G S IN BEE CULTURE and putting theiu in one story, covering the frames with paper and filling the space with packing material, I find that the bees build up very rapidly. I took one little yard and crowded the bees down to the frames they were occupying, giving them frames of stores and taking off the upper story. The lower story was then packed in the manner stated. The result is that this little apiary is fairly booming. In what form would I give the packing or protection? One thing I would do, I No. 4. — Ford ;ind trailer used liy Mr. Sweet in mov- ing the 18 colonies mentioned in the text. Notice that the wheel on the outside is wire. Tlie mate to it on the other side broke down and was replaced by a wooden one " to get it home." A two-wheel trailer, if rightly dasigned, will carry from 700 to 1,000 pounds. In some places one can be rented for $1.50 a day. Its cost will run all the way fr»m |50 to $150. It is a very common practice in Cali- fornia for beeikeepers to move their bees with a two- wheel trailer. All the way from 30 to 50 colonies can be moved at a time. The big mileages that can be covered make it possible for one to move 150 colonies in a day with this kind of equipment, but one should remember to have wooden wheels instead of those made of wire. See Fig. 5. would follow the plan that Mr. Blake pur- sues of jjutting the brood-nest on top, not on the bottom. Furthermore, I would con- fine the bees to one story in localities where there was willow, eucalyptus, or other sources of honey during the winter. If the cluster couldn't cover 10 frames, I would squeeze it down to 8 or 6. I would put oil- cloth over the tops and sides of the cluster. Over this I would put newspapers so as to confine the heat to the space the bees can actually occupy; and I would use a double cover, one telescoping over the other. I Avould also contract the entrances. A better arrangement, perhaps, would be to have strong colonies in the upper story with honey in both stories, and the more stores the better. If the beekeepers in the State had larger brood-nests, or larger hives, so that the stores and the cluster could be in one hive, it might be better. If I were using 13-frame, or long-idea hives, I would crowd the bees down to as many frames of stores as they could cover and then put packing on the sides. With the long-idea hive' of 32 frames, one could crowd the bees on 15 or 18 combs of stores and then put packing on the sides. If packir;; shou'd be put on top, this would give very good protection. 1 am not sure but that double-walled hives in the State would be good economy. The extra walls would prevent the heat of the sun during the middle hours of the day from penetrating into the hive and stirring up the cluster to unusual activity. It would prevent the cold of the night from chilling the brood and would make it easier for the bees to take care of the brood than they^ • an under the present plan of wintering. * The Problem of Bee Disease. Another very serious problem is bee dis- ease. In spite of all the inspection that has been carried on, bee disease, if I am cor- lectly informed, is spreading in the State. What is needed is more education for the small beekeeper, and that means bee ex- tension workers sent out by the State, whose function would be rather to educate as to liow to know and distingu-ish the two types of brood disease and how to treat them. If there is any Eastern man thinking of coming to California because he thinks that the State is a veritable paradise for keeping bees, he may find that he is jumping from the frying pan into the fire. That money has been made by keeping bees in the State cannot be disputed. I already know of a half-dozen beekeepers who last year went beyond the $10,000 and $20,000 mark in the production of honey. At the present high scale of prices, the very fact that bees can not be purchased at any price, and that they bring all the way from $10 to $20 a colony, shows that the business is not as bad as it might be. Incidentally it might be remarked that what is good in the way of packing and pro- Xo. 5. — Tliis is a Ijettcr trailei' and cii-ts al out $150. It, will handle ea.sily at one load 50 colonies. or one ton of weight. For moving I.ees it is always lest to have a strongly built machine. tection in California during winter would be equally good in the Eastern States for bees taken out of cellars. Sacking Bees for Moving. One night last week, H. H. Sweet, super- intendent of The A. I. Koot Company of GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 California at Los Ange'es, asked me if I would uot like to go out with liim and move some bees after dark. Night is the worst of all bad times to handle bees. Mr. Sweet said that it would be necessary to take off the upper stories or supers and crowd the bees down to one story. ' ' Do this after dark?" I asked. "Yes,"" he replied. "All right, I am game if you are," I said. We had to drive about 17 miles. He hitch- ed his Ford to a two-wheeled trailer which is better for a Ford than a four-wheel. No provision was made for any hive screens or entrance-closers. When he told me that the hives were very old and full of cracks, I remarked that we would have a mess on our hands. Pointing to a pile of burlap sacks, he said, ' ' I am going to put them in those sacks." I had read of this trick, but was never present when bees were put up in that way. "Those wire wheels — will they stand up under a load of 20 colonies and equip- ment?" I asked. "They are guaranteed to, ' ' said Sweet. ' ' Maybe so, " I said. On arriving at the yard, we took off the supers, after smoking the bees at the en- No. 5. — The tiling that changed the sweetneiSS of Superintendent Sweet's face to sour. What he lliniif/hf. he said afterwards, wouldn't pass muster with A. I., not even with M.-xV.-O. Incidentally it may be obsea'ved that wire wheels are dangerous where heavy loads are used or fast driving is a pastime. The photograph tells its own story. If there is anything that is exasperating, it is to have a load break down along about midnight when mov- ing bees. trance. They came out aU right and in sonte instances met us more than half way, even tho it was dark. My! how they did sting! After we had gotten the supers off and shaken the bees in front of the en- trance, the next problem was to get them in the hives. A little smoking and coaxing (and some more stings) got them in. Mr. Sweet then went at the job of "sacking the bees. ' ' With a sack in one hand, he tip- ped a hive at an angle of 45 degrees, en- trance up, and with the other slipped the sack over it as far as he could, then he set the hive down, jJulled the sack back over, and tied the mouth with a heavy string. It was done in almost the time it takPf t9 tell Above is shown stage by stage Supt. Sweet's method of sacking bees for moving. The exact mode of procedure is shown in the order of the ijictures, read- ing from above down. Where the hives are old, especially if they are full of cracks, or the cover does not fit tightly, this plan of moving bees is ideal. Even if the hives are good, it is probably cheaper than the entrance-closer and a hive screen over the top. To sack a colony is a matter of seconds only, Aprit., 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 215 it. In an incredibly short time we had every colony sacked and loaded on the trailer. The bees made a hissing in the sacks and some of the colonics were very strong; but there was no danger of the bees suffocating, said Sweet, because they could get out into the sack, which was very roomy and porous. We cranked the Ford and off we started. We got within three-quarters of a mile of our destination, and down went the right wheel of the trailer. The expression on Mr. Sweet 's face was anything but ' ' sweet. ' ' Wire wheels — he had had enough of them for all time. There was nothing to do but unload the sacks of bees and put them into the Ford, carrying ten hives at a time. Three loads carried the bees to destination, but in loading and unloading, some of the hives fell off and rolled over on the pavement. I had expected that many bees would be smashed, but Mr. Sweet reported that not over 200 dead bees were found in any sack after the hives were unsacked. I might remaik that he didn't even take the time or trouble , to fasten down the covers. He said he had moved hundreds of colonies in this way at night and always with the best of results. When hives are old and full of cracks, the jjlan is ideal. I am not sure but that it is cheaper and quicker than entrance-closers and hive screens even when the hives are good. A set of sacks costing about ten cents each would be good for dozens of movings. The time is approaching in the Eastern States when many will move their bees. I suggest that the sack plan be tried. EARLY SPRING MANAGEMENT Comparison of the Views of Leading oAuthorities as to What to T)o for the Bees in Spring and How to Do It By lona Fowls THE question of spring management is "the question of the hour, ' ' and Gleanings has had the curiosity to look up the "authori- ties " on this subject, and set down together their teach- ings on each of its particular phases. This has not been a small task, but it has been an informing one. Perhaps the greatest revelation that came to ns from reading a number of authorities on the same subject at the same time was the inadequacy of the indexing of these books. It 's pretty nearly "fierce" in most of them. Next to the faulty indexing was our surprise to find the different authors treating of the same topic under entirely different heads. We were also surprised to find that certain of the problems of spring management regarded as important by some writers are hardly named by others. But, as best we could, we have dug out from their written books what a half-dozen leading beekeeper authorities have said on spring management. Possibly, we have skipped what some may have said on the subject — especially if hidden away in the discussion of some other subject. But here are given the different authorities ' views as we have found them. Object of Spring Manipulation. All agree that the object of spring man- agement is to put the bees into the best pos- sible condition for gathering the approach- ing honey flow. (The following five sub-heads have been mentioned as having a bearing on the drift- ing problem.) Time of Removal from Cellar. L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — "Unless the day when they are put out is very favorable, 111 a n y may be lost when they flv to discharge their feces. In movable - frame hives, this risk can be greatly diminished by removing the cover from the frames, and allowing the sun to shine direct- ly upon the bees; this will warm them up so quickly, that they will all discharge their feces in a very short time. To our minds, 45 degrees in the shade, or 55 degrees in the sun, is the lowest temperature in which it is best to put bees out. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller.—' ' Generally, I go by the blooming of the soft maples."' "When the red of the blossoms actually begins to push forth," * * * "I watch the thermom- eter and the clouds, and usually in a day or two there comes a morning with the sun shining, and the mercury at 45 or 50 de- grees, with the prospect of going a good deal higher thru the day." Dr. E. F. Phillips.— "They should not be taken out until fresh pollen and nectar are available, unless they show pronounced signs of dysentery, as indicated by spot- ting of the hives or by undue excitement." * * * "To prevent" drifting, it is best to set the bees out when it is too cold for them to fly, so that as the weather warms, permit- ting flight, this will take place more natural- ly. ' ' M. Quinby. — "It is a good rule to leave them as long as they will remain quiet. In my own practice I prefer not to set them out until just as the soft or red maple begins to blossom." "It is much better to remove them on a cool than on a warm day." W. Z. Hutchinson. — "Wait until the snow is gone, and there is occasionally a day warm enough for bees to fly, then take them out to remain permanently. If the 216 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 LANGSTROTH. bees have to wait even a week or tvv'o aTter being placed upon their summer stands, be- fore having a flight, no harm will come as a result, provided they have not wintered poorly." E. W. Alexander. — "We like to keep them in the cellar until the most of that chilly weather is past. ' ' When it "has every appearance of bad weather for the morrow, we commence about sundown and car- rv out all of our bees. ' ' * * ^ a -^Tg ^^^ >^ want any to try to fly until they have been out two or three davs. ' ' A B C aiid X Y Z of Bee Culture. — "Advise waiting till the time when natural pollen conies, or in our locality, soft maple bloom." (Endorses Alexander plan.) Setting Out at One Time or in Installments. Langstroth-Dadant. — "If the hives are all removed from the cellar on the same day, there will be little danger of robbing. ' ' * * * "At different times we have seen bees desert their hives." * * * ' ' The worst of these desertions is when the bees have suffered while wintered indoors. ' ' * * * " When such desertion in feared, it is better not to put out more than one dozen colonies at one time, and to prejiare a few dry combs in clean hives, to hive the swarm as soon as possible. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller. — "Some object to taking all the bees out at the same time. " * * * "I have never had much trouble in that way. ' ' M. Quinby. — "Eight or ten hives should be set out at once; after they have been out two or three hours, set out as many more. When all are taken out at one time, they are quite sure to mix and unite with colonies where they do not belong.'" E. W. Alexander. — "We commence about sundow^n and carry out all of our bees — yes, even if it takes not only all night, but into the next day. ' ' ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— When bees are set out two or three different times, those first set out having marked their lo- cations, and having quieted down, are quite liable to rob those set out afterwards." Placing Colonies on Their Old Stands. L. L. Langstroth-Dadant. — "As bees re- member their locations, it is important to return each colony to its own place." Dr. C. C. Miller. — "Sometimes some at- tempt is made to have colonies occupy the same stands they occupied the previous years, but oftener no attention is paid to this. ' ' Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "Colonies which are wintered in the cellar need not be put in the same locations that they occupied the previous year. ' ' M. Quinby. — "They are mpro particularly disposed to do so," (to mix), " wh^n any stands have been changed or set in a new place." * * * "It is an advantage, but not all-important, that each hive occupies its old stand when set out in the spring. To this end, they should be numbered, and Vv'hen brought out they can be placed where they are to remain." E. W. Alexander. — "This loss (from spring dwindling) can also be almost whollj' prevented by placing the hives, when taken from the cellar, so the entrances will face the north." [Evidently not on old stands.] A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— " After bees have been shut up in the cellar over winter they can be placed back on the old stands they formerly occupied or they can be put anywhere in the yard. ' ' Contraction of Entrances. L. L. Langstroth-Dadant. — "The en- trance also must be reduced. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller. — ' ' As soon as my bees are taken out of the cel- lar, the entrances are con- tracted to a hole three- quarters of one inch square. ' ' Dr. E. F. Phillips.— ' ' The entrances may be reduced, or, if necessary, mav be closed with wet cloths." M. Quinby. — "Keep en- trances contracted to pre- , ,. miller. vent robbing. ' ' W, Z. Hutchinson. — "If the entrance is contracted so that only one or two bees can jjass, a strong colony can make no more of a demonstration than a weak one." E. W. Alexander. — "We allow an em- tranee only % by 1 inch, and sometimes less; then when a warm day comes, we enlarge it according to the needs of the colony; then towards night close it again if it i.s likely to turn cold." Other Preventions of Drifting. Among other suggested factors of drift- ing are the following: M. Quinby.— (If they drift) "the best way is to simply change hives, taking the strong one to the stand of the weak one, and the reverse. ' ' Dr. E. F. Phillips.— "It is claimed * * that if the cellar is well aired the night he- fore the bees are to be removed they will be in better comlition and will drift less; but it is not clear what difference this can make unless the clusters are made tighter because of lower temperatures. ' ' Cleaning Hives. There seems to be little question among these authorities that it is sometimes advis- able to clean out the hives early in the spring instead of leaving it for the bees to attend to later. If colonies have wintered as they should, about the only thing tbat can be cleaned out is the propolis. Ai'RiU 1919 GLKANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 217 Spring Protection. L. L. Laiigstroth - Dadaiit. — ''The hives shouhl be loeated in a warm, sunny, well- sheltered place." * * * "The heat should be concentrated in the brood-apart- ment, by all means, and not allow'ed to es- cape above. ' ' Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "It is preferable to provide packing for these colonies even if it is only a wrapping of waterproof i)aper over the hives. ' ' M. Quinby. — ^" Shut off all ujjward venti- lation to retain the warmth. ' ' W. Z. Hutchinson.- — ' ' A sheet of tarred building-paper folded down over the hive, and fastened at the low-er edges by tacking on strips of lath, will answer every pur- pose." * * * "It will save the loss of brood and weak colonies if there comes a ' squaw winter ' in the month of May. ' ' E. W. Alexander. — "I wish to call your attention to the importance of keeping your bees as w^arm as possible all thru the spring. If you can, try to have them set where they will have a natural windbreak of some kind." (See Entrances.) "Also cover your hives with tarred building-pajjer. ' ' * * * "If you will do as I advise, ' ' * * * "so far as keeping them warm is concerned, they will gain fully three weeks' time, over the way thev are generally cared for. ' ' A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— "It may be necessary in some climates, after the bees are set out of the cellar on their summer stands, to provide some sort of pro- tection." * * * "If they are in winter pack- ing-cases" * * "leave the packing on until set- tled warm weather has arrived. ' ' When to Examine the Colonies. L. L. Langstroth. — I)a- dant. — ' ' In early spring. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller. — "I do not want to open up de. e. f. i-hillii'S. the hives except at a time when it is warm enough for bees to fly free- ly. Too much danger of chilling the brood." Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "On a fine warm day w^hen the bees are flying freely, he should make a first general examination. ' ' M. Quinby.— " After the first flight, the queen will commence depositing eggs. Each hive should now be examined to ascertain its exact condition." E. W. Alexander. — "Shortly after taking them from their winter quarters. ' ' ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— "All colonies should be gone over very carefully as soon as bees can fly." Required Stores. L. L. Langstroth - Dadant- — ' ' The bees should be provided with sufficient stores of honey, pollen, and water," « * * "The Ijest way to feed destitute colonies in spring is to give them combs of honey." Dr. C. C. Miller. — "Theoretically at least, I see that every colony as soon as it comes out of the cellar has plenty of stores to last it for some time." * * * "for the ordi- nary colony, the equivalent of two full combs of stores." Dr. E. F. Phillips.— " Whether the bees have sufficient stores he can determine by lifting the hives. " * * * "If food is needed, it may be given rapidly in the form of a thick sugar syrup, or it is even better to give combs of honey." M. Quinby. — ' ' Look well to any scarcity of honey that may occur, and supply all de- ficiencies by feeding." * * * "If any are found destitute of sealed honey, supply them from such as have a surplus, or with combs reserved for the purpose." W. Z. Hutchinson. — "'If the hives are well protected and the bees supplied with an abundance of sealed stores, natural brood-rearing will proceed with sufficient rapidity, early in the spring." E. W. Alexander. — ' ' In the spring, if the bees have little or no honey they should be fed at once five or six barrels to prevent starving . This syrup should be about the consistency of good honey." ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.—' ' Un- less they have two or three combs of honey, stores should be taken from some other colo- nies that can spare them. If no hives have the surplus, the needj' should be fed a thick syrup consisting of two i)arts of sugar to one of water. ' ' The Need of Water in Spring. L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — ' ' Apiarists ill general do not attach enough importance to the necessity of furnishing water to bees in cold springs, in order that they may stay at home in quiet. " * * * " That bees can not raise much brood without water un- less they have fresh-gathered honey, has been known from the time of Aristotle. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller. — ' ' It is important to start the watering-place early in the season, before the bees make a start at some jjump or other place where they will be trouble- some." * * * " (I use a half -barrel), put in as mvich water as you like, and on this put so much of the cork- chips that the water will barely come up enough for the bees to reach." Dr. E. F. Phillips.— ' ' Bees need water for brood -rearing and it sometimes happens in the spring that bees are lost trying to obtain it. If there is no water close at hand, it is often advan- ^^ ouinbv tageous toprovidea watering place in a warm sheltered spot, or near the apiary. ' ' E. W. Alexander. — ' ' They require water at that season as much as they do honey. ' ' ^■' " * " This syrup furnishes both food and water mixed together, which is very necessary to encourage early breeding. ' ' GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture.—' 'fur- nish bees water on the atmospheric princi- ple. " * * * " When bees are compelled to go a distance for water they wear them- selves out unnecessarily, and during chilly weather in the spring, they never get back." Contraction of Brood-chambers. Langstroth - Dadant. — ' ' When such de- sertion is feared," * * * "the capacity of the hives" * * * "should be reduc- ed to suit the size of the swarm, and in- creased cautiously, from time to time, when the bees seem to be crowded. ' ' Dr. JE. F. Phillips. — "The brood-chamber may also be reduced to conserve the heat of the cluster. ' ' M.' Quinby. — "Set aside such combs as are not occupied by the bees, leaving those that contain honey." A B C and X Y Z of Bpe Culture.— "Un- less the colony is very weak, take out the surplus of combs that it does not occupy or use, and crowd the little cluster on as few frames as it can occupy. ' ' Uniting Weak or Queenless Colonies. Dr. C. C. Miller. — ' ' very weak colonies in the spring. HUTCHI.XSON. it seems no use to unite them, for I have united five into one, and the united colony seemed to be no better than one loft separate. About all tliat I try to do is to keep the queen alive until I find some queenless colo- ny with which to unite them." * * "A safe way is to place one hive over the other with a common sheet of newspa- per between." Dr. E. r. Phillips. — "It is often advisable to unite the weak colonies with the medium or strong colonies, " * * * "a simple method of uniting consists in making the weak colony queenless and setting it over the colony with which it is to be united, with a single thickness of newspaper, slight- ly perforated in the center, between the two. " M. Quinby. — ' ' If colonies are found to be queenless, or possessing deficient queens, unite them with others having queens. It will often be judicious to unite weak colo- nies. ' ' E. W. Alexander. — ' ' After the weak colo- nies have a little uncapped brood, set them on top of a strong colony with a queen- excluding honey-board between, aird close all entrances except what they have thru the excluder. This we do about five days after they are taken from the cellar. ' ' * * * "This is, without exception, the best and most practical way of caring for those little weak colonies in early spring that has ever been made public." ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— * ' Where colonies are very weak it may be advisable to unite; but this uniting, if the bees are in the cellar, should take place be- fore they are set out. " * * * " Never unite two weak ones, but add a weak one to a medium, and thus make it strong. ' ' ** * * "moving the weak colony over to the strong one. ' ' Equalizing the Colonies. L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — ' ' The api- arist will learn which colonies require aid, and which can lend a helping hand to oth- ers.' ' Dr. C. C. Miller.—' ' Shall I take frames of brood from the strong colonies to give to the weak ones? Not I. For the damage to the strong colonies will more than over- balance the benefit to the weak ones. If any taking from one colony to give to another is done in the spring, it will be to take from the weak to give to those not so weak. ' ' * * * "Not until a colony has six or eight frames of brood is it desirable to draw from it brood for weaker colonies, and there 's no hurry about it then. ' ' Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "If some hives con- tain more brood than the average, colonies may be equalized by taking combs of emerg- ing brood with the adhering workers away from those abundantly supplied, giving them to weaker colonies, care being exercis- ed not to transfer the queen. The weakest colonies in the apiary should be assisted in this way only after all the others are equal- ized;" * * » "Another method of equalizing is to shake the bees from the frames of a strong colony in front of the entrances of those to be helped." M. Quinby. — ' ' When one hive has an over- supply of bees, and another a very fair, the next day after being set out, I change the weak one to the stand of the strong one, ' ' * * * " cards of brood may often be taken from the best stocks and used to strengthen weaker ones to advantage. ' ' W. Z. Hutchinson. — "If the weak colony is to be strengthened by drawing upon the resources of the strong, I would prefer the plan given in Gleanings by J. L. Byer. " The plan referred to was to shake bees from a strong colony in front of the weak one. He also mentions changing places with weak and strong colonies. E~W.~Alexander. — "We also give them" (colonies with two-year-old queen) "frames of brood from other colonies. ' ' ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.— " The latter will be too strong and the weak too weak. Some have practiced exchanging places with the two colonies." * » * ' ' Colonies that are very strong in the spring will build up faster, relatively, than the weaker ones;, and these can sometimes sup- ply frames of hatching brood and bees to the stocks that are below par." CHpping Queens. L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — "This meth- od will do, provided the apiary ground is bare, so that the queen runs no risk of get- ting lost in the grass. We abandoned it, April, 19 19 GI. EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 219 after having tried it for several years, but wo know of some large apiarists who are successful with it." Dr. C. C. Miller. — "For if a colony should have an undipped queen there is a fair chance that it might swarm and decamp;" » * * Dr. E. F. Phillips.— "The clipping of queens is advantageous in the control of swarms," * * * M. Quinby.^ — ' ' I am satisfied that I have had many fine queens superseded from the dissatisfaction of the bees with a queen with this imperfection. I do not imagine, however, that it is any real detriment to the value of the queen. ' ' W. Z. Hutchinson. — ' ' When swarming is allowed, I believe that the majority of ad- vanced beekeepers now hive their swarms by having the queens ' wings clipped, and allowing the bees to return to their old lo- cation," * * * ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture.—' ' The majority of honey-producers practice what is known as clipping;" * * * "There are very few who believe, or profess to be- lieve that clipping is injurious to the queen. ' ' Stimulative Feeding. L. L. Langstroth - Dadaut. — "To build up strong colonies by feeding requires more care and judgment than any other process in bee culture, and will rarely be required by those who have movable frame hives. ' ' * * * " When bees first begin to fly in the spring, it is well to feed them a little, as a small addition to their hoard en- courages the production of brood." * * * ' ' Colonies which have abundant stores may be incited to breed by simply bruising the cajjpings of a part of their honey. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller. — "But it takes a good deal of wisdom to know at all times just how to manage stimulative feeding so as not to do harm instead of good; and I am not certain that I have the wisdom." * * " If a colony comes out of the cellar strong, and with combs full of stores, I have some doubts if I can hasten its building up by anything I can do. So my feeding in the spring is to make sure they have abundant stores rather than for the stimulation of frequent giving." Dr. E. F. Phillips. — "If a colony has win- tered well, has a good queen, is in a large hive, abundantly supplied with stores, and is well protected from changes in tempera- ture, it is doubtful whether it can be stimu- lated to much greater brood-rearing than these conditions will bring about. Even if stimulative feeding results in increased brood-rearing, as it may under some cir- cumstances, the beekeeper may still find it to be unprofitable practice. ' ' M. Quinby. — ' ' Use honey or thick syrup. ' ' ' ' Care should be taken not to give them too much." "Begin as soon as they will take it up in the spring, and continue in accordance with the weather until white clover blossoms or swarms issue." W. Z. Hutchinson. — "is now looked upon l)y many as of doubtful value;" * * * "The only time that spring feeding is ad- visable is where there is a dearth of nectar, after the early spring flow and before the coming of the main harvest. ' ' E. W. Alexander. — "If made of one pound of sugar to three pounds of water, it gives the best results." * * * "Now, if you have done your duty by your bees since tak- ing them from their winter quarters as I have recommended in the above, keeping them snug and warm, and feeding them a lit- tle thin syrup nearly every day for the first 30 days after they commence to fly, you can have two good strong colonies in the place of one, ready to commence work on your clover harvest," * * * "With us, spring feeding has been the means of our securing fully twice the amount of sur- plus honey from nearly every colony. ' ' A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture.—' ' Ex- perience seems to show that spring feeding very often does more harm that good by over-stimulation. " * * * " Many bee- keepers of experience, especially in some lo- calities, can doubtless practice spring feed- ing to advantage; but as a rule beginners will do better to give all their colonies enough in the fall. ' ' Spreading the Brood. Dr. C. C. Miller.— "For some years I have been of the opinion that for me there is no time when it is profitable to spread brood. " Dr. E. F. Phillips.— ' ' If the brood-cluster is divided and an empty comb is inserted, the bees will at- tempt to cover all the brood, and, in so do- ing, that part of the empty comb which intervenes will be kept warm enough so that the queen will lay eggs therein." * " * " This is attractive in theory, Init in practice is attended with dan- ger, " * * * " The beginner should by all means leave the amount of brood to be determined by the bees." * * * ' ' Stimulative feeding and spreading of brood should not be practiced early in the spring, but should be confined to a period of six or eight weeks just previous to the particular honey flow for which the bee- keei^er is building up his colonies. ' ' M. Quinby. — ' ' It is often best to place these" (empty combs) "in the cen- ter of the strong swarms, in such a position in the brood-nest that the queen will im- mediately occupy them." Pollen Substitutes. L. L. Langstroth - Dadant. — ' ' Dzierzon," early in the spring, observed his bees bring- ing rye meal to their hives from a neigh- boring mill, before they could procure any ALKXANDER. 220 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 pollen from natural supplies. The hint was not lost; and it is now a common practice wherever beekeeping is extensively carried Qj^jj * * * "Shallow troughs or boxes are set not far from the apiaries, filled about 2 inches deep with finely ground, dry, un- bolted, rye meal, oatmeal, or even with flour. ' ' Dr. C. C. Miller. — "I hardly know which is best, and I have of late used principally corn and oats ground together," * * * Dr. E. F. Phillips. — ''It can scarcely be said that we know that the giving of substi- tutes for pollen is serviceable in brood- rearing." * * * "We are not justified in concluding that the giving of substitutes for pollen is useless, however, and no harm- ful results are recorded from the practice." M. QuLnby. — "When practicable feed rye, ground very fine, and unbolted. " « * * ' ' It should be remembered that flour feed is only advantageous in the earliest part of the season." E. W. Alexander. — ' ' Years ago we set out our bees much earlier than we do now, and we frequently gave them rye meal to work on as a substitute for early pollen. This practice caused them to leave their hives in search of flowers many days when the air was too cold for them to fly in the shade, and so we discontinued it some time ago. " WORKERS FOR THE HARVEST THE first of April is a significant date, for our lo- cation, for it marks approxi- mately the date for the begin- ning of the criti- cal brood-rearing period of spring, the period during which the workers for the harvest are reared. Our honey flow may begin about the first of June". It does not always do so but often enough so that we can not aiford to fail to have the bees ready at that time, and we need about two months of constantly in- creasing brood-rearing to get ready for it. Fortunately, in our locality (the clover re- gion), the honey flow comes about two months after the "bees naturally begin brood- rearing in earnest. The workers for the harvest, therefore, are produced largely during the time the colonies are most will- ing to co-operate by rearing the greatest amount of brood, in proportion to their population, of any similar period during the year. Workers for the Harvest Should be Young. Brood-rearing usually begins moderately in April, and, unless something happens to prevent, increases steadily until the first of June or later, so that if there is time enough brood-rearing reaches its maximum about the beginning of the honey flow. This makes the vast majority of the bees in the hives on June first quite young or from brood reared during the month of May. It is fortunate that the bees do it this way in- stead of the other way around, even if they could do it that way, for if many bees were reared in April and few in May, we might have colonies of the same strength so far as numbers are concerned but greatly inferior in ability to gather and store a good crop of honey. We have had many colonies that forged ahead in brood-rearing during April but failed to keep the pace during May on ac- Colonies Should be Built up Prompt- ly and ^ickly for the Honey Flo-w Instead of on the Honey Flow By Belva M. Demuth count of a fail- ing queen or a shortage of stores. In every case, so far as we know, these colonies, in pro- portion to their population, have done the poorest work during the honej^ flow, presumably on account of the greater age of the workers. We have made up colonies at the beginning of the honey flow entirely of field bees, unit- ing the field force from each of several colo- nies for this purpose, and at the same time made up colonies of equal numerical strength but composed entirely of young bees. In every case the difference in the amount of honey stored by the two sets of colonies was overjwhelmingly in favor of those made up of young bees. What Constitutes Strong Colonies. When we speak of the strength of colo- nies we usually mean the number of bees, without reference to the difference in the strength and endurance of the individuals, due to their age. Dr. Miller recently used an apt expression to bring out this distinc- tion when he said, ' ' Strong colonies of strong bees." For best results with our short honey flow it is necessary not only that each colony be built up to its greatest possible numerical strength by the time the iioney fl_ow begins, but also that this build- ing up be done so quickly that most of this great horde of workers shall be young bees, recently emerged,. ready to go into the fray while in possession of the full vigor of their youth. We are accustomed to thinking of these bees, reared at this time, as a special honey- gathering crew whose purpose in life is to- tally different from all the other bees rear- ed during the year, for with our conditions all the bees reared at other times can be use- ful only in the maintenance of the normal strength and prosperity of the colony until Ai'Klt.. 1919 G I^ E A N T N G S IN BEE C U Ti T U R E the arrival of tlie time for another supreme effort next year in the rearing of the crew of workers for the liarvest. A longer honey flow would of course modify this view. This gives to the brood-rearing period of April and May, espeeially the latter month, an iniportan-ee far greater than that of any other similar period during the year, for all other brood-rearing, so far as we are con- eerned, exists for the sake of the brood- rearing during the eight weeks just preced- ing the main lioney flow. What If Locality Affords More Than Two Months of Extensive Brood-rearing Previous to the Honey Flow? We are sometimes inclined to envy those who have a longer time between the be- ginning of brood-rearing in the spring and the main honey flow than our locality af- fords, yet such a condition would probably not give so large a proportion of young bees at the beginning of the honey flow and would result in some of the early reared workers not being utilized to best advan- tage. I can see how colonies might be built up strong enough to divide six or eight weeks before a later honey flow, if the main honey flow should come so late that this could be done, then both colonies en- couraged to multiply quickly their numbers fivefold before the honey flow begins. Whatever the date for the beginning of the main honey flow we can not afford to have even the slightest interference with brood- rearing during the preceding six or eight weeks. Spring Manipulations. We find ourselves handling the bees less and less during the spring, as the years go by. The colonies wintered outdoors are not unpacked until about the last week in May. If queenless colonies are found earlier, they are united with colonies whose population is below the capacity of the queen. If there are any very weak ones, no attention is paid to them except to try to find the cause of weakness in order to avoid such colonies in the future, for we have never found it profitable to spend time nursing along very weak colonies in the spring. We have been thru the mill of stimulative feeding, spread- ing brood, and other early spring nursing, and doubt if any of this has ever been profit- able. W^e simi^ly try to see that every colo- ny has what it needs for best development at this time and then leave them alone. If they have good vigorous queens and are normal as to number and vitality of work- ers the first of April, there are but few things that can happen during April and May to i^revent rousing colonies by the first of June. These few things, however, are extremely important, since any one of them may cause good colonies to drop out of the race just before reaching the goal toward which we have been working since last August. Among the dangers that threaten the colonies at this time are a failure of or some accident to the (lueen, insufficient room for brootl-reariiig to the greatest capacity, and insufficient stores (either from the fields, feeders, or stored in the hives) to stimiilal(^ uiii-estricted V)rood-i'earing. More Room Needed for Brood-rearing. Well-wintered colonies of normal strength and conditions usually, sometime in May, need more room for brood-rearing than that afforded by a single brood-chamber of 10- frame Langstroth capacity, especially if the single brood-chamber must contain both the stores needed at this time and the brood- rearing space. We have added to the equip- ment of each colony an extra brood-chamber to give room for the greatest possible devel- opment of each colony previous to the hon- ey flow. This adds considerably to the cost of a comb-honey equipment, but with our conditions it also adds handsomely to the season 's profits. Besides acting as a safety valve for the expanding brood-nest this extra brood-chamber when supplied with five or six frames of honey makes one of the best feeders to stimulate brood-rearing I have ever seen. Importance of Abundance of Stores. One of the hardest things we have had to learn is the large amount of stores needed for this heavy brood-rearing. When the bees have no opportunity to gather from the fields because of cold or wet weather the honey stored in the hives disappears with surprising rapidity. From some experiments which he conducted some years ago, R. L. Taylor concluded that it requires about a frame of honey to produce a frame of brood. It is difiicult to realize that the 10 to 12 or m-ore frames of brood which we hope to have in the hives on June first will cost the equivalent of as many frames of honey, yet many times we have seen several frames of sealed honey disappear during cold rainy weather in May, and brood appear in its place. We occasionally have a good honey flow from apple blossoms and have had the second story filled with honey from this source, but instead of being able to extract a crop of apple-blossom honey we have had to be content to see most of it disappear and frames of brood take the place of the frames of honey. Whenever this has oc- curred in our apiaries, all colonies that were at all well wintered have produced a fair crop of honey even during the i:>oorest sea- sons and bumper crops in good seasons. "Strong colonies of strong bees" (strong for the season) on April first, to which are added more stores than they can possibly use and more vacant cells for brood-rearing than they can fill, make a combination that practically insures a fivefold increase in population, by June first. The miracle of large increase is worked in the months of April and May — more in May than in April. Then, with strong colonies an accomplished fact, the mighty hordes of workers for the harvest leap into being at the very nick of time FOR the honey flow, instead of build- ing up later ON the honey flow. 222 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, By Grace Allen — Chapter III BEEKEEPERS ONE morning Mr. and Mrs. Lowe and Anne Lester stepped out on the side porch after breakfast, and stood look- ing a few minutes at the beauty of the April morning. "It feels like Sunday," Anne remarked. "That's because we had waffles for break- fast," smiled Mrs. Lowe. "Maybe so. I never had them at home except on Sunday. And then the orchard is so dressed-up and blossomy — and so quiet, as if everything was waiting for the ser- mon." "Or the benediction," Mrs. Lowe added softly. Anne turned swiftly. ' ' Don 't you love the benediction better than any other part of church? It's so — so sort of — " "Holy," finished Mrs. Lowe simply. Anne nodded. It was very quiet for a few minutes. Then the girl started down the steps, calling Shep. "I've just got to get out into this," she declared. "Shep, race me to the orchard!" Off they ran. When they came loitering back half an hour later, Anne was bearing boughs of apple bloom. ' ' What did you find in the orchard, Anne?" asked Daddy Lowe. "These," Anne answered, laying the blossomy branches in Mother Lowe's lap, and sitting on the step near her rocker; "with bees humming in them till the trees sounded like giant cats purring in the sun. It-'s a thrilly morning." ' ' Shep, ' ' warned Mother Lowe, ' ' don 't you go getting temperamental, and start chasing purring trees!" Anne laughed. Then Daddy Lowe rose. " I 'm going into the bees today. Anybody going along?" "Yes, and can't I really help?" Anne asked. "Not much at first. But you can learn." "You see, if I'd stayed in town, I'd have been deep in Eed Cross work and other war work. I've got to do something that counts. If I can help produce some honey, that will be very much worth while. Of course, now that I 've learned to knit ' ' — laying a grate- ful hand on Mrs. Lowe's knee — "I expect to do a lot of that, too, but — " ' ' Don 't you stay indoors, child, and settle down to knitting mornings like this," Mrs. Lowe interrupted. "Go on out and fuss with the bees." A little later Daddy Lowe and Anne were in the shop at the edge of the bee-yard. "Put on one of these veils," he directed. He lighted the smoker, in which Anne was much interested. Then he brought out two hive-seats. ' ' Such handy little seats, ' ' Anne approv- ed, "with places to put things on each side," A few deft, strong motions with the hive- tool, and Daddy Lowe had raised a super enough to puff a bit of smoke in gently. Then he set the super off. Anne drew a quick breath. "Is that all bees?" she de- manded, awed, looking in the open hive. ' ' Bees and combs and honey and pollen and brood and — •" "Thanks. Just which is which?" Daddy Lowe loosened the comb nearest his side and drew it out, dry and empty. "Sometimes I start removing combs from one place and sometimes from another," he remarked. "I could see there were no bees over here, so it was easy to take this one out first, and give more room to work with the others. This, then, is merely empty comb, such as you have already seen in the shop. ' ' Loosening the other combs, he crowded part of them over towards the empty space, and gently lifted one from near the center. It was covered with bees crawling appar- ently aimlessly over its surface. ' ' Laying queen, all right, ' ' he announc- ed with satisfaction. "Where?" with some excitement. ' ' Not on this comb. I haven 't seen her, but there must be one, because — look." Then he showed her the hope of the hive, the brood, the wonderful early stages of bee life. ' ' Oh, I can 't see the woods for the trees! ' ' she wailed despairingly. "I can neK^er learn about bees where there are so many of them." "Don't call this a lot," he admonished. ' ' Wait till summer, when there really are some." He gave the comb a quick shake, and off dropped most of the bees. Then he handed it over to the girl. "Now!" she exulted. "Can you see the eggs?" he asked. She could not. So he went round to her side, tipping the comb so that the light struck into the cells where the fairy-like eggs lay. ' ' You mean those tiny white curvy things'?" she queried incredulously. "Those? Are they dreaming there of wings, those little wee specks? Thev reallv think they'll get them?" "The wonder of it is they'll get them without thinking about it at all. The scien- tists would object mightily to your putting a dream inside one of them!" "I didn't put it. God did. Else the wings would never grow. And no doubt can shoo it away. It- mayn 't be like what we call dreams, but it's there, something that urges and reaches out and grows and start- ed with the beginning?, of things. Assuming, of course, that these renl'y are eggs." "They really are eggs. Look further and \ou '11 see the lar\-£e. " "The M'orms — ch, yes! The little old fat things! Aren't they roly-poly? Here are ArRii.. 1919 G r. E A N I N G S IN BEE C IM. T U H E some riijht little ones, tho — evidently just hatched out. But isn 't it too bad to have to be a worm in order to get wings, and fly?" Daddy Lowe smiled. "Sometime we'll talk that out," he promised. "But now let's finish with this comb, so we can go on with our work. Inside the cells that are sealed with the brown coarse covering, the worms are getting their wings. The cells around the top, with a lighter seal, contain honey." Anne was so interested that she yielded the comb reluctantly. But when Daddy Lowe, drawing out another, announced the queen on it, she fluttered over to his side, all excitement. "You beauty!" was all she said, "You slim golden beautj'! " ' ' Do you see that the wings on one side are clipped off?" the man asked. "Sure enough," she agreed; "Why?" ' ' To keep her from flying away with a swarm. And that keeps the swarm from flying off, for they won't go without their queen. ' ' One after another the combs were ex- amined, Daddy Lowe marking down in a record book the estimated amount of stores and brood on hand — or food and babies, as Anne said. "When I find about how the different colonies are running," he explain- ed, "I shall probably take some honey and some brood away from part of them to give to those a little backward." In another hive he pointed out the pollen cells, packed with their hard, dry, varicolor- ed treasure. "And you've seen the bees coming in loaded with pollen, haven't you? They 're bringing in a lot today. ' ' "You mean those bright balls sticking on their legs? Yes, I was going to ask j^ou about them. Is that pollen?" "Yes, that's pollen. They gather it from different flowers and pack it into their pol- len baskets, an arrangement of hairs on the back legs, and bring it home." In still another hive an undipped queen was found. "Superseded," rernarked Dad- dy Lowe, "that is, the bees raised a young queen and made way somehow with their old one. My record shows the other to have been clipped. And soon it will show this one clipped. ' ' Deftly he picked up the royal lady by her wing, quickly putting the tip of the first finger of his left hand under her; and when the little feet grasped the finger, the thumb closed gently but tightly upon them, hold- ing her fast, even after her wings were re- leased. Then with the free right hand, he picked up his scissors and skillfully cut off the wings on one side. Anne let go her breath. "That looks like a delicate operation," she said appreciatively, "and delicately done. I'd likely kill her." ' ' Hardly that, but you might injure her the first trial. Sometime you shall experi- ment with a drone. They 're not so precious as queens. ' ' "What a good idea! And now. Daddy Iiowe, you've told me a lot and shown me more, and I am most grateful. But I know I'm bothering. So please go on and don't pay any more attention to me. I'll stay and watch, but I'll keep my questions till later. It '11 mean a lot to me to see just how you do when you 're not being interrupted. ' ' Daddy Lowe took her at her word. Hive after hive he opened and looked thru, the girl sitting opposite him, watching closely but seldom speaking. Finally, however, she failed to follow, as he moved on to other hives. Quietly, veil turned back, she sat watching the bees drop in from their flights, heavy with their precious treasure brought from afar. Their rapturous humming moved her deeply. Some of them, she knew, were bringing in nectar, tho it was nowise to be seen. Others came careening under great burdensome balls of the gay dust of flow- ers. "I believe you're bringing home the rainbow, ' ' she said softly, ' ' violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red. No wonder you sing as you come. ' ' "Daddy Lowe," she called presently, "I'm going over to the hill and watch the orchards bloom. ' ' "Tell them for me you're a good watcher, and no trouble. Better take Shep along. ' ' Anne laughed and called the dog. From the side of the hill Mr. Lowe 's modest or- chard stretched out to meet his wealthy neighbor 's extensive one. Anne looked down on the April beauty as on Fairyland itself. All the thrill and youth of the spring was reflected in the eager face. But gradually the glow died away, and the young eyes grew sad. "It's not like this over there," she thought, seeing the orchard thru a sudden blur. " It 's April, but it isn 't like this. Boys are dying. They are killing each other. Oh, Robert, my brother Robert, how about you?" Then quite suddenly, a great sob broke thru, and Anne dropped in a little heap on the side of the hill and cried like a child. She was not given to crying, but she was very young and the world 's tragedy and sadness overwhelmed her. "Shep," she said gravely as she rose a little later, "please don't think I'm a cry baby. I'm going home to Mother Lowe. She 's little and old and as frail as an apple blossom, but I believe she 's stronger and braver than I. I can beat you to the mul- berry tree, tho, and don't mind proving it. Come on! " And with a smile resolutely shining thru the tears, she dashed home with Shep. En- tering the yard, she saw Daddy Lowe talk- ing with a young man whose face was turn- ed away from her direction. Shep started over to investigate. Anne did not. "Theo- dore Robinson!" she gasped, and fled into the house. "Mrs. Lowe!" she called, "where are you? I've come in to knit." (To be Continued.) GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 f^!Pi^^S FROM THE^FIEIDOFEXPERIE iTA,. BIG BEEKEEPING POSSIBILITIES In the Extensive Region of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan As a result of many inquiries received rluriiig the past two years I submit the fol- lowing information which I gained thru a personal visit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the summer of 1918. Alsike clover grows in great abundance in all parts, whether wooded or cleared, ex- cepting on the sand plains and some of the very rocky hills. Any one who has never seen alsike growing in Cloverland would hardly believe a statement of the prolific- ness and abundance of this very valuable honey jilant. This is by far the most valua- ble source of nectar in Upper Michigan. Firew^eed, or epilobium, grows in profusion in the districts where fire has burned off the other herbage wdthin one or two years. This plant furnishes a heavy secretion which makes one of the finest of honeys, but it is not dependable. It becomes crow^ded out wdthin a few years after a fire has covered the territory. Bed raspberry grows in abun- dance on the uncultivated hardwood land. This plant furnishes a quite dependable source of nectar and is only second in im- portance to alsike clover. Basswood has been a common tre«, but in most sections it has been lumbered off until it is of small relative importance. There are, however, some locations where basswood forms one of the chief sources of nectar. It is not de- pendable from year to year, but furnishes a very heavy flow occasionally. Goldenrod grows principally on the heavy land, but is also found to a certain extent along the edges of the sand plains. In seasons when the temi^erature and moisture are favorable it is an important source of fall honey. Aster is scattered over most of the territory and, true to its characteristics in the North, yields a very late flow which is not usually ripened and which granulates in the comb. Other minor sources of nectar are wild cher- ry, dandelion, boneset, sweet clover, Can- ada thistle, hard and soft maples. Those plants which grow in the sun naturally yield nectar first, while those which grow in the shade furnish a later flow. The main honey flow begins about the last week in June and continues thru the blooming of red rasp- berry, alsike, and fireweed. This usually covers a period of about six weeks. One peculiarity of the Upper Peninsula which appeals to most beekeepers is the ab- sence of drought. The records of the wea- ther bureau for years back show that rain falls with surprising consistency during the summer months. The daytime temperature during the period of nectar secretion is usu- A typical apiary in tlu' NovtliL'Ui Pyniiisula of Michigan, localcd at Iron Mountain, Dickinson County. April, mM! ( ; I . I : \ \ 1 N ( ; (' r r. T T' i; k FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE ally warm, but rarely hot. One can wear a light coat with comfort all thru the sum- mer. The nights are usually cool and 5.om(>- times quite cohl. For tliis reason the writei- docs not exjiect that this region will become famous in the jjroduction of comb honey. Light frosts are expected in some parts dur- ing each month of the summer. These frosts, however, are not usually so severe as to interfere with nectar secretion. The soil on which the neetar-seereting flowers giow is chiefly clay, much of this be- ing of a reddish color. The glaciers, which once covered this region, left numerous de- posits of clay se}>arated by plains of sand. The sand plains are of no value to the bee- keeper. There are several ridges of high and rocky hills, and in this territory it is not believed that commercial honey produc- tion would be profitable. Most of the soil, however, lies in level or gently rolling areas. The rural population is such as would naturally be found in a new country. Farm homes are generally few and scattered, as one recedes from the larger cities. Around the cities the poi)ulation is as dense and the land as well tilled as in our older com- Bee-yard locaKid in a youii^- Urcharil in Chippewa County. munities. The peojjle have gone there not only from all parts of the United States, but a large jjroportion were born in foreign countries, including Norway, Sweden, Rus- sia, Germany, and other parts of Europe. Good schools and churches are available and the peojile are in many ways more enterpris- ing than in older communities. Bees are wintered in the same manner as in southern Michigan. Some use single-wall hives and allow the bees to remain on their summer stands thruout the winter. Others use double-wall hives, some use special pack- ing cases and some winter in the cellar. Bees winter more successfully without protection than they do in central and southern Michi- gan. This is because the snows come early before the ground has had an opportunity to freeze. One snow follows another until the hives may be buried under from four to eight feet of snow. There is sufficient air Volunteer alsike on cut-over land. in the loose snow to furnish oxygen for the needs of the bees. Howev^er, there comes an occasional winter when there is very lit- tle snow and when the temperature may go even to 3.5 below zero and then few bees survive. Judging from what could be learn- ed from the beekeepers regarding their ex- perience, the wintering of bees in a properly constructed cellar or in tenement pacKing cases brings results that are entirely satis- factory. The roads between the various cities are generally good. There are hundreds of miles of the finest macadam and pavement. Within a very short time it will be possible to travel between all of the county-seat towns on some of the finest roads in Ameri- ca. The markets for honey naturally are very good, as up to the present time not sufficient honey has been produced to satisfy local demands. Anyone interested in this territory should write to the county agricultural agents whose addresses are as follows: For Chip- pewa County, County Agrl. Agent, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.; for Luce County, County Agrl. Agent, Newberry, Mich.; for Dicken- son County, County Agrl. Agent, Iron Moun- tain, Mich.; Ontonagon County, County Agrl. Agent, Ontonagon, Mich.; for Hough- ton County, County Agrl. Agent, Houghton, Field of Firewei 226 G L E A N I N G S I N FROM THE FIELD BEE CULTURE April, 1919 OF EXPERIENCE Alsike clover and raspberry. Mich.; for Menominee Couixty, County Agrl. Agent, Menominee, Mich.; for Iron County, County Agrl. Agent, Crystal Falls, Mich.; for Gogebic County, County Agrl. Agent, Ironwood, Mich.; for Baraga County, Coun- ty Agrl. Agent, L'Anse, Mich.; for Alger County, County Agrl. Agent, Munising, Mich. B. F. Kindig. East Lansing, Mich. [Our cover picture shows a typical scene in the Northern Peninsula before the timber has been cut off. — Editor.] WHAT ONE MISTAKE DID A Bee Escape That Didn't Work Well as a Bee Confiner — Then Trouble ' ' No, I 'm disappointed in Kipling nowa- days. He should have written a much bet- ter story about bees; and it's not particular- ly funny either! " Thus spoke the writer after reading a short story by Kipling called "The Vortex,'.' dealing with the terrorization of an English village by two angry swarms of bees which had broken out of their hives in an accident while being moved. This at ten o 'clock in the morning just (as fate would have it) be- fore beginning maneuvers with my own bees. It is now two o'clock, and the odor of witch hazel pervades the atmosphere. T am an enthusiastic beekeeper of the gentler sox, and wish very much to take off a little surplus honey to eat and sell; so, all the big honey flows being over in this neigh- borhood till the fall flow from goldenrod and aster, I was inspired with the very bril- liant idea of transporting a hive of bees to the edge of a large pond six miles away, which is surrounded with quantities of clethra — that fragrant blossoming shrub known by some as spice brush — which is now in full bloom. I thought that I, altho the owner of only six hives, could have my little experimentation on a small and modest scale. It was an experiment in very truth, but far from small and modest! Selecting the hive, I put wire netting over all the entrance but a small place in which I stuck a Porter bee-escape, that the field bees might get back in their hive again. The bee-escape is an invaluable little invention made with two steel springs thru which the bees can get out but not crawl back again. In this in- stance I reversed it so that the bees could get into the hive but not come out. Then strong cleats were put on, to hold the hive- body and bottom-board together, and the cover nailed down. After all but a dozen field bees were in I put the hive in the back of my buggy and started off in a hurry to get my sister-in-law and take her to the train on my way to the pond. As I neared her house (a quarter of a mile away) I noticed some bees flying about the back of the bug- gy, but supposed they were some of the field bees which were persistently following their peripatetic home. When I stopped, quite a bevy surrounded us ; and my sister, who was about to get in, waved her parasol frantical- ly about, performed some odd gyrations, and dashed into the house. ' ' Hurry up and get in, " I shouted. "They're all right, only hurry up. They're not stinging me, you see. ' ' ' ' Darn it, ' ' she answered, most profanely, " I don't care whether they're stinging you or not. They 're stinging me. ' ' I waited no longer, but, touching the horse, trotted down the road at a good swift pace, thinking to out-distance the pursuers; but, not at all. More and more came, and then came the stings. I looked back, and a stream of living javelins were issuing from the hive, burying their weapons in the back of my neck, and occasionally darting on to stab the horse 's flanks or quarters. The Porter bee-escape had worked loose. What should I do? I could not stop and plug up the entrance; for when I slackened speed the attacking forces were overpower- ing. Many tales had I heard of plunging horses being stung to death by infuriated bees, and I wanted no such experience for the horse or myself either. Without stop- ping at all I leaned over and jerked a light carriage robe over the hive as well as I could. Tho not absolutely efiicient it help- ed a good deal. On we raced, the bees tear- ing after — occasionally a muttered word and a vicious slap in the hair at the back of my neck, or a sting scraped from my wrist. At irregular but frequent intervals the horse woiild suddenly bound ahead at amazing spurts of speed. But ever, like evil demons, were those creatuies behind and around us. I knew we must keep going or the horse would be stung to death. The Lord only knew how it would end, anyhow. We met an acquaintance who smiled and bowed pleasantly. There was no use of warning her, for the evil had been done; so I also bow- ed and smiled, and wondered how long she April, 1919 Ox L K A N T N G S I N B K K C V I, T U K E 227 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE would look ami feel that way. Somehow I felt that if I could only get home the hor^^c could be put under cover and I could "lie low" myself. At last I found a place to turn, in a neighbor's driveway. We gallop ed around the circle and finally headed home. Only ten minutes more of agony. Luckily a man was drinking water at the roadside pump in front of the stable. I screamed at him long before he could possibly hear me. Finally he heard, but seemed unusually slow of comprehension. But when we stopped he rushed up with a blanket to cover the now plunging horse, and I must admit I have never seen a horse unharnessed faster in my life. Into the stable we rushed, all three, closing the door and windows tight. Oh, what a blessed haven of refuge that dark stable seemed! Nerves had been stretched so tight that another instant with those " most marvelous and extraordinary little creatures ' ' and the nerves would have snapped completely. Peeking out thru the stable window I saw what was to me now a most amusing series of moving pictures. First came the butcher 's boy, feet on dasher, cigarette between teeth, jogging placidly along with an old and faithful horse; but on drawing even with the deserted buggy with its vicious load, what a transformation scene took place, my friends. From his mouth flew the cigarette, from the dasher his feet. For a moment hands were busy slap- ping and tearing the air; then old Dobbin felt the whip descend on his fat flanks as never before. In a cloud of dust and bees they disappeared. My little nephew coming up the road suddenly clapped his hand on his eye and ran for home, yelling lustily all the while. Then the men in the garden dropped their hoes and took to their heels, pulling out much hair on the way to the barn. Soon the place was deserted, and Apis Mellifica reigned supreme. ilow T restored the bees to their original hearthstone without loss of life or anything more valuable than temper, which I do not in the least mean to underrate, would make another story. But now as I sit, hand-glass in hand, gaz- ing mournfully over my shoulder at the reflection of thirty-eight bee-stings on the back of my neck, I remark critically and with great decision, " That story of Kip- ling's is not so bad after all." Josephine Morse. South Lancaster, Mass. Fig. 1. — Stick the sheet of I'oiuidatiun lo tlie top-bar by using the fingers. much better than any other metthod in vogue. I like it so well that I think every beekeeper ought to know about it. It saves time and makes a better job than any wedge method whether driven in a groove or nail- ed. Also it eliminates the necessity of mak- ing any cuts or grooves in the top-bar of the .frame, thus making it simpler to make and stronger and better to nail to. Fig. 1 shows the first operation. I stand the frame up on the top-bar as shown and just back of it lies an imbedding board exactly the thickness of the toi^-bar of the frame. I lay a sheet of foundation on this board, then slide it towards me until it is 2. — The rounded stick, notched at the end, used to rub the foundation fast to the top-bar. just flusTi with the edge of the top-bar near- est me. Then I press it on to the wood with the tips of my fingers as shown. By using all the fingers of both hands for this work it is very quickly done. The foundation should be soft enough to stick to the wood when pressed firmly with the fingers. It is now ready for the second operation, which is done with a specially shaped stick IT WORKS VERY SATISFACTORILY A New Way of Fastening Foundation in Frames That Does the Business During the past two seasons I have used a method of fastening foundation in brood- and extracting-frames that I think is very r-'ia -Showing the work* of rubbing the founda- tion firnilv onto the frame. C; T. R .\ N T N G S IN BEE C TT I. T U R E Aprit,, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE as shown in Fig. 3. The stick is made out of a piece of hardwood about five or six inches long and about three-fourths of an inch in diameter and looks like tlie drawing in Fig. 2. The notch in the end of the stick should be about one-fourth of an inch deep and as long as half the width of the top- bar you are using. This notch should also be polished smooth. The second operation consists simply in rubbing the foundation fast to the top-bar with the above-mention- ed stick; and to keep the stick from stick- ing to the foundation I keep it in a small can of water standing near me, as shown in Fig. 1. When the foundation is soft enough to work well it can be rubbed on to the frame in this manner so firmly that it will never fall off. I have hauled several boxes of foundation thus fastened 20 miles over lOugh roads in a hard-riding truck with solid rear tires and never had a sheet fall. After the foundation is fastened it is a simple matter to tip the frame over on the imbedding board and imbed it. Also, if you use a spur-wheel imbedder, the rubbing stick can be made on the handle of it, and you have the whole outfit in one tool. After a few trials you will find this method easily twice as fast as any wedge or waxing meth- od ilnd a far better job when done. Another advantage is that if an occasional sheet should come loose (which is very rare), it can be easily refastened by rubbing it with your hive-tool. I did not originate this method, but it was shown me by a beekeeper from Texas, and he claimed it was used considerably there. Joseph H. Peterson. Garland, Utah. THE N. Y. STATE SHORT COURSE The Kind of Instruction that is of Great Value to Commercial Beekeepers I attended the commercial beekeepers ' course held at Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., the last week in February, with the special object of getting, if possible, some information from Dr. E. F. Phillips concern- ing the ' ' disappearing disease, ' ' in his dis- cussion of "Diagnosis and Treatment of Bee Diseases. ' ' But I got nothing new. How- ever, I stumbled — yes, stumbled — upon a course of lectures which well repaid me for my trip. In fact, I would not care to place a monev value upon the information secur- ed. The line of talk given is on a higher level than any other bee-talks I ever heard. It went down to foundation truths, giving the result of carefully conducted experiments after carefully thought-out plans, which left Some Handy Devices for the Amateur Beekeeper's Workshop. (See descrip- tion below.) In the upper left-hand corner is tlic pi nn. m ,i ilpvice for cutiinu suimi- foundation for sections of any size. At the upper ria;ht-hand coincj' is a tin can with top and Lottuni removed and used as a chimney for an ordinary lamp and al^o for holding' the cup in which wax is heated. The lower left-hand corner shows a device for puttinsr foundation in four sections, with wax and brush. The remaining illustration is a rack for holding shallow frames when putting in foundation. April, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U L T U K E FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 229 the doubter no ground upon wliich to stand. For instance, I found out that as long as a colonj' liad enough empty cells in the combs to accommodate a cluster one could not give too much winter stores; and I had it brought home to me as never before that perhaps I have been too stingy about giving colonies plenty of stores to be turned by them into young bees. Again, they pretty well demonstrated that even I should pay more attention to requeening colonies; also that the 12-frame Langstroth hive is not too large for a young queen, but too small. Again, it was brought out very clearly that in the vast majority of cases a colony did not reach the peak of its strength when the surplus-honey flow started, but after — this being a loss in honey production. G. S. Demuth gave valuable addresses right thru. Geo. H. Eea, who has been con- nected with the extension work at Washing- ton, gave the best method of queen-rearing, on which those present took careful notes. There were at least 137 students, among them extensive and well-known beekeepers. Ninety-three of them produced nearly 900,- 000 pounds of honey last year. This was compiled from records sent in without names so no one would be disposed to ex- aggerate. C. P. Dadant, Hamilton, 111., gave "The Dadant System" of honey production; and so convincing were his arguments for a deeper frame for the brood-chamber, and a larger brood-chamber, that the writer of this article, altho previously considering himself a large-brood-chamber beekeeper, felt that he had erred on the small side. Many others received the same impression ; and should this educational work continue, as, in the interests of beekeeping, it is to be hoped it will, we may expect a breakaway to that system by men who want to reduce the cost of honey production. The writer would strongly recommend to any one wanting up-to-date information in becdvceping not to hesitate to go hundreds of miles to attend such lectures. E. F. Holtermann. Brantford, Out. HIS START WITH BEES Some Quite Lively Times Around This Amateur Beekeeper's Home On Feb. 10, 1918, I went to a public sale, where they put up two stands of bees in homemade hives, but in fairly good condi- tion. I had no more idea of buying them than I have of buying German war bonds; but a friend of mine said to me, ' ' You have had everything from cows down to white mice; now why not buy the bees?" I said to him: "Gee, Bill, they would sting me. " He said: "No, they won't. I had bees for five years till my wife made me get rid of them. Yon can make some money with them too, and I will show you how." Well, I bought them, giving .$8.00 for the one stand, and took them home with me in a closed wagon. On the way the jolting of the wagon caused the bee's to come out and look around. Bill put one on his hand and wanted to allow it to crawl on my hand; but there was absolutely nothing doing. Still, it put more confidence in me; and with a little coaching on his part everything went along lovely until in March when I placed them just" next to my barn. One day, a little later, I was plowing, and stop- ped my horses near the stand; but, believe me, the bees made the horses move. One of them was covered with bees; a few stung me, but it did not swell any. Say — I got the horse into the barn and made straight for the grocery for a quart of gasoline. When I got back with it Bill said: ' ' What are you going to do ? " "I am going to get rid of those bees," I answered, and added some very beautiful adjectives. Bill said, "Now jiist set that can down and listen to me." I did so, and he said the whole trouble was my own fault in leaving the horses standing so close to the hive that they got to jerking and shaking their heads every time a bee went past, until the little bees thought the horses were after them, and they went to work to defend their home. Well, from that time on I liad bees in my bonnet, bees in my clothes, and, in fact, ail over me, yet I have not felt many stings. Some time in June the bees swarmed, and I hived them all alone. I also bought a stand fiom a friend, caught a swarm, found a swarm, and my first colony threw off an- other swarm in July, which I hived. By this time I had been from one end of the hive fo the other — knew all about different kinds of bees and queens^ and became so much interested in them that my wife said I had bee-mare instead of nightmare. She claimed I took all of the drawers out of the dresser one night hunting for the queen. This year I had an average of 60 pounds of honey from my five stands of bees, and a beeman said there was at least 7.5 or 80 pounds of honey in the brood-frames, be- cause some of the hives w^ere very heavy. I left all of my colonies outdoors all winter. I have a fence on the north, and I put a roof over the top of the colonies, so they would be protected all around. My wife was afraid of them at first, but now she goes right up to the hives. We eat on an average three pounds of honey a week, and are using it instead of sugar. Many people try to discourage me in keeping ;'bees; but after looking at the places in which they themselves kept bees, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE and the hive they used, it is no wonder they think it unprofitable. Such dirty, un- kempt hives, homemade hives, with any kind of top, and slats for a foundation! I really believe the bees died or abandoned these, simply from discouragement. Why shouldn 't they? H. E. Payne. Springfield, O. THE TWO-POUND PACKAGE The Reason for and the Result of Long-distance Purchases of Bees Having had a few years' experience in caring for bees, during which time I read considerable of the best literature on the subject, and being desirous of increasing the size of my apiary and its output and get- ting some valuable experience and first- hand information along a comparatively new line, I decided early in 1918 to order some bees from the South in combless pack- ages. As the two-pound package was the smallest that seemed at all advisable, I de- cided to conduct my experiments with it. The next question was when to have them shipped, and I studied my memorandum for 1917, which said that on Mar. 20 bees were working industriously on soft-maple buds along the river bottoms. By Apr. 15 they were busy on the cottonwood and a week later on the ash and box elder. Very soon after this apple, plum, and other fruits began to furnish pollen and nectar, so I de- cided to place my order for just as early shipment as the breeder could get them out, which promised to be near Apr. 15. I plac- ed two small orders with Alabama men for shipment on Apr. 15 and one order with a Texas man, who promised to start the ship- ment about Apr. 20. One shipment of four two-pound packages with untested queens arrived from Alabama Apr. 22 and the bees were hived in 8-frame dovetailed hives, with six empty combs and two combs partly filled with honey. The cages were sprinkled with sugar syrup, opened, and placed in an empty super on top of the frames arranged for the bees to occupy. Some of the cages were soon emptied as the bees went down to the combs, while others had to be shaken or the qu'?en found and put below with a cluster of bees, after which I shook out the re- maining bees into the super and put on the cover. Two of these four, colonies were run for comb honey and two for extracted. One colony gave me 151 finished sections, which (figured at 25 cents a section — the price for which most of my honey was sold) were worth $37.75. Deducting the cost (which was $4.2"% per package, inclvuling express) the profit on this colony in seven months was$33.52i^,and there was left in the brood- chamber enough honey to winter them. This must have been an excellent queen, for the next best record in the apiary was 130 fin- ished sections, made by a colony wintered over. The second-package colony run for comb honey yielded 58 sections, which was considerably below the average for the api- ary. However, the average for the two colonies, 104 V^ pounds, was above the aver- age for the apiary. My second order to an Alabama man for six jjackages was never filled, but after some correspondence the advertiser was prevailed upon to return the purchase price, which he did about midsummei'. Had this man known that by accepting my order and holding my money, he was depriving nie of an oppor- tunity to place this money where I could have made it earn a clear hundred dollars in seven months, perhaps he would not have booked 0}'ders far beyond his capacity to fill. But the man from Texas was all right. On Apr. 27 his shij^ment of 20 packages ar- rived and was hived as the others were. In just 10 days, on May 7, some of these queens had sealed brood in two frames — pretty good evidence that they got to work as soon as they stiuck the combs. One of these colonies was run for comb honey and yield- ed 87 finished sections worth $21.75, from which, after deducting the purchase price which was $3,431/2, we have a net profit of $18.31%, and stores for winter. I started two of those Texas colonies as comb-honey colonies, but one of them swarmed when the first sujier was about half-full and I put them back and gave them an extracting super. No per-colony record was kept of those run for extracted honey; but the package bees did about as well as the other bees. I am sure that some of them surpassed some of the home-wintered colonies. Of the 24 packages one queen was superseded, and two of the others proved such jioor queens that I replaced them with cells from good queens. On the whole, I was well satisfied with both shipments. They came thru in good shape, were easily transferred from cage to hive, and were money-makers. I would like to get such packages by Apr. 1 if I could, but Apr. 15 is about as early as the Southern men will ship. If one has empty combs to hive them on and one or two combs containing four or five pounds of honey, the bees, at that season and in this locality, will get plenty of pollen for brood- rearing. E. E. Banta. Oquawka, 111. [There is little question that these long- distance purchases may be made to pay well. From this article we infer that the brood- chambers were not contracted to the size of the cluster and that no brood was given the bees on their arrival. Had this been done, wouldn't the crop have been larger? — Ed.] c ur APRIL, 1919 WHERE was your blue pencil, Mr. Editor, when you let " Our Food Page" get by you in March Gleanings? All that about pick- ing fruit off the tree in winter (it was zero here March 1), grapefruit at 20 cents a dozen, and things like that to make our mouths water and to make us wish we were millionaires so we could mount a flying-machine for Florida. Have a heart, Mr. Editor, and look out what that Puerden woman gets in hereafter. * * * Not more than a quart of dead bees in the Medina cellar in the first month or so, but wait till the last month. * * * In one respect the National convention at Chicago was better than any other I ever attended — more women there. With two such women as Mrs. Allen and Miss Fowls, it just had to be a good convention. » * * ' ' The extent of honey exportation can be judged in some degree by the fact that a firm in Medina, 0., exported more than $1,- 000,000 worth of honey to Belgium alone during the past year. ' ' — Los Angeles Times. * * * H. K. Hartman inquires about my 1918 crop, page 172. The season was a failure. The worst drouth ever known here dried up the clover, and the fall crop, which of late has been considerable, was lacking, cutting- down the average to 36 pounds. « * * The objectors to large hives because they are too heavy to handle "should not over- look those weekly examinations that large hives (timely supported by supers and other essentials) permit to be entirely discarded," says D. Barone, page 172. Yes, the total pounds lifted may be less with large than with small hives. "But," replies the ob- jector, ' ' that hardly counts when I can 't lift the big hive at all." J. P. Parker uses staples on end-bars to prevent killing bees when handling frames, page 169. I tried that, and altho one can handle frames with such staples more rapid- ly without killing bees, I gave it up because the jarring of the staple on the hive-wall stirred up the bees too much when looking for a queen. For one with very unsteady nerves the staples may be advisable, but the average beekeeper can avoid killing bees without the staples. * * » White ants have been known in one or two cases to injure wooden hives when the hives were in direct contact with the ground, page 172, March Gleanings. I never G I. K A N T N G S IN BEE CULTURE STRAY STRAWS Dr. C. C. Miller 3 231 saw a white ant, but there is a big black ant here that's a dangerous custo- mer for any one who hauls hives. I never knew of i t s disturbing the bees, but it honeycombs the bottoms of the hives — and they needn 't be on the ground either — so that when hauled they are jarred to pieces, altho without careful examination one would discover nothing wrong. # * » On page 175 George Kissam asks about "a bluish tint on the cappings of the stores. ' ' I suspect he refers not to the color of the cappings, but to something on the cappings. I don 't remember seeing any- thing of the kind in late years, but formerly I sometimes found on the cappings of brood- combs in early spring a bluish-gray sub- stance that was not ordinary mold but look- ed a little like it. I don 't know what it was, but as it was on the cappings of sealed honey it was no evidence of insufficient stores. It was found in prosperous colonies, and didn't seem to do any harm. # * * Arlie Pritchard gives some definite figures on page 167 as to naming the badness of cases of foul brood. Good for you, Arlie; that helps. But wouldn't it be better to give the per cent of diseased cells instead of the number? Wouldn't 40 bad cells in a small colony be worse than 40 cells in a large colony? Still it's much easier to give the absolute number than the per cent. The editor says beekeepers will not agree as to what is bad or mild. That's just it. How can they agree so long as neither knows what the other is talking about? But if the views of inspectors and others were ob- tained, don't you believe we could settle upon some sort of standard? Certainly we never can agree upon what a bad case is so long as no one says just what he means by "a bad case." » * # That Medina cellar, page 1.37, interests me very much. The inside ceiling is 4 feet below the level of surrounding ground. Not many cellars like that, and it must be a good thing. I wish the bees might have had a longer winter in it. Mine were taken in Nov. 19, 17 days before the first of yours, find 37 days before the last. Being able to hold temperature between 44 and 50 is fine, but I wonder if the bees wouldn 't like it a little warmer. Wait till I go down cellar * * *. It's 52 in my bee-cellar this 26th day of February at 11 a. m., and the bees quiet. Outdoors it is 16 above zero, and this morning it was 6 above. I think it has not been above 60 in the bee-cellar, nor below 40. But that 20 degrees of variation looks pretty crude beside your 6. Yet the bees will stand it all right if they have pure air, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April. 1919 and you seem to have that matter pretty well under your thumb. I wish you could measure the purity of the air, and then had an exact measure of the uneasiness of the bees at different grades of purity. » * * A. I. Eoot, when I read what you and Prof. Thorne have to say, page 182, there came to mind these fine* lines from Pope's Essay on Man, which I here transcribe for you : Heaven from all ireatiires hides the Book of Fate. All hut the paare prescrihed, their present state: From brutes what men. from men what spirits know ; Or who could -suffer being here below ? The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed today. Had he thy reason, would he skip and play? Pleased to the last he crops the flowery food, And licks the hand .iust raised to shed his blood. Oh! blindness to the future! kindly given, That each may fill the circle marked by heaven, Who sees, with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall. That Byer-Crane controversy, page 157, may lead to some useful experimenting . Mr. Crane says he crammed hives with honey in October with bad results. But one impor- tant item in the case he doesn 't tell us about. Please tell us, friend Crane, how much room there was for clustering below the bottom-bars. With little room there I should expect bad results; with plenty of room I should expect good wintering with not an empty cell in the combs at the start. I '11 tell you why I think so. In the winter I have the beautiful sight of great clusters below the bottom-bars, reaching to the floor two inches below. How much deeper the cluster would be wdth more room I don't know. If the bees enjoy clustering below the bottom-bars when there is the usual room above, don 't you believe they would like it with only honey above? * * * It is somewhat of a problem to prevent drifting when placing bees on their summer stands and at the same time keep the colo- nies warm enough. To avoid any trouble from bees flying back to their winter loca- tion, bees should be put on their summer stands quite early, say in . March, before they have flown enough to mark fully their location where they have been thru tiie winter. Aside from that" one difficulty, it will be better to leave them packed till soft maples are in bloom, or even till the middle of May; and this one can do by taking a little extra trouble in this way: When one has removed the bees from their winter quarters, let him put in their old place a hive with empty cofnbs. The returning bees will assemble on these, and at evening can be brushed in front of any hive where they will do the most good, a repetition being necessary for a few days. * * * How many worker-cells in a Langstroth frame? The frame is 17% by 9Vh outside measure. If the thickness of the top-bar be % inch, the bottom-bar \i inch, and each end-bar % inch, then the inside measure is 16% by 8, or 13.5 square inches. If we count 25 cells to the square inch, as is often done, there will be 3,.375 cells on one side, or 6,750 on both sides. But if there are 5 cells to the linear inch, there are 28 13/15 cells to the square inch, making 3,897 cells on one side, and 7,794 on both sides, this last being 1,044 more than when we count 25 cells to the square inch, a difference of a little more than 15 per cent. But this is counting on perfect combs, and perfect combs are not the rule. The bees are likely to have a passage between comb and bottom-bar part way or the whole way of the bottom-bar, and often for some distance between comb and end-bar. Per- haps it may not be out of the way to count that the deficiencies will amount to as much as half an inch in depth for the length of the bottom-bar. That will give us for the average comb 3,653 worker-cells on one side; 3,650 is near enough, and that 's easy to remember, for the first three figures at the left give the number of days in a year. For both sides the number will be 7,300. * s * R. H. Pettit, Entomologist of Michigan Experiment Station, has given out some in- teresting results of experiments as to ma- terials for winter packing, concluding that ' ' ordinary leaves, raked up, dried, and firm- ly packed, give the best results of any ma- terial tried." He says: "From our tests it would appear that the heat-insulating values of the various substances compare about as follows: Dead-air space, IS; cor- rugated card-board, 33; planer shavings, 34%; mineral wool, 35%; forest leaves, 41." From this we may figure out that if forest leaves are taken as the standard, or 100 per cent, we shall have the following: Forest leaves, 100; mineral wool, 86.6; planer shav- ings, 84.1; corrugated paper, 80.5; dead-air space, 43.9. ' ' Tests, ' ' says the report, ' ' were also made to determine the relative rates of heat loss when one surface of the chamber was left unpacked. When the bottom surface was unprotected there was a loss of about 3% degrees F. in temperature. One unpro- tected side produced a loss of 4 degrees. With the top surface alone unprotected, a loss of nearly 5 degrees resulted." That shows that the top is the most im- portant part to protect, and that to leave the bottom unjirotected is nearly as bad as to leave one side bare. But these findings do not warrant the view (that I think has been held by some) that to have the top protected is more important than to protect the four sides, for the loss from an unpro- tected top is 5 degrees and from four un- pro'tected sides it is 16 degrees. [We rather question the conclusion as to relative loss of heat at top and sides as here stated. Would not the proportional loss be greater at the top than given above? — Editor.] A' C ur Atril, 1919 LL in all, that is a most excel- lent article on ' ' Taking Bees From Cellar, ' ' by Belva M. De- muth, page 143, March Glean- ings, and no young beekeeper can go very far wrong by following the advice given. The idea of taking bees out in weather too cold for them to fly is rather new, but it is all right. I have practiced it more or less in recent years and find it works all right. ^ ^ * Those letters from California by Editor E. R. Root are most interesting. That method of using cornstalks for wind- breaks, as given on page 151, seems practi- cal and within the reach of most beekeepers. It is especially valuable when lumber is as expensive as at the present time. * * « I am not surprised at the criticisms, found on page 149, of J. F. Right's method of treatment of incipient cases of American foul brood. It seems too much like playing with fire. Better not fool with it. » * » As in most parts of this country and Can- ada, the winter in this locality has been very mild, the thermometer registering zero on only a few mornings, with no severe storms. In February bees had a good fly in protected situations. * * * There, now, Mrs. Puerden, I am surprised that you should even feel like accusing good Mother Nature of partiality because she does not give us six months of strawberries here in the North. Why, we have an abun- dance thru June and early July. Then the season lets up a little that we may enjoy the delicious raspberries and blackberries. In August we may have strawberries again and continue to have them until they freeze up in November, if we plant the right vari- eties and care for them. « » # F. B. Paddock informs us, page 165, th^t his bees were gathering pollen from the elms on Jan. 29 in Texas, while we were looking up into the trees at the buds and hoping they would open by April 20. Sure- ly, this is a great country. But if our bees can not gather pollen for a long time, I enjoy sitting with my feet to the fire like that "Back Lot Buzzer," page 169, and reading about the bees in other parts of the country where they are gathering pollen. * * ¥ "European foul brood, together with un- wise inspection, has decreased the number of colonies in one county in California near- ly 50 per cent," says the Western Honeybee, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE SIFTINGS J. E. Crane 1 lUl 233 as quoted on page 170, and doubtless the statement is cor- rect. The law is good and help- ful, but more and more, I be- lieve, inspectors are coming t o the conclusion that the time of an inspector is best spent in instructing those who are interested and willing to take pains with their bees. The greatest satisfaction that has come to me as an inspector has been in helping those that were willing to help themselves. » « » After all I have written about the folly of using shallow extracting-frames I find myself n»aking up a lot this winter for use during another season, more for experi- mental purposes than any other reason. A friend who uses them says that they do not require wiring, and in looking over a lot he had used I could not see that they had sagged enough to do any harm — and he used light super foundation in them, too. Well, in nailing them up I found that while it required more of them to hold 100 pounds of honey than it would of full-depth Lang- stroth frames, it required no more lumber, as a %-inch top-bar is ample to support the lighter comb. I also discovered that I could make enough of them to hold 100 pounds of honey as quickly as I could of Langstroth frames, for I am saved the trou- ble of wiring. Now, if it proves true, as some claim, that one can uncap 100 pounds of honey in shallow frames as fast as the same amount in full-depth frames, I am not sure but that those who advocate this style of frame will have the best of the argu- ment. * * » Some advice given in October Gleanings page 587, in regard to taking off sections as soon as sealed over, has been given, I be- lieve, many times during the last 40 years. It looks like good advice, and it is good ad- vice in a general way, but— Suppose I have a yard of 100 colonies that are filling their supers rapidly, if I were to follow this advice I should need to go over the yard inspecting the sections every day, if I am to remove them as soon as finished; for many will be found finished today that were unfinished yesterday. If one is keep- ing bees where the sections can not remain on the hive a few days after being finished without getting badly soiled, better take surplus honey with an extractor. We go over our yards, removing finished supers and sections once in eight or nine days. Another objection to this advice is that un- less you have a super than can be condens- ed or reduced in size near the close of the season, one must fill the space of the sec- tions removed with empty sections, and so have a large number of unfinished sections to carry over or melt up for wax. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE H C Beekeeping as a Side Line EEE in the pretty lit- 1 1 e town of Hinsdale, about 17 miles from Chicago, I have been sit- ting for 10 min- utes gazing at a sheet of blank paper in a quiet typewriter, and nothing happens. Dare I try to "write about the National convention? The Editor mightn't like it. The readers mightn't like it. The National mightn't like it. Maybe it doesn't belong to a side-line department, anyway. But I am so full of it, so soaked with it to the finger-tips, that nothing else will come out; and my paper, unless filled with com- ments on the National, threatens ^o remain tragically blank. So — may I, Mr. Editor? The National Convention as Seen by a Side-liner. Somehow I overlooked the fact of that Chicago and Northwestern meeting, and hurried from the train over to the Hotel LaSalle, thinking to plunge promptly tho tardily into the National, and soon I was listening in great delight to Prof. Francis Jaeger of St. Paul. Any convention was the right one that could supply such a treat as that. He was recounting some of his experiences ' ' over there." That I missed the first of it was my great misfortune; but I did hear about the brick house in Monastir, with its walled garden, and the beekeeper trying so hard to be progressive; the 40 long trunklike beehives with 27 Jumbo frames each; the homemade foundation V4 inch thick, weigh- ing a pound to the sheet; the extractor made from sheetiron from the battlefields; and the honey vinegar; and (soft pedal) the honey wine (yes, and he knows how to make stronger things, added the genial lecturer) ; and the story of Prof. Jaeger's own bee- keeping experiences — how he bought (only the owner would take no pay) three of these long-idea hives from the walled garden, and drove into Monastir in a camouflaged auto, he and his companions in peasant dress, bringing out the bees right in the daytime, tho it made a most exciting trip under the falling shells; how he transferred the bees into some modern hives shipped from the A. I. Root Co.; and how they started prompt- ly drawing out the new foundation. This was in August. There had been no rain since May, and all the earth was bare and dead, and there was no green thing nor blooming thing for eight miles around, and the thermometer was 110 and 120; yet with- in three weeks there was capped honey in the hives — the famous Hymettus honey. Prof. Jaeger said. Yet never, for all his trampings and searchings, did he see a bee at work. Only thistles were blooming, and no bee paid them the honor of a visit. But round about were mountains, great mountains, some of them 9,000 feet high. Off to the 1 Grace Allen LJ April, 1919 southeast even storied Olympus was visible. And every afternoon over these peaks the great clouds trailed, bearing their vapors for blessing. High on the mountain sides was refreshment and greenness, and the aroma of wild thyme and flowers crushed underfoot where one walked. Below in the arid valleys, the bees touched not even hon- ey itself left about the yard; but up, ever up and up, they soared; and when the rains finally came in October, behold the queens were honey-bound. Do you wonder we were fascinated with Prof. Jaeger's talk? And the wealth of that Balkan region! Coal, oil, iron, quartz, gold, copper, lead, mineral springs, water power, timber — well, if ever a beekeeper mysteriously disappears — find out if he heard Prof. Jaeger at Chi- cago in 1919; if he did, page him in the Balkans. But he did not stop there— he carried us, later, in the opening address of the Na- tional, into a state even further removed than the Balkans — a state of high develop- ment in the beekeeping industry — when bee- keeping should be one of the chief branches of agriculture; when, it should have taken such full advantage of the splendid scien- tific assistance so generously given by a learned and patient Bureau of Entomology that it should have developed worthily into a great industry. He called our attention to the cow, which, he asserted, has stepped fjuite out of zoology and become an industry. Entomology, he further asserted, deals with June bugs and cooties and bedbugs, and some 196,000 species, each one as bad as the other — except two, the silkworm and the honeybee. The silkworm has left entomolo- gy and become an industry, while the honey- bee, alas, is still among the cooties! — where it belongs no more than canned beans be- longs in botany or butter in zoology! If you have never heard Prof. Jaeger speak, I do most heartily recommend your attendance upon the next gathering where he is to appear. Witty yet earnest, fluent, vigorous, dramatic — he is indeed a most pleasing and convincing speaker. Then there was Mr. Kindig — also with a peninsula, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan He told us all about it and its wonders, most enthusiastically. And how 117 nuclei shipped up there in the spring were increas- ed to 204 full colonies, made ready for the winter, and yielded 11,000 pounds. If the adventurous beekeeper who disappears is not to be found in the Balkans, look for him in Mr. Kindig 's Upper Peninsula. Or in- deed, in North Ontario, recommended so enthusiastically by F. W. Krouse. Tons and tons from 300 colonies! I hope these things aren't secrets. If the Editor thinks April, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 235 they are (or ouglit to l)e) he lias his blue pencil. They were told in open meeting. But let no one think the whole session was given over to rosy reports and alluring descriptions. Dr. Phillips was there. Def- initely, clearly, concisely, he discussed "The Control of European Foul Brood. ' ' He out- lined the three principal methods of con- trol, all three principles being suitable for swarm control and equally applicable to European Foul Brood. "How can I tell European from Ameri- can?" some one asked. Whereupon the ever- courteous entomologist explained that if it resisted this treatment, properly applied, it is probably American. Moreover, the American ropes out 4 to 6 inches, in a fine thread, while the European ropes out only about 2 inches, coarsely, and then breaks — as a worn and weary rubber band breaks. And many many more questions he answer- ed. In the fall see that bees have ample room, ample packing, ample stores — 60 pounds, for instance. Do this in September. In spring see that brood-rearing starts with vigor and enthusiasm eight weeks before the opening of the honey flow. He further said, in a talk on "Factors Influencing Se- cretion of Nectar," that, contrary to gen- eral opinion, well-kept records show that the flow of nectar, instead of being immediately increased by rain, is decreased, not becom- ing normal again till the fourth day later; tho, without question, frequent rains tend to lengthen the period of secretion. On Wednesday morning I realized in utter dismay that I had missed Miss Fowls' talk on "Pushing to the Front in Beekeeping." Imagine trying to make comments on a convention where you failed to hear one of your own Editors! It is downright embar- rassing. But it was my misfortune that mj- sister's apartment is far out and that Miss Fowls was the first speaker of the morning. However I did hear her give a most com- prehensive presentation of the symptoms, results, and seriousness of the disappearing disease. And I know that her main address was both forceful and impressive. And isn't it good to meet an interesting and success- ful young woman, with pleasing personality — whether she's your Editor or not? W. H. Hall of the Bureau of Markets sur- prised us with the statement that this bureau has a leased wire system of 1,000 miles, the largest of any except that of the Associated Press. There is no reason why any honey-producer should be uninformed as to current market prices. Prof. E. G. Baldwin, stressing the impor- tance of extension work in beekeeping, re- peated somebody's catchy and worth-while slogan, "Better keep bees better or better not keep bees." Prof. Eric Millen gave us some interesting glimpses of "Beekeeping as Seen by a Bee Inspector." Kennith Hawkins gave a comprehensive survey of "Beekeeping in Dixie." It was in the Wediaesday morning meet- ing, as it neared the noon, that Dr. Phillips iiiterruijtcd a lively discussion by announc- ing "We have with us this morning the greatest beekeeper in the world, and we all want to hear from him." That meant the great moment of the convention had come. How can I tell you the thrill of it? To the sound of ringing applause Dr. C. C. Miller I ose. * ' And all that sat in the council, look- ing steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." Not that only, but of a man also who has lived great- ly and worked greatly, in the spirit of the greatness of simplicity and kindliness. This was all in his face, where there was also wisdom and wit and years and youth and infinite friendliness. And the first words of the greatest beekeeper in the world, spoken in his strong gentle voice, with his wonderful smile, were "I wish I knew some- thing to tell you that no one else knew!" And down in the back of the room there was a certain side-liner so deeply stirred by the sight and sound of him that she can scarcely recall one other word he said! We were very gla(* that Mrs. Miller and Miss Wilson accompanied him, not only be- cause they were Mrs. Miller and Miss Wil- son, but because it is always a pleasure to meet gentlewomen. And then, last but by no means least, came the matter of organization and reor- ganization. Addresses or papers on differ- ent phases of this subject had been ably presented by Colin P. Campbell, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Chas. B. Justice, Los An- geles, Cal.; and Prof. H. F. Wilson, Madison, Wise. And there were speeches and commit- tees, majority reports and minority reports, motions to adopt things and motions to table things, objections, personal privilege, points of order, roll-call voting, and over it all Mr. Kindig calmly presiding,flanked by the capa- ble secretary, Floyd Markham of Ypsilanti. When it was all over we were committed to the policy of re-organization (for the 1.5th time, said those who had attended that many conventions!), the fate of the Na- tional to be decided next January. Then officers were elected. They demurred, one after the other, but yielded gracefully at last — and it looks like a good, strong execu- tive committee: Mr. Kindig, president; Miss Sly, vice-president; and Mr. Justice, secretary-treasurer. Then the Convention adjourned, sine die, pronounce it as you please. Yet it was not at an end. Many lingered for a delightful exchange of experience and a closer personal acquaintance that added greatly to the deep pleasures to be stored away in our memories. And indeed, is there really ever an end to such things as conventions, the coming to- gether of people with common interests? It seems to me there is something in the hu- man heart that will not let them end. The good will, quietly deathless, lives on in our inmost lives, while the inspiration and the quickened zeal— who can measure them or set them a bound or say, "Lo, here they end"? 236 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH Al'RIL, 191' In Northern California. The rainfall "during Feb- ruary brought the average for the season up to March 1 to nearly normal. During the first two weeks the almond bloom was scarcely visited by bees owing to cold, rainy, and windy weather. Other deciduous fruit bloom is now (March 5) opening up, and it is hoped by both beemen and fruit- men alike that a week or more of warm wea- ther will prevail. Up to the beginning of March the consumption of stores was above normal and numerous beekeepers have been compelled to feed. The writer believes that if beekeepers would pay more attention to windbreaks about their yards they would be very agreeably surprised in the matter of honey consumption during the winter and spring periods. Aside from the increased consumption of stores the condition of colo- nies is normal. Breeding is active and some American foul brood h&s been detected, but as yet no cases of European have been re- ported. The question as to whether or not the California beekeeper should purchase part or all of his queens or raise part or all of his queens, is an important one. Your cor- respondent believes that no beekeeper should attempt to rear queens and expect to profit thereby, unless he has become thoroly familiar with bee behavior. It is a com- paratively easy matter to raise queens, and in large quantities too, but to raise the right kind of queens requires an expert knowledge of the habits of bees and a great deal of painstaking work. It is a notable exception to find a man with only two or three years ' experience in handling bees able to raise good queens, but the large hon- ey-producer that wishes to make the most out of his business should understand how to raise his own stock. We cannot do with- out professional queen-breeders and must always have them, for all beekeepers must get their pure stock from some source. Nor must it be taken for granted that when once pure stock is obtained that it is unnecessary to renew such stock from time to time. The large producer with hundreds of colonies has an excellent opportunity, provided he keeps proper records, to select his breeding stock. His selection must be a pure selection — we will say a leather-colored queen — and daugh- ters raised from such a queen need not neces- sarily be purely mated. As a matter of fact, some unpublished experiments by the writer have shown conclusively that the first gen- eration of hybrids are better honey-produc- ers than either pure yellow or pure black stock. This fact only holds true for the first cross as the second and third crosses result in very inferior honey-gatherers. During the first session of our legislature no less than four bee bills were introduced. These bills were variously commented upon by beekeepers thruout the State. Altho they all possessed some good points they had nevertheless undesirable features as well, and at a recent meeting of the Board of Directors of the California Honey Pro- ducers ' Co-operative Exchange a resolution was adopted to the effect that the Board could not recommend the passage of any of the proposed bills. M. C. Eichter. Modesto, Calif. « * » In Southern California f\f''^ 'f'"}- fall to this date, March 4, has not been as much as we .had hoped for, yet plants are looking well. The eucalyptus has not bloomed nearly so profusely nor furnished nectar so abundant- ly as last year, probably on account of the cold weather. This winter has been much colder than last winter — in fact, much cold- er than for several years. Our neighboring county, San Bernardino, has again changed inspectors and the affairs of the office are now looked after by B. H. Stanley of Rialto, a beekeeper of much ex- perience. Unfortunately it has once more been nec- essary to impress upon a migratory beekeep- er the importance of notifying the inspector when moving bees into California. A large apiary was moved into Riverside County and no notice given. The result was that the owner was arrested and fined. This is a good law. One of the matters of vital importance to the beekeepers of the West in general, and to southern California in particular, is the selling of the 1919 crop. We shall be afford- ed the opportunity of marketing thru vari- ous agencies. The State Beekeepers' Co- operative Exchange will likely handle by far the largest percentage of the products. The Southern California Beekeepers' Asso- ciation will take care of the crop of its members. The beekeepers who are not mem- bers of any association will sell their honey on the market or will sell to commission men or brokers. All work hard for what they get and want to get all possible. While at present beekeepers ' organizations may not get any more for a crop than the man outside gets for his, prices will be made stable. Such conditions as have existed in the past when one man has contracted early in the season for 51^ cents, while his neigh- bor who held his crop until midsummer got 13 cents per pound, will be done away with. April in our locality calls for a close watch on the bees and also for much manip- ulation in order to get the best results. Any colonies short of stores should be very care- fully looked after and fed enough so that the old bees will not find it necessary to go out of the hive in the cold weather to find food. A colony at all weak or one short of stores will need all of the bees it has to A run.. \9\9 0 I. !•; .\ NM N G S IN B K E C V L T V K V. FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH keep the brood warm. The queen at this season will produce all of the brood that the bees can possibly cover; and, if many of the old bees are lost before plenty of young bees are hatched, the colony may be lost. The writer has seen hundreds of colonies, with several frames of brood in all stages of development and with a good queen, have only a handful of bees left. This, to me, came as near representing ' ' spring dwin- dling" (as written of by our Eastern friends) as anything I have ever seen. With some colonies strong in bees as one finds in most apiaries at this time of the year, you can select a few combs containing plenty of young and hatching bees. Shake the ad- hering bees in front of the weak colonies, being sure that you do not get the queen with them. The old bees will return to their own hives, while the young ones will enter the home of the weak colony and be re- ceived without trouble. As the hives be- come filled with bees and brood, it will be wise to put on supers well ahead of the probable honey flow. To arrange your manipulation so that the supers will go on just as the surplus honey flow starts is, of course, the ideal way. But to have all of the colonies with supers on a week ahead of time is far better than to have the hives overcrowded and not get the surplus room until several days after the flow starts. If one uses excluders there is all the more ne- cessity for early supering, as the bees will not always remove the honey crowded around the brood. Then, too, as the queen cannot get above, swarming will be much more likely to get the attention of the bee- keeper. The Eiverside County Beekeepers' Club held its annual meeting on Feb. 22, at the county court house, Riverside. It was unani- mously voted to instruct the secretary to write to our representatives at Sacramento asking them not to support the beekeeper bills now in the legislature. The new laws would place the industry under the Depart- ment of Agriculture and would have a state apiarist appointed. All county work would be under the Horticultural Commissioner. Any one engaging in the business would pay an annual license fee of 10 cents per colony. No bees could be moved at any time with- out first giving 10 days ' notice to the Hor- ticultural Commissioner. We do not feel that any improvement would be made by such drastic changes as proposed by Mr. Lindley in these bills. The following ofiicers were elected for the ensuing year: R. Pow- ell, president; Chas. Hinzie, vice-president; Lester Hamburger, secretary. Mr. Home, who has served the club so successfully for several years, found it necessary to give up the work of secretary, owing to his time being so taken up with his duties as secre- tary-manager of the Orange Belt Co-opera- tive Honey Producers' Exchange and with the management of his beekeeping interests. Corona, Calif. L. L. Andrews. In Ontario Weather has continued milder than usual right up to March 7, and it looks as if the present winter will be one to remember for its mild weather. Yet a peculiar feature, so far as beekeepers are concerned, is that we have not had a day warm enough for a thoro flight since last fall. This applies to local conditions, as they have no doubt fared dif- ferently in southwest Ontario. Wherever bees have had an abundance of good stores they appear to be in good shape, provided they were of fair strength last fall. Un- fortunately, many are reporting bees short of stores, and we have to confess that some of our own bees are in that condition. Bees in the smaller hives that had little honey last fall and thus had to be fed, are the best off at present, as with well-filled brood- nests there was little room for breeding and a consequent using up of stores. Our larger hives that had natural stores, and, owing to sugar shortage, were not fed sugar syrup, are in many cases very short of food; in fact, some are about out and have to be fed — a nice condition surely for bees to be in by the middle of March. I have had colonies get short of stores in April now and then, but never before at this season. My judgment was either very faulty when pass- ing them last fall or else consumption of stores has been abnormal where bees had too much room to rear brood out of season. Mr. Kindig, in the March issue of Gleanings, advises in case of shortage of stores to feed "hard candy or loaf sugar." Of course, candy answers all right, but I have my doubts about the loaf sugar, altho I have seen it recommended previously. I have been trying a few pounds on a few colonies, and when they are forced to take it, I find the bulk of it being thrown out at entrances in granules. Has any one really fed loaf sugar with success? Reports would be in- teresting. Last week I was in Toronto, and a casual inquiry here and there showed that honey is much easier than a few weeks ago. Not that it is selling much lower in a retail way, but wholesalers are playing a waiting game and do not care to load up at any price. Combless packages of bees are now ad- mitted to the mails of Canada on similar terms and restrictions as to form of pack- age, etc., as are in force in the United States. I understand that arrangements have been made with the customs so that clearance will be made at the customs' port nearest consignee and the packages for- warded to the consignee's postoffiee direct. But I have had nothing definite on this GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH point. This will, if granted, be a very im- portant concession, as delays in customs have been one of the worst nuisances con- nected with the pound-package business, es- pecially when bees have come a long dis- tance and have been on the road a long time. With practically no snow all winter and none at this date (March 7), naturally we have been much interested in the clover sit- uation. In many localities, including our own, alsike is the main source of nectar. The clover is alive yet, for altho we have had no snow to cover it, on the other hand we have had no very severely cold weather, nor alternate freezing and thawing to heave it out of the ground. The critical time is ahead, and the next few weeks will tell the tale. But the clover was well rooted and had a fair top last fall. J. L. Byer. Markham, Ont. « » « In Minnesota This state has experi- euced the mildest win- ter in 25 years. In spite of this fact we are receiving n ports which indicate that in some localities, at least, bees are not winter- ing well. This is no doubt largely due to the fact that honey was of a poor quality for wintering, and many did not feed sugar on account of the high price and the difficul- ty in procuring it. Reports show that sugar- fed bees are wintering better. By the time this number reaches the bee- keepers most of the bees in Minnesota will have been taken from the cellars. Did you save those combs of honey to give the needy colonies this spring? If you did, now is the time to use them. Place under the brood- chamber, next to the bottom-board, a hive body containing combs with more or less honey in them according to the needs of the colony. This leaves the colony in the warm part of the hive with the cover sealed. About the time of fruit bloom or later, when the upper division is getting well filled with brood, you can reverse the divisions, and, if the queen is a good one, all you will lack is a honey flow to give you a good crop of honey. Oh! you haven't the combs of honey. Well, in that ease feed sugar syrup and sufficient at one time to carry the colony thru to the honey flow. I feel that this should be emphasized. Stimulative feeding may be all right for the experienced bee- keeper after settled warm weather has set in, but let the beginner beware. No doubt many colonies will come out of the cellar this spring in a weak condition. Many of these can be saved by the exercise of a little care and trouble. The writer has used the Alexander plan with good success. As soon as the weak colony has some uncap- ped brood in the hive, place it on a strong colony with a queen-excluder between. This should be done without the use of smoke. After placing the excluder on the strong colony leave it uncovered for an hour or more until the bees have quieted down. Then quietly lift the weak colony from its bottom-board and place it on the strong one. In about 30 days these can be separated by setting the strongest colony on another stand and at the same time giving it some of the bees from the colony left on the old stand to make up for the loss of bees that will leave and return to the old location. Professor Jaeger is fjlanning to raise queens for Minnesota beekeepers the coming season as usual. The queen-rearing apiary will be in a new and better locality. All inquiries concerning queens should be sent to the Bee Culture Division, University Farm, St. Paul. Chas. D. Blaker. Minneapolis, Minn. * • « Tj, 'Texas Reports from practically every section indicate that the native honey plants are now in excellent condition. A late frost is yet possible, al- tho recent cold spells lead one to believe that a killing frost may be escaped. In every section the bees are building up rapid- ly, and a big increase is expected to replace partly the severe losses of the past two years. Much increase will be made this year in bees at a possible sacrifice of honey surplus. Therefore, the improved conditions will not react so much upon the honey mar- ket as might be supposed on first considera- tion. Every professional beekeeper will re- plenish his stock during the coming year in preference to producing a large surplus of honey. The excollent brood-rearing during the first part of March made inspection work possible and necessary in several counties. There is an increased demand for inspection work each year. The shippers of early queens were very anxious to have their cer- tificates to accompany their first orders. The cost of bee supplies seems to be in- creasing without much evidence of relief in sight. Many, last year, withheld much- needed orders for equipment, considering the price prohibitive and thinking that con- ditions would be better this year. However, the increased value of bees and all their products is supposed to make up for this increased cost of supplies. Transferring should not be neglected because new equip- ment seems so high. The increased returns of the transferred colony will certainly pay for the equipment. The high cost of sup- plies has not kept all beekeepers from buy- ing, since every supply house is running to full capacity to fill all orders. Those who were interested in the bill es- tablishing the experimental apiaries will be glad to know that it received favorable sup- port of the agricultural committees of both branches of the Legislature. Many beekeep- ers in the State have interested themselves in securing the passage of this bill, and Ai-RIL, 19H GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 239 ^ FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH such effort has already given visible re- sults. In this locality the month of April is very important for the beginner in beekeeping. Any transferring that may be necessary should certainly be done in this month. It it not hard and the cost of supplies need not interfere. If a new queen is needed in a hive or two, the introducing may be success- fully done if the directions on the mailing cage are complied with. The beginner should be especially careful to detect the presence of disease. Give the very best of attention to a few colonies rather than neglect many. It is not wuse to attempt too big things on the start. Attention to a few colonies may show in some colony a food shortage which it is easy to remedy. A lit- tle food at the right time will give big re- turns. The question of producing extracted or bulk comb honey confronts every begin- ner. Comb is expensive for the bee, but extracting equipment is costly for the bee- keeper. A personal choice must decide the question. Every beekeeper should be thoro- ly familiar with the sources of pollen and nectar in his locality. The exact manage- ment of bees depends upon a knowledge of the bee-pasture available and the time that it is available. The beginner should not ex- pect to be successful with bees unless the problem is given thought. Bee literature should be carefully read. The real satisfac tion of beekeeping is the information gain- ed by the study and observation necessary. College Station, Tex. F. B. Paddock.' * « » In Florida ■^^ ^^^^ writing a little orange bloom is opening, but it will be a week or more before the blooming becomes general. Some new hon- ey is already being stored in the supers, but this is mostly from the andromeda, a clear honey that will not hurt either the flavor or color of the orange. The prospect for a big crop from orange is more than excellent, for our bees are in splendid condition, practi- cally all colonies being strong enough to crowd a two-story hive. The crop will be made by the time this appears, and the bee- keepers will be studying prices and busily extracting. What price we should accept for our honey, considering market condi- tions, seems a difficult question. Many pro- ducers are talking 24 cents f. o. b. shipping point; but, unless the demand increases, it seems probable that we shall have to be satisfied with a smaller price. We must take into consideration the change in condi- tions since a year ago. Export trade made the price then; for the European countries, especially Great Britain, were buying enor- mous quantities of honey for war purposes. They were buying from this country because of its geographical situation — a short haul and consequent saving of shipping — and not because they could not buy more cheaply elsewhere. Australia, awaiting shipping space, has a four years' honey crop, estimat- ed at from 4,000 to 20,000 tons; and I have reliable information from Britisli shipping interests that shipping will now be afforded Australia to move her crops. Other out-of- the-way countries have also accumulated crops, and some large stocks are being held by speculators in this country. Until condi- tions adjust themselves it would be well to cultivate again our home market, tho not necessarily at a reduced price. We honey- producers are paying exorbitant prices for everything we buy, and we shall be doing ourselves an injustice if we again revert to low prices for our honey, and especially lor our orange honey. If we can get 2± cents for it we must do so; and certainly we should not sell for less than 20 cents, for the price of honey will surely drop sooner than, and out of all proportion to, that of other foodstuffs. The question of how to pack our honey for shipment arises at this time. Cans are difficult to obtain, and cost too much any- how. 2,rost of us will use barrels; but what kind of barrels carries best. Is the 50-gal- lon oak better than the 35-gallon cypressT The A. I. Root Co. bought so much honey in Florida last year that they can tell us which gave best satisfaction. Mr. Selser seems to favor the cypress barrel of 35-gal- lon capacity. Last year I received many in- quiries for the address of a barrel factory. You can buy good cypress barrels from The Cannon Co., Cairo, Ga., at .$2.25 for 35-gallon size and $2.15 for the 30-gallon size. Some beginners have taken offense at my remarks in February Gleanings. I must re- mind those who happen to be hit that noth- ing in my writings is intended personally; but when a condition prevails I must men- tion it, even tho it may touch a tender spot in some of my friends. I must say that nothing I have written has brought so many words of appreciation from the big beekeep- ers as my remarks in February Gleanings. During this month beginners in Florida should watch their bees closely. The crop of orange honey is in the hives and care should be taken not to rob them too closely; for, in this locality at least, there will be no more honey coming in before about May 10, and enough must be left to keep the bees in a prosperous condition until the palmetto and gallberry open. It is good policy to leave at least 20 pounds over and above what may be in the brood-chamber. Also, those last swarms should be watched, for they are likely to run short of stores and then swarm out. All colonies that swarmed and also the swarms should be examined fre- quently until proved to have mated their new queens. When there is any doubt a frame containing eggs and young larvae should be given immediately. Apopka, Fla. Harry Hewitt. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 "HEADS "OF GRAIN IPpeiilirDIFFERENT FIELDS Bees That Built Eegarding bees build- Comb Upward. ing c o m b upwards, page 667, November Gleanings, let me say that last year there were many instances of this in the apiary where I was working. We had a very heavy honey flow which came on suddenly. In one case an empty shallow super had been left on a 10-frame Langstroth brood-chamber by mistake. The bees filled up a great deal of the space by building comb upwards. As far as I can remember, it was not built in circles as Dr. Miller says his was, but con- necting combs were built from one to an- other, in some cases, almost at right angles. Conil) tuilt upwards from top-bars. I was anxious to obtain a photo, but the rush of work was too great to allow me time. I did, however, later on get a picture of comb built upwards in a nucleus with deep lid and no quilt, which I enclose. You will see that in one place the comb is broken. This was where the bees attached it to the roof when they got up to it, but I know it was built up gradually until the roof was reached, and was not built down. I have also known many cases of foundation being drawn out at the bottom before the top. B. Blackbourn. New South Wales, Australia. Not Always the I have noticed at Queen's Fault. times, in Gleanings, statements and re- marks in regard to poor queens, one recently going so far as to classify the lady of the Queendom to that of a " Plun. ' ' I am sorry to say that I can not agree with this com- parison, no matter how poor or poverty- stricken she may be in her little colony. But what I started out to ask was: How poor is a poor queen, or, in other words, when is a poor queen poor? Isn 't it a fact that, as a rule, a queen whose colony shows up poor in the spring, is just simply demoralized from some rea- son or other? Isn't this reason a lack of bees or stores, caused by faulty wintering, perhaps too much room for the size of the colony, or stores remote from the brood-nest, or a hundred and one things, which might bring about the loss of her subjects, where- by she is judged? While it is true that a queen of this description will remain pover- ty-stricken thruout the season, barely build- ing up the colony in fair shape for the fol- lowing winter; yet, on the other hand, a brood-nest of hatching brood placed on top of this same queen 's colony will cause her hive shortly to become a rouser, ending the season second to none, a veritable top- notcher. I am inclined to think there is a reason for indifferent queens and colonies, and believe the remedy could be found in bet- ter beekeeping. Out of seven nuclei set off last season and gradually filled out with brood and full sheets, five are in fine shape for winter. Over each of the latter, when the foun- dation was drawn out, I set a shallow super of stores and brood merely to get them out of the way for the time. The other two nu- clei gradually dwindled, were robbed out, and disappeared. From this experience it seems to me that stores with suflieient help- ers would be the panacea for many of the so-called poor queens. Cincinnati, O. John E. Eoebling. A Practical As I have never seen Open-air Feeder. anything similar de- scribed in Gleanings, I offer a description of an open-air feeder used by Wesley Foster of Boulder, Colo., when feeding thin sugar syrup in the spring for stimulative purposes. A flat-bottomed trough is made by •nailing a 3^ -inch rim, made of 1-ineh boards, around a board 10 inches wide and 3 feet long. A float is made by spacing five pieces of lath, each 24 inches long, an equal dis- tance apart, so that when they are cleated Will feed a wholei apiary in a few minutes. together the float will easily slip lengthwise in one end of the trough. A small piece of %-inch board is nailed to the bottom piece at one end to support one edge of a 60-pound can. When ready for use, the can is filled with sugar syrup of the desired consistency and, after removing the cap, inverted and set in the end of the trough so that the edge of the can oj^posite the opening rests on the cleat. The end of the feeder that contains the float should be slightly the lower. The float prevents the bees from drowning and APKlL, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE HEADS OF GMlNlCp)|QgrT)IFFEI^^ FTEI.DS One 01 Wesley Foster's out-on-llK'-pr:niie apiarie.s. gives them a large surface to work upon. When these feeders are used, one is able to feed a large yard in a few minutes. Jennings, Kan. M. L. Dodson. "Important, For ]»laoing diluted if True." royal jelly in queen- cups, and for trans- ferring larva?, try a medicine-dropper with large bulb, and with tube just large enough to fit into the worker-cells. Slater, la. Carl A. Anderson. [I don't know whether this plan will work or not. If it will, it will be a mighty good thing. — Mel Pritchard.] Big Hives a I have done some ex- Big Success. ■ p crime n t i n,' g w i t li large hives just for my own satisfaction. I started my beekeep- ing career with 8-frame hjves and later changed to the 10-frame hives, and last spring built several hives holding 12 frames. I have proved to my own satisfaction that the large hive is the right thing for this localitv. Mv business calls me awav from humv a hirgc |)art of the time, and when using the small hive 1 had a whole lot of trouble from bees swarming, which occurred almost always when I was busiest. Last spring I transferred several swarms to the large hives, and during the season not one of the swarms showed any desire to swarm. One of the colonies in a large hive produced 250 pounds of extracted honey, besides three full-depth 10-frame supers that I have stor- ed away for feeding in the spring, if I find it necessary. H. J. Quereau. Baldwinsville, N. Y. Water Supply The picture shows a for Bees. New Mexico apiary of 200 colonies in the background and an ordinary barrel filled with water. The barrel has a li/4-inch hole about 1 inch above the bottom, in which a The hive at the left was 12-frame. The colony in it not only showed no desire to swarm but produced 250 pounds of surplus honey. A water-supply device for bees used in New Me.xico. tin pipe about 6 inches long has been insert- ed, the end being soldered tight (a cork may be used for the same purpose). On the ujiper side, about an inch from the end, a very small hole is punctured, thru which the water, due to its own pressure, shoots upward, insuring a continuous flow. A thin board is leaned over the pipe to break the force of the water, the lower edge of which is placed on small scraps of boards lying on the ground. Thus all these boards are kept wet, which assures all the bees in the apiary a steady supply of water without the least danger of drowning any. The vent hole in the pipe should be on top so that .sediment in the water may not stop it up. The top of the barrel must be covered so that the bees may not get to the water from the top. A piece of burlap makes a good cover for this purpose. Also, it is advisable to set the barrel in the shade. The flow of GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 HEADS~"OF GRAIN IDmmJl DIFFERENT FIELDS the water may be regulated by the size of the hole in the pipe, but in no case should it be larger than a pin head. A 25-gallon barrel usually holds about four or five days ' supply of water. A. L. HeflEinger. Lakewood, O. Easy Way to When Father Lang- Enlarge stroth made his epoch- Brood-chamber. making discoveries, and produced the mov- able-frame hive, he knew presumably noth- ing of extracted honey as we know it. Con- sequently, all that he did and all that oth- ers have done until very recent years, was suggested and adapted solely for the getting of the largest possible yield of comb honey. To this end, probably the most important among the conditions necessary was the crowding of the colony to force work in the super. Hence the eight-frame hive and the long and comparatively shallow frame. Now that extracted honey has come into its own, different conditions are required — the all-important condition now being large colonies. Therefore, more brood-room. The only way to increase brood-chamber capacity, barring a second brood-chamber, is by deepening the frame. This has an advantage in that it brings the form of the brood-chamber more into harmony with bee habit; also it avoids any additional parts to be handled. Very fortunately the ' ' Jumbo ' ' frame, already used to some extent, offers this increased depth, and any standard "L" hive can be adapted to the ' ' Jumbo ' ' frame simply by the addition of a rim 2% inches deep to the under edge of the hive body. This rim may be attached permanently or be removable, so that any hive body thus deepened may be restored to its original condition without any damage. When such a change is made the old combs of the Langstroth depth can be utilized as storage combs in ordinary full-depth bodies as su- pers . Such rims should have a wire nail driven into the edge of each side, the head to be cut off and the nail filed to a point. When placed in position and pressed home the rim cannot jig about, and the bees will glue it tight, especially if the inner edges are taken off the least bit to provide a ' ' chink ' ' for propolis. It will be seen at once that no discarding of equipment is nec- essary, as everything fits as before. New Jersey. C. D. Cheney. THK BACK LOT BUZZER. Ever since it was learned that Uncle Ez Peachbloom knew how lo make spirits out of honeu, he has been getting a vowerfvl lot of mail. They can pester all they want to, says Uncle Ez, but bi/ ginger, th' secret dies with me. Atril, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 243 c V^_^ the TUOll- k e 3' with the bee. Tho bee has person- ality. It has an object in life. The monkey is a scattorbrain, be- cause he has on- ly himself to think about." — Monthly Bul- letin of the Chamber of Commerce of Ho- boken, N. J., Sept. 191S. "I should like to try wintering with frames crosswise of the hive. It sounds rea- sonable, and I will try it out. ' ' — D. G. Hol- termann, Brantford, Ont., Canada. "Have had two colonies in our back yard for the last five years and never a summer swarm and never a winter loss until last winter when two mice squeezed in and ruined one colony. However this is educational to me. I thought I knew a mouse's limitations before; but I surely do now and there will be no more mice nests inside the hives. Our one hive went thru the winter in fine shape and has made over 200 pounds of clover honey." — I. T. Eowland, Albany, N. Y. "We have about 240 colonies, and run most of them for comb honey, altho more extracted honey is produced here in the Yakima Valley than comb. This climate is very changeable, the temperature going below zero in winter, and away up in the 90 's in the shade in summer. Between times we have great windstorms in which the bees are killed by the wholesale when com- ing home loaded with nectar. In the winter I have only a chaff cushion in an empty su- per over the brood-chamber and a piece of canvas over that with an entrance made smaller of course. ' ' — Victoria Becker, Ya- kima County, Wash. "Last summer I carried your little one- frame observation hive with me for four weeks while I lectured in Ohio teachers' in- stitutes. At the Hotel Secor in Toledo I was followed by detectives who thought the little hive was an infernal machine intend- ed for purposes of destruction. I was told the next day that as many as nine persons had been in my rooin at one time inspecting what seemed to be a dangerous proposition. Among them was the manager of the hotel and the house detective. They did all this in spite of the fact that the name, ' A. I. Eoot Co., Medina, O., ' was printed on the hive." — W. A. Matheny, Athens, O. "Your Gleanings should have much credit from this locality, as it was at least par- tially responsible for the organization of our local beekeepers' association for mutual benefit, with the result that local prices ad- vanced 61/4 cents per pound in five days after the association first offered honey in car lots. At the beginning of the season some contracts were made as low as 10c per pound, and the Utah car-lot buyers unani- BEES, MEN AND THINGS (You may find it here) ^'^^^^^^^=^ 1 mously bid 15c i'. (). 1 1. Til the li\'e days prices advanced from 15c, our best of- fei' received in the association meeting from a car-lot represen- tative, to 21%c, but no sales. The association eventually sold 100,000 pounds at 25c f. o. b. Utah. On ac- count of bad weather and roads they are hold- ing some that was not delivered for the same price, 25c; and, as the quality is strictly fancy, the selling committee feel that the honey is well worth tho price asked." — John A. Cronk, Myton, Utah. "Mind you, I do not say bees can not hear; but I have been quite a close observer for nearly 40 years, and I am still awaiting evidence that they can. When those won- derful aluminum combs supersede the combs constructed by the bees strictly in accord- ance with the laws of their Divine Creator, then I will believe that bees can hear. But, reaHy, what is the difference whether they can hear or not except for our satisfaction of knowing? It is the honey they are after (and they do not find it by following the 'conie-on,-girls, ' tone of field workers), and that is what we are after also." — Elias Fox, Juneau County, Wis. "All writers appear to condemn Heurth 's Funics. I have tried them now on a large scale for five years, and have obtained 10 times the crop and 30 times the unfed in- crease that I used to get from natives. In- deed they have been my staff during this awful epidemic among bees. Can you not appeal for a fair trial of them? Prejudice dies hard, and Cowan's verdict was on the surface a true one. They have some griev- ous faults, but they are a most wonderful bee. I have tried many thousands of them, and can speak with some confidence." — C. B. Bart:ett, Barley Park, Oxon, England. [The writer claims to be the largest bee- keeper in the British Isles. — Ed.] "I winter my bees ontdoors in standard ten-frame hives. I have my colonies on a stand 18 inches from the ground, stand holding 10 colonies, and tight against each other for winter. I remove all the tops to get them as close as possible and cover the entire 10 with one cover made in the same way that the ordinary metal cover is made. I place above the frames a small lattice- framework consisting of five strips of %- inch wood, which cover about seven frames, with the cross strips turned down so as to give the bees access from one frame to another across the top of frames. Over this I place a super with a burlap bot- tom and fill super with cut straw or hay, and my bees generally come thru O. K. and I have them working in the supers during ap- ple-blossom time. "—Otto J. Spahn, Wesit- chester County, N, Y. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 DR. E.F.Phil- lips, with his force oi' Government Ex- tension Workers, will co-operate with the various extension divi- sions of the fol- lowing States, on the dates given, in putting on extension short courses for commercial beekeepers, as follows: Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind., the week beginning April 7; Iowa State University at Ames, the week begin- ning April 14; Minnesota, at University Farm, St. Paul, the week beginning April 21. These short courses will be given for the benefit of commercial beekeepers, the same as the short courses recently given in Cali- fornia and at Ithaca, N. Y., with such marked success. The tuition in the several courses is free to all residents of the several States. Dr. E. F. Phillips and George S. I»emuth, of the Apicultural Division, Bureau of Entomology, Washington, will be in di- rect charge and will be chief instructors in the courses to be given. No commercial bee- keeper in any of these States can afford to miss the course offered them, because of its proved value. We would refer our readers as to the benefits of these commercial bee- keepers' courses to what E. F. Holterniann, one of the best beekeepers anywhere, has to say in this issue of Gleanings of the same course given at Ithaca. * * * B. F. Kindig recently conducted a short course for beekeepers at the Michigan Col- lege of Agriculture with great success. It is said that this short course was the most popular of any of the apicultural short courses offered at the Michigan College this year. ^ ^ ^ Many of the beekeepers and beekeepers' associations of Ohio are seeking affiliation with the county farm bureaus now estab- lished in almost every county in the State. This move is one that may well have the attention of beekeepers in any county wher- ever there may be an agricultural county agent. ^ * « The Dixie Beekeeper is the name of a new apicultural journal to begin publication at Waycross, Ga., Apr. 1, devoted to Southern beekeeping, with J. J. Wilder as editor and ])ublisher. Mr. Wilder announces his pi-o- j)osed journal as "the only bee paper pub- lished in Dixie." There is a, field for this new journal, and Gleanings extends its heartiest wishes for its success and the bene- fit it can bring to Southern beekeeping. Elton Warner, for 20 years a beekeeper in Porto Rico, is now transferring his bee- keeping activities to North Carolina and upper South Carolina, where he will have a thousand colonies the coming season. He is a successful and practical beekeeper along n'.odern and pro- gressive lines, and his faith in the beekeeping possibilities o f the section o f c (> u n t r y to which he is mov- ing clearly indi- cates the great possibilities for better beekeeping now so rapidly advancing in the southern part of the country. * « * In a statement issued to the members of Michigan Afliliated Beekeepers ' Association Secretary B. F. Kindig states that there are apin-oximately 40,000 beekeepers in Michi- gan, who on an average produce annually 10,000,000 pounds of honey. « * * The 28th annual meeting of the Connecti- cut Beekeepers' Association will be held in the old Senate Chamber, Hartford, on Apr. 5, beginning at 10 a. m. A very practical program has been prepared, and every Con- necticut beekeeper, who can, should attend. L. Wayne Adams, 16 Warren St., Hartford, is secretary. » * « The Ontario Beekeepers ' Association has prepared a list of pound-package shippers of bees, with i^riees, for distribution to its members. The Association wrote to South- ern queen-and-bee-rearers, asking for quo- tations, and asking how well prepared they might be to ship bees to the Ontario bee- keepers, and if they could guarantee de- livery in good condition. The Association assumed responsibility to the shippers for any orders placed for its members by the Association. Frank Benton, for many years prominent- ly identified with the beekeeping industry of this country, and for a time head of the apicultural activities of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, died at Fort Myers, Fla., Feb. 28, where he had gone for the benefit of his health.- His home was at Coldwater, Mich., where he was born July 5, 1852. From his childhood he was an en- tliusiastic beekeeper and student of api- cultuie. He sj)ent 12 years abroad, living in C.^piess, Beirut, Syria, Germany, and Aus- Iriai investigating the different races of bees in those foreign countries, and shipping them to all parts of the world. During his a'iministration of the Department of Api- culture at Washington he occupied very much of his time in the investigation of the various kinds of bees, and traveled much abroad in this work. He was especial- ly interested in the big bee of India, the Ajiix (li>r!<(iln, and tried to acclimate them in this country. His administration of the department was a stormy one, but today no one questions the right purpose of his great enthusiasm, and his devotion to the cause and advancement of beekeeping. Ai'RIl.. 19 If) (i 1, E A N T N (i S IN BEE O U L T IT U E 245 c FEELING the need of scientific in- vestigation con- cerning many of the problems that confront beekeepers, the Texas beekeep- ers, so states the Beekeepers' Item, are asking the passage of an experimental-apiaries bill. In speaking of the need of such a bill, reference is made to the fact that Texas has about 600,000 colonies, and produces about 15,000,000 ]iounds of honey annually; also that this State has more colonies than any other; that one-fifth of all the bees west of the ^lississippi are in Texas; and yet that near- ly two million dollars' worth of honey is iini)orted into Texas annually, notwithstand- ing the fact that twenty times the number of colonies could be kept, and twenty times the amount of honey produced, if Texas beekeepers were educated to take advantage of their opportunities. * * * LAKGS AXD SMALTj HIVES. The large and the small hive is discussed by Miss Emma Wilson and Frank Pellett in the March number of the American Bee Journal. Mr. Pellett 's view of the question is hardly to be questioned. In fact, he makes the same argument as does Dr. Miller in January Gleanings. However, inasmuch as he has somewhat misquoted me, I will re- peat what I stated in Dr. Miller's depart- ment— that for those who neglect their bees there is little doubt that the ten-frame hive is preferable to the eight-frame for winter- ing; but for those who attend to supplying their colonies with stores in the fall (which, it is to be hoped, the great majority of our readers do) I believe colonies may be win- tered warmer and cheaper in an eight-frame hive or in a ten-frame contracted to eight. And now I might add that all the colonies I own are in ten-frame hives; and, if I ever change the size, it will be to get a larger hive, or at least a larger brood-chamber. The points Miss Wilson makes, however, in favor of the lighter supers are very well chosen. She rather takes E. R. Eoot to task for advocating thirteen-frame hives. (It is quite certain that Mr. Root had no intention of recommending the thirteen-frame hive for general adoption. He will doubtless state his position more fully in the near future.) She says that even if the thirteen- frame hive were piled five high, and the eight-frame eight high, which would give the same capacity, it would still be about as easy to remove the supers from the eight- frame as from the thirteen-frame; for, tho it would be handier to lift the three supers from the high eight-frame hive than the two top supers of the thirteen-frame hive, still this extra work would be offset by the greater ease in removing the remaining five of the eight-frame supers than the three of THE BEST FROM OTHERS lona Fowls LJ 1 LJ 1 li e th i I'teen- liame supers. In 1 he second place, ]\1 i s s Wilson thinks that in the majority of cases the supers are not piled as high as this. She further- calls at- tention to the times the brood-chamber must be moved to a new stand or down cellar and out again. In these cases, she says, the lifting is 621/4 per cent harder with the large hives than with the small. Last of all, she says all discussion along this line is quite idle for those women who simply can not lift a thirteen-frame hive at any height. A great many of us would not care to use an eight-frame hive at all; and yet these same arguments that hold in regard to the thirteen-frame and eight-frame hive will hold also, tho in less degree, to the thirteen- frame and the ten-frame. Those who wish to save themselves too much heavy lifting, and yet are interested in a large brood- chamber may find themselves quite content- ed with a two-story ten-frame brood-cham- ber in the spring. Others may perhaps like to try out a few colonies on Harry Hewitt's plan, as given in the last issue of Gleanings. INTRODUCIXG VIRGINS. Virgin queens even eight or ten days old may be easily introduced, claims Ray Moore in the American Bee Journal for March. He takes two frames of bees from several colonies and shakes them into a cage and places them in a cool dark cellar and leaves them about 24 hours. Then he prepares small six-inch cubical boxes with 1 by %- inch screened entrances, each box contain- ing a section of honey and the two empty sections. Into these boxes he shakes about half a pint of bees sprinkled with water, and also shakes in one of the virgins and closes the hive. The next day the screen is removed, and in about a week the queen is laying, when she is introduced to a stronger nucleus. [Mr. Pritchard introduces virgins up to four or five days old in about this way; yet he prefers to get the bees to make up the nuclei from an outyard, for otherwise some of them return. He would not care to keep them in the cellar for 2-1 hours, preferring to use them as soon as convenient after making up; for hungry bees, he finds, are more apt to ball a queen.] VALUE OF DOrULE WALLS. In discussing the double-walled hive in the February issue of the Canadian Horti- culturist and Beekeeper, G. A. Deadman says: "By using two boards % inch thick and a dead-air space of about % inch or two quarter-inch thick and a dead-air space of % inch, you have a hive that will be of the same dimensions as the single-walled, re- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 quiring no more lumber and being lighter in weight. Had I then known what Mr. Dnnn tells us regarding the cork dust he uses, 1 certainly would have made allowance for that, and saved the work of packing in the fall and unpacking again in the spring. A double-walled hive is preferable if only a dead-air sj^ace of % inch, whether you re- pack for winter or live in a climate that, so far as cold is concerned, requires no pack- ing. ' ' I simply have the grain of the wood run perpendicular for the inside wall, and hori- zontal for the outside. By doing this I have a hive that never varies so far as the depth inside goes, and so the distance below the frames always remains the same. ' ' You may call me a crank on this dou- ble-wall business if you like; but I have such a strong conviction of its superiority that I have even my supers double-walled at the sides. The ends I leave single, as I get more frame space. You can not go around my apiary after a frosty night and locate the cluster of bees by the moisture on the cover, as my covers are double-walled, as also the movable bottom-board. ' ' — Can- adian Horticulturist and Beekeeper, Febru- ary- SCHEME OF GRADING HONEY. A scheme of grading honey in 12 grades according to color has been copyrighted by Tarlton Eayment. The plan is given in the January issue of the Apicultural Journal. To secure standards for the different colors, small glass vessels of equal capacity were filled with different grades, and a water- color painting of each was made. The result was 12 colored diagrams made up of four groups of three each — yellow, golden, amber, and brown, each of the four groups being made up of the three tones — pale, medium, and deep. The yellow grades are designated as Yl, Y2, Y3, "and the golden Gl, Ct2, G3, etc. A. J. Wheeler believes this color scheme too complicated, and would reduce the num- ber of grades to three — -light (A), medium (B), and dark (C). Also, since the printed diagrams would so easily fade and become soiled, he would use colored grading- glasses. One thickness would give the lightest shade permissible for medium; two thicknesses the darkest shade for medium; anything lighter than one thickness would be A; any honey of shade between that of one and of two thicknesses would' be B, and any shade darker than the shade of two thicknesses would be C. [H. H. Eoot has been experimenting with various colors of glass, and finds that one can, in this way, obtain satisfactory and permanent standards.] * * « THOUSANDS OF COLONIES SHIPPED INTO CALIFORNIA. Several thousand colonies are being ship- ped into Eiverside and San Bernardino counties, Cal., from Utah and Idaho, some for honey production, but many for increase and early queens to l)e Khi]iped north for the alfalfa and sweet-clover crop. Chas. S. Kinzie, in the February Western Honeybee, is not overly pleased at having the good roads worn out by these intruders, and the California beekeepers crowded off their ranges. He suggests a license tax of 25 cents per colony on all imported colonies. * * * DISAPPEARING DISEASE DISCUSSED. In a report of the Ontario Beekeepers ' Annual Convention in the February Cana- dian Horticulturist and Beekeeper we find the following: "The subject of the disap- pearing disease, or bee paralysis, came in for considerable discussion. Considerable difference of opinion as to its cause was expressed. ' ' When asked if he had noticed any difference between the disappearing dis- ease and bee paralj'sis, Mr. Stewart said they were similar in their symptoms, but he could go no further than that. He said that he noticed the disease 20 years ago. * * * CAUSE OF HOLES IN CORNERS OF COMBS. "Just learned something thru the glass hive in my office. I had four sheets of pa- per over the glass. There was a nail-hole thru the paper, and it made a little spot of light on the outside comb. The bees prompt- ly gnawed a large hole thru that comb. That accounts for the combs down in the brood- nest being eaten away at the corners." — Chas. S. Kinzie in February Western Hon- eybee. " DR." E. R. ROOT. " 'Dr.' E< R. Root, editor of Gleanings in Bee Culture, the leading bee-periodical of the world, is spending the winter in Los Angeles, and is giving much time to bee demonstrations before various organiza- tions. He has acquired the title of ' Doc- tor ' since his appearance here, and his bee-stunts are certainly doing much to popu- larize and arouse interest in beekeeping." — February Western Honeybee. « * * LIGHTNING OPERATOR. To take care of 500 or 600 colonies, and do all the extracting alone, and with a two- frame extractor taking over a ton of honey a day, is quite a stunt; and yet, we infer from the February issue of the Western Honeybee, this has become a sort of habit with O. W. Stearns of Selma, Cal. » * * TO PREVENT FOUNDATION STICKING. To keej) foundation from sticking to the board when using a wire-imbedder, A. E. Lusher, in the February Western Honeybee, states that he uses cornstarch, talcum pow- der, or soapstone. [Of these three we be- lieve cornstarch preferable.] * * » RESTOCKING FOR ISLE OF WIGHT. Nearly 100 colonies believed to have a considerable degree of immunity from Isle of Wight disease, have been distributed among beekeepers in Scotland during the {Continued on /laj/c 265.) c APRIL, 1919 QUESTION.— In an article In- Frank C. P e 11 e t t on boelKceping, he says if the queen is lost when there are no larvje or eg?s from which to raise an- other queen, the colony is doomed. In another place he says that in the spring if one finds the queen dead, he may purchase one and replace her. Then why could he not do this any time during the season if the queen is lost and there is no chance of rearing another? New Jersey. Mrs. F. B. Shaffer. Answer. — That is exactly what he should do. Mr. Pellett simply meant that, if no queen is provided, such a colony is doomed. Question. — ^Would not old kid gloves be better to handle frames with than brown duck or canvas bee-gloveis? Ralph Gaston. Pennsylvania. Answer. — No. In our experience kid gloves are much worse than nothing. It is very awkward to work in the apiary with gloves of any kind; but, if gloves must be worn, we advise very loose canvas gloves. Question. — Would it pay to try to keep pure Italians in a thickly settled district where every- body keeps black bees in box hives? Indiana. S. E. Troxel. Answer. — Yes, it certainly would pay you to keep good Italians. In your location this will mean that in mating you will sometimes get hybrids. However, a strain of bees from an Italian queen mated to a black or hybrid are nearly always good honey-gather- ers, and often the first cross are better at honey-gathering than either of the original strains. Question. — I looked in my hive, and part of the comb in the brood-chamber is quite dark. What is the cause of it, and what shall I do ? North Carolina. H. C. Fox. Answer. — The dark color of the combs need not worry you in the slightest, for the dark combs are those which have been in use for a long time in the brood-chamber. The older combs become, the darker they are; but, contrary to the belief of some, we do not think that age lessens the value of combs at all. In fact, we rather prefer the old combs. They certainly are warmer dur- ing the winter, since the cells are lined with many layers of cocoons. Not only do we pre- fer old combs, but the bees also show the same preference. Question. — When I purchased my colonies last spring I placed them on a bench about two feet from the ground, with the front about an inch lower than the rear. I? my plan wrong? Should my hives be nearer the ground? A. H. Gilmore. Pennsylvania. Answer. — You would, we believe, like it better to have your hives down nearer the ground. They should not, of course, rest on the ground, but be high enough up to be away from the dampness. They may rest on bricks or on 2x4 's, or on a regular hive- stand which one can easily make. When hives are placed on stands or benches of 0 1. RANINGS IN BEE CULTURE GLEANED by ASKING lona 3 Fowls LJ some height it necessitates much more lift- ing during the lioney flow; also, if the colony is wintered o u t - doors, it is prob- a b 1 y 11 o t a s w a r 111 as it is when closer to the ground. Questions. — (1) When bees start to swarm, and the queen is caught in a wire Alley trap, will the bees return to the hive? (2) If you let the queem loo.se from the trap will she swarm? (3) Is it wise to leave the wire Alley trap on all the time? (4) Will all the bees go thru a bee-escape? If so, how long will it take? (5) Can the drones be caught in a wire Alley trap? Clyde R. Lumadue. New Jersey. Answers. — (1) Yes, they will return; but the proper thing to do when they swarm is to move the old hive to a new location and put on the old stand a hive with empty combs or frames of foundation. In a short time the swarm will return, and, if the queen is then given them, they will enter the new hive and probably remain content- edly. (2) The colony will usually swarm again the following day. (3) No. It would seriously interfere with the workers carry- ing in honey and pollen. (4) The bees will usually all leave a super in 24 to 48 hours, if it contains only honey; but, if it contains brood, the bees would not leave it. (5) Yes. That is the principal use of the trap. Question. — Can you give me any information nlout stingless bees? H. Ritter. New Jersey. Answer. — Stingless bees may be found all the way from the southern part of the Unit- ed States to certain parts of Argentine. There are probably over 100 species, which vary greatly in size and habits. There may be from 100 to 100,000 in a colony. Some of these live in the ground, others in trees. The natives sometimes keep stingless bees in hollow logs, but seldom secure more than a gallon of honey per hive. Ordinarily the bees may be handled without veil or other jirotection; but when unduly stirred up they may be very cross, crawling into the ears, nose, and hair, and biting most viciously. Questions. — (1) If one uses the Alexander meth- od, would it not be a good plan to let the new colo- ny on the old stand produce comb honey while the parent colony produces extracted honey? (2) If one captures the virgin queen from an after-swarm, why does the swarm insist on hanging to the limb instead of coming back to the hive? In every case our first swarm.s (led by a clipped laying queien) has returned within 15 minutes, while those led by virgins refuse to come back. (3) Would copper wire take the place of tinned wire for wiring frames of foundation? Raymond Russell. New York. Answers. — (1) If either one of the colo- nies is to produce comb honey, the parent colony should be chosen. However, no comb- honey production should be attempted un- less the colony is very strong. (2) If the colony persists in hanging on the tree after the virgin queen has been captured, it is 248 (i L E A N T N G S IN BEE V V I- TORE Ai'RiL. 19:0 probable that another virgin is present. 'There are often several queens in a cluster. If only one were present, the swarm would in a short time leave the limb. They might cluster for a while, but would eventually re- turn to their hives. (3) Copper wire may be used instead of tinned wire for wiring frames of foundation; but it stretches a lit- tle more readily than the ordinary wire, and is, therefore, harder to keep tight. Also, if the wire is to be imbedded by means of elec- tricity, it takes more current to imbed the copper wire owing to the higher conductivi- ty of copper over iron. Question. — I have been working for the State as apiary inspector, and my experience is that in every case where there is an apiary that has been well supplied with salt around the front of the hive to prevent what is commonly called ants there is no foul brood. I know of different apiaries that aro located very close to foul brood, yet where there is salt placed in damp places there is no foul brood. I have never had foul brood in my apiary, and I always use salt for the bees to work on. I am sure salt is a preventive. L. D. Sharp. West Virginia. Answer. — We have known of others who held a similar view, yet our own experience has not borne this out. We use salt in front of our entrances in order to keep down the grass. Some years we have no foul brood, other y.ears two or three cases may appear, quite regardless of the presence of salt. In this one apiary to which we refer there is no question as to how the bees contract the disease, since we have a kind neighbor who keeps us from time to time supplied with this disease. We can not see that salt has any effect on foul brood, either as a cure or as a preventive. Question. — -It will be impossible for the next year or two to visit my bees more than twice a year. They are in 12-frame hives. When I packed last fall they had plenty of stores for an ordinary win- ter. What I am worrying about now is that this exceptionally warm winter will start brood-rearing early, and so make them run out of stores before fruit bloom, and still I am afraid to u'npack before fruit bloom for feiar of chilling, especially as it will be necessary at that time to give empty supers. Massachusetts. Oscar B. Perkins. Answer. — How splendid it would be if bees could be as easily taken care of. Yet we do not consider it possible to take good care of colonies by opening the hives only twice a year. The problem that now con- fronts you is similar to many that will fol- low if you find it necessary to give your colonies such scant attention. If they now need stores it would, of course, be disastrous not to feed them, and yet it is quite evident that it would not be safe, at this time, to give them all the surplus room they may need thruout the summer. If not able to visit the bees oftener, we wonder if it would not be possible for you to get some one in the immediate neighborhood to give the su- pers when needed. In most cases those who have tried managing their bees with less work than is usually considered necessary have hired some one near the apiary to do certain things at the necessary time. In this way only, and only in localities free from disease, do we think it possible that you can make a success of let-alone bee- keeping. Question. — Can I start a colony of bees with a two-pound' package on just frames with foundation? If not, what is the smallest amount of empty combs I can usei? .T. D. Dietrich. Michigan. Answer. — These nuclei could be given frames of foundation, altho combs are great- ly to be preferred. We advise giving at least one comb to each nucleus if sufficient combs can be obtained. It will, of course, be necessary to feed a cup of syrup daily for a month or more, according to the direc- tions that accompany the packages. Question. — I should like to know the value per year to bee culture of a hundred fine basswood trees. They were grown in an open wood with ample room, and are very wide-spreading. The owner is con- templating clearing them up, but the wife wishes to preserve them for sentimental reasons. If they are of sufficient value as bee-forage, the husband might be induced to save them. Mrs. Charles Dean. Indiana. Answer. — We can give no exact statement as to the number of pounds of honey those trees would yield. But here at Medina one year, when conditions of heat and humidity were just right, we had an average of over 14 pounds of basswood honey per day for three days; and there is on record a colony in New York that for ten days stored an average of over 30 lbs. per day from bass- wood alone. As a general thing one would expect much less honey than this from bass- wood, and yet we assure you that 100 bass- wood trees would be a valuable asset for any beekeeper. Question. — One of the local stores recently had some comb honey on sale in square lx)xes which were spotlessly clean but did not have the appear- ance of having been scraped. I use the Danzen- baker sections, but find they need considerable scraping, and even then the stains are not entirely removed. Can you suggest how I may eliminate my trouble? .Julius C. Bechtel. New York. Answer. — Some strains are more liable to propolizo the sections than others. Possibly by requeening you could improve this con- dition. Aside from this we know of no way to keep the sections cleaner other than to keep very strong colonies, leaving them rather crowded for room, so that the sec- tions may be finished as fast as possible, and removed as soon as the cells are com- pletely' capped. Of course, if sections are left on the hive for any length of time they soon become soiled and injured in appear- ance; and, if too many supers are given at one time, it takes the colony too long to complete their work, and the sections be- come travel-stained. ANSWERS BY DR. C. C. MILLER. Questions.- — (1) To every quarter section of land we have about 20 acres of pasture with a light crop of white clover, about 5 acres alsike. about the same amount of red clover, also some of the clovers scat- tered along roads and fences. In the spring we have lots of dandelion, a few locusts, and about 15 apple trees to each farm. In thei fall we have goldenrod and asters scattered along the fences, and Al'RII., 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U L T U K E 249 lots of catnip in tlie proves. Ciui T keep a hniulrod colonies in one apiary? (2) My becis are in a cave with only tho inner cover on top. These seem to warp up on the sides so there is ji crack of about a i|uartcr of an incli with fully a %-inch opening: in front. Will this he all right for the beeis ? (3) Tlierc is a little nmld in tlic cave. Will it do any harm .' (1 ) If I put scuue bees in the hivcB, with foundation, how inucli should they be fed fO' draw out the combs when there is no natural honey com- ing in? There is about three pounds to the swarm. Iowa. Answers. — (1) It is hard to speak with definiteucss about such things, but I should count it quite a safe thing to have 100 colo- nies in "one apiary in such a place. (2) That ^y4-inch crack will do good, and likely make the ventilation of the hive all right, provid- ed the ventilation of the cave is all right. (3) A little mold will do no great harm, al- tho it would be better not to have an3\ The mold and the warping of covers indicate dampness and lack of ventilation. Perhaps j-ou can increase the ventilation. It is also not unlikely that the cave is too cold. If below 45 or 50 degrees, warming up a little will help both as to dampness and ventila- tion. (4)1 don't know definitely. Counting that no drawn comb is jjiescnt in which the syrup can be stored, I should guess that a pound a day of equal parts of sugar and water might do, and that more would make faster work if the bees will take it. This answer is subject to modification by any one in the office of Gleanings who is not as ignorant about it as I am. [From our ex- perience this would depend greatly on the temperature. We should guess from one to two pounds a day. — Editor.] Questions. — Please pardon me. I do not come criticising nor dictating, but merely seeking infor- mation baseid upon facts. (1) On page 23, -January Gleanings, in regard to field bees carrying honey to the top super of a hive containing five or six siiper.^, would the fact of the bees unloading their pollen in the brood-chamber, where they know it is required, be any evidence that they dO' not carry their loads of nectar far above, where they also know it is re- quired, and that there is room for it? (2) If, as you seem to think, the field bees merely cari-y the nectar in and dump it into empty cells in the brood- chamber where the young bees take it into their sacs and evaporate by thrusting it out with their tongues, then I should like to have you explain how they can do this when the brood-chamber is already filled with honey and brood; and, if such might be the case, how do you account for the nectar being so thin that you can shake it out of the combs by hand, or even have it drip out by turning the comb on its side after this imaginary evaporation, and storing in the topmost super? (3) In the same issue, page 24, you say that at the approach of winter the 10-frame hive would have two frames more of honey than the eight. Yes, theiy would have at least two " frames more," but not always two frames more of honey; but conceding this to-be a fact, would they not nor- mally also contain proportionately more bees? (4) On the same page you tell us the threei varying tem- perature-s of your cellar, yet you failed to tell us what the month was at tho time this test was made, what the outside teimperalure was, what the condi- tion of the bees Was as to quietness, and whether the three tests were made with three different ther- mometers (which I presume was the case). If they had not been tefsted togcithcr, is it not j)ossible that tliey loo may liave varied, at least slightly? (5) -I should also like to ask if you or any one elsei can tell me about what the winter loss by weight in dead bees should l;e in 13.5 colonies, mostly 10- framc, in the cellar, being confined from Nov. 23 till April 6, dry cellar, and covers and oilcloths on (he hives — a winter, say, like the one a year ago, all but one colony coming out alive? Elias Fox. M^isconsin. Answers. — (1) You are quite right that the fact that bees unload their pollen in the brood-chamber is not proof that they uiiload their honey-sacs there. It was a poor at- tempt at proof. (2) You ask how the bees can unload their sacs in the brood-chamber when said brood-chamber is already filled with honey and brood. There are cells partly filled with honey that offer some room. Then each day there are young bees emerging from their cells, into which cells the fielders can temporarily thrust their honey. If there is not room enough in the brood-chamber, there is no law against using the nearest cells to be found in the supers. At any rate the thin liquid is there, in the brood-cham- ber, as you can easily satisfy yourself, and if the fielders didn't put it there, who did? You ask how to "account for the nectar being so thin that you can shake it out of the combs by hand." That shaking busi- ness is really a proof that the fielders dump their loads in the brood-chamber; for the brood-combs are the very ones where the honey shakes the most. Indeed the first delightful proof that the bees have begun to bring in a surplus is when upon shaking the bees off a brood-comb we cry out, ' ' The honey shakes." Anyhow, there's the thin stuff in the brood-chamber. Don't you think the fielders put it there? There's another proof that has been brought forward. Into a colony of dark bees introduce a light queen. Then a few weeks later, when the old bees have all become fielders and the nurses are all light, take the cover off the top super and see the color of the bees in it. Few or no dark bees there, but lots of yel- low ones, showing that the young bees are the ones that bring up the honey. I think I ought to add that most of what I have here said I should credit to that close and reliable observer, the late G. M. Doo- little. (3) As to there being more stores in a 10-frame hive in proportion to the number of bees, ask any observant inspector in which hive he finds tlie most starving, and also read what Miss Fowls says on page 24. (4) When I gave the temperature at three differ- ent points in the cellar I didn't report upon the things you mention, and it didn't occur to me that any one would want to know. As to thermometers, I used the same thermome- ter, taking the temperatures in immediate succession, making it practically at the same time. (5) I don't know the answer to this question. C. C. Miller, I arise to remark to ye editor or any one of his fellow-conspirators that I 'm glad Mr. Fox didn't "come criticising." If he should come in a really critical mood I'm afraid it might go hard with me. C. C. M, 250 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 0 ME time c ^^ during m a - pie bloom or fruit bloom there will doubt- less be a wonder- ful spring day when the entire apiary will be vibrating with the music of humming bees. Then is an ideal time to become acquainted with those fascinating little friends that have impelled us to a reading of these pages. Preparing to Open the Hive. Armed with a good bee-veil and lighted smoker, and bearing in mind that bees seri- ously object to sudden jarrings and quick motions, it will be found that, if our direc- tions are followed, good Italian bees may be quite safely handled, even at the first at- tempt. On approaching the hive give one or two gentle puffs of smoke at the entrance, just to inform the ever vigilant sentinel bees sta- tioned there whose duty it is to protect the colony from sudden attack, that, tho their hive may be unavoidably jarred during the next few minutes, it would be well for them not to be too highly sensitive, since the in- truder is well prepared to defend himself — with smoke. A Glimpse Within. AVorking from the side of the hive, care- fully remove the outer cover and insert the edge of the hive-tool in the crack between the ends of the inner cover and the hive and gently pry the cover, breaking the propolis with which the bees. have cemented the cover to the hive. Then lift the front end of the cover a quarter of an inch or so from the top of the hive, at the same time blowing a gentle puff or two of smoke over the tops of the frames. This will drive many of the bees from the tops of the frames down on to the combs, where they will immediately dip into the cells of honey and proceed to gorge themselves, after which they will be very docile and easily handled. Even those not gorged with honey will still be enough confused by the smoke to prevent their acting in accordance with their natural instinct to protect the colony. Handling Frames. After removing the inner cover select for inspection first the second or third frame from the side, where the queen is less likely to be found, for if the queen should be on the first frame removed* she might possibly be injured by being rubbed or crushed when the first frame is withdrawn from the close- ly adjacent frames. Now place the curv- ed end of the tool between the ends of bars and gently pry one frame loose from its neighbors. Also loosen the opposite end, and, with the curved end of the tool, lift the frame just enough so that the fingers of the left hand may easily grasp the end of the top-bar. Then take the opposite end with TALKS TO BEGINNERS By Zona Fowls 1 the right hand and slowly lift the frame straight up, holding it a 1 - ways in a verti- cal position. If one wishes to turn the frame over and look at the opposite side, it should not be turned directly over with the bottom-bar re- maining hornzontal; for, if the comb is heavy with honey and insecurely attached, it may break from the frame. Moreover, if a frame is held horizontally, it might result in the queen 's fall and injury, for a laying queen is quite easily dislodged from a comb. As the frame is held by the ends of the top-bar perpendicularly in front of one (see Fig. 1), raise the riglit end above the left, Fig. 1. — First position of frame. thus bringing the top-bar into a perpendicu- lar position (see Fig. 2); then revolve the frame on this perpendicular axis until the opposite side is toward the beginner (see Fig. 3), when the riglit hand may be lowered to a position level with the left hand, thus leaving the frame still in a vertical position, and still held by the ends of the top - bar; but the bottom - bar, now at the top (see Fig. 4) instead of at the bottom, as in the original posi- tion. In order to get the frame in the right position for returning to the hive this operation should be reversed. This manner of handling may sound rather in- volved and quite unnecessary; but in reality it is very simple, and may save the beginner a broken comb or the loss of a queen. Practice it with an empty frame. To make room to work place the first frame removed to one side in a box. Keeping Bees Under Control. After working a few minutes at the hive, many bees will probably come up on top Fig. 2. — Second position. Arrows show direction in which the frame is now to be turned. April, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE of the frames. If tliey move about content- edly, paying but little attention to the be- ginner, there will be no further need of the smoker; but if one notices a row of heads sticking up inquiringly between the frames, each bee apparently alert, just waiting for a signal to dart at the operator, or if one observes quick sudden moves of the bees on top of the frames, and perhaps an upward curving of the abdomen with the point of ^ the sting protrud- ing, then it is full time to resort to the smoker. The bees, however, should not be smok- ed too vigorously. A few gentle puffs is all tha,t is neces- sary. Three Kinds of In- dividuals in the Hive. As one watches the bees on the frames he will find the individual bees going this way and that, sometimes crawling over each other, but usually crowding their way in between those that happen to block their way. Those thus crowded show no resentment, but quite graciously grant a momentary gang- way, in this respect showing themselves vastly superior to human beings. The great majority of these bees are like those the beginner has frequent!}' noticed on flowers Fig. 3. — Third position. Arrows sliow direction from which tlie frame has just been turned. Fourth position of frame. in his garden. They are the workers, or honey-gatherers, and are undeveloped fe- males. Here and there among the workers may be noticed a few blunt thickset bees larger than the workers. These are the drones, or male bees, which are entirely dependent on the workers, since they are unable either to protect or provide for themselves, having no sting, and the tongue being too short to ob- tain nectar from flowers, altho a drone is able to help himself from cells of honey al- ready stored by the workers. Perhaps one may be fortunate enough to note on one of the combs a somewhat ir- regular circle of workers mostly facing to- ward a large splendid-looking bee not as blunt as the drone, but much longer, and quite regal in bearing. This is the queen, the mother of the entire colony. If one watches her for a time he may notice work- ers softly caressing her with their antennae, if she chances to stand still for any length of time. If the bees have been handled carefully, the beginner may have an oppor- tunity to see the queen deposit in the cells little white eggs one-sixteenth of an inch in length. She progresses busily over the comb, apparently choosing those cells that best please her, and then, while hanging to the edge of the cell with her feet, she in- serts her abdomen, curving it downward into the cell, and deposits her eggs, gluing one in the bottom of each cell. Arrangement of Brood. Most of these eggs are placed in cells about one-fifth of an inch in diameter, of which cells the combs are almost entirely composed. A few, however, are placed in larger cells about one-fourth of an inch in diameter. • In the smaller cells are developed the workers, and in the larger ones the drones. Near the cells of eggs will be found cells containing pearly-white grubs of vari- ous sizes. These are larvae in different stages of development. When the larvae become large enough they spin cocoons about themselves and pass into the pupa stage. At this stage the cells have light to dark-brown slightly convex cappings made of wax and fibrous material. The cells of eggs, larvae, and pupaj — that is, all the un- hatched bees of the hive — make up what is called the "brood." That part of the combs in which brood is being reared is the brood-nest; and the entire chamber which contains the brood-nest is called the brood- chamber. In the spring, when the queen begins laying, she usually places the eggs toward the center of the hive. She lays quite regularly; and, as the little circle of brood gradually increases, similar smaller circles are started on the adjacent combs, so that, roughly speaking, the general form of the brood-nest is that of a sphere or ball- Placing of Pollen. Surrounding the sphere of brood, tho not arranged regularly, may be noticed cells not capped over, but containing a yellow, red, green, or perhaps dark-brown substance. This is pollen mixed with a little honey, the pollen having been gathered by the bees from flowers, and carried home packed in pellets on their rear legs. It is possible that the beginner may catch sight of some bees rushing about on the combs with these variously colored little balls, looking for suitable cells in which to deposit them. Having chosen such a cell the bee backs in, and, holding the rear legs down in the cell, dexterously removes the balls of pollen. The ' ' beebread, ' ' as the pollen moistened with honey is sometimes called, is gathered es- jiecially for fcedii'.g the young larvae. Location of Honey-cells. Just outside of the brood and beebread, 252 G L E A N I K G S IN EE CULTURE April, 1919 :#'V- ^^^7 ^_ r: 5 ^ M £ £ c » s;- . > S S >> c pi c5 ■ a i:-'^ « S o ^ i- "-^ '3 ^ "^ ~ ? ^ S -H -^ "^ ^ -^ ^ q; a C3 ^ > .£f £ g. "^ "£ C 5 ?: si"? 2.21 ;^ ? o - o 2 - V • ~ -^ >- 1^ ~ ~' CC # cs Oi S^ — "^ 3 l:i ^ " :S S " S ^'. O X -/ ^ c S £5^x0 5 ^ 5 «^ "^ ^ ..= S ?! Q s ^ 5c c ~ - oj — • -^ -a " "o c '^ P S S : 2 «=:„*' ^ ^ _ S "^ ■— r— ■ O 1- =3 P S 2 > g ? ■ 5 3 ^• o . s 2 ^ 7 V a: o _ i April, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 253 toward the borders of the eonibs and the sides of the hive, are tlie cells of honey, whicdi may be either worker- or drone-eelis. These honey-eells have somewhat flattened coverings or eappings of white, yellow, or bluish-white wax. At the edges of the combs, attaching the combs to the frames, are cells of an irregular shape called "at- tachment cells." In the raising of brood great quantities of honey are consumed; and as the bees use first that honey next to the brood, the cells are generally emptied fast enough so that the queen is kept supplied with empty cells for egg-la.ying, and the room is supplied in the best possible place right next to the brood already started where the bees can more easily keep it warm. Queen-cells. In the brood-nest itself, therefore, may be found cells' showing three stages of brood, eggs, larvae, and sealed brood, w^hile outside the brood-nest are the cells of beebread and cells of honey. These cells are classified ac- cording to their size and shape into worker, drone, and attachment cells. There now re- Queen Drone (Photographed as nearly natural size as mains one other kind of cell to be mention- ed— the queen-cell. The beginner is not apt 'to see one at this first examination. These are present only when the colony has deter- mined to swarm or to supersede — that is, to ixplace their queen with a new one. Queen- cells are usually found in a depression of an imperfect comb or along the bottom-bar or end-bar. In size and shape they are somewhat like a peanut or long slender acorn with the smaller end hanging down- ward. Remaining Points of Interest. This, possibly, describes all that the be- ginner will be likely to notice on his first g'impse inside the hive. He will now wish to know something of the life-history of each of the three kinds of individuals in the liive, and perhaps a little more concerning their various activities. Life-history of the Drone. The drone, or male bee, develops from an unfertilized egg which the queen deposits in a drone-cell. (The queen has, apparent- ly, the power of laying fertilized or unfer- tilized eggs at will. The former she places in worker-cells, and the latter in drone- cells.) After three days the egg hatches in- to a small larva surrounded by a white, milky partially digested food called "chyle," which is provided by the nurse bees. The larva continues to increase until the cell is sealed and. a silken cocoon spun about the larva, which is now spoken of as a pupa. On the 24th or 25th day from the depositing of the egg the drone leaves the cell, and about two weeks later takes its first flight. As previously stated, the drones are en- tirely dependent on the colony for their food; and whenever stores run short the workers quite ruthlessly drive them or carry them outside to starve. The assembling of drones in the grass before the hive may be taken as a certain indication of the cessa- tion of the honey flow. Life-history of the Queen. When a colony for any reason, such as a deficient queen or a crowded condition in the brood-chamber or supers, feels the need of a new queen the bees begin the construction of long peanut-shaped queen-cells. After these are well started the queen deposits in each a small white egg, which after three days hatches into a tiny white larva which may be seen floating in a white thick milky substance. This chyle T is more concentrated ' than that fed to eithe.r ^ the drone or worker lar- va. (It is interesting to note that this same egg, if i^laced in a work- er-cell, would, because of the difference in cell and food, result in a worker instead of a queen.) The queen larva, cell, and amount of royal jelly in- crease in size proportionately until the sixth day from the hatching of the egg, when the cell is sealed. Up to this time the queen is still in larval form; but after seal- ing while in the pupal form she undergoes various changes which finally result in the adult queen. From the 15th to the 16th day after the egg was deposited, the queen, by means of her mandibles, begins cutting thru the lower end of her cocoon. If one chances to open the hive at just this time, he may see the points of her mandibles protruding thru the tip of the cell as she smoothly cuts a little round door which opens outward as she emerges from the cell. After leaving the cell she generally helps herself to honey, and then makes a search for an}^ other queen or queen-cells that may be present. As soon as the two queens meet, a mortal battle ensues, since a queen has no intention of sharing her glory with a rival. Also all unhatched queen-cells ^re destroyed, either by the queen or workers, leaving but one queen in the colony. Altho the queen has a sting, she seldom uses it except on a rival. From five to ten days after leaving the cell the virgin queen takes her wedding flight, and in a day or two increases consid- erably in size, and assumes a much more stately, dignified appearance. Then begins Worker possible.) GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 her life duty of keeping the colony constant- ly supplied with plenty of bees. A good queen may lay 3,000 or more eggs daily during the breeding season, and perhaps as many as 200,000 annually for several years. Queens that for any reason fail to mate will lay; but their eggs, being unfertilized, will produce only drones. Such queens are call- ed "drone-layers," and are quite worthless. In order that a colony be prosperous, it Laying queen. Note the circle of bees gathered around her in mute adoration. should always be kept supplied with a good laying queen, or at least the means of pro- ducing one; for, unless new bees are con- stantly coming on to replace those that are continually wearing out, the colony soon di- minishes to the vanishing point. History of the Worker. The egg that is to produce the worker bee hatches after three days. The next three days it is fed the same kind of food as the queen larva, but in smaller amounts. Fol- lowing this the worker larva is fed honey and pollen. Her development is slower than that of the queen, it requiring 21 days from the depositing of the egg to the hatching of the mature bee. The young worker, when she first emerges, is covered with what appears to be fine, soft down, so that the beginner will have no dif- ficulty in distinguishing her from the older bees whose down has been gradually wear- ing off. For a day or two she does nothing in i)artieular except to walk about eating honey and industriously preening her "feath- ers. ' ' After this she takes up her duties as nurse-bee, and in this capacity partially di- gests pollen and honey which she feeds to the developing larvEe. She also performs other work about the hive, such as propo- lizing, house-cleaning, comb-b-iilding, etc. About the eighth day the wor^. '• indulges in her first flight or " playspell, making many circling flights about her doorstep in order to drill her memory concerning the ex- act location of her home. In about two v/eeks ' time she begins gathering pollen and honey from the fields. It is very interesting to watch the energy and enthusiasm with which young bees bring in their first loads of pollen and place them in the cells; also to watch others enter the cells and carefully pack the pollen in place. In the pollen-bas- kets on the rear legs bees may also bring home propolis with which they make tight all useless cracks and crevices about the hive. Honey Stored and Ripened. When returning with honey a bee enters a cell headfirst and feet upward. Then the bee holds quite still while a drop of honey appears at the mouth and touches the ceil. This drop the bee slowly spreads over the cell wall, keeping the mandibles constantly in motion. During this time the drop com- pletely covers the openings of certain small ;ilands that quite likely help in changing the nectar into honey. While storing honey and ripening it, each bee keeps its tongue in the most unusual place, snugly folded be- hind the head, evidently out of the way of temptation. The honey is evaporated, or ' ' ripened, ' ' l>y the bees until it contains less than 25 per cent of water. This work is carried on mostly at night, the bees arranging them- selves on the combs with heads upward, and then, forcing a drop of nectar to the mouth and mandibles, where it gently pul- sates for about 10 minutes, it is swallowed and another drop appears. This honey-ripen- ing continues until nearly midnight; and during its progress there is a most delight- ful drowsy humming thruout the apiary. Wax Secretion. During honey-ripening and the changing of nectar to honey, wax scales are secreted by eight wax glands on the under side of the abdomen. We regret that the scope of this article forbids a description of the way these thin wax scales are worked over into such- beautiful thin-walled combs of such marvelously accurate measurements. This subject, we can assure the beginner, is well worth a little extra study. Beginners' References. Other interesting activities of tlie bees, such as swarming, robbing, etc., will be dis- cussed in later articles. In our next issue we shall take up our first actual work with the colony. This issue contains the following articles that will doubtless be of special interest to beginners: Paragraph on ' ' Importance of Abundance of Stores," p. 221; "Anne Lester and Dad- dy Lowe," p. 222; "What One Mistake Did," p. 226; "His Start With Bees," p. 229; "The Two-pound Package," p. 230; "In Texas," first paragraph of p. 239: "In P^lorida," last paragraph of p. 239; "Glean- ed by Asking," p. 247. Atril, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE W: 1 HEN the honey f Kiw- is sudden- ly cut off, from any one of sun- dry causes, un- 1 6 s s the bee- keeper is on the watch, weak colonies are lia- ble to be robbed, and when rob- bers get started and robbing is " on the ram- page," woe be- tide the novice, and sometimes the veteran also, if he does not succeed in putting a stop to it. If the colony being- robbed is closed up (or, better still, carried away and placed in a dark cellar), the rob- bers are almost sure to pounce on the next liive; and I have known them to get so fierce as to test " the metal " of almost every stock in the yard. If it is only one colony doing the robbing, and you can be sure ifhieli one, these robbing " pirates " should also be put in the dark cellar. I need not go on directing what to do, for our books and journals have again and again gone over the matter in full detail. In fact, the foregoing is only a preface of what 1 want to talk about. For ages past Satan has been robbing mankind of both " soul and body," and when the churches, schools, and all good people, especially the mothers of humanity, have talked of putting him in a " dark cellar," he has laughed us to scorn. But the " mill of the Gods " keeps on " grind- ing " and just now on this 28tli day of January, 1919, the papers tell us that 35 States have ratified. You know all about it, dear friends. Yes, when this reaches you, far more than I do. John Barleycorn is killed, for the U. S. and the prosjDect is fair for the whole wide world. Will Satan give up and "be good?" I fear not; see our last text. He may finally give up on " booze," but the whole world had better be on the watch for his next move. I think I have an inkling of what it is to be, from an article in Leslie's Weekly for Jan. 11. Here is the heading: HOW TOBACCO HELPED TO WIN THE "WAR. The whole article seems planned with wonderful (Satanic?) ingenuity to deceive " even the very elect." I give below three extracts from different parts of the article: According to the men at arms of the forces which brought the Prussian monster to its knees, particu- larly the Americans ; their ofificers, from the highest OUR HOMES A. I. ROOT For what is a man profited if he shall gain the wlio'e world, and lose his own soul? Matt. 16:26. It is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea — Mark 9:42. As a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. — I Peter 5:8. 255 to the humblest ; the physicians, nurses, chaplains and stretcher-bear- ers who labored to save the wounded and -minister to the dying; the women of the Red Cross, the secretaries of the Y. M. C. A. forces, and the rep- resentatives of all the other philan- thropic agencie.s which labored for the men battling for the cause of hu- manity — tobacco was one of the most pronounced blessings of the . , . struggle, one of the greatest factors in preserving the morale of the troops- r,n;°/n. ''.''"'''^'' '^^* ^^^ Y. M. C. A. ordered 70,- 000,000 cigarettes and nearly 3,000,000 cigars to supply the demand for " smokes " among the Ameri- can Expeditionary Forces in Europe. There may be some who believe that soldiers fight lest if supplied with liquor before battle, but I know to the contrary. Tobacco was all our bovs needed, and " smokes " played a mighty large part in beating the greatest military machine in the his- tory of the world. From the above it would seem not only "physicians, nurses, and chaplains," but even the Y. M. C. A. endorse the cigarets. Our readers know the last is not true, from what I have said heretofore. With the progress prohibition is now making the writer admits— in fact, he is forced to admit that " booze " doesn't help soldiers to fight, but we have abundant in- formation that the cigaret habit is harder to break away from than alcohol. Finally, dear friends, even if it could be proved that cigarets helped us to conquer Germany, how much is gained should it transpire we have hanged a still bigger " millstone about our necks," and about the necks of our sol- dier boys just in the flower of their youth- ful manhood. FROST AND FREEZING IN FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. As there has been much discussion in re- gard to Florida winters, not only in regard to frost, but as to whether any "part of the State is absolutely " frostless/' I am sure the letter below, from such excellent au- thority, will be read and studied by many people. In the Reasoner catalog (see A. L R. special notices in March issue) occurs the following : "AH parts of Florida are subject to frost in a greater or less degree —there is no such thing as a " frost-line." Dear Mr. Root: — In reading January Gleanings last night I see you (page 48) have made a serious error in notes on cold weather (Dec. 9th writing). 256 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 and sn I am giving jou herewith the list of main cold spells of Ihe past 24 years: Dec. 27, 1894, coldest ever known here, 181/2 degrees; Feb. 8, 1895, (six weeks later, making a double freeze), 20 degrees; Feb. 14, 1899, 20 de- grees; Nov. 28, 1903, 26 degrees; Jan. 26, 1905, 21 degrees; Dec. 1, 1909, 23 degrees; Dec. 4, 1910, 28 degrees. Here follows six years of unprecedented freedom from cold, the longest spell of open winters in mem- ory of oldest inliabitant, includinij myself .' Tropi- cal growth unhurt and tropical trees reached great size. Feb. 4, 1917, 20% degrees; Dec. 10, 1917, 28 degrees; Jan. 4, 1918, 26 degrees. Bradentown temperatures were 1 to 2 degrees warmer. Oneco is far from water protection, you know. No serious December freeze in 1917, Dec. 10 only 28 degrees here. Yours truly, E. N. Reasoner. Oneco. Fla.. Jan. 3, 1919. In regard to the above, I happened to be in Florida during the axofiil freeze first mentioned. 1 got so tired of seeing frozen oranges, I i^ushed on down until 1 came to Bradentown. Here for the first time I found the fruit unharmed, and I hapjjened to visit the Koyal Palm nurseries when they were working night and day to get steam pijDes installed to save the valuable plants. On Dee. 9, 1917, I found ice on the pans of water for the poultry, and when I wrote as I did I thought it was at tliat time, that the neighbors and " the oldest inhabitant " said it was " the coldest spell in 25 years." Friend Reasoner's letter illustrates how we forget. On receipt of the letter I wrote as fol- lows : " 1 would be exceedingly glad if you could give us something about protection from frost. We have just tried throwing a furrow of soil over some potatoes, and it did harm rather than good. A covering of burlap sacks, to hold the frost up off the plants, has done most good for us. A wood- en box is 0. K., but tin pails or jjans " no good." Newspapers are good, but a little soil must be put on the corners to jn-event being blown away. A. I. Root.'' Below is his reply : Regarding cold last winter; the first light freeze Dec. 10th, temperature 28 degrees for a short time, would have made ice if water was shallow in open air without any cover or protection. The Jan. 4th freeze, temperature 26 degrees, made much more ice. In protecting plants it is necessary to provide a slight air vent at the top of any covering, whether paper, cloth or other material, so that air circula- tion is possible; otherwise the plants inside will freeze if the weather is at all cold. The more se- vere the freeze, the more absolutely necessary be- comes the air vent. We prefer to bank trees or any perennial plants with soil, then stand branches of pine or anything with the foliage on, around the plant or tree, and tie or wire it steady ; wei stick the branches down in the ground, using a crowbar or piece of pipe to make the holes. The pine is best because the needles stay on all winter and thus form a permanent cover for sev- eral weeks, and they are open enough so the warmth of the ground can rise. We never use paper or burlap except over plants for a slight protection. Egbert N. Rea.soner. Oneco, Fla.. Jan. 11. Today, Feb. 5, nothing has been harmed this winter, except perhaps a few lima beans and some very tender plants. Gar- dens nearer the water not harmed at all. THE VOLUNTEER PLANTS OF THE SOY BEAN. I mentioned in our journal about the work that my good friend Jacob McQueen, Baltic, Ohio, had done in the way of de- veloping nitrogen bacteria for legumes. xVmong- other things I asked him if plants The soybean plant showing nitrogen-gathering nodules on the right. grown on the same ground the next season would show the nitrogen nodules without any further introduction of bacteria. He said it would last for years. Now, a year ago last summer we had some very fine soy beans growing in a particular part of our garden. Last spring quite a few volunteer shoots appeared, and they were allowed to grow. When fair time came 1 pulled up ArHii.. 1919 (J I, V. A N T N G S T N B E E C I' L T U R E several and canietl tlieiu over lo the t'a.r. The picture on jirecedinij' i)ai;e gives you a single specimen. As the above ]>lant erew in our hard still' clay soil, probably a great many of tlie nodules were torn off as I pulled it n\). Those remaining, as shown above, indicate what they look like. Some of them have nodules the size of beans. COW^S BUTTER COMPARED WITH " BUTTER '' FROM OTHER SOURCES. We clip the following from the Fuiitl New Yorker, omitting the picture of the two rats : LIFE IX JiUTTER FAT. The chemists at the Wisconsin Experiment Sta- tion are doins; some fine work in butter investipra- tions. They have found that milk and its pro- ducts contain a principle which is absolutely needed to promote 2:ro'Wth in animals. Thi.s principle is found in alfalfa hay and other plants, but is not found in grains or most vegetable oils. Some re- markable experinfents have been worked out in thee demonstrations. Fig. 152 shows two rats. Both were fed on " balanced rations " which contained Fu^cient protein and mineral matter. The larger rat was given butter fat, while the smaller one re ceived cottonseed oil. This one failed to grow, while we see by comparison what happened to his butter-fed companion. Among other things indi- cated by these remarkable discoveries is the fact that pure butter has a food value in excess of its actual chemical analysis. Oleo and other substitutes can- not compare with butter as a necessary and health- ful food — especially for young people where growth is required. I find quite a number df [people, even here in the North, who use butter sa.id to be rnaf^e from cocoanuts, or perha}is oth;T nuts as well as peanuts and cottonseed oil; and they, perhaps like mys-elf, have not notic':^d \fe(y much difference in regard to the amount of nutrition; but if tlie J?(*>'«Z is right about it we had better ]>ay the e.xtra price and u.^e the real butter. When the price gets away up daring tliese war times, we can each and all get along with a little less. THE TOBACCO HABIT; BY ONE WHO KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT. I want to tell you, Mr. Root, that when you made that proposition of a smoker for all who would quit smoking and chewing, I said to myself, " I am going to earn that smoker, and if I ever need it I will send for it." I have earned that smoker, but do not need it yet, as I have three good ones. It was the hardest fight of my life, but I won. I never prayed so hard to God to help me in anythiug in my life as I did for him to remove that desire I had for the poisonous weed. Yours very truly. Clear Lake, Wash. Ch.'^.s. W. Hop.secger. In view of the above, dear friends, would it not be well to consider the old majcim, "Prevention is better than cure'"? Why should any boy or young man of the pi-es- ent age, Avith the above before his eyes, voluntarilv commence the use of tobacco? GEOIUJE MA.VIKOWSKE, THE INVENTOR OF THE ELECTRIC WINDMILL. r have had considerable to say about this pai'ticular friend of mine already; but I think it will be an inspiration to the ris- ing generation of growing boys and young- men for me to say a little more, and also to give you a picture of him as below. ,M,\ iii.Mid George, with an electric dynamo or motor under his arm, preparatory to climbing the windmill tower and belting it to the windwheel. The pai'ticular reason, why 1 want you to have a good look at my friend George right while he is rushing his work, is be- cause he is a splendid illustration of a young man who has grown up to manhood out under the influence of the blue skies and free air of North Dakota, and espe- cially because he is a type of a young man who neitlier drinks, swears, nor uses to- bacco in any form, and, as a rule, not even tea or coffee. Altho he weighs over 200 pounds he will go up a windmill tower almost as spry as a cat; and his brain and intellect are in keying with his well-de- veloped body. North Dakota, you will remember, was one of the first States to demonstrate what prohibition does for a people. As I write, our own State of Ohio is rejoicing thr.t finally, after a long-drawn-out war against intemperance, we too are going to start oat growing such specimens of clean young men — clean in mind and clean in body^as the one in the picture I have given you. 358 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 Classified Advertisements Notices will be inserted in these classified columns for 25 cents pea- line. Advertisements intended for this department cannot be less than two lines, and you must say you want your advertisement in the classified column or we will not be responsible for errors. HONEY AND WAX FOR SALE Beeswax bousht and sold. Strohmeyer & Arpe Co., 139 Franklin St., New York. Buckwheat honey in 120-lb. cases, at 17c per pound. C. B. Howard, Geneva, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover, amber and buckwheat hon- ey in 60-lb. cans. C. J. Baldridge, Kendaia, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover-amber honey in new 60-lb. cans. VanWyngarden Bros., Hebron, Ind. FOR SALE. — Extra good quality sweet-clover honey, packed in new cans. Thos. Atkinson, Cozad, Nebr. FOR SALE. — 1,900 lbs. best extracted honey to settle estate. Make me a bid. Claude Colton, Administrator, Oswegatchiei, N. Y. FOR SALE.— -4,000 lbs. of choice amber extract- ed honey in 10-lb. pails, 6 in case. John R. Brown, 115 Rust St., Eau Claire, Wis. FOR SALE. — Thirty-two 60-lb. cans choice buck- wheat eA-tracted honey at 16c per pound. A. C. Beach, North Rose, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Extra-good quality clover or white aster honey, packed in 60-lb. tins, two in a case. H. C. Leie, Brooksville, Ky. FOR SALE. — Choice buckwheat extracted honey fully ripened by the bees, in new 60-lb. cans. O. W. Bedell, Earlville, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover and buckwheat honev in any stvle containers (glass or tin). Let us quote you. Tlie Deroy Taylor Co., Newark. N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover-amber blend honey in 60-lb. cans, at 24i^c: special price on 'nr^e lots. Edw. A. Winkler, Joliet, R. F. D. No. 1, Ills. FOR SALE. — Michigan's Best extracted honey in nackases to suit ; whitei clover, raspberry, milkweed. buckwheat. A. G. Woodman Co., Grand Rapids. Mich. FOR SALE. — 40,000 lbs. carload choice clover extracted honey. Was all left on the hives until after honey flow was over. Put up in new 60-lb. cans. .T. N. Harris, St. Louis, Mich. FOR SALE. — Best quality of sweet-clover honey in 5-s:allon cans and barrels. Name highest price you can pay delivered at your address, quality cuar- anleed. M. C. Berry & Co., Hayneville, Ala. FOR. SALE. — 40.000 lbs. of No. 1 extracted clover honev and 35,000 Uis. of aster honen-. bn+h of extra-light color. heavT Tiodv, and fine flavor, in 60-lb. cans. W. B.'Wallin, Brooksville, Ky. FOR SALE. — Clover, heartsease. No. 1 white comb. $6.00 per case; fancy, $6.50; extra fancv, $7.00, 24 Danz.. sections to case; extracted 120-lb. cases, 25c per pound. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. HONEY AND WAX WANTED Sroall lots of off-srade honev for baking purposes C. W. Finch. 1451 Ogden Ave,, Chicago, III. WANTED. — Section honey. Correspondence so- licited. J. E. Harris, Morristown, Tenn. Beeswax wanted. Highest prices paid. State quantity and quality. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. WANTED. — Comb and extracted honey, also bees- wax. Send samples. C. S. Fryer, 386 Halsey St., Portland, Ore. BEESWAX WANTED.— For manufacture into SUPERIOR FOUNDATION. (Weed Process.) Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — (Extracted honey, all kinds and grades for export purposes. Any quantity. Please send samples and quotations. M. Betancourt, 59 Pearl St., New York Citv. WANTED. — White or light amber extracted hon- ey in any quantity. Kindly send sample, tell how your honey is packed and your lowest cash price ; also buy beeswax. E. B. Rosa, Monroe, Wisconsin. WANTED. — Extracted honey in both light and amber grades. Kindly send sample, tell how honey is put up and quote lowest cash price delivered in Preston. M. V. Facey, Preston, Minn. WANTED. — Extracted and comb honey. Carload or less quantities. Send particulars by mail and samples of extracted. Hoffman & Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. BEESWAX WANTED. — We are paying higher prices than usual for beeswax. Drop us a line and get our prices, either delivered at our station or your station as you choose. State how much vou have and quality. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. FOR SALE HONEY LABELS. — Most attractive designs. Catalog free. Eastern Label Co., Clintonville, Conn. FOR SALE. — A full line of Root's goods at Root's prices. A. L. Healy, Mayaguez, Porto Rico. FOR SALE.- — Good second-hand cans. 60c per case. C. S. Watts, Monticello, Ills. FOR SALE, ferent sizes. -Supers with section-holders. Dif- August Nigabower, Ilion, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Comb-honey supers, 10-frame bee- way, complete with sections and one-inch starters, 60c each. Used one season. L. W. Mundhenke, East Djibuque, Ills. FOR SALE. — Six 10-frame Buckeye double-wall- ed hives with supers for 4x5x1% plain sections. First class condition. A bargain. John I. Nelson, New Market, N. J. FOR SALE. — Second-hand 60-lb. cans, two to the case. 50c per case f. o. b. New York. Also second- hand maple-svrup cans at 10c each. Hoffman &' Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Comb foundation at prices that will save you money. Wax worked for cash or on shares. Send for price list. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand 60-lb. cans, two to the case, at 60c per case f. o. b. Cincinnati. Terms, cash with order. C. H. W. Weber & Co., 2146 Central Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio. FOR SALE. — If you wish to know where to save money on bee supplies send for our new price list. It may be worth your trying. H. S. Duby & Son, St. Anne, Ills. CANADIAN BEE SUPPLY & HONEY CO., Ltd. — 73 Jarvis St., Toronto, Ont. (Note new ad- dress.) F-ull lin^ of Root's famous goods : also made-in-Canada goods. Extractors and engines; Gleanings and all kinds of bee literature. Get the best. Catalog free. Al'Rll., 1919 O I, K A \ I N G S T N BEE CULTURE BEEKEEPERS OF THE NORTHWEST! Order ROOT Supplies from George F. \Vebster, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. FOR SALE. — 50 sets lOframe ventilated metal covers and bottom boards. 80c per set. .Tames McKee, Riverside, Calif. FOR SALE.^SUPERIOR FOUNDATION, "Best by Test." Let lis prove it. Order now. Superior Honej' Co., Ogden, Utah. FOR SALE. — One-half dozen lOframe supers, nailed and painted, new. without sections or foun- dation, A. I. Root Co. make. 5!1.50 each. Mrs. Wm. Jones, Fleming, R. F. D. No. 2, Ohio. FOR SALE. — 30 supers full foundation, 20 su- pers drawn combs: 20 supers empty frames. No disease. All 8-franie size and A. I. Root Co. goods. H. D. Hopkins, Otterville, Mo. FOR S.VLE. — Two extractors, uncapping-cans, honey tanks, extracting outfit with super.s, hives in tlat. Bargain. AVould take bees, quee.ns, or honey. The Liberty Press, Box No. 224, Shenandoah, la. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand 60-lb. honey cans, two to the casei at 60c per case, f. o. b. Mil- waukee. Terms cash with order. E. R. Pahl & Co., 120 Huron St., Milwaukee, Wis. FOR S.4LE. — 150-section shipping cases nailed up with glass front holding 20 4x5 plain sections each, 20c each; also a few second-hand 8-frame hives and supers at less than half price. The Hyde Bee Co., F'loresville, Texas. FOR SALE. — Power sprayer, new, complete, never been used, well-known make, guarantee first- class condition, hose and spray gun ; freight paid your station, $279. Hillcre«:t Fruit Farm, Washington, Ind. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beekeeper of Alabama, Florida, Georgia. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, send me a bill of your wants of bee supplies and let me make vou srood prices on the same. M. Bates, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — Root's Extractors and Smokers, Dadant's Foundation, and a full line of Lewis' Bee- ware. Our new price list will interest you. We pay 38c in cash and 40c in trade for clean yellow beeswax delivered in Denver. The Colorado Honey Producers' Association, 1424 Market St., Denver, Colo. FOR S.VLE. — 100 lO-frame L. bodies, no frames, 50 Danz. bodies with hanging frames for extra supers: 50 Danz. siipers for 4x5x1% sections com- ple'e without sections: 100 or more reversible bottoms 10-frame: 175 8- and 10-frame covers, some excelsior, some double covered with ffalvanized iron and asphalt roofing. All Root and Falconer goods, som" used but one season : also have some hand- made bodies we'l madei and in good condition and several 8-frame Root goods. Many of these supplies can not be shipped before May 20 as they now contain bees. Am chansring to larger hives. Chauncey E. Kelly, Halcott Center, N. Y. FOR SALE. — We offer for sale the following sliihtly shopworn goods which are of standard make pnd as good as n.w for all practical purposes, at the following reduced prices: 50 10-fr. Dov. Su- pers Style N, for 4i/4x4%xl% Plain Sections, com- plete with inside fxtures, in crates of 5. $3.00 73er crate; 50 Ship Cases for 3%x5xli/^ Plain Sections, in one crate, $10.00 per crate: 10.000 4i/ixl% 2 Side Sections, $6.50 per M. ; 10.000 4%xl 15/16 2 Side Sections. $6.50 per M. ; 15.000 4Hxl% Plain Sections. $6.00 per M. ; 10.000 4x5x1% Plain Sec- tions, $6.00 per M. : 25.000 3%x5xl% Plain Sec- tions, $6.00 per M. ; 5,000 4%x4%xiy3 Plain Grooved Sections, $6.00 per M. : 20.000 4i/5.x4%x iy2 Plain Sections, $6.00 per M. : 5,000 4i4x4%x 1% Plain Section.^, $6.00 per M. ; 1,000 4i4xl% 1 Side Open Sections. $6.00 per M. Prices above are net, cash with order. Write today, sending us your order. These goods are a real bareain. Dadant & Sons. Hamilton. HI. FOR SALE. — 500 extracting combs, wired, Hoff- man frame size. J. Garfield Puller, Tulley, N. i. iiiiii:iiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiii!ii!iiiiiniiiiniNiniiiii!i!iiiniiiiiiiNiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiniiiiiii!iiiiiiiiii!iiiii[iiiiiini!iiiiiiiiiiiiii:iii AUTOMOBILE REPAIES AUTOMOBILE owners should subscribe for the Auto -MOBILE Dealer and Repairer; 150-page il- lustrated monthly devoted exclusively to the care and repair of the car. The only magazine in the world devoted to the practical side of motoring. The " Trouble Department " contains five pages of numbered questions each month from car owners and repairman which are answered by experts on gasoline-engine repairs. $1 per year. 15 cents per copy. Canadian subscriptions, $1.50. Postals not answered. Charles D. Sherman, 107 Highland Court, Hartford, Conn. POULTRY S. C. Brown Leghorns, good baby chicks, $15.00 per 100; $7.75 per 50; $4.00 per 25. Order from thi.s advertisement. Safe arrival guaranteed. Cir- cular free. H. M. Moyer, Boyertown, Pa., R. F. D. No. 3. HATCHING EGGS.— Plymouth Rocks, all vari- eties: Anconas and Rouen ducks. Illustrated cata- log, 3 cents. Sheridan Poultry Yards, R. D. No. 12, Sheridan, Mich. WANTS AND EXCHANGE WANTED. — Brood-foundation mill. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — Good second-hand two-frame honev extractor. B. H. Carson, Middleport, Ohio. WANTED. — Second-hand queen-excluders free from disease. Paul Weber, Wathena, Kans. WANTED. — Hives, supers, and parts; Aleixander or Bonrdman feeder. Edwin Cruttenden, Crescent Beach, Conn. W.ANTED. — Old combs and cappints for render- ing on shares. Our steam equipment secures all the wax. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — 250 colonies, or less, of bees. Name lowest cash price, style of hive, etc. A. W. Smith, Birmingham, Mich. EXCHANGE. — 550 Gleanings, beginning in 1876. A library of bee lore. Correspondence solicited. W. H. Kerr, Crawfordsville, Ind. EXCHANGE. — Vi-Ti. P. motor with speed con- trol, 110 volt, perfect condition, for automatic hand extractor. C. C. Gray. Quincy, Ind WANTED. — Thirty 2-lb. packages of beies wi^h queen. April 20 delivery at $3.00 per packaie Geo. Herrick, 11225 Vernon Ave., Chicago, Ills. WANTED. — LTsed hives and supers, founlntion mills, extractors, bees, and bee equipment. State lowest cash price wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — To buy, between 300 and 500 colo- nies of bees. Locations must go with them. Give full particulars in first letter, .\ddress 357 P. O. Box No. 07, Rigby, Idaho. WANTED. — Shipments of old comb and cappings for rendering. We pay the highest cash and trade prices. char?ing but 5 cts, a pound for wax render- ed. The Fred W. Muth Co., 204 Walnut St., Cin- cinnati, O. 260 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 WANTED. — Beeswax. We will pay for average quality beeswa.x delivered at Medina, 38f cash, 40c trade. We will pay 1 and 2c extra for choice yellow. Be sure your shipment bears your name and ad- dress as shipper so we can identify it on arrival. The A. I. K-oot Co., Medina, Ohio. WANTED. — An apiary, by two brothers, single, abstainers, well educated and of many years' ex- perience with bees ; also poultry and orchard work, either to rent or work on shares. Would consider buying and paying $500 cash down, the rest on time. Address F. L., 1612 Larimer St., Denver, Colo. OLD COMBS WANTED. — Our steam wax-presses will get every ounce of beeswax out of old combs, cappings or "slumgum. Send for our terms and our new 1919 catalog. We will buy your share of the wax for cash or will w^ork it into foundation for you. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. REAL ESTATE FOB SALE. Will sell cheap 5% acres of ground and 100 stands of bees. Write for particulars. W. E. Gray, Wyoming, 111. BEE RANCH FOR SALE. — In the famous clover belt of Missaukee County, Mich., located 12 miles east of Lake City. Modern outfit for extracted hon- ey. 140 good, strong healthy colonies; 320 supers extracting combs; 235 supers with frameus all ready for foundation. Power extractor, engine, honey pump, tank with float, large capping tank, all in perfect order. Peterson capping melter with com- plete outfit. No. 1 wax rendering outfit, steam heiat, good steam Ixiiler in arch in heating room, 14x24 wintering cellar with fine portable honey house above, 2 other buildings in bee yard, with every- thing needed for handling 300 or 400 colonies. 160 lbs. brood foundation and hundreds of other articles to go with the outfit. 30 acres good land, small house, stable, 1 span horses, etc., etc. Room for outyards in good places. If you want a No. 1 outfit in first class location come and see this. Price $3,000. Reason for selling, age and unable to work. O. H. Townsend, Lakei City, Mich. BEES AND QUEENS Finest Italian queens. Send for booklet and price list. .lay Stnith, R. D. No. 3, Vincennes, Ind. Hardv Italian ciueeins. W. G. Lauver, Middletown, Pa., R. D. No. 3. FOR SALE. — Thvee-band Italian queens. W. T. Perdue, R. D. No. 1, Ft. Deposit, Ala. Well-bred bees and queens. Hives and supplies. ■T. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. FOR SALE. — 1919 Golden Italian queens, price list free. Write, E. E. Lawrence, Doniphan, Mo. Queens on approval. Bee.s by package or colony. A. M. Applegate. Reynoldsville, Pa. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each, six for $5.00. E. A. Simmons. Greenville, Ala. QUEENS I will have. b\it no bees by pound or nuclei. .r. B. HoUopeter, Rockton. Pa. PHELPS" GOLDEN QUEENS will please you. Mated. $2.00. Trv one and von will le convincprl. C. W. Phelps & Son." Binghamton. N. Y. Leather-colored Italian oueens, tested, to .Tune 1st, $2.00, after, $1.50; untested $1:00, $10.00 per dozen. A. W. Yates, 15 Chapman St.. Hartford, Conn. FOR SALE. — Bright Italian queens at $1.00 each, $10.00 per doz. Ready April 10. Safe arrival guarantc"'!. T. .T. Tallcy, R. D. No. 4. Greenville. Ala. THREE-BAND Italians only. Untested queens, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. H. G. Dunn, The Willows, San Jose, Calif. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from May 15th to Oct. 15th; 10 or more, $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwichtown, Conn. FOR SALE. — Indianola Apiary offers Italian bees and queens; tested, $1.50; untested, $1.00. J. W. Sherman, Valdosta, Ga. FOR SALE. — ^Italian queens, hives, and supplies. Save money. R. Kramske, 1104a Victor St., St. Louis, Mo. FOR SALE. — 200 colonies in 10-frame Lang- stroth hives in good shape. Henry Hastings, Kenton, Rt. Na. 9, Ohio. When it's GOLDEN it's PheJps'. Trv one and be convinced. Virgins, $1.00 ; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens reiadv April 15; $1.00 each;. $10.00 per dozen. W. W. Talley, Greenville, B. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian queens readv .June 1. Untested, each, $1.00; 12, $10.00; lOO", $80.00. Satisfaction and safe arrival guaranteed. A. E. Crandall & Son, Berlin, Conn. GOLDENS THAT ARE TRUE TO NAME. Un- tested queens, each, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. Garden City Apiaries, San Jose, Calif. FOR SALE. — 25 colonies of bees, 10-frame hives, metal top, wired frames, extracting supers, $12.50 each. No disease. S. H. Burton Apiaries, Washington, Ind. FOR SALE. — Pure-bred Italian queens; also a few hundred pounds of bees. Queens ready April 15. Orders filled promptly or money returned. O. P. Hendrix, West Point, Miss. FOR SALE. — Business-first queens. Laying un- tested queens, $1.00 each; select untested, $1.25: tested queens, $2.00; select tested, $2.50. Price list for asking. M F. Perry, Bradentown, Fla. FOR SALE. — Leather-colored Italian queens, un- tested $1.00 each, from May 15th. Guaranteed safe arrival and no disease. .T. S. Morales, Brunswick, Ga. FOB SALE. — Golden Italian queens of an im- proved strain; the bee for honey, hardiness, gentle- ness, and beauty. Untested, $1.00; tested, $2.00. Wallace R. Beaver, Lincoln, 111. , FOB SALE. — Good Italian queens, tested, $1.50; unte-sted, $1.00; 1-lb. package, $3.00; 2-lbs., $5.00; nuclei, 2-frame, $4.00 : 3-frame, $5.50. G. W. Moon. 1904 Park Ave., Little Bock, Ark. FOB SALE. — About May 1 some 250 colonies Italian bees of fine honey-producing stock, suitably located, free from disease, and at reasonable prices. A fine, mild, healthful climate. Write for particu- lars. O. E. Milam, Moore, Texas. BEES AND QUEENS. When you can't get them from others vou can from us. 1-lb. pkg. bees. $2.00; 2 lbs.. $3'.75; queens. $1.00 each, $11.00 per doz. Good stock. No disease. Order quick. Pelican Apiary, Box 108, New Orleans, La. FOB S.ALE. — Mott's Northern-bred Italian Queens. Untested $1.00: 12, $10.00: select tested, $2.00. List free. Plan.s "How to Introduce Queens and Increase," 25c. Also Golden Campine eggs; best laying bird out. E. E. Mott, Glenwood, Mich. FOR SALE. — ^North Carolina-bred Italian nu"<.ns of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain of three-banfl Italian bppK. Gentle and good honey-gatherets. May 1st until Julv 1st. untested. $1.25 each: $12.00 per doz.: tested. $1.75 each; $18.00 per doz.: select test- ed. $2.25 each. Safe arri\al and satisfaction suar- anteed. L. Parker. Benson. R. D. No. 2. N. C. Ai'Rir,, 1919 GLEANINGS T N R R E C I' T, T U R E 261 BEES FOR SALE. — Pure Italians of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain in standard teu-fraiue Langstroth liivos. Write for price and particulars. U. E. McDonald, Rutland, B. C, Can. FOR SALE. — iltalian bees in 8- and lO-frame hives. Hoffman and Danz. frame^s wired, full sheets of foundation ; also 1,- 2,- and 3-fr. nuclei. Heurv Shaffer, 2860 Harrison Ave., Cincinnati, O. POR SALE. — Golden Italian queens which pro- duce gentle yellow bees, the hardest workers we have known. Untested, $1.00, tested, $1.50. Wildflower Apiaries Co., Trust Bldg., Little Rock, Ark. Three-banded Italian queens and bees by the pound, also nucleus, in Root's shipping-eases, if preferred, or buyer furnish own cages. Send for price list. J. A. Jones & Son, Montgomery, Ala., R. D. No. 1, Bo.\ 11a. Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees; the highest kind, gentle, and as good honey gather- ers as can be found; Mav and June, untested, each, $2.00; six, $7.50; doz. $14.00; tested, $4.00; breed- ers, $5.00 to $20.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, Va. SAVE THAT QUEENLESS COLONY! Intro- duce a vigorous tested queen. We can supply them by return mail, $1.50 each. Three-banded Italians only. Queens are healthy and prolific, reared last fall and wintered in four-frame nuclei. No disease. J. W. K. Shaw & Co., Loreauville, La. FOR SALE. — ^A limited number of bees and queens for May delivery from either home apiaries or South Carolina. Safei delivery guaranteed if shipped by express. Parcel post shipments at buy- er's risk. We invite correspondence as to details and price. The Deroy Taylor Co., Newark, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Three-banded Dr. Miller and Walker Italian queens, readv in Mav, untested, $1.25 each; 6 for $7.00; 12 for $12.00; select. $1.50 each; 6 for $8.00; 12 for $15.00; tested. $2.50; select tested, $3.50 each. Orders filled in rotation. Queen circular and testimonials sent free. Curd Walker, Queen-breeder, Jellico, Tenn. Queens from one of Dr. Miller's breeders. Test- ed, $1.75 each; $18.00 pea- doz.; untested $1.25 each; $13.00 per doz. 1-frame nucleus, $3.00 each; 2-frame, $5.00 each; 3-frame, $6.50 each, without queens. We have never had any disease here. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. We have no package bees to offer and no untested queens except with nuclei. Deli%ery April 15. Geo. A. Hummer & Sons, Prairie Point, Miss. FOR SALE. — Quirin's hardy northern-bred Ital- ians -will please you. All our yards are wintered on summer stands ; more than 25 years a commer- cial queen-Vjreieder. Tested and breeding queens ready almost any time weather permits mailing. Untested ready about June 1. Orders booked now. Testimonials and price for asking. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. FOR SALE. — 66 colonies of Italian bees, sugar- fed in fall, packed in winter cases, 143 supers filled with extracting combs, 4-frame extractor, uncapping can, 4 storing cans, wax press, honey pails, every- thing in perfect readiness for spring work . If buyer would like to start beekeeping here, would sell or rent land and could have use of hone(>- house. This is an ideal location for bees, only a few minutes walk to station. Sacrifice on account of death, Mrs. J. F. Orishaw, Hastings, Ont. FOR SALE. — Since I am unable to care properly for all of my bees this coming season, I am offering for sale 100 colonies of bees in Standard 8-framei Dovetailed hives, Hoffman frames, wired, drawn combs; strong healthy colonies with queen, brood, and honev . These bees have been wintered in the cellar. My apiary has been thoroly inspected and the following certificate! issued: Conesus, N. Y., July 25, 1918. This is to certify that I have thoroly inspected the apiary of Daniel Trescott this 25th day of July, 1918. and find no disease of any kind. Chas. Stew- art, New York Inspector of Apiaries. D. W. Trescott, Conesus. N. Y. PHKLPS' GOLDEN ITALIAN QUEENS com- bine the (|ualities vou want. Tliev are GREAT HONRY-G.\THERER.S, BEAUTIFUL and GEN- TLE. Virgins, $1.00; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, .N. Y. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beeman, head your colonies of bee-s with the best Italian stock raised in the South. One queen, $1.25 ; 12 queens, $14.00. One pound of bees w'ith queen, postpaid, $6.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. M. Bates, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens in Mav, se- lect tested, $1.50; tested, $1.25; untested, 85c; 6 for $4.75; 12 for $9.00; select untested, $1.00; 6 for $5.50; 12 for $10.00. No foul brood. No bees f;)r sale. D. T. Gaster, Randleman, R. D. No. 2, N. C. QI'EENS; BEES BY THE POUND. — Three- banded and Golden. The. Ohio ^^^^Si^ ost HandHntn'h A powerful portable lamp, giving a 300 candle ' power pure wi.ite light. Just what the farmer, dairyman, stockman, etc. needs. Safe— Reliable —Economical— Absolutely Rain, Storm and Bug I proof. Burns either gasoline or kerosene. Light in weight. Agents wanted. Big Profits. Write I^Catalog. yj^g g£g.p UGHT CO. 306 E. 5th St., Canton, O. Farm. Garden and Orchard Tools Answer the farmers' big questions. How can I grow crops with less expense ? How can I save in plant- ing potatoes? How make high priced seed go farthest? The IRON AGE Potato Planter solves thelabor problem and makes the best use of high priced seed Means $5 to $50 extra profit per acre" Every seed piece m its place* and only one. Saves 1 to 2 bushels seed per acre. Uni- form depth; even spacing. We make a full line of potato machinery. Send for booklet today. No Misses No Doubles BatemanM'f'gCo.,Box 20B,GrenIocli,N.J. QUEENS - ITALIAN - QUEENS BRED IN ONTARIO FROM DOOLITTLE STOCK 1919 PRICE LIST 1919 Begin Delivery June l.j 1 6 12 50 Untested $1.00 $.5.50 $10.00 $37.50 Select Untested... 1.25 7.00 13.00 50.00 Send us list of your requirements early so as to insure date of delivery. We are booking orders now, 25% down. We clip queen 's wings free of charge on request. ■ I RUMFORD & FRETZ FOREST, ONTARIO iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 270 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Apeil, 1919 boy to say he set the trap. I got out of it that way (or, rather, am out of it up to yet) only I feel suspicion keeps pointin my way about it. They can't prove nothin, but they keep a generally cool atmosphere around me yet and keep'pityin the cat specially strong when I am present in persono. They also keep denyin verbally too that they agree with me *as to lixin froze-up pumps, always luggin in somethin about ' ' that mornin poor old kitty got into somebody's trap" — always lookin hard at me just as they bear down specially on that word ' ' somebody 's. ' ' So I say, I am in trouble again, and I aint likely to be free of it complete till Del Gid- din's boy has established hisself in my mind as bein entirely dependable and the kind as hangs by the binder. I know he 's under pressure. I keep wonderin about him and his dependability a lot. P. S. and Later. — Since the above was wrote every thin has gone by the board. Giddin's boy let go his agreement and caflummuxed me complete. I aint got no standin with nobody to speak of no more around my domicile, and the old cat at motherinlaw's aint no better as to lameness. There ain't no particklar moral to these recurrin incidentses, except a former one, that it don't pay to get mad and make a everlastin fool of yourself, and a additional one that if you get somebody to lie for you in gettin out of trouble you don 't get out much and you keep on worryin a good deal longer. GIANT FRENCH BEANS (Lincoln's French Asparagus Bean) THIRTY inches long. A remarkable vegetable that bears GIGANTIC stringless pods longer than a man's arm, and of delicious, rare, flavor. Not a novelty, but a Century old Ori- ental delicacy. Produces abundantly anywhere with 90 days growing weather. A valuable companion crop for Beekeepers. Free Bulletin describing this and other superfine seed strains if you mention "Gleanings." J. A. &B. LINCOLN, Seed Growers and Importers, 39 South LaSalie Street, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. tUtOMAGE GARDEM TOOLS Answer the "war gardener's" big question: How can 1 produce the most food in spare moments? How meet increased costs and war taxes? IRON AGE ^Ij^;,' f Of and Lultivator Easy to push, fast, thor- ough low in cost. Opens and covers furrow for seed and fertilizer Cul- tivates wide or narrow rows Turns soil and cov- ers scratch foods in poul- try yards 30 other Iron Age Combinations. Send for free booklet today, and learn how to garden the modem, easy way. BatemanM'f f Co., Box 20S Grenloeh.N.J. Early-order Discounts will Pay you to Buy Bee Supplies Now 32 years' experience in making everything for the beekeeper. A large factory specially eqiiipped for the purpose ensures goods of highest quality. Write for our illustrated catalog and discounts today. Leahy Mfg. Co., 95 Sixth St., Higginsville, Missouri QUEENS THAT WILL PLEASE QUEENS THAT ARE BRED FOR BUSINESS They are hardy, long-lived, gentle, and disease-resisting. They are as good as any and far superior to most — bred from imported stock, which produces a bee that is the best in the world for honeiy-gatherina;, and are non-swarmers. They are now giving service in nearly every country in the world. Have your order booked now. All that we require is one-fourth cash and balance at shipping time. We guarantee every queen to reach you in first-class condition, to bei purely mated, and to give perfect satisfaction, in the U. S. and Canada. 1 Untested $1.25 Select Untested 1.50 Prices— April 15 to July 1 6 12 16 12 $6.50 $11.50 Tested $2. 50 $13.00 $24.50 7.50 13.25 Selected Tested 4.00 22.00 4T.00 L. L. FOREHAND FORT DEPOSIT, ALABAMA iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ April, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 271 = |r Iinllllll|ll|l||!|l||l|ll|l|ll|llll|llll|1llllll||||||||l Queens of Quality *)•> = i The genuine "Quality" kind of 3-band | i Italians — bred strictly for business. 1 i Write for circular. 1 I J. Ivan Banks, Dowelltown, Tenn. | ^iiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiN:ini;iniinniiiiiiinjiiiiiiiiniiii!iiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifi GOLDEN QUEENS^." After April 1: Untested, S1.25 each, 6 for $7.00, or 813.00 per dozen, or 50 for $48; also 3-band untested at same price ; tested, $3.00 each, and my very best at $5.00 each. Satisfaction. R. O. Cox, Rt. 4, Greenville, Alabama Established 1885 It will pay you to get our cata- log and oi'der early. Beekeepers' Supplies The Kind You Want and The Kind That Bees Need. The A. I. Root Co. 's brand. A good assort- ment of sujjplies for prompt shipment kept in stock. Let us hear from you; full in- formation given to all inquiries. Bees- wax wanted for supplies or cash. John Nebel & Son Supply Co. High Hill, Montgomery Co., Mo. "DTT'TT'C' We furnish full colonies of Italian J3X_iXliO ''«PS in double-walled hives, single- walled hives, and shipping boxes ; 3- frame nucleus colonies, and bees by the pound. Tested Italian queen, $2.00. Price list free. I. J. STRINGHAM, GLEN COVE, N. Y. BMMMIO itivcly the cheapest and strongest light on earth. d in every country on the elobe. Makes and na its own gas. Casts no shadows Clean and odorless. Absolutely safe. Over 200 styles. 100 to 2000 Candle Power. Fully Guaranteed. Write for catalog. AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE. THE BEST LIGHT CO. 306 E. 5th St.. Canton. O. £iiii[iiiiiiiiiiiiii.iiii.iiii.iiii;iiii:iiiijiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:iiii:iii!:iiii!iiii:iiii:iiiiiiiii[iiiiiiii{iiiii!iiiiiiiii^ I Dixie Beekeeper | The first edition of this 32-page Bee Journal is now out, cover ing the whole Dixieland, con taining the very best our indus- try has to offer here. We ask for your subscription one dollar a year. Sample copy free. Dixie Beekeeper, Waycross, Ga. -=riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiK WHte for Book Today FARM WAGONS High or low wheels — steel or wood — wide or narrow tires. Steel or wood wheels to fit any running gear. Wagron parts of all kinds. Write today for free catalog illustrated in colors. ELECTRIC WHEEL CO^ 23 Elm Street, Quincy, IIL iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ II HAVE YOU PLACED YOUR ORDER || ^ I for summer delivery? Or are you going to let some one get ahead of you? Estimate the \ ^ W I number of queens you will need, get in your order now for .June and July delivery. Many \ ^ W I will be disappointed in the delivery of their queens this season, but if you get your order in | ^ 1 1 "° " FOREHAND'S THREE-BANDS | j = I the thrift'!! kind, the bees that have been tested for 27 years, the kind that are surpassed i ^ s I ljy none but superior to many ; you will neither be disappointed in the delivery nor in your I m s 1 honey crop. Only one-fourth cash with order. We guarantee pure mating and- perfect | ^ = i satisfaction. .\lso" safe arrival in the United States and Canada. | ^ PRICES AFTKR JUNE 1. 1 6 12 Untested $1.25 $6.50 $11.50 Select Untested 1.50 7.50 13.25 Tested 2.50 13.00 24.50 Select Tested 4.00 22.00 41.00 .\rTER JULY 1. 1 6 12 Untested $1.10 $5.50 $10.00 Select Untested .... 1.25 6.50 11.50 Tested 2.25 12.00 22.00 Select Tested 3.50 19.75 37.00 II W. J. FOREHAND & SONS -:- FORT DEPOSIT, ALA. f^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ 272 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE April, 1919 III _ llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliilllllllllim Illlilllllllll!llllllllllllllllllllll| ^ SAFETY GUARANTEED II WE will now book orders for our superior Italian bees and queens for spring delivery. There is absolutely no foul brood here and never has been; the closest we know of is over two hundred miles distant. You absolutely can't get it from buying bees from us. We do not know of anyone having perfect success shipping bees in packages, so are offering you as many bees as you wish to the package, shipped on a comb of brood which we guarantee to hatch out over a pound of bees. We guarantee safe arrival and satisfaction in every respect. This man- ner of shipping will eliminate loss in transit, as you know that your bees will arrive in the best of condition, that you will have no trouble in getting them from the packages to the hives, and that you can leave them know- ing they will not swarm out. If the weather is bad on arrival, you won 't have to nurse them as you will packages. You can safely figure on having as many colonies as you order packages. They will be gaining in numbers from the time they are packed until after your honey flow. If you want something sure, try them and be certain of your honey crop. If there was any chance of giving you foul brood we wouldn 't offer them to you. The comb will be worth at least 45c to you. We guarantee our bees to be as good as can be had. We are not going to book more business than we can deliver promptly. WE PRODUCED 12,348 QUEENS LAST YEAR IF ANY OTHEE QUEEN-BEEEDER IN THE WOELD PRODUCED MOEE THAN THAT AND WILL GIVE SATISFACTOEY EVIDENCE THAT HE DID, WE WILL TAKE THIS OUT. Satisfactory service and SUPEEIOR bees and queens did it. Quality and service did it. Next year we will tell you what we did this year. Comb of brood guaranteed to hatch more than a pound of bees, $3.00. Additional bees at $2.50 per pound. Any quantity j'ou want. These packages cannot be sent by mail. Satisfactory goods or your money back and that right now. PRICES OF QUEENS. Before June 15th After June 15tli 1 12 50 or more 1 12 50 or more Untested $1.50 $15.00 $1.10 $1.00 $11.00 $ .90 Selected Untested.. 2.00 20.00 1.50 1.50 15.00 1.30 Tested 3.00 33.00 2.50 2.00 22.00 1.75 Breeders, $5.00, $10.00, and $15.00. Prices of Dr. Miller's Queens Before June 15th After June 15th 1 12 50 or more 1 12 50 or more Untested $1.80 $18.00 $1.25 $1.25 $13.25 $1.10 Tested 3.00 33.00 2.50 2.00 22.00 1.75 Breeders, $5.00, $10.00, and $15.00. We have a full line of Root's Goods and guarantee to fill all orders within three days after receipt and all mail orders the same day received. Try us on sections, foundation, smokers and all small orders by maii. A full line manufactured from Cypress, the Wood Eternal, which we guarantee to please you. Solid one-piece covers made from the best wood in the world, without a crack or a crevice, at the price of other wood covers. Beeswax wanted. Send for catalog. The Penn Company, Penn, Miss. || inilllllllinilllllNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltm "U;1-iai" i.s '•Sccfrter i[i;m Honey ' .. A.I.RO'0T>7' The Man behind the Root line Roofs Goods Go Round the World In One Week ''"^s '■"= »"""■ "*: ^fmary 1919, orders or incpiiries tor noot supplies were received from the following countries: China France Portugal Japan Dutch East Indies Greece Australia Guatemala Siberia East Africa Spain Switzerland India Hawaii Italy British Isles New Zealand West Indies Central and South American Countries Such worldwide distribution is the result of a name and reputation built up on the solid foundation of bus- iness integrity, fair dealing, unsurpassed service, and 50 years of experience in making goods of highest quality. I THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Medina, Ohio j 1 New York Chicago Philadelphia San Francisco Los Angeles | B St. Paul Indianapolis Norfolk | llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilii lillllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllililillllli™ ^Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Perfect Worker Comb can only be secured by using full sheets of bee comb founda- tion and making certain that frames are properly wired and that the wires are well imbedded into the foundation. The Electric Imbedder Operated with two dry cells or with a small transformer in connection with your city current, imbeds the wires per- fectly. The current, passing thru the No. 30 wire, heats it so that it melts its way into the foundation. Patented Jan. 2. 1917 The wire retains its heat long enough so that the hot wax closes over it, and the wire is actually "cemented" into the foundation with no chance to pull loose. With a little pre- caution, frames so wired may be transported from the home yard to outyards in a car or light delivery truck. This would be inadvisable with frames having wire imbedded with the oi'dinary spur imbedder. ^ The use of the electric imbedder will increas-e your proportion of perfect worker combs. Prices Are as Follows : Maili„^^wt. Electric Imbedder without batteries $1.25 1 pound Electric Imbedder with two dry cells 2.25 6 pounds Transformer for 60 cycle 110 volt current 3.50 2 pounds If you are electrically inclined, a very satisfactory trans- former may be made at home. Directions free with each imbedder. Order of your dealer or of Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Ills. lllllllllllllllllllllllilllll!lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!llli^ u^ = O^^attings in Jin (Unitnxt ^ Vol. XLVII . MAY 1919 No. 5 g Beekeeping High Up In California Mountains. D = ivillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllll^^ We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. Do not sell until you have seen us. We will pay you spot cash for any thing you sell us. Get our prices on cans and cases. Los Angeles Honey Co. 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts. Los Angeles, California Telephones; Home 10419, Main 5606 Dixie Beekeeper | BEEKEEPERS The first edition of this 32-page Bee Journal is now out, cover- ing the whole Dixieland, con- taining the very best our indus- try has to offer here. We ask for youi' sul)seri|)tion one dollar a year. Sample copy free. ^ Dixie Beekeeper . \\ aveross, Ga. g ^illllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Beeswax Wanted In big and small shipments to keep Buck 's Weed-pro- eess foundation factory go- ing. We have greatly in- creased the capacity of our plant for 1918. We are paying higher prices than ever for wax. - We work wax for cash or on shares. Root's Bee - supplies Big stoclv, wholesale and retail. - Big catalog free. Carl F. Buck The Comb-foundation Specialist Augusta, Kansas Do not wait until the last min- ute to order your supplies. Order now. We carry a complete line of beekeepers ' su2)plies. Send us a list of your recpiirements for this season and we will quote you our lowest prices. Send for our 1919 Catalog. August Lotz Co., Boyd, Wisconsin iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiii "Griggs Saves You Freight" TOLEDO Do you realize. Mr. Beeraan, that the first of March has pass- ed? June will soon be here with its usual hustle and bustle for Bee Supplies. Why not send us? your order now and get the goods wanted? Don't delay. A list of goods wanted, brings prices back by re- turn mail. BEESWAX We use large quantities. Cash or in exchange for supplies. Free catalog ready to mail. S. J. GRIGGS & CO., £8labli!p o^f^er but an educator. Says Dr. Phillips, ignorance more often 282 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 than willfulness is the cause of spread of bee disease thruout the country. What is needed is insti'uction, not force. It is Mr. Pellett 's idea, and the editor emphatically agrees with him, that the bee inspector should be a bee advisor. Instead of trying to inspect only beekeepers who are reported to have bee diseases, he arranges for a series of field meets at some beekeeper's yard where there may or may not be bee dis- ease. With a crowd of two or three dozen beekeepers he gives lectures and demonstra- tions. There is no suggestion of a " big stick" back of him, as he has none. In- stead, he is sent by the State to extend the glad hand, or helping hand, if you please, to the beekeeper who voluntarily will cure his bee disease himself as soon as he is taught how to do it. It takes a lot of personal in- struction before the average man can clean up without putting in jeopardy every bee- keeper for miles around. Some months ago the editor called upon a beeman who had a pretty yard of about a hundred colonies. The hives were well painted, and everything looked neat and orderly. When we asked if we might see his bees he remarked that he had no objections, but stated that the bee inspector had made him a lot of expense and trouble — in fact, had ordered him to treat his bees or pay a fine. He had complied, he said, but seemed to be a little sore about it. On looking thru his api9.ry we discovered American foul brood in the first hive. We thought we w-ould see just how this man would operate. His very movements showed that he did not know how to open a hive, for the bees re- sented his bungling movements at the be- ginning. He did not know how to open a hive properly — much less how to treat dis- ease. With the sharp point of his hive-tool he dug into some suspected cells that roped out very badly. ' ' That looks like foul brood," he said. We certainly agreed with him. Into the next hive he took the same point of the tool, without cleaning it, and dug into some healthy brood to see if it was all right. Then we explained to him how by that procedure he would scatter foul brood all over his apiary. He seemed grate- ful for the information and promised to do better. Down the road, perhaps half a mile fur- ther, we met a good beekeeper who com- plained that he was going out of business because the other fellow down the road had made it impossible for him to keep his bees clean. He said the inspector had ordered his neighbor to clean up, but in the clean-up he had started robbing on infected material. We hap'pened to know that the bee inspect- or was a good man, but it perhaps had not occurred to him that what that man needed was instruction, and a great deal of it, be- fore he ordered him to clean up. It would have been infinitely better for him to call two or three dozen beekeepers to the yard and give them a demonstration on how to treat. The trouble is now that many bee- keepers, when ordered to clean up, are so unsanitary in their methods because they do not know how, that they clean out all the beekeepers in the territory by scattering foul brood far and wide. They don 't do it viciously but ignorantly. Phillips is right. At this point it may be argued that a law that creates a State apiarist, or bee advisor, with only the function of State lecturer, would not make the man clean up who willful- ly harbors disease. Mr. Pellett 's idea is to have enforcement provisions in the law, but the enforcement of it not to be in the hands of the bee advisor, but with the county prosecutor or sheriif, where it logically and legally belongs. Any bee advisor, or any beekeeper, can, in the case of willfulness or continued negligence, compel treatment; but that compulsion would come from the regular constituted authorities whose busi- ness it is to enforce all laws, including the bee law. There is scarcely a State in the Union where inspectors are able to cover more than one-tenth of the territory with the ap- propriations at their disposal. Under the new plan the same money would go much further, because the State would require the State lecturer and his deputies to ar- range for meetings of three or four dozen beekeepers. These beekeepers would then be instructed, just exactly as the farmers are by the county farm advisors or the coun- ty extension men under the Lever law. In this way the same appropriation would go vastly further in the matter of eradicating bee disease alone, to say nothing about mak- ing better beekeepers who would themselves become educators among their neighbors. In short, the Pellett plan of bee legisla- tion is a general application of the Lever law under which the farm advisors or coun- ty extension men work, only in this case the erstwhile bee inspector, instead of becoming a police officer, becomes a bee advisor and a lecturer. WE USED TO SAY that O. 0. Poppleton of Stuart, Fla., was the greatest migratory bee- keeper that ever Migratory , Beekeeping. bees in other lived. Perhaps he was, if we consider the business of than carload ship- mi- movmg ments. But there is another form of gratory beekeeping that has in late years grown to enormous proportions. This in- volves the movement of cars of bees from one State to another. During the past year or so bees have been moved from Texas, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, to Califor- nia and back again in thousand-colony lots. Into Riverside County alone there have been moved something like five thousand colonies of bees from other States. The plans seem to be this: A crop of honey is caught in Idaho or Montana, and the bees moved, as cold weather comes on, into Call- May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 2dd fornia, wlioro tlie bees are built up during ■winter on tlio eucalyptus, after which they may or may not make a 60-pound can of orange-blossom hone,y to the colony. This so-called "orange-blossom," bj^ the way, will very often be mixed with mountain sage, wild alfalfa, and buckwheat. After catch- ing the California crop the bees' are loaded into cars and moved into Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming when they are just about in time to catch the alfalfa. In this way the cycle continues year in and year out. During the high prices of honey that have prevailed during the last two years the prac- tice has been highly remunerative to those who have sufficient cajjital and skill to con- duct the business. For example, the Su- perior Honey Co. of Ogden took last year $50,000 worth of honey. The company own- ed and operated three thousand colonies, fif- teen hundred of which were moved into California and then moved back again. The Editor has run across something like a dozen extensive migratory beekeepers in California that have gotten the business of moving bees in carload lots down to an ex- act science, and they have made money. This does not mean that they do not sometimes have some losses, particularly if it turns hot suddenly after the bees are en route. There is absolutely no difficulty in moving during the cool weather. When the bees are moved from the North to California, the problem is comparatively simple, but when they are moved from California during hot weather to the North, trouble begins if one does not understand the business. Some beekeepers use refrigerator cars dur- ing hot weather, packing them with ice. Others use open cattle-cars, carrying along barrels of water to sprinkle the bees when the weather is insufferably hot or the car stops for transfer. As many as 700 colonies have been moved in a car. We hope to be able to give some concrete cases later on, with particulars. BEES DON 'T WORK for nothing and board themselves anywhere in the United States; but in some sea- Decoy Hives sons and in some in California. localities they come very near do- ing that in California, as we have pointed out before. This does not imply that bees do not require expert attention here. As a matter of fact they need more of it than in the East; but the very fact that bees can many times shift for themselves has made it possible for runaway swarms to occupy caves, crevices in the rocks, cavities in trees, and places in and outside of buildings. These wild bees, together with those in con- trol of man, anywhere from 10 to 25,000 colonies to the county, make it possible for r.unaway swarms to be more or less common — so common, indeed, that the business of trapping swarms in decoy hives is fairly common and profitable. It would be less common if beekeepers would watch their bees closely. They either have too many or else neglect what they have — result, swarm- ing and lots of it. The high price of honey during the last two years has made it next to impossible to buy bees for either love or money. Accord- ingly, many people have resorted to the practice of catching stray swarms in boxes or hives conveniently located 10 or 12 feet above the ground, in trees. These hives contain preferably a piece of comb and two or more frames of foundation. Those who make a business of putting out these decoy hives place 10 or 20 of them among the trees, and some have captured as many as 10 or 20 swarms a day. Ernest Allen, secretary of the local exchange of La Mesa, near San Diego, has caught as high as six swarms a day for seven days. In fact, Mr. Allen made his start in beekeeping from his trap swarms. Sometimes the trap-swarming business is in disrepute, especially when the trapper lo- cates numerous decoy hives around a large apiary belonging to another man. Such poachers usually "get in so bad" that the beekeepers finally run them out of the coun- try. They do not object, they say, to legiti- mate decoy-hive trapping, for there are hun- dreds of stray swarms that would go to the rocks, or trees, and thereafter be a constant menace on account of bee disease. There is another form of bee-catching that is totally distinct from the decoy-hive scheme; and that is where certain disrep- utable persons fix up robber-trap hives with bee-escajies to trap their neighbors ' bees. During the dearth of honey a person of this kind can bring on a genuine case of spring and summer dwindling among his neighbor beekeepers, and at' the same time enrich him- self. The beekeeper 's colonies begin to dwindle, and he wonders why. Soon he finds out, and then, biff -bang-wow! This kind of trapping has all but gone out of practice for the reason that it would go pretty hard with the trapper if he should be caught at it. One or two parties engag- ed in the practice are being watched very narrowly, I am told. In some parts of the State where the law can not be used, the shotgun stands ready. We, of course, can not recommend or condone one wrong to right another, much less the use of a gun, even to correct an abuse. We have learned of another form of pil- fering, where certain persons will go into isolated apiaries in broad daylight and take a frame of brood and bees out of every colo- ny, replacing them with comb taken from the honey-house. There are many beeyards in California that are located up in the mountains where one can go and help him- self to bees and brood with but little fear of detection for the time being; but murder will out. The honest beekeeper, when he discovers a case of unusual dwindling, is on the watch. 284 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 THOSE CONFUSING SYMPTOMS l^t a Ne-w Foul ^rood 'Disease, but a Hitherto Unrecognized Form of an Old Disease By E. R. Root OU E old friend, the enemy, is attacking us un- der a camou- flage. It is no other than Euro- pean foul brood in its last stages. While in its ear- ly stages it shows up in the old ways and form, yet, as if to make confusion worse confounded, in 'its later stages it tries to sail under the colors and the camouflage of the American type. This has caused endless confusion among beekeepers all over the country, with the result that thousands of good combs have been wasted by burning or melting, supposedly infected with the American foul brood. During the last six or seven mouths that I have been on the road, I have observed a form of brood disease very much resembling American foul brood, but lacking some of the characteristics. I have found it in seven or eight States in the East. I have found it and have heard of it all over Cali- fornia. Sometimes I thought it was a new disease because it was not quite American, and certainlv it did not look like the Euro- pean which I had known so long. Whatever it was it would behave like European, but appeared very much like the American. Was it possible that there was a milder form of American that would disappear of itself or yield to the treatment of requeening? Was it possible that some new organism had gotten into the American type of disease and modified it, so that it was less virulent? I talked with Dr. Phillips of the Bureau of Entomology about it, and he was sure we didn 't have any new disease and the matter was dropped for the time being; but like Banquo 's ghost, whatever it was, it would not down. Here and there I was hearing about and seeing what looked like American foul brood, that would either dis- appear without treatment or yield to Euro- pean treatment and strengthening. I began writing to Dr. Phillips insisting that we had some very confusing symptoms in California — the same symptoms I had seen in several Eastern States. I urged that Fig. 1. — Government Bneteriologist A. P. Sturtevant tellins? the beekeepers how to distinguish tlie dil'terence between the last stages of European and regular American foul brood. He has his microscope in front of him, so that he can make an examination of the germs of the two respective diseases. May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE he send his bacteriologist here where he could do actual field work and perhaps de- termine what we had. I had given up all thought of any one 's coming, especially after Congress adjourned without making certain appropriations. About that time, however, I received a letter from Dr. Phil- lips saying that I would be glad to know that Mr. Sturtevant, his bacteriologist, was on his way to California, and would I be kind enough to place him in touch with some of these confusing cases about which I had been writing. Very fortunately a series of field meets among the California beekeepers had been scheduled, and I lost ous field meets give the beekeepers the symptoms by which the ordinary bee in- spector or beekeeper could detect and dif- ferentiate between these confusing forms. This he did. After hearing him give these symptoms a number of times I am able to leport the following synopsis: New Light on An Old Subject. It has been customary in describing the differentiation of symptoms between Ameri- can and European foul brood to say that American usually attacks the brood after capping while European attacks before cap- ping. .This is true of typical cases. But -Bacteriologist Sturtevant looking for Bacillvs alvei in European foul brood. no time in getting him on the programs at these meetings. Numerous samples were brought in by the beekeepers, most of which samples were either clearly American or clearly European. Later on we found some cases that were very confusing and one sample looked so much like European in some of its charac- teristics that several of us were confused. Mr. Sturtevant finally made the remark that he had better examine it under the micro- scope, with the result that he found it to be a clear case of American. I have learned of a good many other cases that were just a« confusing and I, therefore, suggested that Mr. Sturtevant at the vari- within the past year or two more and more instances have appeared where this distinc- tion had become obliterated. This has brought about a confusion in the minds of beekeepers as to which disease they were dealing with. Under the microscope, says bacteriologist Sturtevant, the two diseases are easily dif- ferentiated, as the germs causing them are entirely different in appearance and habits. In American foul brood there is almost never found anything but the one organism, the cause of the disease — Bacillus larvae. This fact accounts for the uniformity of symptoms of this disease under ordinary cir- cumstances. The germ is very characteristic 28C GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 in appearance. It forms under favorable conditions for its active growth a small oval resistant body, called a spore, which resists drying and high temperatures. After kill- ing the larva or pupa this germ decomposes the dead larvae in a peculiar manner, leav- ing the trachea and chitinous parts intact and making a gluey substance of the soft parts. This gives the characteristic slimi- ness or ropiness and, later on, adherence of the scale to the cell wall. The glue-pot, or as Mr. Sturtevant says, fish-glue odor, is also quite characteristic. However, there may be stages which have heretofore been insuffi- ciently described where the larvag may not have been dead long enough to have develop- ed the characteristic ropiness and adherence to the cell wall. At this stage the partly dried-down mass may not have even the characteristic color nor adhere to the cell wall, leading to the belief that it may be European. The dead larva of European in any unseal- ed cell can usually be distinguished from that of American in unsealed cells by the abnormal position which it assumes. The former may be coiled in the bottom of the cell, or may be extended somewhat diagon- ally in the cell. A careful examination will show several of the larvae twisted like long- drawn-out corkscrews, that is, the larva twisted to what we call a half turn. There is never any of the corkscrew ap- pearance with American. It is scarcely ever (if ever) coiled in the bottom of the cell. Death does not take place until the larva is stretched out, or after it is sealed. In the case of European foul brood there are different conditions The germ BnciUia^ l;liit(iit, causing this disease, does not form these resistant spores. It also seems to be less active in the way it decomposes the dead larvae. According to Sturtevant, in European foul brood, along with the organ- ism that kills the healthy larvae, may often be found several secondary germs having no relation to the cause of the disease, but simply causing the larvae to decompose. There is one organism in particular, Bacil- lus alvei, originally supposed to be the cause of this disease, which often seems to be associated with European foul brood in large numbers. It appears that the more of these organisms there are present after Bacillus pinion kills the larvje, the more the appearance will change. Instead of the typical moist melting stage of the disease there are found, due to the action of the Bacillus alvei, more and more larvae that have not died, until after they have become capped. In this stage it is often difficult to distinguish from American foul brood as the dead larvae may, before they dry down, show a tendency to sliminess, to rope some- what, and to develop the coffee-brown color. However, the way they rope is different from the characteristic fine thread of Ameri- can. It is coarser, at times lumpy, and too moist to stretch far; also as it becomes a little more dried it will stretch like an old rubber band and in breaking instead of snapping back will remain stretched out. At this time the mass has a very disagree- able spoiled-meat odor. If, however, the case is watched for a few days longer al- lowing the dead material to dry down, it will be found that these masses, which generally lie very irregularly placed in the cells, may be easily removed entire; while in the case Fig. 3. — Government Extension man, Jay Smith, explaining to the group of beekeepers assembled at the apiary of F. C. Wiggins, San Diego, Calif., how to rear queens. Mr. Smith has been doing this all over the State. May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE of Anioriean foul brood it is practically im- possible to remove an entire scale. Further- more, instead of being brittle like the American scale, these irregular masses will bend like a piece of old rubber. Owing to the fact that European foul brood has been so neglected in California, Fig. 4. — Miss Whipple of Mendleson & Wliipple, Ventura, Calif., in her farmerette suit. Miss Whip- ple has general charge of the farmerettes in rearing queens. due to the custom of treating for American, Bacillus alvei, the secondary decomposing organism, has increased to such numbers that it has changed some of the symptoms of the disease in its last stages particularly. Therefore it is not safe to jump at conclu- sions too hastily in the case of brood dis- eases, since there are stages at which it is very difficult to differentiate without the aid of a microscope. If it is impossible to get a microscopic diagnosis, Mr. Sturtevant recommends that the best plan is to treat the ease vigorously as if it was European foul brood, by dequeening the colony and building it up strong by doubling with oth- er queenless colonies and then watching de- velopments. This kind of treatment with good Italian stock and making the colonies strong is good beekeeping, disease or no disease, and is the only way to secure a crop. If it is European foul brood it will clean under this treatment. If it is American foul brood it will not clean up, and soon the def- inite characteristic appearances will de- velop. This will eliminate the melting-up of combs in European foul brood and is the safest course to pursue where European is known to be prevalent. The microscopic diagnosis will, as Mr. Sturtevant clearly demonstrated, bring out this difference at once, since the germs caus- ing the disease are so characteristically dif- ferent. The microscope, aided by other laboratory methods, also explains the ab- normal symptoms which may appear in European foul brood when there are large numbers of this secondary contaminating organism present which causes a different type of decomposition. Recapitulation. So far it is apparent from Mr. Sturte- vant 's investigation, that there are only two brood diseases the same as we have hereto- fore known. This confirms the conclusions which he had already reached in his labora- tory w^ork on brood diseases. The American remains just as it was without any change. The European, however, takes a later stage somewhat resembling the other disease. At first all the symptoms that heretofore have been given for European appear. Later on, if nothing is done to effect a cure, a sec- ondary organism. Bacillus alvei, comes in nnd modifies the symptoms to such an extent that European takes on a form similar to American, but yields to the treatment of European. The Bacillus alvei apparently slows up the action of the Bacillus plutou, which is the real cause of European, so that Fig. 5. — Mrs. C. C. Black, one of the farmerettes working for M. H. Mendleson. who stands in the foreground. She is looking in the finder of the '•amera oblivious of the fact that Jay Smith was tak- ing a shot of her with his ever-ready Graflex camera. 288 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Mat, 1919 the dead matter appears mainly in the seal- ed cells while the unsealed larvae look a little like the dead larva? of American. It is apparent that a microscope and ex- pert bacteriologist might have to decide which the disease is; but Sturtevant says to apply treatment for European and if at the end of two or three weeks the disease comes back it may be assumed that the American foul brood is the disease; but if it effects a cure then it is a case of European. This policy will save thousands upon thou- sands of combs. Farmerette Beekeepers Again. After I showed the picture of Mendleson 's farmerette beekeepers, appearing on page 76, February Gleanings, I received a letter from one of our subscribers protesting that the farmerettes were displacing men, and that it was all wrong, etc. I hardly have the space or the inclination to discuss the right or wrong of this, any more than to say, that when our wives, mothers, daugh- ters, or any other girl or woman can be of service in a beeyard, the should have the privilege of dressing safe and sane. There are some things like queen-rearing that women can do just as well as men. In the matter of extracting with a power outfit, says Mr. Mendleson, they are just as good as men and a good deal cleaner. The last time I told about Mr. Mendle- son 's farmerettes I said that a number of them had "swarmed out" meaning got mar- ried, and I intimated that he might need some more. This last must have been more than he bargained for. Over a hundred girls applied for jobs as farmerette beekeepers, and the poor man, so I am told, sat up nights writing letters saying he was awfully sorry but he had all the girls he needed. Fig. 6. — Miss Marye Culver of Calexico, Imperial County, Calif., in her farmerette bee suit. Her father, W. W. Culver, is one of the most extensive beekeepers of the Valley Last year he took 1,000 cases of 120 pounds of honey each from 1,100 colo- nies. With not a little pride he told the editor of Gleanings that his daughter Marye was his right- hand man in the bee yards. Only sweet sixteen, yet while her brother was in France she took his place. THE SWARMING PROBLEM LAST month I J pointed out the desirabil- ity of securing the great army of workers for the harvest quickly and just previous to the honey flow in or- der that most of the bees shall be young at the beginning of the harvest. In our locali- ty the greatest amount of brood should be in the hives during the month of May, and especially the latter part of the month, since the honey flow from clover usually begins early in June. This sudden and rapid expansion of brood- rearing, which is so important, at this time, brings prominently upon the horizon the swarming problem. It seems that the greater and more rapidly the increase in brood-rearing, the more threatening and The Ounce of 'T^re-vention and the ^ound of Cure. Some Seasons Both are Found Necessary By Eelva M. Demuth. baffling this new menace becomes. Our worst sea- sons for swarm- ijig have occur- red when the colonies had built up most rapidly and com- pletely, and es- pecially after a wet May when the field bees were confined to their hives the greater por- tion of the time and therefore not apprecia- bly aged by work. Thus while good beekeeping demands a fivefold increase in population within the few weeks just preceding the honey flow, this great spurt of brood-rearing is condu- cive to a desire on the part of the bees to divide their forces at this time, thus defeat- ing within a few minutes the purpose to- ward which we have been striving since last iVugust. Furthermore, when we attempt to Mav, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 289 iiitorfLMo with this iuelination of the bees, tht\v may resent the iiiterferem-e and work less vigorously just at the time when we can least afl'ord any loafing. This is the swarming problem afforded by our locality; with our short and usually rapid honey How, occuring just at the height of the natural spring brood-rearing activity, it becomes a problem of no small magnitude, especially in comb-honey production. Dur- ing occasional seasons, especially bad for swarming, a majority of the colonies run for comb honey may attempt to swarm, in spite of all the precautionary measures we have been able to apply. During practically every season some colonies behave as tho they thought swarming to be the sole pur- pose of their existence and serious work to be of minor consideration. We look upon the actual issuing of the swarm as tlie culmination of a series of events within the hive which began several weeks previously. This makes it necessary to recognize the oncoming of the menace rather early in May in order to take pre- cautionary steps to prevent its inception, tho our swarming season occurs in June. Precautionary Measures. By giving ample room of the right kind for brood-rearing, it is not difficult to pre- A tut all swarming previous to the begin- ning of the honey flow. This room for brood-rearing should be of such a character that the brood-nest may be expaiided with- out interruption. If a comb unfit for brood- rearing is between the brood-nest and ad- jacent 23erfect combs, it stands as a partial barrier to the extension of the brood-nest. A new comb, even tho perfect but in which brood has never been reared, if placed in the middle of the brood-chamber, some- times offers an obstruction sufficient to cause the queen to skip it and begin work in an older and darker comb beyond. Combs with stretched and misshapen cells in the upper portion, which are so common with horizontal wiring, become a partial barrier to the extension of the brood-nest thru two stories. These imperfect cells add to the obstruction formed by the sticks and spaces already there. In any case the partial limi- tation of the brood-nest may be a factor to help start the bees along the downward road toward swarming. We have seen many cases of early swarming from large brood- chambers which had an abundance of comb unoccupied. Apparently such colonies swarm because the brood-nest itself was cramped by the interposition of imperfect comb, sticks, and spaces. Some of the finest combs we have in use are relics of the days of reversible frames. They were inverted th^ first season, which caused the bees to extend the brood to the top-bars, and the combs were thus so strengthened by cocoons that they have never sagged. The upper portion of these combs does not prevent a free extension of the brood-nest thru two stories, which is so desirable at this time. When the combs are perfect and their ar- rangement is such that the queen can work in larger and larger circles,, we have not found it necessary to exchange places among them or in any way attempt to ex- pand the brood-nest artificially to prevent early swarming_ Comfort of the Bees. Sometimes a week of warm weather may occur before the winter packing cases are removed or before the entrances are opened wider for better ventilation in the spring, resulting in great masses of bees hanging outside the hive. Frequently queen-cells are started under such conditions, aj^parently in response to discomfort. Usually, however, such colonies give up swarming if more room is given. Later, during the honey flow, of course, ventilation and shade are of great impor- tance to insure the comfort of the bees and, we think, to reduce the tendency to swarm. We still use the old-fashioned, un- sightly, projecting shade-boards on our hives during the honey flow to prevent the direct rays of the sun from striking the hive cover and the sides of the supers. At the same time the entrance is opened at the full %-inch depth and the hives are shoved forward on the bottom-boards to allow a similar opening at the back, or the hives are blocked up oft" tlie bottom-boards by means of %-inch blocks. When shade-boards are not used we think it is important that the hive covers be painted white, and the paint frequently renewed to prevent the absorp- tion and transmission into the hives of so much heat from the sun. Effect of New Work. In order to hold the swarming instinct in subordination the bees apparently need to have their job laid out for them far in ad- vance, so that its completion is never in sight. If the brood-chamber is filled with brood and early honey and this early-gather- ed honey is being sealed down adjacent to the brood, before work is begun in the super, the bees seem to feel that their job is ap- proaching completion and that it is time for them to swarm. To prevent this condition the supers should be put on before the be- ginning of the main honey flow and every inducement offered to entice the bees to be- gin work in them promptly. In comb-hon- ey production, bait combs in a few sections may attract the bees into the supers before the brood-chamber is completely filled, thus bridging over the work from the brood- chamber into the super before there can be any suggestion of a completed job within the brood-chamber. When the two-story colonies are reduced to a single story at the beginning of the honey flow we sometimes have some difficul- ty in inducing the bees to accept gracefully the new work in the comb-honey supers given at that time. To reduce strong two- story colonies to a single story and give comb-honey supers containing foundation only in the sections, is to invite every colo- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 ny so treated to swarm under certain condi- tions of weather and honey flow, but if they can be induced to do a little work in the supers before the extra hive body and combs are taken away there is less difficulty. We usually give each colony two supers at the time they are reduced to a single colony, each of which is supplied with bait combs. At the same time we see that they have am- ple ventilation and shade, if the weather is warm; for, we believe, to hold down the swarming instinct properly, it is necessary to induce the bees to begin promptly and vigorously in the first supers. In the supers added subsequently there is little, if any, difficulty in expanding the new work ahead of the needs of the bees by placing each added super next to the brood-chamber un- til the foundation is drawn, then placing it on top of the other supers. For the same reason many producers of extracted honey transplant the work of the brood-chamber into the super by raising combs from the brood-chamber into it. In the same way, when the second super is added partly filled combs from the middle of the first super may be exchanged for some of its empty ones. If in this way we can make the bees so comfortable and their work so attractive that the field workers are enticed out of the crowded brood-cham- ber into the fields and the younger bees are attracted out of the brood-chamber into the supers to the greatest possible extent, the brood-nest itself is so depleted of bees that the colony is comfortable and the work of the hive goes on without everybody being in everybody else 's way. We want a great horde of bees in every hive during the hon- ey flow, but do not want many of these in the brood-chamber at this time; for it seems that when too many crowd into the brood- chamber, whether they be young bees re- cently emerged, field bees driven in by a spell of rainy weather, or a horde of idle drones, that such crowding among the brood- combs is a breeder of mischief and discon- tent, which may result in swarming cells be- ing started at an early date. This extra population needs to be given a job outside the brood-nest. If too many youngsters are crowded in the brood-nest, some producers of extracted honey remove a part of them, together with most of the brood-combs, and place them in an extra hive body above the supers, as in the Demaree plan.* Killing Queen-Cells. In comb-honey production after the colo- nies have all been reduced to a single story and given comb-honey supers we begin the weekly examination for queen-cells, which examinations are continued until the danger of swarming has passed. When any colony has progressed far enough along in the suc- cession of events toward swarming to start queen-cells we usually feel that this may be at least partly our fault in not providing *Mr. Byer and otheirs have used this plan. We believe there is no record that Demaree did so. — Editor. adequate precautionary measures, tho some seasons we are inclined to blame it on the character of the honey flow and the weather. It is interesting to note, however, that as the years go by the season is blamed less and the management more for these attempts to swarm. When queen-cells are found during these weekly examinations they are destroy- ed, care being taken that none are missed; for if one is left in the hive the results are probably the same as tho all had been left. If the cells contain only eggs or very small larvse, we leave the colony without further treatment another week, hoping that the bees will reconsider the matter and give up the attempt. While we are often disappoint- ed in this, yet so many colonies go thru the season without swarming after having their queen-cells destroyed once or twice that the labor of looking for and destroying these recently-started queen-cells is usually quite profitably spent. The Pound of Cure! If, however, well-developed queen-cells are found, we know that the trouble has developed too far for preventive measures and some remedy is necessary. Just what remedy is best to use depends so much upon the character and advancement of the sea- son as well as upon the condition of the colo- ny in question, that no set rule is followed. In some cases the brood is taken away from the colony, leaving most of the working force, the queen, and the supers together with the hive on the old stand, as in hiving natural swarms. Later, most of the young bees that have emerged from the removed brood are returned to the colony by some one of the well-known plans for doing this. Colonies treated in this way sometimes at- tempt to swarm again the same season if the honey flow is long, but there is less tendency to do this if the bees are compelled to build new combs in the brood-chamber from starters only. In other cases the queen is removed, all queen-cells destroyed, and the colony left queenless until all its brood is sealed. At this time all queen-cells are again destroyed, and a young laying queen, reared from some colony better behaved as to swarming, is introduced. Colonies so treated are in a con- dition similar to the parent colony after all swarming is over and the young queen has mated and begun to lay, except that it has retained its full working force. With us these colonies do not swarm again the same season. With either of these plans the first step is to find the queen, and the decision as to which plan will be used is often made while doing this. We note a growing tendency toward killing the queen in colonies that must be treated for swarming, especially if not many colonies attempt to swarm. In extracted-honey production we would usu- ally do so, for after we have done every- thing in our power to prevent swarming the swarmers may as well be weeded out in this way. May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 291 ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS By Grace Allen — Chapter IV BLACK locust, with all its swinging beau- ty, had come into full bloom and was filling the earth with its fragrance and grace. "This is May Day," Anne remarked, as she and Mr. Lowe started for the beeyard one radiant morning. ' ' The world woke up and called me early, and I went out before breakfast and played Queen of the May with Shep. Now I feel just like working with bees." The old man smiled as he lighted his smoker. ' ' You 've got it in you, Anne, all right," he said. "I told Jack in my letter last night about how you get out all my bee books every evening, and pile those old bound volumes of bee journals around you — and dig. Just as tho you were going to school! " "I am — to Professor Daddy Lowe!" Anne^ replied, adjusting her veil_ "And please' tell me what you are planning to do this morning, ' ' she urged, ' ' for I 'm really beginning to understand what you say. ' ' "Well," acquiesced the old beekeeper, ' ' about the time of locust I usually put my queens down. You see I winter in two stories mostly, and by this time the queens will have — oh, of course it varies greatly, but say from eight to sixteen combs of brood, mostly in the upper stories. So I put her down into the lower, under the queen- excluder, with most of the brood above." "Why?" asked Anne thoughtfully. "Well, first let me say it is by no means the only system to follow — it isn 't even necessarily the best one. You'll find plenty of others recommended in the books and journals." Anne nodded. "But of all I have tried, this seems to be the best for me. You see, the queen has had unlimited room till now, and this will leave her with plenty for some time yet. From now on, I think ten combs is about enough. It wouldn't have been, from the first, tho." "I've read about some beekeepers who use a double brood-chamber the whole sea- son thru." ' ' Yes, the tendency seems to be towards larger brood-chambers. But I don't believe they need it all summer — just long enough to get this good start with brood-rearing. You see we don 't care to have queens lay at their greatest capacity more than another three or four weeks." "Oh! I thought the more brood the bet- ter. ' ' ' ' That is true — at the right time. But it's got to be early enough to provide bees for the harvest. Figure it out for yourself. It takes three weeks from egg-laying to raise the bees; then another two weeks be- fore they are ready to go to the fields. That's five weeks. So eggs laid during the last five weeks of the honey flow won 't give us any bees to help bring that nectar in. Our main flow here lasts about two months. That leaves only the first two or three weeks for worth-while egg-laying. We've got about another week, now, before the main flow will be really on. So that gives us about another month for heavy laying. Do you get the idea?" Anne nodded. "When do we put on su- pers?" "Probably next week. And now let's get started. We can discuss other things as we go. If there's anything you don't un- derstand, don't hesitate to ask." He opened the first hive. "Anne," he said a few minutes later, holding up a comb with most of the brood sealed, but with eggs and young larvse in the center, "judging from this comb, how long has the queen been laying?" Anne hesitated. "Nine days," she ven- tured, "to have that brood sealed; longer, I suppose, if it has been sealed several days." ' ' She must have been laying at least four weeks, Anne," he said. "You see, she starts in the center, laying in rings towards the outside edges. So — " "Oh, I see!" Anne cried. "The middle ones, that she laid first, have already hatch- ed out — " ' ' Emerged, ' ' he corrected. "Emerged then," she repeated; "that's three weeks; then she's laid there again and these second ones have hatched — not emerged, hatched — that's three days more; and the larva? are evidently several days old now. Four weeks. Smart Daddy Lowe! ' ' "Smart Anne, you mean," he smiled. "Now let's see what we've got here." He set off the super and quickly examined each comb. "Altogether there are eleven combs here with brood in them, three combs of honey, two of pollen and four empties. Now let's put them this way. Below here, we'll put one comb of young brood, in the center; then on each side two empties, and some honey, and lastly a comb of pollen on the outside." Finding the queen, he put her down among these combs, laid the excluder over the top, and set the second hive body on. "Now there are ten combs of brood above,'' he said, "and — " ' ' Wait a minute. Professor Lowe, ' ' Anne interrupted, "I want to ask a question. Why not put the comb down that has the queen already on it?" "You can. Especially if she's on one you want down. This one wasn 't. She was on a comb of sealed brood and I wanted that above. Because — " he waited. Anne shook her head. ' ' I don 't know. ' ' ' ' It will emerge more quickly and give room above for storing honey. ' ' 292 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 Thus they went thru two more hives, Dad- dy Lowe explaining as he worked. But as they approached the fourth hive, Anne calmly sat down on it. "Please, Professor Daddy Lowe," she be- gan in her most engagingly wheedling tones, ' ' I want to beg a great favor. ' ' The old man laughed aloud. ' ' Go ahead, child, ' ' he smiled, ' ' I knew it was coming soon. Open one up and do it all alone. ' ' Anne jumped down eagerly. ' ' I 've ma- triculated! " she exulted. "Now — you watch," she urged. "And — if there's any- thing you don 't understand, don 't hesitate to ask! " Daddy Lowe chuckled and straightway be- came the watcher. Carefully Anne removed the cover, loosened the combs and started her examination of the super. One by one, she set out the five combs nearest her, and then began prying the upper hive loose. " I '11 do the lifting, ' ' Mr. Lowe said, ris- ing. ' ' Please, no — thank you, ' ' Anne insisted. ' * I 've set out enough combs so I can lift the rest myself. I want to." Grasping the two handcleats, she lifted the super off. But alas, as she lowered it, she likewise tilted it. Two combs slipped off the rabbet and crashed to the ground. Instantly the air was filled with excitedly resentful bees. Daddy Lowe came gallant- ly to the rescue. "Oh dear! " wailed Anne, flushed and dis- tressed; "I'm so sorry! See what I did the very first thing. ' ' ' ' No great harm done at that, ' ' Mr. Lowe reassured her. ' ' They didn 't fall far. Only one comb is broken and that not badly. ' ' ' ' But you got stung picking up my wreck- age." ' ' I was just the innocent bystander, ' ' he smiled. ' ' But you invited me to ask ques- tions. Do you mind explaining just why you did it?" "Mean Professor!" she retorted, adding humbly, ' ' Next time I shall lift it more evenly. ' ' ' ' And it will be easier if you don 't have all the weight on one side, ' ' he suggested. Anne finished her job without further mis- hap. Whereupon Mr. Lowe poured great comfort and delight into her troubled soul, by telling her to go on down that row alone, and he would start on the next row. ' ' If you need me, I'm right here," he added. Anne sighed rapturously. ' ' I am begin- ning my career. My cup runneth over " Most joyfully she worked, and thoroly, hive after hive. And right in the middle of it came Theodore Eobinson. "Oh, Theodore!" the girl cried eagerly, her enthusiasm sweeping away all other feelings. " I 'm really starting to be a bee- keeper! Isn't it splendid?" "Perfectly lovely!" Theodore answered dryly. The ironical emphasis made Anne suddenly self-conscious. She frowned ever so slightly. ''But Theodore, just think — " ' ' I haven 't done much else for the last month," the young man accused. ' * I 've been studying beekeeping, my- self, ' ' said Anne sweetly. ' ' Aren 't you afraid of bees, Theodore?" Theodore kicked a tuft of unoffending grass. ' ' Honestly, Anne, I never thought I'd see you out in the sun this way, all — " "All what? Perspiry and hot? Well, to be honest, I never thought it myself. But here I am, and here I 'm likely to be. What are we going to do about it?" ' ' That 's what I came to tell you. But I 'm interrupting your work. ' ' ' ' And I can 't stop right now. ' ' "I'll wait." She protested, but he waited. So about an hour later, having first completed her row of hives, she came out from the house, cool and dainty and refreshed. Theodore was visibly relieved. ' ' This is the real Anne Lester, ' ' he said. The way he said it spoke volumes, Anne resented both the speech and the inferred volumes. ' ' I don 't agree with you," she argued. "I believe the other was the real one. This is merely the prod- uct of a quick bath and a good dressmaker. What were you going to tell me?" ' ' I 've given up my position. ' ' "Theodore! Have you volunteered?" The young man's face darkened. "Anne, you know so well I can't do that! Even for you. Every deep conviction in me is against war. I shall answer my call when drafted, but my conscience will never let me go voluntarily. The bitter thing is that you will never understand. ' ' " It 's true I '11 never understand how you can feel that way, about tMs war. But I shall always understand how you can 't go, since you do feel that way," she answered. "Thanks," he said gratefully. "And here 's the rest of my news. I 've hired out to Mr. Clark — you know — the big farm next this. I 'm going to learn farming. ' ' "Farming? Why Theodore, you hate it! And — it makes you hot and dirty. What ever made you think of such a thing?" "Can't you guess, Anne?" Anne flushed and was silent. Finally she shook her head. "You musn 't change your whole life for me that way, Theodore," she protested gently, ' ' Besides it won 't do any good. Honestly it won 't. ' ' It was his turn to be silent. But after a few minutes he jumped up with the old friendly, boyish grin. "Bet you a cooky!" he challenged. "Bet you two!" she retorted, happy at the change of mood. And she walked with him to the gate. Coming slowly back to the house, later, she looked off across the fields to the big prosperous Clark farm. And looking, she smiled, and kept on smiling. Then she nodded her head wisely. "All right, Theodore," she murmured. " I 'm neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I have a new big idea. And I'm willing to bet another cooky on it." May, 1919 G L E A N T N 0 S I N P. K F. 0 IM. T U K E t'-,-;:^^ a'i.FROM THETIELD OF EXPERIENCE .«,..:..;,*:.:.. FINDING THE QUEEN Here is a Way That Saves Time and Eye Strain and Works Without Fail The usual way of finding the queen is by the diligent-search method, with aching back and foggy eyes, so that a worker is magnified to the size of a queen, and a drone looks quite respectable. This has been my past experience till I had over 50 queens to find very late last fall when requeening. Necessity called for a quick method. Tak- ing an excluder, I tacked it on the bottom of an extracting super which was placed over a hive body or box. I shook the bees into this super, and all that could passed thru the queen-excluder, going below to cluster. If they were too slow, I set another excluder on top for a cover. A few puffs of BEES AWAY UP NORTH A queen-excluder tacked on the Ijottom of a super makes a queen-sieve. smoke and a good shaking up always started them down. After they were quiet, I took oft" the top excluder, and all the bees remain- ing were drones, the queen, and a few scat- tered workers. In the picture the hive at the left repre- sents the colony having the queen to be found, which is set back of the hive-stand, and an empty hive put in its place to receive the frames after shaking all the bees into the super (shown tilted up in the picture for a better view.) Carefully lift out the frames in the center of the hive first. Very often the queen may be found on one of the frames; but after becoming excited she is quite likely to leave the frames and hide in a cluster on the hive wall. After the frames are out, jar the hive body by a sudden jolt on its corner on the ground. The bees then lose their footing, and can be poured like water. It is all more quickly done than told. Put your bees thru this strainer to get the little black queen, and then give them a beautiful Italian. Geo. A. Brill. Elk Mound, Wis, How an Apiary to the Northward of Winnipeg is Successfully Conducted For five years I have been in charge of our apiary at St. Norbert, Manitoba, Can., Trappist Monastery. I am not an experienc- ed apiarist. In fact I am yet a novice in the art of keeping bees. Nevertheless, in 1915 and 1916 I secured a large crop of honey. Fourteen years ago one of us purchased some bees and became enraptured with the work of beekeeping; and the result of this was that he also purchased 12 ten-frame Langstroth hives of bees from which, dur- ing the next year, he secured 24 swarms, and 3,000 pounds of honey. This profit induced him to take up the business of beekeeping as a pursuit. He, therefore, bought a man- ual of bee culture; built a house 18x26; pur- chased a complete beekeeping outfit; and then secured, the first year, a crop of 200 pounds of extracted honey per colony. From 1904 to 1912 Bro. Anthony had only one poor year, and even then the profit from his colonies was sufficient to pay all expenses. You doubtless know that in Manitoba the winter is very long, and, therefore, heavier winter losses are experienced than in the United States. One winter we lost 18 colo- nies out of 75; but during the same year we took 10,000 pounds of honey. In 1912 all our hives and colonies were burned in the cellar of our guest-house, where we kept them in winter. We bought .30 other colonies from which we secured 33 swarms the first season. This was my first experience with our apiary, and since then I have remained in charge of it. In our first wintering we were forced to keep our new colonies in a cellar that was too warm. Dysentery was the result, and I was able to save only 28 colonies. But I gave my bees close and accurate observa- tion and hard study, and now I am glad to tell you that I received a crop of 4,200 pounds. During the following winter the cellar was not heated at all, and all the frames became mouldy. However, I saved 32 colonies, which increased to 45 and stor- ed 420 pounds of honey. The following spring I began with 42 colo- nies. The weather was fine during that spring and summer and I secured an average of more than 250 pounds per colony. The strongest colony gave us 420 jiounds of hon- ey, and several others at least 300 pounds. I also hived more than 20 swarms. In 1916 I secured still more honey, but in 1917 was far less successful, and every- where around us honey was very scarce, too. The spring of that year was remarkably dry, flowers were scarce, and many had no GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Mat, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE nectar at all. Severe storms in summer and fall, particularly a hard hailstorm, put an end to the work of the bees. A heavy snow- fall during the third week of October forced me to place my colonies in their winter home on the 27th of that month. Before explaining what I did to get such a good crop of honey in 1915 and 1916, I will say again that I am not a very skillful bee- keeper. I always try to be a man of good will. I work hard and try to do my best in everything. I also pray God to help me and to give me a great deal of perseverance in my work. My aim is to obtain from my bees the largest crop possible. In order to do so, here is the way I manage, trying at all times to avoid loss of time and money as much as possible. First, I follow four important rules. I seek to have, first, a very productive queen; second, a strong force of bees in each hive at the time the season opens; third, the larg- est number of artificial colonies possible, for I suppress all natural swarming; fourth, sufficient room in the brood-chamber and in the supers. ■ I will not attempt to describe the apiary, which is situated in a park of some two acres, and which is divided into four alleys in the shape of a letter M. Each alley is lined by a certain number of hives, placed on iron or wooden supports about 18 inches high; and in front of each support there is put an ordinary entrance alighting-board. As soon after the first days of April as the weather permits, I look for the queen and brood. Ordinarily I have 12 frames in each hive. In the spring I take out three or four or even five according to the strength of the colony. The brood-nest I place near the wall of the hive, between the division-boards, leaving from 10 to 15 pounds of stores in each good hive. When I find a colony {hat is very weak I put it, on a pleasant day, in the place of a very strong colony, slightly before the time for the bees to fly. I find it well to place a board before the entrance of each of the hives which I have thus transposed. Those colonies which have lost heavily in' bees by this exchanging of hives, I cover warmly with paper. Besides this, in April or May (and often afterward, during the night) I thus cover our hives to protect the brood from cold. By this method I have often sav- ed colonies which had only two or three hundred bees, and these same colonies have given me the same year 300 pounds of hon- ey, each. By the first of May, if the temperature is warm, I begin a new general visit to my hives, to make sure that the stores in them are sufficient; and also to clip the wings on my queens that were hatched the previous season. If there is enough room and the colony strong enough, I enlarge the brood- nest by adding more combs. By May 20 or 30, excepting those that are very weak, my hives generally have the full set of 12 frames. At the end of May, or the beginning of June, if everything goes right, I give some empty frames to the strong colonies, placing them preferably in the supers, as they are The apiary that's north of Winnipeg. May, 1919 GliEANTN'GS IN BEE CULTURE 295 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE built there with greater regularity than those that are i">laced in the brood-nest. I insert these frames between the frames al- ready built out, always taking care to leave one filled frame at each side of the walls of each hive. We use a queen-excluder. Ordinarily swarming has not taken place before the beginning of August if every- thing has gone right. During my visits to the hives I always provide room for the queen to lay, by inserting in the brood-nest one or two frames that are very even or uni- form. As my object is to restrain natural swarming, I lift out the combs of brood from hives that are very populous, and dis- tribute them immediately to those colonies that are very weak. In order to increase artificially, I make use of two plans. The first one is used when the months of May and June are fa- vorable. About the first of June I put su- pers, with drawn comb, over a few of my best colonies in order that the queens may start brood in the supers. Ten or fifteen days after this, if all goes well, I go to my colony that contains my best breeding queen and take her away, with the frames of seal- ed brood, and with them form a new colony, strengthening it with two other frames of brood. On the eleventh day I visit the hives in which I have been preparing frames of brood, and confine each queen to her lower story, with a queen-excluder; then, from the upper stories, I take from two to four frames of sealed brood, with the ad- hering bees, and put one in each of the emp- ty hives, closing each entrance with a metal grating, and putting these hives on new stands. The same day, or perhaps the day following, I give each one of them a queen- cell from my best colony, or better, a comb on which there is one or more queen-cells, and lo! the swarm is made. The hives from which the frames of brood were taken are filled with frames of foundation and left to secure a crop of honey, which often amounts to 250 or 300 pounds. Two days later, I remove the grating from the entrances of the new swarms and examine them to as- certain if the queen has hatched, and again later to find if she has mated. After the queen commences laying, I fill the hive with frames of foundation, and when all are nearly full, put on my queen-excluder and supers. Some of these artificial colonies give from 50 to 60 pounds of honey. My second plan of artificial swarming is still more simple. Towards the end of Aug- ust, at the time of the first frosts, I fill a hive body with choice combs and place it, with a queen-excluder beneath, over one of my strong colonies. The next morning the colony is removed from its stand, and the super only put in its place, moving the brood-chamber to a new location. Two days later the new colony is given a laying queen, or a virgin if there are still plenty of drones. After this queen has commenced laying, her colony is strengthened with two frames of sealed brood from the parent stock. These young bees are the hope of the hive for the ensuing spring. This second method is es- pecially advantageous when the weather is cool during May and June, as it does not in- terfere with the honey crop, and the new colony may build up to 12 frames of brood by Aug. 15. The dividing of such colonies, after the honey flow, cannot fail to render wintering easier. That is one of the advan- tages of the 12-frame hive. Towards the 15th of September, when the brood is nearly all hatched, I give each hive the stores needed, leaving about 40 pounds of honey in each hive. At the time of the heavy frosts, I cover my bees with paper — that is, old newspa- pers; and, at the beginning of November, I generally carry the hives that are on their summer stands to a cellar under the house. Bro. Valentine. St. Norbert, Manitoba, Can. THOSE PROLIFIC STRAINS Not so Good as the Bees That Will Gather Some Honey Even in a Drouth In selecting a queen for breeding purposes I prefer a colony that is able to gather hon- ey at times when most other colonies can not. In other words, I am always on the lookout for the colony that excels in a time of comparative dearth. Again, altho I am probably going contrary to the belief of the majority, I do not like an extra-prolific strain of bees. There may be such that are good storers and not given to swarming, but I have not seen such. A moderately prolific strain that will breed well early in the sea- son, with a tendency to slacken somewhat as the flow becomes heavy, is the kind I pre- fer; and if I can not get as large a yield per colony in very good seasons I will keep enough more colonies to make the aggregate crop as much, and, I believe, in certain sea- sons more. My idea of a suitable strain of bees is one which, in a given locality, will, one year after another, give the maximum amount of honey with the minimum expense of labor and feed. Where bees are allowed to breed promiscuously, as in natural swarm- ing, we find all the way from fairly good to almost worthless except in an extra-good lo- cation or in exceptionally good seasons. We find in apiaries of these mongrel bees the yield running from 200 pounds or more, in a favorable season, down to nothing per colony, while in a season rather unfavorable we may find little or no surplus, and most of the colonies in poor condition for winter. Now, if we select a strain that will gather GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE a little in time of comparative dearth, we shall be able to keep a more uniform number of colonies from year to year, not only getting some honey in lean seasons, but coming thru to the good seasons with a full equipment of good colonies. How many times has the writer seen people become enthusiastic over bees during a good season when almost any- thing in the line of bees would yield some- thing, only to lose most or all their bees a year or two later following a more unfa- vorable season! This is, in my estimation, one substantial reason why the farmer should not try to keep bees. He will not, as a rule, breed bees, but will undertake to keep mongrels which can not thrive except in favorable seasons. If any think I am fanciful in this, just turn your mind to any kind of stock. Let your stock breed hit or miss, you doing no selecting as to parentage, and what kind of stuff will you have in a few years? Yet this is just "nature's way," so much lauded by some when it comes to bees. Dunlap, la. E. S. Miles. MANAGEMENT OF OUTYARDS A Very Successful Beekeeper's Methods in Running Many Apiaries There comes a time in every beekeeper 's career when he gets more bees than his home location will support, and it becomes necessary to start a series of out-apiaries. The first move in this direction will be to select a location for the out-apiary. This should have an abundance of honey-bearing llora for early feed as well as for the main or surplus yield. In our section we have elm. and soft maple for early pollen, and fruit bloom and dandelions a little later. Some years these yield amply so that no feeding need be resorted to, but most years I think it pays to feed between fruit bloom and clover, especially if the colonies go into win- ter light. After finding a favorable locality as to honey plants, I look for an apiary site. This should be well protected by hills, trees, or brush, or all three, and should be so situated that the flying bees will not inter- fere with passers-by, or farming operations, as there is nothing that so exasperates the public or the landowner as an occasional sting, or a mad bee following him about. If one is so unfortunate as to be so located, and his bees trouble his neighbors, I find that a liberal dose of honey applied before said parties have time to enter complaints will nearly always forestall any ill feeling. The site should also be easy of access by auto-truck, as the time for working out- yards otherwise has gone by. A small stream or other good water supply should be near the apiary, as bees consume more water than many suppose, and having it handy saves many bees and much time car- rying it. Now for the outfit. We will need first an extracting house to store supers, etc., and to extract honey in. I find a 12xl2-ft. house about right as to size for an apiary of 100 colonies. Then, of course, we must have our pet hive. Probably for out-door wintering the lO-frame Langstroth is best; but for cellar wintering I find nothing better than the 8-frame hive, as it is easy to move, and by adding the necessary supers I fiiid it am- ple for my locality. In the spring, the first warm day after the bees have been set out of the cellar, and have had a cleansing flight, I examine all colonies as to stores, strength, disease if any, and mark them as strong, medium, and as weak or diseased, if any. Then I take my quota for each yard, according to strength. I have some yards where the flow begins 10 days before others. So I take the strongest colonies to the earliest yards first; the medium, next; and the weakest last, to the latest locations. My reason for this is to give them time to build up for the harvest. I also see that ea< h one has, at this time (May 1 to 15, a little before fruit bloom with us) ''millions of honey at our house." To facilitate rapid breeding I close down the entrance to 1 inch by % on the weak ones and % by 4 inches on the strong ones. I also cover the weak ones and medium with black neponset building paper, held in place by a strip tacked around the bot- tom. This helps to raise the temperature so with plenty of honey they need no attention One of the Beaver mit-apiaries. till near the clover flow. Of course, the medium and strong ones should be looked after at regular intervals and given room as needed by adding supers. I give the queen the freedom of the hive till clover bloom when she is put below an excluder with two frames of unsealed brood, and the brood- nest filled with drawn combs or full sheets of foundation. Nine or ten days later I May, 1919 G ]. E A N 1 N G S IN BEE C U I. T U K E FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE « destroy the queen-cells, if any. This practi- cally prevents swarming with us. We raise our queens from the best colonies and re- queen as soon as a queen isn 't up to the standard. I' make all increase from the strong- nnd medium yards, using the nucleus House built for the bees by Mr. Weaver. method. This keeps swarming down to a minimum, and gets the maximum amount of honey. I find that in this land of hills bees do not travel so far for nectar as on level country, therefore I am convinced that it pays to put the yards closer and keep less in a yard. Our locations seem to do best with about 50 in a yard, and yards 2 or 2% miles apart. We aim to have supers enough so that we can extract at the end of each flow, as this is the only way to raise first-quality honey, and also the best way to handle a large number of yards. For an extracting outfit we use a six-frame power extractor and a one-half horse-power engine, a capping tank, and a straining tank. This outfit is moved from yard to yard, excepting the capping box. I have one of these at each yard so the cappings can drain till I come again. I be- lieve the honey can be extracted cheaper, quicker, and easier at each yard than to have a central plant; then I can haul the honey home any time after the extracting is all done. I always do my requeening as I get good cells along in the summer, and by the middle of August they are prepared for winter, so far as manipulation goes. As soon as the buckwheat honey is all off, about the begin- ning of October, I begin to move the bees home. I have an Overland truck that car- ries 30 colonies at a load, and, with special bottoms and metal telescoping covers, I simply stick a V-shaped screen in the en- trance and the hive is ready to move. This makes moving a pleasure. The first severe cold spell after Nov. 10 the bees are put in the cellar. During the winter we get hives ready and frames wired for the next season; also all wax is taken care of, and made into foundation, and the honey crop disposed of. Harry Beaver. Troy, Pa. [Last year Mr. Beaver treated 300 colo- nies affected with foul brood. He says the disease is prevalent thruout his section and he has had a constant fight to keep it sub- dued. In the face of this discouragement, Mr. Beaver, with the aid of his wife and a ] 5-year-old boy, during the past year se- cured a croj) of 59,000 pounds and increased from 3] 4 to 6(t(i colonies. — Editor.] WHY THE SKYSCRAPER HIVE Three Stories High is High Enough for Conveni- ent Handling The skyscraper hives lately appearing in Gleanings look good, but I can not under- stand how a beeman can handle bees that way. My supers will weigh about 70 pounds; and when you raise 70 jjounds over your head for several hours you certainly will know you have been doing something. I can not see how you can go into your brood-nest with all those supers. I always take a look at my brood when I am putting on empty supers, and run my hives with two extra supers, and sometimes three, as some hives will become filled up before others. By having my hives three stories high they have plenty of room all the time, and I can look into one and see in a very few minutes what they need. Then it takes lots of bees to care for seven stories of honey at once, and they have a long-enough way to go in a hive of three stories. I am enclosing you a picture of a yard 1 bought this spring. There were 99 hives — Mr. Potts in one of his outyards. shoe-boxes, nail-kegs, buckets, and a flour- barrel. One picture is before transferring, and the other afterward. I had 55 when I finished my job. They all had American foul brood. I bought queens and now have 298 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE 55 of the finest hives you ever saw of beauti- ful bees, and not a sign of foul brood. I sold $480 worth of honey and $120 worth of wax from them. They cost nie $200. Are they worth it? I traveled thru Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina this summer in a car and Outyard of J. W. Potts before transferring. never saw a single up-to-date beeyard. Lots of colonies were in modern hives, but their owners do not take bee papers and do not run their colonies along up-to-date lines. Gunnison, Miss. J. W. Potts. SOME ADVANTAGES CLAIMED For This New Way of Fertilizing a Queen from an Upper Story At any time in the average season, to fer- tilize a queen from an upper story with any- thing approaching a fair chance of success, it has been necessary to use a wire-cloth partition between that part of the lower story where the laying queen is and the combs of the upper story on which the vir- gin queen is waiting to take her mating- fiight. Doolittle, in "Scientific Queen-rear- ing, ' ' records success at times in certain sea- sons, with only the queen-excluder between the two chambers, but acknowledges this is not a success under all circumstances. In the A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture a wire-cloth partition over the whole of the brood-nest is recommended. In the use of a wire-cloth partition the sole advantage gained is that the nucleus is helped by the heat rising from the colony below; and if the nucleus has but a small amount of brood and a virgin queen the advantage is small. The advantage would be greater in case a weak nucleus had a lot of brood in propor- tion to its size or a queen-cell not due to hatch for a day or two. With an impassable division you do not get the supreme advan- tage of giving the bees below the additional storage room of the upper story should a honey flow occur, nor the bees of the nucleus the help of the bees of the lower story in the building of comb or drawing out of foundation to keep pace with the egg-laying power of their new queen should she mate successfully. A plan which we have used with hardly a failure, and which gives the nucleus the ad- vantage of a good deal of the heat from the colony beneath, and also the help of the bees, is as follows: Take any colony, preferably in a 10 -frame body, or even larger (it need not be a strong one, for colonies moderately strong will give good results) ; put all the frames containing brood to one side of the hive and fill up with empty combs, foundation or frames of honey according to the weather and condition of the colony. Over this, place a queen-exclud- er. On top of the excluder lay a flat piece of plain zinc or tin large enough to cover all except four or five inches of that part of the excluder under which are the frames of empty comb or foundation, so that for a ten-frame hive one would require a piece 20 inches by 10 or 11 inches. This will leave no communication between the upper story and the lower body except thru the 4 or 5 inches of uncovered queen-excluder over the emj^ty combs. Of course, the tin or zinc should fit nice and level on the excluder so as to conserve all the heat possible. Then put on the cover, leaving the excluder and zinc still in position. Later in the evening place the nucleus on top and then cover. The super for the nucleus should be of the same size as the one underneath — i. e., ten- frame if possible. At one end, right against the side and almost at the bottom, bore a %-inch hole which is to serve for a flight- hole for the nucleus. This hole should be so located that, when the nucleus is in place, its entrance will be at the end of the hive opposite the body entrance, and will be on the same side of the hive as the brood in both stories. The nucleus may be made up in any of the well-known ways. One very good way is to go to a colony towards noon, take a frame of hatching or nearly hatching brood and one or two combs of honey with adhering bees, and place them in the nucleus hive, together with the bees shaken from two or three other combs of brood . In this way one will secure a nice lot of young bees. Next a ripe queen-cell or caged virgin should be given them. The combs containing the honey or brood should be placed on that side of the hive where the hole was bored thru the hive end and the remainder of the hive filled with frames of foundation. Do this at midday and put the nucleus on a stand near the hive on which the nucleus is to be put later, and cover till evening. Do not use any plan for making a nucleus which in- volves closing the flight-hole and confining the bees. There is no difiiculty in making up a nucleus provided the right bees are se- cured, and these are the ones which have not May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 299 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE flown. A pint of young bees will make a thrifty nuchnis, while a peck of old ones will desert ami so ruin one's plans. Making up the nucleus from about 10 o'clock till noon will ensure a good proportion of young bees. Toward evening peep at the nucleus to see that sufficient bees have remained, and, removing the cover from the colony, gently place the nucleus body on the top of the plain sheet of tin and excluder, taking care that the llight-hole of the nucleus faces the way opposite the entrance of the colony beneath, and that the combs of brood and honey of both the nucleus and the colony are in both cases on the same side of the hive FRAMES OF BROOD OR HONEY FRAMES OF rOU/MDATION COMBS or FRAMES OF BROOD AND HONEY. FND, AND EMPTY COMBS Hillman's plan for fertilizing a queen from an up- per story. In addition to the equipment shown in the diagram, a flat piece of tin or zinc covers all but a few inches on the right side of the excluder. and separated by the queen-excluder covered with the plain sheet of tin. The laying queen beneath has no oppor- tunity of getting thru the excluder imme- diately beneath the nucleus, and little in- ducement to try to pass where the excluder is not covered with the plain zinc, as the combs beneath have no brood. The virgin above can not be worried, nor will she try to get thru the covered excluder immediately beneath her. Moreover, she has no induce- ment to leave the combs of brood and honey, which are her domain, and go past bare sheets of foundation to the uncovered part of the excluder in order to get thru to the lower chamber. The position of the entrance also helps to keep her from wandering on to the uncovered excluder. When the queen is mated she can be taken away and a cell or another virgin given. However, should the beekeeper be working for increase (and it is under these circum- stances that the plan seems to be of most value), when the queen is found to be lay- ing, the relationship of the queen of the up- per hive with the bees of the lower hive seems to undergo some alteration, and the hostility to the virgin gives place to friend- liness with the young fertile queen, and then, the plain piece of zinc or tin being found no longer necessary, the beekeeper may carefully and with the least possible disturbance, slide the piece of tin out from beneath the nucleus, leaving the queen-ex- cluder in place, and thus leave the colony and nucleus to build up as recommended by Alexander in his treatment of weak colonies in the spring. If the colony underneath is of very fair strength, quite soon there will be two good colonies since the bees beneath will have full communication with the upper story thru the excluder; for in the average season, after the nucleus is put on top, the plain sheet of tin would not be necessary for more than the first ten or twelve days. The success of the plan seems due to the virgin queen being offered no inducement to leave her own domain and endeavor to try conclusions with the fertile queen beneath her. In a great many cases, trouble is caus- ed by the actions of the virgins or fertile queens themselves, rather than the workers. The three combs of brood and honey given the nucleus furnish the virgin ample room to content her, and the frames of foundation lebuff any attempt at extending her wander- ings. The beekeeper must be very careful to get the plain sheet of metal over that part of the hive containing the fertile queen and brood and under the nucleus ' combs of brood and honey, with the nucleus entrance in the direction opposite the hive entrance, otherwise the chances of success are les- sened. James Hillman. Stonehouse, England. [It would seem to me that the bees in the lower story would continue to expand on to their empty frames rather than to pass around the sheet of zinc and increase the nu- clei above; and also that this zinc would prevent the heat rising from the colony to the nucleus. The plan of dividing the bodies with wire cloth does away with the danger of the virgin getting thru the excluder and killing the queen below. The plan has prov- ed a success with some of the best queen- breeders. — Mel Pritchard.] 300 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE A*^ C STRAY STRAWS Dr. C. C. Miller GOOD deal aid about what a queen can do in the way of laying eggs, and it may be of in- terest to figure out just how many eggs she actually does average daily when she has occupied a certain number of combs. If she fills three-fourths of the available cells in a Langstroth comb, counting both sides, she will occupy 7,300 cells. If it is 21 days from the time an egg is laid until the young worker emerges from its cell, then she has laid 7,300 eggs in 21 days. Dividing 7,300 by 21 gives 347.619 as the average day's work during the 21 days. Of course she has not laid that number of eggs each day. Some days she has laid more; some days less; and there is likely to be a wide rang© from the minimum to the maximum. Taking that 347.619 as a basis, and reliev- ing the queen of the difiiculty of laying less than a whole egg at a time by throwing away the fractions, we may make out a ta- ble showing just what a queen actually has averaged daily when she has filled a certain number of combs. It will be: For 1 comb, 347; for 2 combs, 695; for 3 combs, 1,043; for 4 combs, 1,390; for 5 combs, 1.738; for 6 combs, 2,086; for 7 combs, 2,433; for 8 combs, 2,781; for 9 combs, 3,128; for 10 combs, 3,476; for 11 combs, 3,824; for 12 combs, 4,172. Dr. E. F. Phillips thinks a good queen ought to fill 10 combs. That would call for a daily stunt of 3,476 eggs, some laying. Per- haps some of us have hardly realized what a good queen ought to do. At any rate I should hardly want to call any man a slack- er whose queens should average 2,000 eggs dailv, keeping 6 combs filled. Some one may say that when a queen oc- cupies 10 combs the outside combs are not half -filled. True enough; yet these are more than balanced by inside combs more than three-fourths filled. I've seen plenty of combs that I think were nine-tenths filled. Yet I don't guarantee that "three-fourths'' as anything more than a rough guess, and it will be a useful thing if some one makes ac- curate observations showing just what a good queen does. Then I'll gladly readjust my figures to fit the facts. I have merely shown what a queen actually does average if she fills a certain number of frames three- fourths full. 1 On page 232, commenting on the Michi- gan experiments showing a loss of four de- grees of heat when one side of a hive was left unprotected, and feeling quite safe that I knew the multiplication table, I said that leaving four sides unpacked would cause a loss of 16 degrees. Then I got a letter con- taining this: "If this is true, why could not the physicists reach 273 below zero by May, 1919 means of a large unpacked b e e - hive"? And since nothing is said about outside temperatures, it is just possible we might use large beehives for ice - cream freezers on the fourth of July." When I had got up and rubbed the gravel out of my eyes, the only thing I could think of was to wonder why it had not been suggested to have hives octagonal so there would be more sides to lose heat. Anyway, some one in Gleanings otfice please tell us what 's wrong with my figures, and what 's the right thing to believe. [Whoever criticised you for that little l)oint must have had a lot of nerve. It seems to us that with a given outside tem- perature, if the inside temperature was in- creased at such a rate that there was no fall in temperature inside the hive (in spite of the loss of heat), then one would be practi- cally correct in multiplying the loss of heat during a unit of time by four. Otherwise, certain other factors would need to be con- sidered. However, the real trouble seems to have been with the original experiment. It seems to us that no very accurate results can be expected when electricity is substituted for a colony of bees. — Editor.] After reading the clear directions for turning a frame over to look at the second side, together with the four illustrations, page 250, I got a brood-frame, set it before my assistant. Miss Wilson, and said, ' ' Now play that this frame is covered with bees, and look for the queen. ' ' She raised the frame, with well-simulated care looked over one side, then without using any of the or- thodox motions, but with a single motion, and revolving the frame on the top-bar as an axis, she turned over the frame to ex- amine the other side. I then asked her to do it the second time. Sorely puzzled to know what I was getting at, she repeated the performance in exactly the same way. I then showed her the pictures and told her she wasn't orthodox. "I don't care for your orthodoxy ' ' was the retort. The fact is that she has always handled combs so well fastened in the frames that they needed no care in handling. I think I usually go thru all the motions, from habit — it takes hardly any more time — but it's not a bad thing to have combs so well fastened that no espe- cial care is needed. [Yes, having well-fas- tened combs does away with one objection, but there still remain two others. During a honey flow, revolving a frame on the top- bar as an axis is bound to spill out more newly gathered honey than the way suggest- ed. But far more important than this is the chance of injuring a choice queen. We have seen more than one queen fall in just this May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 301 way. It 1!* nuu'h casiiM- I'of a (luceii to kee}) lier footing on a frame held vertically than on one placed suddenly in a horizontal posi- tion.—Editor.] * » * That editorial, "Necessity for Comb-hon- ey Production," page 209, sets one to think- ing. The editor asks, "Will there not be an over-production of extracted with a corres- ponding slump in prices?" In one sense there may be over-production, the produc- tion exceeding the demand. In the fullest sense of the word, however, there is no likeli- hood of any over-production of honey, either comb or extracted, for many years to come; for the production is now probably several times below the amount that could be con- sumed, and that ought to be consumed for the health of the nation. If so much extract- ed is produced as to cause a slump in prices, will not the lower prices increase consump- tion? And will not that increased consump- tion eventually increase prices? So the man who considers the greatest good to the great- est number will likely have a leaning toward extracted honey; only you cannot expect too much altruism in beekeepers, and they will likely do the thing most favorable for their own pockets. At any rate, if I can make as much one way as the other, I 'd a little rather use the extractor. One of the questions most commonly ask- ed is, ' ' When shall I begin stimulative feed- ing?" The average beginner seems possessed with the idea that unless something is done by the beekeeper the bees will not build up as they should. To any such I commend the words of Mrs. Demuth, page 221: "We have been thru the mill of stimulative feed- ing, spreading brood, and other early spring nursing, and doubt if any of this has ever been profitable. We simply try to see that every colony has what it needs for best de- velojjment at this time and leave them alone." The only exception is in those jdaces where there is a dearth so long con- tinued that the queen will stop laying al- together unless fed. * * * It seems a little remarkable that the bees should have hit upon a size for woi'ker-cells so easy to figure on — five to the inch — and also for drone-cells — four to the inch. It would be awkward to have some irregular size, as 4% cells to the inch. I'm in favor of changing to the metric system, but it wouldn't be so handy when talking of work- er-cells to say "A worker-cell is 508-thou- sandths of a centimeter in diameter, and there are one and 968-thousandths cells to the centimeter. ' ' On page 253 we are told that the larva in a queen-cell may be seen floating in a white thick milky substance, and "this chyle is more concentrated than that fed to either the drone or worker larva. ' ' Heretofore we have been taught that during the first three days of a worker-larva it has the same food as a queen-larva, and is then "weaned," while the food of the queen-larva continues unchanged. Indeed, on page 254 Miss Fowls says that for three days the worker-larva "is fed the same kind of food as the queen- larva, but in smaller amounts." Now just what ought we to believe about it? [Yes, you are right. Dr. Miller, you see on page 254 I repented and decided to tell the truth about it.- — Editor.] * » * On page 254 Miss Fowls tells about honey- ripening, and says, "This honey-ripening continues until nearly midnight; and during its progress there is a most delightful drowsy humming thruout the apiary." I'm not sure I ever saw mention of this in print before, and "most delightful" is precisely the right expression. Instead of calling it a humming I've been in the habit of calling it a roaring, for after a heavy day's work it can be heard several rods away from the apiary. Some word combining humming and roaring might be the proper term for it. If any of you beginners have never heard it, you 've been cheated out of something that 's rightly coming to you. Watch for it this summer. * » » You say, Mr. Editor, page 212, that N. A. Blake is right in putting the brood on top early in the fall. Correct; and it's even more important to have it there in spring and up to the time of storing surplus, whether bees are wintered out or cellared. As to keeping away the moth, I have known combs above the brood-nest to become wormy, but never below. Bees may neglect combs above, but are obliged to pass over combs below. * * * Isn 't that a new kink in using the Alex- ander plan of putting a weak colony over a strong one, that Chas. D. Blaker gives, page 238? "After placing the excluder on the strong colony leave it uncovered for an hour or more until the bees have quieted down," and use no smoke. Looks good. [We be- lieve G. C. Greiner sometimes uses the same plan — no smoke and leaving uncovered till the bees withdraw from the top. — Editor.] * * * If you try to keep pure Italians in a thick- ly settled district where everybody keejis black bees, it "will mean that in mating you will sometimes get hybrids," page 247. How would it do to change that ' ' some times " to " nearly always ' ' ? W. E. Woodruff, page 741, wants a sa''o and sure device for permitting a small quantity of water to escape at a time from a big tank to water bees. I can 't give that, but I think I can give something better. Just throw cork chips on the top of the water. , 302 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE I HAT picture c SIFTINGS J. E. Crane ur T page or Gleanings for April looks very much like Ver- mont on Apr. 1, 1919, or would if there was more snow. I thought we were booked for an early spring. March 27 was warm and balmy, snow all gone, birds singing, dust flying, and bees on the wing — when it began to rain at night and snow next morning, with a fierce north wind. Now (Apr. 1) we have an average of a foot of snow, I believe, with the wind still blowing. * * * I have received a sample of that wonder- ful aluminum comb, a whole brood-frame of it. It looks fine at a little distance, but if you examine closely, it is far from perfect. The septum or base of every cell has an opening into a cell on the opposite side, so far as I could discover, and a pretty good- sized one I thought. There seem to be other serious objections to it that I will not take the room to mention. For the benefit of oth- er beekeepers who may not have seen a sample, I will quote from a letter from one who claims to be a stockholder in the com- pany: "I wish to introduce to you a great invention, the Aluminum Honey Comb, and pleased to say I am a stockholder and know the comb is' practical and just what they claim; also, we have honest men at the head of the company. We now have orders for more than 40,000 combs that must be turned out soon — some of them from foreign countries. Ever so many very wealthy men are trying to buy out the company. One of them is Mr. Eoot, the most noted beeman in the world, I think; but, as it is running per- fectly all right, can not be bought at any price, which gives many others a chance to make good. We are now making a special offer to beekeepers who wish to invest in stock and by doing so may have the privi- lege of buying the same amount in combs at a reduced price. One hundred shares at one dollar per is the smallest amount, and not over five hundred to beekeepers." I have quoted verbatim et literatim, and more might be added in the same strain. But I have quoted enough to show that the object is rather to sell stock than combs to bee- keepers. No, thank you, I have other use for my money. [Any claim that Mr. Eoot has tried to buy out this aluminum comb company is without any warrant whatever. Mr. Crane's "no, thank you," is very time- ly, until more careful tests have been made. — Mng. Editor.] ^ , ^ "I should like to try wintering with frames crosswise the hive," says D. G. Holterman, page 243. My experience has not been favorable to wintering on combs placed that way, unless a good way is made for the bees to pass across the combs. I 1 ^"^^^^^^^^ \J May, 1919 have f o u n d in such hives a large part of the winter stores packed in the rear combs, while the bees are apt to clus- ter in front where there is less honey; and, unless the weather is very mild so there is a good chance for the bees to move back, they may starve with plenty of honey in the hive. In a cellar it may work differently. « * * I have been over every colony out of doors in our home yard and found nearly all in excellent condition, with the exception that many were short of honey and two had died from starvation. Somehow bees have seem- ed to consume more honey the past winter than usual notwithstanding the mild wea- ther. * * 4. Dr. Miller, page 232, inquires how much room there was in hives with solid combs that wintered badly. Well, Doctor, truth compels me to say, not much, perhaps a half- inch. If a considerable space is left be- low the combs, I see no reason why bees should not winter well, especially in a cellar with solid combs above. This gives them a winter nest below instead of among the combs. That "Clever Idea," page 210, seems to me of great value. We often run short of division-boards when, if we could use an old comb and newspaper, it would be very help- ful, for we have learned one of the most helpful ways of treating a small colony in the spring is to reduce their room to the size of the colony. Sometimes these will out- run much stronger colonies left on a full set of combs. * * a Elias Fox, page 243, still doubts bees can hear, and he has plenty of good company. Let me tell why I believe they can hear. Some 70 years ago a somewhat noted as- tronomer in studying the orbit of Uranus discovered certain irregularities that he could only account for on the supposition that there must be another planet far be- 3'ond the orbit of Uranus. Not having a telescope large enough to detect any planet where he thought there should be one, he told another observer to look towards a cer- tain point in the heavens and he would see a new planet. He looked and, sure enough, there was the planet within a degree of the calculated place. Now there are many things in this world that can only be accounted for on the supposition of something else that we may not yet have discovered, and the or- gans of hearing in bees is one of them. The fact that bees make various sounds at dif- ferent times leads me to feel very sure they can hear. If pinched, a bee will squeal, but no one can tell how. May, 1919 THE people of this world might be di- vided into two classes, not the old classification of the sheep and the goats, but those who like honey and those who do not. And, making due al- lowance for the exceptions that prove the rule, G T. E A N T N G S IN B E E CULTURE 303 c OUR FOOD PAGE Stancy Puerden 1 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so, now do this; take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds.- — Gen. 43:11. did it ever occur to you that the people who are discriminating and enjoy the really fine things of life are apt to select honey as their favorite sweet I The very word honey brings to mind June days, sunshine, fragrant flow- ers, and the music of birds and bees. Man has accomplished wonders in improving na- ture's handiwork in some directions. We all enjoy the cultivated fruits and flowers which he has developed to such a state of perfection. I would not for a minute sug- gest that a natural apple is as fine as a Baldwin. But when it comes to concentrated sweets, man 's refined, demineralized, devi- talized sugar is a most unworthy competitor of nature 's only concentrated sweet, honey. A certain man, not distantly related to me, is writing interesting letters from across the water, where he has gone in the interests of the honey business. You know on a trans- atlantic steamer people become quite well acquainted in a very short time, and when this man 's business became known he was surprised to find so many passengers very much interested in bees and honey. On board was a Greek who had been in the United States for some months in the inter- ests of his countrymen. He talked enter- tainingly of Hymettus honey and the bee- keeping industry in Greece, and then recall- ed that in a basket of fruit, sent to him on the steamer by Heni'v Morgenthau, former ambassador to Turkey, was a bottle of hon- ey. Another passenger told of receiving honey in his steamer basket. Still another related how he had been traveling in Eu- rope four years ago with his family, and asked the steward of the Grand Hotel, Paris, to put up a box of sweets for his children to take back home. In the box were four in- dividual bottles of honey, put up in the United States. Evidently Jacob established a precedent when he told his sons to include honey in those vessels intended for the great man of Egypt. I like to imagine that the taste of that Canaan honey brought pleasant recollections of his childhood to Joseph. Speaking of bringing home honey from Europe reminds me of another story I heard recently. A certain college professor and his wife spent the summer in Italy some years ago. At their hotel, among other table delicacies they enjoyed some fine honey Tyhich wa§ frequently served. When they started home they requested the hotel man- agement to put them up a box of that honey to take back to their children. On the way home they dis- covered that the ' ' delicious Ital- ian honey ' ' was not Italian a t all but made in the United States and bottled less than .30 miles from their home town. Altho I said people could be divided into two classes, those who like honey and those who do not, there is a new form of honey which gives promise of converting the non- honey eaters into enthusiastic honey lovers. This is Cream of Honey, recently brought out by a company which does a large honey- bottling business. I serve it frequently and often send it to friends, and invariably the comments are most favorable. This is a type of remark which it often calls forth: "I have never cared for honey, but that new Cream of Honey is most delicious." Altho difficult to convince the layman, this Cream of Honey is nothing but pure honey, nothing added and nothing removed or in- jured by the process to which it has been subjected. It is the finest granulated honey, treated in such a way as to insure its re- taining its softness and smoothness. The word "granulated" is misleading, for in texture it is like cream fondant, white as milk, and with all the delightful aroma and flavor of the honey retained. Indeed, it has always seemed to me that the flavor of hon- ey is slightly improved by so-called granu- lation, and by this new method of prepara- tion I am told that even the honeys which have a tendency to granulate coarsely are rendered smooth. This new product should prove of the greatest value to beekeepers by stimulating the sale of honey. Cream of Honey is somewhat softer than the brick honey, formerly sold as "honey- spred, " and it is uniform in texture, a thing which could never be claimed for hone/- spred. It is fine to spread on hot biscuits, waffles, griddleeakes, or bread. Mixed with chopped nuts it makes a delicious cake-fill- ing and has the advantage of being quickly prepared. Many like it on crisp wafers. And I imagine people who like this form of hon- ey will soon find they have acquired a liking for both comb and extracted honeys. After saying all this in praise of Cream of Honey, don't think I am claiming it is finer than a section of the best comb honey. Man never has improved, nor do I believe lie ever can improve upon nature's own origi- nal package. But I believe you will be glad with me that there is a new form of honey which promises to capture the favor of the 304 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 unfortunate ones who have not hitherto car- ed for honey. NOTICE that I am giving an unusual number of recipes this issue, and I hope they will prove useful to some busy housekeeper who likes more time out of doors this beautiful month. Most of the dishes are easy to prepare, and many call for canned vegetables or fruits, which need special care in preparation to render them attractive, when we are beginning to be hungry for the fresh things. Those housekeepers who still have a few cans of apple sauce in their storerooms will find the apple-butter recipe economical. The Puerden family like it better than the apple butter as we buy it. Maybe someone will accuse me of incon- sistency in publishing that recipe for butter- scotch pie after saying what I have about honey and sugar. There are times when it seems to me that honey, like butter, is too valuable a food to be vised freely in cooking, and I make butterscotch pie at one of those times. Also to be perfectly frank, I like brown sugar occasionally, and so do you, now don't you? The flavor hasn't been all refined away as in the case of granulated. CREAM OF HONEY BISCUITS. 2 cups flour Vz teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons shorten- milk ing butter 4 teaspoons baking Cream of honey powder Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and shortening, add milk to moisten, pat and roll out lightly on a floured board to half an inch in thickness, cut into small biscuits and bake in a quick oven until a light brown. Split, spread with butter and then with Cream of Honey and serve at once. CINNAMON TOAST. Toast slices of baker's bread a delicate brown, spread with butter and then Cream of Honey, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, and serve at once while hot. Delicious for afternoon tea. SALAD. Canned sliced pineapple Chopped peanuts Cottasce cheese Whipped cream Lettuce Mayonnaise dressing — ■ (.Jan. issue) Arrange the sliced pineapple on lettuce leaves on individual salad plates, place a ball of cottage cheese which has been rolled in chopped peanuts in the center of each slice, and arrange a ring of mayonnaise dressing mixed with whipped cream around the ball of cottage cheese. The cottage cheese balls should be about the size of walnuts. If a sweet dressing is desired it may be sweetened to taste with honey. CANDLE SALAD. Bananas Preserved cherries Canned pineapple Mayonnaise dressing Lettuce with whipped cream Arrange the canned pineapple on lettuce as in the previous recipe, stand a section of banana (about one-thirdj on each, on the tnp of tliis place n candied or preserved cherry, and arrange the dressing as in the ("ther salad. Fresh pineapple may be used In ■'O'l^o'i. STRING BEAN SALAD. 1 pint canned string 1 slice pimemto beans 1 slice onion 1 cup chopped celery or Salad dressing cabbage If the beans were canned whole, cut them in inch lengths, mix with the other vege- tables and the dressing which may be either mayonnaise or a boiled dressing, and serve in a bowl garnished with celery leaves or lettuce . CREAMED POTATOES AND CANNED PEAS. 1 pint can of peas 1 cup white sauce 2 cups diced potatoes dash of paprika salt to taste Drain the peas and add to the white sauce with the diced potatoes, heat thru, season and serve. The sauce should be a little thicker than when potatoes alone are used, as enough moisture will cling to the peas to thin it a little. FOR A ONE DISH MEAL. Canned peas Cold lamb Mashed potato 'B"®^B^ Arrange a circle of fluffy mashed potato in a circle in a shallow baking dish and brush with cream or dots of butter or savory fat. Dice the cold lamb, mix with canned peas which have been drained, add enough lamb gravy to moisten, and pour into the center of the baking dish. Bake long enough to heat thru and lightly brown the potatoes. Salmon and white sauce may be substituted for the cold lamb and gravy, and a bit of onion may be used to season either dish. Served with bread and butter and salad or fruit this makes an easy meal to prepare. APPLE BUTTER. 2 cans apple sauce 1 tablespoon sweet pickle 1 can commercial apple syrup butter 3 teaspoons cinnamon Use apple sauce which has been strained thru a puree strainer or colander, and cook down one-half; add the spice, the sweet pickle syrup, and the can of apple butter, and cook until smooth. If the apple sauce has been sweetened before canning, the ap- ple butter will be sweet enough; but if it needs additional sweetening use honey. HELEN'S FAVORITE POTATOES. Pare the required number of potatoes and slice lengthwise about half an inch thick, wash and lay the slices on the grate of a hot oven, and bake until brown and puffy. Do not dry the slices before baking, as the dampness seems to make them puffy like baking soaked crackers. BEETS WITH SAUCE. 1 quart can beets M, cup thin cream or Vi cup vinegar rich milk % cup juice Vi teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons flour dash of pepper Melt the butter, cook the flour in it and pour on half a cup of the water drained from the beets. Add the vinegar, cream and hon- (Continvt'd on pape 334.) Mav, 1919 (CLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE SOS c ur EVEN as Feb- ruary was a good - luck month in per- mitting my at- tendance on the National C o n - vention at Chi- cago, so early March gave me the gift of a visit to Medina before return- ing home. And things which had been to me but pictures became real factories, mak- ing liives and extractors and foundation, real apiaries with their familiar grapevines and evergreens, real offices, humming with activity. And people who had been to me but names became real people — people of friendly ways and cordial courtesies and generous hospitalities. So, tho I failed ut- terly to ask the Editor the things I meant to ask or to discuss the things I had plan- ned to discuss, it was a most pleasant visit, and left me indebted to all ' ' Rootville ' ' for a sheaf of charming memories. Will you not come to Nashville some day, you whom I met at that time, that by our welcome we may partially indicate our deep appreciation of your courtesies to me when I visited Me- dina ? A great deal of the trip was by night, but fortunately coming back I crossed Kentucky by day. And loved every minute of it. Indeed, just because I thrilled to it so my- self it really distressed me to see my fellow passengers lounging back in their chairs, reading baseball and pugilism, politics, and photo play journals, while the folded hills went by — all the gracious panorama of Ken- tucky and Tennessee. Bare woods were car- peted with leaves of other years, lovely val- leys dipped gently down to friendly little rills, long bluegrass stretches lay open to the sun, great rocks showed their ledges where the hills were cut. And the colors — queer, soft, rich browns and grays with reddish hints and bluish tints and the green of cedars and spruce and young tender wheat. Then came Mr. Allen, boarding the train an hour or more out of Nashville — and home — ami daffodils blooming in the corner of the yard. Wasn't it a wonderful trip indeed? * * * This is the first March I have ever failed to examine our bees. Tho daffodils were here to greet me on my return from the North, March 9th, it was still too cold to open the hives, and in a very few days some- thing akin to influenza had touched me on the shoulder and frowned "You, too" at me. Thus I lost most of the rest of the month. Peach and plum and pear were in full bloom — yes, had passed their peak— when Mr. Allen and I went out to the yard on the last Saturday in March, for a first general look. Every hive was humming merrily, pollen- or nectar-laden bees were rushing into every entrance, and every colony, from this outside view, seemed prosperous and in Beekeeping as a Side Line 1 Grace Allen ^^^^^^^^^=^ %J good condition. Except two. One of these had an abnormal n u m - V)er of dying and recently dead bees in front of the entrance; the other had a great heap of debris — particles of destroyed comb. The first one, being in the quadruple packing case, we could not get to without spending more time and effort than we were prepared to do that afternoon. At this writing it has not yet been opened. It is interesting that the other three entrances to this packing case showed almost no dead bees at all. The other hive that showed something wrong had wintered in a story-and-a-half single-walled hive, with the entrance wide open. This hive we opened at once to ac- count for the pile of debris in front. We accounted all right. Mice. There was not a whole shallow comb left, each one being largely destroyed. Nor was there a cell of hon- ey left in the super. Three full-depth combs were also partly destroyed. Yet against this disaster the bees were still bravely working, and there was brood in four or five combs, some of it sealed. This is the first time we have ever been troubled with mice, and I suppose the wide entrance is responsible. There were six oth- er hives in that yard with entrances not con- tracted, but there were no outer indications of trouble in any of the others. How did we know for sure that it was mice? The stiff and dried remains of one was still in the hive. * » » How trying spring conditions can be! How warm and sunny and blossomy the days and how cold and frosty the nights. We are just coming out from a particularly cold spell here, for this season, when the morn- ings showed ice on water in chicken yards and left us wondering about the effect on the heavy bloom of the peach trees and the brood in the beehives. Today I find chilled brood at the entrances of several colonies here at home. Mr. Allen just telephoned to say it is warming up nicely again and would I please take the cover off his diminutive hot- bed. Having done so and finding it really pleasant outdoors, I have brought writing material out here by the bees in the sun. And I want to tell you about this side-line hotbed of Mr. Allen's. He made it a year or so ago, just the size of our solar wax-ex- tractor, and uses the glass cover from the extractor to protect his aspiring young to- mato and lettuce plants. It really works nicely, and later the cover goes back into the service for which it was made. I was interested just now to notice a solid line of bees along one edge where the glass met the rim, and I wondered whether they were there because of some odor of honey and 30G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 wax still clinging, in spite of its having been beautifully washed last fall to add to the equipment exhibit at the Fair; and then stored all winter; or whether they could have been attracted by the drops of mois- ture that had condensed on the glass. But that was on the under side of the glass, and surely bees have more sense than that. Again this spring we are noticing a dis- couraging number of bees crawling in the grass around the hives, here at home. Of course, this is the season of many deaths in the kingdom of Apis Mellifica. The bees that broke thru their cells last fall can not be expected to last much longer, and they must be dying off in great numbers every day. But sitting quietly here by the hives today, I can see bees all around me in the grass, crawling, hopping, climbing, rubbing heads and abdomens and showing all the symptoms of the baffling disappearing dis- ease. In her talk on this disease before the Chicago and • Northwestern Convention in February, Miss Fowls told of several cases where it took heavy toll of bee life and brought about a serious curtailment of the honey crop. She is undoubtedly right in urging a thoro and persistent study of the disease, to establish the proper methods of combating or, better still, of preventing it. This is April 3rd, and two Nashville side liners have already had swarms issue, one having had both a primary and a secondary swarm from his one and only colony. This is unusually early for Tennessee, perhaps to be partly 'explained by the heavy honey flow last fall, partly by the mild winter, and, of course, largely by the strength of the colonies, both reporting that they were tre- mendously strong. » # « The discussion- between Miss Fowls and Dr. Miller as to whether there is less danger of bees starving over winter in a 10-frame or an 8-frame hive is attracting some atten- tion among beekeepers of this section. With- out doubt the arguments on this question may be somewhat modified by local condi- tions— "locality." It will very seldom hap- pen in this latitude that bees will die with honey in the hive, tho undoubtedly this very thing did happen in the winter 1917-18. J. M. Buchanan of Franklin,Tenn., L. E.Webb of Morgantown, N. C, and other successful beekeepers of the Southeast are ardent ad- herents of the large brood-chamber for win- tering. And thruout this section the weight of opinion leans heavily towards the greater safety of the larger hive. Especially if by wintering we include early springing. As we should. More and more bees are being wintered here either in two stories or in a story and a half, with generous stores. This is a great comfort when spring comes; there is no question of having enough supplies to tide over any run of bad weather. Often, after brood-rearing is well begun, and hives are heavy with the precious brood, there will come a week of chill, dark, rainy wea- ther, when the bees can not fly. At such times the beekeeper whose bees are in large brood-chambers, with ample stores, sits quietly indoors and watches it rain, unwor- ried over his bees. In this connection I am reminded to look up a letter I received last spring from Mr. Webb, who, by the way, came thru the se- vere winter of a year ago with 100 per cent perfect wintering. Here are extracts from his letter of last spring: "We had (this sj)ring) a couple of weeks of cold frosty rainy weather, and still more bees died thruout the country, running entirely out of stores with a lot of brood. Here again my big hives having a bountiful supply left, came right thru it with flying colors. Fruit bloom was killed, too, so the large amount of stores in the big hives is what saved the day and kept brood-rearing up while the small-hive colonies were starving all over this section of the State." That was a dis- astrous spring, following a disastrous win- ter, and the big brood-chambers, with their generous stores, certainly made a record, right in the midst of tragically severe losses all around. Another thing, these big hives don't need examination so early in the spring. There is plenty of room for brood-rearing as well as sup[)lies. Whereas in an 8-frame hive, or even a single 10-frame one, early examina- tion is necessary; because if there is still considerable honey left, then brood-rearing is necessarily restricted by lack of room; or, if there is plenty of room for brood-rear- ing, it must be because stores are pretty low. * # » I can not resist commenting on the splen- did spirit of open-mindedness shown by Mr. Crane on page 233 in the matter of shallow supers. It may not be a matter of great im- portance whether Mr. Crane uses shallow or full-depth supers, but it is important for each one of us to be unprejudiced and open to conviction. A frank right-about-face in a man who thinks at all is always evidence that he has been using his brains instead of his first impressions or his pet prejudices. « * « " We have used gi'eat words," once Wilson said, "Of Brotherhood and Justice wove a creed; We dare not fail to equal word with deed Lest rout and ruin o'er the world be spread." There shall he no such ruin. He has led The world's old aching heart to know its need, And what high ends are worthy youth should bleed, And how we must be faithful to our Dead. Now men who mingle in the market place Shall feel perchance this new-born stirring thrill Of Brotherhood atingle thru the race. And Justice on each plain and pleasant hill May find a home; while under friendly trees All peacefully shall hum the homing bees. Mav, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 307 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH In Northern California.— Your cor- respondent must take exception to some reniiirks found in E. E. Boot's article entitled "Cali- fornia's Bee Problems," in April Gleanings. Mr. Root in writing about conditions as he sees them in the southern part of the State unfortunately gives the impression that the same hold true "all over the State." Our bees here have certainly held their own during the winter where it is, at least, as cold and there is no protection, and where there are thousands of colonies that had eight frames of brood during March. Weak colonies at this time are the result of poor management and disease. The writer agrees with Mr. Root that bees should be reduced to one story and should be protected during winter — not so much to prevent the loss of colonies or loss of bees but to secure a sav- ing in the amount of stores consumed. The loss of heat generated by the bees and the lack of protection from cold cause increased consumption of honey. Aside from disease our winter losses rarely exceed three per cent. The problem of so many of our bee- keepers is to retard early breeding and some are advocating mere three- and five-frame nuclei in the spring. These nuclei will breed up into strong colonies for the main honey flow in July. Of course, the migratory bee- keeper that takes advantage of fruit, mus- tard, sage, or orange bloom wants his bees strong at all times and he can best bring this about thru protection and reduction (luring winter and by paying attention to young vigorous stock and proper manipula- tion during the rest of the year. Regarding the sack jjlan of moving bees, it must be said that this would not be a wise one to follow during hot weather. (Im- perial Valley beekeepers please take notice.) Even with a deep top-moving screen and the sacks well wetted, the writer does not be- lieve it would prove satisfactory in real warm weather, and, under certain condi- tions, which it is sometimes impossible to prevent, he believes that bees clustering outside the hive could very easily be crush- ed. During hot weather we certainly could not move without top screens, and, with such in use, it would seem superfluous to sack colonies. If done it would require an alfalfa-meal, coffee, or, at any rate, a larger sack than can be purchased for 10 cents, as most of our moving is done during hot wea- ther when the colonies are strong and ab- solutely require an extra body. In addition to this if the bees were liberated during the daytime there would unquestionably be a good deal of confusion. The first annual meeting of the California Honey Producers' Co-operative Exchange was held in Los Angeles on March 31, and it is gratifying to the writer to announce that Willis Lynch of Salida, a director of the Central Valley Producers' Co-operative J'Jxchauge was elected president of the State organization. Fred K. Howard, a director and secretary-manager of the Southern Val- Ic}^ Honey Producers' Co-ojjerative Ex- change, another northern local, was also chosen as a member of the State Board. The meeting was very successful, and members of all locals are to be congratulated upon the selection of the new board. It is a board not only representative of all sections, but is likewise made up of men truly capable, and men that will devote their time con- scientiously and earnestly to the cause of co-operative marketing. The directors feel that all members will be more than pleased both as to quality and price with the case and can chosen by Manager Chas. B. Justice of the State Exchange. The secretary-managers of the three north- ern locals; namely, the Superior California, Central Valley, and Southern Valley are respectively, Mrs- Cecelia Robinson of Es- parto, F. W. Burtch of Modesto, and Fred K. Howard of Hanford. All our members are urged to get in touch immediately with their local secretaries relative to the placing of their orders for cases and cans. Modesto, Calif. M. C. Richter. ■» * » In Southern Califomia._^?;,„',°,,-- for May, the writer would say that ordinary April inanipulations will almost suffice, ow- ing to the lateness of the season. Much swarming is likely to occur this month, as many colonies will not get strong enough to think of swarming during April. Keep a close watch and either divide or equalize all of those colonies showing swarm cells. If you think you will have a surplus honey fiOW during July or August, it might be best to equalize — by a transfer of brood from the strong to the weak — until all of the colo- nies are up to crop-gathering strength. Then make such increase as you may desire. If you use excluders, look below for the queeu- cells at least once every seven days. Put one or two frames of sealed brood above, placing the frames containing either drawn combs or foundation below. Without ex- cluders, the queen-cells, if any are drawn, will likely be found in the super, as the queen will usually go above to lay where given a chance. After extracting starts, swarming generally gives very little trouble. If you have not already done so, you had better treat all of those diseased colonies while the honey flow is good. There appears to be a good chance for some valuable discussion as to when is the best time to ship bees from the alfalfa, sweet clover ranges of Utah and Idaho to California. Some are of the opinion that early shipment is best — that is, just after the season closes up there. Others say 308 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH around holiday time; while still others say that later would be better. Some shippers report that they have not as many bees as they had a month ago. All who have had experience know that disturbing, moving, or shipping a colony will almost always cause the queen to start laying, and brood-rearing will begin. Now it would seem that if they could so time the shipment that the rearing of the young bees would be such that the orange 'flow would begin just when they were old enough to get busy, the conditions would be ideal. While we have had considerable rain dur- ing the winter and crops generally are look- ing well, southern California is still below normal in rainfall for this season of the year. The sages have not made the growth we would like to see, and the ground is not wet deep enough to give much reserve mois- ture. We cannot reasonably expect any very extensive rainfall after this time. The alfilaria, which is one of our early sources of honey, has started to blossom several times this winter; but, on account of the lack of rain, has dried up to a great extent. Since our last rain, it is again showing con- siderable bloom. With moisture and warm weather during the winter months, this plant often yields enough honey for the bees to build up on and to store a little as well. It is a quick-growing plant, but its roots are shallow. The oranges are at least a month late in blooming. A prominent orange-grower told me today (March 4) that he has seen years when the dropping bloom would scatter thru the orange picking sacks as early as March 1. Today little or no bloom is out, and, un- less we iiave very warm days, it will be a week or ten days before bloom to any ex- tent will be seen. Usually it is several days after the buds burst open before nectar of any consequence is secreted. In those lo- calities where there were early rains and the bees had plenty of stores, the colonies have built up well and are ready for the honey flow. The black sage has been blos- soming for some time where the soil is fair- ly warm and moist. However, a large api- arist says that little or no nectar is being secreted^ — probably on account of the- ex- ceptionally cool spring. Considerable discussion has arisen at dif- ferent times concerning the promiscuous placing of decoy hives or boxes to catch swarms of bees near another man's apiary. At a recent meeting of the Board of Super- visors of Eiverside County, it was decided that all boxes or hives placed in trees along the county highways must come down. It is certainly no ornament to the landscape to see the beautiful shade trees along our public roads decorated with all manner of old boxes. Quotations were read from ABC of Beekeeping showing that swarms often go, without clustering, directly from the parent hive to a place previously selected by scouts, thereby giving the rightful owner no chance at all. During the week of March 17-22, southern California was fortunate in having some ex- cellent instruction in queen-rearing from Government Field Agent Jay Smith. Mon- day, Marcli 17, the meeting was held in Riverside, and Mr. Smith gave a talk, with instruction in the use of the various queen- rearing appliances he had with him. Tues- day forenoon was spent in visiting apiaries, with a general discussion at the hall in the afternoon. On Wednesday the meeting was held at Eedlands. The weather being rainy and cold, no attempt was made to visit the apiaries. On Thursday the meeting was held at San Bernardino. Here we were fortunate in having added to our list of instructors A. P. Sturtevant, Specialist in Bacteriology in Bee Diseases, from the department at Washington, D. C. Mr. Sturtevant has been sent to this coast especially to study the various bee diseases and is entirely at the service of the beekeepers. On Friday the meeting was held at Lamanda Park at the apiary of Mr. Stone, and on Saturday at the apiary of Mr. Mendelson of Ventura. E. R. Root was present at all of the meet- ings, always ready to give any information that he could, gleaned as he said from his forty-two years of beekeeping as well as editor of Gleanings. These meetings have been a great help to the beekeepers. Oc- casionally an apiarist says he is too busy to attend meetings, but the inspiration and knowledge gained from others is worth much more than any day 's work. J. C. MeCubbin, now living in Fresno but formerly of Reedley, was a recent visitor at the home of the writer. It will be remem- bered that our old friend "Rambler" (J. H. Martin) made his home with Mr. MeCub- bin before going to Cuba, where he died. Mr. MeCubbin has a large collection of the pictures taken by Martin on these travels, also the plates and films. I wish somebody would take it upon himself to publish these writings, together with the pictures. It would surely be an interesting book to many western beekeepers in particular. A picture of the famous young big tree (the largest in this country for its age of 29 years) under which Martin made his home was printed on the cover of March Gleanings. The writer recently visited the apiaries of Samuel Nealy, located on the great wheat fields of eastern Riverside County. Mr. Nealy is a strong advocate of migratory beekeeping. First he moved to the oranges. As soon as this excellent flow was over, he moved to the buckwheat of the desert, above Cajon Pass, getting very satisfactory returns from that source. Here he had to haul water for the bees as none was avail- iVLVY, 1919 G L)': A X T N a S IN BEE C II L T U R E FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH able for a distanco of about seven miles. The evaporation was very little, but the amount the bees would use per day was sur- juising, being something like 20 gallons per 100 colonies. Just as the buckwheat ceased to furnish nectar, such increase as desired was made and the apiaries moved to the wheat fields for the blue curl. Here it was also necessary to haul water. In ordinary years considerable surplus honey would be gathered, but ^ freak rain early in the fall, just when most of the little plants were in blossom, stopped the honey flow completely. Corona, Calif. L. L. Andrews. * * * In Minnesota The beekeepers in the southeastern part or the State held their annual meeting at Winona March 12 and 13. The meetings of this association are always interesting and profitable. Eeports showed that the honey crop of last year was very far below the average, but all present seemed to think that the prospects for the coming season are excellent. The annual picnic will be held at Homer sometime in August. Several beekeepers in that locality have been ex- periencing the loss of young queens; that is, queens reared the previous fall. These queens die at the beginning of the honey flow. L. A. Stickney of Minnesota City reported that in 1916 he lost 14 per cent of all the queens in his apiary. In 1917 he lost 40 per cent and in 1918 the loss was 23 per cent. As a result of his experiments he believes that this loss can be checked by requeening from colonies that have not su- perseded their queens for two years. But why the loss? Can any one throw any light on the subject? The Hennepin County Association held an "experience" meeting on March 27. The subject was wintering. The majority re- ported that their bees had been more restless than usual, but none reported severe losses. Those who had fed sugar reported better re- sults than those who depended on honey alone. It was the unanimous verdict of those present that it is wise to feed not less than 10 pounds of sugar syrup in the fall after the aster flow is over. Thru the hearty co-operation of the bee- keepers of the State an amendment to the State apiary law has been secured, which provides for the traveling expenses of the state inspector. This will make it possible for him to hold meetings in various parts of the State, speaking on the subject of bee diseases, giving demonstrations, and in a special way emphasizing the educational part of the work, which is acknowledged by all to be very important. However, there seems to be a tendency on the part of some to overwork the educational idea. But ex- perience teaches that the inspector must be more than an educational officer, for, while all beekeepers ought to be instructed how to diagnose and treat boo diseases, some would not obey the instructions or even al- low an inspector on their premises, were it not for the persuasive influences of wise legislation which provides a penalty for dis- obedience. Chas. D. Blaker. Minneapolis, Minn. In Michigan.—^" !fP°r^ \'' ^^ """"H o in the March issue of Gleanings regarding the possibility of in- vestigating the cost of producing honey un- der the various conditions presented in Michigan, I am sorry to report that at this time only two beekeepers have written re- garding it, one of them being an Indiana producer. If this may be considered an index of our interest in the subject, I as- sure you it will not be mentioned again by me. During the last two years a large number of comi:)laints have been received regarding the poisoning of bees by arsenical sprays. During the same period, it is known that the so-called "disappearing disease" has appeared in various parts of the State. In order that beekeepers may know positively whether or not arsenical poisoning is the cause of the trouble, the College is now pre- pared to make analyses of bees for arsenic. There is no charge for this work. In sending in bees, an ounce is sufficient. On April 11 and 12, there will be held at Three Rivers, St. Joseph Co., the first two- day Beekeepers' School to be held outside of the College. Beekeepers cannot all come to the College for Short Courses, so the plan is to take the College Short Course (in an abbreviated form) to the beekeepers. This Beekeepers ' School is being arranged for jointly by County Agent J. M. Wendt and the St. Joseph County Beekeepers' Associa- tion. The School will be put on for the present only in counties having a county agent or a local beekeepers' association which is willing to take the matter in charge and arrange the necessary details. This requirement is made because our ex- tension agent, Mr. Ewell, has so many de- mands upon his time that he cannot afirord to spend the time necessary for making local arrangements and advertising. Some of our beekeepers practice rearing some queens in their own yards from certain selected mothers. Most beekeepers prefer to purchase queens because of the work in- volved in rearing them. Such beekeepers could without great trouble maintain a drone-rearing colony headed by their best queen. The next best queen could be used for queen-rearing. But why rear drones? For the very useful purpose of Italianizing the bees of the vicinity. Good drones are of more importance in general for breeding GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH purposes than good queens, if there must be an}^ difference in the quality' of the stock. They are more numerous and they are not the product of cross-breeding as are the queens. They inherit all of their character- istics from their mothers. They are, there- fore, more prepotent than the queens and can exercise a greater influence in up-grad- ing the stock of the vicinity. Beekeepers in some parts of the State have almost de- spaired of keeping Italian stock because of the predominance of black blood around them. Their young queens mate with the black drones with a consequent quick de- generation of the stock. To such beekeep- ers, let me suggest the rearing of such an abundance of first-class drones that young queens of the territory gradually may be- come Italianized. Then the neighboring colonies may produce drones that will be more desirable. To get the maximum re- sults from the purchase of a good queen, she should not only be used as the mother of other queens, but she should be supplied with a liberal amount of drone-comb. Readers of these notes know that two years ago the legislature passed a law pro- hibiting the keeping of bees in anything but hives with movable combs. Movable frames do not insure movable combs. In apiaries where inspectors have found illegal hives, owners have been allowed a reason- a-ble time for transferring. It now seems that nearly sufficient time has elapsed to permit all persons wishing to transfer tc do so. Therefore, after July first, inspectors will carry blank warrants to be used for causing the arrest and prosecution of all persons found with bees in illegal hives in their possession. Posters warning beekeep- ers of the approach of the end of the period of probation are being printed, and copies will be mailed to anyone who will post them in conspicuous places. It is hoped that every colony in an illegal hive may be trans- ferred by July first. Tell your neighbors of this. Bring the matter up in your asso- ciation meetings. Send in for copies of the law. Give me the names of box-hive bee- keepers so that I can send them notices. Let us try to see that all are transferred in Time so that no one will have to suffer the penalty. At the request of the legislative commit- tee of the State Beekeepers ' Association, Hon. Colin P. Campbell, former president of the organization, prepared a bill and caus- ed it to be introduced into the legislature now in session. The bill made an amendment to the existing law so that the State In- spector of Apiaries may quarantine a dis- eased area of the State and require all bee- keepers in the area to register their names and the locations of their bees with the township supervisor within ten days of the placing of the quarantine. In this way it is hoped to clean out the disease from some of the areas where it is very difficult to locate all of the bees. This bill also provides for an appropriation of $10,160 annually for the purposes of inspection. The bill has been passed by the House by unanimous vote, and the leaders in the Senate have agreed to its passage. So, by the time this is read, it is probable that the bill will have been passed and signed by Governor Sleeper. This seems to have been the psychological time for asking for substantial support from the State. The committees of the House made a searching inquiry into the present methods of education and inspection. Several mem- bers expressed themselves as regretting that a larger appropriation was not asked for. The economic necessity of encouraging beekeep- ing because of the value of the industry to agriculture and for the sake of the conser- vation of a natural food seems to be well understood by legislators both from the country and city. Our good fortune was not accidental. It is the result of the organiza- tion of the beekeepers into units which were able to clearly express to the legislators the necessity of action. May the good work con- tinue. B. F. Kindig. East Lansing, Mich. In Ontario. — At ^^^^ '^^^\ (^^"^ '\ conditions as to bees and honey plants, according to reports received, are about the same as when I wrote a month ago. Wherever bees have had abundance of good stores, they have wintered in fine condition — in fact, anything else was hard- ly possible so far as weather conditions were concerned, as we had very little real severe weather. Clover is also in good shape at this date and barring too much alternate freezing by night and thawing by day for the next three weeks, it should again be a normal crop this season. I have just returned from visiting the bees 90 miles away from home (about 300 colonies), and the condition they were in gave me a good object lesson on the matter of wintering as related to consumption of stores during a mild winter. The bees re- ferred to are in two apiaries four miles apart, and, since they were left last Octo- ber, the}' were never looked at till my visit of April 3. About half of the number are in eight-frame Langstroth hives, these being all in one yard, with about 40 others of a much deeper-frame style and larger hive in general. These eight-frame colonies were all fed solid in October — at least they were all fed till they would not take any more food from the inverted pails used as feeders. The larger hives were made heavier than the eight-frame colonies but they were not fed all they would take. Of the 150 Langstroth hives, only two colonies had starved, none died from other causes, and the greater part of them were in fine shape with plenty of MAi, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U I. T U K E FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH stores for the season if it is at all normal. Of the larger hives, four were starved and about half of the balance arc very short; in fact I had to feed some of them at the time of my visit. It simply bears out the well- proven fact that colonies with a brood-nest nearly solid during a mild January cannot rear much brood for the simple reason that there is no room, while others with more empty comb space rear much brood, and thus wear out the old bees and use up the stores very fast. This condition is also apparent this season in two of the yards near home where there are large and small hives in each yard. The small hives fed solid in October are nearly all in fine shape, while many of the larger hives have used a very large amount of stores, and the vitality of the bees is sapped by winter brood-rearing. This is not an argument in favor of small hives over larger hives, as I prefer the lat- ter, but it is an argument in favor of re- stricted brood-nests for winter and with less empty space in the combs during early winter. Another factor that has favored the smaller hive for wintering during the last twj seasons in our home locality, is the (|uestion of quality of stores. The small hives all requiring stores were, of course, given sugar syrup; while the larger hives in many cases had only natural stores that praved to be poor, as it is nearly all granu- lated and whole combs can be found with the cappings chewed off and the poor stuff still in the cells. In passing, I might say that the raw sugar we fed last fall proved all right where we fed some 3,000 pounds of a bright clean qual- ity with crystals well developed. A few bags of darker color and quality of crystals more like ordinary yellow sugar did not turn out nearly as well, as considerable dys- entery showed ui> in colonies fed with this sugar. All things considered, I think the granulated is still the safest article, provided it can be obtained. The conditions of the honey markets are about the same as when last reported — very dull and with dealers loath to quote any kind of price on honey offered. At the late convention in Toronto the general opinion exjiressed was that honey prices must be considerably cheaper this year than in the past season, and your cor- respondent shared these views most decided- ly. While I still think honey will be cheaper, yet present prices on other articles makes one wonder just what is going to hap- pen in the price line of food commodities. Butter at 70 cents and meats soaring higher and higher, not to mention other items such as woolen goods, etc., makes one realize that the article upon which he depends for a liv- ing connot get too cheap if he intends to make a living and is forced to pay very high figures for everything he has to buy. Seemingly the present high prices of honey have seriously curtailed home consumption; and this is a serious matter, for we cannot always depend upon export markets, while we always have the home consumers to de- pend upon, provided we can place our prod- uct before them at a price they think they can afford to pay for it. Eetailers and wholesalers tell me the home trade is very light at present, and with our local demand bearing out their statements, I feel safe in making the claim that prices are too high for us to expect home consumption to be up to former years. Whether honey is to be high or low in price, there is certainly noth- ing doubtful concerning the prices of sup- plies, as the number of supply catalogs to hand bear mute but convincing testimony. That we are not likely to have cheaper sup- plies for a year or two at least, I had con- vincing evidence while on my trip up north looking over the bees a few days ago. While up there I met a man familiar with the lumbering game, and he told me of one firm that had just sold their season's cut of pine in the log, at a price slightly over $40.00 per thousand feet. What that will mean in lumber ])rice3 can easily be imagined. ^Farkliam, Out. J. L. Byer. * * * Jj^ Texas -^" March 15 Governor Hob- by signed the bill creating the experimental apiaries. This bill had been on his desk but three days, having received a unanimous vote by the Legisla- ture. The beekeepers should feel proud of their efforts in securing its enactment. From every section of the State support was given this bill, as everyone could readi- ly see the advantages of such work. Plans are being made to start this work imme- diately after the funds become available. The director of the experiment station and the State entomologist are conferring with beekeepers relative to the location of api- aries and problems to be solved in the vari- ous sections of the State. It is hoped that this work can be made of immediate bene- fit to the beekeepers of this State. Excel- lent co-operation in this work is being given by the beekeepers, and such spirit will cer- tainly aid in getting results. On March 19 the beekeepers of Travis County organized a beekeepers' association. The meeting was assisted by the county demonstration agent. Great interest was shown in the organization, as is evidenced by the fact that 40 beekeepers from every section of the county were present. H. B. Parks, Extension Apiculturist of the A. & M. College, held several demonstrations in the county just prior to the meeting. Ar- rangements were made to co-operate with the State Entomologist's office to secure the appointment of a county apiary inspector. Arrangements were made for the next meet- ing to be a field meet. The climatic conditions to date have been 312 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH very favoiable for a successful beekeeping year. Rains have been general and frequent so that wild flowei's are abundant in all lo- calities. In some sections flowers are bloom- ing this year that have not been seen for two years. It is a wonderful provision of nature for seeds to hold over the unfavora- ble seasons. The first of the new crop of honey was marketed in San Antonio on April 10, from Medina County. Other new honey followed closely from Wilson County. Generally speaking it seems that early honey will not be abundant. This is perhaps due to the great building up of the bees that is being encouraged practically everywhere. On every side one hears the comment on how rajjidly the bees are increasing this year. The pound-package trade has grown to some considerable proportions. Three par- ties already have on hand $4000 each for bees. This demand is far in excess of the supply. The supply is further limited by the inability to get sufficient early queens. At the last meeting of the Frio County Beekeepers ' Association a unique feature was added to the organization in the form of a "clean-up" committee. This committee is to assist the inspector in the foul-brood control work. It has already shown the value of its work in taking charge of a small diseased yard, the owner of which was not financially able to comply with the law and regulations. The association thru this committee shows its interest in the dis- ease-control work within its county. Such co-operation is most commendable and most excellent results will be obtained. On April 1 the directors of the Texas Honey Producers ' Association held their quarterly meeting. The most important topic discussed was the opening price of honey. The opening season is a critical pe- riod for honey-producers. Everyone should feel himself responsible for maintaining a good market and price by the careful dis- l^osition of his honey. Honey must not be placed on the market faster than it can be consumed. The right price can only be maintained by not rushing the entire crop of honey on the market at one time. The greatest benefit of co-operative organiza- tions is their ability to absorb local excesses of honey and place them on the market gradually. The beginner must remember that every colony of bees needs a great deal of atten- tion during this month. With only a few colonics it is not wise to suffer any loss by swarming, if it is possible to manage to pre- vent it. In one large section of the State the beekeepers who do not want increase provide the queen with ample room in the form of an extra hive body. When a honey flow comes there are then an abundant num- ber of bees to gather a surplus. Part of the brood, usually all of the sealed brood, is placed in the upper hive body, and sealed fram.es are replaced in the lower body with frames of empty comb or full sheets of foundation. In a small yard drones are expensive. The possible number is reduced by having good combs drawn from full sheets of foundation. If drone brood is found it should be de- stroyed by tearing open the cells. The bees will then clean out the injured brood. College Station, Tex. F. B. Paddock. X * » In Florida Florida's crop of orange honey is not coming up to expectations, and tho a fair crop has been secured there are no reports of heavy yields. During the first week of the flow while cloudy weather prevailed, the honey came in with a rush, but after fair weather set in the flow slackened. Probably, the amount of honey in the State is about the same as last year, or a little more. In quality, how- ever, this year 's honey is far superior to that of last year; in fact, it is the thickest and stickiest honey we have ever produced, and great care was necessary in extracting from new combs. Altho prices have declined there is no rea- son why producers should sell this crop of extra-choice orange honey at a low figure. The buyers for export are trying to secure it at about 15 or 16 cents a pound, but we can sell this year's crop in local shipments at last year 's prices if we care to take a lit- tle trouble. We should remember that the bottlers and wholesale houses are stocked up with honey that was bought last year at high prices, and they cannot reduce their price to the retailer until these stocks have been disposed of. It would be poor policy to drop the price nmterially now, as it would interfere with the sale of stocks already on hand. Better to let the change to normal come gradually, both in buying and selling prices. Of course, the merchants will try to bring honey to the old cheap level, but v/e cannot allow the jirice to drop below 12 cents unless there is a considerable change in the cost of supplies and labor — which seems improbable. If honey should again sell at the old price of 6 cents, commercial beekeeping will no longer be profitable and the business must be carried on by the side liners. The outlook for saw palmetto is excellent, and probably we shall get as much honey from that source as we have done from the orange. The bloom stalks seem more healthy than usual, and, as but a small proportion of the palmetto lands was burnt over, there is sure to be a big bloom. This month is perhaps the best time for tho beginner to make increase by dividing, as a three-frame nucleus will build up into a strong colony and gather some surplus in the fall. Harry Hewitt. Apopka, Fla. May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 313 QTheads of GRMrO^ffM^QirD^ Water Saved Having received word These Bees. that five packages of V)ecs were at the post- ofHico uncalled for, and were rapidly dying, I poclceted a flaslc of syrup and one of water, also a brush and sardine-tin, and went with first aid. I got permission to tend them. The ]iostoffice authorities urged me to take the bees home before they all died; but I soon convinced them that water was what the bees needed most. The janitor used good judgment in placing them on a window- sill in the shade and air. He had tried a lit- tle sugar syrup at the suggestion of some one, but they did not care much for that. When I ajjpHed the water — say, but tliey got busy and cleaned it up about as fast as I got down the line of five cages, ready to go over them again. I had most of the jjost- office force on hand Sunday morning inter- ested, and even the postmaster got worked up and tried his hand at watering them. But I learned something all right; and that is that five pounds of bees took over a pint and a half of water that morning. I went down again Monday morning, and they took a little over half a pint again then. Many of those that seemed suffocated revived, and the rest were soon in fine condition. Decatur, 111. Chas. A. Black. O) =Da ^ SB :^ag What Industry Can Do for a Beekeeper. W. H. Kircher has 200 colonies. He has two kinds of hives, but each kind is by itself as seen in the picture, and the whole surroundings are a model of neatness. He produces extracted honey, has a ready market for his honey, and since he has had the small diseased apiaries about him cleaned up he is succeeding well. The bees and some small fruit, jirincipally cur- rants, give him plenty to do. This is a good examp'e of what persistence, industry, and intelligent management can do in an aver- age Michigan location. Yjjsilanti, Mich. Edwin Ewell, Extension Worker in Beekeeping 'for Mich. Q =30 ^ ac-. — a? Retarding the Hatching of Eggs. In the S e p t e m b e r Gleanings, 19 18, de- partment of "Glean- ed by Asking," J. B. Douglass questions: ''(!an bees control hatching of eggs?" He believes they can. So do I. To a weak colo- ny, which already had lost two virgin queens (i^robably on their wedding flights), I gave another ripe cell together witli a frame of eggs from another hive, and could observe that not all of these eggs hatched. Unfortunately also the third young queen was lost, and I was astounded to see that the bees started from the then-unhatched eggs new queen-cells (11 days later), one of them producing a beautiful young queen. Guatamala. Jose Gutman. 1 1 believe that the incubation of freshly laid eggs can be retarded by regulation of temperature. However, in this case, I think the eggs were stolen from another hive. — Mel Pritchard.] O ■ — iO /^ SB =3i3 All the Queens Last year I had a pe- Were Lost. culiar experience. With only a few colo- nies I have been able to go thru them quietly and careiully about once a week and keep all queen-cells cut out. Last spring I Mr. Kircher's apiary at Murris, }.l... 1... ;:.; result of intelligent muuajjcment. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN proceeded as usual, and, working quietly and slowly, kept things cleaned up all the time. In spite of care in being extremely gentle, all the colonies killed their queens. I do not believe all those queens died, as I had requeened with young stock at the end of the preceding season. That is, I had re- queened most of my colonies, and had, un- unfortunately, lost my records so I could not tell which had been so treated. But I lost every queen, without exception, just about two weeks before white-clover bloom. This, with the fact that we had an unusually dry season during sweet-clover bloom, gave me absolutely no surplus last year. Milwaukee, Wis. Charles B. Piper. [We have had reports of the loss of queens from several beekeepers during the past season; and we noticed that more of our queens disappeared than usual; but that all of yours disappeared in so short a period of time is surely very unusual, and we can not account for it. Handling queens, in clipping, sometimes causes a few to be de- stroyed, especially if there is no honey com- ing in at the time; but this could hardly ex- plain such a loss as yours. A similar report was recently made by D. P. Murry (see page 538, Sept. Gleanings, 1918).— Mel Pritchard.] The Trailer No After using a trailer Good for with my Ford for one Beekeepers. summer, I came to the conclusion it was a poor investment for a beekeeper. The jerk- DIFFERENT FIELDS ing motion will about ruin a car in a short time. To pay for my experience with trail- ers I had the pleasure ( 1) of replacing one axle, one drive shaft, one differential gear, and making small repairs, to say nothing about the extra wear on tires. For a man who has very little hauling to do a trailer is all right; but for a beekeeper, nothing is better than a tin Lizzie with a light de- livery bodj'. Ed Swenson. Spring Valley, Minn. Are His Bees The review in the Immune March Gleanings of to the Disease? articles on the Isle of Wight disease has been of great interest to me. I have been quite sure that the disease now prevalent in the Northwest is this disease and no oth- er. I have lost nearly 400 colonies, ending four years ago. Only seven colonies are left cut of my whole number. These seven colo- nies had the disease, but got over it. For three seasons I kept them simply to make sure they were all right. Last season I in- creased again to nine colonies. I do not sell queens now, as the bees are only hybrids. In my eagerness to keep all recovered colo- nies I made the mistake of letting a black queen (one of the seven) survive. Why do I write this? Just to let you know that the symptoms (page 171) are exactly like the ones we experienced, and that diseased colonies, if they recover, will not get it again if brought in contact with Ml-, fciweiisoii iiiul the U'ailer he didn't likt May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE HEADS "OF GRAIN TI/POM^ DIFFERENT FIELDS diseased matter. They may even be im- mune until mixed again with unimmune blood. I wont very thoroly into the matter at the time, deliberately infected them all, thinking either to have some immune bees, if it were possible, or else kill them that way and then start anew again. Necanicum, Ore. Herman Ahlers. [Many who report these same symptoms claim that the disease has for several years affected the same apiaries. But if some seem more immune than others it would cer- tainly be well to breed from them. For some time attempts have been made in Eng- land to develop strains immune to the Isle of Wight disease. Altho some progress has been made, we do not think they yet have a strain actually immune. — Editor.] high winds, however, both winter and sum- mer. A number of important apiaries have been started within the past two or three years, owing to current high prices. We liave started only in a small way, but hope to grow, and shall keep at it whether prices go up or down, just for the fundamental in- terest of the thing. We expect to keep right at section honey, for first-class trade; be- cause most current advice and information seems to be the other way. On my cartons, I intend using the accompanying photo of my wife, handling a frame of bees. The trees in the background are tamarindus in- (licus, which grow well on alkali soil and bloom three or four times a year. The in- clination of the trees shows the great force of the winds. H. L. Miller. Mendoza, Argentina. Keeping Bees in Argentina. Andes mountains. Mendoza is an irrigat- ed province at the eastern base of the It has a s]3lendid climate. and is devoted to wine-growing and the rais- in an apiary in Ai-gtaitina. ing of fruit and alfalfa. In earlier days, honey and wax were important products; then these fell off greatly, perhaps owing to the interest in vineyards, and the fact that wine presses kill a great many bees at the end of the season. At present, the only thing that beekeepers can do is to seek outlying districts as far as possible from the presses. Snow is almost unknown here, and wintering is very simple. There are sometimes very Chas. VanNieda, of Co. D, 315th Infantry, A. E. F., drew this picture at the front in France, telling how- he used his gas mask and steel helmet in lieu of a veil and hat to secure honey from a bee treei in the hi.storir Belleau Wood. He said the boys in his company had plenty of honey for awhile. 316 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 HEAPS OF GRAIN TDj How Much of a "Here is a marvel: Marvel? Deprived of the an- tennae, the worker ceases to take any delight in labor of any kind. ' ' — D. M. MacDonald, January Ameri- can Bee Journal. Here is another marvel: Deprived of an arm or leg, a human being ceases for some time to take delight in much of anything. Medina, O. lona Fowls. Approves Wesley For some years I have Foster's Method. been using Wesley Foster's plan of win- ter protection for my bees, and can not speak too highly of it, tho without bottom packing. I use also another kind of hive with entrances on four sides. The hives are 16 by 20. I use a hive-bottom 171/0 by 24, two inches deep, with rear entrance % by 10 during the honey flow. When packing for winter I open the rear entrance, close the front, and stand the hive on end. I so seldom lose any colonies that I do not know which kind of hive is best. Preston, la. M. D. Smith. DIFFERENT FIELDS Do Bees Hear? I have lieard it asked (and it seems quite queer), This mooted question, "Do honey bees hear?" And then to me it does not appear That a bee can hear when she has no ear; Yet I have noticed, when I go near A colony of bees they seem to hear. NYith my smoker well loaded, I have no fear; But if it wants to flunk I stay in the rear, Fur to me it lia.s a'.ways seemed quite dear That a bee might hear without any ear. Once I decided some good queens to rear. But a sting on my nose caused a bitter tear; So I said to myself, with a vindictive leer, " I know bees can sting, if they do not hear." REFR.AIX. To the hand-picked drone, said Miss Pretty Queen Bee. " That soothing serenade was just written for me." S. E. Miller. THE BACKLOT BUZZER Uncle Jerry Applebloom says he used to beep bees but he's got it fixeook, "Fifty Years Among the Bees"; and, if you don 't mind my being a book agent for a few minutes, I would advise you to get the book, believing you would get the worth of your money in that one thing. I can not go fully into details here, but will try to give you the gist of it. When you find that some of your colonies have each five frames or more well filled with brood, take from each hive one or more frames of brood, choosing those that have the most sealed brood, but be sure to leave in each hive at least four frames of brood. Now as to the disposal of these frames of brood, which you have taken with adhering bees, being careful not to get the queen. You may think the weakest colonies are the neediest, and you should help them first. Don't do it. Help first the strongest of those that need help, the ones that have three frames of brood. When these are supplied, then help those with two brood, leaving those with one brood to be helped after all the others. It may be that you can help not more than one or two the first time going over. Be patient; wait ten days or so and go at it again, continuing at intervals of ten daj^s, always keeping in mind these two things: never reduce any colony to less than four brood, and always help first the strongest of those needing help. Before you are thru you may find that some of those you first helped are in their turn ready to be helpers. May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 325 c TALKS TO BEGINNERS By lona Fowls THERE is h a r d 1 y a more delight- ful time of the year to work with one's bees than during fruit bloom. Those who ha\e not yet obtained their bees will wish to do so this month. The best time for moving them is in the spring before the hives become heavy with honey. It will be remembered that in the Febru- ary issue the advice was given to buy en- tire colonies if possible, otherwise nuclei on combs, or, preferably, combless packages. Those who have purchased combless pack- ages or who will obtain them this month will probably have no difficulty in building them up, if the queen is successfully intro- duced and the directions followed that ac- company the bees. They must, of course, be kept supplied with stores until the honey flow. It is to be hoped that the beginner may have at least one good colony from which he may take one frame of sealed brood to give his package bees; also if they C£>n be given frames of comb instead of frames of foundation they will build up much more rapidly. A two-pound package should have at least four combs, and a three- pound package six. More may be added later as the colony increases in size. These combs should be shoved over to the side of the hive and a division-board placed at the inside. Crowding the frames over to one side like this gives a smaller space for the bees to keep warm and therefore results in less danger of the brood chilling on cool nights. Also the hive-entrance should be contracted to but a small opening in order that the brood may not chill and die, and that robbers may be prevented from enter- ing the hive. Bees from other colonies near sometimes overpower a small nucleus and steal their stores; but, with a small entrance about % by % inch, the bees of the nucleus can more easily repel such unprincipled in- vaders. Of course, after they build up a little the entrance may be enlarged some- what. Two- or three-pound packages purchased early this month, and given a little unsealed brood, will, with slow feeding, build up into good colonies in seven or eight weeks, and therefore will in many places be strong enough to gather honey during at least a part of the honey flow. Starting with Entire Colonies. Most beginners will doubtless be able to obtain entire colonies, which is a much bet- ter way of making a start. As stated in the February issue, such colonies should flrst be examined by a good beekeeper to make certain they are not diseased, and also to place what he considers a fair value on them. Their worth will depend on the style and condition of hive, strain of bees, quality of 1 queen, size of colony, freedom from disease, amount of stores, regulari- ty of the combs, and amount o f drone brood present. If any disease is found the colonies should not be taken, even as a gift. Taking the Colonies Home. Moving the colonies is a very simple mat- ter in case they are in modern hives, and, if care is taken, colonies may be prepared for moving without one bee leaving its hive. Toward night or in the morning, when no bees are flying, remove the entrance-block and into the entrance shove a stiff strip of screen about three inches in width and as long as the entrance, taking pains that it fit tightly so that no bees can escape. Next gently remove the cover and immediately cover with a screen attached to a rim two inches in depth, fastening this to the hive with a long staple at each corner. This leaves a nice clustering-space over the colo- ny, and provides plenty of ventilation. As the bees are jolted along the road they be- come so active that the temperature in the hive is increased considerably; and, unless plenty of ventilation is supplied, the bees may suffocate. When the weather is cool, less ventilation will be needed, and the screens may, therefore, be partly covered. The bottoms should be attached to the hives by means of a staple at each corner. If the bees are in old out-of-date hives, with cracks here and there, special care should be taken that the bees be shut in se- curely; and in order to be on the safe side it might be well, when the weather is not too warm, to sack them, as described by E. R. Root, page 214, April Gleanings. We caution the beginner, however, not to han- dle bees after dark as there described. The exjjert beekeeper may occasionally do this as a matter of expediency; but from our own experience we know there is no pleasure or poetry in the operation. When colonies are moved a distance less than a mile many of the bees often return to the old location and are lost. To avoid this, when it is desired to move a short dis- tance colonies should be moved to a place two or three miles away, and then a few weeks later placed in the desired spot. They may be moved a very short distance by mov- ing gradually a faot or two every two or three days. For moving bees, the best conveyance by far is the auto. If driven carefully there is very little danger of breaking the combs. Whatever conveyance is used, the hives should be placed in such a way as to prevent the combs swinging because of sudden jolts. Placing the Hives. On arrival home the hives may be placed, if convenient, where there will be winter 326 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 protection from prevailing winds and where there is a little shade during the hottest part of the day — perhaps out in the back yard under the apple tree, but facing away from any path where people are frequently passing. Bees do not like moving objects close in front of their entrance; nor do they approve of rug-beating or tennis-play- ing too near their homes. Those who live in the city may be obliged to keep their bees on the roof or in the attic. Colonies placed in an attic should be near the wall and have an outside entrance. There should also b'^ a window that can be opened to allow the escape of bees that will collect on it whenever the hive is opened. Colonies Need Not Annoy Neighbors. In case any neighbor is a little timid con- cerning the bees, we advise placing the colo- nies facing a trellis or other high obstruc- tion so that the bees will be compelled to fly high on leaving the hives. Also the neighbors should be cautioned never to leave sweets exposed where the bees may get a taste and start robbing; for, of course, such robbing would make the bees very cross. It might, moreover, be a good plan to get the neighbor somewhat interested in the bees, perhaps by giving him a little peep inside the hive on a nice warm day when the bees are gathering honey, and are, therefore, good-natured, and also by giving him a sample of the honey when the crop is harvested. Supplying Stores. As soon as the hives are placed, the cover should replace the top screen, and the en- trance screen should be removed so that the bees may have a flight. They will need proper ventilation, but the entrance should not be too large since colonies just moved are more likely to be attacked by robbers. Probably a % by 8-inch entrance would be about right. The next day or so, if it is found they are short of stores, the cover should be removed, an empty super placed over the brood-chamber, and a cake of candy left on top of the frames. The candy and tops of the frames should then be cover- ed warmly with burlap or carpet, and the cover replaced. For such feeding we recom- mend the candy mentioned in an April edi- torial. From now until the honey flow all colonies should be kept supplied with plenty of stores in order that brood-rearing may progress rapidly. Transferring From Old Hives. Some time this month, before the hives become heavy with honqy, and on a pleasant day when many bees are out after nectar, those colonies in old hives with unmovable frames should be transferred to modern hives. The following is an easy way of transferring: Remove the old hive from its stand, and in its place put a new hive, facing in the same direction, and filled with frames of foundation, or jjreferably drawn comb. There should be one comb containing a patch of young larvae (unhatched bees which look like little white worms). If one has no full colonies from which to take these larvae, he may with a little trouble get a l^iece of comb containing such larvae from the old hive. After smoking the colony a little, remove the bottom-board and place the old hive over the new, tacking on strips, if necessary, so that there will be no open cracks between the two hives. Then blow smoke down thru the old story, gradually driving the bees and queen below, after which in- sert a queen-excluder between the two hives. A few days later examine the lower story to see whether the queen has begun laying be- low. If not, it is probable she is still in the upper story. To get her below, again place the old hive of brood over the lower hive, leaving out the excluder, and again drive the bees below with smoke, making certain this time that the queen also goes with the bees. Then insert the queen-excluder be- tween the two hives, being sure to leave the excluder right (deep) side up. In 24 days after the queen has been driven below the brood will all be hatched from the old hive, when it may be removed, and the combs saved to be rendered into wax. When no combs are obtainable, colonies may be transferred into the new hives on to frames of foundation, and then fed continu- ously until the foundation is drawn out into comb; but it gives the bees a much nicer start to give them drawn combs, always making certain, of course, that the combs are not from diseased colonies. Improving the Stock. Good Italians may be recognized by the three yellow bands on the abdomen. This strain is gentle; they are good honey-gather- ers, and quite resistant to disease. The blacks are easily distinguished by their color. They are very quick and nervous, rather cross and not very resistant to dis- ease; perhaps not quite as good honey- gatherers as the Italians, and much more in- clined to rob. The hybrids are a cross be- tween any two strains, but ' ' hybrids ' ' gen- erally refers to a cross between Italians and blacks. Hybrids vary considerably in their characteristics. Unless the bees of a colony purchased show at least two yellow bands, the beginner will probably wish to requeen, for no matter what the strain, the entire colony may, by the simple substitution of an Italian queen for their present one, be changed in six to eight weeks into a fine Italian colony. To requeen, it is only necessary to find the old queen and kill her, and then introduce the new one according to the directions that ac- company her, not ojjening the hive for four or five days after introducing. Why Clip the Queen's Wings? When for any reason a colony becomes dissatisfied with its home — usually because of insufficient ventilation or a crowded con- dition of the brood-chamber or supers — they start preparations for swarming. When May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 327 colonies swarm, twotliiids or throo-foiirths of the bees, together witli the queen, leave for a new home. To prevent swarming, therefore, certain measures should be taken, among which is the clipping of the queen's wings. (Other preventive measures will be mentioned later.) Having the queen's wings clijiped does not prevent the colony from swarming, but it does prevent their leaving for new quarters, because, at the time the swarm issues, the queen, finding herself un- able to fly, finally crawls back into the hive, and the swarm, unwilling to leave without her, is compelled to return. Finding the Queen. During the warmest hours of a day when the bees are gathering nectar the queen may be found on one of the frames of brood — probably on one containing eggs. A very good queen may be found quite readily be- cause of her unusual size, stately bearing, and her little retinue of attendant bees that form a circle facing toward her caressing her with their antennae whenever she stands still for a moment. Small and inferior black queens are usu- ally quite excitable and much harder to find. To locate such a queen, sit with the back to- ward the sun and beginning at the furthest side of the brood-nest, and using very little smoke, carefully remove one comb after an- other until the frames of brood are reached. She will doubtless be on one of these. There- fore examine each of these very carefully. If she happens to be on the comb pulled out, she will often run to the furthest side of the comb, or she may run to the unexposed side of the adjacent comb, which is the side that first comes in view on removing the next frame. Therefore, glance at the exposed surface of the next comb before examining the one removed. After looking the frames all over twice if the queen is not found, the hive should be closed and the bees allowed to become quiet before another attempt is made. And if he still fails to find the queen, the beginner may be obliged to resort to the method given under the ' ' Field of Experi- ence ' ' in this issue. How to Clip. When found, the queen should be careful- ly picked up by the wings or thorax, but on no account should she be held by the ab- domen, as she is very easily injured by such handling. "With the thumb and fore finger of the left hand hold the queen securely by the thorax, bringing the second finger under her so she may grasp it with her feet, thus keeping her feet out of the way when clip- ping; for unless care is taken a leg might be accidentally cut and the queen rendered use- less. Holding a pair of sharp scissors as shown in the cut, and remembering that clipping a wing is probably no more painful than clipping hair, cut off about one-half or two-thirds of both wings on one or both sides. Cutting the wings of one side is sufficient to prevent her flying, but some prefer cutting on both sides, since it is a little easier to find such a queen because of her changed appearance. Other Work Preceding the Flow. In case some colony becomes too crowded and starts queen-cells, they should be torn down and more room given. The better plan, however, is to give the super early enough so queen-cells will not be started. Those colonies that become crowded for room early in the season, while the nights are yet quite cool, should have a super of empty combs placed under the brood-chamber. This will enable the queen gradually to extend her brood-nest lower, and will leave the brood all in the warmest part of the hive where there will be no danger of chilling. Two or three weeks before the opening of the main honey flow, when the nights are warmer, those colonies that become crowded for room may be given a super of combs or foundation immediately above the brood- chamber, and two frames of eggs and larvae from the lower story placed in the upper one, replacing with empty combs or founda- tion. Or, if preferred, the order of these two stories may be reversed. It is to be hoped that combs may be used; for if foun- dation is used when no honey is coming in, it is necessary to feed syrup in order to get the foundation drawn out; and one always objects to feeding syrup too near a honey flow for fear of getting syrup stored with the honey. When some brood is thus kept in the second story the bees become so ac- customed to occupying the second story that they store above readily when the flow ac- tually starts. A week or so after the open- ing of the honey flow, the queen should be placed below and a queen-excluder inserted between the two colonies. If directions are followed, swarming can probably be prevented this month; and as a general thing those colonies that do not swarm are the ones that store the most sur- plus. On the other hand, if one desires to increase he may insert a queen-excluder be- tween the two stories, leaving the queen be- low and tear down all capped cells. Eight days later move the upper story (this time leaving the capped queen-cells in order that a new queen may be raised), and leave with contracted entrance so the brood will not chill. This subject will be discussed at greater length in our next issue. Beginners' References. See pages 291, 293, 296, 322, and last para- graphs of 312 and 306. "Daddy Lowe," is particularly helpful, and yet, if he had not been more interested in Anne than in the bees, he would have added certain other re- marks. At the foot of page 291, he would have added, * ' Also having young larvae be- low will cause part of the bees to stay be- low to care for it, and thus there will be no danger of the bees entirely deserting the lower story, and leaving the queen alone." Also later on he would have added, ' ' Better have all the weight on the side next you, then tip the super toward you when lifting." 328 JVl Friends: , I am get- ^ ting to be an ' " old man," and f very likely I >^ shall tell you of things of long . ago that I have told, maybe, over and over again ; but I think some of it GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE OUR HOMES A. I. ROOT In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall ■ct. thy paths." May, 1919 crowd filled the church. I asked the five pastors to speak 10 minutes each. Of course they were glorious sermons or " sermonettes." May I venture to say that I have liked short may be new, or new to some of my hearers. When I fii'st became a member of the Medina Congregational Church, or perhaps a little before, I went out on the street, m front of my store, and invited neighbors and all to " come to church." My next neighbor, a grocer, replied, " You mean, of course, come to your church?" "No," replied I, "Come to any of our Medina churches. We are having excel- lent union meetings." A bystander remarked, " Oh, Mr. Root, that is ' too thin.' We all loiow every man is working for his own church." At this^point the first speaker gave me a challenge. Said he : " Mr. Root, there are five churches in town. You get all five ministers to stand side by side in one pul- pit, and I will come to church." A chorus from the crowd responded with " I " and " I " and " I." Then they laughed and "jeered" because they thought they had me " in a comer." I wasn't to be balked, however, and I re- I)lied, "Good! I will do it, and I will start right off: this minute to arrange for it." Four of the five clergymen welcomed the invitation, but the fifth objected. He cold- ly replied that had I known anything of the rules of their denomination I would not have come on such an eiTand. I went out feeling that I had been somewhat " snub- bed." Now, friends, comes one of my first experiences of quick ansAvers to prayer. This parsonage was about half a mile out of town. On my way back I prayed out loud that my new-found Savior and Re- deemei- would take the matter in hand and do what I had failed to do. I confess that I was a little stirred up at my rebuke, but while I was talking I heard rapid, heavy footfalls on the wooden sidewalk behind me. A good brother came up and clapped his hand on my shoulder and said, " Mr. Root, our pastor his reconsidered his re- fusal and bids me catch you before you get back and say lie will come, and will take such part in the meeting as you may wish." It was noised around town and a great sermons ever since? And do I need to tell you that quite a revival followed? There may be some in this audience who came " out of darkness into light " at those veiy union meetings tliat followed. At one church there was trouble about getting tlie janitor to have the church warmed and in order. I went to see him. He said the church refused to pay him ex- tra for so many more meetings. They hired him by the year. Said I, " Mr. T., how much do you think you should have to make it fair and christianlike?" The meetings went on and some of that church asked why the janitor had all at once become so pleasant and willing. He replied that I had paid him the extra. A good brother called for a collection to pay back what Mr. Root had paid their janitor. With the " revival on " they soon got enough and more too. Among the converts was a young man just starting in the grocery business. He came to me, asking what I thought about his selling tobacco. He said he did not care so uuich about selling to grown men, but it hurt his conscience to sell to young boys. I suppose you know what A. I. Root would say. Well, he came to me later in great trouble. One good customer who had called for quite a lot of goods, when he found our young friend was not going to keep tobacco any more, went off, leaving his goods on the counter, to trade where they were not so fanatical. I asked the grocer to go with me and talk with our pastor. After a season of prayer the good minister put his hand on the young man's shoulder and said, " W., don't be worried, for as long as you are listening to the Aoice of conscience, as jou have told us, God loill take care of you."* During the 40 or more years that have passed, gi'oceries, many of them, have been started in Medina, many of them fine ones, but none of them have stood the test of 40 *In the hymn book, Alexander's Gospel Songs, is a beautiful hymn that we often sins in our Presbyterian Sunday School entitled. " God Will Take Care of You." When we sing it I often think of the young grocer of years ago. Mav, 1010 GLKANTNGS IN BEE CULTURE 329 years except this one. It is still a fine store and doinc: a fine business. "A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY/' IN PLACE OF " BEER AND BREWERIES." The clipping' below, which T take from the Sunday School Times, tells us just how it is coming to pass. WHV STEEL COMPANIES ANNEX DAIRIES. The bjg steel companies, according to W. E. Skinner, General Manager of tlie National Dairy Show in Columbus this year, have found it practica- Me to go into the milk business to the extent of buying it wholesale and selling it to their workmen at cost. " Men soon go to pieces who drink liquor after working over hot fires," he explained to the newspaper reporters. " The fires start them on the decline and booze finishes it. But manufacturers have found that milk not only rebuilds tissue and overcome the harm that heat and flames have done, but it keeps the men away from the saloons and thus does double duty." I have long been expecting something of the kind, and may the Lord be praised that it is already under way. HONEY FROM THE PEANUT, AND SOMETHING MORE ABOUT MOORE HAVEN. A. L Root, Brademtown, Fla. Dear Friend: — I just ran across something here that I am sure will interest you. H. P. Merseran of this place furnished the honey, so he told me yes- terday, which took the blue ribbon at the Kansas City exposition. The exhibit was made by Mr. Rollo in the name, I believe, of the South Florida Lands Co. and the honey was samples of comb and of extracted honey. Mr. Merseran has about 30 colonies here and says they are doing well. I will say that the honey they produce here is fine — quite similar to clover honey, as it comeis mostly from the peanut blossoms. Moore Haven captured pretty nearly everything on vegetables and grains, includ- ing the grand sweepstakes prize, for best display of all varieties of farm crops. Mr. Merseran tells me that while this is a fine honey-producing region it isn't a beeman's paradise, as there are many pests to contend with, not the least of which is the moth. This pest will occupy the combs many times even in a strong colony. But I guess we have to fight for what we get almost anywhere. We just have different things to con- tend with in different places. Your friend, Leon C. Wheeler. Moore Haven, Fla., Mar. 13, 1919. SWEET CLOVER TOR BOTH CORN AND HONEY. On page 373, .June Gleanngs, particulars are ^iven of a wonderful crop of corn produced by 'mrning under sweet clover. C. -\. Neal of .Tones- aoro, Ind., who believes he has discovered an im- provement on the plan, writes to me as follows, discribing what what he calls, " The New Neal Sys- tem of Sweet Clover Farming." "Here it is: Sow scarified sweet-clover seed in corn on July 1. Run thru the corn with a one-horse weeder, that has 14 small teeth about one inch wide, to cover seed. Next year don't touch it at all. Supposing the seed was sown .July 1, 1919, then on the first of October, 1919, take a Mogul tractor with two plows and weed tuckers, and turn under the full growth, which goes 30 tons to the acre ex- clusive of roots. In the following spring put in corn, and on tlie first of July sow to sweet clover again. In this way the farmer gets a crop of corn every other year, and I get a crop of honey every other year. The humus and moisture supplied by the 'rott-en' sweet clover will double the yield of corn, and the corn-belt becomes a beekeeper's para- dise. " It's a poor rule that won't work both ways " Put your shoulder to the wheel, A. I. Root, and give the new Neal system of farming a life. A full un- touched growth of sweet clover turned under and the field sown to wheat mean.s at least 50 bushe's to the acre. The^ same rate of increase holds for potatoes, oats, rT,e, sunflowers, and hay. Pastures produce ten times as much feed, and this feed will make healthy stock because of its tonic qualities. My statements are not an idle dream, but have been proved by actual test. The clovers now in use will not turn under right, as they choke the plow. Be- sides this, they do not rot when turned under, and so cause the ground to dry out and reduce the yield of corn. Any kind of rotten vegetable matter turn ed under holds water like a sponge all summer, nn matter how dry is becomes. Let us christen sweet clover the ' magical lamp.' Rub that lamp, anl the farmer will enter a new era of prosperity. To use your own words, ' May the Great Spirit above 1 e thanked for this great gift to man.' " C. A. Neal, Bee Specialist. Jonesboro, Ind. BACK TO OUR MEDINA HOME. Mrs. Eoot and I expect to be back in our Medina home about the last vreek in April. The following from The Bfddentoicn Herald of April 9 may interest our readers: the wind electric automobile up TO date. Editor Herald: — All great inventions that have blessed the world in times past, it seems, have had to pass thru a sort of evolution, or series of experi- nifints before coming into general use. The wind- propelled electric auto is no exception to this rule. When the WMnd Electric Corporation of Wynd- inere, N. D., was consulted they replied they had never undertakem to make the wind replace a horse, but they were willing to try it. Again it was a question whether the belt they used would stand the hot wet summers of southern Florida. As a result the fabric belt used for lighting residences, gave out down here in about six months. At this stage I had consiilted the Goodyear Rubber Co. of Akron, O., and they felt sure they could give a belt that would " stand up." Such a belt has now been running over six months, day and night, win- ter and summer, and is apparently unharmed. Again the Windmill folks supposed a heavy gen- erator or dynamo would be required to run a car and sent one with the mill weighing about 400 pounds. Recent experiences induced them to believe one weighing less than half as much would give more " juice " for the car. Such a generator has just replaced the heavy one, and I am happy to state, I not only get more miles daily with the auto but it also lights our home very successfully. There- fore I can now say, " My steed requires no hav. oats, or corn, but feeds only on wind," and st'l! more, he now converts said wind into light. Who knows but that wind may ultimately be the light of the world? It may be well to add the electric auto has already during the pa«t winter made close to 1,000 miles. and a good deal of the time it has carried quite a load of our new potatoes (over $200 worth) to mar- ket. Of course the wind is lost when the machine is out on the road, 1 ut I am planning (if spared) to have extra batteries during the coming winter to store for the house lighting, when the machine is out on its trips. A. I. ROOT. 330 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 Classified Advertisements Notices will be inserted in these classified columns for 25 cents per line. Advertisements intended for this department cannot be less than two lines, and you must say you want your advertiseonent in the classified column or we will not be responsible for errors. HONEY AND WAX FOR SALE Beeswax bought and sold. Strohmeyer & Arpe Co., 139 Franklin St., New York. Buckwheat honey in 120-lb. cases, at 17c per pound. C. B. Howard, Geneva, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover, amber and buckwheat hon- ey in 60-lb. cans. C. J. Baldridge, Kendaia, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Clover and buckwheat honey in 60-lb. tin cans. H. B. Gable, Romulus, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Extra-good quality clover or white aster honey, packed in 60-lb. tins, two in a case. H. C. Lee, Brooksville, Ky. FOR SALE. — Clover and buckwheat honey in any style containers ^ glass or tin). Let us quote you. The Deroy Taylor Co., Newark, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Extra quality buckwheat extracted honey in 60-lb. cans. J. W. Hosie, East Aurora, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Buckwheat honey in 60-lb. cans, 2 cans in each case; 14 cases. Make me an offer f. o. b. here. Robert Conn, Roaring Branch, Pa. FOR SALE.— 5 kegs of best N. Y. State buck- wheat honey to the highest cash bidder. S. v., c o Gleanings in Bee Culture, Medina, O. FOR SALE. — Michigan's Best extracted honey in packages to suit ; white clover, raspberry, milkweed, buckwheat. A. G. Woodman Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. FOR SALE. — 40,000 lbs. of No. 1 extracted clover honey and 35,000 lbs. of aster honey, both of extra-light color, heavy body, and fine flavor, in 60-lb. cans. W. B.""Wallin, Brooksville, Ky. FOR SALE. — Clover, heartsease. No. 1 white comb, $6.00 per case; fancy, $6.50; extra fancy. $7.00, 24 Danz. sections toi case; extracted 120-lb. cases, 25c per pound. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle. Ind. HONEY AND WAX WANTED Small lots of off-grade honev for baking purposes. C. W. Finch, 1451 Ogden Ave., Chicago, 111. WANTED. — Section honev.^ Correspondence so- licited. J. E. Harris, Morristown, Tenn. Beeswax wanted. Highest prices paid. State quantity and quality. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. WANTED. — Comb and extracted honey, also bee.';- wax. Send samples. C. S. Fryer, 386 Halsey St., Portland, Ore. BEESWAX WANTED — For manufacture into SUPERIOR FOUNDATION. (Weed Process.) Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — Comb and extracted honey, car lots and less. Mail sample, quantity, and price. W. Morris, Yonkers, N. Y. WANTED. — ^Extracted honey, all kinds and crrades for export purposes. Any quantity. Please send pimT)les and quotations. M. Betancourt, 59 Pearl St., New York City. WANTED. — E.xtracted and comb honey. Carload or less quantities. Send particulars by mail and samples of extracted. Hoffman & Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. WANTED. — Extracted honey in both light and amber grades. Kindly send sample, tell how honey is put up and quote lowest cash price delivered in Preston. M. V. Faeey, Preston, Minn. BEESWAX WANTED. — We are paying higher prices than usual for beeswax. Drop us a line and get our prices, either delivered at our station or your station as you choose. State how much you have and quality. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. FOR SALE HONEY LABELS.- — Most attractive designs. Catalog free. Eastern Label Co., Clintonville, Conn. FOR SALE. — A full line of Root's goods at Root's prices. A. L. Healy, Mayaguez, Porto Rico. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand cans. 60c per case. C. S. Watts, Monticello, Ills. FOR SALE. — 25 Alexander feeders at 25c each. E. G. Carr, New Egypt, N. J. FOR SALE. — 30 8-frame supers, full foundation, $1.60 each. No disease. H. D. Hopkins, Otterville, Mo. FOR SALE. — Novice extractor. Did not extract 100 lbs., $16.00. A. H. Hattendorf, Ocheyedan, Iowa. FOR SALE. — Two-frame Novice extractor, never used. Bargain. Graves & Hemmes, Great Barrington, Mass. SEND TODAY for samples of latest Honev La- bels. Liberty Pub. Co., Sta. D, Box 4E, Cleveh land, Ohio. BEEKEEPERS OP THE NORTHWESTl Order ROOT Supplies from George F. Webster, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. FOR SALE. — SUPERIOR FOUNDATION, "Best by Test." Let us prove it. Order now. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. FOR SALE. — One Conei extractor No. 15, with brake; four 2,000-lb. tanks, all as good as new. Enquirers address at at New Paris, Ohio. V. H. Kirkpatrick. SPECIAL SALE. — One-story 8-frame dovetailed hives, in flat, with telescope % wood covers, in packages of five at $10.00 per package. A. G. Woodman Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. FOR SALE. — 200 10-frame empty hive bodies, Barnes saw, two 1,200-lb. tanks, one 2-frame and one 4-frame extractor for deep combs. Prices right. F. W. Lesser, East Syracuse, N. Y. FOR SALE. — 15 double-wall Root chaff hives. 24 0 Hoffman frames, wired, with combs complete. All in good condition. Will sell at bargain prices. Brookfield Poultry Farm, Versailles, O. FOR SALE. — 100 8-frame metal covers with in- ner covers, 75c each; 12 10-frame, the same, 90c each. All in good repair. Richard D. Barclay, Riverton, N. J. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand empty comb- honey double-deck shipping eases for 4%xl'% sec- tions, good condition, at 25c each, f. o. b. Cincin- nati. C. H. W. Weber & Co., 2146 Central Ave., Cincinnati, O. CANADIAN BEE SUPPLY & HONEY CO., Ltd. — 73 .Tarvis St.. Toronto, Ont. (Note new ad- dress.) We have made-in-Canada goods; also can supply Root's goods on order. Extractors and en- gines: Gt.,eanikgs and all kinds of bee literature. Get the best. Catalog free. Mw. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 331 FOR SALE. — New standard hives, Loltoni-boanLs, covers, and frames, at 33 per cent off usual price. Write for particulars. O. L. Rothwell, Gillett, Pa. FOR SALE. — Corah foundation at prices that will save you money. Wax worked for cash or on shares. Send for price list. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. FOR SALE. — If you wish to know where to save monet>' on bee supplies send for our new price list. It mav be worth your trying. H. S. Duby & Sons. St. Anne. Ills. FOR SALE. — Second-hand 60-lb. cans, two to the case. 50e per case f. o. b. New York. Also second- hand maple-syrup cans at 10c each. Hoffman & Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Two extractors, uncappino;-cans, liimey tanks. CLXtractin? outfit with siipers, hives in flat. Bargain. Would take bees, queens, or honey. The Liberty Press, Box No. 224, Shanandoah, la. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand 60-lb. honey cans, two to the case at 60c per case, f. o. b. Mil- waukee. Terms cash with ordei'. E. R. Pahl & Co., 120 Huron St., Milwaukee, Wis. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beekeeper of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, send me a bill of your wants of bee .supplies and let me make you good i)rices on the same. M. Bates, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — 20 Danzenbaker hives, 40 Danz. supers, 18 telescope caps, one Hatch wax press. Root two-frame automatic extractor, all in fine con- dition, most of them painted. Will sell for half price. Also some light brood and light super foundation. T. V. Huddle, West Jefferson, Ohio. FOR SALE. — Root's Extractors and Smokers, Dadant's Foundation, and a full line of Lewis' Bee- ware. Our new price list will interest you. We pay 38c in cash and 40c in trade for clean yellow beeswax delivered in Denver. The Colorado Honey Producers' Association, 1424 Market St., Denvir, Colo. AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS .\LTTOMOBILE ownen-.s should subscribe for the .\IT0.M0BILE Dfaler .^xd Rep.mrer; 150-page il- lustrated monthly devoted exclusively to tlie care and repair of the car. Tlie only magazine in the world devoted to the practical side of motoring. The " Trouble Department " contains five pages of numbered questions each month from car owaiers and repairmen which are answered by experts on gasoline-engine repairs. $1.50 per yeiar. 15 cents per copy. Canadian subscriptions, $1.50. Postals not answered. Charles D. Sherman, 107 Highland Court, Hartford, Conn. POULTRY FOR SALE. — Silver Spangled Hamburg eggs, and fine rare old Paganini violin. Elias Fox, Union Center, Wis. FOR SALE. — Silverlace Wyandotte eggs for hatching, $2.00 for 15, postpaid. Mrs. D. Potter, Ashtabula, R. D. No. 4, Ohio. H.VTCHING EGGS. — Plymouth Rocks, all vari- eties; Anconas and Rouen ducks. Illustrated cata- log, 3 cents. Sheridan Poultry Yards, R. D. No. 12, Sheridan, Mich. S. C. Brown Leghorns, good babv chicks, $15.00 per 100; $7.75 per 50; $4.00 per 25. Order from this advertisement. Safe arrival guaranteed. Cir- cular free. H. M. Moyer, Boyertown. Pa., R. F. D. No. 3. REAL ESTATE FOR SALE. — 5-acr9 fruit farm, good buildings, located in county seat of Benzie Co. (Beulah, Mich.,), '4 mile from high school, church, depot and stores. Will take half its value in bees. 1,000 bu. of winter apples in one season from this farm. Ideal place for bees or poultry. Write E. Mitchell, Castalia, Ohio. WANTS AND EXCHANGE WANTED. — Brood foundation mill. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — 200 colonies of bees, more or less. Ardell Packard, Alba, Pa. WANTED. — Good 10-inch foundation mill, at reasonable price. Bert Smith. Woodhurst, Minn. WANTED. — A mill. second-hand lOinch foundation T. P. Stone, Jacksboro, Tenn. WANTED. — Old combs and cappings for render- ing on shares. Our steam equipment secures all the wax. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — Used hives and supers, foundation mills, extractors, bees, and bee equipment. State lowest cash price wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — To buy, between 300 and 500 colo- nies of bees. Locations must go with them. Give full particulars in first letter. Address 357 P. O. Box No. 67, Rigby, Idaho. WANTED. — 100 colonies, more or less, of bees in 10-frame Langstroth hires in exchange for well- located land in Pennsylvania or Florida. C. A. Brooks, Constance, Kv. W.'VNTED. — Shipments of old comb and cappings for rendering. We pay the highest cash and trade prices, charging but 5 cts. a pound for wax remder- ed. The Fred W. Muth Co., 204 Walnut St., Cin- cinnati, O. WANTED. — To inform you that my address is changed from Fitzpatrick to Pike Road. Ala. The above change wa.s made to enable me to be on "good roads" in order to serve my customers better. We have orders for ,^1I the package bees we can ship this season. Mv bees have same locations as here- tofore. " W. D. Achord, Pike Road, Ala. WANTED. — ^Beeswax. We will pay for average quality beeswax delivered at Medina, 38c cash, 40c trade. We will pay 1 and 2c extra for choice yellow. Be sure your shipment bears your name and ad- dress as shipper so we can identify it on arrival. Tlie A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. OLD COMBS' WANTED. — Our steam wax-presses will get evory ounce of beeswax out of old combs, cappings or slumgum. Send for our terms and our new 1919 catalog. We will buy your share of the wax for cash or will work it into foundation for you. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. WANTED. — In Northern Ohio, Western Penn- sylvania and e.xtreme Southern Michigan, colonies Italian beies free from disease in 8- or 10-frame standard hives on Hoffman frames wired with combs drawn from full sheets worker foundation, in lots of 25 or more. State price asked in first let- ter. M. .T. D., c o Gleanings in Bee Culture, Me- dina, Ohio. W.VNTED. — To inform you that my address is changed from Fitzpatrick to Pike Road, Ala. The above change was made to enable me to be on "good roads" in order to serve my customers better. We have orders for all the package bees we can ship this season. My bees have same locations as here- tofore. W. D. Achord. Pike Road, Ala. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 BEES AND QUEENS Finest Italian queens. Send for booklet and price list. Jay Smith, R. D. No. 3, Vincennes, Ind. Well-bred bees and queens. Hives and supplies. J. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. FOR SALE. — -1919 Golden Italian queens, price list free. Writ«, E. E. Lawrence, Doniphan, Mo. Queens on approval. Bees by package or colony. A. M. Applegate^ Reynoldsville, Pa. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each, six for $5.00. E. A. Simmons, Greenville, Ala. FOR SALE. — Strong, healthy colonies of bees. Tim O'Donnell, 815 So. Kildare Ave., Chicago, 111. Hardy Italian queens; one, $1.00; 10, $8.00. W. G Lauver, Middletown, Pa. PHELPS' GOLDEN QUEENS will please you. Mated, $2.00. Try one and you will be convinced. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. THREE-BAND Italians onlv. Untested queeus. $1.25; 6. $6.50; 12. $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100 $75.00. H. G. Dunn, The Willows, San Jose, Calif. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from Mav 15th to Oct. 15th; 10 or more, $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwichtown, Conn. FOR SALE. — Indianola Apiary offers Italian bees and queens; tested, $1.50; untested, $1.00. J. W. Sherman, Valdosta, Ga. When it's GOLDEN it's Phelps'. Try one and be convinced. Virgins, $1.00; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens ready April 15- $1.00 each: $10.00 per dozen. W. W. Talley, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — ^1-lb. package Italian bees, with queen, $3.50; 2-lb. package, with queen, $5.50. J. B. Marshall & Son, Big Bend, La. FOR SALE. — ^Threefbanded Italian queens, un- tested onlv, one, $1.50; six. $8.50; dozen. $16.00. P. C. Cha'dwick, 725 E. High Ave., Redlands, Calif. FOR SALE. — 2 colonies of Italian bees, some bee supplip-s and books. T. H. Hansen, -Tanesville, Rt. No. 6, Wis. FOR SALE. — 3-band and Golden queens and nu- cleus. Queens, 1, $1.50; 6, $7.50. Allen R. Simmons, Claverack, N. Y. FOR RALE. — Bright Italian queens at $1.00 each, $10.00 per doz. Ready April 10. Safe arrival euaranteed. T. J. Talley, R. D. No. 4, Greenville, Ala. Leather-colored Italian queens, tested, to June 1st, $2.00, after, $1.50; untested $1.00, $10.00 per dozen. A. W. Yates. 15 Chapman St., Hartford, Conn. FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian nueens readv .Tune 1. Untested, each, $1.00; 12. $10.00; 100. $80.00. Satisfaction and safe arrival guaranteed. A. E. Crandall & Sons, Berlin, Conn. FOR SALE. — ^Tliree strong hives Italian bees in- cluding supers, also 4-frame extractor. Willing to take some chickens in part payment. Bamman. West Englewood. N. J. FOR S.-VTjE. — Business-first queens. Laying un- tested queens, $1,00 each ; select untested, $1,25; tested queens, $2.00: select tested, $2.50. Price list for asking. M. F. Perry, Bradentown, Fla. GOLDENS THAT ARE TRUE TO NAME. Un- tested nupens. each. $1.25: 6, $6.50; 12. $11.50; 50 $40.00- 100. 3^75 00. Garden City Apiaries, San Jose. Calif. FOB SALE. — Golden Italian queens of an im- proved strain ; the bee for honey, hardiness, gentle- ness, and beauty. Untested, $1.00; tested, $2.00. Wallace R. Beaver, Lincoln, 111. FOR SALE. — Good Italian queens, tested, $1.50; unfe.sted, $1.00; 1-lb. package, $3.00; 2-lbs., $5.00; nuclei, 2-frame, $4.00 ; 3-frame, $5.50. G. W. Moon, 1904 Park Ave., Little Rock, Ark. BEES FOR SALE. — Pure Italians of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain in standard ten-frame Langstroth hives. Write for price and particulars. D. E. McDonald, Rutland, B. C, Can. FOR SALE. — 50 colonies Italian bees in 8-frame hives. Combs drawn from full sheets of foundation. Also 50 3-frame nuclei first of June or last of May. Write for prices. E. L. Lane, Trumansburg, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees; for gentleness and honey-gathering they are equal to anv. Every queen guaranteed. Price $2.00, 6 for $7.50. Wm. S. Barnett, Barnetts, Va. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens which pro- duce gentle yellow bees, the hardest workers we have known, $2.50 each. When you wish to im- prove your stock always buv the very best. Wildflower Apiaries, Trust Bldg., Little Rock. Ark. Three-banded Italian queens and bees by the pound, also nucleus, in Root's shipping-cases, if preferred, or buyer furnish own cages. Send for price list. J. A. Jones & Son, Montgomerv, Ala., R. D. No. 1, Box 11a. FOR SALE. — 'Ttalian queens, golden, and three- 1 anded, bred from best selected stock. Untested, each, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12. $10.00; select untested, $1.50 each. Satisfaction guaranteed. G. H. Merrill, Liberty, S. C. FOR SALE. — 3-band Italian queens from best lionev-gathering strains obtainable. Untested queens, $1.25 each; 6, $6.50; 12, $11. Satisfaction guar- anteed. W. T. Perdue, Fort Deposit, R. D. No. 1, Ala. FOR SALE. — 150 colonies in Iowa, mostly Ital- ians, One four- and two two-frame extractors. storage tanks, empty hives and supplies in good shape. One lot or part. No disease. Reason for sale, leaving the State. F. Erie Millen, State Apiarist, Ames, Iowa. FOR S.\LE. — Golden Italian queens in Mav, se- lect tested, $1.50; tested, $1.25; untested, 85c: 6 for $4.75; 12 for $9.00; select tested, $1.00; 6 for $5.50; 12 for $10.00. No foul brood. No bees for sale. D. T. Gaster, Randleman, R. D. No. 2, N. C. BEES AND QUEENS. When you can't get them from others voii can from us. 1-lb. pkg. bees. $2.00: 2 lbs. $3.75; queens. $1.00 each, $11.00 per doz. Good stock. No disease. Order quick. Special prices on nuclei. Pelican Apiary, New Orleans, La. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beeman. head your colonies of bees with the best Italian stock raised in the South. One queen, $1.25; 12 queeus, $14,00. One pound nf bees with queen, postpaid, $6,00, Safe arrival and satisfaction guar.Tuteed. M. Bates, Greenville. R. D. No. 4. Ala. FOR SALE. — A limited number of bees and queens for May delivery from either home apiaries or South Carolina. Safe delivery guaranteed if shipped by express. Parcel post shipments at buv- er's risk. We invite correspondence as to details and price. The Deroy Taylor Co., Newark, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Three-banded Dr. Miller and Walker Italian queens, readv in Mav. untested. $1.25 each: 6 for $7.00; 12 for $12.00; select. $1.50 each; 6 for $8.00; 12 for $15.00; tested. 2 50: select tested. 3.50 each. Orde'-.s filled in rotation. Queen circular and testimonials sent free. Curd Walker, Queen-breeder, Jellico, Tenn. Nr.vv. 1919 GLKANINGS TN BEE CULTURE 333 FOR SALE. — Pull colonies in new standard oight-framei hives, each with tested Italian queen, full sheet wired combs, hustlers, easy to handle ; no disease here. J. Ford Sempers, Aikin, Md. Golden Itnliau queens that produce golden bees; the highest kind, gentle, and as good honey gather- ers as can be found; Mav and June, untested, each, $2.00; six, $7.50; doz., $14.00; tested, $4.00; breed- ers, $5.00 to $20.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, Va. PHELPS' GOLDEN ITALIAN QUEENS com- bine the qualities vou want. Thev are GREAT HONEY-GATHERERS, BEAUTIFUL and GEN- TLE. Virgins, 1.00; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — 5 box hives hybrid bees in May, $5.00 eacli. Pour-frame nuclei Italian bees, $5.00 each. Mann Green Bone Cutter, hand and power, good as new, $15.00. Present catalog pricei, $25.00. B. P. Averill, Howardsville, Va. MOTT'S NORTHERN-BRED Italian Queens are hardv, prolific, gentle, and hustlers, therefore resist disease well. Untested, $1.00 each; $10.00 for 12; selected tested, $2.00 each. Virgins, 50c each. Plans "How to Introduce Queens" and "Increase," 25c. Also Golden Campine eggs, best of laying birds. E. E. Mott, Glenwood, Mich. FOR SALE. — 25 colonies Italian bees in new 10- frame L. hives, Danzenbaker reversible bottoms, and metal-covered tops. Frames wired with full sheets of foundation. All strong colonies. 15 colonies, $200; one or more, $10.00 each. Also supers and drawn combs. Emil Tappert, 919 N. Main St., Jacksonville, Ills. FOR SALE. — North Carolina-bred Italian queens of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain of three-band Italian bees. Gentle and good hone:v-gatherers. May 1st until July 1st, untested, $1.25 each, $12.00 per doz.; tested, $1.75 each, $18.00 per doz.; select test- ed. $2.25 each. Safe arrival and satisfaction gruar- anteed. L. Parker, Benson, R. D. No. 2, N. C. HOLLOPETER'S Italian queens ready in June, untested, one $1.75; six, $9.00; July, one, $1.50; dozen, $15.00. Quantity price on application, de- livery after July 10. Tliese prices guarantee you safe arrival of really high-grade Italian stock, more efficient service and win,gs clipped when desired. J. B. Hollopeter, Rockton, Pa. FOR SALE. — Quirin's hardy northern-bred Ital- ians will please you. All our yards are wintered on summer stand.s ; more than 25 years a commer- cial queein-breeder. Tested and breeding queens ready almost any time weather permits mailing. L'ntested ready about June 1. Orders booked now. Testimonials and price for asking. H. 6. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. Queens from one of Dr. Miller's breeders. Test- ed, $1.75 each; $18.00 per doz.; untested, $1.25 each; $13.00 per doz. 1-frame nucleus, $3.00 each; 2-frame, $5.00 each; 3-frame, $6.50 each, without queens. We have never had any disease here. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. We have no package bees to offer and no untested queen.s extept with nuclei. Delivery April 15. Geo. A. Hummer & Sons, Prairie Point, Miss. BEES FOR SALE. — Bees in one-story standard hives, $10.00 each up. Average grade bees in vari- ous parts of Pennsylvania for shipment direct to purchaser. Tliere is no guarantee either expressed or implied as to the purity of these bees, or their condition, but they are guaranteed by the former owner to be free from foul brood. Engage them now. John N. Prothero, DuBois, Pa. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii[iiiii!iiiiiii[iiii!iiniiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!n[iiiiiiiiiiiij HELP WANTED WANTED. — Good experienced man; also some good helpers. Good chance for willing workers. Penn Co., Penn, Miss. HELP WANTED. — One or more men to work with bees the coming season. State, age, experience, and wages, we to furnish board. The Rocky Moun- tain Bee Company, Billings, Mont. WANTED. — Experienced beeman and one helper. Fast workers and able to do heavy work. Prefer young men experienced in handling auto trucks. State all particulars in answering and wages want- ed. Ernest W. Pox, Fruitdale, S. D. WANTED. — One experienced man, and students as helpers in our large bee business. Good chance to learn. Modern equipment and outfit, including auto truck, located near summer resorts. Write, giving age, height, weight, experience, reference, and wages wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Clarion, Mich. SITUATIONS WANTED WANTED. — Experienced beekeeper wants em-, ployment in an apiary in U. S. or Canada. Send letter, no telegram. Morris F. Laughlin, Albin, Wyo. WANTED. — Young man landing in San Fran- cisco about the middle of April, with fair experience, wants work on bee farm to gain experience in American methods. Character and habits O. K. \^'rite. Asken, c o Thos. Cook & Son, San Francisco, Cal. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiini iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii MISCELLANEOUS. Highest prices paid for old used postage and rev- enue stamps. A. Arnold, 1482 Broadway, New York. FOR SALE. — Early tomato plants, 100 by mail, 40c. J. F. Michael, Winchester, Ind. Get my free book on Belgian Hares and big New Zealand Red Rabbits. J. E. Johnson, Marionville, Mo. PRINTING. — Send your copy for estimate. Work guaranteed. Circulars, Bill Heads, Letter Heads, etc. The Hawthorne Press, R. W. Hopkins, Mgr. , Youkers, N. Y. Complete typewTitten (mimeographed) report of lectures by Dr. Phillips and Mr. Demuth of U. S. Dept. of Agriculture at California Short Courses and Cornell Univ., questions, answers, etc. Bee- keeping principles practically applied to Eastern and California conditions. 55,000 words of STRAIGHT T.VLKS on bees and beekeeping, near- ly equal to 200-page book. See February Gleanings. $1.75. R. B. Calkins, 5800 Hearn St., Oakland. Cal. E. D. Townsend, the present owner of the Do- mestic Bi'ekeeper bought beekeepers' supplies for the National Beekeepers' Association for several years. He is now buying for the subscribers of the Domestic Beekeeper at the same low manufacturers' price. Listen now what he has got up his sleeve: Any Gleanings subscriber buying five dollars' worth of supplies thru the Domestic Beekeeper at catalog price, and seinding along an extra dollar to pay for a year's subscription to the Domestic Bee- keeper, will get in return a rebate check for a dol- lar, leaving, the year's subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper absolutely free to you. Of course, if your Older for supplies is larger than five dollars, you will get a correspondingly larger rebate cheek on your order. One of our subscribers got a rebate check of $40.00 on his order of supplies last month, March. It was just like getting money from home to him, as he sent us the same money he would have had to pay if he had bought thru the regular dealer in beekeepers' supplies. More and more-, close buvers of beekeepers' supplies are investigating the buying facilities of the Domestic Beekeeper. A word to the wise should be sufficient to cause you to send vour next order for beekeepers' supplies to the Domestic Beekeeper, Northstar, Michigan. 334 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 I IS- LAST CHANCE | I ALL FOR 2 DIMES--T0 Introduce | I I will send Selected Seed for 10 Big Hills | I Genuine Early Six Weeks Potatoes, earli- | 1 est, hardiest, best keepers on earth — de- I I licious quality; so early you can grow two i I full crops a year even in the north (I send 1 i full directions); amazingly productive. i I Growers Report = *' 650 bushels per acre/' = "A full bushel from every = six hills."' ^'52 big po- = tatoes in one hill/' " 12 = bushels from a dollar or- = der/' Etc., elc. I Also 20 Hills New Pro- = lific Tree Beans — enor- _ = mous and sure yielders everywhere of extra early, pure ^ ~ white luscious beans; 10 varie- p ties best Butter and Head Let- p tuce— 1700 seeds; 30 Hills red, f blue, white, rice and gold Pop = corn — lor children and chick- h ens; 10 beautiful fragrant Iree p Ferns, and big 25c. Flower = Collection — for wife and child- ^ ren, ALL safely boxed and h postpaid for TWO DIMES or = 24c. in stamps. All seeds and ^ j Trie Beans 30 Hills Potatoes 50c. Seeds § i and 70 Hills 81.00. Seeds and 250 Hills Potatoes $3.00. | H T f^ \iTf^ ^O Beautiful Watches Free to 50 customers ^ ^ -I- 'jlVC OU growing most Potatoes from 100 hills. = 1 A. G. Cook, Potato Specialist | I Hyde Park on Hudson, N. Y. | ~ {niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiil BARNES' Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circulaj saw, which is made for beekeepers' use in the construction of their hiyes, sections, etc. Machines on Trial Send tor illustrated catalog- and prices W. F. & JOHN BARNES CO 546 Ruby St ROCKFORD. ILLINOIS f^IROMAQE Farm, Garden and Orchard Tools Answer the farmers' big questions. How can I grow crops with less expense ? How can I save in plant- ing potatoes? How make high priced seed go farthest? The IRON AGE Potato Planter solves thelabor problem and makes the best use of high priced seed. Means $5 to $50 extra profit per acre. Every seed piece in its place • and only one. Saves 1 to 2 bushels seed per acre. Uni- form depth; even spacing. We make a full line of potato machinery. Send for booklet today. No Misses No Doubles BatemanM'f'gCo., Box 20B,Grenloch,N.J. Our Food Page — Continued from page 304. ey and the seasonings and cook until smooth. Pour the sauce over the beets, which have been cut in dice and heat thru. — Adapted from recipe by Fannie Merritt Farmer. BUTTERSCOTCH PIE. Vz cup water 4 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup milk 2 eggs Vt teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons pulveriz- ed sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 baked crust Put the brown sugar and water over the fire until the sugar is dissolved, add to the milk, thicken with the flour and butter rub- bed together, and then add the beaten egg yolks, the salt and cook until smooth. Pour into the crust, cover with a meringue made of the egg whites well beaten and combined with the pulverized sugar and put into the oven until lightly browned. FRUIT DUMPLINGS. 3 cups canned fruit milk 1 cup flour % teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons baking 1 tablespoon butter powder honey Put the fruit on to heat in a rather wide stew pan which has a close-fitting cover. Sift the baking powder and salt in the flour, add enough milk to make a stiff drop batter and drop from a teaspoon over the boiling hot fruit, cover and cook about 12 minutes. Serve the dumplings with the fruit for a sauce, having first added the butter to the fruit and sweetened it to taste with honey. This is a good emergency dessert as it may be prepared in a very few minutes from materials at hand in nearly every pantry. STE4MED DATE PUDDING. 3 tablespoons melted butter substitute % cup hone}- V2 cup thick sour milk about 1% cups flour ?4 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon Vs. teaspoon cloves Vz teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped dates or figs. Combine the melted butter substitute and the honey. Sift the flour and the other dry ingredients together, and add the sour milk and the flour a little at a time, alternately, until all has been used. The batter should be as stiff as cake batter. Stir in the fruit, steam two hours, and serve with pineapple hard sauce; 1 cup pulverized sugar 1/3 cup butter or butter substitute PIXE.\PPLE HARD SAUCE FOR STEAMED PUDDING. 2 or 3 tablespoons pine- apple juice drain- ed from canned pineapple. Cream the butter or substitute and the pulverized sugar thoroly together and grad- ually beat in the pineapple juice a few drops at a time. Put in a cool place to be- come firm. May, 1919 dLEANTNGS IN BEE CULTURE 335 HIIIIHIIIIIII M 'illllllllllllllllllMllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllillllll^^ We Are General Agents in Michigan for The A. I. Root Company This Means That — From us you get bee supplies of the highest quality. — Our prices are identical with theirs. — You get immediate shipping serv- ice from the center of Michigan. — We pay you Root prices for Beeswax at Lansing. — The Root aim is our aim, that of serving the interests of Mich- gan beekeepers in the best pos- sible manner. — We want to send you a copy of our 1919 catalog. A copy of the "Suburban Beekeeper's Outfit" for the asking. M. H. HUNT & SON 510 NORTH CEDAR ST. LANSING, MICH. = £||Unilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll>llll|NINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN^ ^ Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^^ 336 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 I Administrator's Sale | = W. D. Soppr's entire stock of bee aupjjlies. ^ = All hives 20 per cent off list. ^ = All No. 2 sections 15 per cent off. = 1 Write for list. 1 I H. L. Soper, Admr , Rt. 4, Jackson, Mich. | I NEW ENGLAND i BEEKEEPERS will find a complete stock ol up- = to-date supplies here. Remember we are in the = shipping center of New England. If you do not = have a 1919 catalog send for one at once. I H. H. Jepson, 182 Friend St., Boston. Mass. = TITT r^ATJTTTTTTT in selecting your Founda- § = Dili Kj.t\S\lljr U-Li ,i„„ g,„ck oj any Breed s I Rufus Red Belgian Hares | = Only Pedigreed Registered Stock. Prices Reasonable s JOSEPH BLANK i 428 Highland Ave. Mount Vernon, New York = WRITE GALLi -tODAV OF WA* Fornew 1919 Book. Save $2^B$200on Gasoline Engines.^anurejjl^readers, Oream Separators and otha^mplements. Sold direct from flctOnfr^ Our 300,000 satisfied customers prov^^^^it of ^oods and di* rect selline: system. CloseVPppin? pomt3, Mentioa implement interested in. Write today. Wm. Calloway Co., Box 767 Waterloo, Iowa ost HandLantorn A powerful portable lamp, giving a 300 candle power pure white light. Just what the farmer, d.'iiryman, stockman, etc. needs. Safe — Reliable — Economical — Absolutely Rain, Storm and Buff I proof. Bums either gasoline or kerosene. Light weight. Agents wanted. Big Profits. Write Catalog. jpj£ pEST LIGHT CO. 306 E. 5th St., Canton, O. Delivered v^'u FREE "^ Your choice of 44 styles, colore ;and sizes in the famous line of 'RANGER" bicycles, shown in full color in the big new Free Cata- loe. We pay all the freight charges from Chicago to your town. 30 Days Free Trial ^'i°The Abicycle you select, actual riding test t^^in your own town for a full month. V f Do not buy until you get our great |neui trial offer and low Factory- ' Direct-To-Rider terms and prices. TIDCC LAMPS. HORNS, pedals. I lllktf smgle wheels and repair parts for all makes of bicycles at half usual prices. No one else can 'offer such values and such terms SEND NO MONEY but write today for the big new Catalog. It's free. "Plin£YCLE COMPANY CtlUDept.G1&3, Chicago Kiamr Agontm Want9d AROUND THE OFFICE M.-A -O. Will Logge up in Wisconsin is bein per- secuted the meanest by Gleanins as I see it. At least, he 's bein shut off of publicity. The other day he sent in a advertisement as f oilers towit: "Wanted — a young lady or widow partner not over 38 years who has been, or is, interested in beekeeping, with some means, to produce honey on an exten- sive scale. Object matrimony.'' Gleanins wouldnt print it for Will Logge sayin as how they wanted Will to understand they woant no matrimony buro, and also doubtin as to whether his object woant more for the some means than for produciii honey or tyin hisself up into matrimony nots. He says ad- dress him at 2029 Brown Street, Mil- waukee. But afore any innocent girl not over 36 years old or any trustin and lonely widow under same age limits does address him I 've got somethin to say to both of em, and also to him afore he gets his foot in so far in answerin he cant pull it out no way as how perhaps he '11 want to the al- mightiest. This matrimony business is a serous thing approachin it either from the female or male side. It aint no joke by a long sight so it aint. Now lets see about Logge 's proposishun. Why's he drawin the line at 36 anyway, on both widows and young girls not over 36; Is it fair to a girl as what is from 37 to 41 or 42? Nothin but young chickens for Will Logge I guess, and it would make me suspicious of him if I had- n 't had more than 36 years experence. Oncet again, girls and widows under 36 years old, take notice how he sort a drags his bait along the bottom and right at the end and sharpest and dangerous part of the hook he put on object matrimony. He even put this after mentionin a little detail about some means bein required. That was a point to be noticed some too. I don 't know how a hook baited up that way w^ill get 36-year- old-and-under girls and widows playin round it, but I know I couldn 't get no legal size bass of compis mentus on no such baited hook as that is. But after these passin observashuns of mine, if any widow or girl not over 36 years of standard length, still young, who is interested in beekeepin past or present, with some coin, wantin to pro- duce honey and honeymoon and willin to have Logge have matrimony as a object too, wants to address him at Milwaukee, jest crack ahead. I aint got no further responsi- bility in the matter whatsoever so I haint. I feel I 've put the case up to the girls and widows fair and I aint shut Will Logge en- tirely out of Gleanins columns contrary to all princii^les of a free press and inaleenable rights guaranteed by the constitution. Oh, I was agoin to say somethin to Will too. I want to be fair, and I know somethin about matrimony I could tell him. There's a aw- ful lot about matrimony that could be said and said over several times and then said some more too. I don 't want Will as a fel- May. 1010 GLEANINGS TN BEE CULTURE 337 ler male to get the worst end of any matri- mony he may contract onto hisself, so I am tellin him now in advance he may get to corresjiondin so much with some of those 36- year-old litttle innocents tliat they wont let him go short of about ten thousand dollars, so they wont. There is worse things to be holdin tight holt on than a red-hot kitchen range, Will, and a No. 1 bear trap don 't hold no faster onto a yearlin cub than a 36-year- old female of our species sometimes holds onto a object of matrimony. Before you get to frolickin too much with 36-year-olds out on the matrimony promenade. Will, I wanted to slip you the aforesaid informashun. Now, then, just as I said to the girls and widows above, after considerin all I have said to you, crack ahead if you want to. I don 't feel no further responsibility. Praps I had orter say too. Will, if j'ou love fishin and aint strong on gardenin and are given to yieldin to temptashun, there aint no worse thing on earth than matrimony to get into. For you mix matrimony and fishin and beekeepin and gardenin and lawn mowin and a increasin family and some poverty and combine with these leadin factors in a continoosly stirrin life a disposishun to yield to temptation on nice days when fish '11 bite, and you '11 find you '11 get to tryin to lie out of it to your wife and then your self-respectin manhood will get to oozin out of you and you will get to crabbin and you never '11 be happy again atall only jest the little time you can sneak off to the creek alone and that ends allays at sundown — and then you gotta go home and face it again. I. tell you. Will, if you love fishin forever shun matrimony as a object. Don't ever again, if you are a true fisherman, think of advertisin it as a object at least. It aint no object whatsoever to a fisherman, so it aint. But now havin said so much, and havin let you into my department when they shut you out of classified ads, I say again, crack ahead if you want to. I feel I done my duty. * * * E. E. Mott of Glenwood, Mich., wrote to a beekeeper friend as follers: "The real bee men are nice fellows, ' ' and he goes on to say as how some stranger at a beekeep- ers' convention at Grand Eapids, Mich., stepped up to him and said beekeepers ' con- ventions was the only ones where he never saw discord come up — nothin more than keen interest. Oh! bi sulphide, where 's Mott been to a beekeejjers' convention anyhow? Has he ever attended one in Wisconsin or the Western New Yorkers' association? If he aint he better not. When they all get to talkin at oncet includin the deliberative presidin ofiicer it may not jest be discord exactly but it 's a time when everybody present is keen interested of course and knows he or she is exactly right and nobody else is and he or she is sayin so emphatic. If the same sort o thing happened at my house I wouldnt probably say it was discord {Continued on paue 340.) WANTED Collectors of Flowers The undersigned desires the services of collectors of the flowers of honey plants in the Southern and Western States, either boys, girls, men or women. The desire is to obtain fresh flowers from the above States to be photographed natural size. They should be packed and shipped as follows: Select flowers which have recently opened or are still in bud. Wrap the ends of the stems in damp cotton or moss and tie firmly in place. Pack in wooden boxes, lined with waxed paper (pasteboard boxes will break). Fill in the empty space with cotton or other soft material to prevent the flowers shaking about and being spoiled. Wrap the box in paper and mail by parcel post, insured. I will pay postage, cost of packing ma- terial and also a fair price for collecting. Write at once for further particulars. The flowers of any rare honey plant especially desired. Mail no flowers without writing me first. John H.Lovell, Waldoboro, Me. ;^iiiiiin!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiininiiiii:iiii:iii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii| I I Have about 300 Two and Three Pound | I Packages of Bees for Sale | I with Untested Italian Queens | 1 I ship bees on one comb of brood and 1 1 honey. My eight years' experience has prov- E i ed to me "that this is the most satisfactory § § way of shipping live bees. E i Two-pound package with queen $5.00 | i Thre«-pound package with queen 6.00 e I The above is for May delivery. | E Queons, per doz., $10.00; per 100 or more, = E $85.00. The above are three-banded stock e = only. For Canadian orders add $1.00 per p i package. Absolutely freei from disease. Safe = 1 delivery and satisfaction guaranteed. E 1 OSCAR MAYEUX. Bx. 15, Hamburg, La. | "QTT'T^Q We furnish full colonies of Italian JjJ_jJli»5 ''^^s in double-walled hives, single- walled hives, and shipping boxes; 3- frame nucleius colonies, and bees by the pound. Tested Italian queen, $2.00; untested, $1.50. I.J.STRINGHAM, GLEN COVE,N. Y. Distributors Root's Goods | FOR PENNSYLVANIA | Send for new special catalog featuring the "Simplex" p Super, and giving infltructiona to beginners = Prothero, Bailey & Goodwin ^^ubois | 338 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE s'viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiN May, 1919 1 w ?oRTH^oF Bee Supplies BEE -SUPPLIES FALCON LINE We carry the largest supply in our section. Send us your inquiries. Lcrwest Prices, S^uality Considered C. C. demons Bee Supply Co. 128 Grand Ave. KANSAS CITY, MO. 1 All boxed ready to ship at once ; 275,000 | I Hoffman frames, also Jumbo and Shallow | I frames, of all kinds, 100 and 200 in a box. | i Big stock of Sections, and fine polished 1 i Dovetailed Hives and Supers. I can give 1 j you big bargains. Send for a new price | i list. I can save you money. = g Will Taki Biiswax in Tradi at = S Hiehtit Marktt Prici. S I Charles Mondeng | j 146 Newton Ave., N. Minneapolis, Minn. | ^>iiiiiiiiiiii[iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii{iiiiiiNiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiininniriiiiiiiii!Niiiiii Established 1885 It will pay you to get our cata- log and order early. Beekeepers' Supplies The Kind You Want and The Kind That Bees Need. The A. I. Eoot Co.'s brand. A good assort- ment of supplies for prompt shipment kept in stock. Let us hear from you; full in- formation given to all inquiries. Bees- wax wanted for supplies or cash. John Nebel & Son Supply Co. High Hill, Montgomery Co., Mo. REWARD GOOD TILL MAY 20TH 15ADE RIGFfr THE KRETCHMER MAN'FACTUR'G CO. '"" """ "" Department G """"""""" """"■" COUNCIL BLUFFS. IOWA FIND THE MIS- TAKE IN OUR NEW CATALOG No. 114 Look thru that catalog right now (if you haven't a cop3^ ask us for one), when you find the mistake write us about it, make out your order for sup- plies and keep 2 per cent of the amount of the bill as Your Reward. The time is limited. Hunt up that mistake now, while you're thinking about it. illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllH^ Mav. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 339 PATENTED Wrio;ht's Frame -Wiring Device Most rapid in use. Saves co't of iiiacliine in one dav. . Tighter wires; no kinks; no sore hands. G. B. Lewis Company, Watertown, Wisconsin ^IROHAGE GARDEN TOOLS Answer the "war gardener's" big question: How can I produce the most food in spare moments? How meet increased costs and war taxes? IRON AGE^ll^^l'^f ana CultWalor Easy to push, fast, thor- ougrh. low incost. Opens and covers furrow for seed and fertilizer. Cul- tivates wide or narrow rows. Turns ?oi! and cov- ers scratch foods in poul- try yards. 30 other Iron Age Combinations. Send for free booklet today, and learn how to garden the modern, easy way. BatemanM'f ffCo.jBox 20-?, Grtnloch.N.J. I A T'TT IVrT'C Practice in Patent Office and ConrU 'A 1 Hjil 1 O Patent Counnel of The A. I. Root Co. Chas. J. Williamson, McLachlan Building, WASHINGTON. D. C. f? 99 Special Crops ed to the Growing and Marketing of Ginseng, Golden Seal, Seneea Root, Belladonna, and otn A high -class il- lustrated month- ly journal devot- aega J 1.00 per year Sample copy 10c. er unusual crops Address Special Crops, Box G, Skaneateles, New York GET YOUR CHURN FREE 17,0UU Leader Chui ns,in use all over i^^ the country, have removtd the ^^ dread of churning day by saving 5 j time and labor. They make more ard — better butter; 5000 ursthcited tetti- I! m nials. A.N. HoUis.Lawrenceburg. ~ Tenn. says: "Cliurnirg was a burd< n — until we got the Leader. Now the S children c y tochim. WecMnchirn ~ in3 or 4 m nute-.." Special dasli — sit el " frame— litht weight— easily cleaned. !! Lasts a Lifetime S Sol(3und:r two plars. Simplyorder ~ atrial churn now, without set dug — _ any money; then, when satiffed at pa ~ end of thirty days, rem t the price shown below, or 2 — take orders fro-n your frirn''s and Irt your comni - — S sions pay for your churn, thus securing your Leader _ ~ Churn Free. = I — IQGal. $5.001 — irGal. $5,501 |l|Gal.$l Jchur'll-Z L] ChurnBS ^Cl Ch„r — I IW Gallons ' '** Gallons ' '"* Gallf — tianfl Hit Mnnou Order direct frr.m this Adv.checklnE Bi S Semi No Money P^d ct frr.1 canted. Yl., mer SKents take trial orders, no money needed. $6.00 = checkiPK eizo of ^ xpreBs charge only, " Novelty Mfg. Co., Box 722 Abingdon, III. CHURNS IN 3 MINUTES iiiiiiiioiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ II IF GOODS ARE WANTED QUICKLY || 11 I SEND TO ST. LOUIS I 11 = 1 I Indications just now are very favorable for a good season; but we are, of | 1 g j I I course, at the mercy of weather conditions. A good season means an ex- | | g M I I cessive demand for the line which we handle, and we mention this, urging | | g g i I our friends to place their orders before the goods are really needed, that | i = g I I none may be disappointed. I | g jl 1 WE CARRY ROOT'S GOODS I || g I I and sell at their prices; and considering this as a shipping-point, we can | | = si I save you time and freight by having your orders come to this house. If I | g I I I you are new to the business we should like to explain that Eoot's goods | \ g I I I are the very best that can be produced. If you have been using THE EOOT | | g = 1 I LINE you will recognize the truthfulness of the above and will want more i | g g I I of the same goods- Promptness in filling orders is the motto here. We also | I g M i i give small orders the same careful attention that is given to large I | g = I I orders. Let us have the pleasure of mailing j-ou our free catalog. | ; J 1 1 I BL ANKE SUPPLY & MFG. COMPANY | 1 1 I I \ ST. LOUIS, MO. ^ 1 1 liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE May, 1919 Around the Office — Continued from p- 337. for I couldn't get a word in edge wise but I would keep thinkin it sounded somethin like discord and come over to the office here to oncet to get away from it. But probably it aint the same in a beekeepers ' conven- tion. It is jest keen interest there. It 's the same thing as when Mel Pritchard and lony Fowls and Ernie Eoot get keen inter- ested in some beekeepin topic in Gleanins office. It stops work out in the business of- fice for people as has to work with figgers like to be able to hear themselves think at times. But I guess Mott and his friend are right about it praps, and there is only high tenshun accord and keen interest in a beekeepers' convention. Anyhow, when I hear the old cat a screamin and meaowin and a spittin and a howlin and a whoopin it up Willyum Eiley over at my house next time just cause the old coon dog has got holt of her dorsal porshuns and is chewin considerable there, I aint goin to worry about its bein discord so I aint. It aint discord atall. Its only a case where they are both interested the almightiest in contemporanus events, and I am jest goin to think of the interest at beekeepers ' con- ventions and go on diggin angle worms and try to get down to the creek afore somebody with considerable inflooence at my place ap- pears at the backdoor and says the lawn needs mowin again when you 've got the potatoes hoed. * » * H. B. Bartlett-Miller of Kihikihi, Wai- kato, N. Z., writes me he's a big beekeeper and New Zealand has the best trout fishin in the world as trout average about 8 lbs. in season. That aint kind, Mr. Miller, special- ly if you aint drawin a long bow on N. Z. trout sizes. Its gettin nice bass weather here now and my garden aint planted and I dont need to be reminded anythin about fishin for my peace of mind. You neednt sencl any more fishin news so you neednt unless you see that it gets here about mid- winter or sometime when my lovin wife is absent from home or when my garden is all made and hoed fine. I have enough tempta- shun in Rocky Creek right near home to ras- sle with this time of year allays without havin 8-lb. trout in New Zealand thrown up to me. Bi sulphide tho I wish I was helpin Mr. Miller in his apiary this comin trout season. « » * As the squash bug season is a loomin on the garden horizen again I guess I better let Eobt. Elwell of Rumford, R. I., into my dept. to say the follerin: "Tell Steve T. Byington that Massachusetts isn 't free of bugs, yet I alternately dusted with wood ashes and sprayed with pyrox all last sum- mer and still had squash bugs left. They were thicker than hair on a dog (haven 't counted fleas)." Let me tell you, Mr. El- well, you aint got nothin in the way of pisen or other destroyin substances that you can pile onto a squash bug that wont make him grow prosperous and feel better. I've got down to "Uncle Amos's" system of hand ]>it'kin em. It works tho it does bring on backache and language. * « * That man L. L. Andrews out at Corona, Calif., one of the biggest beekeepers any- where, is attractin my affecshun for he seems to be a feller traveler to the grave as what has human feelins and has a heart. He writes me to the follerin effect: "Why is it that when a fellow just gets so much NEC- ESSARY bee work that he don't know TRADE NOTES CHANGE or LOCATION OF THE A. I. EOOT CO.'S BRANCH OFFICE AT CHICAGO. The Chicag'o branch of The A. I. Root Co., on May 1, will be removed from its present location at 215 W. Ohio St., to the 7th floor of the new Bauer Building at 224-230 W. Huron St., 4 blocks north of present location. This new location can be reached over the same surface lines or by way of the Northwestern Elevated, getting off at Chicago Ave. Station and walking 2 blocks south. I. F. Miller's Strain Italian Queen BEES FOR SALE. Now booking orders for prompt delivery. By return mail after June 15th or your money back. Northern bred, for bueiness, from my best SUPERIOR BREEDERS; gentle, roll honey in, hardy, winter well, not inclined to swarm, leather-colored or three-banded. Queens a specialty; twenty- five years breeding experience. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Untested, $1.00: 6, $5 50; 12, $10.00. Select untested, $1.25; 6, $6.75; 12, $12.00. I. F. MILLER, Rt 2, Brookville, Pennsylvania Complete Line of Beekeepers' Supplies | Catalog on Request = F. Coombs & Sons, Brattleboro,Vt. | GOLDEN QUEENS After April 1: Untested, $1.25 each, 6 for $7.00, or $13.00 per dozen, or 50 for $48; also 3-band untested at same price ; tested, $3.00 each, and my very best at $5.00 each. Satisfaction. R. O. Cox, Rt. 4, Greenville, Alabama Positively the cheapest and strongest light on earth. Used in every country on the globe. Maiies and burns its own gas. Casts no shadows. Clean and odorless. Absolutely safe. Over 200 styles. 100 to 2000 Candle Power. Fully Guaranteed. Write for catalog. AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE. THE BEST LIGHT CO. ^ 306 E. 5th St., Canton. O. May, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE which way to turn, the wcatlior is just ideal and liis longings are just riveted on that tiout stream where those big fellows are just biting ' seandalous ' ? Seems nothing but a few days 'neath cooling shade beside rush- ing water ' will again put him in normal con- dition to properly care for the bees." The only difference atween me and Andrews as beekeepers is that he keeps his longins riveted on the creek while I unrivet em and get down onto the creek myself, bees or no bees, swarms or no swarms. I get more fish that way than by keepin my longins tight riveted. I aint mucli for keepin fishin longins riveted. « * « Thanks to whoever that feller was down in Greenwich, Conn., who sent me all them tracts on "Hell." They're jest what I need at this fishin and gardenin time of year. The more I get scared into doin as what I orter do in May and June the better for me. Its a tryin time to a fisher- man-beekeeper and a time when his new years resolutions has generally got prettj' wobbly. Some regeneratin beekeeper down near Northampton in Mass. might send me a few of Preacher Jonathan Edwards' pulpit pichers of the hereafter as what you dont want. They say there aint no better for morally bracin totterin human natur. If anybody else has any literatoor about the present or more especially the hereafter as will keep a fisherman beekeeper tendin his bees in May and June when he orter, send it on. It'll be better for my garden too. * * » I sometimes get a opportunity to snoop around in Gleanins waste basket when Wilyum brings it out of the editorial den to dump it in the big waste paper catchall. These investigations of mine has led me to believe they don 't print all what is sent em. For instance, Edw. McCoy up at Eiver- dale, Mich., wrote em somethin as they did- n 't seem to value sufficient to print. Here is jest exactly what it was: "My time for Gleanings has expired this month, so I will say stop it. They have been trying to make it better and spoiled it to my notion. Been nothing much but wintering and feeding all the fall in it. I don't have to feed and have wintered for a long while, so don't have to read about it every month, and the writers have chewed the rag so long they ought to be handed a fresh one so as to have some- thing fresh to chew on. Stop it now." I pulled that jule of feelin frankness out of the waste basket, so I did, and give it to the waitin public. It orter do the editors some good. I hope McCoy will write some more. But I bet the Gleanins waste basket will be used more careful in the future. Classified Advertisements Received Late. FOR SALE. — Three-banded leather-colored Ital- ians, of the celebrated Moore strain with tested queens, reared last season, in eight-frame Langstroth hives, at $12.00 a colony. .lohn Hutchinson, Lake City, R. D. No. 2, Mich. One of the best queen breeders in the United States is now raising queens for us from selected leather-colored Italians. We ol¥er warranted queens at $1 each or $90 per hundred. Tested queens, $2 each. Satisfaction and safe delivery guaranteed. Queens ready May 25. Order now as our supply is limited. The Foster Honey & Mercantile Co., Boulder, Colo. FOR SALE. — 3000 cases, practically new 5-gallon cans, used once, at 50c a case. Waher C. Morris, 105 Hudson St., New York. FOR SALE. — ^150 section cases nailed up with glass front holding 20 4x5 sections each, at 20c each ; 40 ten-frame Dovetailed full-depth bodies with full drawn combs built on full sheets foundation, wired Hoffman frames at $2.00 each. Hyde Bee Co., Floresville, Tex. FOR SALE.— Leather-colored untested Italian queens, June and July, $1.00 each, 6 for $5.00. J. M. Ciitts, Montgomery, R. D. No. 1, Ala. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii MASON BEE SUPPLY COMPANY MECHANIC FALLS, MAINE From 1897 to 1918 the Northeastern Branch of The A. I. Root Company Prompt and Efficient Service BECAUSE— Only Root's Goods are sold. It is a business with us — not a side line. Eight mails daily. Two lines of railway. If you have not received 1919 catalog, send naine at once. mm BY MAI u. I ISTANCE is no hindrance to saving money BY MAIL with this large safe bank, at 4 per cent compound interest. I ey A. I No matter where you copy of our interesting live, send today for a booklet " Banking by 'li THE SAVINGS DEPOSIT BANK Co. A.T.SPITZER, Pres. E.R.ROOT.YicePres. E.B.SPITZER,Cash. MEDINAOHIO 342 GLEANINGS IN BEECULTURE May, 1919 (iRONJm GARDEN TOOLS Aimrer the farmer's big Question!! How can I have a eood garden with least expense? How can the wife have plenty of fresh vejetables for the borne table with least labor ( This Hill or Drill Seeder and Wheel Hoe Combined solvej the garden labor problem. Takes the place of many tools — stored in small space. >\vs, covers.' cultivates, weeds, ridges, etc.. better than old-time tools. A woman, boy or girl can push it and do a day'i band-work in 60 minutci. ^^ Many com- ^J^lk^^r> i Italian Northern-bred queens. Very gentle and hardv- Great workers. Un- tested, $1; 6 for $5. Circular on appli- cation. Queens delivered after June 1. I O. E. Tulip, Arlington, Rhode Island § 56 Lawrence Street P,iiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini!iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiii I i The genuine " Quality " kind of 3-band | i I Italians — bred strictly for business, i i i Write for circular. = I I J. Ivan Banks, Dowelltown, Tenn. 1 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ *' falcon'' iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliii^ Your Duty — Do You Know It? It is to get ready for the coming season and be ready for the first honey flow. This will net you profits. Prepare your bees for a big year and take no chances. Get the best to do with and have the best results. Our Duty — Do We Know It ? We get the beekeepers ready for the big season. Supply them with the best of everything with which to work and get the best results. Send us a list of your requirements for quotation. TO DELAY MEANS LOSS TO YOU. "Falcon" service cannot be beat. Catalog and Simplified Beekeeping on request. W. T. Falconer Manufacturing Company Falconer, New Yo r k "where the best bee hives come from." '* falcon'' iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ .MRKEK^ Weeds and Mulches WEEDER,MULCHER CULTIV/U-QR In One Operation DOES BETTER WORK THAN A HOE — TEN j TIMES AS FAST— SAVES TIME AND LABOR, | THE TWO BIG EXPENSE ITEMS — EASY TO | OPERATE. I FREE — Illustrated Book and Factory-to-User Offer j We want every garden grower to know just how this marvelous machine will make ^ his work easier and increase his profits. So we have prepared a book showing / photographs of it at work and fully describing its principle. Explains how , steel blades, revolving against a stationary knife (like a lawn mower) ^ destroy the weeds and at the same time break up the crust and clods '"'^ and pulverize the surface into a level, moisture-retaining mulch. ^ BARKER "Best Weed Killer Ever Used" / LEAF GUAEDS— The Barker gets close to the plants. Cuts runners. Has leaf guards; also easily attached shovels - Dept. 10 DAVID CITY, NEB. for deeper cultivation-HmA-i/zr; three garden tools in one. / postpaid ™o"rTre?bo1,k Tnd A boy can use it. Five sizes. Send today for __ _ - book, free and postpaid. y^ Factorvto-User Offer. BARKER MANUFACTURING CO. Dept. 10 David City, Nebraska Name y State Town R. R. No. Box '(Jo'liai' l.s '•Sacrlri- jli.ui fioiuy '//, The Man behind the Root Line An Unprecedented Demand For Iloney-extractors, due to the high prices of extracted honey, has made it necessary for us to more than double our output for these machines. Still we cannot keep up with orders. If you an- ticipate buying an extractor this year, get your order in at once. Prices will NOT be Reduced this Season j THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Medina, ohio j B New York Chicago Philadelphia San Francisco Los Angeles M M St. Paul Indianapolis Norfolk | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ BEEKEEPERS!! Beware of an over-production of extracted honey and an under- production of comb honey. Those of you who are equipped for COMB HONEY -STICK TO IT! BUY LEWIS SECTIONS MILLIONS IN STOCK NOW WAITING FOR YOUR ORDERS If you have never used LEWIS SEC- TIONS ask your neighbor about them LOOK FOR THE B E E WARE BRAND BEWARE WHEREYOU BUY YOUR BEEWARE W/VISJ l±=i li=i MAKES THE FINEST. ANNOUNCEMENT ADDITION TO THE BEEWARE FAMILY Follovviiig the Lewis Policy of co-operation between manufacturer and Beekeeper, we are glad to announce the active connection with our com- pany of Mr. Kennith Hawkins, bee specialist, who for seventeen months was in charge of bee culture extension work in the fifteen Southern States for the I'liited States De- partment of Agriculture under Dr. E. F. Phillips at Washington. The subject of this announce- ment, altho a younger member of the beekeeping fraternity, has been devoting his entire time to bee culture as a livelihood since 1909. He is well known to many beekeepers as formerly the breeder of ' ' Quality Hill ' ' queen bees at Plainfield, Il- linois, and has an acquaintance with hundreds of l)eekeepers in the South, as well as in the middle West, thru his extension work in bee culture with the United States Government. At present Mr. Hawkins owns or operates apiaries in Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin. He will devote his entire time to the service of the G. B. Lewis Company and will handle bee-culture problems in their relation to the manufacture of bee supplies and will be ever ready to answer any queries on bee culture which may be sent to the office of the G. B. Lewis Co., or any of their distributors. G. B. Lewis Co., Watei town. Wis. ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy I Ci^bamnga tn Mtt (Unltnxt | = Vol. XLVII JUNE 1919 No. 6 m A FAIR SWARM CONTROLLER T T i M P T T NT P T Q Q \Y7 A D \A T KT G TIME fi? Illllll We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. Do not sell nntil you have seen us. We will pay you spot cash for any thing you sell us. Get our prices on cans and cases. Los Angeles Honey Co. 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts Los Angeles, California Telephones; Home 10419, Main 5606 Dixie Beekeeper The first edition of this 32-page Bee Journal is now out, cover- ing the whole Dixieland, con- taining the very best our indus- try has to offer here. We ask for your subscription one dollar a year. Sample copy free. I Dixie Beekeeper . Waycross, Ga. Beeswax Wanted In big and small shipments to keep Buck 's Weed-pro- cess foundation factory go- ing. We have greatly in- creased the capacity of our plant for 1918. We are paying higher jjrices than ever for wax. - We work wax for cash or on shares. Root's Bee -supplies Big stock, wholesale and retail. - Big catalog free. Carl F. Buck The Comb-foundation Specialist Augusta, Kansas Established 1899 m PRODUCE MORE COMB HONEY S 3 Use The M I Lotz 1-Piece Section | I THE KIND That DOES NOT BREAK | I IN FOLDING i = We niaimfacture millions of .sections each W g year and therefore can fill your needs at ^ g all times. ^ = We also carry a complete line of other Bee M ^ Supplies. Send us your inquiries and we = ^ will be pleased to quote your our best price. ^ g 0>n- 1919 catalog free for the asking g B Aiioiiist Lotz Co., Boyd, Wisconsin | "Griggs Saves You Freight" TOLEDO Do jow realize, Mr. Beeman, that the first of March has pass- ed? June will soon be here with its usual hustle and bustle for Bee Supplies. Why not send us your order now and get the goods wanted? Don't delay. A list of goods wanted, brings prices back by re- turn mail. BEESWAX We use large quantities. Cash or in exchange for supplies. Free catalog ready to mail. S. J. GRIGGS & CO.. I Dept. No. 25 Toledo, Ohio | "Griggs Saves You Freight." g lllllllllllllllllllllll .llNK, 1919 (i L K A N I N G S IN BEE C U I. T II R E JUNE, 1919 Honey Markets 348.349 Editorials 353-354 More California Notes E. R. Root 355-357 The Spirit of the Hive Belva M. Demuth 357-359 Profitable Outyards J. M. Buchanan 359-361 Anne Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers Grace Allen 362-363 Bees vs. Skunks ." Orel L. Hershiser 364-365 Swarm Prevention E. S. Miller 365-366 Prevention of Swarming Geo. Shiber 366-367 Another Swarm Prevention C. L. N. Pearson 367 Stray Straws Dr. C. C. Miller 368-369 Siftings J. E. Crane 370 Our Food Page Staney Puerden 371-372 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 373-374 From North, East, West, and South 375-378 Are Our Apiaries Too Large and Too Far Apart? T. W. Riggs 379 Treatment of Laying-Worker Colony Archie S. Lane 379 Two Colonies of Wild Bees M. L. Dodson 379-380 Swarmed on His Head J. C. Howell 380 A Californian on California Conditions A. Norton 380 A Jab Here and a Jab There C. E. Fowler 380-381 Bees, Men, and Things 382 Just News 383 The Best From Others lona Fowls 384-385 Gleaned by Asking lona Fowls 386-387 Talks to Beginners lona Fowls 388-391 Our Homes A.I. Root 392-395 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. — One year, $1.00; two years, $1.75; three years, $2.50; five years, $4.00. t^ingle copy 10 cents. Canadian subscription, 15 cents additional per year, and foreign subscription, 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscriptions, not paid in advance, ort specifically ordered by the subscriber to lie continued, will be stopped on Pixpiration. No subscriber will be run into debt by us for this journal. CHANGE OF ADDRESS. — Give your old addre.ss as well as the new and write the name to which the .iournal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Should be sent by postoffice money order, bank draft, express money order, or check. CONTRIBUTIONS to G-LEAXINGS column,? solicited; stamps should be enclosed to insure return to author of manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES. — Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkably satisfac- tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY. — The publishers use utmost diligence to estab- lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser using space in this journal. Entered as second class mail matter at the Postoffice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly. Space occupied by reading matter in this issue, 69.3 per cent; advertising, 30.7 per cent. THE A. 1. ROOT COMPANY, Publishers, Medina, Ohio Editorial Staff E. R. ROOT Editor A. L ROOT Editor Home Dept. lONA FOWLS Assistant Editor H. G. ROWE Managing Editor GLEANINGS IN BEE C IM. T U K E -luxE, 1919 HERE IS A REPRODUCTION OF Muth's New Home in Cincinnati Antieipatiny the wants of the trade ami to meet the demands of our customers, we are now located at Pearl and Walnut Streets, carrying tremendous stocks — making this the largest Honev House in the country. WHY YOU SHOULD BUY NOW! We advise you to buy your bee' supplies now. You not only get the benefit of favorable market conditions, but you are assured of immediate delivery. There Will be no disappointment if you send your order for bee supplies to MUTH NOW. MUTH'S ADVANTAGES! We sell at factory prices, save you freight avd give you the finest bee supplies manufactured. LEWIS BEEWARE DADANT'S FOUNDATION ROOT'S SMOKERS, EXTRACTORS, ETC. Our new 1919 catalog sent for the mere asking. Drop us a card now! OLD COMBS AND CAPPINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We pay you the highest market price for beeswax, and charge you but 5c per pound for the wax rendered. It pays to send us your old combs and cappings. WANTED, COMB HONEY. Comb and Extracted Honey find ready sales here. Tell us what j'ou have. We buy beeswax at high prices. Always glad to reply to inquiries. We will appreciate a visit from j^ou. When in the city come and see us. THE FRED W. MUTH COMPANY Pearl and Walnut Sts. 'The Busy Beemen'' Cincinnati, Ohio ll'NK, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 347 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Bee Supplies Bee Supplies Service and Quality Order your supplies early so as to have everything ready for the honey flow, and save money by taking advantage of the early-order cash discount. Send for our cat- log; better still, send us a list of your sup- plies and we will be pleased to quote you. C. H. W. WEBER & CO. 2146 CENTRAL AVE. CINCINNATI, OHIO •lllllll. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli IllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllliP. lllllllllllillilllllilllililliillllilllliiiy WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT SUPERIOR FOUNDATION Allow us to state that we have never met Mr. Gosvenor, and this testimonial comes to us entirely unsolicited. We have never gone so far as to advertise that the ''bees take to ours first," but we are pleased to note that Mr. Gosvenor's bees took to ours first. This verifies our own exhaus- tive experiments whereby we have prov- ed that any such faculty among the bees is determined entirely by local conditions, such as the freshness of foundation used, the weight of the sheets, the nature of the honey flow, etc. We do claim, however, that our "SUPERIOR" Foundation is not surpassed in quality by any other make, SUPERIOR HONEY CO., OGDEN, UTAH (MANUFACTURERS OF WEED PROCESS FOUNDATION) READ THE FOLLOWING f | iiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:ii | ^ Nampa, Idaho, Mar. 12, 1919 | 1 Superior Honey Co., \ = Ogden, Utah. I g Dear Sirs: — I am shipping | J you 62 pounds of beeswax. | M Please manufacture it into I = Medium Brood Foundation. I I M don 't want any better than i | you made me last year, as niij | g ?>ee.s- took to yours first. Kindly f M give me an estimate of nuni- f g ber of sheets, as I want to get I g enough for 100 hives. i | Yours truly, i g GEO. GOSVENOR. I M llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllll^^^ 348 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 HONEY MARKETS The past mouth shows no decided change in the honey market. There is little demand and prices remain about the same. From reasons stated on the editorial page, how- ever, there is hope that prices may begin to pick up somewhat. U. S. G-overnment Market Reports. HOMCY ARRIVALS SINCE LAST RKPORT. Medina, O., and Keokuk, la. — No arrivals. Hamilton, 111. — 150 lbs. arrived. SHIPPING POIXT INFOR.MATION. Los Angeles, Calif. — Warm, clear. Practically no demand, no sales reported of old crop which is practically cleaned up. Light supplies of new stock are just arriving, but too few sales to es- tablish market. Beeswax: less than carlots, 38c peir lb. San Francisco, Calif. — Too few sales to establish market. TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. (The prices quoted in this report, unless otherwise stated, represent the price at which the "wholesale carlot receivers " sell to the " jobbers." Arrivals include receipts during preceding two weeks. Prices represent current quotations. New York. — Imported: 138 barrels West Indies, 922 barrels Mexico, arrivals incomplete. Exports : 690 cases, 240 barrels to France, 888 barrels to Sweden, 50 barrels to Denmark, 65 cases to Nor- way. Practically no demand, market unsettled and weak, very few sales. Sales to jobber: extracted. Western, per lb., light amber 13-15c, white 15-17c. Porto Rican and Cuban, $1.251. 50 per gallon. New York State, buckwheat and clover, no sales re- ported. Beeswax: imported, 150 bags from South Pacific ports. Demand and movement improving, market firm. Sales to jobbers: per lb., dark 37-38c, light 38-40C, mostly 39c. Denver. — No carlot arrivals. Supplies moderate. Demand and movement very slow, market dull, little change in prices. Sales to jobbers: extracted, Colo- rado white 18c per lb. Beeswax, cash to producer 36c per lb. Chicago. — No carlot arrivals, no cars on track. Demand slow, movement draggy, market weak. Sales to jobbers: Northern and W^estern, extracted, per lb. white 17-20C, light amber 15-16c. Comb, siip- plies very light. No. 1, 24-section cases $7.00-7.25. St. Paul. — Supplies cleaning up. Demand and movement verv slow, market steady, no change in prices. Sales' direct to retailers; comb. Western, 24-section cases, fancy white $7.25. Extracted, fancv Western 60-lb. cans 25c per lb. Cincinnati. — No arrivals. Extracted, supplies liberal. Practically no demand, market weak, no sales. Comb, supplies practically exhausted. No jobbing sales. Beeswax: supplies moderate. Demand and movement good, market steady. Sales to job- bers, pure isellow 42-4 5c per lb. Minneapolis. — Supplies cleaning up. Demand and movement very slow, market steady, no change in prices. Sales direct to retailers: comb. Western, 24-.section cases fancy white $7.25. Extracted, Western, 60-lb. cans fancy 20-23c per lb. Kansas City.- — lApproximately 75 packages by freight arrived. Supplies moderate. Demand slow, movement draggy, market dull, little change in prices. Sales to jobbers: comb. No. 1, light, 24- section flat cases, Colorado, $6.50, Missouris $7.50- 8.00. Extracted, Colorado, 16c per lb. Beeswax, 3b-35c per lb. Philadelphia. — No arrivals since last report. Practically no demand or movement. Too few sales to establish market. St. Louis. — ^Supplies moderate. Demand and movement slow, market dull. Sales to jobbers: ex- tracted, per lb.. Southern amber in barrels 15c, in cans 18-20C. Comb, practically no supplies on mar- ket no sales reported. Beeswax: prime, 35c per lb. Cleveland. — Supplies light. Demand and movch ment slow, market steady, little change m prices Few sales Sales to wholesale confectioners and bakers: extracted. Western 60-lb. tins white clover 20-24C per lb. EXPORT DISTRIBUTION OP HONEY MAJIOH 2Z-dl. Total 460.274 lbs.: to Denmark, 117,644: to France' 59,150; to Sweden, 58,730; to United Kingdom, 218,050 ; to Canada and Newfoundland, 3,045; to West Indies, 1,362; to all others, 2,293 lbs. Charles J. Brand, Chief of Bureau. Washington, D. C, May 14. General Quotations of Wholesalers. [These firms are asked to quote the whole- sale price they make to retailers. Accord- ingly their prices must be figured at least one profit higher than the price paid the pro- ducer. The large dealers do not quote prices in print that they will pay futurely to pro- ducers.] NEW YORK. — We quote from several of the leading honey dealers in New York City, under date of May 15: " Our market is quiet and lower prices are gen- erally expected. Extracted honey, amber in barrels, $1.50 per gallon. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 37-38C." ■' The market still going lower. Nevertheless, some exportation has been done, but the markets abroad have declined also. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 15c; light amber in cans 14c, in barrels 9c; amber in cans 12c, in barrels 8c . Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 36c." " Modeirate supply of white extracted. Large stocks of foreign amber in barreks. Demand slow. Many inquiries for export, but few sales. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 17 ; light amber in cans 15c, in barrels $1.25; amber in barrels $1.15. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 35-37c." LIVERPOOL. — Since our last report the market has gone from bad to worse and what honey has been sold has been of the poorer grades, about 10 tons West Indian having been sold at 16-18c per lb., and a similar quantity of Chilian at 17.8c per lb. These sales have been made by first hand importers. The market is further made worse by outside specu- lators who have be«n operating during the past year and were caught at the fall of the market with stocks on hand, which they have placed on the market. This action has naturally tended to make the market weaker than it otherwise! should have been. The future, however, does not look rosy, as buyers are making still lower offers for future ship- ments. Extracted honey is therefore worth on the spot here 16 cents per lb. In beeswax there is no change to report. The value of good gi'ade is about 42 to 43 cents per lb. Taylor & Co. Liverpool, England, Apr. 26. ST. LOUIS. — Our honey market is very dull and unsettled. Practically no demand. Very little comb honey here but liberal supplies of extracted. Quo- tations nominal. Comb honev, fancy, per case, $6.50; No. 1, $5.50. Extracted, light amber, in cans 16-18c; amber, in cans 14-16c, in barrels 12- 14c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 35c. R. Hartman Produce Co. St. Louis, Mo., May 16. KANSAS CITY. — Comb honey, supply light and demand light. Extracted, supply heavy and de- mand light. Light amber, in cans 16c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 35c. C. C. Clemons Produce Co. Kansas City, Mo., May 16. PHOENIX. — Daily inquiries are coming in for prices on honey. Quite a few have, extracted and have honey on the market to sell but are holding. Some are selling at $15 per case on account of wanting money. L. M. Lossing. Phoenix, Ariz., May 15. CHICAGO. — ^There is practically no comb of- fered. Extracted remains in a waiting attitude, sales being in a single package way and very little demand for any, aside from the best grades of white clover and alsike. Comb honey, extra fancy, per case $8.00. per lb. 35c; fancy per case $7.50, per lb. 33c; No. 1, per case $7.00; No. 2. per case $6.00. Extracted honey, white, per lb. 16-18c; light amber, in cans 14-i5c, in barrels 13c; amber, in cans 10c, in barrels 9c. Beeswax per lb., 35-37c. R. A. Burnett & Co. Chicago, 111., May 15. ; June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 349 TEXAS. — -A ready sale as • quality is good, the only about one-half expected crop will be secured from buajilla on account of too much rain, also weak colonies. Comb honey, extra fancy, bulk 20e. Extracted, white, per lb. 18c. Clean, averaije yellow beeswax, per lb. .Sfic. J. A. Simmons. Sabinal, Tex., May 13. PORTLAND. — Practically no demand for honey at present, in spite of large stocks held at high prices. Prospects are good for honey crop if noth- ing happens. Comb honev, extra fancy, per case, $8.00; fancy, $7.50; No. " 1, $7.00; No. 2, $6.50. Extracted honey, white, per lb. 18c; light amber, in cans, 16e; amber, 15c. Beeswax, none offered. Portland, Ore., May 12. S. J. Fasching. BEES HAMILTON. — Honey moving very slowly just now. Some is offering from apiaries; but no en- couragement to buy, the way trade is. Extracted honey, white, per lb. in cans, 25c; light amber, in cans, 22c. F. W. Pearman Co., Ltd. Hamilton, Ont., Mav 16. MONTREAL. — Stocks ample. Demand is im- proving' on all line.s. Comb honey, extra fanev, in case, 32c; fancy, 30c; No. 1, 28c; No. 2, 25c." Ex- tracted, white, per lb., 25c; light amber, in cans 22c, in barrels 21c; amber, in cans 21c, in barrels 20c. Gunn, Langlois & Co., Ltd. Montreal, Can., May 16. CUBA. — Extracted honey in barrels, per gallon, light amber, $1.05; amber $1.05. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb., 30c. Adolph Marzol. Matanzas, Cuba, May 7. HONEY-PRODUCERS' SERVICE By Wesley Foster I believe that I can help any beekeeper with a problem to solve — whether supply, producing, financial or selling — if he will write me a letter or pay me a visit and explain it to me. Queens. We are operating 2,500 colonies of bees this year. They are building up strong and are all ready now for the honey flow. At present we are re-queening quite a few. We expect these queens to pay for themselves twice over. One of the best queen breeders in the United States is raising our queens for us from selected stock. If you need some good, warranted queens, unless you order now it will be too late. Supplies. We are carrying a comj^lete line of sup- plies and honey containers. You can save some money on every order by buying of us. Beeswax. We need some more beeswax. Have you any to spare? We can always use it at the highest market price. A New Can. J would like to tell you about a new 5- gallon honey can that I now have. It is by far the best can that I have ever seen — prac- tically one-piece. The edges are rolled and are soldered by a special process inside and out. It has a 3-inch cap, which as you know, makes it easy to fill. We are the only ones handling this new can. It costs only a cent more than the old type. Be sure to drop me a line at once in care of The Foster Honey & Merc. Co. Boulder, Colorado. We furnish full colonies of Italian liees in double-walled hives, single- walled hives, and shipping boxes; 3- frame nuclou.s colonies, and bees by the pound. Tested Italian queen, $2.00 ; untested, $1.50. LJ.STRINGHAM, GLEN COVE, N. Y Advertisements Received too Late to Classify. ITALIAJ^ QUEENS. — Northern-bred, three band- ed, highest gi-ade, select, untested, guaranteed. Queen and drone mothers are chosen from colonies noted for honey production, hardiness, prolificness, gentleness and perfect markings. Price, 1, $1.00; 12, $11.00; 50, $45.00. Send for circulax. J. H. Haughey, Berrien Springs, Mich. FOR SALE. — Leininger's strain of Italians have stood the test for 35 years. We will offer queens from this famous strain beginning June, as follows: One untested queen, $1.50; 6, $8.00; one tested queen, $2.00; 6, $11.00; select breeders, $15.00 each. Fred Leininger & Son, Delphos, O. FOR SALE. — One Root capping melter with stone, $10.00; one without stone, $5.00; 10 Root chaff hives with tight bottom, good condition, $1.50 each; 16 Root old-style 2-story chaff hives, good condition, $1.00 each; 100 wood-wire 10-frame queen-excluders, 35c each. F. W. Lesser, East Syracuse, R. F. D. No. 3, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Michigan-bred Italian queens. Am now booking orders for .June 15th delivery. Three- band only. Untested, 1, $1.00; 12, $10.00; 100, $80.00; tested, $1.75 each. D. A. Davis, North Detroit, Mich. Leather-colored Italian queens, tested, June 1st, $1.50, untested, $1.25 — $13.00 a dozen. A. W. Yates, 15 Chapman St., Hartford, Ct. EXCHANGE. — Two long-distance telephones for reversible extractor or offer. J. Brasser, Lewiston, N. Y. WANTED. — -Situation by young man experienced with bees. Out-apiary job preferred. References furnished on request. Write, R. D. Baker, c o Mrs. Rose Edwards, 5079 Catalpa Ave., Chicago, 111. Special Notices by A. I. Root SWEET CLOVER^ A CORRECTION. On page 329, at the bottom of the left-hand column, where it says " October, 1919," it should read October, 1920. Such a growth of sweet clover in three months would be indeed wonderful. Fif- teen months sounds more sensible. WILL THE SALOONS AND THE LIQUOR-TRAFFIC OBEY OUR OHIO LAW ? As we go to press this 19th day of May the above question confronts us. Ex-president Taft* says, in substance, now comes the question of loyal citi- zenship ; and will we as a people obey the laws of our State, or wnll we obey only when the law "comes our way," and then " trample it undei" foot," when it happens to go the other way ? THE NEW WHITE SWEET CLOVER THAT GROWS A.S HIGH AS YOUR HEAD AND BLOSSOMS PROFUSELY THE FIRST SEASON. After ray mention of this new sweet clover (see p. 110, Feb. issue, 1919; p. 629, October, 1918), there were so many orders that our stock of seed was exhausted. Since I have returned from Flor- ida I have found some seeds from the old stalks of last year that germinate a fair per cent. You may have a little pinch of this seed if you care for it. Just send us an addressed stamped envelope. If you have sent once and did not get any seed you may just send a postal card. If you secure even one single plant it may be well worth while. 350 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllli^ A Lot of Them iiiiiiii]iiiiiii{iiiiKiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiii»iiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ Have ordered their goods for this summer; in fact, we have been very busy here in Syracuse, and have received orders for goods as in May and June of former years. Bee- keeping is getting to be more of a business, and nearly every year more is secured from the bees than any thing else on the farm. For the money and work there is nothing to beat the bees. . . F. A. SALISBURY 1631 WEST GENESEE STREET SYRACUSE, NEW YORK iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyi^ .rrxK, 1919 0 I, K A N r N G S IN BEE 0 U I. T U H E 351 NEW Bingham Bee SMOKER •^THUMBKEST The B i n g h a m Bee Smoker has been on the market over forty years and is the standard in this and many foreign countries. It is the all- important tool of the most extensive honcy- ])roiliicers of the World. It is made in four sizes and has a leather bel- lows. The Genuine Bingham Honey Un- capping Knife is manufactured by us here at Grand Eapids and is made of the finest quality steel. These thin- bladcd knives, as furnished by Mr. Bingham, gave the best of satisfaction, as the old timers will remember. Our Perfect Grip Cold Handle is one of the improvements. The Woodman Section Fixer, a com- bined section press and foundation fas- tener, of pressed steel construction, forms comb-honey sections and puts in top and bottom foundation starters, all at one handling. It is the finest equip- ment for this work on the market. The above specialties can be secured from us direct by post or from practi- cally all dealers and manufacturers of supplies, with the exception of the Eoot Co., and agencies. Our 1919 illustrated catalog and special circulars will be mailed on request. Tin Honey-packages 2 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 2 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 612 2i'2 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 450 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 12 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 100 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 203 10 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 6 10 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 113 Write for prices on friction top cans and pails and 60-lb. cans, giving quan- titv wanted. 2% 5 A. G. Woodman Company Grand Rapids, Mich, U. S. A. 352 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 pllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ I The Pendulum Swings | I DON'T BE CAUGHT WITH AN OVER j I PRODUCTION OF EXTRACTED HONEY | 1 Have you ever watched the penduhim of a clock?— You | i know it always swings back at the end of its arc. Watch the i 1 pendulum of extracted honey prices. — Experts in the marketing i i of honey say high prices are based largely on export demand. B I NOW LISTEN I I From July 1st, 1918, to February 28th, 1919, there were | i over seven million pounds of honey exported from this country 1 1 (these figures are from the U. S. Bureau of Foreign and Domestic 1 I Commerce) — When the foreign demand falls off during the re- i i construction period and when production abroad is renewed 1 1 what will happen to extracted honey prices and where will you ■ i be then, Mr. Extracted Honey Producer? | 1 Better put on a few comb honey supers this year---it will pay. 1 I Buy Lewis Sections— They are Best | I THERE IS A DISTRIBUTOR NEAR YOU I Booklets on Beekeeping The G. B. Lewis Com- pany has prepared a series of "How" booklets on vari- ous phases of lieekeepins; for distribution to beekeep- ers. The information con- tained in these booklets is authoritative and has been prepared especially for be ginners in bee culture. A nominal charge of 5 cents, postpaid, is made for each booklet to insure their dis- tribution to interested per- sons. "How" booklets now ready for distribution are: "How to Manage Bees in Spring" "How to Prevent Swarm- ing" "How to Buy Queen Bees" "How to Start Beekeeping" "How to Locate an Apiary" "How to Feed Bees" "How to Transfer Bees" "How to Care for Nuclei" "How to Unite Bees" THIS IS THE BRAND BEWARE WHEREYOU BUY YOUR BEEWARE J r^ I A/ 1 C i !■-■ I' ■ MAKES THE FINEST. LOOK FOR IT G. B.LEWIS COMPANY Free Beekeeping Advice The G. B. Lewis Com- pany will welcome the op- portunity to aid any bee- keeper in solving apiary problems and offers the benetit of the advice of the experienced beekeep- ers associated with the Lewis Company. If the information can be gotten we can get it. No charge will be made for this serv- ice, which will be availa- ble to all beekeepers at any time. Enclose a stamped, addressed envelope to in- sure our mailing a reply correctly, in case you are writing for information only. Write all inquiries on a separate sheet of pa- per from other correspond- ence, addressed to the G. B. Lewis Company, Water- town, Wis., attention of Bee Specialist. Lewis ex- perts are in touch with lieekeeping in all parts of the world. 1 MANUFACTURERS OF BEEWARE WATERTOWN, WIS. ■ liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 1 EDITORIAL ONE OF OUE SUBSCEIBERS, W. J. Har- vey of Upalco, Utah, reports for last year the following re- Prize to be markable record: Given for the ' ' Last year I ob- Best Record. tained 908 lbs. of surplus from one colony, and would like to learn how near this comes to being the world 's record. I have plenty of sweet clover and about 100 days of honey flow. A yield of 171 lbs. in ten days was the best for that period. The only special attention this hive had was to be extracted from every ten days; or, when extracting was not possible, I gave plenty of storage room. It always took three supers to hold the bees, with one to two inches of air above the top super. With 40 hives, and ' two increase, ' I got 240 five-gallon cans of honey. As this good hive made 15 cans, you can see that there were only three cans more than twice the average, and that is nothing unusual, according to what I read. There was only one queen, and no bees nor brood given to this hive during the season. I fed outdoors from early spring till the honey flow, and from frost to freeze. I also fed ' natural dry powder ' — pollen mix- ed about 1/4 to % flour." Can any of our readers beat this? If every one could do as well as this in the bee business, many of them, at least, would give up their banks and their gold mines. But not every one is able to do it. If any one can break this record of 908 pounds sur- plus from one colony, either in the United States or Canada, let him hold up his hand and we will publish the record. Gleanings has decided that it will send a $20 breeding queen to the man in the United States or Canada who can prove the highest record for one colony during 1919, giving names of supporting witnesses if required. :M^CB= IN TALKING WITH a producer of comb honey in Nevada, who operates 3,000 colo- nies, and produces Short Cuts in several carloads of Comb-honey comb honey each Production, season, we learned several valuable hints which may save work for other pro- ducers. Perhaps some of his ideas may not be as successful under different conditions. He operates a large ranch for alfalfa hay and seed, and, incidentally, gets 800 pounds of alfalfa seed per acre, while a ranch ten miles away, without bees, produces only 250 i)ounds of seed. He prepares his supers some time in ad- vance, ready to place on the hives when the honey flow begins. They must be trucked some distance. He always uses a bottom starter. For the top starter he finds the best results in straight even combs come from using a V-shaped starter. Other forms under his conditions are inclined to curl, resulting in irregular combs. When the sec- tions are in the super, he paints their top sur- face with hot paraffin. This excludes all mois- ture, travel-stain, or propolis; and the work of scraping is only a small fraction of what it is without this protection. If the scrap- ing is done in a cool temperature the film of jjaraffin comes off easily, carrying with it all stains or propolis. Should the supers remain unused or unfinished till another sea- son, the paraffin protects the sections from dampness, mildew, and discoloration. Mr. Warren visits his bees three times each season. In April he goes thru, divid- ing and equalizing, making approximately three colonies from one. At the opening of the honey flow in July he unites three hives into one, piling the supers on six or eight high, letting the queens fight it out. He returns in the fall and takes off the honey. By this plan he has three queens building- up a working force during the breeding- season; and also has a big working force during the honey flow but with reduced breeding at that time — all this with a mini- mum of labor. THE SHORTAGE OF SUGAR was not the sole cause of the high price of honey during the war. People The Price of have been gradual- ^ Honey ly learning to use Looks Up. more and more hon- ey, and a steadily increasing number of families are coming to 1 ogard it as a necessary article of diet. They have come to recognize it as nature's concentrated sweet, a form of carbohydrate that is easily assimilated by the human sys- tem. Many of the half million people in this country alone, suffering from diabetes, as a result of eating too much common sugar or candy, have learned that, if substituted GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 in time, the trouble may be stopped by the use of honey instead of sugar. Also those factors, such as a greatly in- flated currency, Europe 's acute need of food, and the labor situation, that have, during the war, increased the cost of living 61.3 per cent, have also had their share in increasing the price of honey. Last fall, and up to the middle of Janu- ary, honey was held at its highest figures. As the price remained stationary, with no apparent tendency to drop, many loaded up, when, without warning, the ban was lifted from sugar. The arts and trades that could not get their requirements of sugar up till then, now figured that they could make a syrup for about seven cents against honey at three times the price. All at once they were seized with a panicky desire to unload the higher-priced article for which they had paid 22 and 23 cents, and buy sugar at nine cents or a seven-cent syrup that they could get in unlimited quantities. Some of the big icecream concerns that had been using honey by the carload now put it on the open market at IS cents, while they had, as they admitted, paid 22 1/^ cents for it. Then there was the ever prudent house- wife who likewise was compelled to use honey to complete her requirements. Now that the restrictions on sugar had been re- moved, why should she pay 40 and 50 cents per pound for honey when she could now get all the sugar she needed at 10 cents or a syrup at 7 f She didn 't see that honey would go further because it had more food value per pound, and because it had a flavor. Oh, no! she could get a syrup for one-fifth the cost of honey. The honey she had would be "kept for company," and, of course, she would not buy any more. Such a course would slow down sales for the time being. There was one more important factor; and that was that Europe stopped buying honey temporarily — probably because it was con- eluded, now that the armistice was signed, there would be a drop in all food products. The heavy export demand during the last two years of the war had a tremendous in- fluence on the price of honey. Buyers were out . everywhere hoping to make a ' ' big scoop ' ' by selling it for export. Many of them did make a ' ' scoop. ' ' When, there- fore, this demand suddenly stopped early last winter many found themselves over- loaded. The result was, these buyers, in- stead of being out to get more honey, were trying to unload before the market went too low. One broker, we are informed, lost $42,000 on 7,000 cases of honey he unloaded. Others lost like amounts. All this made buyers cautious. The result has been fhat sales have been few and far between. Buy- ers have been waiting to see where the bot- tom would be before investing. This would be discouraging; but, happily, the cloud has a silver lining. The bottom has been reached, and the market is now- looking upward. The conditions that caus- ed the previous high prices still exist; with the exception of the sugar situation, which has changed. Yet even that is now improv- ing. In addition are several new factors operative for higher prices. The first important factor we shall con- sider is whether California will have a crop; and if so, how large? It should be borne in mind that the seasons in California are very uncertain. When there has been 18 inches or more of rainfall in the southern part of the State, a crop of sage is almost a sure thing. With the certainty of a crop, and a prospect of 500 cars to go east, the market is inclined to weaken. If, however,there has been insufficient rainfall, the market east as well as west is inclined to stiffen. This year California has had only ten inches of rainfall for most sections in the southern part of the State. These sages are not yield- ing as they should, and the crop will be very short from present indications. While orange is usually a sure crop, it is going to be light this year. Moreover, orange in the aggre- gate represents only a small part of the amount produced from the sages, wild alfal- fa, and wild buckwheat, for sage is often mixed with either or both of the two last- named sources. Northern and central Cali- fornia usually have a crop; but we are ad- vised that the prospects are not of the best. Taking it all in all, it is evident that the California crop will be light. There will be some sage, but not many cars from present indications, and the editor has been over the State pretty well. The second factor that has an influence on the price of honey is the price of sugar, and whether it will be scarce or not. It has been stated that there is going to be a scarcity of sugar this summer. Already the price is beginning to go up. Candy has taken a sharp advance; and soda-fountains, even in addition to the war tax, are begin- ning to charge ten cents where formerly they charged but five. The third factor is that the nation is go- ing dry. Experts tell us that this will make an enormous demand for sweets in all forms. Saloons everywhere are preparing to put in candy and to handle soft drinks. They know that the craving for alcohol can be met by some form of sugar. While liquor is a tem- porary stimulant, sugar (or, better, honey) is a more lasting stimulant — a stimulant that nature expects and one that leaves no bad after-effects unless eaten to excess. Now, then, if there is going to be such a demand for sugar, surely honey will find its rightful place. Another very important factor is that the export demand for honey is beginning to pick up. There is no question that an in- creased export trade will help the honey market considerably. The price of honey, for the reasons named, is sure to begin advancing — just how much no one can predict. It has evidently reached rock bottom, and should go up; but, as sure as fate, it will not go up to war- time prices. JUNU, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE MORE CALIFORNIA NOTES Uncertain Times of Honey Flow a 'Disadvantage. Some JVinter Packing Needed. Advertising in the Movies By E. R. Root AFTER I had been here some f o 11 r or five months I thought I knew something about the climate; but this year the time when the honey plants should yield is all mixed up and out of har- mony with the climate. The mountain sage and the orange blooms are all jumbled to- gether, both yielding at the same time. Orange, by rights, should have come first about three weeks ahead of the sage. The wild alfalfa and the wild buckwheat — well, they too have forgotten all about the calen- dar. The blooming things are all blooming this year at all kinds of times. Old resi- dents tell me this is nothing very unusual — that the honey plants in this State come into bloom when they please. It is very un- fortunate for the beekeepers when they all come together, as they would very much like to have them come so they could catch a yield from each. Value of Packing in California. We have sunshine here, and lots of it, but also cool nights and lots of them. Now, this is very hard on bees, as I have pointed out in former articles. This reminds me that my experiments in packing bees this spring- worked out magnificently. The little three- frame colonies that I found trying to oc- cupy two stories in January, and which I reduced to one story and packed in paper, have built up to strong colonies and aie now bringing in the honey. I am sure it is best to give the bees protect i;0 n i n California; but just how much a n d in w h a t form I would not dare to say. I find a large number of beekeepers, how- ever, are making it a practice to confine their colonies in late fall to one story, put- ting a couple of sheets of newspaper be- tween the upper and the lower stories, scat- tering the stores in both stories. In the spring, when the bees need more room, they will gnaw a hole thru the paper, go upstairs, and rapidly build up. I am sure that thou- sands of beekeepers in the State are losing because they do not confine their colonies to one story during the winter months when the climate here is so treacherous. What is the use of trying to make a colony warm two stories, wasting its energy and its sup- plies of honey, when it could much more economically warm one story? Taking the State as a whole, I am satiisiied that a little added protection would save thousands upon thousands of pounds of winter stores. This is not a mere guess from a one winter's stay, but is based upon a knowledge of many spring seasons thru which I have been. I certainly know that protection in the spring back home i^ays and pays well. Free Advertising. By the way, as some of you may know, I have been ti'ving to get n lot of free ad- A quite characteristic view in the sage district in San Die?o County. All the sage regions are in some of the most beautiful country in the world. A tenderfoot at least can sit down and enjoy the flowers and scenery for hours at a time. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 vertisiug for honey thru the movies and in the newspapers. Thru the latter I have gotten page after page of writeups. In the former, dozens of pictures have been shown of me, and I have been "doctored" and ' ' doctored ' ' so much that tlie title seems to be clinging to me; but really I am just plain ' ' Mr. ' ' and nothing more. Even tlie movies have got into the chronic habit of calling me 1 1 j)j._ J J They have had me featured before 21,000,000 people illustrating the bee-sting cure for rheumatism and making me say that bee-stings are an "absolute cure.'' Don 't you believe it. I never said it. Some of the real doctors will be pulling my ears — in fact, they have already done so in spite of the protests that I did not say so. The movie people asked me how much I would charge to give them a series of my ' ' stunts. ' ' I told them I would charge them absolutely nothing if they would let me fea- ture honey. This was agreed to; but instead they featured my bee-sting cure, made it big and strong, while my honey — why, you can 't see it on the screen with a telescope. I complained to the movie people that I ob- jected to having the handle ' ' Dr. ' ' stuck before my name, and that I wanted honey featured. ' ' All right, ' ' they said. ' ' What would you suggest?" ' ' We will go out to Eagle Eock in Grif- fin Park, Los Angeles, ' ' I said, ' ' where there are some 40 or 50 colonies in that big rock that can be seen for miles around. Get your machine ready and photograph me taking wild bees and honey out of one of these holes in the rock. ' ' ' ' Capital ! ' ' they said. To make a long story short, they got me up in the air about a thousand feet high on A characteristic bee range of mountain sage in California. The apiary is shown over at the left about halfway up the picture. that rock. They could not get me up there again for all the advertising in the world. It was understood that I was to work barehanded and bareheaded, reach into the hole, and pull the honey out. They set up the camera and went to reeling off the film to the tune of a thousand feet. ' ' That 's dandy, ' ' they said. ' ' You have * ••.;t^-'n The Kditor of Gleanings a lliuu^and feet up in the air ready to take wild bees out of Eagle Rock in Griffin Park, Los Angeles. The picture was taken just before thei fun began. The man in the backgi-ound was one of the Pathe movie men who came up to assist. While the editor did not break his neck, he did lose the top of his head, as will be seen from the picture. The co^mtry below represents a part of Hollywood. The editor says you could not get him up on the rock again for love nor money. He was daubed with honey as well as stung. Easy to talk about afterwards, but no fun during the act, while the movie camera below was reeling off the picture. June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE gotten Doujiias Faiibaiiks oiitclasspcl. No, sir; ho would never dare go up tlicri' wlicro all those bees are. ^' The stunt was not very difiicult, because I could light a little piece of paper and stick it into the hole where the bees were. Aftei' the paper had burned out, and while tlie colony was in a roar from the smudge, I took the honey out. Easy enough when you know how, if it hadn 't been so high up. Yon can see from one of the pictures that I might have broken my neck when I was looking into the beehole to see where the bees and combs were. While that did not happen, I did lose the top of my head. The other man in the picture was one of the movie men who came to help me, and he stood his ground, or, rather, his rock, "un- til the show was over. ' ' The view in the background is of Holly- wood, one thousand or more feet below. ' ' If I had lost my hold, would I have fallen that distance?" No. But I don't think I would have told this story. The movies have not shown this picture yet, and I have been wondering whether the "stunt" busted the camera; and I am like- wise wondering what kind of story there will be about honey, and how many millions of housewives will use honey after they see me taking it out of a rock. By the way, those wild (?) bees were the finest Italians one could ever wish to see. They were real nice until I began to take away their honey. I was glad when the job was over; and when I went down into the Tlie Piitlu^ cami 1 ' tb I i . . li d off one thdusand feet of movie film, (,itiliiii_ tlic editor wliilc lie was in the act of takins' wild honey out of the roek, as shown on pa2;e 356. It was no s.iiall job m )iintin<; this camera, but after a prodigious amount of work the thing was located, when the " grind " was begun. Zoological gardens below to wash my hands a big grizzly came up, and sniffed and snort- ed. I could not imagine what was the mat- ter with him until I thought of the honey that was on my hands. It was evident he was a good judge of good honey, and I was sorry afterward that I did not bring down some of that wild honey covered with crawl- ing bees to see whether he would eat bees and all. THE SPIRIT OF THE HIVE NEAELY a half - cen- tury ago, A. I. Eoot wrote the following significant words for the pages of the then infant Gleanings in Bee Culture: "Per- haps none of us has ever succeeded in in- ducing a colony of bees to do all they are capable of doing. In our apiary we feel satisfied that fully one-half the time of the bees has been wasted, judging from the way in which new swarms do business. ' ' Dur- ing the half-century of development in bee- keeping much progress, undoubtedly, has been made in providing favorable condi- tions to induce the "bees to do all they are capable of doing"; yet in the hands of experienced beekeepers, even now, some colonies apparently waste one-half or more of their time during the honey flow. Difficulties in Selecting Breeding Queens. In our earlier efforts to improve the bees by selecting breeding queens largely' from the colonies which had given the greatest yield of honey, we were convinced that, un- Conditions Which Tend to decrease or Increase Colony Activity. Strain of '^ees Only One Factor By Belva M. Demuth der our manage- ment at that time, the yield was influenced more by condi- tions which de- press or stimu- late the activity of the workers than by inbred characteristics. This made the proper se- lection of a breeding queen difficult, for in some cases colonies known to be of an in- ferior strain, and sometimes even of medium strength, gave the highest yield because of some fortunate combinations of conditions which stimulated them to do their utmost. The next year this same colony might come up to the honey flow in better condition as to number and vitalif^' of workers, but give only an ordinary yield because of the pres- ence of another set of conditions which tend to depress the activity of the workers during the honey flow. On the other hand, a queen suitable for a breeder may remain undis- covered one year because her colony gave an ordinary yield, while the next year her colony with, no more and no younger work- ers at the beginning of the honey flow but with different colony conditions, might give 358 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 the highest yield of the apiary. This makes it difficult to measure accurately the excel- lent results which have already been at- tained by years of careful selection, since the yield during any given season is not de- termined by the number, age, and strain of the workers alone, but also, to a large extent, by conditions influencing the willing- ness of these workers to do their utmost dur- ing the honey flow. Since there is no estab- lished name for this important factor in honey production, we have been speaking of it in our apiaries as "colony morale." Its importance in honey production is probably not fully appreciated. Conditions Depressing Colony Morale. Stagnation of work, or loafing, during the honey flow is apparently closely associated with swarming. However, some strains of bees are more inclined to loaf than oth- ers; colonies having old, failing queens lack the energy of colonies having young, vigorous queens; and the queenless colo- nies, especially those hopelessly queenless, are not the most vigorous workers. It is also well known that anything which causes discomfort within the hive, such as too much heat, insufficient ventilation, or too small a hive, may start loafing. Insufficient room for ripening and storing of incoming nectar or conditions suggesting the comple- tion of the season 's work, such as sealing the honey adjacent to the brood-nest before super work is well under way, are highly conductive to loafing. Any condition within the hive which tends to check or in any way interfere with the freest and fullest ex- pansion of the work within the hive appar- ently checks the work of the field force, and when the field workers make fewer trips per day to the field their presence within the hive intensifies the discomfort and stagna- tion of the work there. Conditions Increasing Colony Morale. Most beekeepers are familiar with the character of the work done by colonies that have not been checked in the free expansion of their work either previous to or during the honey flow. Such colonies reach the be- ginning of the honey flow while still on the up grade in their development and expand the volume of work until well into or toward the close of the honey flow. Other colonies thru some fault of environment are check- ed somewhere in the march of events and fall behind in yield, often even with superior forces at the beginning of the honey flow. With such a marked difference in yield be- tween ordinary work and best work, we are not satisfied merely to prevent visible loaf- ing, but in addition we must provide condi- tions favorable to the maintenance of the highest possible colony morale thruout the honey flow. How Field Work May Be Increased, We have many times observed the in- creased activity of the field force brought about simply by the addition of an extra set of empty combs to the hive. Thousands of j'ounger bees immediately take possession of the added combs and begin to repair and c'ean the cells. Usually within 15 or 20 minutes the rate at which workers are leav- ing the hive for the fields is greatly increas- ed. Just how long this impetus may last, 1 can not say; but, since the beginning of a new job within the hive apparently stimu- lates the field force to greater effort, it has become a policy in our apiaries to induce the beginning of new work within the hive just as rapidly as can be done during the first half of the honey flow. Beekeepers who have tried the experiment of extracting all the unripe honey every few days from both the supers and the brood- chamber have been surprised to note the increased energy with which these colonies worked. In this case the bees are held con- tinuously to the beginning of the season 's job and apparently work with the enthusi- asm which accompanies the beginning of a great undertaking. If the same colonies had been given a single super and no additional room during a rapid honey flow, work would have slowed down long before the comple- tion of work in this single super, since a,fter the first few days there would have been no place for new work and no vacant cells for ripening the incoming nectar. Colony morale, therefore, may be increas- ed by enticing the multitude of oncoming younger bees out of the brood-chamber by giving them a job in comfortable and attrac- tive supers. The drawing out of foundation, the building of new comb, the repairing and cleaning of extracting combs, the ripening and moving about of the raw nectar, and probably other activities within the hive ^^'hen carried on under comfortable condi- tions and on an extensive scale, apparently, all tend to stimulate the field force to bring liome more loads of nectar during the day. At the same time the absence of the field force from the hive during the heat of the day must add greatly to the comfort of the hive, thus facilitating the work and increas- ing the morale of the hive workers. These conditions are, of course, more easily main- tained when producing extracted honey than when producing comb honey. In either case some modification of the well-known tiering- up principle in adding supers is applicable. Good Effects of Skillful Supering. In comb-honey production we usually give each colony two comb-honey supers at the time the colonies are reduced to a single story just previous to the beginning of the honey flow. These first supers each contain a row of bait combs in the middle of the su- pers to induce the bees to begin work in them promptly, for with strong colonies the morale is easily upset at this time unless thousands of younger bees can be induced to leave the brood-chamber and at once be- gin work of some kind in the supers. Full sheets of fresh foundation are not always sufficiently attractive, under our conditions, to pass safely the crisis of the first comb- honey supers. As soon as all the foundation is drawn in June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE the first supers gi\eii and storiiijj is well started, we jjivo a new super eontuiiiiiiij- full sliects of" foundation in tlie sections, jilaciiio- it next to the brood-chamber. If conditions are favorable this foundation will all be drawn within a day or two, and the shallow cells are then used for the evaporation of the incoming nectar. The bees apparently enjoy spreading out this raw nectar a little in each cell thruout the available comb sur- face, thus hastening its ripening by increas- ing the surface of the nectar exposed to the air. Supers As Evaporating Chambers. Thus far this recently added super is simply a ripening chamber or an evaporator containing a large amount of evaporating surface. Before it becomes a storage re- ceptacle for more nearly ripened honey we take it from its position immediately above the brood-chamber to be placed on the top of the pile of supers, and at the same time another super with full sheets of foundation is put in its place next to the brood-cham- ber. This process is repeated as often as necessary to keep the bees busy drawing out foundation, always leaving the super which is nearest completion just above the one in which the foundation is being drawn, i. e., the second sujier above the brood-cham- ber. By doing this, each newly added super af- fords new work in a most attractive location to entice more and more of the younger bees out of the brood-chamber; the foundation is drawn without checking the progress in the more nearly completed super which is im- mediately above; a large amount of new comb surface with shallow cells is being constantly added for the ripening of incom- ing nectar, and comb is being built faster than needed for the storage of honey, thus approximating the more favorable condi- tions present in extracted-honey production. At the same time, if the honey flow should cease uiiexpectedly, the last added super can be removed and the super nearing com- pletion jilaced down on the brood-chamber; while the supers in which the least work has been done arc* placed on top to be removed after the unripe honey has been taken down and before the newly built and delicate comb is damaged by being soiled or propo- lized. If Ave could foretell the number of supers each colony would need during the honey flow, we would by this method induce the bees to begin comb-building in that many supers just as fast as they would do so. We would then give them one extra super on top to contain the overflow of nectar during the process of ripening. Since we cannot foretell the number they will fill we try to avoid, on the one hand a too rapid ex- pansion of the surplus room consistent with well-filled sections and, on the other hand, a lack of the stimulation afforded by the room for new work and abundant comb sur- face for ripening nectar. When the honey flow is slow or when the nectar is thicker when first gathered the work of drawing out foundation, comb- building, and the ripening of nectar may all be done with sufficient rapidity in a single super. Under these conditions the subse- quently added supers may be given on top, for unless the bees enter the newly added supers and draw out the foundation uniform- ly in all the sections, adding the new supers above usually gives better results. When the honey flow is good we go over the supers every three days to add new ones, remove any that may be finished, and arrange the others in the order which we think will cause the bees to finish them most rapidly. It is already well within the realm of pos- sibility so to manage that all colonies shall be alike as to number, age, and strain of workers at the beginning of the honey flow. If we can also finally learn t'O control all the evasive and obscure factors affecting colony morale we may begin to realize the long- dreamed-of ideal of every colony yielding as well as the best. PROFITABLE OUTYARDS The Principal '^quirements as to Location, Equipment and Manage- ment. Ho'w to Secure '^est Results By J. M. Buchanan WHEN, in the course 0 f apiari- an events, it be- comes necessary for one to en- large his bee- keeping business beyond the con- fines of the "home apiary," he is at once confronted with the serious question of the establish- ment and management of outyards. The average "one-yard" beekeeper feels him- self entirely capable of conducting that one yard, but hesitates to tackle another, seem- ing to think that it will require a new and perhaps complex system for the management of outyards. However, there is no good rea- son why a sys- tem that gives good results in one yard will not work equal- ly well in two oi' more. When launching out into more profitable beekeeping, the first important considera- tion is the establishment of out-apiaries. The location is an important factor, on which the success of the venture largely depends. The principal requirements are good pas- turage, accessibility, protection from pre- vailing winds, and water supply. Shade is GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE .Tune, 1919 convenient but not essential. A windbreak may consist of a hill, a piece of woodland, evergreens, buildings, a board fence, or a bank of earth. The beekeeper should ac- quaint himself with the nectar-bearing flora of the locality, the time and duration of bloom, etc. The equipment should include at least two full-depth supers of combs per colony, tho three would he better. Shallow combs may be used, but it will require a corresponding- ly greater number. It is not considered practical to produce comb honey in out- yards, except in certain favored localities. A small house may be built at each yard for use when extracting, and for storing empty combs and supplies. Our honey- houses are 10 by 12 feet, and 10 feet high, built of matched boards, such as flooring or heavy ceiling; are bee-tight, and have screened windows and doors. They are covered with a good quality of roofing pa- per. The cost was about 25 or 30 dollars each. At one end is a bench on which are set the extractor and honey-tank. The ex- tracting outfit, with tank, uneapping-box, cans, etc., is moved from yard to yard as needed. Having established our yards, we must adopt a system of management which is practically non-swarming, and which elimi- nates all useless manipulations, thus re- ducing the work to a minimum. Such a sys- tem we have evolved after years of experi- menting, and it has _given uniform success in our own apiaries. We will suppose that Honey-house at an out-apiary. the bees were properly prepared for winter, with plenty of good stores, and wintered in two stories. This is an important jjart of our system. The method and amount of packing will depend on the climate and the locality. Thus prepared, the hives are not disturbed until settled warm weather At the beginning of the first surplus flow, from locust or clover, we go thru all the colonies, putting the queens down, and being careful to see that there are three or four empty combs in the lower story, and about Oiiu ul tliu i,ut a^iiai lev, sIhax uiii Jink, 1919 G T. E A N I N G S IN BEE CULTURE that many, or more, frames of brood in llic upper story. We do not take time to liiid the queens, but run them down by i)laL-ing over the frames of tlie upjicr story a jtiece of burlap liberally sprinkled with crude car- bolic acid. This is allowed to remain for two or three minutes, when the U2:)per story is raised up, and a queeu-excluder placed on the lower story. Queenless colonies are broken up. Very strong colonies are given an extra super. Ten days later another visit is made; and, if wo find queen-cells in the upper stories, they are destroyed or used for making in- crease. We generally make our increase at this time, as three or four frames of ripe brood with adhering bees, from an upper about over, and the honey well ripened. When removing the honey from the hives, we rid the supers of bees by placing the earbolized cloth over the frames for a min- ute or two, wiien nearly all the bees will have gone down. This is about as effective as the bee-escape, and takes far less time. Enough supers for the day 's extracting are carried into the honey-house in the morning, and late in the afternoon the empty combs are replaced on the hives to be cleaned up and cared for. The honey is hauled home in five-gallon cans, on a Ford truck. Before cold weather sets in, we get the bees in shape for winter. There should be a good lot of brood reared in the fall or late summer, as this is a very important factor in story, make an ideal nucleus. This is given a ripe queen-cell from a good colony. At this visit supers of empty combs are given wherever needed. These are placed just above the excluders. The lower stories are not disturbed. Should we find any queens still in the upper stories they are put down. A visit is made about once a week during the honey flow, and supers given as needed. No time is wasted looking for queen-cells, for a hundred chances to one there won 't be any. No complex system of records is kept. At each visit all colonies are left in the best possible condition; but if, for any reason, a colony can not be so treated, a small stone or stick is placed on the hive cover to call attention to it at the next visit. The supers are left on until the flow is successful wintering. If there should not be a fall flow of nectar, it may be necessary to resort to stimulative feeding in order to induce brood-rearing. They should have 25 or 30 pounds of sealed honey per colony. More would be better, for, if it is not need- ed, it will not be wasted, At the approach of cold weather the extra supers and the excluders are removed, cut- ting the hives down to two full-depth stories; most of the stores will be in the up- per story, where the bees can reach them at any time. This system of management has given us excellent results, during its use for several years, with the minimum amount of labor, and with less than two per cent of swarming. Fianklin. Tenn. 362 G L K A N T N G S IN BEE CULTURE .Tune, 1919 ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS By Grace Allen — Chapter V A NNE and Daddy Lowe were in the bee- jf\^ yard. It was early June. Across great spaces of clover bloom and fragrance came a sound of distant cowbells, from a sun-flooded field a meadow lark arose, sing- ing, and all around was the thrilling wonder of the bees. "It is almost too beautiful," Anne said once, softly, "It hurts." "Beauty often hurts," the old man an- swered. And they went on with their work. ' ' Here 's another super for you, ' ' Anne was saying presently to her busy workers; ' ' see if you can fill this one, too. There are only eight combs in it, you see, so you can make them nice and plump. ' ' "Look who's coming, Anne!" Mr. Lowe called. It was Theodore, swinging a little car with reckless speed thru the gate. He was in a blue shirt and overalls. Anything wrong? But Anne ' Mr. Lowe asked only gazed at his quickly, clothes. "Why Theodore!" she reproached, with mock solemnity. "I never thought I'd see you like this, all — all this way ! ' ' ' ' You 've got one on me, Anne, ' ' Theodore answered good-naturedly. Then turning to the old man, "Can you come over and help me, Mr. Lowe?" he asked. "I've got a swarm. ' ' "A swarm?" they echoed together. "You see I bought a hive of bees a few weeks ago," he began. Anne laughed. "That's why you asked so many questions about bees last Sunday, ' ' she accused. "I thought you were being polite! " "Guilty," he admitted. "I haven't had time to read a word — too many other things to learn at the same time. And there they are — pouring out of the hive — and I don't know — " Mr. Lowe was moving swiftly, as one who has met unexpected swarms for many years learns to move. ' ' You haven 't happened to clip your queen, I suppose," he remarked as he set a hive in the car. "No, but I happened to buy one already clipped — anj-how the man said so. ' ' "Good!" exclaimed Mr. Lowe. "Anne can hive your swarm for you. ' ' Theodore shook his head. "It might set- tle in a high tree, mightn't it?" he worried. "Oh well," smiled Mr. Lowe, "Anne doesn't mind high trees. Jump in, Anne, go on over and hive Theodore 's swarm. ' ' "Oh no!" Anne exclaimed. "I can't!" "Can't?" "Well, I mean — why, no, of course not, Daddy Lowe! " "I just hadn't supposed," began Theo- dore, in some embarrassment. "Of course you hadn't supposed," Daddy Lowe agreed quietly. ' ' But she can. Come on. Anne, I '11 finish your hi\'e. ' ' And Anne, quickly tossing one mood aside for another, came, bringing her hive tool and smoker. "All right, Theodore," she laughed, "I'll hive your swarm!" Down the road towards the Clark farm they sped, while Mrs. Lowe, who had seen them go, came out and smiled at her hus- band. "It looks like the old story. Father," she said, gently. "Did you ever see a swarm before?" Anne asked, as they neared Clark's. ' ' No, ' ' he answered, his eyes on the road ahead, ' ' I never saw nor heard such a sight before. ' ' Anne laughed. ' ' And you never heard nor saw such a sound before! I know! We've had two. Isn't it exciting? And beautiful. All the air full of wings." ' ' It was interesting, ' ' the young man ad- mitted, and turned in the Clark gate. He had really been gone only a few minutes, and the dark cluster of bees was hanging quietly on the end of a high branch of a wild cherry tree. Before Theodore could get round to help her out, Anne had sprung to the ground and started towards the one hive by the fence. There she stooped, walking slowly around, examining the grass closely. "You bring the other hive," she called. But as he approached, she shooed him back. "Wait," she warned, "or come care- fully. You might step on the queen. ' ' "Just where do j^ou think my queen is?" Theodore demanded indignantly. ' ' Eight here ! ' ' she exclaimed joyfully. Theodore smiled relentingly. "Eight here is right," he agreed mysteriously, but was wise enough not to say it aloud. He leaned over Anne, and sure enough, there was the clipped queen bee hopping around in the grass, with a goodly number of her devoted attendants around her. "Quick, Theodore!" Anne urged. "Set the old hive off to one side. Just anywhere for now. Set the super off first, if it's too heavy. ' ' With his swift young strength he did as she said. ' ' Now put the new one right in the old place. There, now everything is ready. And only just in time. Look!" The cluster was breaking, and again the air was filled with bees. "They're going away! They're going away! You'll lope them!" some one was calling. Theodore looked inquiringly at Anne. ' ' You won 't lose them, ' ' she assured him eagerly. "They won't go away without their queen. They have found out she isn't with them, and they're coming back." Back they came, pouring into the en- .Tim;, 1919 GT, EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE trance. "And that's how beekeepers play a pretty trk-k on thoni," Anne explained enthnsiastieally. ' ' You see they go by ex- act location, so when they come back th&y come to the ohl stand and go into anything that's there. And now — " Carefully, with slim young lingers she picked up the queen she had been watching, holding her by the wing, and set her down in the entrance where the bees were so steadily marching in. And she ran in with the rest. Taking the queen-excluder off the old hive, Anne put it on the new one and told Theodore to set the super on top and cover it. "Now!" she exclaimed. "You have a hapi^y swarm, Theodore. They found their queen all safe at home, and somehow, at the same time, that home is changed to just what they wanted when they started out — all emptv and roomy and ready for a new start." ' ' I must say those sheets of beeswax, or whatever you call it — yes, foundation — don 't look particularly homelike to yours truly. ' ' ' ' Oh they '11 draw that out into comb in a hurry, and in a few days the queen will be laying in it. In the meantime, they'll carry the honey right up into the super. You ought to get some more hives and supers and things right away. ' ' "They're ordered all right, and will prob- ably be here in a day or two. What do we do with this other hive they came out of?" "Put it wherever you want it to stay," Anne answered. Theodore placed the old hive in a new lo- cation. Then Anne opened it. Lifting out the combs, one after the other, she showed him the queen-cells. ' ' See these queer long cells, Theodore? The books say they look like peanuts. Well, there 's a baby queen in each one, waiting to come into her own. When this hive got so crowded that the old queen and part of the workers decided to move out, they made these cells and the queen laid in them. That's how they pro- vide for unbroken royal succession. ' ' She started cutting them out. "Why ruin their well-made plans?" ask- ed Theodore. ' ' No use letting so many hatch out. They might swarm again and you don 't want that." "How do you know I don't? I want lots of things I don't get." "Well you're not allowed to want secon- dary swarms — the books say you don 't — and so does Daddy Lowe." "Who?" darkly. ' ' Mr. Lowe. And he comes pretty near knowing," she added, cutting out another cell, and so not seeing Theodore's expres- sion. "He's been keeping bees for nearly fifty years. And he certainly is a dear. ' ' She lifted out another comb. "Here's a nice, big, good-looking cell," she remarked thoughtfully. "I'm going to leave just this one, and cut out all the rest." "Is young Lowe a beekeeper too?" "Jack? They say he doesn't care much for bees." She closed the hive. "Now you have two colonies where this morning you had only one," she said. "That's fine; tho they say you won 't get so much honey this way. That's one reason beekeepers try not to let their bees swarm. Daddy Lowe cuts out cells every week or ten days to pre- vent swarming, but from what I've read maybe I'd do differently. Anyway I'm mak- ing increase a way he never has, and I'm as proud as Punch. ' ' "Are there other ways besides this swarming way ? " Anne sighed gustily. "Beekeeping," she announced impressively, "is like what Kip- ling 's Neolithic gentleman said about song writing. Remember? " ' There are nine and sixty ways Of oonstructing tribal lays, And-every-singlerone-of-them-is-right.' "But the way I'm doing (I'm trying ten colonies) — well, I raised the brood to a third story last month, leaving one comb of brood with the queen down below the excluder; then a second story of empty combs. The next day I gave each top story a nice sealed cell from a colony that swarmed in spite of us. I propped the back corners of these third stories up on little sticks, so after the queens emerged they could get out for their flights. And now most of them are laying up there just as comfy as can be; and when they've filled their hives with brood, I can set them off and have ten nice new colonies. Tho probably there won't be ten, cause may- be some of them won 't work out just right. ' ' "Did you catch your swarm all right?" asked a girlish voice. Anne and Theodore turned. There stood a parasoled vision of dainty young femininity, in cool and frilly white, with a half-blown rose in her hair — the only daughter of the Clark home. ' ' Yes, thank you, ' ' answered Theodore, removing his hat to perform the necessary introduction. ' ' Tho it was really Miss Les- ter who saved the day — and the swarm. ' ' There followed a 'few minutes of polite conversation; then Theodore helped Anne into the car and they started back. ' ' Oh Theodore," groaned Anne mischievously, ' ' what a contrast we did present. Miss Katherine Clark and I — I in my work togs and she in her primpies! But isn't she sweet! " "Yes," he agreed, apparently reluctantly, ' ' she really is. And she wasn 't exactly primped up, either. She 's about like that most of the time." Anne smiled. Then she talked about her brother the rest of the way home. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE .TuxE, 1919 FROM THE FIEID BEES VS. SKUNKS A Nuisance That May Become Very Serious to Owners of Bees Generally Not until the recent convention of the New York State Association of Beekeepers' Societies, held in Buffalo, was the great and wide-spread damage done to the bee- keeping industry by skunks brought to my attention. Strange why an agency so de- structive to bee properties as the skunk should receive so little attention, while so many other obstacles and enemies that mili- tate against the beekeeper in scarcely a greater degree should be the subjects of so much discussion. The opinion may be ven- tured that it is because the beekeeper whose apiary is infested with skunks has regarded his case as an unusual one and therefore of little public interest. Or is it that skunks are rapidly increasing in number and only within the last few years have become a real menace to the beekeeper? I am inclined to the latter view. In a conversation with one of our state inspectors of apiaries recently he advised me that skunks seem to have in- creased in numbers greatly during the last few years and that more apiaries are in- fested and greater damage done by them than formerly. The skunk may justly be regarded as a very serious enemy of the bee, as the dis- cussion of the question at the convention proved. Audible smiles, jokes, and gibes at the expense of this quadruped of odori- ferous fame gradually gave way to serious discussion as member after member testified to its regular nocturnal visits to their api- aries at certain seasons and the damage done. It devoloped that one member, Eu- gene E. Sutton, had killed a number of skunks that had been infesting his apiary, saving the skins of some of them, and had been arrested for alleged violation of the New York State conservation law in that he had so saved such skins. So much inter- est was shown in the discussion that an ef- fort was made to arrive at the approximate damage from skunks that beekeepers are now sustaining. A list of representative beekeepers was secured, including many of the most prominent and well-known api- arists of New York State, showing the num- ber of colonies of bees owned by each, the number of skunks they had killed in their apiaries, and the estimated damage done in each of such apiaries during the past season. The data thus secured show that 15 apiarists owning 4,913 colonies of bees had actually killed in and about their apiaries 176 skunks and had sustained damage from their dep- redations estimated at $2,665. Assuming $9.00 per colony to be the not average in- come of the colonies listed, which seems liberal, we have an average loss to the api- arists of six per cent that is directly trace- able to the skunk. The list showed that many of the individual losses were far in excess of the average, and undoubtedly small apiaries in localities badly infested would sustain a greater proportion of dam- age than would the larger apiaries. If the skins of these 176 skunks had all been sav- ed, they would have to be sold for over $15.00 each to compensate for the damage sustained by the beekeepers. These figures may be taken as an approximate estimate of what it is costing the beekeepers of New York State in order that skunks be conserv- ed. That the skunk nuisance is still in its in- fancy is the opinion of competent observers. It multiplies rapidly and litters of six or more are not uncommon. With its habit of His skunkship. burrowing deep in the ground or secreting itself far from reach under buildings and in other retreats, the added protection given it under the conservation laws of different States will inevitable result in a greatly in- creased number. Then, too, no other animal is better fitted by nature to perpetuate itself than the skunk, for it is dreaded by animals and men alike. In conversation with numerous beekeepers I find the opinion prevalent that the skunk is a real menace. When we consider that its ravages are mostlj' on cool nights in early spring and during the fall, the destruction it accomplishes is easily understood. By scratching at the hive front to attract the bees outside the hive it is able, in a short time, to make a meal of bees which, in early spring, are worth two or three dollars a pound, which is rather expensive skunk food. It works persistently, night after night, at the same hives, eventually consum- ing so many bees as to deplete the colony to the extent that it is incapable of covering and nourishing its brood, often resulting in June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CUIjTURE 365 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE dwindling to death or becoming so reduced as to be of no value as a surplus lioney-pro- ducer for the season. In the cool nights of fall the activities of the skunk are again renewed, and frequently colonies are so far depleted of bees as to render it impossible to bring them safely thru the winter. Bee- keepers whose apiaries are infested with skunks may attribute a part of their winter losses to their depredations. The provisions of the conservation law in New York State in reference to skunks are as follows, viz.: "Skunks may be taken either in the day time or at night and in any manner, but they shall not be taken from holes or dens by digging, smoking, or the use of chemicals, and they may be pos- sessed from November tenth to February tenth both inclusive. Skunks which are in- juring property or have become a nuisance may be taken at any time in any manner; but* the skunk or any part thereof so taken shall not be possessed, bought, sold, or traf- ficked in. ' ' The skunk's well-earned reputation for in- juring property and becoming an intolerable nuisance is recognized in this law by the provision allowing them to be killed ' ' at at any time and in any manner ' ' when they do so injure property or become a nuisance. The skunk is the only animal mentioned in this conservation law that for any reason is outside the law's protection. The skunk is a nuisance per se, and I pre- dict it will become increasingly so as long as fostered by conservation. Protecting it benefits a few sportsmen, trappers, and fur dealers; and for this the State, thru its beekeepers, is made to sustain a loss many times the value of the skunks. Conserva- tion, in its broad and accepted sense, means- the preservation of that which is valuable. If it costs more in value to conserve an ob- ject than that object is worth, then it is plain that the opposite of conservation has been accomplished. But as long as the law is in force all good citizens will wish to have it respected. Moreover, the surest way to obtain the re- peal of an objectionable law is to enforce it. It is to be hoped that the enforcement of this section of the conservation law will speedily create sufficient sentiment against it as to result in its repeal. Kenmore, N. Y. Orel L. Hershiser. 30^C«= SWARM PREVENTION Warning Against the Dependability of Some Highly Recommended Plans If anybody contemplates trying the so- called "Sheppard plan of swarm preven- tion," as given on page 39, January Glean- ings, my advice would be to try it in a limited way at first. Briefly, this plan is that of putting the queen with a little un- sealed brood in the second story of combs or foundation over a queen-excluder, eight or nine days later tearing down all but one queen-cell below the excluder; and, after the young queen below is mated, removing the old queen; and eight or nine days later destroying the queen-cells above. A number of years ago I worked out a similar scheme for hatching queens below the excluder while retaining the old queen above. At that time I could see no reason why it would not work out in practice. In fact, I had so much faith in the plan that I tried it with about 50 colonies. In nearly every case the young queen disappeared to- gether with a goodly number of the bees. I have since learned from experience that if a queen-cell is permitted to hatch with a laying queen in the hive, the bees will near- ly always swarm if weather and other condi- tions are not unfavorable. If the old queen is clipped or confined within the hive, the virgin queen goes with the swarm. Like- wise, if cells are allowed to hatch above the excluder, the young queens often squeeze thru and lead off a swarm. The owner ex- amining the colony later, finding brood in all stages and the old clipped queen on duty, concludes that there has been no swarming. Here is an illustration: At an outyard brood had been placed above excluders. Being unavoidably delay- ed, I arrived a day behind schedule time for removing queen-cells. Soon after reaching the yard, a swarm came out, and a few min- utes later a second colony swarmed. In each case the clipped queen was found in front of the hive and caged. In hiving the two swarms three virgin queens were ob- served to run in with the bees of the first swarm and two with the second. The combs of the two colonies were then carefully ex- amined, and it was found that no queens had emerged from cells below the excluder in either case, but three and two respectively from cells above the excluder. There was no possible chance for these virgins to es- cape from the parent colony except by pass- ing thru the queen-excluder. I have many times observed swarming under like condi- tions as probably have hundreds of others, and yet frequently articles appear which seem to imply that it is a safe plan to allow cells to hatch when separated from the lay- ing queen by an excluder. I agree with Dr. Miller when he says, "Breed from the best and eliminate all queens that fall below the average," but it is a wise beekeeper who can surely deter- mine which is best. With due apologies to my venerable namesake, it certainly is not always the colony which stores the most honey. In the above case, a "let-alone" beekeeper, coming around a week or so later, and finding no evidence of swarming, would 366 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE have been ready to declare the queen "slow" and a fit subject for decapitation, while an inferior queen because of a greater population and a preponderance of stores would have been permitted to survive and propagate her kind. An orthodox statement that will bear scrutiny is that a colony with a clipped queen will kill her after oiie or two attempts at swarming. Clipped queens frequently disappear at swarming time; but, in my opinion, it is usually because the bees swarm unobserved and the queen fails to find her way back. It must be remembered that a queen with wings clipped on one side only will sometimes get as far as two or three rods from the hive. While in the critical mood permit me to have one little poke at friend Holtermann, regarding his "Best and Cheapest Way to Eequeen," told in June Gleanings, last year. Quoting A. D. Hall, Watertown, N. Y., he says: "If he wanted a queen from the colo- ny, he would go to the colony, kill the queen, and remove every cell but one of the best. In that way he overcame the swarming im- pulse and saved time and manipulation. ' ' I hope Friend H. will forgive me, but I rise to remark that no better scheme could be devised to cause a colony to swarm. I know, for I tried it many times in my days of ac- quiring ' ' experience. ' ' My notion was to destroy the inferior queen and cells and to give a cell from the best stock. At least nine times in ten, may I not say ninety-nine times in a hundred, a new batch of queen- cells would be started and the bees would swarm either at the time of the queen's mating or when the cells were being capped. If any failed in their duty, they swarmed when the new batch of queens emerged, some of them several times in order to be sure that their program was properly carried out. "Best Swarm-control Plan," by lona Fowls, June Gleanings, 1918. I have used this plan the last eight or ten years with several hundred colonies, and have for the most part found it very satisfactory. How- ever, about five to fifteen per cent of the colonies so treated will start queen-cells on the one frame of brood below the excluder, depending on the season. Also, if the clover flow continues more than three weeks, as in 1918, the queen again fills the brood-cham- ber and swarming is apt to occur; likewise, if there is an August flow. To manipulate several hundred colonies in July, with 150 pounds of honey in the supers and a "bar- relful" of bees, is something of a job, and it is here that some of us fall down. If cells are started at this time, it is preferable to remove all brood, using it to build up nuclei for the fall flow. For comb honey there is probably nothing better than the ' ' shook swarm ' ' method. but don't make the mistake of leaving part of the brood. Remove every cell and use mostly foundation below. Valparaiso, Ind. E. S. Miller. [The percentage mentioned in the next-to- the-last paragraph may be cut down consid- erably. When we first used the swarm-con- trol plan given in the June, 1918, Gleanings we had an experience similar to Mr. Miller's — some colonies building queen-cells in the lower story. We noticed many young bees (nurse bees and cell-builders) left in the hive below at the time of manipulation, and these we came to believe the true cause of the trouble. Since then we have taken pains to get these bees out of the lower and into the upper story where they may build queen- cells to their hearts' content. Below we have only field bees that have no inclina- tion to start cells. .This we have found a much safer arrangement. — Editor.] PREVENTION OF SWARMING This Beekeeper Says He Has Not Seen a Swarm in Two Years The proper time to manipulate a colony to head off swarming is before the flow starts. In doing this I proceed as follows: By May 20, or as near that as possible, I equalize brood according to Dr. Miller's plan, so that each colony will have at least five brood. By a "brood" I mean a comb at least two-thirds full of brood. One thing that will encourage swarming is the inequality of the colonies in the amount of brood they have early in the sea- son. Suppose one of the best ones has six or seven brood by May 20, and they are not reduced. I would almost guarantee they would swarm, perhaps before the flow. In other words they would grow to storing strength altogether too soon. Now, some of my hives are eight-frame and some twelve-frame. We will take the twelve- frame. If they have plenty of stores, and honey is coming in, they are going to in- crease right along and have six brood. In a few days there will be brood in two more. I immediately give another story of combs. They are, as a rule, safe now until the flow starts — about June 20. (In the case of the eight-frame hives it may be necessary to give three stories before the 20th.) At this time we may have from eight to twelve brood. We now arrange for the storing of the crop. I first take nearly all the brood from the brood-chamber except two or three combs which contain the least brood, filling the rest of the brood-chamber out with black empty combs, put on the excluder, on top of this a body of empty combs, and on top of this the body containing all the rest of the brood. In a few days, if the weather Junk. iei9 G T. E A N I N G S IN BEE C; U 1^ T U K E 367 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE M is favorable and honey is coining in with a rush, I look at the story of empty combs. If the bees have made a start in these combs the hive is closed up as it was, except that another body of empty combs is added on top and thruout the season. As soon as I see any start in storing in this top story another empty is added. Never at any time do I take off the stories and examine the brood-chamber for indica- tions of swarming. It has never been neces- sary in my experience. With the above plan (which has been mentioned many times in Gleanings) I have had a hundred colonies in the home yard with never a swarm, and I do not believe there was one at the other yard. In two years I have not seen a swarm — only the one or two runaways that usually come each year. It may be there will come a year when they will swarm in spite of this man- agement; but I am not going to believe it until I see it. Geo. Shiber. Eandolph, N. Y. ANOTHER SWARM PREVENTION Brood-Chamber Is Placed Over Shallow Frames Having Foundation Starters Having used S. Simmins's method for a number of years, I can absolutely affirm that, unless some ridiculous manipulation has been made, the bees positively cannot swarm, and I have always found that from hives arranged in this way the honey pro- duced is always far in excess of that ob- tained by the more usual methods of super- ing. In this swarm prevention plan to which I refer, the brood-chamber is raised and under it is placed a super of shallow frames, fitted only with ^/4-inch starters of foundation. Frames from which the combs have been cut will also answer or even top-bars only, provided a trace of the old comb is left adhering to the under side. Above the brood-cha:mber may be used a queen-ex- cluder and then the extracted honey supers of drawn comb piled up in greater or less numbers as the flow of honey requires. The whole principle of the arrangement depends upon the fact (I think generally ac- knowledged) that bees will not swarm from a brood-nest of uncompleted combs. At the same time proper and ample ventilation, without draft, is provided under the cluster. Now, if the beekeeper for any reason neg- lects to give sufficient super room, the bees, instead of swarming, merely bulge down into the lower compartment and work out the combs (and in my experience store hon- ey therein — no brood). If, on the other hand, the supers are properly attended to. no self-respecting colony ever draws out the under combs at all, but merely uses the space provided as a sort of entrance hall, wherein to sit and meditate on wet days or at other times when nothing is doing. By this method, it will be noted that the brood-nest is not disorganized, nor is it necessary to give the queen a fresh start by separating her and her nursery by one or more tiers of super combs. Manipulation, in fact, is reduced to a minimum and more- over the bees work straight ahead in the supers, in the same direction in which they began, without being required to fill in un- natural "vacuous" spaces left in upper stories by the hatching out of misplaced brood. Strictly speaking, this method does not ' ' prevent swarming, ' ' it rather prevents the desire to swarm, which are two entirely dif- ferent things; the former necessarily being a more or less harsh and unnatural proceed- ing, the latter more nearly conforming to nature. Bees seldom or never swarm from the huge "let-alone" hives, I believe. The same thing may be said of wild bees living in tree trunks and between house walls — ■ provided always that the space at their command is unrestricted. Why? Because their combs are never quite complete or at least are always capable of further exten- sion to meet the needs of the swollen popu- lation. Similarly, in the hive arrangement just described, the bees are led to believe that their combs are still capable of ex- tension so that the desire for swarming never enters into their calculations. The one obvious drawback to this method is that it more or less precludes the possi- bility of mid-season increase. But, as most agree, the proper time for increase is before or immediately after the honey flow, this difficulty cannot be allowed to have much weight. Now as to actual results. I live in a lo- cality where beekeepers consider they have done well if their colonies average 40 to 50 pounds in a season; but since adopting the above arrangements I consider it a poor season when my hives yield me less than an average of 150 pounds of extracted honey in a season. The above-described method is only a variation and enlargement of Dr. Miller 's two-inch floor-boards with a false bottom of slatted boards. It is indeed difficult to find anything new under the sun — even imme- diately under it. C. L. N. Pearson. Shalbourne, England. [Altho we would not expect three times as much honey, we believe the plan worth investigating and intend trying it out on a small scale ourselves this summer. — Edi- tor.] 368 G LEANINGS IN BEE C U L T U R E June, 1919 o ,N page 290 the types make Mrs. Demuth say that there is less tendency to late swarming "if the bees are compelled to build new combs in the brood-chamber from starters only." I can hardly believe she would favor any- thing less than full sheets of foundation, for fear of too much drone-comb. [Those are Mrs. Demuth 's words. The types are inno- cent this time. — Editor.] * « * Stancy Puerden, I'm in sympathy with you when you speak so vehemently of ' ' man 's refined, demineralized, devitalized sugar"; but don't be too sure that a "nat- ural apple" may not equal a Baldwin. The Baldwin is nothing but a "natural apple" selected out of many thousands of natural or seedling apples, and any day another seedling may turn up still better than a Baldwin. * * * In a mention of the Miller plan of getting queen-cells, page 318, occurs this: "Eemove a comb from the hive of the best breeder and replace with this prepared frame." Some one who tries that will be disgusted to find that the chances are that the frame will be filled with drone-comb and honey. The remedy is to have the best breeder in a nucleus. * * * Interesting is that statement of L. L. Andrews, page 309, May Gleanings, that 100 colonies of bees used 20 gallons of water in a day. That seems an enormous amount, be- ing a trifle more than IV2 pints for each colony. One wonders just a little whether they would keep that up day after day, or whether, having been hard up for water, they would take an unusual amount the first day, and then slack up afterward. * * * Grace Allen, you knew mice had been in your hives because you found the remains of one there. You might have had another evidence. Next time you suspect mice, ex- amine the dead bees. Each one will have a round hole on the upper part of its thorax, where I suppose a mouse had bitten or lick- ed out the contents of the thorax. If you close the entrance of a hive with wirecloth having three meshes to the inch, it will al- low free passage for bees, but not for mice. * * * Something out of whack on page 299. The text seems to show the cold arrangement of combs, but the cut shows the warm arrange- ment. The text says the entrance of the nucleus "will be at the end of the hive op- posite the body entrance," but the' cut shows both entrances at the same end. [The legend under the cut stated that in ad- dition to the ar- rangement shown, a piece of tin or zinc cov- ers all but a few inches on the right side of the excluder. The double dotted line and lower arrow were intended to indicate an entrance at the oijposite end of the hive, but appar- ently do not give that impression. — Editor.] On page 293 it is advised to strain bees thru a queen-excluder, and the heading says it * ' saves time and eye-strain, and works without fail." It's a good thing in a stub- born case where you want to find the queen "right now," but as to saving time in or- dinary cases — not "in this locality." In a usual case of finding 50 or 100 queens, it will be done in one-third of the time without the strainer. [Yes, but your bees are not of the flighty, scary, unfindable kind. — Editor.] * X * Two marvels on page 316: D. M. Mac- Donald gives as one the lack of delight in labor of any kind in a worker deprived of antennae; lona Fowls gives as another the lack of delight in much of anything of a human being deprived of a leg. Play fair, lona, play fair. The cases are not parallel. My good friend, the Scotch schoolmaster, may come back at you with another marvel; a queen deprived of a leg goes right on tak- ing interest in her work, just as if no leg had been lost, altho the loss of the leg causes likely as much pain as the loss of the antenna?. Your human loses interest be- cause of the severe pain, and the interest will come back when the pain is over. The interest of the bee is lost not because of pain (for then the loss of a leg should cause the same loss of interest) and that interest will never return. [Yes, we will be fair. We admit that we, together with Mr. MacDon- ald and Dr. Miller and various scientists, that have been discussing the subject, know but precious little about the sense organs of bees. Won 't the others please admit the same? — Editor.] . * » * On page 322, occurs a question which is, in substance, "How can a queen become a drone-layer if her spermatheca contains more spermatozoa than the number of eggs she lays in her lifetime?" And the answer is in substance, "She can't." But we all know she does, and only too often. It may be said — and rightly — that that ' ' She can 't ' ' means that she cannot become a drone-layer thru the exhaustion of the sper- matozoa. That still leaves the question, ' ' If not thru such exhaustion, then how?" No other way is suggested, and I 'm sure I don 't know of any. Moreover, begging Miss Fowls ' pardon, I may quote Cheshire as say- ing that the supply of spermatozoa does ac- June, 1919 G I. E A NM N G S IN BEE CULTURE 369 tually become exhausted, or priu-tically so. Speaking of drone-laj'ing queens, he says: ' ' Many of these ancient danics — discarded because they no longer yielded workers, or only a few, amidst many drones, and these produced in worker-cells — have been sent to ine for dissection, and I have invariably found the spermatheca quite denuded of its spermatozoa, or only containing such a miserable residue as to clearly show that the eggs could, at the best, be but occasionally fertilized. ' ' (BeesandBeekeeping, Vol.I,page 227.) As to the how of it, I may be allowed to suggest: Nature is lavish in her provi- sions for safety of fertilization: where a single grain of pollen is needed on an apple tree, hundreds are provided; for every drone needed a thousand are born, and the only wonder is that she is not more lavish in the matter of spermatozoa, providing less than a dozen for every one really needed. (Che- shire says ' ' a prolific queen will lay, during her life, 1,500,000 eggs," and the spermato- zoa ' ' are, probably, not usually more than 4,000,000 in number." (That averages less than three spermatozoa for each egg.) Well, altho only a single spermatozoon may enter an egg, analogy would teach that for safety two or more extra ones are extruded, and so it is not so hard to see that even with 4,000,000 present the supply may become ex- hausted, making the queen a drone-layer. [Of course, anyone who has ever worked with bees to any extent knows that good queens sometimes become drone-layers; but we had supposed this was caused by the queen receiving too few spermatozoa or by the queen becoming so worn out that it was ])hysically impossible to fertilize the eggs. The suggestion made by Dr. Miller, is, how- ever, doubtless correct. We find it also given by Cheshire, Dr. Phillips and others. According to Breslaw, the spermatozoa are extruded in bundles of about one hundred ea'?h, upon the eggs as they pass from the vagina. — Editor.] * * « B. F. Kindig, an old adage says, ' ' Death loves a shining mark." So do L So I'm glad to have you for a mark while I take a whack at an error that prevails even among our best beekeepers. You say, page 309, * ' Such beekeepers could without great trou- ble maintain a drone-rearing colony headed by their best queen. The next best queen could be used for queen-rearing. ' ' You do well to emphasize the importance of drones, but have fallen into the error I s^eak of by assuming that the best queen will rear the best drones. I am hardly in a position to throw stones at others, for I am only a com- paratively recent convert to the truth, and for many years made it a practice to encour- age drone-rearing in a few of the best colo- nies ^d to suppress them in all others. When speaking of a best queen, I assume we mean the queen whose workers do the best work. A worker gets her characteristics from her mother and also from the drone with which her mother mated. Not so with the drone. He inherits only thru his mother, and is not one whit affected by the drone with which she mated. In fact he would be precisely the drone he is if his mother had not mated at all. Just as you say, "They inherit all of their characteristics from their mothers. ' ' He has no father but is the son of his grandfather. We will not go far wrong if we keep in mind that thru his mother the drone inherits qualities from his mother's mother, plus qualities from the drone with which his mother 's mother mat- ed. In other words, for his status the drone harks back to his maternal grandmother after she had mated. In a few words, the best drone is the drone with the best grand- mother. Sujjj^ose two virgin sisters, A and B, just alike in every respect. A meets with the best drone ever, and B with the worst ever. A will rear good workers, and we shall call her a good queen. B will rear poor workers, and we shall call her a poor queen. Yet the drones from the poor queen will be just as good as those from the good queen, because they have the same grandmother. You say rear drones from the best queen and queens from the next best. That would not give you quite the best queens, and it might not give you the best drones. Here 's what might be. C, the best queen, as a virgin, was of stock not quite so good as D; but she met a drone so much better than the one D met, that as a laying queen she is the best in the apiary. Yet C 's drones are not as good as D 's, because D 's have the better grandmother. Well, if we are not to rear drones from the best queen, what are we to do about drones? Don't do anything. Just rear queens from the best queens and let the drones take care of themselves. You will have some poor queens, for some of your queens will meet scrub drones from outside. But if you keep rearing queens from the best there will be none but superior drones in the apiary be- cause they all have superior grandmothers. To those who have trouble because of pre- dominance of black blood around them you say, ' ' Let me suggest the rearing of such an abundance of first-class drones that young queens of the territory gradual- ly may become Italianized." That will not be easy if you rear drones only from your best queen; but with my way it will be easy. And please keep in mind that with the way I advise the poorest queen in the apiary will have just as good drones as the best, and all on account of the grandmother business. [These remarks are certainly of great value and we are very glad to have Dr. Miller ex- plain what he means by a "best queen." Now, if Mr. Kindig would also give us his definition, perhaps we would find little dis- agreement after all. We wonder, however, if it would not be a little more accurate for these paragraphs to end with the word "grandparents" rather than "grandmoth- er ? "—Editor.] GLEANINGS IN BKE CULTURE 370 WE are in- debted t 0 E. R. Eoot, page 284, May Gleanings, for ex- plaining ' ' Those Confusing Symp- toms ' ' of Euro- pean foul brood. I have to con- fess that after years of inspection work I find some cases that we do not feel at all sure as to which kind it is. This "new light" will be helpful. "I never knew any person to go into the beekeeping business purely for what he could get out of it that made a success of it," says Major Shallard, page 321. I be- lieve that rule holds good in this country as well as in New South Wales. That article on pages 224 and 225 by B. F. Kindig gives us a new idea of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan. I had supposed it on the outskirts of civilization or even be- yond it, but he makes it a most decidedly interesting and fascinating section to a bee- keeper. It is to be hoped that every young bee- keeper will most carefully study that sym- posium of noted beekeepers, commencing on page 215, on "Early Spring Management." There is money in it. On no one thing does profit or loss 'more depend than on spring management. Directions for moving bees on page 325 are all right if you have the time; but it is much less trouble to move them at once to where you want them. Then place a broad board in front of the entrance and after a few days remove it. We have little trouble when they are so treated. * * * We are told on page 319 that a Mr. War- ren of Nevada, who owns 1,000 colonies of bees and raises alfalfa seed, produces near- ly four times as much seed to the acre as a'nother alfalfa seed-grower who keeps no bees; and yet we have been told repeatedly that honeybees are unable to fertilize the alfalfa blossoms. A mistake somewhere. « * * • Necessity is said to be the mother of in- vention; and that improvised queen-sieve made by tacking an excluder to the bottom of a super, as described by Geo. A. Brill, page 293, will answer the purpose very well and prove of great value when we have for- gotten to take anything with us to an out- yard for this kind" of work. I have used it. •s * * The discussion of the large and the small brood-chambers goes merrily on. So far as I can see, a two-story 8-frame Langstroth hive is of almost the same capacity as a lO-frame Dadant Jumbo hive. Each has some advan- JUNE, 1919 tages over the other, i t seems evident. If one has an eight- frame Lang- stroth, it is easi- ly made into a .Tumbo by adding another story. If one has a Jumbo he can have a smaller hive by using divi- sion-boards or dummies. From October till May an eight-frame Langstroth seems pref- erable to a larger one. If a larger hive is wanted during the summer, we can add as many stories as we like. * * * Edwin O. Gunn says, page 321, that bees will build their combs down to the bottom- bars better when built out above the brood- chamber. There may be something in it, altho, as a rule, I do not find such combs built down to the bottom-bar. However, there is no better place to have combs of founda- tion drawn out than over the brood-cham- ber, jf ^ * Grace Allen in reporting the address of Prof. Jaeger at the Chicago convention speaks of the abundance of honey gathered from the Balkan mountains, chief among them being from wild thyme. This plant has come in some places in southwestern Vermont, enough to make most excellent pasture for bees during August, and may prove of considerable importance in the fu- ture. ^ ^ ^ It was with more than usual interest that I read Mrs. Puerden 's description, on page 303, of "Cream of Honey." It looks as tho there might be in it a good deal of value to beekeepers. Granulated honey is often too hard to spread on bread; and liquid honey unless spread very thin (thinner than I like) will run, and, before we know it, is on our fingers. Oh, dear! then we wish there was no honey. Now if this Cream of Honey will remain creamy, it is something to be thank- ful for; besides it will make an opening or a market for a large amount of our extract- ed honey that now depresses the market. Cream of Honey, or granulated honey, is of milder flavor than before the change takes place; and, as a result, suits many persons who do not care for liquid honey. My bet- *ter half recently carried some real granulat- ed honey to a tubercular invalid across the way, and he was greatly pleased with it. ' ' Never heard of such a thing before, ' ' said he, and his wife came over to buy some of that solid honey to send down to the hos- pital. There seems to be something needed to make the use of honey more popular or common. It seems to be about the only food that is going down in price at the pres- ent time. With butter selling at 75 cents a pound in our larger towns, it seems queer that extracted honey is quoted at from 16 to 20 cents wholesale. It certainly looks as tho the great mass of people are not in- formed as to its value. June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE n c ur a modern Robinson Cru- soe should find the advertis- ing pages of a current number of any house- hold magazine on the beach of his private island estate, he would not need the reasoning powers of a Sherlock Holmes to deduce the fact that American housekeepers have a problem to solve. To prove my point, let me make just a few quotations from the adver- tising pages of a recent household publica- tion: ' ' Does a servant 's work. It is a veritable servant in the kitchen. ' ' ' ' A dependable servant. ' ' "In the house that has my cooker there is 110 servant problem." "A servant at three cents an hour." "It serves your home, saves your time." "It is the housekeeper's aid." ' * Your laundry problem completely solv- ed." ' ' Makes ironing a pleasure and saves your time." ' ' Cleans your whole house thoroly clean. ' ' ' ' Without scrubbing, without scouring, without any of the old, laborious methods. ' ' ' ' Does in a couple of hours the work that used to take the best part of a day." The above quotations were in most cases taken from full page advertisements with elaborate illustrations of the labor-saving devices described. In tlie same magazine are advertised at- tractively illustrated prepared foods. There are biscuits and cakes in packages, ready to serve breakfast foods, self -rising pancake flours, dried fruits and vegetables, combi- nations of dried vegetables for soups, can- ned meats, vegetables and soups, canned, condensed soups, desserts requiring a mini- mum of time in preparation, condensed, evaporated and even dried and powdered milk, especially manufactured pastry flours and wonderful baking powders. Really I haven't mentioned half the largely advertis- ed foods. With many food advertisements there are published recipes accompanied by most ap- petizing-looking illustrations and the house- keeper is often invited to send for a free book of recipes. In cleaning and straightening some shelves a few days ago I came upon an old number of the same magazine from which I made the above quotations. It was of the year 1902, and it was interesting to note the contrast between its advertising pages and those of the current number. Seventeen years ago advertising pages were not par- ticularly attractive. Very few household labor-saving devices were advertised and almost no foods. Apparently the difficulty of obtaining competent household help was not nearly as great then as now, altho I well OUR FOOD PAGE Stancy J Puerden 1 lU 371 remelnber we spoke of it as a problem even then. But it is not alone in the ad- vertising pages that we find at- tempts at a solu- tion of the prob- lem of help in the home. There are many fine articles in the reading pages, interest- ing, inspiring, and generally practical. But occasionally articles appear which I cannot help suspecting are written by men, by women who have gained their knowledge of cooking and kitchen work mostly at a desk, or by women who have lived all their lives in a large eastern city and cannot comprehend that the majority of their read- ers live amid conditions entirely different with altogether different problems to solve. One writer tells us that in the future we must depend upon the eight-hour servant who lives outside the home, and if we can- not afford her eight hours a day at the pres- ent high wages (I almost called it salary) we can have her for a stated number of hours and allow her to work in some other home for the remainder of the time. That would be quite ideal. I once had an oppor- tunity to try the plan and liked it very much on account of the greater privacy of the family life. But in the average small town I believe it is fully as difficult to se- cure the eight-hour assistant as one who lives in the house, while on the farm it is jiractically impossible, and who needs help more than the farmer's wife? Another writer informs us that the pri- vate house of the future will have no kit- chen, that instead of buying the raw food it will all be cooked and delivered at our, doors. This community kitchen plan has been tried with more or less success in a number of places, and its promoters are most enthusiastic over it. However, so far I believe it has never been carried out except in large cities or suburbs where wealthy people live. To me it sounds extremely like boarding-house fare in the home, and I can- not imagine your children or mine growing enthusiastic over it. When that big college boy comes home for a week end, would it seem quite like home to him if he couldn 't rummage in a cupboard stocked with his favorite dishes, home-prepared? A recent interesting lecturer, a man, made tlie assertion that the keynote of the fu- ture would be co-operation instead of com- petition, that the movement would extend even into the homes. He agreed with the last-mentioned writer that all cooking would be done in central kitchens, just as our bak- ing and washing are done in central bakeries and laundries. I wanted to interview his wife and find out if the bakeries and laun- dries really relieve her of all baking and washing. I imagine with the aid of her gas oven she produces sundry toothsome dainties 372 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 which that lecturer enjoys, and any woman can guess that at least her two little girls ' dainty dresses are surreptitiously ' ' done up ' ' at home. Also that lecturer has been entertained in our home and I can testify that his appetite for home-baked goods is very good indeed. By the way, did you ever know a man who did not appreciate bread of home manufacture? One writer goes so far as to predict that in the future, I don 't know how distant, woman 's work will be no more connected with the home than that of man, that she will specialize on whatever she likes to do after her children are beyond babyhood and can be left to the care of others, just as if children did not need a mother all thru their youth. That scheme sounds dismal to me. I happen to like my present job. No, Mr. or Mrs. Would-be-solver-of-the-help- problem, what we women want is not eman- cipation from all housework, but some of us would like shorter hours and more free- dom to enjoy life out of doors. Also the young exjjectant mother should be relieved of worry concerning help in her time of need. Now that I have expressed what is on my mind thus freely, may I go a step further and say that I wish some of these writers would stop talking about the drudgery of housework. Show me the worth-while work that has no drudgery connected with it. This talk of the drudgery of housekeeping is enough to make any girl think she dislikes housework. As to cooking, with the present resources for cooked foods afforded by the average country town, if we housekeepers are to feed our families well and wisely I believe we should still prepare the greater part of the food in the home kitchen. THE May number of the Ladies ' Home Journal devotes a whole page to telling about the food value of yeast, and the substance of it is that it contains the vita- mine ' ' water soluble B, ' ' the kind which is believed to be in honey. McCollum of Jolms Hopkins University, the man who has conducted such long and exhaustive series of experiments with reference to the class of vitamines called ' ' fat soluble A " is in- clined to minimize the necessity for "water soluble B ' ' for the reason that it is found in nearly all foods in the natural state. He is the man who named the foods rich in ' ' fat soluble A ' ' the protective foods. These foods are milk and eggs and the leafy vege- tables. ' ' Fat soluble A " is also sometimes known as the growth vitamine, altho McCol- lum apparently does not approve of the word vitamine. But the writer of the article on yeast, Philip B. Hawk, Ph. D., Professor of Physi- ological Chemistry of the Jefferson Medical College, Phila., tells of a series of experi- ments proving that the addition of yeast to the diet of white rats produced remarka- ble results in promoting growth, and that without the yeast with its "water soluble B ' ' the rats would not grow altho the diet was otherwise complete even including the ' ' fat soluble A. ' ' When learned scientists do not agree what shall we poor laymen believe? At least we beekeepers can rejoice that new research is demonstrating the importance of the vita- mine contained in honey. In order to use yeast I am starting the recipes by giving a roll recipe. It makes very good rolls, and by omitting all the shortening but 1 tablespoon it will make good loaf bread, two small loaves. The reason the recipe for butterscotch pie is repeated is to correct it. I sent it to the printers last month after seeing and cor- recting the rest of the copy. The patient proofreader assures me that the sugar was in the first proof, but somehow it was after- ward lost and no one can account for it. It looks to me as if the devil must have taken it, I mean, of course the printer 's devil, or just possibly a beekeeping editor censored out that brown sugar because it wasn 't honey. ROLL RECIPE. 1 cake compressed yeast 4 tablespoons melted 1 cup milk, scalded shortening 1 cup warm water 3 pints sifted flour 1 teaspoon salt Soak the yeast cake about half an hour in 1/2 Clip of the water, lukewarm, and then add to the milk and the other half cup of the water, which should be cooled to luke- warm. Add the shortening and % the flour (3 cups) and beat until perfectly smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place until light, which should be in about one hour. Then add the remainder of the flour or enough to make a dough and the salt and knead well. Be very careful to keep the dough warm at every stage of the process. When kneaded until smooth and elastic, place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about IV2 hours. Turn out on oiled board, knead lightly, and divide the dough in two equal parts. Use half for Parkerhouse rolls by rolling out to % inch in thickness, cut with a biscuit cutter, brush with melted butter, crease with a knife thru the center and fold over. Place in well-oiled shallow pans about one inch apart and set to rise until light, about % hour. Use the other half of the dough for pecan rolls with the following ingredients: Bread dough M cup butter About % cup honey Cinnamon to taste % cup pecan meats Roll this dough about 1/3 inch thick, spread with softened butter, then with hon- ey and dot thickly with the pecan meats which should be halves if possible, sprinkle with cinnamon, roll up and cut into sections about 11/^ inches thick. Place cut side down about half an inch apart in well-oiled, shal- low pans, dip the honey and butter, which has oozed out in cutting, over them and set to rise," which should take about an hour. (Continued on page 400.) June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE (MT L T U R E c SWARMS — s w a r 111 s — swarms. Still more swarms. This is sureh- "a s w a r 111 i II g season. ' ' F r o in all a r o u n d us comes the report, " U 11 u s u a 1 1 y heavy swaniiiiig. " Not for years has there been in this section the tendency to such hea\y or such early swarming. It really isn 't any particularly difficult problem with us usually. Now, with white clover just coining into bloom (ISfay 2), bees have been swarming, or trying to, for a month. Large hives, of themselves, will not always pre- vent it. Last month, speaking of big brood- chambers in this department, I said, ' ' There is plenty of room for brood-rearing as well as supplies. ' ' Well this year it seems there wasn 't. Apiaries where there are very few colonies in single brood-cliainbers have had real swarming problems this season. Oc- casionally the queen has not entered the sec- ond story (usually the lower) when queen- cups were started in the first. Sometimes they swarmed with plenty of room in both the double brood-chamber and a super, tho usually that was wh^ the extra room had been given after the first symptoms had developed — preventive measures that did not prevent. It seems as tho there must be some sound reason for the increased general tendency. It sounds illogical and superfi- cial to say, ' ' Well, it 's just a swarming year. ' ' In the big majority of cases here there was such a generous supply of stores on hand and such vigorous laying, that the two stories were really filled early and a seriously crowded condition actually existed. Evidently three important factors, each one distinctly favorable, combined to bring about these results; the heavy fall flow, the mild winter, the early spring. One thing is sure. If colonies are boom- ing in spring, and there come several days of bad weather riglit during a good nectar flow, and then that bad weather breaks into fine, warm, bright days, the beekeeper bet- ter be on his jol). There will be swarms. The next time I ask anyone whether he keeps bees for pleasure or profit, I am going to add, "Or for discipline?" Certainly your self-control, your serenity, your pa- tience, and either your philosophy or re- ligion, whichever you have, and both if you can claim the double blessing, do get most thoroly tested and developed at times. We have just passed with varying degrees of equanimity thru such a period. Black locust came into blossom so early, so beautifully, so generously; and promptly the weather- man began to pull out his stops and work his pedals, until ho had produced the weird- est weather effects imaginable — rain, frost, wind, more rain, more frost, more wind, cold and rain and wind all together. And Beekeeping as a Side Line u 1 Grace Allen LJ thru dark dis- mal day after dark dismal day the bees were steadily in the hives and the time of locust 1 1 1 o 0 111 passing by. (Then when it cleared for a few hours, they swarmed!) "It is costing me a hundred dollars a day," one beekeeper announced gloomily. Now it is warm and bright. And now the locust is practically gone. But beekeepers are a forward-looking )>eople. And white clover is coming into bloom. It is these things, moreover, that test the skill of the producer. Anyone can get honey when the conditions are ideal; the aim must be to learn how to do it when con- ditions are against us. There is generally ample opportunity for practice. (Will E.McC. and M.-A.-O. kindly skip this paragraph? Thanks.) In accordance with all advice about packing, we left the bees in the quadruple winter case until late in the spring, or at least until we found the unpacked bees getting dangerously crowded. Then off came the top and sides of the big case, the packing was put away, and the four colonies examined. They were no bet- ter and no worse than the" others. They really couldn't be much better, tho, and be contained within the boundaries of the hives. They would probably have classified; one fair, one strong, and two very strong. And that about represented the yard as a whole, except a few weak ones — especially the four or five in a row that had had mouse complications. (We assumed, by the way, these particular colonies were weak because of the mice getting in, but some- body tells us the mice got in because they were weak. That is true of moths that do their damage in summer, but is it true of mice that do their damage in winter?) So again we feel discouraged about pack- ing bees. To be sure, this is only the sec- ond time with the big case, and it was a mild open winter, leaning as far towards ex- treme mildness as last winter did towards extreme severity. Maybe the packing cases operate more advantageously in just ordi- nary winters; so maybe we'll try it again. I say maybe, because I have to have help with this job, both spring and fall, and the man I most naturally depend on is a trifle out of sympathy with the packing system. He might succeed in dissuading me. Eecently I heard a side-line beekeeper complain that one certainly got conflicting ideas of the way to handle bees by watching different beekeepers. The two being espe cially contrasted did almost everything dif- ferently. One worked slowly and gently, the other ruthlessly and fast. One used little smoke, the other a great deal. One disturbed the bees very slightly, whi'e the other shook them off the combs. And one, I GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 might add, had under 50 colonies and tho other 250. Which, queried the puzzled one, ■R'as the one to copy? Whichever you prefer, was my answer. For side liners can make a choice. Commer- cial beekeepers may feel they can not afford the slower quieter method, being compelled to be as swift and expeditious as possible. If their bees get rough — very well then, they get rough. Which disposes of that point. If the work is less pleasant — let it be less pleasant. Which disposes of that point. If it is more tiring — it is simply more tiring. Eesults are what they are after, and they necessarily use whatever method will produce the best results, meas- ured in dollars and cents. The side liner, on the other hand, need not work after this fashion unless he pre- fers. He may so prefer, for he may wish to increase his bees to the largest number that he can handle during the time at his dis- posal. So he, too, may use the slapdash system with his bees and apply the dollar measuring stick to his results. And still be a perfectly proper side liner. Or he may — and I fancy most of the genus Side Liner will — prefer the quieter method that lets him smoke his bees very little, lift out his combs gently, and find his work such real en- joyment that it passes out of the category of work into that of leisurely delight. It will take more time per colony — but that may be an argument in its favor! Where every minute holds 60 seconds of pleasure, why reduce the minutes? Besides, one is learning and observing during these slow processes, gaining an intimate personal knowledge of the ways of the bees. So it depends on the results one is after how one should work. Moreover, one isn 't of necessity under the compulsion of doing it always the same way. Some glowing day of blue skies and birdsong and uninterrupt- ed hours, one may choose to turn his work into a long slow delicious unforgettable de- light; and some other day, with other af- fairs pressine, he may be nmbitious to see how efficiently and quickly he can accom- plish whatever needs doing. Many a begin- ner has started by the slow method, and after a few seasons passed on into swifter ones, which from a practical point of view is a perfectly logical procedure. For beginners may well eir, if err they must, on the deliberate side of the question. Therein lies greater safety for the inexperi- enced. Later, will come the quicker more businesslike handling, and short cuts will be discovered. For instance, the beginner examining for brood, goes clear across the hive, frame by frame. Then gradually the solidarity of the brood-nest becomes a fact to him; instead of just something he has read of, it is a part of his own experience. So some day when he finds brood in the sec- ond comb from one side, he will look quick- ly at the opposite side, and from the location of the two combs that mark the sides of tho brood-nest, he will decide on the number of combs of brood without looking at each one. He will ti]) up his hives to look for queen- cells from below. He will relentlessly shake the bees from the combs when it suits his purpose. And in that way his work will be done more quickly — and his bees will be crosser. Yet when people talk about doing 75 colo- nies a day, they keep my imagination stam- mering, trying to keep up with them. » * * If you are keeping book accounts of your little side-line venture, you would like to liave your records such that at a glance you can tell from year to year what your crops have been. The simplest way is for the sum total of your cash sales to represent your full crop. If you use a considerable amount of honey for your table, and perhaps to give away, your sum total of sales does not represent the full crop. Some further notation is required of the amount retained for family consumption. I have known side-line beekeepers and chicken-raisers who have actually paid cash for all they put on their own tables, so as to keep the little business venture indepen- dent and with all records accurate. (Usual- ly in this case they pay a wholesale price for the honey and eggs, just as a merchant will do for the things his family buys from his store.) But some people object to pay- ing for what is raised right there on the place. In that case, if you would still like to have the sum total of sales represent the entire crop, you can regard the honey re- served for family use as your wages, enter- ing it among your cash sales like any other sale. Then make an entry for the same amount among your disbursements, charging it to labor. This in no way alters the cash balance, but it does make your sales sheet include your entire crop. And it is honest with yourself, too, and with the bees. It's not juggling figures, either. It is as tho you were paid for your labor, and in turn you paid for the honey used. The amount of honey consumed at home is negligible in the case of a big producer, but is a sizable per cent of the backlotter's crop. * * * JUNE. June, ^■ou nre mine With your shimmer and shine! YoTir radiant gleaming And delicate dreaming Have lun thru my veins like Arcadian wine ! .June, you are mine! Roses and tees And the sun on the trees — These are the part of you, Out of the heart of you, Open old doors with mysterious keys — Roses — and bees. June, I am yours, . By all magical lure-s ! Bees in their coming And going and humming Have woven my heart in a web that endures — June, I am yours ! JrxE. 1919 G 1, K A N I N O S I N K E V. C V T, T U K E ft FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH In Northern California, .Last fall in most sec- tions the honey How shut off abruptly and not a few colonics went into winter with the spores of American foul brood in their honey. During ]\Iarch and April the wea- ther was decidedly unfavorable. The fre- quent cold and windy days during this time compelled the bees in many instances to use up almost their last ounce of honey. Where bees were not fed either last winter or early this spring the loss thru starvation has been consi(terable. The loss thru American foul brood has also been great, owing in a measure to the large consumption of old honey. Euro- pean foul brood in the valleys has been almost a negligible affair despite the fact that the conditions for its growth and development have been ideal. Along the Sierra foothill districts, however, European has proven a very serious matter and this is especially true thruout Tuolumne County. On the whole where bees have been supplied with ample honey they have bred up to normal strength, and where disease can be gotten under control a good crop this year is ex- pected. The flow from orange and mustard was nearly normal during April and, at the beginning of May, with favorable weather, increased perceptibly. During the latter part of March and the beginning of April our section of the State was favored by a visit from A. P. Sturte- vant, specialist in bacteriology of bee dis- eases, of the U. S. Department of Agricul- ture. Mr. Sturtevant during his stay with us covered considerable territory and im- parted much valuable information regard- ing the diagnoses of brood diseases. He said that with one exception he found that the problem of differentiation between American and European foul brood was more baffling in Stanilaus and Sacramento Counties than in any other sections where he had carried on investigations. He stated, furthermore, that the number of cases of American and European found in the same colony and even in the same comb were far greater in this section than in any other which he had visited. F. W. Burtch, secre- tary of the Central Valley Honey Producers ' Co-operative Exchange called a special meet- ing of the beekeepers within the territory of the Exchange in order to meet Mr. Sturte- vant. The gathering was well attended and certainly most appreciative of the fine work which the government is undertaking in their behalf. The diagnosis of brood dis- eases is not nearly as complex as most of our beekeepers supposed, and many of them after Mr. Sturtevant departed remarked that not for many dollars would they have miss- ed his talk on the subject. Valuable as his demonstrations were with the micro- scope, it was his candid and thOro talk on the "symptoms" which impressed the bee- keepers the most. It was the getting down to the finer points in the symptoms and a careful study of these symptoms at the vari- ous stages of the disease which helped so much to clarify and make it possible in al- most all cases without the aid of a miero- scope to make a correct diagnosis. It will be unnecessary to describe the symptoms of the principal diseases, for E. R. Root has taken care of this subject quite adequately in the May issue of Gleanings. Every beekeeper must try to familiaiize himself as much as possible with the various stages of the trou- ble and not rest till he knows w^hat he has, and likewise bear in mind that j^rompt and proper treatment, weather conditions per- mitting, is imperative. M. C. Richter. Modesto, Calif. In Southern California.— ^'" 'It" l^'' weather has prevailed over southern California for some time. Conditions, in general, have not been favorable for honey production. This is often the case during our orange-honey flow, when cool nights, foggy mornings, and cold weather prevail for several days or even weeks at a time. As the ground is quite dry where the trees have not been irrigated, these moist fogs help considerably toward a secretion of nectar. Altho I have not heard of that profuse secretion often re- ferred to as sweetening up the horses and harness as they come in contact with the blossoms, the flow has been good most of the time since the trees came into bloom. A man of long experience in orange-growing told me that five hours after he began ir- rigating his trees, he could see the effect on the blossoms. They looked fresher, open- ed out better, stayed on the trees longer, and the bees were much thicker arounplii'(l \\itli foiiiida- tioii instead of comb, and tlierefoic iniich more eonib-building is necessai'v than wiien raising extracted honey. Much of this comb-building is done during the night, and can not proceed unless the supers are kept warm. For this reason no ventilation should be given between supers, and at the top only with great reluctance. Giving More Boom. Aside from supplying with a good young queen and plenty of ventilation, nothing is more important in the prevention of swarm- ing than giving sufficient room for the queen to lay in the brood-chamber, and enough room for the bees to store in the super. In the clover regions the honey flow visu- ally starts about 10 days after the first blossoms open. At that time little particles of new wax will begin to appear along the top-bars of the frames. This should be taken as a signal for giving a super to all normal colonies not already supplied. Production of Comb Honey. Since bees are sometimes reluctant about entering the small section boxes of founda- tion, comb-honey men have resorted to vari- Tlip qiieeii-cplls are the large ones at the left, some- what resembling peanuts. ous systems for getting the bees started to work above. Probably the best one for the beginner, provided he is able to obtain a few sections of drawn comb from a neigh- boring beekeeper, is to place such sections of comb in the center or at the sides of the super. Even one at the center of each super would be a great help. As soon as the first section-super is about half filled, the second may be given, placing it under the first. Again, when this is half filled a third may be given in the same way (beneath the other two). Continue to give oth- er supers as needed. Ordinarily toward the end of the honey flow no more supers should be given, but the bees allowed to finish those already begun. But if a colony becomes so crowded for room at this time that it seems best to give still another super, it should be phiced on top instead of next to the brood- chamber. The bees will then be apt to finish the other supers before doing much work in the last one, and yet will have the room if more room is really necessary. Until all danger of swarming is over, all colonies, whether run for comb or extracted honey, should be examined every seven or eight days in order to keep them in normal condition. It should be remembered that, during a good flow, colonies store very rap- idly, in some instances filling a shallow su- per in three or four days. They should never be allowed to become crowded, but should be supplied with room a little ahead of their actual needs. It is possible, never- theless, to overdo the matter and give room too rapidly. This does little harm in the case of extracted honey; for if the end of the extracted-honey season finds the bee- keeper with partially sealed honey in his extracting-combs he needs only to leave the honey on the hive until it is ripe, and will then be able to extract and sell it at as high a price as tho entirely capped. But if the comb-honey supers are given so rapidly that the sections are unsealed at the close of the flow, such honey must be sold at a low price because of its unattractive appearance. On the other hand, there is also danger of giving room too slowly, tho it is necessary to keep comb-honey colonies in a more crowded condition than extracted-honey colonies; still, if too crowded, the colony will build queen-cells in preparation for swarm- ing. Now, for the beginner who naturally wants a little increase and is willing to sac- rifice a part of the honey crop in order to obtain it, we feel inclined to advise him to permit natural swarming and then hive in the usual way as described later. However, if he wishes to get more honey by keeping the working force together, and wishes to take the extra trouble, he may, perhaps, like to try a plan of Dr. Miller, the best comb- honey authority we know. When a swarm issues he cages the queen and shoves her back into the entrance (from which the swarm and she came and to which the swarm will return) close against the bot- tom-bars where the bees will take care of her. Any time within the next 10 days he removes the supers and puts the brood- combs into an empty hive. In the now empty hive on the stand he puts two combs of brood next to one side with two or three dummies or chaff division-boards crowded against them, the rest of the hive being left vacant. Above this are placed the supers and cover, and above this a bottom-board, the hive of brood and queen just removed, and another cover over all. The old field bees will, of course, enter what they believe to be their old hive, will find themselves queenless, but will continue storing in the supers. The old queen in the upper hive will keep on laying, but the colony will be so weakened by the loss of field bees that the idea of swarming 390 GLEANINGS IN EE CULTURE June, 1919 will be giveu up and the queen-cells torn down. Ten days after swarming the lower story is replaced with the upper hive of bees, brood, and queen, and the hive with two frames of brood, which now has a few queen-cells, may be saved for a nucleus and placed on a new stand, taking pains to con- tract the entrance, so the brood will not be- come chilled. Production of Extracted Honey. If producing extracted honey, and the su- pers contain foundation, the full set of flames should be used until after the foun- dation is drawn out. After that, at least one comb should be removed and the extra space evenly divided between the combs. This will give more room for storing honey, and will result in combs nicely bulged and therefore easily uncapped. Super room should be supplied by giving the new su- per next to the brood-chamber, as in comb- honey production, only more room may be given and thus the danger of swarming may be lessened. Until a week after the beginning of the honey flow the queen may be allowed access to two stories, keeping brood in both. This gets the bees into the habit of storing above, so that when the queen is confined by the excluder to one story the bees store above more readily. Whenever combs of brood are left separated from the queen by an ex- cluder, the bees freejuently start cjueen-cells on such combs. These queen-cells should be torn down seven or eight days after separat- ing the queen from the brood. Except when brood is separated from the queen it would seem that the queen-cells should not be started if our directions have been carefully followed. Yet this some- times haj^pens. In case one finds such queen-cells we suggest the plan given in the last issue. Place on the old stand a hive containing the queen, nine frames of comb or foundation, and at the center one comb with a small patch of eggs and young larvse, and above this a queen-excluder, su- pers (two of which contain practically emp- ty combs), and, on top of all, the hive of brood with capped queen-cells torn down. No cover and hive-bottom intervene be- tween the supers and upper hive of brood as in the comb-honey plan. Eight days later move the upper story to a new location and leave with one capped queen-cell, and con- tracted entrance to prevent the chilling of the brood. The queen-cell left should be the best one — long yet plump, with well- defined corrugations on the sides. To pre- vent injuring the unhatched queen, queen- cells should be handled carefully, and held in the same position in which they were built on the combs. If no increase is want- ed, tear down all queen-cells about eight days after placing above, and leave the brood to hatch and increase the original colony. When applying this plan early, while' the nights were still cool, we suggest- ed putting the hive of brood immediately above the excluder; but during the honey flow, when it is more difiicult to prevent swarming, there should be at least two su- pers of practically empty combs between in order to make the bees of the upper brood- nest feel more queenless, and therefore raise a nicer lot of queen-cells, and also to pre- vent the nurse bees supplied with royal jelly from going below and starting queen-cells in the lower brood-chamber. Natural Swarming. There may be some who desire an easier way of making increase rather than using either method given under the last two head- ings. For their benefit we shall describe natural swarming and an easy way of hiving the swarm. Soon after the queen-cells are sealed, the swarm ' ' issues, ' ' that is, about two-thirds or three-fourths of the bees, together with the queen, leave the old hive and go to a new home, which quite often is a hollow tree in the woods. If one happens to be near the hive just before the swarm leaves, he may notice an unusual activity of bees run- ning about the front of the hive; and if the hive is opened, there he may find great ex- citement and a busy rushing of bees here and there in every direction. In a few minutes the bees begin pouring from the hive by the thousands until in three or four minutes the air is filled with a great cloud of humming bees. These swarming bees are very good-natured, since they have filled their honey-sacs with honey, which is partly to sustain them until again able to gather nectar from the fields and partly to convert into comb on arrival at the new home. After flying about for a few minutes they cluster or form in a large ball, usually on a branch of a tree not far from their hive, waiting to make certain that the queen is with them before they leave for their new home, which in most cases has probably been chosen by scout bees sent out several days previously. If the queen has been clipped she will be found climbing helplessl^y about on the grass in front of the hive, attempting to join the swarm, which, of course, she is prevented from doing on account of her clipped wings. After caging her in a spiral cage, put her in the shadei. entrance of the new hive of combs or foundation which has been placed on the old stand, facing in the same direc- tion as the original hive. The hive should also contain one comb with young larvae (very important in case of a queen with wings), and above this hive should be plac- ed the supers removed from the old colony, for the new colony will now work with re- newed vim, while the old colony will be composed mostly of young bees, and will probably be without a laying queen for as much as two weeks, and will not be in con- dition to store any surplus for some time. In a short time the bees will discover that the queen is not with them, and will, there- fore, return to the hive. After they have begun running in nicely the queen should be liberated and allowed to run in with the rest. •Mnk, 1919 GI. EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 391 After the swarm has entered the new hive, the "old" or "parent'' eo'.oiiy may be plac- ed close beside the new one, facing in the same direction, and the entrance contracted to a space only large enough for two or three bees to pass at a time. This old colony may be allowed to raise its own queen or the t)ueen-cells may be torn down and a laying (|ueeu introduced. In about a week, during the middle of the ing from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, dated from Fort Worth, Texas, April 18: Maj. T. C. McAiaJey, commander nf Taliaferro field, who has flown from coast to coast in 20 hours at an average speed of 137 miles an hour., arrived here safely this morning from Jackson. Miss., where he spent last night. He landed in his plane at 11 :30 a. m. Maj. MacAuley flew 5,500 miles in 44 hours and 15 minutes. His flying time across the continent .ru.\K, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 395 from San Diego to .hicksonville was 19 hours and J 5 minutes, selting a now record. Of this distan. 0. 8S0 miles, from Tucson, Ariz., to Sweetwater, Tox.. were covered without a stop. Ill' usod a do Haviiand plane with a Lilerty motor. The motor, accordin;:: to the airman, never missed n stroke, and the only work done was to remove two dirty spark-plugs. Yeais aii'o Mrs. Root and T enjoyed the privilep-e of a-oinji' by rail from San Diego to Jacksonville. So far as I can remember it took nearly a week. Well, from the above clipping it would seem possible for one to get an early breakfast in San Diego and get a late supper in Jacksonville all in one and the same day. ^May God be praised for what has come to pass, or perhaps, rather, for what is coming to pass. TOBAfOO FOR BEEKEEPERS. The letter below from a veteran ai)iarist requires a little preliminary explanation. About 50 yeai'S ago tliere was a little meet- ing of beekeejiers at an apiary out in the country. One of the friends used the smoke from a cigar to drive the bees he was handling. Some of the boys present de- clared th.ey were going to learn to smoke so as to have the smoke always handy as did this operator. I ])rotested somewhat as follows: "No, no boys. Do not learn to smoke ci- gars nor to use tobacco in any form. If you will give me your promise, and let me put it in print in Gleanixgs (just started), 1 will make you a present of one of my new- ly invented bellows smokers." They gav6 me the pledge. It was printed in Gleanings with the offer to do likewise with any young beekeeper who would give me a like promise in writing. Over 1,000 pledges came in. I supposed, when I made the offer, that it was going to cost me quite a little sum of money, whicli was not very plentiful, I assure you, at that time. But to my great surprise and astonisliment the offer was commented on in the daily papers as a queer sort of eccentricity. It not only advertised hee culture, but it resulted in the sale of over 20,000 of the new bee- smokers in less than a year. Now you can read the letter below: Friend A. I. Root: — I want to give you a little of my experience with tobacco. When I was a boy, just after the Civil War, I started to use tobacco — and I certainly did use it. I was taking Gleanings at the time you made your offer of a smoker to those that would quit using tobacco. I did not have much money at the time aud I needed a smoker very much, but the hankering I had for tobacco made me forget all about trying to get a smoker in that way. So time rolled along until 12 years ago this summer, when I quit. I was using at that time a quarter-pound plug a day and six to eight cigars, besides smoking a pipe nearly all the time. I will tell you why I quit so suddenly. I went blind — could not see two feet ahead of mei — so I went to Saginaw, Mich., to see an eye specialist. After he had got thru the examination, which titik liim all day, he said that the cause of my trou 1 !e was in u.sing either too much whisky or too much tobacco. I told him I did not drink whisky, but did use lots of tobacco. Tbis was in the spring of the year, and it took him all summer to fix me up ffo that I could see again. I lived about 18 miles south of Saginaw at the time and had to make two trips a week to see him. Now you can see what my experience has been with tobacco. The name of the specialist that I went to see is Dr. Slack. If any tobacco fiends see this, they can write or go to see the doctor, and I think he can cure them. Aitkin, Minn., Apr. 7, 1919. Wm. Ceaiq. SIIELLSIIOCK " OR CIGARETTES — WHICH CAUSES THE TROUBLE. The following, clipped from the Sundaij School Times, is furnished by Margaret Wintringer, Secretary of the National Good Citizenship Movement: When in England I visited a noted sanatorium whose head physician ' is a specialist on nervous troubles. In discussing the alarming extent of in- sanity developed in the army, this doctor declared that one out of every ten of the British soldiers in- valided was insane, and he stated that he believed the insanity was quite as much due to the excessive use of the cigarette as to shellshock. The doctor claimed that it was a great misfortune that at a time when the soldier needed strong and steady nerves bis nervous force was weakened by the cigarette, and even in these early days of reconstruc- tion this same physician's prophecy that the almost universal use of the cigarette by tiie soldiers would leave a war-time heritage of insanity to everv nation is being fulfilled. Some of our most eminent American physicians have not besitated to declare that the fatality of the recent " flu " epidemic in the training camps was caused by the weakening effect of the cigarette upon the heart and lungs of the victims. Army nurses in some of our largest camps have told me that, without exception, the excessive cigarette smokers ^^•ere unable to withstand the disease. A KIND WORD, NOTWITHSTANDING OUR RE- CENT HOSTILITIES. I do not know, friends, whether you feel as I do; but whenever I see or hear the se- vere criticisms that are now so frequent in regard to Germany as a whole, I feel pain- ed. Some of the best friends I have in the whole wide world are German; and I can not help feeling, and have felt all along during the war, that, notwithstanding the terrible acts of Gennany as a nation, there are kind and loving hearts there as well as in any other part of the earth. I tried to think it possible tliat many of these people — perhaps the greater part — were helpless during the terrible confiiet that we now hope is over and o-^er for ever. Now you may read the letter below : I wish to subscribe again to your paper, Gleax- IN-Ci« IN Bee Culture. Since 'the beginning of hostilities between America and this country I have been unable to obtain any numbers. A.s T missed your paper ver^ much I "would ask you kindly to begin .sending it as soon as postal communication permits. The amount due for the subscription for the remaininar year I will send by postal order. I must add that I pray to God that I may not tlnd a change in the editorship of the Home depart- ment, but that A. I. Root is still en.ioying good health. P. M. Ferro. Gravosa, Dalmatia, Europe, Feb. 19, 1919, GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 Classified Advertisements Notices will be inserted in these classified columns for 25 cents per line. Advertisements intended for this department cannot be less than two lines, and you must say you want your advertisement in the classitied column or we will not be responsible for errors. HONEY AND WAX FOR SALE Beeswax bous;ht and sold. Strohmeyer & Arpe Co., 139 Franklin St., New York. FOR SALE. — Clover and buckwheat honey in any stj'le containers (glass or tin). Let us quote vou. The Deroy Taylor Co., Newark. N! Y. FOR SALE. — Extra quality buckwheat extracted honey in 60-lb. cans. J. W. Hosie, East Aurora, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Michigan's Best extracted honey in packages to suit ; white clover, raspberry, milkweed, buckwheat. A. G. Woodman Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. FOR SALE. — Clover, heartsease. No. 1 white comb, $6.00 per case; fancy, $6.50; extra fancy, $7.00, 24 Danz. sections to case; extracted, 120-lb. cases, 25c per pound. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. FOR SALE. — 30,000 lbs. of No. 1 extracted clover honey at 17c per lb., and 30,000 lbs. of No. 1 aster honey at 15c per lb., both of extra light color, heavv bodv, and fine flavor. W. B. "Wallin, Brooksville, Ky. HONEY AND WAX WANTED Small lots of off-grade honev for baking purposes. C. W. Pinch, 1451 Ogden Ave., Chicago, 111. WANTED.- licited. -Section honey. Correspondence so- il. E. Harris, Morristown, Tenn. Beeswax wanted. Highest prices paid. State quantitv and quality. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. WANTED. — Comb and extracted honey, also bees- wax. Send samples. C. S. Fryer, 386 Halsey St., Portland, Ore. BEESWAX WANTED. — For manufacture into SUPERIOR FOUNDATION. (Weed Process.) Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — Comb and extracted honey, car lots and less. Mail sample, quantity, and price. W. Morris. Yonkers, N. Y. WANTED. — Extracted honey, all kinds and grades for export purposes. Any quantity. Please send samples and quotations. M. Betancourt, 59 Pearl St., New York City. WANTED. — Extracted and comb honey. Carload or less quantities. Send particulars by mail and samples of extracted. Hoffman &• Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. WANTED. — Extracted honey in both light and amber g^ade?- Kindly send sample, tell how honey is put . p and quote lowest cash price delivered in Preston. M V. Facey, Preston, Minn. BEESWAX WANTED. — We are paying higher prices than usual for beeswax. Drop us a line and get our prices, either delivered at our station or your station as you choose. State how much vou have and quality. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. FOR SALE HONEY LABELS. — Most attractive Catalog free. Eastern Label Co., Clintonville, Conn. FOR SALE. — A full line of Root's goods at Root's prices. A. L. Healy, Maya.guez, Porto Rico. SEND TODAY for samples of latest honev labels. Liberty Pub. Co., Sta. D, Box 4E, Cleveland, Ohio. FOR SALE. — SUPERIOR FOUNDATION, "Best by Test." Let us prove it. Order now. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. FOR SALE. — Drawn combs — brood and extract- ed, 10c each. Theodore Fluegge, 33 No. Elgin Ave., Forest Park, Ills. FOR SALE. — New and slightly used hives and supers, sections, extracting combs, etc. Price satis- factory. R. Hibbard, Calcium, N. Y. PORTER BEE ESCAPES save honey, time^ and money. Great labor-savers. For sale by all deal- ers in bee supplies. R. & E. C. Porter, Lewistown, Ills. SPECIAL SALE. — One-story 8-frame dovetailed hives, in flat, with telescope % wood covers, in packages of five at $10.00 per package. A. G. Woodman Co., Grand Rapids, Mich. FOR SALE. — Apiary of 45 colonies, whole or part, equipped for comb or extracted business, all in fine condition. Stop 62, North Ridgeville. Ohio. P. O. address, W. R. Bartlett, Elyria, Ohio. FOR SALE.— Comb foundation at prices that will save you money. Wax worked for cash or on shares. Send for price list. E. S. Robinson, Mayville, N. Y. FOR SALE. — If you wish to know where to save money on bee supplies send for our new price list. It mav be worth vour trying. H. S. Diiby & Sons, St. Anne, Ills. FOR SALE. — .Second-hand 60-lb. fans, two to the case, 50c per case f. o. b. New York. Also second- hand maple-svrup cans at 10c each. Hoffman & Hauck, Inc., Richmond Hill, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Good second-hand eO-lb. hone^ cans, two to the case at 60c per case, f. o. b. Mil- waukee. Terms cash with order. E. R. Pahl & Co., 120 Huron St., Milwaukee, Wis. FOR SALE. — About 40 new and used hives, 10- frame Hoffman; 120'0-lb. honey tank; 2-frame Nov- ice extractor. Oscar Carlson, Box No. 398, Sandwich, His. FOR SALE. — Six-inch foundation-mill with 2- inch rolls in good condition; also 17 lbs. of thin super foundation, size 3% in. x 15% in., in 2- and 3-lb. boxes, price 80c per lb. W. D. Wright, Altamont, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beekeeper of Alabama, Florida. Georgia. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, send me a bill of your wants of bee supplies and let me make vou good prices on the same. M. Bates, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. CANADIAN BEE SUPPLY & HONEY CO., Ltd. — 73 Jarvis St., Toronto, Ont. (Not* new ad- dress.) We have maderin-Canada goods; also can supply Root's goods on order. Extractors and en- gines'; Gleanings and all kinds of bee literature. Get the best. Catalog free. FOR SALE. — Root's Extractors and Smokers, Dadant's Foundation, and a full line of Lewis' Bee- ware. Our new price list Avill interest you. We pay 36c in cash and SSc in trade for clean yellow beeswax delivered in Denver. The Colorado Honey Producers' Association, 1424 Market St., Denver, Colo. Junk, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 397 FOR SALE. — Cowan extractor that never has been used. Twoframo machine, $25.00. Mann Bone Mill — 'advertised in May. A few more 4-frame nuclei in June at $5.00 each, without queens. B. P. Averill, Howardsville, Va. FOR SALE. — 25 metal-roof covers, 25 reversible bottoms, 100 deep ft.vtracting-bodies without frames, all dovetailed. 10-frame size, Lewis ware, spotle.sH, perfect, painted well two coats white, freight pre- paid, $125. B. W. Wells, Appleton, Wis. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS AUTOMOBILE owners should subscribe for the Automobile Deajler and Repairer; 150-page il- lustrated monthly devoted exclusively to the care and repair of the car. The only magazine in the world devoted to the practical side of motoring. The " Trouble Department " contains five pages of numbered questions each month from car owners and repairmen which are answered by experts on gasoline-engine repairs. $1.50 per year. 15 cents per copy. Canadian subscriptions $1.50. Postals not answered. Charles D. Sherman, 107 Highland Court, Hartford, Conn. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii WANTS AND EXCHANGE WANTED. — Brood-foundation mill. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — Old combs and cappings for render- ing on shares. Our steam equipment secures all the wax. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. WANTED. — Used hives and supers, foundation mills, extractors, bees, and bee equipment. State lowest cash price wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Carlisle, Ind. WANTED. — To exchange 1915 model Harley- Davidson motorcycle in A-1 condition for bees, hon- ey, or part cash. No. 3 Fox typewriter, same terms, or $25 cash. H. E. Coffey, Box No. 246, S'ealy, Texas. WANTED. — Shipments of old comb and cappings for rendering. We pay the highest cash and trade prices, charging but 5 cts. a pound for wax render- ed. The Fred W. Muth Co., 204 Walnut St., Cin- cinnati, O. WANTED. — Beeswax. We will pay for average quality beeswax delivered at Medina, 38c cash, 40c trade. We will pay 1 and 2c extra for choice yellow. Be sure your shipment bears your name and ad- dress as shipper so we can identify it on arrival. Thei A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. OLD COMBS WANTED. — Our steam wax-presses will get every ounce of beeswax out of old combs, cappings or slumgum. Send for our terms and our new 1919 catalog. We will buy your share of the wax for cash or will work it intn foundation for you. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Illinois. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiilliiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiilillliiiiiiiiiiiii{iiiniiiii?Hiiiiiii;iiiiiiiii[iiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiii:iiii:ii;iiiiiniin:i^ BEES AND QUEENS Finest Italian quee.is. Send for booklet and price list. Jay Smith, R. D. No. 3, Vincennes, Ind. Well-bred bees and queens. Hives and supplies. J. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. Hardy Italian queens; one, $1.00- 10, $8.00. W. G. Lauver, Micraletown, Pa. FOR SALE. — 1919 Golden Italian queens, price list free. Write, E. E. Lawrence, Doniphan, Mo. Queens on approval. Bees by package or colony. A. M. Applegate, Reynoldsville, Pa. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each, six for $5.00. E. A. Simmons, Greenville, Ala. Get my price list on queens and bees, the best threerband and five-band honey-gatherers. H. A. Ross, Evansville, Ind. l^^OR SALE. — Golden Italian queens, untested, $1.00 each; tested, $2.00. J. F. Michael, Winchester, Ind. Italian queens of " Windmere " for sale; untested, $1.00; six for $5.50; tested, $1.50 each. Prof. W. A. Matheny, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. FOR SALE. — Leather-colored untested Italian queens, June and July, $1.00 each, 6 for $5.00. J. M. Cutts, Montgomery, R. D. No. 1, Ala. PHELPS' GOLDEN QUEENS will please you. Mated, $2.00. Try one and you will be convinced. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. THREE-BAND Italians only. Untested queens, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. H. G. Dunn, The Willows, San Jose, Calif. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from May 15th to Oct. 15th; 10 or more, $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwichtown, Conn. FOR SALE. — ^Indianola Apiary offers Italian bees and queens; tested, $1.50; untested, $1.00. J. W. Sherman, Valdosta, Ga. When it's GOLDEN it's Phelps'. Try one and be convinced. Virgins, $1.00; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens ready April 15; $1.00 each; $10.00 per dozen. W. W. Talley, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — Threei-banded Italian queens, un- tested onlv, one, $1.50; six, $8.50; dozen, $16.00. P. C. Chadwick, 725 E. High Ave., Redlands, Calif. FOR SALE. — 3-band and Golden queens and nu- cleus. Queens, 1, $1.50; 6, $7.50. Allen R. Simmons, Claverack, N. Y. FOR SALE, — Bright Italian queens at $1.00 each, $10.00 per doz. Ready April 10. Safe arrival guaranteed. T. J. Talley, R. D. No. 4, Greenville, Ala. ITALIAN QUEENS carefully raised from some of the best stock. Just hatched, 75c ; untested, $1.00. Orders booked now for summer and fall. James McKee, Riverside, Calif. FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian queens ready June 1. Untested, each. $1.00; 12, $10.00; 100, $80.00. Satisfaction and safe arrival guaranteed. A. E. Crandall & Sons, Berlin, Conn. FOR SALE. — Business-first queiens. Laying vm- tested queens, $1.00 each; select untested, $1.25; tested queens, $2.00; select tested, $2.50. Price list for asking. M. F. Perry, Bradentown, Fla. GOLDENS THAT ARE TRUE TO NAME. Un- tested queens, each, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. Garden City Apiaries, San Jose, Calif. FOR SALE. — >Grolden Italian queens of an im- proved strain ; the bee for honev, hardiness, gentle- ness, and beauty. Untested, $1.00; tested, $2.00. Wallace R. Beaver, Lincoln, 111. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens, untested, 85c; 6 for $4.75; 12 for $9,00. Select untested, $1,00; 6 for $5.50; 12 for $10.00. Tested, $1.25; select tested, $1.50; extra select tested, $2.50. No foul brood. No bees for sale. D. T. Gaster, Randleman, R. F. ^ . No. '2, N. C. FOR SALE. — North Carolina-bred Italian queens of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain of three-band Italian bees. Gentle and good honey-gatherers. May 1st until Julv 1st, untested, $1.25 each, $12.00 per doz.; tested, $1.75 each, $18.00 per doz.; select test- ed, $2,25 each. Safe arrival and satisfaction guar- anteed. L. Parker, Benson, R. D. No. 2, N. C. 398 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE FOR SALE. — Good Italian queens, tested, $1.50; untested, $1.00; 1-lb. package, $3.00; 2-lb., $5.00; nuclei, 2-frame, $4.00; 3-frame, $5.50. G. W. Moon, 1904 Park Ave., Little Rock, Ark. FOR SALE. — Pull colonies in new standard eight-frame hive.s, each with tested Italian queen, full sheet wired combs, hustlers, easy to handle; no disease herei. J. Ford Sempers, Aikin, Md. FOR SALE. — Tliree-banded leather-colored Ital- ians, of the celebrated Moore strain with tested queens, reared last season, in eight-frame Langstroth hives, at $12.00 a colony. John Hutchinson, Lake City, R. D. No. 2, Mich. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees ; for gentleness and honey-gathering they are equal to anv. Every queen guaranteed. Price $2.00, 6 for $7.50. Wm. S. Barnett, Barnetts, Va. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens which pro- duce gentle yellow bees, thei hardest workers we have known, $2.50 each. When you wish to im- prove your stock always buy the very best. Wildflower Apiaries, Trust Bldg., Little Rock, Ark. Three-banded Italian queens and bees by the pound, also nucleus, in Root's shipping-cases, if preferred, or buyer furnish own cages. Send for pricei list. J. A] Jones & Son, Montgomery, Ala., R. D. No. 1, Box llrt. PHELPS' GOLDEN ITALIAN QUEENS com- bine the qualities you want. Thev are GREAT HONEY-GATHERERS, BEAUTIFUL and GEN- TLE. Virgins, $1.00; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Sou, Binghamton, N. Y. Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees; the highest kind, gentle, and as good honey-gather- ers as can be found; Mav and .Tune, untested, each, $2.00; six, $7.50; doz., $14.00; tested, $4.00; breed- ers, $5.00 to $20.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, Va. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beeman, head your colonies of bees with the best Italian stock raised in the South. One queen, $1.25; 12 queens, $14.00. One pound of bees with queein, postpaid, $6.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. M. Bates, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — A limited number of bees and queens for May delivery from either home apiaries or South Carolina. Safe arrival guaranteed if shipped by express. Parcel post shipments at buy- er's risk. We invite correspondence as to details and price. The Deroy Taylor Co., Newark, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Three-banded Dr. Miller and Walker Italian queens, ready in May, untested, $1.25 each; 6 for $7.00; 12 for $12.00; select $1.50 each; 6 for $8.00; 12 for $15.00; tested, $2.50; select tested, $3.50 each. Orders filled in rotation. Queen circular and testimonials sent free. Curd Walker, Queen-breeder, JellicO', Tenn. HOLLOPETER'S Italian queens ready in June, untested, one $1.75; six, $9.00; July, one, $1.50; dozen, $15.00. Quantity price on application, de- livery after July 10. "These prices guarantee you safe arrival of really high-grade Italian stock, more efficient service and wings clipped whe.n desired. .T. B. Hollopeter, Rockton, Pa. One of the best queen breeders in the United .States is now raising queens for us from selected leather-colored Italians. We offer warranted queens at $1 each or $90 per hundred. Tested queens, $2 each. Satisfaction and safe delivery guaranteed. Queens ready now for immediate delivery. Order now as our supply is limited. The Foster Honey & Mercantile Co., Boulder, Colo. FOR SALE. — Quirin's hardy northern-bred Ital- ians will please you. All our yards are wintered on summer stands; more than 25 years a commer- cial queen-breeder. Tested and breeding queens ready almost anv time weather permits mailing. Untested ready about June 1. Orders booked now. Testimonials and price for asking. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue. Ohio. June, 1919 Un- FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian queens. Un- tested queen, $1.25; six, $6.50; twelve, $11.50. Tested queens, $2.50 each. Robert B. St)icer, Wharton, N. J. FOR SALE. — Italian queens, golden, and three- banded, bred from best selected stock. Untested, each, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $10.00; select untested, $1.50 each. Satisfaction guaranteed. G. H. Merrill, Liberty, S. C. NUCLEI. — One or two carloads, or less, 2- and 3-frame. July 1st delivery, $4.00, $5.00, and $6.00 with young Italian queens. Write for terms and particulars. Co-operative Honey Producers, Overton, Nev. Victor's three-banded Italian queens of superior quality. All my queens reared by the best method known, from mothers that produced 240 lbs. of sur- plus honey last season. $1.00 each straight, from June 1 to Sept. 1. Julius Victor, Martinsville, N. Y. HELP WANTED WANTED. — Young man to care for about 80 hives of bees and help with garden work. Man with some bee experience. State experience and wages required. Good board. P. C. Lalor, Barrington, Ills. WANTED. — Experienced beeman and one helper. Fast workers and able to do heavy work. Prefer young men experienced in handling auto trucks. State all particulars in answering and wages want- ed. Ernest W. Fox, Fruitdale, S. D. WANTED. — One expeirienced man, and students as helpers in our large bee business. Good chance to learn. Modern equipment and outfit, including auto truck, located near summer resorts. Write, giving age, height, weight, experience, reference, and wages wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Clarion, Mich. SITUATIONS WANTED WANTED. — Experienced beekeeper wants em- ployment in an apiary in U. S. or Canada. Send letter, no telegram. Moi-ris F. Laughlin, Albin, Wyo. WANTED. — W^ork in apiary by single man 27 years old, good health and character, and some ex- perience. Wages $50.00 per month and board with railroad fare. Wm. R. Lindsey, Buckner, R. F. D. No. 1, Ark. iiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii:iiii:ii!iiiin:nii:iiii:iiiiiiiH:iiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiii:iiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiUiii MISCELLANEOUS. Highest prices paid for old iised postage and rev- enue stamps. A. Arnold, 1482 Broadway, New York. FOR SALE. — Silver Spangled Hamburg eggs, and fine rare old Paganini violin. Elias Fox, Union Center, Wis. PRINTING SPECIAL. ^ — 100 letterheads, 100 billheads, 100 cards, 100 envelopes, $1.90. Send for samples. Hawthorne Press, Yonkers, N. Y. E. D. Townsend, the present owner of the Do- mestic Beekeeper bought beekeepers' supplies for the National beekeepers' Association for several years. He is now buying for the subscribers of the Domextic Beekeeper at the same low manufacturers' price. Listen now what he has got up his sleeve: Any Gleanixg.s' subscriber buying five dollars' worth of supplies thru the Domestic Beekeeper -it catalog price, and sending along an extra dollar to pay for a year's subscription to the Domestic Bee- keeper, will get in return a rebate check for a dol- lar, leaving the year's subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper absolutely free to you. Of course, if your Older for supplies is larger than five dollars, you .Tune, 1919 G MC A N T N G S T N BEE CULTURE 399 will get a correspondingly larger rebate clieck on your order. One of our subscribers got a rebate check of $40.00 on bis order of supplies last month, March. It was just like getting money flora home to him, as he sent us the same money ho would have had to pay if he had bought thru the regular dealer in beekeepers' supplies. More and more, close buyers of beekeepers supplies are investigating the buying facilities of the Domestic Beekeeper. A word to the wise should be sufficient to cause you to send your next order for beekeepers' supplies to the Domestic Beekeeper, Northstar, Michigan. NOTICE TO CALIFORNI.\NS. — This is to inform our customers that Mr. H. J. Bostwick of the Los .\ngeles office, an experienced business man, and one who was formerly connected with the A. I. Root Company at Medina. O., has been appointed to suc- ceed Mr. W. A. Rafael, who resigned. Mr. Bostwick formally took charge of the office May 1st, 1919. Owing to the removal of our manufacturing plant into our own permanent headquarters at 1824 E. Fifteenth Street, Los .\ngeles, Cal., we were greatly delayed in filling our orders. The change took place .iust" after the signing of the Armistice and it was almost impossible to get expert help to install old and new machinery in the new plant. We are pleased to inform our customers that we are now turning out as fine goods as were ever made and fully up to the standard of Root quality at Medina. We invite vou to call at our office either at 1824 E. Fifteenth St., Los Angeles, or 52-54 Main St., San Francisco, Cal., where we shall be pleased to show you the quality of the goods turned out in our brand new plant. Thanking you for your past fa- vors and hoping we may have the privilege of serv- ing you further with goods that are up to date and readv to ship on short notice, we are. The A. I. Root Company of California. i;iiii:iiii:iiiiiiiii:iiNiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii QUEENS QUIRIN 'S IMPROVP]D SUPERIOR ITALIAN BEES AND QUEENS. THEY ARE NORTHERN BRED AND HARDY. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS A QUEEN-BREEDER PRICES Before July 1st After July 1st 1 1 50 2.00 2.50 6 K.OO 10. on 14 00 12 1).0« 18.00 •25.00 1 1 00 1.50 2.00 6 12 Select untested — Tested . Select tested 5..^0 10.00 «.oo:i4.oo 10.00 j 18.00 Positively the cheapest and strongest light on earth. Used in every country on the globe. MaKes and bums its own gas. Casts no shadows Clean and odorless. Absolutely safe. Over 200 styles 100 to 2000 Candle Power. Fully Guaranteed. Write for catalog. AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE, THE BEST UGHT CO. ^ 306 E. 5th St., Canton, O. 1 Breeders, the cream from our entire g 1 stock of outyards, $5 each. Usually all | 1 queens can be sent promptly after i I June 10th. 1 1 Breeders, select tested, and tested = 1 queens can be sent out as early as wea- 1 1 ther will permit. f j Send for testimonials. Orders booked | 1 now. = 1 Reference — any large supply dealer or 1 1 any bank having Dun 's reference 1 I book. I I H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio | liiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii PATENTS Practice in Patent Office and Conrta Patent Counsel of The A. I. Root Co. Chas. J. Williamaoo, McLachlan Building, WASHINGTON. D. C. II nil Illlllll I Illllllll I Illllll Illlllllllllllllllllllllliililllll Illllllllllllllllllllllll Illllillillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ Illlllllllllllllllllll|l| I IF YOU WANT STRONGER BEES AND MORE HONEY, LESS | TROUBLE AND MORE MONEY USE | The E-Z-Way Bee Feeder | Feed yonr young swarms and weak colonies at once. Tliis g feeder is constructed out of high-grade material, and ^ provided with a removable end-slide or door over the = unbreakable transparent window that enables you to see ^ the bees at their busy work. This is a novel feature not M found in any other " feeder. It is trouble-proof, sting- g proof, robber-proof, and does not disturb the bees in feed- = ing. A child can safely operate the E-Z-Way Feeder, it = makes the work a pleasure for young or old, easily at- ^ tached to any patent hive, box, or round gum, a small ^ notch or hole in the outer rim or frame of the bottom- = board, two screws placed, and your hive is ready for the = E-Z-Way Feeder. It is simplicity and durability combined g i.nd will last a lifetime. Use any quart or half -gallon g standard Mason Fruit Jar in connection with the Feeder; ^ the syrup is fed thru a special cap on the atmospheric g method. Attachments for three hives, instructions for us- ^ ing, feeding, and making the syrup are with each feeder. ^ m Bees can not escape thru the feeder when the jar is re- ^ M moved or the door is up; any one can operate it that can carry the syrup jar. No difference how ^ p manv feeders vou may have, it will pay you to order this one at our ri.sk, under our 30-day ^ g money-back guarantee. A trial will prove its value to you. Price $1 or six for $5. Postpaid to any ^ m address in the United States. If your dealer does not have it, remit by money order, cash or stamps to ^ I THE HOLDEN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, CLARKSBURG, W. VA. | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 193 9 Our Food Page — Continued from page 372. Bake in a moderate oven, watching very closely lest they scorch. When done invert on a plate and serve bottom side up. APRICOT DESSERT. Canned apricots whipped cream Loaf cake honey Arrange whipped cream in circular shape on slices of loaf cake and press half a canned apricot, cut side down, into the center of the cream. The cream should be sweetened with honey. If this is carefully done the result looks almost exactly like a poached egg on toast and the combination of flavors and textures is delicious. BUTTERSCOTCH PIE. % cup modium brown 2 sugar hi V2 cup water 2 4 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons butter 1 1 cup milli 1 Put the brown sugar and water over the fire until the sugar is dissolved, add the milk and when boiling thicken with the tlour and butter rubbed together. Cook un- til the flour is thoroly cooked, pour over the beaten egg yolks and salt, return to the fire and cook until smooth, stirring constantly. Flavor with the vanilla, and pour it into the baked crust and when partially cool cover with a meringue of the beaten egg whites and pulverized sugar and put into a (Confiniird on pofje 401.) eggs teaspoon salt tablespoons pulveriz- ed sugar teaspoon vanilla baked crust BEE -SUPPLIES FALCON LINE We carry the largest supply in our section. Send us your inquiries. LoTiiest Prices, Siuality Considered C. C. demons Bee Supply Co. 128 Grand Ave. KANSAS CITY, MO. Established 1883 It will pay you to get our cata- (^^^?^nwf^ log and order early. Beekeepers' Supplies The Kind You Want and The Kind That Bees Need. The A. I. Eoot Co. 's brand. A good assort- ment of supplies for prompt shipment kept in stock. Let us hear from you; full in- formation given to all inquiries. Bees- wax wanted for supplies or cash. John Nebel & Son Supply Co. High Hill, Montgomery Co., Mo. FLOUR IS HIGH Why not live better and save money, too? Grind your wheat into Best Whole Wheat or Graham Flour. Your doctor knows how healihy these are. Make the BEST Corn Meal, the old-fashioned sort you can^t buy at any price nowadays. Do all eorta of hne and coarse grinding with an APACHE MILL wt.35 lbs. Makes Best Corn Meal, Graham Flour, Rye Flour, Chops, Hom- iny, Cracks Peas, Grinds Coffee, Price $7.50 This Mill Spices, etc. Perfect adjustment for coarse or din C^f\ fine work. Will send Mill prepaid by Express ^ * "^^ APACHE GRIST MILL— Largest capacity, fastest grind- ing, easiest turning handmill. Does more, lasts longer. A. H. Patch, Inc., Clarksville, Tenn. The Blackhawk Corn Sheller Inventor Invented 1885 : ^Iftf. I'Iniit. I Ail boxed ready to ship at once ; 275,000 | I Hoffman frames, also Jumbo and Shallow | I frames, of all kinds, 100 and 200 in a box. | I Big stock of Sections, and fine polished | I Dovetailed Hives and Supers. I can give | I you big bargains. Send for a new price | I list. I can save you money. | 1 Will Takt Buswax in Tradt at | = Hizhiit Markit Prici. | I Charles Mondeng | I 146 Newton Ave., N. Minneapolis, Minn. | iiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii7 Jink, 1910 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Our Food Page — Continued from page 400. nioriiiguc sot moderate oven until the and liglitly browned. ropovERs. 1 cup milk Vz teaspoon salt 1 cup sifted flour lA teaspoon melted but- 1 egs ter Place iron gem pans in the oven and heat while preparing the popovers. Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with a Dover egg beater very thoroly. Oil the hot irons and half fill them with the mixture and bake in a moderately quick oven. The heat should be decreased after the first ten min- utes. Serve with butter and honey. They may be used as a dessert by dropjiing a piece of fruit in each one before putting in the oven. They should bake from 30 to 40 minutes, depending upon the shape and size of the irons. Do not attemjit to bake them in tin if you do not wish to lose your tem- per as they stick to tin closer than a brother. SrONGE CAKE. 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon 6 eggs juice 1 cup sifted pastry Vs teaspoon salt flour Separate the eggs, beat the yolks thoroly. sift in the sugar and beat until creamy and (Contimied on page 402.) ff Special Crops" A high -class il lustrated month ly journal devot ed to the Growing and Marketing of Ginseng Golden Seal, Senega Root, Belladonna, and other unusual crops $1.00 per year. Sample copy 10c. Address Special Crops, Box G, Skaneateles, New York BARNES* ^- Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circular saw. which is made for beekeepers' use in the construction of their hives, sections, etc. Machines on Trial S»nd for iUugtrated catalog and prices W. F. & JOHN BARNES CO 645 Ruby St ROCKFORD ILLINOIS |iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii[iiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii{iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii{iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii:iiii:iiii;iiiiiiiii„'^ osl Handlantorn A powerful portable lamp, giving- a 300 candle power pure white light. Just what the farmer, dairyman, stockman, etc. needs. Safe — Rclirble — Economical— Absolutely Rain, Storm and Bug proof. Burns either gasoline or kerosene. Light weifrht. Agents wanted. Big Profits. Write Catalog, j^^ gggj LIGHT CO. 306 E. 5th St., Canton. O. « PATENTED Wright's Frame -Wiring Device Most rapid in use. Saves coi-t of machine in one day. , Tighter wires; no kinks; no sore hands. G. B. Lewis Company, Watertown. Wisconsin 'mm BY MAT] r^. T~^ISTANCE is no hindrance to saving money BY MAIL with this large safe bank, at 4 per cent compound interest. No matter where you copy of our interesting live, send today for a booklet " Banking by u The SAVINGSpEPOSIT BANK Co E.R.ROOT,'v!cePres. E.B.SPITZjffi.Cash. MEDINA, OHIO 402 G L E A N I N G S I N Our Food Page — Continued from page 401. then beat in the lemon juice. Beat the whites of the eggs with a wire whisk, as there is more volume in that way, fold the whites carefully into the first mixture and then fold in the flour which has been meas- ured after once sifting and then sifted two or three times. Bake in an ungreased tube cake pan in a slow oven about 40 to 50 min- utes and invert on a wire cake cooler until cold. RHUBARB PUDDING. 1 qt. rhubarb cut small 2 teaspoons baking about 1 cup sugar or powder honey 1 tablespoon shortening 1 cup sifted flour % teaspoo^n salt Milk Bake the rhubarb and sugar in a covered glass or earthernware dish until tender. Make a biscuit dough of the other ingredi- ents and drop from a teaspoon over the hot fruit, return to the oven and bake until the crust is done and delicately browned. Serve the biscuits inverted with the fruit over them and with bntter or thick cream. If tender, red stalks of rhubarb are used, this makes a very pretty dessert. Honey may be used instead of sugar, but to most people the combination of flavors is not pleasant. BEE CULTURE June, 1919 ;i[iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiii!iiiiii|iniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii[iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iii!!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'^ I NEW ENGLAND | I BEEKEEPERS will find a complete stock ol up- | = to-date supplies here. Remember we are in the ^ = shipping center of New England. If you do not ^ = have a 1919 catalog send for one at once. ^ I H.H.Jepson, 182 Friend St., Boston, Mass. | f^ii;iiniiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!ii!iiii[iiii!iiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiii;iiii!^ GET YOUR CHURN FREE 17,000 Leader Chuins.in use ail over 1^^ the country, have removed tlie^^ dread of churning day by saving ^ time and labor. They make more ard ■■ belter butt, r; 50PO ursclicited testi- S m' nials. A.N. HolIis.Lawrencebiirg, 2 Tenn. says: "Cliurnirg was a burdi n — until we got the Leader. Now the S children c y to chi-rn. Wecim chirn J inS or 4 m'nute-." Special dash — si eel " frame— lifcht weighi— easily cleaned. 5 Lasts a Lifetime S Sold und r two plais. Simply order ~ a trial churn now, without serdii.g « any money; then, when satiffed at S ~ end of thirty days, rem t the price shown below, or j; — take orders fro-n yoiir fri- tt's and let yotir romrri - " S sions pay for your churn, thus securing your Leader S ~ Churn Free. S = I — |Q'5al. $5.001 — ir Gal. $5.501 — |QGal.$6.00 = - Jchiirnall-J 11 Ch.irn« 3 Q Churns 4 - ; ' '*' Gallons ' 1** Gallona ' "* Gallor-s S Ad checkirKsizc of ^ presschargeonly. J ect fr .Churnwanted.Yo . wm Nursery agents or farmer aprents take trial orders. NWe deliver and collect; no money needed. ^f Novelty Mfg. Co., Box 722 Abingdon, III. ^ CHURNS IN 3 MINUTES ALLWORK KEROSENE FARM TRACTOR Light and Powerful Strong and Durable Five Years' Successful Service for Satisfied Owners Our FREE CATALOG and Suggestions for Tractor Users will interest you whether you buy an ALLWORK or not. Write for them ELECTRIC WHEEL COMPANY Box 23A. QUINCY, ILLINOIS lllllllllll QUEENS QUEENS QUEENS GOLDEN AND 3-BANDED STRAIlNfS The demand for Our Famous Disease-Resisting Honey- Gathering Hustlers is greater than ever before. Send for circular and price list. -:- -:- -:- Book your order now. M. C. BERRY & CO., HAYNEVJLLE, ALA., U. S. A. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy Jl-NK, 1919 GLEANINGS IN B K K C V L T t' K K 403 iiiiiioiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy = giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimimuiiiiiiii^s We Are General Agents in Michigan for The A. I. Root Company This Means That — From us you get bee supplies of the highest quality. — Our prices are identical with theirs. — You get immediate shipping serv- ice from the center of Michigan, — We pay you Root prices for Beeswax at Lansing. — The Root aim is our aim, that of serving the interests of Mich- gan beekeepers in the best pos- sible manner. — We want to send you a copy of our 1919 catalog. A copy of the "Suburban Beekeeper's Outfit" for the asking. M. H. HUNT & SON 510 NORTH CEDAR ST LANSING, MICH. = ?iiiiiiii[iiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiniiiiiiiiii[ini:iiiinin!niiiiiii:ii:i m.' :'!ii' i:" ii;;.iiiniii:'ii;:'i;'! m .<<:' rii r . i' ':.. ::' !/, lii; iniiiiiiiiiiiin:i:iiii:iii:,i .ii:i:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiniilllliilllilllllillli lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 llllllllllll II IF GOODS ARE WANTED QUICKLY II I SEND TO ST. LOUIS] M I I Indications just now are very favorable for a good season; but we are, of | B i I course, at the mercy of weather conditions. A good season means an ex- | = I I cessive demand for the line which we handle, and we mention this, urging | M I I our friends to place their orders before the goods are really needed, that | Ml I none may be disappointed. | III WE CARRY ROOT'S GOODS M I I and sell at their prices; and considering this as a shipping-point, we can | M I I save you time and freight by having your orders come to this house. If i M I I you are new to the business we should like to explain that Boot's goods | M I I are the very best that can be produced. If you have been using THE ROOT | = I I LINE you will recognize the truthfulness of the above and will want more | Ml i of the same goods- Promptness in filling orders is the motto here. We also | I I I give small orders the same careful attention that is given to large | B i I orders. Let us have the pleasure of mailing you our free catalog. | 1 1 I BLANKE SUPPLY & MFG. COMPANY | II i ; ST. LOUIS, MO. ^ liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^^ iPLANTiiljN JUNE I I FOR BUMPER CROP | I I will send Selected Seed for 10 Big Hills | I Genuine Early Six Weeks Potatoes, earli- | I est, hardiest, best keepers on earth — de- | i licious quality; so early you can grow two | I full crops a year even in the north (I send § i full directions); amazingly productive. i I Growers Report ^hTWeeksj ■illlillllillMiliiSf iTvyelve Bushels^ li,Crown From a j, >oUar Order. *'650 bushels per acre." "A full bushel from every six hills." "52 big po- tatoes in one hill." " 12 bushels from a dollar or- der." Etc., etc. Also 20 Hills New Pro- lific Tree Beans — enor- mous and sure vielders everywhere of extra early, pure = white luscious beans; 10 varie- = .lies best Butter and Head Let- ^ luce— 1700 seeds; 30 Hills red, g blue, while, rice and gold Pop ^ corn — tor children and chick- = ens; 10 beautiful fragrant Tree = Ferns, and big 25c. Flower ^ Collection — for wife and child- ^ ren, ALL safely boxed and ^ postpaid for TWO DIMES or h 24c. in stamps. All seeds and = Tree Beans 30 Hills Potatoes 50c. Seeds § and 70 Hills SI. 00. Seeds and 250 Hills Potatoes $3.00. | Ii^ • rf\ Beautiful Watches Free to 50 customers ^ IjlVC 0\J growing most Potatoes from 100 hills. = A. G. Cook, Potato Specialist | Hyde Park on Hudson, N. Y. 1 I Mott's Northern-bred Italian | I Queens | i are hardy, prolific, gentle, and hustlers, | I therefore resist well disease. i I Untested, $1.00 each; $9.00 for 12. | I Select Tested, $1.50 each. | I Virgins, 50c each; or three for $1.00. § I Bees by pound. i i Plans " How to Introduce Queens," and | 1 " Increase," 25c. List free. | I E. E. Mott, Glenwood, Mich, j iiii:iiiiiiiiniiiiiiiililiililliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiniiin!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'ir. GOLDEN QUEENS After April 1: Untested, $1.25 each, 6 for $7.00, or $13.00 per dozen, or 50 for $48; also 3-band untested at same price; tested, $3.00 each, and my very best at $5.00 each. Satisfaction. R. O. Cox, Rt. 4, Greenville, Alabama I. F. Miller's Strain Italian Queen BEES FOR SALE. By return mail after June 5th to lOlh or your money back. Northern bred, for business, from my be»t SUPERIOR BREEDERS;"gentle, roll honey in, hardy, winter well, not inclined to swarm, leather-colored or three-banded. Queens a specialty; twenty-five years breeding experience. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Untested, $1.00; 6, $5.50; 12, $10.00. Select untested, $1.25; 6, $6.75; 12, $12.00. I. F. MILLER, Rt 2, Brookville, Pennsylvania June, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliy^ FRAMES HIVES > l^lADE RiGFfr SEE SUPPU5 SECTIONS SUPERS A COMPLETE LINE OF SUPPLIES KRETCHMER MFG. CO. Dept G. COUNCIL BLUFFS, lA. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!^ Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli Seamless Paper Containers THE most practical AND ECONOMICAL CONTAINER FOR EXTRACTED OR STRAINED HONEY SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER SINGLE SERVICE CONTAINER MANUFACTURED WRITE FOR PARTICULARS AND PRICES THE SANITARY PAPER BOTTLE COMPANY 413 WATER STREET, SANDUSKY, OHIO ^ We have increased our queen yard 25 per cent to supply increasing demands for our Italian queens, s = * Before June 15 After June 15 s ^ 1 12 50 or more 1 12 50 or more = m. Untested Italian queens $1.25 $13.25 $1.00 each $1.00 $11.50 $0.90 each = m Tested Italian queens 2.00 23.00 1.50 15.00 = = Breeders, Italian queens .'i . 00 each, any time. s ^ We are willing to replace any untested queen which might prove to be mismated. We guar- ^ s antee safe arrival on all queens we !=end out. We have never had any foul brood in or near any of s = our yards. Because we spare neither labor nor expense to produce the best queens for you is why p s we can not sell cheaper. Let us supply your needs. ^ I W. D. ACHORD, Pike Road, Alabama. | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 4{)(; GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 llllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli^^ |mR. BEEKEEPER! DO YOU REALIZEJ I The Busy Season Is At Hand j M with prospects the best they have been in a long time? (Bees are strong and clover is making g ^ rapid progress.) • M = Also in confl-uding your plans have you considered those customers who will buy and eaX yoxtir = M comb honey that will not touch your extracted honey at any price? Remember the successful manu- g p f acturer or producer turns out what the consumers want 1 Not what he likes to produce. Remember m = the Demands of the Market! = = Transportation i.? slow and uncertain. However, we have a complete and liberal stock of Lewis = M Beeware (made like furniture) and Uadant's Foundation (the leading foundation manufacturers of = M the world). And the superior goods at as low a price as sound business will warrant — not a price ^ = ijased on cheap shoddy goods that can never please you any more than the second-hand furniture g M or an old, worn-out car or truck. g g Parcel post orders receive prompt shipment as do e.xpress orders; or better yet, if you live in g B driving distance, take your truck or car and come over and you will have what you want when you g g want il. Have you our Lewis Bee Snpply catalogue or Beginner's Book? If not a post card will g g bring same. For service and the best in apiculture address the = I DEROY TAYLOR CO., NEWARK, Wayne County, NEW YORK | = Do not forget the State meeting at our Home Apiary, August First. g iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^^ II TEXAS BRED QUEENS || 5 i As our bee shipping season will l:e practically over by June 1st, we will have some extra I = s I queens to offer at the following reduced prices. We have shipped thousands of pounds | g ^1 of bees and queens all over the United States and Canada again this sea.son. | g B I 1 6 12 50 1 6 12 I s gi Untested $1.25 $6.50 $11.50 $40.00 Tested . $2.00 $10.50 $18.50 ig g 1 Select Untested.. 1.50 7.50 13.50 48.00 Select Untested.. 2.75 15.00 27.00 | g § I 1-pound package Bees $2.40 25 or more, $2.16 each by Express F. O. B. here | g = I 2-pound package Bees 4.25 25 or more, 3.83 each by Express F. O. B. here i M g I 3-pound package Bees 6.25 25 or more, 5.62 each by Express F. O. B. here | = g i 1-frame regular Nuclei with 1 pound extra bees 4.50 each by Express F. O. B. here | g = i 2-frame regular Nuclei with 1 pound extra bees 6.00 each by Express F. O. B. here | g M I l-frame regular Nuclei with 2 pound extra bees 6.00 each by Express P. O. B. here i = M I 2-frame regular Nuclei with no extra bees 4.50 each by Express F. O. B. here i = = I 3-frame regular Nuclei with no extra bees 6.00 each by Express F. O. B. here I g = I Add the price of Queen wanted when ordering bees. Circular free giving details. | g j I NUECES COUNTY APIARIES, CALALLEN, TEXAS 1 1 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 11 QUEENS - ITALIAN - QUEENS |I 1 I BRED IN ONTARIO FROM DOOLITTLE STOCK I 1 1919 PRICE LIST 1919 Begin Delivery June 15 1 6 12 50 Untested $1.00 $5.50 $10.00 $37.50 Select Untested... 1.25 7.00 13.00 50.00 Send us list of your requirements early so as to insure date of delivery. We are booking orders now, 25% down. We clip queen 's wings free of charge on request. RUMFORD & FRETZ -:- -:- FOREST, ONTARIO GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE II 407 Blllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll QUEENS miliaiHIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllKIIIII IIIIIIIIllllll lillllllinillllllllllllll!lllll!ll!lllllllllllllllHlllllllllllll!N!lllllllllllilllllll I We guarantee safety from all foul brood disease, because there is not now and never has been any foul brood in our part of the country. Our bees and queens are absolutely free from it. Eemember that LAST YEAR WE REARED 12,348 QUEENS which we believe to be the world's record among queen-breeders. We could do this only because of the reputation for quality and service that we have established among beekeepers far and wide. PRICE OF QUEENS. After June 15th 1 Untested $1-00 Select Untested 1 • 50 Tested 2 . 00 12 50 or more $11.00 $ .90 15.00 1.30 22.00 1.75 Breeders, $5.00, $10.00, and $15.00. Prices of Dr. Miller's Queens After June 15th 1 12 50 or more Untested $1-25 $13.25 $1.10 Tested 2.00 22.00 1.75 Breeders, $5.00, $10.00, arid $15.00. We have a full line of Eoot's goods and guarantee to fill all orders within three days after receipt and all mail orders the same day received. Try us on sections, foundation, smokers and all small orders by mail. A full line manufactured from Cypress, the Wood Eternal, which we guarantee to please you. Solid one-piece covers made from the best wood in the world, without crack or crevice, at the price of other wood covers. Beeswax wanted. SEND FOR CATALOG The PENN COMPANY PENN, MISSISSIPPI iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE June, 1919 I Queens-Rhode Island-Queens | j ^^ QuecnS o£ Quality •)') Italian Northern-bred queens. Very gentle and hardy. Great workers. Un- tested, SI: 6 for S5. Circular on appli- cation. Queens delivered after June 1. O. E. Tulip, Arlington, Rhode Island 56 Lawrence Street = The genuine " Quality ■' kind of 3-band Italians— bred = = strictly for business. Untested SI. 25 each; six, $6.50; = i twelve, Sll. 50. Select Unt. SI. 50 each : six, $7.50; | ^ twelve, S13.50. Write for circular. = 1 J. Ivan Banks, Dowelltown, Tenn. | falcon* Your Duty — Do You Know It? It is to get ready for the coming season and be ready for the first honey flow. This will net you profits. Prepare your bees for a big year and take no chances. Get the best to do with and have the best results. Our Duty — Do We Know It ? We get the beekeepers ready for the big season. Supply them with the best of everything with which to work and get the best results. Send us a list of your requirements for quotation. TO DELAY MEANS LOSS TO YOU. "Falcon" service cannot be beat. Catalog and Simplified Beekeeping on request. W. T. Falconer Manufacturing Company Falconer, New York "where the best bee hives come from." ''falcon* |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||I1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!III0^^ I BARKER j WEEDER,MULCHER I CULTIVATOR Weeds and Mulches | In One Operation | DOES BETTER WORK THAN A HOE — TEN | TIMES AS FAST— SAVES TIME AND LABOR, | THE TWO BIG EXPENSE ITEMS — EASY TO | OPERATE. I FREE— Illustrated Book and Factory-to-User Offer | I We want every garden grower to know just how this marvelous machine will make ^ I his work easier and increase his profits. So we have prepared a book showing . I photographs of it at work and fully describing its principle. Explains how -^ I steel blades, revolving against a stationary knife (like a lawn mower) / I destroy the weeds and at the same time break up the crust and clods / i and pulverize the surface into a level, moisture-retaining mulch. / BARKER I /MFG. CO. I "Best Weed Killer Ever Used" / Dept. lo I LEAF GUAEDS— The Barker gets close to the plants. Cuts ^ D.WID CITY, NEB. 1 runners. Has leaf guards; also easily attached shovels / Gentlemen — Send me i for deeper cultivation — maldng three garden tools in one. / postpaid your free book and I A boy can use it. Fiv.e sizes. Send today for / Factoryto-User Offer. I book, free and postpaid. ^^ = / Name " ■-' I BARKER MANUFACTURING CO. ^^ " T^J I Dept. 10 David City, Nebraska i ,/ siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii State Town R. R. No. Bffisi illllllllllllllllllllll— ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ENTIRELY EXHAUSTED I So great has been the demand for | I copies of the A B C e^ X Y Z of Bee | I Culture that the new 1917 edition of | I 15,000 copies is entirely sold out. A j I NEW I I AND REVISED | I EDITION I 1 will be ready for delivery by the first j j of July. It is already on the press, | 1 and a large part of the printing com- | I pleted. If you are contemplating get- | 1 ting a copy of this great bee encycio- | I pedia, put your order in now so as to | i cet one of the first books as soon as | I they are completed. -:- -:- -:- -■- | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiHiiniiiiiiininiiiiniiiiiiiiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiinii^ THE A. 1. ROOT CO. MEDINA. OHIO NEW YORK PHILADELPHIA CHICAGO ST. PAUL INDIANAPOLIS NORFOLK THE A. I. ROOT CO. OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO LOS ANGELES Home Wax Rendering- Does It Pay? More and more are we becoming a nation of specialists. In former times, for various reasons, it was advisable to spin cloth at home, to make clothes, to grind flour, etc. Yet it is seldom that such operations are undertaken now by the individual family. It does not pay. The time spent, if valued at anything, would more than pay for the finished product. Not only are you saving time, but also beeswax, as a bat- tery of high-pressure steam presses under the supervi- sion of a specialist can get more wax out of the same amount of combs than the individual beekeeper with a makeshift press on a kitchen range. Dear Sirs: — Your bill lor rendering beeswax, enclosing check for $21.65, to pay for wax retained by you, was received yesterday. I am very much pleased with the result of my sending old combs to you. The quantity of wax secured is greater than I expected, and the exceeding promptness with which the matter was attended to was very gratifying. If I have combs of the same kind to be rendered again, I shall certainly send them to you. Feb. 16, 1919. HANNAH R. SEWELL, Forest Glen, Md. Gentlemen: — Your statement of wax rendered and bill for making same into foundation are received. I inclose check for $7.93 for the balance due you. You got 25 pounds more of wax out of it than I estimated, and I also got rid of a messy job. FLOYD MARKHAM, Ypsilanti, Mich. Send us your refuse, scrapings, combs or cappings. When shipping same be sure to bill as "Beeswax Refuse" so as to get the lowest freight rate. Prices and Terms on Application IIIIINIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIinillllllllHIIIIIIIIII^^ Dadant & Sons. Hamilton. Illinois O^banittgs u, Mn (Enltnxt m Vol. XLVII JULY 1919 No. 7 = Illllllllllllll m I We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. | 1 Do not sell until you have seen us. 1 I We will pay you spot cash for any thing you sell us. | ■ Get our prices on cans and cases. | I Los Angeles Hnnpv Co. | B 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts, M m Los Angeles, California g M Telephones; Home 10419, Main 5606 M lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^^ I Buy Your Hives Where the Lumber Grows | g Made of California Pine and Eedwood. Send for our new 36-page catalogue. "We | M manufacture g m Miller's California Foundation g m We will mail you free sample on request. Our prices and quality will please g H you. We buy Beeswax and Honey. Send us your combs, cappings and refuse. g Miller Box Manufacturinjj Company 201-33 North Ave., Eighteen Los Angeles, California, U. S. A. Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ I Beekeepers of CALIFOR- I NIAand the FAR WEST H if not already among our list of B customers, are missing an oppor- g tiinity to prove the value of our I Unexcelled Service g Our new factory at 1824 E. 15th g St., Los Angeles, is at your ser- M vice for any thing required by g beekeepers. g Our Root- Weed Comb Foundation M is not excelled by any other make. We g turn out over 100,000 pounds = annually in Los Angeles.,: g OUR AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR HOFFMAN = FRAMES makes our output of these unexcelled for = accuracy in workmanship and accurate dimensions. = Hives and other wood goods are also accurately cut = and of llie best quality. = Wei are headquarters for HONEY - EXTR.\CTORS, p SMOKERS, GLOVES, WIRE, and a great variety = of small tools required by beekeepers. ^ Let Us Hear from You 1 The A. I. Root Company 1 of California g 1824 E. 15th St. 52-54 Main Street g Los Angeles San Francisco ** Griggs Saves You Freight" TOLEDO July is here— the big White Clover Honey flow about over. . . Don't get short of sections and founda- tion— season promises to be good. Honey Cans and Cases Order these early— a limited number of 2d-hand cans on hand at 75c per case. Honey- Honey -- Honey We shall be in the market for any quan- tity, both comb and extracted. . Mail sample of extracted and state price asked in first letter. BEESWAX always in demand — Cash or in trade. GRIGGS BROTHERS CO. | Dept. No. 25 Toledo, Ohio | lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ ■Ul.\. IMO c I, K \ X I X 0 s IX 1^. !•: K (• r I, ■!• r i; i: JULY, 1919 Honey Markets 412-413 Editorials 417-419 Extracting in California E. E. Eoot 420-420 Pressing Cappings Dry E F. Holtermann 423-425 Closing of the Season Belva M. Demuth 425-427 Does Beekeeping Pay?. . .0. L. Hershiser and other noted authorities 427-432 Anne Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers Grace Allen 433-434 The Honey Pump H. H. Eoot 435 Eespects Bees ............ Charles StafP 435-436 Ideas on Extracting. Morley Pettit 436-437 Hundreds of Hives Burned Ch. Noel Eddowes 437-438 Big Beekeeping Be van L. Hugh 438 Eaising Comb Honey Chas. D. Blaker 438-439 Inexpensive Way to Stai-t B. B. Alexander 439 Stray Straws ..." Dr. C. C. Miller 440-441 Sif tings J. E. Crane 442 Our Food Page Stancy Puerden 443-444 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 445-44G From North, East, West, and South 447.449 Heads of Grain from Different Fields -150-452 Bees, Men, and Things 453 Just News '.'....'..'.'... 454-455 The Best from Others lona Fowls 456-157 Gleaned by Asking lona Fowls 458-460 Talks to Beginners . . H. H. Eoot 461-462 Our Homes . A. I. Eoot 463-467 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. — One year, $1.00: two years, $1.75: three years, $2.50; five yeais, $4.00. Single <-opy 10 cents. Canadian subscription. 1.5 cents additional per year, and foreign subscription, 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscrifitions, not paid in advance, or specifically ordered by the subscriler to lie continued, will le stonpcd on eixpiration. No subscriber will be run into debt by us for this' journal. CHANGE OF Address. — Give your old address as well as the new and write the name to which the .iournal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Should be sent by postoffice money order, bank draft, e.xpress money order, or check. CONTRIBUTIONS to Gleanings column.s solicited: statni)s sliould be enclosed to insure return to author of manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES. — Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkably satisfac- tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY.— O-he publishers use utmost diligence to estab- lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser using space in this journal. Entered as second class mail matter at the Postoffice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly. Space occupied by reading matter in this issue 70 per cent; advertising, 30 per cent. THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Publishers, Medina, Ohio Editorial StafF E. R. ROOT A. I. ROOT ZONA FOWLS H. G. ROWE Editor Editor Home Dept. Assistant Editor Managing Editor GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 HERE IS A REPRODUCTION OF Muth's New Home in Cincinnati ^M^^'- i-^S! 1 3 ^ .. ^ ly «; ■« " ^ 1 i II %- w ^^- >^ " ,* ** "^ « 2 i'lbfi---^ a3 rS —It—.. 'I TL B "^ W 'aJ t-S ! > ^ * * K 1"^ ff^ ■"l i^-jf ""€ i ri J 3 4 3 1 H V '"i wtj.y. BEESWA)C BEtKEEPERSli _ SUPPLIES -ji^:i^c^ Anticipating the wants of tiie trade and to meet the demands of our customers, we are now located at Pearl and Walnut Streets, carrying tremendous stocks — making this the largest Honey House in the country. WHY YOU SHOULD BUY NOW! We advise"^ you to buy your bee' supplies now. You not only get the benefit of favorable market conditions, but you are assured of immediate delivery. There will be no disappointment if you send your order for bee supplies to MUTH NOW. MUTH'S ADVANTAGES! We sell at factory prices, save you freight apd give you the finest bee supplies manufactured. LEWIS BEEWARE DADANT'S FOUNDATION ROOT'S SMOKERS, EXTRACTORS, ETC. Our new 1919 catalog sent for the mere asking. Drop us a card now! OLD COMBS AND CAPPINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We pay you the highest market price for beeswax, and charge you but 5c per pound for the wax rendered. It pavs to send us your old combs and cappings. WANTED, COMB HONEY. Comb and Extracted Honey find ready sales here. Tell us what you have. We buy beeswax at high prices. Always glad to reply to inquiries. We will appreciate a visit from you. When in the city come and see us. THE FRED W. MUTH COMPANY Pearl and Walnut Sts. 'The Busy Beemen' Cincinnati, Ohio July, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy 1 1 ANOTHER REPORT ON 1 1 II Superior Foundation || H I Read the Following: | | ( I Superior Honey Co., Annabella, Mich. 1 M m I Ogden, Utah. May 7, 1919. | J I I Gentlemen: — I am shipping you 41 lbs. of beeswax. Your | M M I foundation is the best I ever used. The bees take to it i M M I quicker. I will send you some more wax and get more | m M I foundation. Please send two or three shipping tags. | = I j Yours truly, G. H. EGBERTS. f 1 J I Let your own bees jirove to your satisfaction the merits of | M M I "Superior" Foundation. We guarantee it to be unsur- I g M I passed in quality by any other make. We are operating | j Ml to utmost cajiacity to take care of the heavily increased | | M I demand. Write or telegraph for special prices. | g 1 1 Superior Honey Company, Ogden, Utah 1 1 I I Manufacturers of Weed Process Foundation | 1 I I "Everything in Bee Supplies" | M lllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllO^ Bee Supplies Bee Supplies Service and Quality Order your supplies early so as to have everything ready for the honey flow, and save money by taking advantage of the early-order cash discount. Send for our cat- log; better still, send us a list of your sup- plies and we will be pleased to quote you. C.H. W.WEBER & CO. 2146 CENTRAL AVE. CINCINNATI, OHIO llillllillllllllliillllllllllllllllllillillilllllllllillliilllilllllllllilillliillillilillilH^ 412 G T. E A N I N G S IK BEE CULTURE .ri-Lv, 1919 HONEY MARKETS Honey is moving very slowly with con- siderable variation in prices — extracted, white ranging from 15c in New York to 20- 25c in Cleveland. The market will doubtless become more settled next month, when a more accurate estimate can be made on the new crop. "U. S. Government Market Reports. HOXISV ARRIVALS SIXCK LAST REPORT. Medina, 0., Keokuk, la., and Hamilton, 111. — No ar- rivals. SHIl'PIXG POIN'T IXFORMATION. Los Angeles, Calif. — New crop, supplies moderate, demand and movement moderate. Carloads f. o. b. usual terms, California orange blossom 18-20c. TELEGRAPHIC RKPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. (The prices quoted in this report, unless otherwise stated, represent the price at which the " wholesale carlot reiceivers " .sell to the " jobbers." Arrivals in- clude receipts during preceding two weeks. Prices represent current quotations.) Chicago. — ^No carlot arrivals, demand and move- ment slow, market dull. Sales to jobbers: extracted, whitei 17-18c per lb., light amber 16-17c. Beeswax, demand and movement good, light 45-50c. Cincinnati. — No arrivals. Extracted, supplies liberal, no demand, market weak, no sales reported. Comb, no jobbing sales. Beeswax, supplies moderate, demand and movement slow, market steady. Sales to jobbers: pure yellow, 42c per lb., dark yellow, 38c per lb. Cleveland. — Stipplies light, demand and movement slow, market steady, few early sales. Extracted: no change in prices. Sales to wholesale confection- ers and bakers : Western, 60-lb. tins, white clover 20-25c, mostly 20-22c per lb. Comb, prices lower. Sales to jobbers: Ohio, mostly $4.00-4.50, somei low as $3.75 per dozen combs. Beeswax, mostly 45c per lb. Denver. — No arrivals. Supplies moderate, de- mand and movement slow, market dull, no change in prices. Sales to jobbers: extracted, Colorados, white, quality and condition good 18c per lb. Bees- wax, light 35c per lb. Kansas City. — No arrivals since last report, de- mand poor, practically no movement, market steady, no change in prices. Sales to jobbers: comb, Mis- souris. 24-section flat casas. No. 1 light $7.50-8.00. Ex*'-acted: Colorado, 16c per lb. Beeswax, 30-35c. Minneapolis. — Supplies practically eixhausted, de- mand hnd movement very slow, market steady. Sales direct to retailers: comb. Western, 24-section eases, fancy white, very few sales, $7.50. Ex- tracted: too feav sales to establish market. New York. — ^Arrivals: 27 bbls. Florida. 81,000 lbs. Ohio for export. Imported: 25 bbls. West In- dies, 700 bbls. South America. 15 bbls. Central America, 15 bbls. Porto Rico. 15 bbls. Mexico. Ex- ported: 25 cases and 100 bbls. Belgium. 180 eases i>nd 670 bbls. Finland, 140 cases Sweden, 1,300 cases England, 400 cases Scandinavia, 100 bbls. Holland, 230 cases France. Demand slow, very few sales. Sales to jobbers: Extracted. California while 17-19c, amber 14-15c per lb. New York, buckwheat 10-llc per lb. Porto Rico and Cuban $1.25-1.50 per gallon. Beeswax: imported, 320 bags South America. Exported: 10 bags Scandi- navia. Demand and movement good. Light 41-42c, dark 39-40c per lb. Philadelphia. — No arrivals since last report. De- rnnd and movement very lia:ht on account of sea- sonal dullness and market oversupplied with stock purchased at high prices during sugar shortage. Sales to jobbers: per 24-section flat case. New York, comb, $4.80-5.90. St. Paul. — Supplies practically exhausted, too few sales to establish market. St. Louis. — Comb and extracted, practically no supplies on market, no demand or movememt, no sales reported. Beeswax, prime, 36V^c per lb. EXPORT DISTRIBUTION OF HONEY, APR. 20-30. , Total, 455.805 lbs.: to Denmark, 6,000; to France, 168.279: to Netherlands, 4,400; to Norway, 13 240; to Sweden, 259,840: to Canada and New- foundland, 2,122; all others, 1.924 lbs. Charles .1. Brand, Chief of Bureau. General Quotations of Wholesalers. [These firms arc a^ked to quote the whole- sale price they make to retailers. Accord- ingly their prices must be figured at least one profit higher than the price paid the pro- ducer. The large dealers do not quote prices in print that they will pay futurely to pro- ducers.] NEW YORK. — We quote from several of the leading honey dealers in New York City, under date (if .Tune 15: " Honey, extracted, is still quoted at low prices. but it has gone so low that, for the prices being ouoted today for syrup, it can be said that prices for honey can not go lower: otherwise honey will be cheaper than syrup. Furthermore will say that we won't be surprised if by September honey will be worth a little more money. Extracted, white, per lb. 15c; light amber in cans 13c, in barrels $1.10 per gallon; amber in cans 12c. in barrels $1.00 per gallon. Clean average yellow beeswax, per lb. 40c." " Market quiet but steady. Some demand for export. Several hundred barrels sold for export. Extracted honey, light amber, in barrels $1.50 ; amber $1.30 per gallon. Clean average yellow bees- wax, per lb.. 42c." LIVERPOOL. — Durins the month there has 1 epn a fair trade doing both for export and home trade at regular prices. .Vustralian, in cases, 14-15c per lb.; West Indian and Cuban, 14-16c; .Tamaican 15- Ific; Chilian, Pile No. 1, good qualitv, 250 barrels sold at 17% to 18y2C per lb.; No. 2," 17 1/3c; No. 3, 15 %c. Prices for honey seem to have stabilized themselves for the present, largely due to the Conti- nental demand, but how long this will continue is a question which cannot be decided; but in view of the resumption of thei normal and indeed probable increased production of sugar, both best and cane, all over the world, it would seem to be rash to ex- pect the present level of prices to continue, and be- fore the end of the year is reached we are afraid we shall have to record much lower prices. The value of good quality extracted honev in .-American equiva- lent, therefore continues at 16 cents per lb. The value of E'ood qualitv beeswax is about 42 to 43 cents per lb. in American currency. Taylor & Co. Liverpool, England, May 23. CHICAGO. — No receipts of comb and few of ex- tracted. Beeswax bringing 40c per lb., if clean. R. A. Burnett & Co. Chicago, 111., June 17. KANSAS CITY. — Receipts of comb honev verv ligh( : the market is $7.00 to $8.00 according to quality. Good demand: looks as if the trade in new honev would be good. Extracted honev supph- liberal; market 14-16e according to quality and kind. Beeswax 35c, good demand. C. C. demons Produce Co. Kansas City, Mo., June 1 6. ST. LOUIS. — No comb honey in this market at present and extracted honey dead dull and in a waiting attitude. Quotations below merely nominal. Extracted, light amber, in cans 16-18c. in barrels 14e; amber in cans 13-15c in barrels 12c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per Vk 3 6 1-2 c. R. Hartmann Produce Co. St. Louis, Mo., June 16. PHOENIX. — The honey market for June so far has been very discouraging. In former years the first two carloads were ready to ship, but there is 'lardly anv extracted so far. There will be very little mesquite honey, but hope to have a good flow on alfalfa and cotton bloom. L. M. Lossing. Phoenix, Ariz., June 12. TEXAS. — Good demand. Bulk comb honey 19V2C. Extracted, white, per lb. 18c; light amber in cans ITVzC- Clean average yellow beeswax 35e per lb. J. A. Simmons. Sabinal, Tex., June 14. SYRACUSE. — Practically no honey moving at present. Extracted, white, per lb. 18c; liHit amber, in ens. 15c. E. B. Ross. Syracuse, N. Y., June 16. July. 1919 G L K A N I N Ci S IN B E K C U I. T U K K 413 TORONTO.- — No cliange in quotations since last month. Prices on new crop hone.v have not yet been named and are not expected until next month. Toronto, Ont.. June 17. Eby-Blain, Ltd. HAMILTON. — -Old honey has beem pretty well cleaned up. No new honey on the market yet. Pro- ducers report Rood prospects. Extracted honey, light amber, in cans. 22-2.3c. F. W. Fearman Co., Ltd. Hamilton. Out.. June 17. CUBA. — Extracted honey, light amber, in barrels, 90c per gallon ; amber, in 'barrels, 90c. Clean, average yellow bee>sw;ix, 31 c per lb. Matanzas, Cuba. A. Marzol. TRADE NOTES FURTHER INCREA.se IN C.^PITAlj. The effect of increasing values, as well as increas- ing business, has made a further increase neces- sary in the capital stock of The A. I. Root Co. Provision has been made to authorize a total issue of one and a half million dollars, divided as fol- lows: The present preferred of $250,000, paying 5 per cent fixed dividend, is designated as First Preferred. There is authorized $500,000 Second Preferred paying 7 per cent annually, payable quarterly the first of February, May, August, and November of each year, 1% per cent in each pay- ment. The issue of common stock is authorized to the extent of $750,000. The Second Preferred is offered for general subscription and is, we believe, an attractive investment. We expect to give further particulars in next issue; but if any of our readers are interested and would like further details, write us and we will gladly furnish all information re- quired. The a. I. Root Co. Medina, Ohio. Special Notices by A. 1. Kool .-^HB NEW ANNUAL SWEET (JLOVER. After the notice I gave in our June issue there came such a flood of applications for a pinch of seed that I feared our supply was n it going to hold out. At this date, however, June 16, the prospect is that w.e shall be able to supply all applicants. It may be too late now to secure maiurcd seed; but >ou can make a test to see what a tremendous crrower it is. The following from Professor H. D. Hughes, of the Iowa State College, will. I am sure, 1 e read with interest. We are indelted to Professor Hughes, it ■will be remembered, for giving this seed to the world. "Dear /Sirs; — You will rememl>er that we sent a very few seed to each of the different State experi- ment stations — also to the large seedsmen thruout the country, and some of these have made very good use from the seed which they got from 40 or 50 plants. A letter from the Henry Field Seed Com- pany, at Shenandoah, Iowa, is to the effect that thev have in the neighborhood of two acre--; in rows. "It occurs to me that you will be interested in a report from the Oregon Experiment Station to the effect that this clover grew to a height of 8 feet and set seed very heavily. ''This strain of this clover that we distributed is not maturing seed north of central Iowa. From the various types which we have, there is no reason why strains cannot be isolated which will mature very satisfactorilv considerablv farther north. •■H. 1). HUGHE.s. '■.\mes. Iowa, June 11. 1919." Just think of it! clover eight feet tall and full of bloom in just one summer. Our Ohio Experiment Station obtained a quart of seed, and have sowed it all. Below is another report : "Dear Friend: — I planted the seed which you sent me last fall in February and only seven plants came up (the seed seemed somewhat immature), but they grew very rapidly and soon outstripped plan's of the common variety. Today they stand over five feet high and are beginning to bloom. Bees have started to work on the clover, altho only a few clusters of bloom are open. It has started off so nicely that I have hopes that it will do well here where so few of the clovers suc- ceed. Thanking you again for the seed, I remain your friend. "J. D. Yancey. "Bav City, Texas, June 2, 1919." WANTED— TO PURCHASE COLORADO Section and Bulk Comb Honey direct from producers in car lots and less than car lots. Please let us know what you have and submit sample, full description as to weight, and your lowest price to J. E. HARRIS. MORRISTOWN, TENN. or our western representative, Mr. R- B. McGuffin, 1165 Emerson St., Denver, Colo. I. F. Miller's Strain Italian Queen BEES FOR SALE. By return mail, or your money back. Northern bred, for business, from my best SUPERIOR BREEDERS: gentle, roll honey in, hardy, winter well, not in- clined to Bwarm, leather-colored or ihree-banded. Queens a specialty; twenty-five years' breeding experience. Safe arrival and satisiaction guaranteed. l^ntested, $1.00; 6. $5.00; 12, $10.00. Select untested. $1.25; 6, $6.75; 12, $12.00. I. F. MILLER, Rt. 2, Brookville, Pennsylvania Complete Line of Beekeepers' Supplies Catalog on Request F. Coombs & Sons, Braltleboro,Vt. BEEKEEPERS AND INSPECTORS The California and CorwU ,Short Courses, consisting of a week's lectures by Dr. E. F. Phillips and Mr. G. S. Demuth of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture at Washington, and others, reported in sh'jrthund at Davis, Calif. The thirteen principal lectures (with questions and answers) in type- written mimeographed form — nearly equal to a 200-page book — cover the best methods of beekeep- ing as practically applied to both Eastern and CaHjorttia conditions ; fundamentals of wintering in any climate; elaliorate and graphic descriptions of lirood diseases and their successful treat- ment ; principles and practice of swarm prevention and control, and other subjects. Not a book, hut point-blank scientific and practical talks to our best lieekeepers, by our best auihorities. Whether or not you were among the hundreds who attended the Short Courses, you will need these lectures to study and keep for ccmstant reference. The new informaiion on disease is indispensa- ble to Inspectors. Price for the complete set, $1.75, postpaid "The editor regards this as a valuable publication for the beekeepers of California. He has gone over much of it and considers it a very accurate report of what was said by the Staff of the California Speakers at the Short Courses here last winter in various parts of California. These lectures cover particularly California conditions." R. B. CALKINS 5800 HEARN STREET OAKLAND, CALirORNIA 414 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 ra] iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiio^^ Wi A Big Surprise /.|f\N account of having such a run \f\y of business early we supposed later we would not have so much, but were surprised at the ava- lanche of orders received in May and June. During these two months we averaged a week behind on or- ders. It seems that there are bee- keepers yet that do not order hives till the bees give word by swarming that hives are needed. We expect from now on to keep abreast of or- ders. If foundation and sections are needed we hope to get them to you promptly unless another ava- lanche comes in July. F. A. Salisbury 1631 West Genesee Street Syracuse, N. Y. iiiiliiiiiiiiiliiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliiilliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiliiiiiiiilliililiiiil^^ July, 1919 G T. i; .\ N I N G S IN BEE C U L T U R E NEW [^INGHAM BCE5M0KER The Bingham Bee Smoker has been on the market over forty years and is the standard in this and many foreign countries. It is tlie all- important tool of the most extensive honey- producei's of the World. It is made in four sizes and has a leather bel- lows. The Genuine Bingham Honey Un- capping Knife is manufactured by us here at Grand Rapids and is made of the finest quality steel. These thin- bladed knives, as furnished by Mr. Bingham, gave the best of satisfaction, as the old timers will remember. Our Perfect Grip Cold Handle is one of the improvements. The Woodman Section Fixer, a com- bined section press and foundation fas- tener, of pressed steel construction, forms comb-honey sections and puts in top and bottom foundation starters, all at one handling. It is the finest equip- ment for this work on the market. The above specialties can be secured from us direct by post or from practi- cally all dealers and manufacturers of supplies, with the exception of the Eoot Co., and agencies. Our 1919 illustrated catalog and special circulars will be mailed on request. Tin Honey-packages 2 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 2 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 612 21/^ lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 21/2 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 450 5 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 12 5 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 100 5 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 203 10 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 6 10 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 113 Write for prices on friction top cans and pails and 60-lb. cans, giving quan- tity wanted. A. G. Woodman Company Grand Rapids, Mich, U. S. A. 416 G L E A N I N G S I N B K E C U L T U R E July, 1919 PllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllilillP^ DADANT SPECIALTIES World renowned for its excel- DADANT'S lence. Put to actual tests in FOUNDATION ^^^ ^^^^ apiaries of several hun- dred colonies. Every inch equal to sample in every respect. Ac- knowledged by hundreds of users to be the most readi- ly drawn out Ijy the bees, and therefore a saving to use under anv circumstances. Melts the wires into the Founda- ELECTRIC tions as if they had grown there. TMBFDDER Requires only two dry cells to operate, or can be used on city cur- rent by use of a transformer which we furnish or which can be made at home. Full di- rections with each machine. First Lessons in Beekeeping, by C. 1*. BEE Dailant, is a thorough book for the be- BOOKS giiiiier, while The Honeybee, by Lang- stroth and Dadant, is considered the clas- sic in Bee Culture. A Thousand Answers to Bee Keeping Questions, by Dr. C. C. Miller, is a compilation of over 1,000 questions answered by Doctor Miller in his 60 years of beekeeping; for veteran and amateur alike. Practical Queen Rearing, by Frank C. Pellett, gives the improved methods of rearing queens, with variations suitable for the home yard. A monthly publication of 36 AMERICAN pages, foremost in its field for BEE JOURNAL ^}'' advancement of beekeeping. Contributors from all sections and countries. The result of painstaking efforts and long experience of its editors, C. P. Dadant and Frank C.^Pellett. I Distinctive designs, up-to-the-minute. HONEY We have just issued a label catalog LABELS with samples of stationery designed es- i pecially for the beekeeper. Write for your cojiy. All kinds of labels to fit all styles of packages. Attractive honey sellers. Read Our CatuJaii for Fiirtlicr Particiil(ir>i. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Ills. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 1 EDITORIAL WIIENEVEE COMMON granulated sugar is scarce or hard to get, the price of honey begins to take an A Million-ton upward trend. This Shortage was strikingly ex- of Sugar. eniplified when re- strictions were placed upon the jiurchase and sale of sugar during the last two years of the Great War. When manufacturers and the housewife can not get all the sugar they want they natural- l^' turn to honey, as it is the only sweet out- side of cheap molasses that has sufficient strength to serve their purpose. The glucose syrups have too little actual sweetening power and too much of the gums to be of much use as a substitute for sugar. Within the last few weeks there have been various rumors to the effect that there was going to be another scarcity of sugar. A late report going the rounds of the newspa- pers asserts there will be in the aggregate a million-ton shortage of the world's sugar supply, on top of the fact that prohibition is going to make an enormous demand for the product in this country and Canada. Be- sides this, Europe is crying for sugar. Their beet fields have either been destroyed or used for the growing of grains. Over against this, another statement is made in the western papers concerning beet- sugar production in the West, to the effect that not only has the acreage of beets been increased by 11,000 over last year, but that the reserve supply is 6,000,000 bags this year as against 3,000,000 for the same period last year; but remember this is for beet sugar only. In spite of this increase there has been a falling off over last year of all sugars of over a million tons according to high authority. Said one of the leading officials' of the so- called sugar trust to the Editor of Glean- ings, who thought it proper to go to the fountain head for his information, "The re- ports from our domestic and insular pos- sessions show that, in spite of the increased supply of beet sugar, there will still be a shortage of sugar over last year of over a million tons. The newspaper reports are substantially correct." When asked the probable effect of prohi- bition in stimulating a demand for sugar he said, "There is no question but that the cutting off of liquor in its various forms will make an increase in the demand for sugar, which is a real stimulant, not an arti- ficial one"; and then he added, "We have always noticed in and around our mills where prohibition went into effect, that the former drinkers would buy large quantities of candies, soft drinks, and icecream, when before thev never bought anything of this kind. ' ' When asked whether sugar would go up or down during or after the period of re- construction, he said, "Congress has guar- anteed to the beet-sugar interests in this country that the price of their sugar shall not go down before September next. It is not likely," he continued, "that, in view of present shortage and demand, sugar will go down for the present. What the effect of open competition will be later on I can n.ot tell. ' ' Our informant preferred not to have his nanie given, but that he knew what he was talking about was very clear. As pointed out in our last issue, the effect of sugar shortage and prohibition must nec- essa-i-y stimulate a demand for honey. "But," some one says, "the President has requested Congress to remove the war-time ban on beei' and wine." A canvass of the Senate and House shows that Congress is m.'erwhelmingly against making any change. Thirty-two States have adopted state-wide prohibition, no matter what Congress may or may not do; and forty-five States have ratified the national amendment. Our law- makers will not dare face their constituents and vote to remove war-time prohibition. But suppose they did; it would not affect the thirty-two States dry by legislative en- actment nor a large part of the territory of the remainder. Beekeepers all over the land, if they will consult the interests of their boys and girls and their pocketbooks, will write to their senators and representatives in Congress protesting against any change in war-time iirohibition. We are sorry that our great President — great for some of the big things he has ac- complished in making the world safer and saner — should have seen fit to take this stand. It is far more important to save for starving Europe the grain that would other- wise go into beer, and to save the boys and girls of our land, than it is to save the wine and beer interests who have had a year 's warning to get under cover. The greater part of the wine vineyards of Cali- fon.ia ha e already been grafted to produce 418 (JLEANINGS IK BEE CULTURE July, 1919 a table grape; and many of the breweries of the country have been converted into creameries, soft-drink factories, and ice- plants, for which with very little change, they are well adapted. EACH SPEING there is a growing volume of business between Northern producers and Southern breeders Dissatisfaction in early shipments in Early Ship- of bees to make up ments of Bees. winter loss or to make increase. The Southern breeders solicit this business, and perhaps it can be said that the majority of them give conscientious attention to details and have a sincere desire to please their customers. There is no reason why this volume of business should not continue to grow if properly taken care of. There are some breeders, however, who each year so- licit more business than they can properly take care of. They know from past experi- ence that weather conditions may be very unfavorable, but they make promises (per- haps in the best of faith at the time), only to realize very soon that they can not possi- bly succeed in accomplishing what they had intended. The Northern producer, in ig- norance of the ultimate inability of the breeder to till his order, does not re-order elsewhere but lives in hope — only to be bad- ly disappointed finally and prevented from carrying out his plans. Quite a large number of Ontario producers combined their orders for bees with E. V. Tillson, of the Tillson Co., contracting with a certain Southern breeder for delivery of bees and queens in quantity about the first of May. The contract was entered into in December, 1918. (On account of the fact that there had been numerous com- plaints uncared for that this breeder at- tempted more than he could possibly accom- plish, his advertising in Gleanings had been refused since 1917.) In April Mr. Tillson inquired whether they could reasonably expect shipment as agreed, and he was emphatically assured that the bees would be forwarded on date specified. The bees were not shipped, however, until some time in June; and there was, moreover, considerable dissatisfaction in addition to the long delay over the non-arrival of cer- tain queens with the bees. The delay was so great that many of the producers refused to accept the shipments when they arrived, saying they had no use for bees at such a late date. The breeder 's excuse was the incessant rains during much of May. Continued fail- ures, however, and a series of complaints in other years seem to show that the inclement weather was possibly not the only reason for failure. Moreover, there seem to be few complaints against other Southern breeders during this same period. It is the old story of attempting the impossible. As stated above, perhaps the majority of Southern breeders have given satisfaction, but the intense dissatisfaction which the minority have given seriously threatens the whole early-shipment-north business. Al- most any one will excuse a breeder for fail- ure to ship when it is downright impossible, especially if proper notice is sent, but no one will excuse promises by the dozen fol- lowed by absolute silence. It is true that this year especially, the weather in May in most parts of the country was exceedingly unfavorable. Then when the warm weather came, it came with a rush, and in almost 24 hours' time. Then days of unseasonable heat followed the three or four weeks of chilly rain. Under such conditions the pa- tience of the producer and breeder alike is tried to the utmost. The wisest breeders do not guarantee large shipments at any one early date. They merely guarantee to do the best they can. Making rash promises to secure orders is not qood business. ao^Qf: A LAEGE NUMBEE of commercial honey- producers are going into the business heavier than ever. No Need of Manyarenow Overstocking. making their plans for next year and are writing to us, asking where they can get better and more bee range. We are an- swering letters almost every day covering that point. If a beekeeper only takes pains he can find more bee territory without lap- ping over on the territory of another. In our recent travels thru three of four States we found some fine territory heavily covered with alsike on a deep rich soil; and yet the remarkable thing was there were very few bees in some of the territory. It seemed to us a pity that such fine bee range should not be used; and it is likewise a pity — yes, a crying shame, that so many, on the "pen- ny-wise-and-pound-foolish" plan, will squat their apiaries down within a fourth or half a mile of other prosperous yards. It is re- grettable that there is no law to prevent those who have no regard at all for the golden rule from poaching on the territory of others. There is not a particle of need of it; because there is plenty of splendid territory entirely unoccupied. Just as soon as Mr. Poacher overlaps the territory of another, he is not only cutting down the crop of his neighbor, but he is cutting down his own as well. There are very few locations that will support over 100 colonies to the location. Many will not take care of more than 25 or 30. When 100 colonies will thoroly cover a bee range it is the height of folly to squat another yard of 100 within a quarter or half a mile. Both parties lose by the transaction. While the second man has a perfectly legal right to put his bees anywhere he likes so long as he can secure a plot of ground, he has no moral right to do so. So long as there are thou- sands and thousands of acres of open ter- ,]ULV, 1919 Cn-EANINGS IN BEK (' U I. T U R F. 419 ritoiy, there is no need of poaching on do- main that by riglit of discovery or priority of occupation belongs to tlie other fellow. CALIFOENIA — or, rather, the southern part of the State — usually has the first hon- ey ready to market. California There is early hon- Gossip on ey in other States, Honey Prices. in the South, but not in such quanti- ties as to have much bearing on the market. When southern California has a large yield, and some cars are read}' to be shipped to the East, the market is inclined to start off at a moderate pace. Last season California had a good crop; but the market did not drop, because war-time conditions were mak- ing an abnormal demand; and the prices, in- stead of sagging, as soon as the full truth was known began to go upward. As already explained, the world was starv- ing, and there was a ban on sugar. The housewife and the manufacturer could not get all they wanted, and they took honey, even tho they had to pay several times as much for it as for sugar. Then when the sugar ban was lifted the price of honey be- gan to tumble. Buyers stopped buying and began to "unload" — some at considerable loss. ' Every one got cold feet, and some frankly confessed that they got 'em ' ' frost- ed." No, sir; no more lioney for them. When there was a prosj^ect of another big California yield, buyers began to say that honey would do well if it brought ten or even eight cents. All at once it began to be apparent that unless there was six or eight inches more of rain in California, and that right soon, sage would be a failure, or at most only a light crop. The rains didn 't come. At that time it was figured that orange, usually re- liable, would furnish its usual quota of honey; but when it, too, showed up with only half a crop, producers began to talk higli prices again ; for had they not been told by the Editor of Gleanings that sage and orange were used largely by the bot- tlers? They began to talk 20 and 23 cents for their sage and orange, and they were going to get it. The buyers and brokers in the mean time were all at sea. Not one of them was buy- ing honey — didn't dare to, because, they said, the figures asked were too high. They were all waiting for the "other fellow" to start the ball rolling. Some of them with their frost-bitten feet didn't want to get them frozen stiff, and so they held back, fearing that, if they made the "first break," they would either buy too high and lose, or let the "other fellow" scoop all the desirable lots offered, and they be left high and dry — no honey and no profit. One buyer said: "It would be much bet- ter for the producer to be content with a more moderate figure. It would be saner and safer to start off at 16 or 17 cents, and let the market rise, if it would, than to start off at 23 and then have the market begin to tumble and crash away below 15 cents." Said this broker further: "History repeats itself. This thing has happened time and again with beans and other commodities and it is possible that it may happen this year with honey. ' " There were some purchasers, more con- servative, who were inclined to accept the view last expressed, for they argued that, if there should be a large crop of alfalfa and of white clover in the East, 23 or even 20 cents would be too high. The matter was laid before General Man- ager Justice, of the California Honey Pro- ducers ' Co-operative Exchange. Said Mr. Justice: "I welcome high prices for my members, and should like to get them; but as we don't know what the yield from al- falfa and eastern clover is going to be, I am inclined to take a more conservative view of the situation until we know. To get the price too high at the start is more dan- gerous than to get it too low. ' ' Justice holds the key to the situation to a great extent. His organization has near- ly a thousand members with an aggregate of about 150,000 colonies. The other organiza- tion, the Southern California Beekeepers' Association, also has a following; and it is reasonable to suppose that the day has gone by when the small beekeeper, simply because he has to have the money, will sell at low prices. There are several of the large pro- ducers who are not in either organization; but there is no danger that they will sell too cheap. The all-absorbing question with producers and buyers in California the first of June was, "What are the prices to be?" The sequel will be shown by the market quota- tions in this issue. no^op: AS IN THE EAST, so in the West, bees are often pretty cross just as the honey flow is tapering off. This Bees Just is particularly no- "Awful Cross." ticeable when the flow is heavy and then chokes off suddenly. Bees are usually very good-natured in an ordinary clover flow because the yield is heavy at no time; and when it does stop it does it very grad- ually. This is not so in the case of eastern bass- wood or California orange. The honey in either case fairly drips from the blossoms, so heavy is the flow when the conditions are right. Very often the flow will let up rather abruptly with either, and then "wow! how the beggars do sting!" The Calif ornians are sort o' used to this; but an eastern "tenderfoot" wants a good veil with wire- cloth facing and a good smoker. Even the Californians seem to prefer wire veils, and there is a reason. 4 20 GLEANINGS T N B E E CULTURE .Tl-lv, 1919 EXTRACTING IN CALIFORNIA IF there is any place in the United States where migratory beekeeping is practical in some form or another, it is in Cali- fornia. The sea- sonsareso changeable, and the honey flora so varied, that the beekeepers must adapt themselves to conditions. Everything in the way of equipment must be light and portable. While the main highways are equal to any in the world, some of "^the roads are very poor. Many of the mountain roads leading to bee pasturage are narrow, rough, and decidedly uphill; and even in the orange districts the apiaries often have to be moved over soft cultivated ground. The hives must be sim- ple and substantial. The frames used are mainly self-spacing Hoffman that are always ready' for moving. The extracting-houses are small, light, and usually made in sec- tions held together by means of bolts or Permanent and 'Portable Extracting Houses. T)anger of Overstocking. Spreading Disease, Extracting Time By E. R. Root Pig. 1. — -C. W. .Johnson's one-ton Ford truck with screened extracting-house on the platform. Notice that the phitform, while in use for extracting, is braced with two-by-fours. The wheelbarrow in the foreground carries the supers back and forth. clasps. Very o f t e n c o m m o n tent.3 with a mos- quito - netting window in one end are used. Whatever struc- ture is employed it must be of such a design that it 11 .TV be taken down foi' easy moving. Use of Auto Trucks. The use of light automobile trucks — usu- ally the Ford type, on account of the moun- tain roads — is almost universal for moving Fig. 2. — Tlie other side of the one-ton Ford extract- ing-house, showing the mosquito-netting windows for ventilation and light. Chas. P. M. Stone is talking to the operators. With this extracting-house on wheels Mr. Johnson takes his honey from his thousand colonies. and for carrying the extracting crews. Where the yards contain from 200 to 500 colonies (and there are a few of the latter size in the orange districts), heavy two-ton and three-ton trucks with large platforms are hired at so much per day or mile. In these cases the whole yard is often moved in one load. The equipment may or may not be moved with the same heavv truck. More Aliiary ami icw lia villi!: il' A. !■■ jood .\ ield of orange huiiey tliis jear. in-- the uiaiigu ,L;ru\r>. Tliis \ ai'il w a- • It was operated by his son, \. W. Ti> e. ,Tll.v, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U I- T U R E 421 often it is carried with the light truck, or a Ford with a two-wlieel trailer. By the way, tlio trailer is very common, especially in con- nection with Fords; but they must have pneumatic tires and good sin-ings. Extracting Houses on Wheels. I have run across a number of beekeepers who use for all jiurposes a regular Ford ton truck, and it certainly is a very serviceable outfit. Its rate of speed is low, but it gets there. With a large-sized platform that projects over the running- gear, it is eminently adapted to hold a framew'Ork covered with a cloth and mosquito netting for an extracting-room. The John- son outfit shows this type. The only objection — an objection that applies to any extracting- room on wheels — is the limited amount of room for extractor, uncapping-outfit, and surplus supers of combs. Permanent Extracting Houses. Many beekeepers have permanent extraet- ing-houses made of cheap lumber at each yard, where they also live and sleep. When they move the bees they go to another ' ' shack ' ' of the same sort, taking with them the equipment. The objection to the clamps, and covered with cloth and mos- quito netting, is used. The Tice outfit, one of the best I have seen, is made up of door panels. They all have a roof of canvas, or Fig. 5. — Dismountable e.xtriu-ting-liuuse of Prank MtNay, Pusa- d I. a. 'il.i.-, .s uiadf of four large par. els or frames tavered with cloth and mosquito netting. It is held together at the corners by means of large metal hinges. When it is desired to move, the bolts to the hinges are withdrawn, when the two sides of the hinges come apart, releasing the frames, when they are loaded one by one on to a truck. This building is very cheap and serviceable. even of common muslin, more to ward off the sun than the rain, which is not common during the time of extracting. They are all take-down-able so that they can be loaded on to a truck in an hour's time. If an ob- noxious neighbor or a failure of locality ren- ders moving necessary they can be easily moved. Tents for Extracting. The Lusher boys of Pasadena, with their 1,800 colonies, use a common wall tent with high sides for an extracting-house. One gable end has a large window covered with mosquito netting. The extractor is placed next to this ''window" where the fumes of Fig. -i. — This dismountable extractm.; Imhi-i used by H. A. Stearns of Duarte differ.s from the others in that it is made of corrugated metal. It is very neat and well designed, and should last indefinitely. The roof is covered with canvas. permanent building is the danger that loca- tions can not be held, or that neighbors may make it impossible to remain. I have seen many of these old bee-shacks up on the mountain sides that have been abandoned. These are certainly a waste of hard-earned money at the present price of lumber. Take-down-able Extracting Houses. A very common form of extracting-house is represented by the type used by Tice, McNay, and Stearns, here shown. Some- times corrugated metal is used as seen in the Stearns building. More often a frame- work held together by bolts, hinges, or Fig. (-;.— I'nrtalilf. rM i-iirt , i,- lious,. ,,1 \ 1 '['u-f. Jjos .\ngele.s, also shown in Fig. o. This structure is made up of door panels held together by clamps and bolts. The fact that Mr. Tice is a carpenter and builder explains why it is .so neat and well designed. It is one of the best portable dismounta- ble extracting-houses in California. the freshly extracted honey draw any rob- bers that may be present, and away from the door that is always kept closed by the tent flaps. All these different schemes have their merits. What is good for California will be gTjEanings in bee culture July, 1919 ■I m ill IB ■ i« I- A Fi,s. 7. — Interior of Fig 6, looking out into the apiary shown in Fig. 3. The end of the uncapping- can and the handles of three uncapping-knives sticking up are shown at the right. found serviceable in the East and middle West. Putting the Extracting-combs Back on the Same Hives. It is a very common practice among the best beekeepers to j^ut the extracting-combs, after they are emptied, back on the hives whence they came. This is done to prevent the spread of disease thru the interchange Fig. 9. — Interior of Iniikling shown in Fig. 4. It is held together by barndoor hasps and wooden pegs on the inside of the corners. The windows are wooden frames with wire screen. of combs. It is to be regretted that the practice is not universal, with the general prevalence of brood diseases, not only in California but thruout the United States. Different beekeepers have different systems for putting back the combs. Some use a scheme of numbering supers and hives like. Mr. Larinan; and others, like the Lusher brothers, work one hive at a time, so manip- • ■'WS' .smifiS^t^^^K^^mmt^m 1 •■to" Fig. 8. — .V small portion of a 4(in-folony apiary belonging to A. E. Lusher. The extracting-" house " consists of a tent with high side walls. One end of the tent opposite the door has a large window covered with mosquito netting for light and ventilation. There is no dodging the fact that it is the most portable of any of the structures here shown ; and the. fact that it is used and preferred by men who own and operate 1,800 colonies most successfully proves that it must have merit. July, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 423 ulating the supers that they go back on the hive whence they came. From the fact that they use a tent for extracting, and tote su])ers by man power, it might seem their methods are laborious and crude. We must judge a system by its results, for thej^ not only oper- ate 1,800 colonies but are among the most successful beekeepers in southern California. Their hives and equipment arc first-class in every respect. One of their apiaries is one of the prettiest in all the State. Four liuudred colonies all in one location! Orange as a Source of Honey. When the explanation is made that they ait' on a private orange ranch where no other bees can come, it is clear that this is possible. When the conditions are right the orange is an enormous yielder of honey, and some have said that it would be difficult to overstock; but that there is overstocking, even in orange, I have no doubt. In Eiver- side County alone, thousands of colonies from other States are moved into the orange districts every year, thus cutting down, the yields per colony. The California beekeepers put up no complaint, because some of them move up into Nevada, Idaho, and Montana. It is a case of reciprocity. Pi?. 10. — One of the apiaries of (Jr. B. Jjarinan, Pai^adpna, wlin owns and operates over one thousand colonies. He uses permanent extracting-houses at each location, as he prefers to operate with an eight-frame power- extractor outfit, and have plenty of room for supers and equipment. PRESSING CAPPINGS DRY An Interesting Plan for Extracting the Honey from Cappings by Means of Great Pressure By R. F. Holtermann DUEING the last 35 or ^ 40 years it has cost me thousands of dol- lars going to conventions and visiting bee- keepers, but in that way I have learned a good many things — learned from those who knew more in general about bee- keeping than I, and also learned from those who were not so well informed, but who on some specific points knev/ more than I did. I have always endeavored to give credit to the one to whom credit was due. Among the number attending the lectures for commercial beekeepers given at Cornell University there was an extensive beekeeper by the name of Orlando W. Bedell of Earl- ville N. Y. Mr. Bedell very kindly told me about a capping-press he had designed for the purpose of pressing the honey from the cappings immediately after they are sliced from the combs. He showed me a sample of the wax "cheese." It appeared to be very compact, almost as solid as wax, and perfectly dry. After taking a piece in my n\outh and chewing it, I found it only very slightly sweet. Mr. Bedell told me that the plan removes practically all of the honey from the cap- pings without, of course, injur- ing it in any way, as there is no heat. In my own ex- perience in al- lowing cappings to stand 24 hours to drain there is still 11/^ per cent of the total honey left in the cappings, and most beekeepers have as much as 2 per cent. Allowing for the actual depreciation in value, this averages a vearly loss to me of $100. F. W. Lesser of East Syracuse, N. Y., who has seen the result of the work done with the press, speaks very highly of it, as does also that well known beekeeper, S. J) House of Camillus, N. Y. How Operated. The cappings fall from the knife directly into the circular "hoop" or cylinder made of staves; and when one hoop contains all it will hold it is shoved along under the press, and the honey pressed out. The ' ' cheeses ' ' handle like solid bricks and can be put aside until a convenient time for melting into solid cakes. I must confess that after considerable experience, I do not like the capping-melter. With proper care, and everything in order. G L E A N I xN G S IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 the danger of fire is not great, yet there is some danger. And then the added heat in the extracting room at a time when the nor- mal temperature is already as high as most peojile can stand, is a great nuisance. I intend using one of these presses this season. The plan may be followed with two or more hoops or cylinders. Two furnish ca- When the second hoop is full the first is raised up, blocks placed under the edges, and the cheese pushed out by means of the screw. Then hoop No. 2 is handled the same as the first one. In using the press last season, Mr. Bedel uncapped into a barrel which had holes in the bottom, and he allowed the cappings to drain until the next day, then transferred them to his press. In this way he secured about 40 pounds additional honey for every 1,000 pounds of honey he extracted, and he had his cappings in such a compact form Falst liattorn fa r ^oopjs Fi?. 1. — Top view of capping press, showiii; the construction of the support for the screw at the left. pacity enough for one uncapper, while three are enough for two uncappers. When ready to begin work, a hoop is plac- ed under its hojaper, and the cappings fall into it just as into any uncapping can. They are leveled off occasionally so as to get as many as possible into the hoop at one time. Of course, meanwhile, they have a good chance to drain. When the hoop is full it is slid along on the rack under the screw, a follower placed on top, and the screw turned down about as far as it can be turned with the hand. About every 1 .5 minutes the screw is turned a few times by means of a stout stick placed between the projec- tions of the wheel on top of the screw until finally it will lu-n down no fur- th?:-. ■ H\\ - ■■ 1 W 1 M rl ■■ 1 tr. II II // ^ -^11 ''S-«x^/. .^»cc^7..^o ""l" L-Z] ^^ :^^^^^^^^4:¥ m Fig. 3. — Tin-lined tray to go under hoops to catch honey. Cut greatly reduced in size. that it required the cappings from four tons of honey to fill a flour barrel, the honey meanwhile being in a tank ready to market. Details of Construction. The press and all its parts must be sub- stantially made. The diagrams show the details clearly. All the hoops stand in a receiver made of % lumber, lined with tin, having a gate at the lower end for drawing off the honey. The receiver may be fastened to the frame, or it inay be loose so that it can be removed for cleaning. In the bottom are four strips of hard wood soaked in hot paraffin wax so that the honey will not penetrate into them. These strips are spaced equally across the !?' I [' I II -This is a side view of the wliole press showing receiver, three hoops, screw, hopper, and sharp points fur end-bars to re.st on when uncapping. .Tui.v. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 425 space equal to the diameter of the hoop. In this way the honey can drain freely. The hoops are built of beech strips, % thick and about 1'/^ inches wide, spaced 3/16 inch apart. Welded iron bands of 3/16 x 1%-inch material enclose the staves which are riveted to them. The hoops themselves are 15 inches high and about 18 inches in diameter. Each hoop has a false bottom, as shown in Fig. 4, which telescopes slightly into the bottom, as indicated in the drawing. The outside diameter of the false bottom is a little less than the outside diameter of the hoop, to permit the blocks to be placed underneath and give space for the cheese to be pressed out of the hooji. A loose fol- lower covers the cappings for each pressing. The frame is built of ash. Fig. 1 is a side view of the press, showing the receiver, the three hoops, the screw, the hopper to uncap into, also the sharp points for the end-bars to rest on while the combs are being uncap- ped. The screw itself should be 1^/^ inches, or 114 inches in diameter, 4 threads to the inch, with a hand wheel on the upper end having four projections so that a lever can be used between them for securing great pressure. A %-inch bolt on each side of the cross- beads runs down thru the frame to give add- ed tensile strength. It has occurred to me that by having ex- tra hoops the outfit would also make an ex- cellent wax press for melting and rendering the cappings later on into solid wax, or for rendering old combs, the 'extra hoop to be used for melted wax only and never for pressing the honey out of cappings. Brantford, Can. Fig. 4. End view. The other two " lioops " are supposed to he back of tlie one under the screw shown in front. CLOSING OF THE SEASON Various Important '■Problems to be Considered in Connection with July 'Management By Belva M. Demuth IX our locality the month of July brings the close of the honey flow. Sometimes it closes abruptly early in the month, while other years it niay continue thruout the greater portion of the month, decreasing toward the end so that the final closing is indistinct. If the date of the close of the honey flow could be definitely foretold, the proper management for comb honey at this time would be less difficult. It would then be possible to begin a concentration of the work in the supers at such a time that there would be few if any unfinished sections at the close of the season. If the honey flow should close abruptly before expected, the plan which I outlined last month in rapidly expanding the work in the sujjers might re- sult in many poorly filled, as well as many unfinished sections. In such cases it would have been better if all the work had been crowd- ed into fewer su- pers; but, by be- ing ready at any moment quickly to concentrate the work in the supers, loss in this way may usually be avoided. For this reason we anxiously watch the character of the work the bees are doing and the ad- vancement of the clover. If, when a new super is given, the bees begin work in only a part of the sections instead of taking pos- session of the entire super and starting work in all of the sections, we take this as a signal to quit adding the new super below those already begun and to begin placing them on top, if more are added. Concentration of Super Work. At the first indications of the waning of the honey flow there is a radical change in the disposition of the supers. The problem now is to reduce the number of supers per GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 colony just as rapidly as possible until each has but one. Supers in which the bees have just made a start are transferred to the top, or stored until next year. If they con- tain a little honey the bees are permitted to clean them out, care being taken that the room in the shop in which they are exposed is partially darkened to prevent so many bees working on the combs that they would tear them down. Supers nearly completed are taken off, the sections of honey sorted, and the unfinished ones reassembled in su- pers to be returned to the bees. The supers are soon reduced to but one for each colony. We leave a little room in this super for the storage of incoming nectar, as the bees finish their work more promptly if new work is still in progress. The next step in concentrating the work in the supers is the removal of all of them again as soon as half or two-thirds of the sections are sealed, sorting the sections as before, then returning the unfinished ones to the colonies that have been doing the best work at finishing. This leaves one- half or two-thirds of the colonies without supers after the unfinished sections have been returned; but no more comb-honey su- pers are given to these even tho the honey flow may continue another week. The extra hive bodies and brood-combs, which were taken away when the first comb- honey supers were given at the beginning of the honey flow and tiered up on specially prepared nuclei or weak colonies, are now returned to the colonies from which all the comb-honey supers have been removed. If these hive bodies are completely filled with honey, some of the combs are exchanged for empty ones in order that there may be room. We prefer to have the last few pounds of honey stored in these combs rather than in unfinished sections. Later all the comb- honey supers are removed and the sections sorted; but usually none are given back to be finished now, for it is difficult to induce the bees to finish and seal the last of the unfinished sections as the honey flow is clos- ing. We extract the honey from these few remaining sections and put them on a few hives overnight to be cleaned out by the bees, after which they are stored away in tightly covered supers for bait combs the next spring. The colonies that were doing this last finishing work are now given their second hive body, with its store of honey, as was done with those from which all comb- honey supers were removed earlier. Last Honey Usually of Poor Quality. For some unaccountable reason the bees usually leave a portion of the latest-gather- ed honey unsealed, even when it is left longer than it would seem necessary to ripen it. Furthermore, this last-gathered honey is usually not properly ripened, no matter how long it is left on the hive. Honey that is extracted from the sections that remain unfinished at the last sorting is usually not only thinner than it should be but is also off in flavor. The same thing is noticeable in our locality in producing extracted honey. The few pounds of late-gathered honey which the bees refuse to seal remain of an inferior grade even if left on the hive to ripen another month. When this unsealed honey is finally extracted separately it is found to be inferior in density and flavor. Care of Comb Honey. We formerly stored the finished supers of comb honey in the honey room in piles, the supers being separated from each other by means of %-inch sticks placed between them for ventilation according to the directions usually given for storing the honey as it is removed from the hives. In addition to this we opened the windows freely during dry weather, the theory being that the abun- dance of ventilation would cause a further ripening of the honey, thus improving its quality. We found, however, that this treat- ment sometimes causes a deterioration of the honey rather than its improvement. If the honey is left in such ventilated piles until a cool spell of weather comes that lasts long enough to cool the honey very much, there is danger, when the weather warms up again, that the cold honey with warmer air circulating freely thru the sujjers may cause a slight condensation of moisture on its surface, which may be absorbed, causing the honey to expand in the cells against the capping. We have several times had many supers of beautiful comb honey ruined in this way when changes in temperature would have been less injurious if there had been no ventilation. On the other hand, if the late summer and fall should be hot and dry, comb honey exposed to the air in this way for any great length of time loses so much of its aroma that much of the delicate flavor of the finest clover honey may be lost. When we realized these drawbacks, we changed the method of stor- ing the supers. We now pile them in solid piles soon after they are brought into the honey room, closing the top and bottom of the pile tightly. The honey brought in dur- ing the latter part of the honey flow is usu- ally piled in tight piles at once. The propo- lis on the edges of the supers in most cases seals the cracks between them so that mois- ture-laden air can not circulate among the combs and the aroma is well retained until the honey is finally cased for market. The Useless Consumers. Various methods have been proposed to re- duce the amount of brood reared too late for the resulting bees to help gather the crop. In comb-honey production this problem is fairly well solved by the bees themselves by their tendency to restrict the queen during the honey flow by crowding honey into the brood-chamber. When producing extracted honey, however, under our conditions bees are inclined to overdo brood-rearing during the latter part of the honey flow so that millions of workers are reared that are not used advantageously. We formerly moved our apiaries in Aug- ust to a region affording a fall honey flow JuLV, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 427 in order to utilize these late-emerging bees. In localities which do not afford a fall honey flow colonies run for extracted honey may be divided at the close of the honey flow, if increase is desired, as has been suggested by Mr. Holtermann. This would make good use of the extra bees at this time, and, if each half of these big colonies is given a young queen and plenty of honey early in August, they should both be in prime con- dition for winter, each fully as strong at the beginning of winter as the undivided colony would have been if left alone. Some producers of extracted honey crowd the bees in the supers when the close of the season approaches, as is also done in comb- honey production. In doing this they proba- bly save considerable honey that would have been used in superfluous brood-rearing, and also gain the advantage of having the crop of honey stored more compactly in the supers. In Conclusion. In this connection, I am reminded that next month, so far as getting the bees ready is concerned, we begin to prepare for the honey flow of 1920. As I said last summer in the first of this series of articles, ' ' The beekeepers ' calendar should begin in Aug- ust, ' ' by seeing that each colony is in proper condition to rear sufficient brood for its winter cluster. The subsequent steps in the year 's work leading toward the few weeks of harvest next year, which I have attempt- ed to outline briefly in Gleanings during the past year, are now due to be taken again. The many variations in details in fitting a system of management to the peculiarities of the season will bring the usual perplexi- ties and worries as well as pleasant sur- prises, but the eternal hope that next season may be the best ever is suffleient to tide us over the rough places. DOES BEEKEEPING PAY? THE disturb- ance in the economi c life of this and other countries as the result of the transition from peace to war - time pur- suits, and back again t o ■ peace conditions, has upset the plans and calculations of a multitude of individuals who are now ear- nestly seeking a n honest and honorable means of gaining an acceptable liv- ing. All too many who vol- unteered or were called away from their peaceful pursuits to engage in the world war have returned to find their occupations gone. Undoubtedly many manufacturers who changed their plants to meet the exigencies of war have sustained great loss in prestige and markets, rendering it impracticable or impossible to give employment to all their former employees. Moreover, many soldiers having had a taste of the outdoor and simple life, and having realized the blessings of pure air, sunshine, and untrammeled movement, are undoubtedly reluctant to return to the countinghouse, office, or factory for an occu- pation or employment. Happily the time has come to turn the "swords into plowshares," but to accomplish it involves many readjust- ments and transformations. In casting about for a healthful and in- vigorating occupation — one in which a good- '^ekeeping is Not a Get-Rich-^ick Scheme, But a Good Business Prop- osition for those in Good Locations By Orel L. Hershiser [Many letters have come to us recently from re- turned soldiers and others, asking whether bee- keeping really pays as a source of incomei, or whether one must have .some other business as a side line in order to insure a good income and a credit in the bank. We accordingly asked Mr. Her- shiser to discuss the subject in Gleanings. At first thought it may .seem that possibly he has made out too good a case for the beekeeper; _yet it will be noted that when he speaks of very large returns he admits them near the high-water mark, so that, on the whole, we believe that, if our readers will care- fully weigh his words, they will agree that he has not painted the picture in too rosy a hue. — Editor.] ly share of the compensation is to be realized in the pleasure of the work — bee- keeping may well be given careful consideration. The demand for honey is on the steady in- crease, and has more than kept pace with pro- duction; and an overproduction is a possibility too remote to be considered. Bet- ter methods of distribution which are in the process of evolu- tion will facili- tate the profitable marketing of all the hon- ey that is likely to be produced. Recreation of Beekeeping. Work with the bees is as much recreation as toil. The development of ways and means to induce the bees to accomplish the most for their master gives mental employ- ment to those of scholarly taste. Interest in building up the colonies in preparation for the honey flow develops into fascination as they reach the highest point of prosperity and enter' upon the harvest of sweets. When daily watchfulness is required that super room be provided, and the hives are built three or more stories high to hold the treasure of sweets that his skill has made it possible to save from waste, then may he commence to count his financial gain. A prosperous apiary, with hives tiered up containing a bountiful crop of honey is 4-28 GT^EANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 a most inspiring sight. The hnin of the bees as they steadily pour into the hives, in- tent only on garnering the precious and wholesome treasure from the blossoms of the fields, is music to him, and his occupa- tion of turning the God-given instinct of the bee to work for the benefit of mankind is a pleasure most satisfji^ng. The specialist beekeeper has outdoor em- ployment in abundance in the temperate cli- mates commencing with the first warm days of spring, and continuing until the begin- ning of winter weather. Beekeeping as a Source of Livelihood. However, the uppermost question in refer- ence to beekeeping, in the mind of the aver- age inquirer, is, "Does beekeeping pay in Hives tiered as high as this are a common sight in a good locality. dollars and cents?" for, no matter what compensation in pleasure and healthfulness it affords, the monetary rewards must be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the individual who is seeking a good occu- pation for a living. To answer this question, let us take an example of a real beekeeper in a good but by no means exceptional location for honey production, operating not so many bees but that he can, if necessary, do nearly all his work single-handed, and therefore not men- aced by strikes or other labor troubles — a scientific and up-to-date beekeeper, if you please, and such a one as beginners wouM do well to emulate. Returns at Times Very High. For such an exanii)le I have before me a report of a beekeeper of Michigan who last season jiroduced, from 280 colonies of bees, honey that sold for $7,486.87 — an average of nearly $27.00 per colony, while some of his best colonies made as high as $78.00. Besides the honey he produced 350 pounds of beeswax and increased his apiary by 45 colonies. It seems fair to place the value of the 45 colonies' increase, especially in this beekeeper's hands, at $32.00 per colony, which would amount to $1,440; and the bees- wax, at 40 cents a pound, net, which would amount to $140, making a grand total gross income from the apiary of $9,066 — an actual average of over $32.00 per colony. The ex- penses of operation are not given, but they would be comparatively trifling, probably coming well within $1,500, and would con- sist chiefly of containers for honey, com- plete hives for increase, and necessary help and transportation. As a means of money-making, the value of this investment to the beekeeper may be readily calculated if we know or assume the percentage of profit on his capital that will meet his expectations. Suppose he is satis- fied with 25 per cent gross. Then his invest- ment in bees and equipment would be valued at $36,264, as 25 per cent of $36,264 equals $9,066; and his original 280 colonies have a valuation of $129.50 each, as 280 is con- tained in 36,264 about 129.50 times. This seems high for bees; but it also seems difficult to get away from it except upon the theory that the labor and skill of the beekeeper are the chief factors in the pro- duction of a crop of honey. Suppose we examine the proposition from another angle, and imagine the beekeeper docs not object to being classed as a " profi- teer ' ' and will be satisfied with nothing less than 100 per cent gross profit. Then if he makes $9,066, or 100 per cent, on 280 colo- nies of bees, they must represent a capital of $9,066, or $32'.37 per colony. While last season 's crop of honey was not abnormal, tlie jobbing price was higher than may be expected in the future; but the percentage of profit on the valuation of $32.00 per colo- ny may be considerably reduced before it ceases to be attractive to the beekeeper. Let it also be said that this case repre- sents something near the high-water mark Another paying proposition. in beekeeping, but not the highest. Others liave realized larger returns for last season's crop. Dr. C. C. Miller is acquainted with a man who has produced a higher average in dollars and cents per colony when honey was only about half the prices of 1918. These are reliable illustrations of the possibilities of beekeeping in the hands of those operat- ing such a number of colonies as may be properly cared for with little outside help, and, of course, represent above the average in beekeeping. They serve to show that, July, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE even with a niuch lower average of profit, beekeeping in the hands of the intelligent and well-eqnipped operator is an attractive proposition, and, accordingly, what ought to be a satisfactory return on the assumed \aluation may be confidently expected. ]\toreo\er, bees are worth more to the bee- keeper than to persons who do not know how to handle them profitably, and for that rea- son they may often be purchased for much less than their intrinsic value in the hands of the specialist. There are few if any lines of rural husbandry wherein the human factor adds so much of value to the object that is being exploited as a means of live- lihood. Choosing Good Locations. Sevei'al factors contribute to success in beekeeping. Location is one of them. The liees should be located within easy reach of ])l?nty of honey-producing flowers. Such locations are common — so much so, indeed, grove, palmetto, and many other honey ])lants are common, often two or more of them in the same locality. In the Northeast- ern States considerable buckwheat and gol- denrod honey is produced. The value of a location is enhanced if it has several abundant sources of lioney which follow each other in blooming period. Yet, if a locality affords one or two varieties of honey-producing plants that may be relied on, and that occur in great abundance, such a location would be preferable to one with a small area of each of a greater number of varieties. Certain localities in New York State are so much devoted to growing buck- wheat that beekeepers resident there make a specialty of buckwheat honey. The same is true of other honey-producing plants in other localities. Importance of Personal Factor. Then there is the human factor. To make a commercial success of beekeeping, not Many schools now teach beekeeping. This is the Montezuma Mountain Scliool mentioned in Just News. that in many parts of our great country, and other countries as well, it is not at all difiicult t» select good locations. We have in the Northern and Eastern States the great clover belt which extends, roughly speaking, from the latitude of the Ohio River northward to and beyond our l)0undary, and from the Mississippi River eastward, within which poor locations are the exception. Then there are the great al- falfa regions of the semiarid West, which are wonderful honey-producing areas. In certain localities in California and Florida orange-blossom honey is produced in quan- tity. In certain sections of the Southern States cotton, sweet clover, tupelo', man- only are book knowledge and experience necessary, but also especial characteristics of the man. He will surely succeed if he has the adaptability, or what might be more specifically termed the beekeeping instinct. He must be industrious, attentive to details, possess some mechanical ability, be a close observer and something of a naturalist. His industrious tendencies will impel him to build up his weak colonies and induce all his queen bees to reach the highest possibili- ties of reproduction of worker bees in time to avail himself of the full benefits of the honey flow. He will have a well-laid-out workroom, and tools and equipment provid- ed, with a view of accomplishing the maxi- 430 GLEANINGS lis BEE CULTURE July, 1919 mum of results with the minimum of exer- tion. He should be familiar with ordinary mechanical tools, and be able to make neces- sary repairs to hives and other equipment. He will know each variety of flower on which he depends for a crop of honey, when and how long it may be expected to bloom, and what are the probable effects of weather on it. He will know when the bees are preparing to swarm, and what measures to take to prevent or control swarming. He will know the life history of the queen, the workers, and the drones, and what are the functions of each, and a multi- tude of other details. In fact, a specialist beekeeper is sure to be a well-rounded-out better off financially if he had given the farm away when he inherited it, and had devoted himself exclusively to beekeeping instead of dividing his time and attention between the farm and the bees. Best Strains of Bees Needed. To reach the highest measure of success in any occupation, the best means to attain the desired end must be employed. The farmer specializes in the crops best suited to his soil and climate; the horticulturist, with those varieties of fruit that reach the highest perfection in his locality; and the livestock specialist, with the breeds of stock best adapted to his purpose. The beekeeper is no exception to this rule. To realize the highest percentage of profit, the best strains Many returned soldiers and nurses are thinking of taking up beekeeping. intellectual man or woman, whether having had good educational opportunities and ad- vantages or not; and let it be said in passing that the necessity of all these accomplish- ments in the successful beekeeper may be given as the reason for the higher average of his intelligence. Some men have the beekeeping instinct so highly developed that any time they may devote to other money-making activities is against their financial success. As an illus- tration, a beekeeper of New York State, who enjoys an international reputation for his success as a beekeeper, and who inherit- ed a valuable farm of some two hundred acres, maintains that he would have been of bees must be employed — those that are markedly industrious; that resist disease; that winter well; that are gentle,'and easy to manipulate; and, if comb honey is to be produced, bees that cap the honey white. How Best to Gain Experience. The prospective beekeeper should not al- low his ardor to get the best of his judg- ment. Too much haste is not speed in ac- quiring proficiency, and in making beekeep- ing a commercial success. One way to learn the business is to commence with not to ex- ceed five colonies, and with these, put into practice the theories and practical directions that are obtainable from text-books, bee periodicals, and government bulletins on July, 1919 G I. E A KINGS IN BEE CULTURE beekeeping. When the would-be beekeeper learns by practical experience that he can manage a few colonies profitably he can enlarge the business at will and with suc- cess assured. If he desires to become well qualified in as short a time as possible to produce honey in quantity, there is no better way than to engage in the work with a specialist for at least one season. This practical experience will decide whether the student possesses the essential natural qualifications. Also a knowledge of desirable equipment of hives and devices, and how properly to use them, will have been secured, which will prove to be of great value to the beginner. Danger of Overstocking. In establishing an apiary, due regard should be had for the moral rights of other beekeepers already established. If a bee- keeper is occupying a location with as many bees as it will profitably support, a due ob- servance of professional ethics would deter another from occupying practically the the same location. The beekeeper who en- croaches on a well-stocked location will nec- essarily have to put up with much smaller crops of hone}' than he would if he placed his bees in unoccupied territory. Self-in- terest ought to be sufficient incentive to pre- vent overstocking. Prosperity of Beekeepers. Are beekeepers as a class prosperous"? There are some indications that they are. and are becoming more and more so from year to year. Beekeepers ' conventions at- tract beekeepers long distances, and a few years ago a special car was occupied by them alone on a trip from Chicago to Los Angeles, Cal., to attend a convention of the National Beekeepers ' Association. Many educational institutions maintain an apicul- tural chair and department. Apiculture is recognized and fostered by liberal appropri- ations by the United States and other gov- ernments. A "straw" that indicates in some degree the prosperity of beekeepers was noted by a careful observer at a recent beekeepers ' field meeting in western New York; that is, out of nearly one hundred automobiles owned by the beekee^jers who attended, and which conveyed them to the meeting, very few of them were of the fa- miliar Ford make. Undoubtedly this very serviceable car for ordinary use by the api- arist had been left at home, and the more classy cars used for public appearances. Easy to Succeed. Beekeeping as an occupation has develop- ed rapidly from an avocation to the dignity of a vocation, and all within the past sixty years. Within the memory of many veteran beekeepers the activity of the apiarist, with few exceptions, was confined to the one home apiary; now specialists with a string of apiaries are common. Within that time the most valuable aids to commercial bee- keeping have been invented and brought into common use. Without these the high degree of success attained would have been impossible. Sixty years ago there was not a factory of importance that made a special- ty of beekeepers' supplies. At the present time there are numerous well-known houses turning out vast quantities of material for the use of the beekeeper that reach into every quarter of the globe. The science of beekeeping is also enriched by several high- class trade journals, and many books and government bulletins. Indeed, the cumula- tive knowledge of the science that is now available is so abundant that, to become pro- ficient, and make beekeeping pay, is com- paratively easy in these later years. Kenmore, N. Y. [Among the beekeepers we have known, and who have made this business a source of livelihood, we remember only one who actually failed, and his failure was due to drink. On the other hand, we have known many people who have been carried away with enthusiasm for a short time, starting with a few colonies, only to become dis- couraged because of a poor honey flow, and soon drop out of the game. Beekeeping, ex- tended over a number of years, certainly does pay, and there are enough extra-good years to balance fully the poor ones. We recommend beekeeping as a good business proposition for the man who is willing to sjiend the time, labor, and capital necessary. Following are concise statements from other noted beekeepers whose opinions car- ry considerable weight. — Editor.] * * * It is just .50 years since I made beekeep- ing my principal business. For some years I ran a small farm as a side line, not daring to risk my success with bees alone. I am located in a fairly good section — not the best, but better than many other places; and now looking back I can see that I should have had much better success if I had confined myself to beekeeping alone. Some years beekeeping, like other kinds of busi- ness, pays poorly; and if one can turn to something else it helps out. Middlebury, Vt. J. E. Crane. «■ * * As a result of my own experience, and of travel among quite a number of beekeepers in several States, I find that, if one's ideal of success is something more than the mere accumulation of money or wealth, beekeep- ing does often pay quite well. However, the majority of those engaged in extensive commercial beekeeping show little evidence of wealth. For wealth alone, choose some other calling. The past two years have been exceptionally profitable; but we shall never see the like again. More effort must be de- voted to the extension of marketing facili- ties or disaster will overtake us. Meridian, Ida. E. F. Atwater. * * * If you like bees and are interested in the study of them you can make beekeeping a paying business the same as farming, poul- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 try, the mercantile business, or any of the professions. However, to make it a success, financially or otherwise, you must put your brains and brawn into the business, especial- ly good common sense. A lazy beekeeper, or one looking for an easy way to make money, had better take up some other work, as he will get badly stung in beekeeping. Do not expect, when you have bought bees, that you will begin to realize profits. Ex- penses are high, misfortune often follows, and disease comes. Not all seasons are fa- vorable for a good crop. Lamar, Colo. Cora D. Polhemus. * * * I am inclined to believe that, under favor- able conditions, commercial beekeeping may be made a financial success. Disease is, un- doubtedly, the greatest hindrance; but by proper precautions and prompt a -tion upon its appearance it may be kept under control. I believe the success of any undertaking is largely up to the person in charge, as is evi- denced by marked successes in practically every business or profession. Yes, I would say that, to the ambitious person, the chances are good. Find a good location, get a suitable equipment, practice the most approved methods, and success ought to be yours. Ira D. Bartlett. s * * Yes and no. Like every other line of hu- man endeavor it depends upon the man. Some persons never grasp the essentials, others get them quickly; the first never succeed while the latter do if other things are equal. The "other things" are good location, sufficient capital, and sales- manship. The necessary knowledge is best acquired thru work with a professional, coupled with a study of the history of the art. A knowl- edge of wliat has gone before is almost as important as knowledge of what is done now. Arthur C. Miller. Yes and no. Yes, when there is no serious disease to contend with, and a good dependa- ble location, reliable, competent assistance, and prices remaining above 12c to 15c. No, with prices as low as previous to the European war, and incompetent assistance. Our sage ranges are not as good as in pre- vious years on account of frequent mountain fires and inferior honey-producing plants and weeds crowding out the former superior honey-producing plants, and a great percent- age of range wiped out or destroyed entire- ly. In some places it will pay only as a side line. M. H. Mendleson. Yes; but it does not pay everybody. Lack of knowledge, lack of application, and lack of capital are the three rocks on which many a rosy dream has been shattered. You will notice that the most successful beekeepers are the ones who have gone thru as much training as would fit a man for any of the professions. The ones who have succeeded in acquiring a competence in beekeeping \\ou'il have done well in almost any line. Albany, N. Y. Charles Stewart. * « * With a favorable location, and careful attention, the beekeeping business for an average of years will pay the commercial beekeeper; but if the let-alone methods are used, as is too often the case, then do not start beekeeping. N. E. France. * * « This question can not be answered in a word, yes or no. I have often correctly con- cluded, after a week or two of observation, that a young man with me would or would not succeed in beekeeping. It depends upon the individual, his circumstances, and his lo- cation. I refer to the latter, for a beginner has but little conception of an average lo- cation. There are, perhaps, more shipwrecks and heavy losses in beekeeping than in any other agricultural pursuit. The aspirant must be intelligent, thoro, prompt, observ- ing. He should have read one or more good bee books, and then begin in a very small way, say two or three colonies; or have spent a season with a successful (not neces- sarily extensive) beekeeper. If a living de- pends upon the returns from the business, then there must be in reserve enough means to live on for a year without returns. A good way is to combine with something else until success warrants otherwise. Brantford, Ont. R. F. Holtermann. * «• » If one is or will become temperamentally fitted to care for bees, and will learn the fundamental principles of management, bee- keeping pays. What one has done, others can do; and not one but many have proved that beekeeping pays. In what other line of agriculture can you work outside in fine weather, inside in bad weather, and have six to eight months ' vacation a year, as in the Northern States? A rosy picture, you say. Yes; and if one will be businesslike, the majority must admit that the picture is true. Maximum returns can not be secured unless our management is correct. F. Eric Millen. ■Jt -if * Others have inade a commercial success of beekeeping; so can you if the business is one you hanker after. It will give you all the food, clothing, and shelter that's good for you. So will many another business. But if you 're a born beekeeper no other business will give you as much enjoyment added to your living. I know. I might have made more money at some other busi- ness, but I'd have been dead long ago. I've just started in on my 89th year, and there's just as much fun in living now as there was when I began keeping bees 58 years ago. More; for I've better health than I had then. The beekeeper has one handicap that the raiser of other stock has not; he has no legal right to his territory. I 'd like to live to see that handicap removed, as it is in some other countries. C. C. MilJer. .In.v, i<;i<) O L K A N r N G S I N B E E C TT L T U K K ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS By Grace Allen — Chapter VI ^^|->^1']AR Roheit: N.atioiis iii:iy rise or I J fall, but the world shall have honey. Daddy Lowe and I have seen to that — we and the bees. We have extracted. And wouldn 't you, over there making the world safe for democracy and honey-eating, like to hear all about it? I thought so, it will make such a cheery contrast to mud and cooties. Do, by the way, tell me if the writers have been justified in putting so much emphasis on these two features of the war; they have gradually come to be the whole background of my mental pictures. Always, in my n'ind 's eye, you are in the mud, tho you haven 't made much reference to it yourself. But tho I picture an entire army fighting cooties, I admit that you, my dignified brother, remain an ever dignified exception. Perhaps you better not, even tho accuracy might require it, disillusion me — let me keep my sisterly pride. "Well, to get to the extracting job. First of all, it really is a job. We taked about it a lot as June closed and Ju'y came, and at last Daddy Lowe said, 'Now.' So on Tuesday of last week, the second Tuesday in July, we put on the bee-escapes and oth- erwise made ready. Bee-escapes, Captain Brother, are clever contraptions designed to let unsuspecting bees pass down, out of their treasu -e vaults into the nu-sery, and not let them back. The intention is to have the honey that the beekeeper is going to take as free from bees as possible at the critical moment of taking. The next morn- ing we took it off, ' we ' meaning Daddy Lowe. I hovered around, of course, all eyes and 'Oh's' but the only practical thing \ did was to open the screen door of the honey- shed when lie came rolling in the wheel-bar- rows of honey. "After it was all in, piled on one side of the room, the performance started. JMrs. Lowe came down to see the start, as she has always done, they say. She didn 't stay long this time, but just her being there for a little while seemed to sort of consecrate the place. She sat in the little rocker that stays there all the time, to entice her out occasionally, looking around and blessing things with her look. I gave her a sample of the new honey, and she said it was tiie best they had ever had. Mr. Lowe laughed and said she had been saying that for twen- ty-five years, but she insisted this really was the best. I don 't know how she could tell — she eats about as much lately as a dis- embodied spirit. But Mr. Lowe swung round, as he always does, to back her up most gallantly. She was undoubtedly right, he told her, this really was fine honey, and anyway the last of anything was always the best — good honey or happy years or almost anything. And she said it over after him, with such a gentle smile, 'Yes, the last is the best.' " Here Anne Lester laid down her pen and looked out of the window. Her own wise young instinct had told her to make her let- ters only chatty and cheery, never depres- sing, even before wise older people began advising it. But she was frankly worried these days, and Mrs. Lowe's tone and look haunted her. She sat perfectly still a long time, then with a little sigh started again. ''I don't mind admitting to you that the extracting of honey isn 't quite so much to my taste as the yard work with the bees themselves. It is much more tiring, and it 's more like work in every way. The other gets to be like work, too, when there is real- ly a lot to do, and you must keep going, hive after hive, in a business-like way. But even then, it has a certain charm and fas- cination that holds me steadily to it. I hereby give you warning that after you come home, I shall continue to keep bees. Which means, of course, that I don't want to go back to the city, and I don't, tho I don't expect you to give up your work at the bank and become a farmer for my sake, like Theodore. That's the difference be- tween brothers and Theodores! Anyway, I couldn 't be happy if you gave up the work you enjoy so 1 could have one I enjoy. But 1 shall want to move as far out as seems reasonable for you to commute, where we can have a little place with country things around — great stretches of green, and climb- ing roses on the fences, and cinnamon vines and honeysuckle. I want some hollyhocks, too, and lilacs in the dooryard blooming, and things like that. Yes, and fruit trees and grapevines and strawberries and mint and an aspaiagus bed and things like that. Then I'll have my white-painted hives on green grass, under the fruit trees, with hoi lyhocks and roses all around; and when you come home, tired and hot and soulsick, from your noisy city with its shut-in old bank, I'll give you co'.d dinky tea with mint in it, and quietness and beauty, and let you Ijsten to the humming of my bees. And alter a bit you'll feel as tho something lo\ e'y had touched you, with a blessing in its hand. ' ' I seem to hffve run off my subject again. I really like a subject that is easy to run off from, like a road with leafy lanes and cool pebbly creeks leading off. It's easy enough to come back. ' ' Here, then, is how you extract honey. First you take a big comb, all sealed over, cr mostly so, so as to be sure it is 'ripe,' then vou rest the end with gentle emphasis GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 on an upturned nail that rests on a wooden arm that rests across a big empty can that rests on a coarse strainer-like wire that rests on another empty can. Have you the whole restful picture? Next you take your uncapping knife, which has been heating in a pan of hot water on the stove near which you are standing, and neatly slice the cap- pings off the honey, first one side then the other. The aforementioned upturned nail steadies the comb while you cut. The cap- pings drop into the empty can, while the honey still in them runs on down thru the wire into the lower part. Then you put this drippy, uncapped comb into your ex- • tractor, which is another big empty can, about as high as your waist; at least, it would be empty if it didn't have various things in it — baskets made of stout wire and something else, tin, maybe, or something galvanized, and parts that fit into each oth- er and turn. There's a handle — it's on the outside — and when you have a comb of hon- ey in each of these baskets and turn this handle fast enough, out whirls the honey. "Do you remember about centrifugal force, Eobert? I do. We had it at school. There were twins, centrifugal and centri- petal. The books said one of them kept the earth from flying off into space and the oth- er kept it from being drawn into the sun and burned up. I knew which was which for a while, but it was hard to keep them separate long at a time. Now I know, again, and will never have any more trouble with the twins. Centripetal force doesn 't help us a bit in extracting, it 's the other does the work. It doesn 't do it all, tho. Somebody 's got to turn the handle. ' ' Well, after the honey is thus centrif- ugally extracted, the combs are returned to the bees. You have to be careful to put them back on the hives towards evening, or the bees, smelling the fresh honey, get excited and lawless and start robbing one "another's hives. Isn't it a pity bees and nations do that kind of thing? ' ' Later the honey is strained and put into barrels or big cans or little cans or bottles. We 're doing a lot of that work now, and putting on labels. Mr. Lowe ordered some new labels last week and I told him he ought to make them read, ' Anne Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers. ' Today he tells me he did! I don't know whether he's jok- ing or not, but I do know the 'Daddy Lowe' part would make a hit around here, for that's what so many peoj)le call him. ' ' Now you know all about extracting — ■ maybe! Anyway you know enough to see that I'll need an extracting room at that little country place we're going to have when you come home. You can 't tell, I may get to be such a big producer that I '11 have a power extractor. Yes, they do have such things. Isn't it wonderful? We never knew, and most people never guess, what a big business honey production is. The only trouble, tho, with my having a power outfit is that I'd have to have somebody around to run the machinery. I can say that to you safely — no danger of your starting at once to be an engineer. But I'd be seared to say it to Theodore! ' ' Speaking of Theodore, tho, I honestly think you do him an injustice when you re- fer to him as a slacker. He isn 't that, Eobert, he's just Theodore. You know as well as I what that means. He's like the darkey woman buying her mourning ward- robe. Eemember her? When the clerk sug- gested that it wasn 't really necessary to in- clude black underclothing, she answered re- bukingly, ' When Ah mo 'hus, Ah mo 'hns. ' That's Theodore to a T, and on thru the rest of the letters. When he does a thing, he does it. That 's why he 's out here, learning to farm! And when he believes a thing, he believes it. That's why he couldn't volun- teer. You and I can't understand his view- point— to us it looks, as you say, 'absurd and puerile ' — we can 't see his side at all (if indeed, there really is such a side). But surely we must honor the quiet and courage- ous stand he has made for what he thinks right. He knows only too well how we and practically all his friends feel, but that doesn 't seem to matter. He 's being loyal to something inside. That isn't cowardice, Eobert, it's courage. ' ' Then the really distressing part has just come. He decided to accept the draft with- out any claim for exemption because of these convictions, answered his call — and has just been found unfit. His heart didn 't stand the examination. Now don 't joke, dear, and say I could cure his heart! It isn't any joking matter for a young man like Theodore to find he has something radi- cally wrong with him. I am trying to per- suade him to give up this farm notion, and go back to the office, where the work is so much lighter. He merely looks hurt and starts talking about crop rotation and silos, certain other subjects being forbidden. And he isn 't a bit interested in either of these, and he hates perspiring and getting his hands dirty. But at that he 's some Theo- dore, and you shall not malign him. Which surely reverses our attitudes, from the time you first brought him home with you! "I wish you could see how quietly the level sunlight lies along the hills. The world is utterly peaceful here, utterly love- ly. Some day it will be so over there. Then you'll come back and tell me how you helped make it so, while we drink that iced and minted tea by the hollyhocks in my own beeyard. Lovingly,* Anne." July, 1919 G L K A N I N O S IN BEE G U L T U K E 435 FROM THETIELD'OF EXPERIE THE HONEY PUMP Honey is Not Injured by Pumping. Later Heating Expels Air The more honey is agitated, the more quickly it will granulate. This is why ex- tracted honey, as a rule, granulates more quickly than comb honey from the same source. This is due principally, no doubt, to the honey flying out in fine streams against the side of the extractor. In this way considerable air is introduced, which seems to be unavoidable. Later heating ex- pels this air, or a large part of it. Theoretically, a pump should further agi- tate the honey. How much difference this makes from a practical standpoint we have .never been able to determine. We honestly feel it is a small matter and that the pump itself when working properly does not cause any additional cloudiness, or tendency to granulate. If there is a leak on the suctioir side of the pump, considerable air will be introduc- • ed into the honey. This we have found by actual experiment. Or, if the capacity of the pump is much greater than that of the extractor, so that a good share of the time the pump is sucking air, there is no question but that considerable air is introduced into mr^ Wtff^^" - <^ * ^P^iftii •1 Apiai'y of H. T. Wagner of Kedlauds, located in Live Oak Canyon. the honey; for it is only necessary to watch the delivery pipe from the pump in the hon- ey-tank, to see the quantity of bubbles of air rising to the surface. The larger bubbles come to the top, but the smaller ones remain in suspension. The ideal arrangement is to have several inches of honey always in the bottom of the extractor. Practically speak- ing, it is not always possible to do this, but it is an easy matter to slip the belt off the pump in case the latter gets ahead; or, if it is continually ahead, the pulley on the extractor that drives the pump, should be slightly smaller, of course. It is difficult to make 'these pulley ratios just right for all conditions. For example, some beekeepers do not care about extracting the combs clean. They get nine-tenths of the honey, in perhaps, three-fourths actual running time of the extractor, and rather than take 25 per cent more time to get the additional 10 per cent of honey, they will let it go, figuring that the bees will simply put more honey on top, and that there is no need in extracting the combs clean. Nearly everyone who has given the matter any study, however, feels that it is better to extract the combs clean every time. The difference in the thickness of the hon- ey does not greatly affect the proper speed of the pump in relation to the speed of the extractor; for the thicker the honey, the longer it takes to extract the combs clean and, of course, the longer the pump has to do its work. The thinner honey, which can be pumped more quickly, takes less time in the extractor to extract. H. H. Eoot. Medina, Ohio. :20^Ctf= RESPECTS BEES Will Find Qu»en as Mark Twain Climbed Alps A short time ago Charles Staff wrote us that he had five hives of bees which he kept, not for honey, but for pollenizing fruit trees, melons, and cucumbers, and he asked if it would be all right to permit swarming and simply keep the old colonies. It seemed such a pity to lose those swarms that we suggested preventing swarming and at the same time running for a little extract- ed honey, as suggested in the June Begin- ners' Talks. To this he replies as follows: ' ' Thank you very much for your letter of May 2nd, and the advice contained there- in, ij ^^ "1 had a few friends at my house yester- day and w^e discussed this suggestion of yours about finding the queen and removing her. I proposed that we should all do it in a group or a swarm, as it were, or en masse. We conservatively estimated that there were about ten million bees in the hive, and it did not seem quite safe for any individual to tackle that whole bunch and forcibly re- move the queen. I thought that probably if there were a great many of us, some one might succeed in accomplishing the result, even tho the fatalities might be high. All of my friends, altho some of them have been ' ' over the top ' ' on the other side, one and all gently but firmly refused to entertain the proposition, so the queen still remains where she is and we have decided that we will not remove her. ' ' May I, in all politeness, ask you what you think the bees are going to do if I should attempt to follow your advice? I want vou to understand that the bees I n LEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE have are good healtliy, husky bees, and they do not tolerate any undue familiarities. There is only one hive that I have which I would attempt to handle in the wa}' you suggest and that is the one that contains the dead bees. I am quite willing to find the queen in that outfit and remove her. The one word in your letter which stands out and appeals to me most strongly is the word ' run, ' when you make the suggestion that it would seem worth while to ' run for extracted honey. ' Just eliminate every- thing else in your letter and leave the word 'run' and I will say 'amen.' For the rest, dear brother, nothing doing! "Perhaps you might wonder from the foregoing why I have any bees at all. I will confide to you that up to a month ago I had a man working for me that had the strange hallucination that one could play with the bees and get away with it, and he it was who brought in the hives and looked after them. As far as I am concerned, they are an inheritance. All I am wondering is how long they will stay on the premises if I am willing to leave them stricth' alone. I would like to have them stick around to fer- tilize the fruit trees and the melon vines. Whatever honey they make they can keep, or anybody else is welcome to it if they have the nerve to come and get it. ' ' I am a subscriber to ' Gleanings in Bee Culture,' and I love to read about the bees; but as for finding the queen and removing her, I wiM look for the queen the way Mark Twain climbed the Alps, i. e., with a tele- scope^. Charles Staff. "Royal Oak, Mich." IDEAS ON EXTRACTING With Suitable Knife, Deep Combs Easier Extracted than Shallow A correspondent, who has been an exten- sive comb-honej' producer for many years, writes that he would like to run a little more for extracted honey and wishes advice on the style of combs to use for extracting. He states that he has quite a surplus of comb-honey supers which would go together in pairs to just fit combs of Laiigstroth depth, but has been advised that shallower combs would give better results, because they are more easily uncapped and may be used with his brood-chambers which" are Quinby depth without excluders. I have gone very carefully into the claims of those who advocate shallow frames for exti acting, and with all respect for their wisdom, I can see only two or possibly three advantages they may have. When used tvcv deep brood-combs they may enable one to dispense with excluders to advantage. When the colonies are weak, or when short light flows of different varieties are to be kept separate, their smaller capacity may be an advantage. They are also more conveni- ent for beekeepers who lack physical strength and do not run a large enough busi- ness to emplo}' labor. Any advantage they may have over a deeper comb in uncapping is the fault of the knife and not of the standard comb. All will remember the old riddle, "How long should a man's legs be?" The answer is, ' ' Long enough to reach the ground. ' ' The disadvantage of shallow combs in ex- tracted-honey production is obvious: So many more j^ieces to handle for the same amount of honey produced. Whether they may be used without wires and cost slightly less need scarcely be discussed when one considers that there is practically no limit to the length of their life. And as for time- saving, one of the best ' ' records ' ' in ex-. tracting I ever made was with supers which held 100 pounds of honey each, in 11 combs. It was a four-frame non-reversing extractor turned by hand; but the quantity of honey coming from each set of four enabled us to roll up a record which would do credit to modern machinery. I would not object to extracting with combs deeper than the Langstroth, but know of nothing now to persuade me to use anything shallower. A stationary beehive near Perris, CaL A colony has occupied a crevice in this rock for many years. The knife we use is what is called a "sandwich knife," with a copper steam- jacket added by a local smith. The blade is twelve inches long and about one and a quarter inches wide. As there is only one cutting edge, it is necessary to decide whether you prefer to cut up or down when putting on the steam-jacket. Of course the handle is straight in line with the blade, so we escape the tiresome offset of the stock knife, which is only a relic of the days when the beekeeper laid his comb flat on the kitchen table and scraped off the cap- pings with a little curved knife. When the inventor turned the handle of his little thin knife up at an angle to keep his knuckles out of the honey, if at the same time he had only thought to make his knife longer so ,Tri,v, 1919 G I, K A N T N O S T N H E E C V E T U K E 437 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE he could get back behind the edge of the comb, what an age of wrist-ache he could have saved succeeding generations of bee- keepers. All it needed was the long blade, stiff enough to keep its shape. I am in- debted to W. A. Chrysler of Chatham, Ont., for this idea; and, after trying first it and then either the Jones or Bingham knife, there is no hesitation in deciding which is most rapid and comfortable, even when used cold as the first one came to me from Mr. Chrysler. When a real good head of steam is added it is nothing short of a revolution in uncapping. The rate at which cappings may be remov- ed from honey depends directly on the size of the comb and the ability of the knife to stay hot until the whole sheet is removed from one side. It also depends on the combs being flat and evenly bulged slightly be- yond the frame. The long knife which reaches easily across the largest comb and beyond, has the frame for its bearing at both ends; the steady hand and jet of live steam do the rest. After using these knives for a few years our combs are just like boards which have been thru a planer for evenness, and are a joy to the uncajDper. It is of the greatest importance to have a good head of steam. We use a boiler which just covers a three-burner oil stove and holds five or six gallons. It is placed in an adjoining room to keep the heat and fumes away from the workers, and the steam is piped along the floor to a point where rubber hose can be attached from the knives. While we have two knives attached, one active young man can just about keep the eight-frame extractor supplied; and our record last summer, repeated several days, was 5,000 pounds extracted from Langstroth combs in 10 hours, with two men working and the extractor man having an easy time. In conclusion let me pay a slight tribute to the Peterson Capping-melter and the Honey-pump. We would not think of dis- pensing with either. Ontario, Canada. Morley Pettit. HUNDREDS OF HIVES BURNED Jamaica by Radical Treatment Eliminates Foul Brood In your May, 1919, issue of Gleanings in Bee Culture, page 319, there is a paragraph which states that foul brood has reached Jamaica. Some people might get the im- pression that it is still here, which is not the case. I wall state briefly what oc- cnrred. In March, 191S, I found that Cul)an lioney was being brought to Kingston to be tran- shipped -to England, and this honey was be- ing carted from one wharf to another. During transit some barrels burst, and the bees took it up. I reported this to the Di- rector of Agriculture, and also the fact that foul bi'ood is in (!ul»a, as I had information on that point from beekeepers who had seen it there. I also pointed out what would hap- pen if the importation of this honey was not stopped. For various reasons this was not done. At the end of May the director got the Governor to make an order in which all owners of bees within three miles of Kings- ton were to report to the director the site, number of hives in their apiaries, etc. This " Pre,scribed Area " in which no colonies are allowed. area was called the ''Prescribed Area'' and no one could move hives of bees into, out of, or within the area without permission from the director. About the 15th of June I received instructions from the director to commence making a quarterly examination of all hives within the area. The first case of foul brood (American) was found on Dec. 19th, and others quickly followed. In the accompanying outline map the crosses with a circle around each are the apiaries that had foul brood. The other crosses are the apiaries on the outer edge of the area which were burnt as well as all other apiaries which were also within the area, tho not marked on the map. The cioss in the harbor marks the place of the source of infection, that is, the place where the schooners were anchored. No other api- aries within the area were found infected up to the time of burning, but on the night the hives were burnt one was found to be infected, attention being drawn to it by the smell. When it was disco\ered that foul brood had got a footing amongst the bees in Kingston the beekeepers within the area met the director to co-operate with the Gov- ernment to make a determined effort to stamp it out, before it spread further. The Government finally decided to take all the hives over, compensate the owners, and burn all the hives in the area, to make sure that it got no further. I received instructions to burn all the hives on the nights of Jan. GLEANINGS IN B K E C I' L T U R E July, 191 J 1^ FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE loth and 17, 1919, and also to take over all used beehives, frames, etc., and burn them, and to disinfect extractors, honey-boards, etc. The honey-boards in apiaries that had disease I was ordered to burn. The area has been quarantined for one year. No bees are to be kept within it and no one can take bees thru the area without a permit. A reward of five dollars is given to anyone who finds a swarm or bees within the area and reports the same. All impor- tation of foreign honey into the island is also prohibited. There is no doubt that the prompt action of the Director of Agriculture saved the situation, and also that this method of stamping out foul brood the moment it showed itself was effective and thoro. To my knowledge there is no foul brood in the Island. The total number of hives burnt WRS 1,719. Ch. Noel Eddowes. Gov. Inspector of Apiaries. Jamaica, B. W. I. [That was certainly very radical treat- ment. "We shall be interested to learn whether it proves effective. — Editor.] BIG BEEKEEPING ly until extracting ceased. Fires were kept burning both day and night to make extract- ing possible. The comb-honey colonies were tiered up until they resembled miniature skyscrapers. Whenever the bees needed room an additional super was given, but time was valuable and the honey remained on and was given an extra ripening, whether it needed it or not. The honey j>roduced was of a \ery high grade and fine quality and flavor. If Mr. Warren was rushed with his thou- sand colonies and other work, we predict a busy season for 1919 when he has in excess of 3,000 colonies. In his part of the Union enormous crops are produced, and beemen reckon their produce by the ton and carload. San Jose, Calif. Bevan L. Hugh. Largest Transaction in Pound Packages and Queens in the World's History In this age, when beekeepers are becoming numerous, there are many who are never heard of and who receive little or no pub- licity thru any of the bee journals. Such a beekeeper is Harry E. Warren of Nevada, who has been operating over 1,000 colonies. While Mr. Warren has run 1,000 colonies in the past he ordered 6,000 pounds of bees and 2,000 queens from J E. Wing of San Jose this season, to increase his yards both in number and size. This is the largest tiansaction in pound packages and queens in the history of the world. It represents an investment of over $16,000, and is surely proof of the magnitude of the beekeeping- industry _ today. Last season Mr. Warren, who is young and energetic, produced, or his bees did, four cars of extracted and comb honey, the source from which it was derived being alfalfa and sweet clover. The bees are hauled on two Ford trucks which he claims are very serviceable. Last year, in addition to the four cars of honey sold, Mr. Warren dispos- ed of two cars of alfalfa seed from his ranch. Owing to the rush of other work and to being short-handed on account of the war, extracting had to be postponed until winter when the honey was removed from the hives while the temperature was below zero. The supers were hauled to the extracting-house on sleighs and were kept warm continuous- RAISING COMB HONEY Minnesota Beekeepers Decide on Best Comb Honey Plan The Minnesota Beekeepers ' Association appointed a committee to report on the best comb-honey plan for beekeepers with not more than five colonies (March issue, page 16.5). The plan they decided on does not go into all the details of comb-honey produc- tion, but rather has to do with the control of swarming. Two plans were suggested. The first is for the beekeeper who fre- quently examines his colonies and knows what is going on inside of the hive. When there is any j^robability of the bees prepar- ing to swarm, the beekeeper should examine each colony every 8th or 9th day and cut out any queen-cells which may have been started. If the colony persists in building queen-cells and some are found to be well advanced toward completion, then he must treat the colony. Remove the colony from its stand and in its place put another hive. Find the queen and put her on a frame con- taining brood in all stages, and place this frame in the center of the new hive. Fill out this hive with frames having full sheets of foundation, or starters. On this hive place the supers that were on the old colo- ny. Then proceed to brush off the bees on the ground in front of the new hive, leav- ing plenty of bees on the combs to care for the brood. Care must be taken not to shake or jar the combs containing queen- cells. Then place the old hive containing the brood to one side of the new hive, with the entrance at right angles to that of the new hive. Each day turn the old hive so as gradually to bring its entrance close 'to that of the new hive. At the expiration of seven days from the time of brushing the bees, remove the old hive to another part of the apiary some distance away. The fly- July, 1919 G T, K A N T N a R T N B K K CULTURE 439 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE ing bees will leave for the fields to gather honey and will enter the new hive on which the supers were placed. When the young queen einerges there will be no Hying bees in the hive and so she will be unable to take out a swarm. The remaining queen- cells will be destroyed without any assist- ance on the part of the beekeeper. The other' plan is for the beekeeper who does not open his hives, or at least does not want to look for a queen. When the prime swarm issues remove the old hive from its stand and in its place put another hive, as in the plan just given. But instead of us- ing frames containing sheets of foundation or starters, fill the hive with drawn combs A swarm worth while. and then place the supers on top as in the other plan. Hive the swarm in the new hive which is now on the old stand. Then set the old hive to one side of the new hive and manipulate it exactly as in the other plan. Some members of the committee pre- fer full sheets of foundation in the brood- chamber, no matter which plan is followed. The individual beekeeper will be able to work out variations to suit himself. For in- stance, the above method may give him more increase than he desires. In that case he can move the old hive from one side of the new hive to the other side every seven days until the brood is all hatched out and then shake the remaining bees in front of the new hive. Other variations will suggest themselves to the thoughtful beekeeper. In order to delay swarming as long as possible the first super should be put on early, Dr. C. C. Miller says, ' ' about ten days after the xevy first white-clover blossom has been seen." Tliis super should contain sections with full sheets of foundation and one or more bait sectioiiiS. Use nothing less than full sheets of foundation in the sections, and it is better to use also bottom starters. Minneapolis, Minn. Chas. D. Blaker. INEXPENSIVE WAY TO START Stocks of Bees Secured from Bee-Trees Along with Experience When I was a small boy I disliked the lioneybee for a very simple reason. One of our neighbors kept about 12 or 15 colonies of bees, which came for water that was spilled around the cistern in my father's back porch. I often stepped on them with my bare feet and got stung. I had but little idea of their mission to man, so T made a paddle and often sat and watched for the bees, killing all I could. Soon one of my older brothers began cut- ting bee-trees. My father usually helped him, and I was sometimes allowed to go along. This I thought was great fun; but, being afraid, I was careful to stay at a safe distance, often getting behind a stump or tree, begging them to bring me a piece of honey. My brother laughed at my fear; and as I grew older I resolved to act bravely regardless of the stings. Soon fear vanish- ed, to be supplanted by interest which re- sulted in a desire to have bees of my own. I placed a box hive in a tree, hoping to catch a swarm, and began hunting bee-trees. Failing in this I gave it up until the year 1915, when I found a swarm hanging on a small walnut tree. It was a late swarm, but T decided to hive it nevertheless; and, hav- ing no hive on hand, I used a nail-keg. The next spring I bought four good hives and supers, and began hunting bee-trees in my spare time. I succeeded in getting a colony for each hive. By giving super room and cutting out queen-cells I managed to get along fairly well. Altho I did not se- cure much surplus I learned a great deal, and also derived much pleasure from the undertaking. I am now looking forward in the hope of some time joining the ranks of successful beekeepers. Medina, 0. B. B. Alexander. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 c STRAY J_ been interest- ed in skunks. I don't know that I have ever lost a bee I3 y them. Yet I thank O. L. Her- shiser for forc- ing the malodor- ous subject upon our attention on page .364, June Gleanings. There are thousands like me who don't know that they have ever lost a bee by skunks, but do they know that they have not lost by the "varmints"? And Mr. Hershiser docs well to stir up a smell on the subject. Who knows but some of the mysterious cases of colonies going wrong with no apparent cause may not be attributable to the miscreant under con- sideration? At any rate it may be a good thing to start a general effort to have all laws repealed that especially look toward the protection of any animal that parades under the imposing name of Mc'i]iiti'< uir- pliitica, or appears just as plain skunk. * * * Wallace C. Greenleaf thinks I overesti- mate the number of cells in a Langstroth fiame in the figures I give on page 232. In- stead of counting 3,650 cells on one side, he thinks it should be 3,318. He says "In the foundation I have been purchasing I find that there are only 52 cells in 11 inches," and he estimates that there are 26.8383 cells to the square inch. Apparently, however, he fails to notice that I said, "if there are 5 cells to the linear inch," and if he keeps in mind that I worked on that basis I am sure he will find my figures cor- rect. Evidently, however, he would question the assumption of 5 cells to the inch, and that raises the fundamental question, "How many worker-cells are there to the linear inch"? ' ' In one of the latest books, "Beekeeping," by Dr. Phillips, we find that worker-cells "are about one-fifth of an inch across." Dadant 's Langstroth says, ' * They are usu- ally somewhat larger" than five to the inch. Root's ABC and X Y Z says they are ' ' about five to the inch, ' ' but ' ' it will be found that they are by no means all of them five to the inch" as the cells are not perfect hexagons. Perhaps no one has gone into the matter more painstakingly and thoroly than T. W. Cowan. He says, "The average size of a worker-cell between the parallel sides is 1/5 of an inch, or 0.2. ' ' He gives a summary of a surprisingly large number of experiments, and of one set he says: "In order to reduce the possibility of errors oc- curring from measuring only one cell, we selected ten cells, which, allowing 1/5 of an inch to each cell, should occupy the space of 2 inches. In all, 36 measurements were taken, and we found the greatest aggregate diameters of any one series of ten cells to amount to 2.11 inches, and STRAWS Dr. C. C. MiUer 1 the least to 1.86." In other words, the diam- eter of a cell va- ries from .211 to .186 of an inch. With these data from Mr. Cowan, and re- membering that to get the number of cells to the square inch we divide 1.1547 by the square "of the diam- eter, we find with the average cell (.2 in diameter) there are 28.867 cells to the square inch. With the largest cell (.211 in diameter), there are 25.936 cells to the square inch. With the smallest cell (.186 in diameter) there are 33.377 cells to the square inch. (Incidentally it may be said that if there are 52 cells in 11 inches there are 23.133 cells to the square inch; not 26.838, as Mr. Greenleaf has it.) * * » On page 3S9 I said ' ' the best drone is the drone with the best grandmother," and a footnote wonders whether it would not be more accurate, instead of saying "grand- mother," to say "grandparents." It would be a grave error to ignore the influence of the drone with which the grandmother mat- ed. Some think it even greater than the in- fluence of the queen herself independent of any mating. But when we speak of a laying queen do we not always include the drone she met? On page 369 I said: "Suppose two virgin sisters, A and B, just alike in every respect. A meets with the best drone ever, and B with the worst ever. A will rear good workers, and we shall call her a good queen. B will rear poor workers, and we shall call her a poor queen. ' ' If that is correct then clearly when speaking of a laying queen we include her drone consort. Now suppose some objector arises and says: ' ' It is not accurate to say that A is the better queen; she is no better than B, ac- curately speaking, only she met a better drone." For one, I think I should feel like saying, "Put him out!" I wonder, Mr. Editor, if you wouldn 't feel somewhat the same way. [Instead of saying "grand- mother," leaving the reader to infer we also had in mind the drone consort, we be- lieve that in an article especially empha- sizing the influence of the drone it would be quite worth while to say "grandpar- ents. ' ' Then even the beginner would catch the point. — Editor.] " * * * A Nevada beekeeper gets best results in straight even combs in sections by using top starters that are V-shaped, page 353, "under his conditions." I hope those con- ditions do not generally prevail. Under my conditions I have no trouble with full start- ers, and if my top starters were V-shaped I 'm sure I should have less honey and not so good combs. Drone comb would certain- ly fill some of the vacancies, and excluders July. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 441 would be necessary to keep tlic queen from laviuij in that drone comb. "From October till May an eight-frame Langstroth seems preferable to a larger one, ■ ' says J. E. Crane, page 370. Y-e-s, provided the beekeeper always sees to it that there is honey enough in the hive so that the bees will not starve during that time. * * * "It is not considered practical to produce comb honey in outyards, except in certain favored localities, ' ' says J. M. Buchanan, page 360. Coming from such an experienced beekeeper, that makes one wonder just why a locality that does well as a home yard for sections will not do as an outyard. All my work in outyards was for sections, and Mr. Buchanan 's view is new to me. « » * You admit, Mr. Editor, page 368, that you along with me and certain others know precious little about the sense organs of bees, and ask, ' ' Won 't the others please ad- mit the same?" I can't speak for the other fellows, but I 'm ready to admit for myself — confidentially, of course — that I have a good stock of ignorance, not only about bees ' sense organs, but about a lot of other things about bees. But please don't expose Mrs. Demuth says, page 359, "When the honey flow is good we go over the super every three days. " J. M. Buchanan says, page 361, "A visit is made about once a week during the honey flow. ' ' Isn 't either one of these practices rather intensive, es- pecially for out-apiaries? I have always thought I did well enough to get around once every ten days, varying from 7 to 11 or 12 days, according to weather and other circumstances. * * * The carbolized cloth, with which to drive bees, has been rather popular in Great Brit- ain, but for some reason has been used little on this side. I am rather pleased to note that J. M. Buchanan uses it (page 361). Note that he leaves it on the upper story ' ' two or three minutes ' ' to drive a queen down into the lower story, and ' ' a minute or two ' ' when driving bees down out of an extraeting-super. Some have objected that a carbolic taste and odor is given to the extracted honey. I wish Mr. Buchanan had told us about that. * * * E. S. Miller says, page 36.5, that it's all right to breed from the best, but it 's hard to tell which is the best, and ' ' it certainly is not always the colony which stores the most honey, ' ' and explains that the colony with the best queen may fall short on ac- count of unobserved swarming. Now look here, my good brother of the floury name, do you think that's playing entirely fair? Of course an unobserved swarm at the be- ginning or middle of the harvest would cut down the crop of that colony. So it would if an unobserved thief should carry off half the crop. But that 's no argument why the relative value of queens should not be meas- ured by the yields of their respective colo- nies, of course making proper allowance for items that interfere. And you dassent tell any better way. • « « ' ' Why not just exchange places with the laying-worker colony and a good colony and then requeen the former?" (page 379.) Are you sure you 'd be any better off after mak- ing the exchange than before? You have merely added a lot of field bees, and they're the ones antagonistic to a strange queen. By the way, is it not hard to get a queen nccepted in a laying-worker colony largely because the bees are old? Remember there's no one bee to which all have a strong attach- ment. [This reasoning sounds all right; but, when this method is put up to the bees, so good an authority as L. S. Griggs of Michigan finds it quite successful. We would be interested in hearing from others who have tried it. — Editor.] * * * It isn't nice to ha\e a colony swarm just about the time it is doing its best work in sections. It will help at least a little to avoid that if you give supers early- — ^before they are really needed — and be sure to put at least one bait section in the first super you give to a colony. That bait is a section that was partly built out the previous year, and emptied out by the bees. If this is your first year of beekeeping and you have no such sections on hand, you can do just as well — likely better — to cut out a bit of brood-comb and fasten it in a section. The older and blacker, the more promptly will the bees take possession of it. It will be anything but a fancy section, but it may give you a number of sections you would not have without it. « * * A Canadian correspondent refers to Bro. Valentine 's second plan of increase. May Gleanings, page 295, and says: "Imagine giving a virgin queen to a lot of old bees at the time of the first frost, when in this lo- cality it is nearly impossible to introduce successfully any kind of queen. Is it the fact that it is so helplessly queenless that they accept a virgin then? What do you think of it?" I should expect trouble ex- cept with a very young virgin. I think it is a fact that a virgin not 24 hours old will be accepted at any time in any kind of a colony, even in a colony with a good laying queen. Please do not understand that to mean that you can requeen a colony simply by putting a virgin in, for altho a virgin will be kindly accepted as a baby in a colo- ny having a laying queen, just as soon as she begins to put on airs as a young lady she will be hustled out of that colony in short order. GLEANINGS IX P. E K C IM. T U R E July, 1919 c SIFTINGS J. E. Crane WE have li e a r d all our lives of those bees living in the rocks in south- ern California, and it was no small pleasure to look at those pictures on pages 355 and 356, June Glean- ings, all characteristic of California. B.y the way, I enjoy pictures of bee yards, as they frequently give us a glimpse of the sur- rounding regions, so in time we come to have a very good idea of the topography of our great country. * * * On page 364 our friend Horshiser in- dicts the skunk for trespass and petty lar- ceny. What is more he proves his allega- tions true beyond the shadow of a doubt. The skunk probably does far more damage in our apiaries than in our poultry yards, but works so quietly and persistently that he must be classed as a nuisance. When I find their depredations too great to be borne patiently I have notified trappers in the vicinity and these soon reduce them to a reasonable number. The high price of skunk fur at present makes it worth while to trap them. » * * The papers are reporting these days in great headlines of the success of crossing the Atlantic in a flying machine. It was just about a hundred years ago that the first steamboat crossed from America to Euroi)«, and this was the cause of great re- joicing; but it was twenty years later before ocean steamships were a success. It may be as long before flying across the big pond will be safe. But the fact of special impor- tance to beekeepers is that the food supplies of some of these airmen consisted of choco- late, bouillon, water, and honey. * * * A rather amusing item is that at the bot- tom of page 365: "When you have a swarm, do not go queen-chasing. Watch for pollen going in. * * * If no signs at the end of the third week, have a thoro examination. ' ' This is quoted from H. C. C. Carter, in Bee Craft. Watch three weeks to see if a new swarm is carrying in pollen, to discover whether they have a queen or not, when you can open a hive in two min- utes and know at once. This method might answer very well if we expected to live as long as some of those old antediluvian pa- triarchs; but in these days of railroads, au- tomobiles, telegraphs, and flying machines three weeks is a rather long time to learn whether a colony is queenless or otherwise. [A part was accidentally omitted. The ad- vice was to wait two weeks before looking for eggs in the old stock. If no pollen was seen going into the hive the third week, ex- amine carefullv. Surely no one had any 1 idea of watching that colony three weeks. And, by the way, he was speaking of the old colo- ny, not the new one. The chances are there would be no laying queen for two weeks any way; and we re- member Dr. Miller once said he hardly thought it worth while to look for eggs much short of three weeks. Of course, dur- ing the third week one would probably see a little pollen going in; but as soon as the queen began laying, a much greater quantity would be noted. We ourselves have always been better satisfied with inside rather than entrance observation, and yet it may be that our Bee Craft friend is not so far wrong. — Editor.] * * * There seems to be a difference of opinion between Dr. Miller and the editor, on page 368, as to the value of a queen-excluder or sieve in finding the queen. It makes a great difference when you look for queens. In May, when colonies are not very strong in numbers and the queen at her largest size we rarely use a sieve; but in or about swarming time, when the hive is crowded with bees and the queen reduced in size, we find forcing the bees thru an excluder most helpful. * « * A report of the discussion in the American Bee Journal on the best methods of work for a bee inspector is of unusual value. Po- lice work is no doubt of value, but alone in this section it is of little permanent value. It is comparatively easy to go into a dis- trict, examine the various yards, and tell the owners of those having diseased bees that they must clean up their colonies or you will have to destroy them in twenty days. When you come around again in twen- ty days you will doubtless find a large per cent of the colonies as they were on your first visit. You may destroy them, but next year you will be very likely to find most of those beekeepers who have tried to clean up their bees have just as much disease as in the previous year. In a wooded country you may destroy every diseased colony you find during one season; but, if diseased bees have escaped to the woods, you may expect more or less disease the next year. On the other hand, I know of successful beekeepers where disease exists all around them, who are able to keep bees successfully and jjrofitably. It is of little permanent value to destroy bees unless you teach beekeepers how to succeed where disease exists, and how to keep it under control in their own yards while it is all around them. I can not help thinking that my best work as inspector has been in teaching beekeepers how to overcome disease by proper man- ngement. Jl'LV, 1919 GLEANINGS IN B K K CULT U R E 443 c OUR FOOD PAGE Stancy Puerden FOR some years ba.ck there has been a growing tendency to in- clude a break- fast alcove or some sort of small breakfast room in the plans for new houses. When I first noticed such a plan I regarded it as just another foolish fad which would increase the house- keeper 's work by giving her an extra room to care for. This past spring when one mem- ber of our family was away at school, an- other was away on a prolonged business trip, and the problem of securing adequate household help was most acute, the break- fast-alcove idea began to look alluring. While putting the dining room in order after meals I found myself estimating how much time could be saved if we had an alcove off the kitchen. Ju'ft about that time I came across a page of illustrations of unusually attractive breakfast alcoves. After studying them I would find myself in the kitchen, trying to figure out a nook where we could put one. Our kitchen is not large; there is a screen- ed porch opening out of it at one corner, a door opening on steps leading down to a little greenhouse at another corner, and the rest of the space is filled with cupboards, sink, table, gas range, cabinet, and doors. At one corner of the kitchen a door opened into a little pantry, five feet, nine inches by four feet, seven, to be exact. That had been intended for food only, as there is plenty of cupboard space in the kitchen for dishes; but as a food pantry it was a miser- able failure, for the reason that it could not be kept cool. Just under it steampipes en- tered the basement to heat our house and the one beyond from a central heating plant, and altho the pantry had a good-sized win- dow, which was always kept open, it was apt to be as warm as a living room even on the coldest winter day. The food had there- fore deserted its warm shelves and taken up its abode in the storeroom and on the screen- ed porch where the ice box is kept, and the pantry had degenerated into a catch-all for odds and ends. One day after poring over my page of al- coves I happened to open the pantry door, and right then and there I had a vision. The unattractive oilcloth - covered pine shelves, drawers and cupboards ' ' faded out," movie fashion, and in their place I saw a dear little room with soft, grayish walls, ivory-finished woodwork, a built-in ta- ble with mahogany finished top, flanked on either side by built-in ivory seats with high backs. At the window were creamy net cur- tains and on the dark table top was a doily with a slender vase of flowers. That was a delightful vision. Now. after weeks of annoying delays my vision has materialized, and it has done so 1 TU in spite of the fact that the nice man, who for 21 years has helped me make my dreams come true, was at that time on the wrong side of the Atlantic ocean. If you have ever done any remodel- ing you know the ways of carpenters, how they will begin a piece of work, tear up things at most inconvenient seasons and then, before they have finished your job, desert to begin some other work. Then when you are ready for the decorators they too will fail to come at the time agreed upon and put you off again and again. We were doing over our upstairs rooms by put- ting in new floors, having the woodwork enameled ivory and papering, and the little breakfast room was to be worked in at the same time. When we received a cab'e to the effect that the traveler was to arrive home ten days before we had expected him, wasn 't there consternation in the Puerden household? The utmost concession that we could wring from the delinquent carpenters and decorator was a promise to see that the alcove was finished, but as for the upstairs work that could not be done, of course. Well, the head of the family returned to a home that was redolent of turpentine, oils, and wax, the upstairs rooms littered with brushes, paint cans, and furniture out of place, but the pocket-edition dining room was complete, just finished that morning, and he was just as surprised and delighted as the children and I had known he would be. I have never seen any dimensions for breakfast alcoves and their built-in furni- ture and therefore with no architect avail- able I had to figure out for myself the di- mensions to give the carpenters. Of course, as to length of the seats and table, it was Hobson 's choice for they could be no longei- than the width of the room and one wou'd not wish them shorter. The seats are there- fore four feet, nine inches in length, sixteen inches in width and eighteen inches in height at the front, sloping down slightly to the back. The back of the seat is nineteen inches in height and has a comfortable s^ai^t. about like an ordinary chair back. The space underneath the two seats is enclosed to afford storage space, and the board en- closing this space also slants back to make a comfortable space for the feet. The table is 30 inches in width, exactly the width between the seats, and is 44 inches long and a little under 30 inches in height. One end of the table is hinged just under the window sill and the other is supported by two legs which are joined just above the floor. The whole effect is similar to a sec- tion in a Pullman car when the porter puts a table between the seats. By drawing up a chair at the end of the 444 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 table five can eat breakfast or lunch in comfort. Our dinners we usually eat in the dining room as the table is hardly large enough for a dinner when all the family are present. When several of the family are away the few remaining often dine in the alcove. Being a reformed pantry there is a pass cupboard door leading into the din- ing room, and the small girl of the family thinks it will be great fun to entertain two or three of her friends in the alcove while the family is eating in the dining room as they can be easily served from the dining table through the pass cupboard door. After using it for a number of weeks do we find that our tiny breakfast room saves enough work to pay for itself? Indeed we do. There is some difference between "tidy- ing" a room eighteen feet long and sweep- ing the crumbs from a bit of linoleum four feet, nine inches by 38 inches, for because of the built-in seats that is all the floor space there is in the alcove and it takes but a moment longer to sweep that when sweep- ing the kitchen. It has been quite amusing to watch the fxpression on the faces of friends who have happened in and wished to see our alcove. Some of the men have looked dubious, espe- cially before it was finished with the table in place, but every woman has enthusiasti- cally approved, and most of them have be- gun to figure out how they could contrive a similar one. I believe there are few houses where something of the sort could not be arranged. If you have a pleasant, roomy, old-fashioned kitchen a corner of it might be used either with or without the built-in seats and table, and it need not be parti- tioned off from the kitchen. In some cases the end of a long, narrow pantry could be spared for a breakfast room. It is some- times practicable to enclose a part of a porch. The space needed is so small, and the amount of time saved is so great that it is well worth the effort. If I were about to build a very small house for a small family I should build it without a dining room, with a breakfast alcove off the kitchen, and a large living room, in one end of which a table could be set when there were a number of guests. Altho the patient Gleanings photographer did his best it was almost impossible to ob- tain a good picture of our breakfast alcove on account of the doorway. Honey as a Food for Infants. Here is a worth-while honey story which comes from Florida. A lady living near Jacksonville was unable to find a food which agreed with her baby. She finally tried sweetening the baby's modified milk with honey, and the baby not only digested well the food thus prepared but gained rapidly in weight. I hope to have a further report of this interesting baby later on. This is not the first time I have heard of honey used in modified milk for babies, but it happens to be the first report that has ccme to me personally. If any of the read- ers know of similar cases I should be very glad indeed to hear from them. By the way, when you write to me please do not apologize for taking my time. The letters I receive from kind readers are a de- light and inspiration, even if I do not al- T\ays have time to reply promptly. CURRANT AND RASPBERRY JELLY. 3 quarts red currants Water 1 quart red raspberries Sugar or honey After washing and preparing the fruit, cover with water and cook until soft, turn into a jelly bag and let drain without squeezing. Measure the juice and for every cup of juice add % cup of sugar or honey, after the juice comes to a boil. Cook until the syrup will drip from the side of a spoon in two or more rows of drops or until it will sheet, pour into sterilized glasses, and seal with boiling hot paratfin when cold. Better results are obtained if not more than one quart of juice is boiled down at a time. A second and sometimes even a third ex- traction of juice may be made by turning the fruit remaining in the bag back into a kettle, adding a little water and boiling up again, but the first extraction will make the finest jelly. RED RASPBERRY AND RHUBARB MARMALADE. Red raspberries Rhubarb cut small Sugar or honey Almost any proportion of berries and rhu- barb may be used; half and half gives very good results. Put one quart of the mixed fruit over the fire with a little water to pre- vent burning and cook about 20 minutes, add three cups of sugar or honey and sugar and cook until a little of the syrup will drip from the side of a spoon in two or more rows of drops, pour into sterilized glasses and seal when cold with boiling hot paraffin, or it may be sealed while boiling hot in fruit jars. RHUBARB CONSERVE. 1 qt. rhubarb cut small 1 sliced orange 1 qt. white currants 1 lb. raisins 1 qt. red currants 1 cup nut meats 4 lbs. sugar or honey Simmer the fruit about half an hour or until the syrup is jelly-like, add the nuts, boil up and turn into sterilized jelly glasses and seal in the usual way. Mrs. Clara F. Horner, Cleveland. BOOKS. % cup honey 1 lb. pecan nuts, brok- % cup butter substitute en small 3 eggs beaten separate- 1 lb. dates, stoned and ly cut small 3 cups sifted flour V2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon soda Flavor Warm the butter substitute and blend with the honey, add the egg yolks and then the well-beaten whites a little at a time, al- ternating with the flour in which the soda and salt have been sifted. Use enough flour to make a rather stiff drop batter. Add the fruit and nuts and flavor, if desired, altho the flavor of the honey and fruit and nuts alone is very good. Drop from a teaspoon (Continued on pane 471.) c ur .Tui.v, 1919 t^ AN Y O N E J'\^ who has any kind of passion for observation must have dis- covered long ago that a side-line has ever so much more charm and appeal about it than a main-line." I found that in a serial novel by Hugh Wal- pole, running in the Bookman. To be sure, since one must be honest, Mr. Walpole was writing about railroads; and his side-line comments rambled delightfully from fishy- smelling little stations to farmers with brown loggings and pipes and knotted walk- ing sticks, from sandwiches and seedcakes and jam-puffs eaten on this interesting lit- tle side-line train to Jeremy, in the title role, falling asleep against his father's leg. But oh, he was so right about the charm and ap- peal of the side line, whether of the railroad one rides or the work one does. There are exceptions, of course, to this statement — else it would be itself a most exceptional statement. But for the most of the people of this earth, how true. One of the joys of the side liner is the kindly tolerance the rest of the world grants to his enthusiasms. Tho, for that matter, isn't the world generally pretty tolerant of any genuine enthusiasm? And isn't en- thusiasm one of the virtues — yes, virtues — • most worth possessing? Perhaps that de- pends on what one is enthusiastic about. But take the beekeeping side liner. Think of his joy in being allowed to parade his enthusiasms openly before his more matter- of-fact friends — all the delights and ad- ventures and astounding experiences of his loved avocation. Yes, and with more grace than would be granted those same friends, he makes moan — oh much moan and most wailingly — when some unexpected misfor- tune crosses his apieultural path. There was our "ground swarm." It was our first, and we have told about it to every- one who would listen, and that was every- one to whom we told it. Our friends are most polite, and they recall that we are side liners. As I entered the yard one morning, knowing I would have a little less time there than was needed, and so being compelled to be almost strictly business, I noticed bees flying around the little quince tree just beyond the bee yard. Hurrying I went to investigate, and parting the wild growth, I found a tiny outdoor colony, tangled in with the stems of grasses and weeds. They had built one bit of comb, that could lie in the palm of my hand, at- taching it to a stout but drooping stem. How I wanted to play with them, to find their queen, to coax them, small and un- important tho they were, into a shallow su- per and watch them grow thru the summer to the dignity of a full-sized colony. But there was real work to do first, with all too GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 445 Beekeeping as a Side Line 1 Grace Allen %J there best short a time to do it in; so I left them with my wishes. Little good the wishes did them, however. When we looked them up in the cold wet grass after several days of rain, they had given up. The pitiful little piece of comb was still there, but the valiant little workers lay in a heap at the roots of things, dead. That was the day we found, thru a friend's observant eyes, bees going in and out under a hivestand. Mr. Allen lifted off the hive and in excited expectancy I slow- ly tipped up the bottom-board. There they were, snug and ambitious and prosperous. Can you see them? Down from the bottom- board, in the quiet spot inclosed by the rim of the hivestand, they had hung the fittings of their home. In the comb were both brood and honey. Then we meddling, tho friendly, giants of an alien race came changing things to suit ourselves. Upside down we turned their home. Probably they did not like that, for it wasn't built to stand that way. Then on the hivestand, thus upside down, we set a shallow super of foun- dation, and when we looked a few days later, there was nice new comb with eggs in it. Before the bees know what has hap- pened, these same giants will have outwit- ted them, and they will have come submis- sively out of their stolen home, with its "natural" comb, into a modern hive with movable frames, scarcely knowing how the change was brought about. Then there was the gay and stubborn swarm that hung, according to the house- girl, half a day and all night and half an- other day, hidden in an old peach tree here at home. We had been gone one Saturday, and just as we were buttering our potatoes Sunday noon, the housegirl came in to an- nounce, "They's some bees in a tree jes where they wuz all yestuddy evenin." Then as we were ready for berries she came back to add, "Them bees is flyin round agin." So we left the berries for supper, and went forth for to see. Across the back lot they sailed, apparently ticketed straight for a house on the next street where a small boy was swinging his baby brother in the porch swing. Presently there came screams and sounds of excited running, as the bees threatened to take possession of the place. Dismayed, perhaps, by the excitement, they doubled on their tracks, clustering again in a small maple by the fence. Who can re- sist a swarm of bees? Even tho it be a tiny one and its capture involve the Sunday drag- ging of a ladder across to another street. Into a shallow super they were shaken, and who shall say to what they may have grown when another spring count rolls round? Then there was the polite society swarm. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 One May afternoon I stood by the gate wait- ing for a street ear, all silk-dressed and white-hatted and ready for club, when I de- cided there was time to go back and get a rose. And there, scarcely waist high, on a young peach tree near the roses, hung one of the prettiest swarms I ever saw. Into a shallow super it too went, there being nothing else handy, and I was able to return the courtesy of their low clustering by merely bending a trifle more the bough where they hung, until it lay on the frames, giving it then a gentle jar. And immediate- ly bodies pointed up at a joyful angle, wings started waving, and I left them taking rap- turous i^ossession of their new home, while I, with my rose, went on to the club. Not worth mentioning, you see, or even remem- bering, if one were a professional, but a happy incident to be told with glee, when one is a side liner. And now, in an utter tumult of over whelming moods, I claim my side liner 's right to make my moan and my long tragic wail. Yes; undoubtedly you have guessed it. What else could it be? American, at that. The sad details are in no way peculiar. I merely went into the yard one otherwise happy May morning, and when I drew out the first comb, the skies fell around me and the world grew dark. Dry and empty this outside comb was, except that here, there, and elsewhere were perhaps a dozen scat- tered, sealed, sunken cells, with the telltale ragged perforations. I sniffed. No notice- able odor. I broke a twig from the young cherry tree overhead, and with the world holding its breath, inserted it. Something coffee-colored and "ropy came out. Mechani- cally, like a frozen thing, I drew out a comb from the center, looking for evidence of a mated queen. ' ' Eggs, ' ' I coldly in- formed the indifferent universe, and closed the hive. Walking back to the house I thought of Mr. Holtermann; and Job; and Mr. Buchanan who might — might — the I well knew he wouldn't — call it all a mistake; and Mr. Allen, the comforting depths of whose chivalrous courtesy closes over all my woes. Mr. Buchanan did all that any inspector could do, came promptly and said the worst. But for all that, the light broke. It always does, you know, even when you get foul brood. We blessed the happy inspiration that had decided us last summer to move our bees away, all but these five hives, now nine, that we kept just for the joy of their presence. Even the humor came in, as it usually does with us here. One evening while I was muttering incantations over a boiler of bubbling lye water, wherein some frames were being coaxed to perfect cleanli- ness, suddenly across the evening came the sound of a fire engine, rushing out into the night with its ladders and its helmeted men and hose. Down the side street it rushed, swung around the corner, drew to a clanging stop at our rear. Lights flashed in darkened houses, people ran into the street. And the surprised and peeved firemen found only Mr. Allen, equally surprised and almost equally peeved, where he loomed tall and symbolic over a foulbroody fire in a yawning pit in the backyard! Honey prospects? Who can say? It rain- ed twenty-three days in May; not usually showers, either, but long steady persistent rains, that acted as tho they had studied ' ' Power of Will, ' ' and were demonstrating how they could stick to a set purpose, unde- terred by what anybody said. Often it cleared in the evening, the nights being There they were snug and prosperous on the under side of the hivestand. beautiful with great stars that seemed to promise equally beautiful days. But always dawn was lost in clouds, and morning came clothed in gray garments, wet and dripping; and behold, today was like unto yesterday and the days that passed before. Bees were kept in their hives and beekeepers grew in- creasingly discouraged. Yet after all, there is something more than honey crops in this world to reckon rainy days by. There is something in the souls of men and women that answers to the soft mood of a long quiet gray day. Let us never allow crop prospects to crowd the sensitive response out of our souls. Better gather beauty and the high gifts of the spirit, as we go, than all the honey in all the flowers, and all the money in all the world. There was one especial day in May. I was alone with the rain, sitting on a high stool under a rather ramshackle roof sloping east from the accommodating shed we have the use of, out there in the country where our bees are. My hands were putting in foundation, but the heart and soul of me were being touched with quietness and all the gentle sounds and tenderness of a rainy ""g ot 1919, on the whole, was quite unfavorable. The in- elenient weather during this period curtailed the flow from tiie fruit blooms of mustard and sage, caused an unusual consumption of old stores, and brought about a greater Ijrevalenee of brood diseases. The first few days of June, however, were warm and as early as June 5 the bees were bringing in considerable nectar from alfalfa, so that it may be said that the main summer flow has started. The flow from spring plants was cut short, this being especially true re- garding the orange. An average produc- tion of about 30 pounds per colony was gath- ered from this source. Thru the efforts of A. J. Gilkison, Tuo- lumne County Farm Advisor, I paid a visit to the distressed beekeepers living in the vicinity of Sonora. F. W. Burtch accom- panied me. We found it was the same old trouble — black bees. European had set in and every now and then a case of American foul brood to complicate matters. We did what we could to help, and while I was ex- plaining "methods of treatment," Mr. Burtch was "signing 'em up" into the Ex- change. Tuolumne County has many good ranges. Eai'ly in the season the bees work well on filaree and chaparral, and during May there is frequently an extraction from locust. Then follows cascara sagrada or coffee berry, as it is more commonly known, which is the main source of nectar. This shrub produces a wonderful honey. It is not light in color, but is of very heavy body and of most delicious flavor. Other impor- tant plants are yerba santa or wild peach, jioison oak, tarweed, and blue curls. The mountains rise abruptly in Tuolumne County, and the migratory beekeeper takes advan- tage of this fact by moving to higher alti- tudes after the snow melts. A few words regarding the manipulation of bees during hot weather may be worth while at the present time. Yesterday was a good bee-day, the thermometer registered 99 degrees in the shade, and as there was little or no wind, nectar came in fast. The handling of bees under these conditions in aiT open field requires certain precautionary methods. Upon removing a hive lid from a colony it should not be placed in such a position that the direct rays of the sun fall upon the inner part of the lid. This is es- pecially so, if there be any burr-comb upon the cover. It is also inadvisable to give a colony a lid, bottom, or excluder that has been exposed to the sun. When a super is removed from a colony, whether or not there are robbers about, it should be covered even if removed for but a short time. Shaking or brushing bees on to the ground or on dry grass at the hive entrance is sure death to them, un'ess the portion of the ground upon which the liees I'all is shade'ing in a locaHtv where oaks are plentiful tell us whether this is a "omriinn occurrence, or M'as it something net likelv to happen again? I ha^•e been in the habit of telling people that only pollen was obtained from the oak; but, with the evidence to the contrary so pronounced, I will have to revise my ideas on the subject. [This is of interest. We understood Mr. Lovell that oaks bear pollen and in some species honeydew, but not nectar. — Editor.] We are reminded that the shipping of package bees from the South in hot weather is still an uncertain problem. A large con- signment came into one of our Ontario cities during the extreme heat, and in the lot over 60 packages were all dead and oth- ers badly damaged. An experience like that is enough to discourage both consignor and consignee. I understand these bees were on the road for seven days, and that shows very bad service on the part of the express companies, as the distance can be covered in ordinary passenger service in less than four days. Whether an express company can be forced to make good in such a case as that is a question; but, in our humble opinion, the moral right to do so is there even if they cannot be legally compelled to pay the damage. Given cool weather and plenty of food, bees usually come in good condition even if on the road seven days; but with the thermometer over 90 during every day of the trip, I believe that will sjiell disaster nearly ev'ery time. Is foul brood on the increase or decrease here in Ontario? While I was acting as in- spector for a number of years and trying to give conscientious service, viewing the lo- calities that I worked in during those years and seeing conditions as they are now, I often wonder if the money I spent was worth while. Certainly European foul brood is increasing, and I have my doubt as to American foul brood being much checked — in other words, I believe it is holding its own all too well. Of course, it will be point- ed out to me that certain sections have less than a few years ago; but then I can point to other sections that are much worse than they were a few years ago. I do not feel like doing much criticising; for, when one has nothing constructive to offer, silence is better than destructive criticism. Certain- ly it is a problem to deal with, and the pres- ent demand for bees, with many inexperi- enced persons starting in beekeeping, is adding to the difficulty all the time. One thing sure, the prosj^ective or present active beekeeper must more than ever realize the necessity of being able to diagnose the two brands of foul brood, and in a measure thus be his own inspector. While he cannot pre- vent his neighbors from spreading disease, it is a source of satisfaction to be able to know that he himself is not a means of spreading the plague. The clover and buckwheat prosjjects have seldom been better and bees a''-^ as a rule, in fair condition, except where foul brood is si)oiling the chances of a good cro]). Markham, Ont. J. L. Byer. 450 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 HEAPS OFCMlNTPPQliirDIFFERENT FIELDS How Much Buckwheat to Sow In regard to the prop- er amount of buck- wheat to sow per acre, I have made a number of inquiries, and the consensus of opinion seems to be about one bushel of Japanese or two to three pecks of Silverhull. Broadcast seeding gives best re- sults. A man in western Illinois recom- mends for rich, well-prepared land one to two pecks per acre of the Silverhull variety, and claims that light seeding on good land gives best results. Another in central Michigan, on a lighter and sandy loam, rec- ommends two to three pecks per acre of Sil- \-erhull seed. Rough and poor land re- quires more seed. Wm. Findlay. Basco, 111. The experience of these horses is to have heen fed on s\ve*t clover only, and kept fat. — W. C. Gath- right, Fillmore., Calif. The Woman and One year ago my hus- the Swarm. band bought a colony of bees, and has ever since been a devoted beeman, altho we have now but three colonies. Yesterday when he was at work, and I at home alone, I suddenly heard a frightful roar, and looked out to see what had happened. It looked to me as if all the bees were in the air, and I began to get ready for that swarm. I donned my rain- coat, a pair of cotton gloves and a veil, and started out for the hive which Mr. Cochrane had made ready. Well, that swarm alighted on the fencepost and top rail of a wire fence where I could not put the hive under them, but I put the hive as close to the fence as I could and stood still and wondered what to do, as I could not shake the fence. Finally I got the smoker and some water, so if they became too familiar I 'd be ready, and then I thought of that woman 's weapon, the broom. I carefully brushed the bees off the fence and into the hive, or as many as I could get there, for the rest were on the ground and on the side of the hive where I sprinkled them a little, and, leaving the cover off the hive, I went into the house and watched them. A little later I saw one bee that looked different from the others, and concluded she was the queen. I got all the books about bees I could find, and read up; and, sure enough, it described her exactly. When my husband came home I met him at the door and said, ' ' The bees swarmed. ' ' He replied, "And lost them."- I answered, ' ' No. I got them, every one, and got stung only once. ' ' So you see I am now a real beekeeper. Mrs. W. M. Cochrane. Watts3 Calif. A Small Breeze Here it does not seem From the North. to make much differ- ence whether a colony is made queenless or not, regarding the ac- cepting of cells, only that more will be ac- cepted in a queenless colony if a second batch is given five or six days after the first grafting. I prefer to use more colo- nies, and only those that are strong enough. After the honey flow in late summer, we have a different proposition, and I then find find it necessary to use queenless colonies. Regarding increase, as I am writing for yours, an American publication, I presume it will be permissible for me to use an American style; and since most of our warm air conies from the South, a small breeze from the North would not be noticed. I once bought three colonies of black bees which I Italianized the first season and in- creased to six. The next season I increased to 18, and they gave me an average of 300 pounds, spring count. The following sea- son I increased to 45, taking an average of 200 pounds per colony, spring count. I feel satisfied that I could take one colony with a good Italian queen and three supers of drawn combs and increase to 500 colonies in five years and make them raise their own queens and pay for everything in connection with them. I hear some one say, ' ' That must be a pretty good location." Well, I don 't know. The first start I made in bees I bought five colonies of blacks. That same spring a friend of mine started in with 120 colonies. Comparing notes the third sea- son after, my five had increased to 160, and my friend had eight hives of bees left alive and a lot of empty boxes for sale, and there was no disease of any kind in his apiary. Regarding the difference in bees, I have known of a 200-colony yard in which 75 colonies of a certain strain produced in a poor season a surplus of 75 pounds, while right alongside of them were colonies as strong, or stronger, that were living from hand to mouth. One of my colonies has a five-year-old queen. On May 20 she was occupying a 2%- story hive, tho the spring was cold and wet. .Iri.v. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE >4^ HEADS OF GRAIN ll?ggQfl DIFFERENT FIELDS This colony is packed winter and summer, the ]in('kinin-('nse Vicing covered on the sides and ends with black tarred i)aper which makes it hot in summer. Altho their sum- mer entrance is 4^/^ inches wide by % inch deep, yet they have never swarmed. This colony, when grafted cells are given it, will seal the cells containing larvae less than 48 hours old. If you have never seen queen- cells sealed over containing larvse 24 to 48 hours old, and believe that bees always wait till the eighth or ninth day to seal them, I can seiiut them into a nail keg, but later ttansferred them to a Langstroth hive. The p])ring of 191S found us with three good strong colonies. During the season they threw off eight swarms, which we saved all but one. Besides saving over 100 sections of honey for our own use we sold $65.00 worth. We are very proud of our bees. They were in fine condition when packed for the winter, and on Dec. 19 last gathered pollen from dandelion blossoms. London, 0. T. W. Preston. jii,v, mi9 G L K A N r N G S IN B K V: V U L T U R E c SA. Eatliff, I' res id e ii t of the A Ill- mi n mil lloiicy- 0 o 111 b Co., lias just sent us a copy of a letter that he sent .). E. Crane, ixitvv reading the hit- ter's comnieiit on aluiiiiiuiin combs, page 302, of the May number. Mr. Ratliff thinks that Mr. Crane should not pass judgment eoncerning the company except after an examination of its affairs. He says he would also like to see I\Ir. Crane's expression after he had made some test of the comb itself. In regard to the sale of stock, Mr. Ratliff says: "I have no idea who the stockholder is who wrote you a letter. His statement is true that we had orders for more than 40,- 000 combs. A number of wealthy men in IjOS Angeles have made propositions con- cerning the purchase of a controlling inter- est in the concern. Mr. Root has never made the writer a proposition to buy an in- terest in the Company, and likewise the writer has never mentioned any such propo- sition to Mr. Root. We have never sold a beekeeper stock unless we also tooli his order for combs at the same time, and these combs we are glad to say are being delivered to their entire satisfaction. The writer is personally acquainted with Mr. E. R. Root and I do not believe he would say that it is the intention of the Company to sell stock rather than combs." * ' During the past year I have found the use of steam heat in the extracting-house a great success. I use it for melting the cap- pings and for heating the honey and keep- ing it just right so the honey-pump can han- dle it. The steam is led into the cai^ping- melter, the uncapping-tank also, under the extractor, and under the pan that heats the honey for straining, and under the tank that delivers the honey to the pump. All of these five places need no special attention. 1 sin;ply have to keep up the steam out- side under the boiler, and that is easy." — Daniel Danielsen, Morgan County, Colo. "To patch a torn queen-cell, warm a piece of foundation and lay it over the hole. Daub with hot wax along the edges; then dip in wax that has just started to cool and has formed a film on top to about % inch from the point. If short of protectors, dip all cells as above and fasten a nail at the top of each cell and insert in the comb." — J. E. Thompson, Medina County, O. ' ' In the editorial in the May number, on the increase of foul brood, the editor speaks of a 'beeman' who used his hive-tool to dig out diseased brood, and went on to the next hive and dug into healthy brood without cleaning his hive-tool. That remind- ed me of what our county bee inspector did in my yard. In eighteen colonies inspected he found six with European foul brood, and BEES, MEN AND jTHINGS (You may find it here) 1 he never cleaned li is hive - tool (iiice during the (ijieration. It is Ijad enough for a bee m an to make such blun- ders; but when an inspector does it, what should the bee owner do to him?" — F. W. ' ' I avoid mixing frames and supers at extracting time by having a piece of colored chalk handy and drawing a line across the frames and edges of the super close to one end before uncapping. With the next super, I draw the line quarter way, with the third super in the middle, then begin over. If one needs more than three kinds to avoid conlusion, every second set can be marked out with double lines." — Harrison H. Brown, San Juan County, N. M. ' ' I left eight of my colonies in a bee- house last winter; but a small tree fell on it and knocked a few shacks off the roof; and this spring, while I spent sixteen days in the hospital, an old bear went thru the roof and cleaned up the eight hives. He broke the frames in pieces and killed all the bees." — Sherman Craig, Skagit County, Wash. "Dear Mrs. Grace Allen: Did some one ask you of the word ' bee-er ' and 'beerette'! In Japanese language the both of the man and the woman who works with bees is call- ed as 'yo-ho-ka,' equally. W^oman and man is the same human being. Then they must be called the same, or equally, 'bee-er' or * yo-ho-ka.' Is it not sof" — Yasuo Hiiat- suka, Japan. "Every man with whom I come in contact enjoys the M.-A.-O. department. When I was in Washington, Phillips, Demuth, and I had several good laughs over the M.-A.-O articles in the back files of Gleanings, e.sjje- cially Pritchard 's 'Odorless method of han- dling skunks. ' ' ' — Jay Smith. ' ' We have seven out-apiaries, and the younger generation of Dadants, the third in beekeeping on a large scale, assert that a man, with a little occasional help, can take care of a thousand colonies and make it pay." — C. P. Dadant, Editor American Bee Journal, Hamilton, 111. "My bees began to swarm on Easter Sun- day; and as I had no hive I kept them three days and three nights without a hive. I put earth on the ground and then got the bees on the earth, drove four two-foot stakes around them, and spread a sheet over them. ' ' — J. H. Canady, Morgan County, Ind. "Since the fire, honey prospects for the future look great up here. ' ' — J. Krminski, Saint Louis County, Minn. ' ' Our wet spring this year was like that of 1916. We hope it will continue the simi- larity thruout the season, for it was our best ever." — Morley Pettit, Ontario. 454 G I. E A N I N G S IX B E K C U I- T U R E JULV, 1919 J_ York State Association of Beekeepers ' Societies hold a field meeting August 1 at the apiary of Deroj' Taj'lor, Newark, N. Y. They plan to make this the largest one yet held in their State. * * * Professor F. Eric Milieu of the Depart- ment of Apiculture, Iowa State College, has accepted the position of Professor of Bee- keeping and Provincial Apiarist at the On- tario Agricultural College, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. To show the loss to Iowa and the consequent gain to Ontario, we quote a lit- tle tribute from a letter we recently receiv- ed. The letter is not supposed to concern Prof. Millen, but rather the Iowa foul-brood law. It is as follows: ' ' So far, I am much impressed with the result which Mr. Millen is able to secure in Iowa! However, I think Mr. Milieu is a type of man that would get good results with almost any kind of law, and as much credit, perhaps, is due to Mr. Milieu's per- sonality as to the kind of law under which he is working. " We all extend our best wishes to Prof. Millen in his new work. « « * Connecticut has a bill before the House, the purpose of which is to secure for the benefit of the state inspectors a list of bee- keepers, together with the number and lo- cation of their colonies. Each person own- ing one or more hives of bees is required to register annually before the 1st of October. The recording fee is 25 cents. The fine for non-registration is not more than five dol- lars. The beekeepers of St. Louis have recent- ly formed the Mound City Bee Club, which purposes among other things to discourage nail-keg beekeeping, to co-operate with in- spectors, to stimulate honey consumption, to calculate production costs, ' ' and last, but not least, to enable the enthusiasts to meet and get it out of their systems and be there- by no longer a bore to their long-suffering friends who don't care a rap about bees." * * * On May 8 at the State School Building at Delhi, N. Y., was held the first meeting of the Delaware County Beekeepers' Co-opera- tive Association. This was the first county organization of honey-producers that organ- ized in New York State under Article ISA of the Corporation Law. * * * An important field meeting of the Connec- ticut Beekeepers' Association will be held on June 28 at the apiary of George W. Scho- field of Berlin, Conn. Mr. Schofield is re- ]»orted to possess a model apiary, and many will doubtless take this opportunity of visiting it. Lunch will be on the basket plan. The program for the day will be in charge of Prof. Lloyd E. Watson, Apicul- turist at the Connecticut Agricultural Col- lege. * * » At a recent convention of the Fairfield County, Connecticut, Beekeepers ' Associa- tion, President Eoot gave a good address on the food value of honey. Delegates were chosen to the convention to be held at the State College of Agriculture at Storrs, dur- ing the month of August. The Ohio State Beekeepers ' Association hold their annual field meet at Delphos, Aug. 7. The meeting will continue during the day and evening and will be held at the apiaries of Fred Leininger and Sons and J. H. Allimier. A good jirogram is planned and a large crowd expected. The Provincial Department of Agricul- ture at Victoria, B. C, states that the hon- ey production in the province of British Co- lumbia for 1918 approximated 225 tons. It is stated that this production is essentially a side line, and that the professional apiar- ist is practically non-existent in the fur- thest west Canadian province; but the pros- pect for bigger things in beekeeping there is in sight. * « * Two short courses in the elements of api- culture will be given in Los Gates, Calif., June 17-July .'5, July 7-July 18, by Prof. Will C. Steinbrunn, at the Montezuma Mountain School. Special care will be given to the manual part of the course (hive-building and other shop work), and queen-rearing Avill also be demonstrated. Six apiaries will be at the disposition of the class. (See page 429 and also the cover.) The Imjierial Valley Honey Producers ' Association has purchased a warehouse at El Ceutro and will ship the honey of members of the organization. Imperial County now has about 18,000 colonies of bees. At this season little honey is being taken from the colonies, but they will average 80 pounds each during the year, nuiking the annual jn-oductiou about 1,440,000 pounds. John H. Rosser of Queensland, Australia, of the Australian Expeditionary Forces in France, visited us recently. He is a young enthusiastic beekeeper now touring the United States on a motorcycle, visitihg July, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 4S6 many of the coiiimeioial beekeepers between New York and San Francisco. From Saii Francisco he will sail for Australia in the fore part of August in order to be present at the beginning of the honey season there, whore he will take up his pre-war work as a beekeeper. » # » Charles B. Justice, Secretary-Treasurer of the National Beekeepers' Association, gives the policy and aims of the Association as follows: ' ' The new object of the National Bee- keepers ' Association is that it may become an affiliation to all State, county, or district co-operative marketing honey exchanges and associations thruout the United States, and that the affiliation shall have only regula- tory powers. In other words, each district or State exchange or association will handle its own business as a complete entity within itself, and it should be incorporated on a firm contract holding its members together and developing the standards of quality, grading, and manner of packing and selling its products; and its membership in the Na- tional Beekeepers ' Association should be by delegate properly accredited with the power and authority of the exchange or association sending such delegate, with the idea that the combined strength of all the State or district exchanges supporting the member- ship of the National would be sufficient to bring success to its efforts and determina- tion." At the 49th annual convention of the Na- tional Beekeepers ' Association held in Chi- cago on Feb. 19, a resolution was adopted that the secretary of the Association be di- rected to invite representatives of all or- ganizations of beekeepers, teachers of bee- keeping, and members of the allied trades, to meet at Kansas City, Mo., in January, 1920, for the purpose of formulating and adopting a plan and constitution for the National Association. Mr. Justice says it is hoped that the Na- tional may render valuable service to bee- keepers in a national way, may increase the consumption of honey, secure national and State recognition and assistance thru edu- cation, appropriation for extension work, and wise laws protecting the purity of hon- ey, and safeguarding the beekeeper in his work of production. Mr. Justice believes that each district where honey is produced should be organized into strong marketing associations or ex- changes. Tho the members of an association may themselves sell most of their honey, locally if preferred, they will always be able to dispose of any possible surplus by means of the exchange. He says all legitimate dealers and handlers of honey everywhere will welcome co-operation among the pro- ducers, since they know this will result in better grading and better containers, and will keep chunk honey off the market. To all officials of exchanges representing 1,000 or more colonies, Mr. Justice will be glad to render any possible service in ex- plaining the benefits of organization. His address is 318 L. A. Investment Building, Los Angeles, Cal. « * « On May 26, a representative of Gleanings in Bee Culture attended the hearing of the Consolidated Classification Committee Dock- et No. 1 in the interests of producers and shippers in general. We give the matter of classification of honey, comb and strained, as per commit- tee's subject No. 36. In view of the fact that the hearing was had at the time the proposed consolidated classification was issued on various com- modities, among which was honey, the Con- solidated Classification Committee refused to hear arguments other than those which pertained to changes proposed in docket No. 1 as applicable in southern classification ter- ritory, because the original advances, as pro- posed by the consolidated classification No. 1 which embodies the question of honey in tins L.C. L. western territory, are now before the Inster-state Commerce Commission, and that body has not as yet rendered decision. With reference to the proposal to increase rates on honey in bulk in barrels L. C. L. in Southern territory from fourth to third class, we presented arguments vigorously protest- ing this advance and were advised by the Consolidated Committee that our testimony would be given due consideration before they permitted the increase to become effec- tive. We feel that their decision will be favorable. There was considerable discussion on the question of proper containers for shipping honey in bulk. The fact was brought out that handlers of honey in the South have been using gum and cypress barrels some of which were of poor quality. The result has been that a good many claims have resulted from this method of packing, which brought about the proposed change in classification as per docket No. 1. It was felt that if these barrels were used and a limit placed on the size; also, specifi- cations provided as to the construction, such as width of staves, and number of hoops, lining with paraffin, the loss and damage feature could to a great extent be overcome. Evidence presented seemed to indicate that hardwood barrels, with not less than six to eight hoops according to the size of the barrel, afforded sufficient protection to permit the transportation of honey (with reasonable handling by transportation lines) without loss sufficient to warrant the pro- posed raise in rates. The Inter-state Commerce Commission 's Decision bearing on the subject of honey in tins L. C. L. Western Classification in ICC Docket No. 10204 when rendered will appear in the columns of this paper. * * * A quarterly bee journal, ' ' The California Honey Bowl, ' ' has just been launched at Riverside, Calif. The editor is E. J. Atchley. (il.KANINGS IN BER f'ULTrRK .Tri.v, 1919 HE THE hi V c LJ large " is given unusu- al prominence in the April Apicul- tural Journal, three articles and an editorial appearing on the subject. Both the American Bee Journal and Gleanings are quoted at some length, and H. M. HoUoway, speaking of his own experience, says: "For a good locality that will carry, say, 150 or 200 colonies or more in a good season, give me a twelve- or thirteen-frame hive, and, of course, the best queens I can get to fill them with busy workers." In an editorial we find the following: "In America, that land of rapid apicul- tural progress, the eight-frame was original- ly almost universally used, but recently the ten-frame has becoine more popular, and now there is a decided tendency among many prominent honey-producers to advance to the thirteen-frame square hive. This is just in line with our experience here. Between twen,ty and thirty years ago we tried the eight-frame extensively, but dropped it en- tirely in favor of the ten-frame, then we went further and tried the twelve-frame hive, Avhich we liked very much." * * * LIFE OF EUGENE SECOR. The writer is one of the many who feel how much gentleness of soul, how^ much fraternal affection and sincere friendship, how much goodness and poetry, have gone out of the world. Eugene Secor is dead. His ability called him to leadership in many lines in which his activities were put forth. Thoroness w^as characteristic of all that he did; and the spirit of advancement and progress guided him in every stage of his career, bringing him at last to a place where he stood as a recognized authority upon many questions that had to do with the material resources of the State. * * * For the past forty years he was widely known as a bee culturist, winning a world- wide reputation in this connection. Such is his standing in this line that in 1893 he was appointed the sole expert apiarian for the World's Columbian Exposition at Chi- cago— a fact indicative of his wide study and knowledge of the subject. He was a member of the North American Beekeepers ' Association, of which he was at one time Ijresident, while for seven years he was its general manager and treasurer. He was a regular contributor to various agricultural and technical journals on subjects relating to bees and other i)hases of country life, and his opinions have become accepted as au- thority. He possessed considerable literary taste and talent and was widely known by his writings in the daily press and in his works issued in printed form. The writer knows THE BEST FROM OTHERS lona Fowls 3 not a line which, dying, he would have wished to blot. This world and this c o m - munity are bet- ter for the life that Eugene Se- cor lived. — Win- nebago Eepublican (May) SWABM COXTROL FOR COMBHONEY PRODUCERS. ' ' Control of swarming with comb honey ' ' is discussed by Dr. C. C. Miller in the June American Bee Journal. He says some swarm-control measures are much the same in the production of comb honey as in the production of extracted. Among such he mentions shade, large brood-chambers, wide spacing, and supi^ression of drones. As re- gards ventilation, he says the case is differ- ent. Altlio comb-honey colonies also need ventilation to prevent their swarming, care must be taken in providing it. The entrance may be large, and the hive raised by insert- ing blocks at the corners between the brood- chamber and bottom-board, or there may be a two-inch-deep bottom-board with a bot- tom rack to prevent the bees from building comb under the frames. But if any opening is given above the brood-chamber, the cooler air will interfere somewhat with storing and very much with sealing. However, Dr. Miller considers ventilation above so important that he believes the good resulting from it overbalances the harm. Therefore he advises that the super be shoved forward, leaving a quarter-inch space between the brood-chamber and super. The sections nearest the opening and imme- diately above may not be sealed as soon; yet in very hot weather they may be. He vrould not ventilate between supers, but has tried top ventilation with an opening in the middle of the cover and a %-inch space be- tween the upper and outer covers, and thinks such ventilation might, perhaps, be worth while. He suggests an examination for queen- cells every ten days, destroying them when- ever found if they contain only eggs and young larvaj; but if further advanced he advises shaking (that is, removing all but one comb of brood) or taking away some bees with the hive of brood and making in- crease; or if one desires the largest possible working force on the old stand he may cage the queen in the brood-chamber for ten days, or take her with two frames of brood and adhering bees and make a nucleus, re- turning her at the end of ten days, or, bet- ter still, giving a young queen at that time. * * * DANGEROUS TO TEMPORIZE WITH FOUL BROOD. In speaking of the treatment of combs from foul-brood colonies, A. F. Atwater, in the Domestic Beekeeper for June 1, says that Thos. Chantry of Wellington, Utah, makes a practice of washing such combs July, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE showing no disoaso, and using them again. He reports, also, tliat two neighbors have tried this with ''sometimes but little re- currence of disease, and sometimes consider- able." He brings up the question because he understood Mr. Townsend had been suc- cessful in cutting out foul-brood cells. E. D. Townsend replies that the cells he cut out were in extracting-supers and not in the brood-chamber, and that they were not cells showing disease but simply cells that had been bred in. Those combs above an excluder that have never been bred in, he extracts from and then returns to the same colony to be cleaned, ' ' the theory be- ing that any spores of American foul brood not removed by the bees in this cleaning process soon lose their vitality and are harmless.'' [We wonder! — Editor.] Old brood-combs with several layers of cocoons saturated with diseased honey he believes to be a source of danger, and there- fore renders them into wax. He does not recommend cutting out foul-brood cells, but only in removing cells with cocoon walls from combs useil in supers. He says: "A colony containing but a single diseased cell is consigned to the wax barrel. It is the cheaper way than to run any risk." [We ourselves have washed out super combs from foul-brood colonies, and used them again; Ijut we do not recommend it. In fact, we do not advise temporizing with ^'oul brood at all, but, rather, to get rid o+' it as soon as jjossible. Our reason for quot- ing from this article is because Mr. Town- send makes a valuable point in saying that if one uses extrac ting-combs from foul- brood colonies, he should be certain that no cell is left above that has ever contained brood. — Editor.] « * * HANDY DEVICE \VHEN MOVIXG BEES. Preparing bees for moving has always been to me the bugbear of migratory bee-, keeping. Andrews Brothers, who had an apiary near Glendora last season, have sim- plified this task very materially by using clasps for fastening supers to hive bodies. The screens are fastened on in the same manner. These clasps are made of galvaniz- ed iron. One end is fastened to the hive body with a screw. The other end con- tains a slot which hooks over a screw set in the super. Four clasps are used on each hive body. When hives are equipped with these clasps, instead of spending a whole day preparing a truck load for moving, the job is finished in a few minutes. — Levi J. Kay, Western Honeybee (May). * * * PRICE OF HONEY. From the tone of reports, beekeepers are going to insist that they get a good price for their honey; and if they co-operate properly, and do not throw large quantities of honey upon the market regardless of price, it is possible that the price can be maintained at a fairly high level. With sugar selling at from 11 to 13 cents a pound. there is no reason why honey should drop very much. Other food commodities have dropped very little, and in many instances have advanced. * * * It is, however, a peculiar condition just at present, and very likely the beekeepers themselves will have more to do with the honey prices during the coming year than ever before. — M. G. Da- dant, American Bee Journal (June). * * X RKQIIEENING LA VING-WORKER COLONY. To requeen a laying-worker colony, H. D. Murry, as stated in the May Beekeeper 's Item, removes three frames from the side of the hive and introduces in the vacant space a two-frame nucleus with an empty comb or sheet of foundation between the nucleus and the laying workers. When re- queening cross colonies he sometimes uses a nucleus in this way, and sometimes places the nucleus in a super above the colony to be requeened, a newspaper intervening. * * * WHY NOT RAISE A LITTLE COMB HONEY? There will always be a certain demand for comb honey on the part of a consuming class that does not care for it in the ex- tracted form. It is far wiser, therefore, to meet this demand, thus lessening the quan- tity of extracted honey matei'ially and pvo- viding an opportunity for a better price for a more limited supply of this form of honey. Yes, we too believe it will be a good idea to put on a few comb-honey supers. — Louis H. Scholl, in May Beekeeper's Item. * * * SHIPPING HINTS. Some shipping hints are given by I. B. Saunders in the May Beekeeper's Item. 11-^ says 75 per cent of the 60-pound cans they receive have only one handle. Much stronger handles should be used. Also greater care should be taken not to drive nails into the cans nor use cases with pro- jecting nails that might wear a hole in a can. .In a dry year or in cool weather, the extracted honey put with comb honey, he says, should be heated. He also gives the good advice that cans should not be left un- covered, since foreign matter is certain to get into the honey. * * * DECOV HIVES ILLEGAL. Riverside County, always in the front where the interests of beekeepers are con- cerned, has passed an ordinance forbidding putting up decoy hives in trees along the highways or on any public property. — West- ern Honeybee (May). '* * * The California Exchange's purchases of cans and cases for 1919, says the May West- ern Honeybee, will make up two large train- loads of cans and one trainload of cases, worth about $180,000. * * -x- There is money in l>ees; Init to get it out of them it often needs a skillful man." — Apicultural Journal (April). c 458 QUESTION. — I am a bee- keeper on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Hon- ey is worth here $1.00 a gallon, and wax $1.12 a pound, U. S. currency. How should I work my bees to get a maximum of wax and limit the production of honey? Mexico. Henry Knabe. Answer. — We have never tried raising any great quantity of wax, and therefore we do not feel competent to answer your question. We remember one, W. J. Hughes of Yuma, Ariz., in 1917 more than doubled the output of wax; but the amount he secured was probably too small to interest you. At the beginning of the honey flow he confined the queens, by excluders, to the lower stories, and in the two supers above the excluders he placed from six to nine empty frames, the frames being interspersed among those hav- ing combs. As soon as the frames were filled with comb and honey he cut them out and dropped them into the cappings-box. At the close of the day's work the combs were thoroly crushed and chopped with a shovel, and the next day run thru the capping-melter. The results did not come up to his expecta- tions; for at the close of the season he found that he had 2% pounds of wax for each 100 pounds of honey, whereas one has ordinarily 1 pound of wax to each 100 jjounds of honey. You, doubtless, had in mind the raising of a much greater amount of wax than this. Still, under these conditions Mr. Hughes felt that the practice had paid him, since he be- lieves there was less swarming than there would have been had the frames all been filled with combs. He said, however, that during an exceedingly hot time some of his combs fell down from the frames because they were not wired, and the result was that several of his best colonies were destroyed. Questions. — (1) How many colonies can one man keep? (2) How soon could a person build up about 200 to 300 colonies from about ten swarms? (3) Has the bee business any future? (4) What amount of land is required to start a good-sized api- ary ? (5) Would you recommend getting a job in a large apiary ? • Elmer Schutte. Illinois. Answers. — (1) For a beginner we would not advise more than three or four colonies. These may be gradually increased as fast as experience is gained, until one has per- haps 300 or 400. If more colonies are de- sired, it will be necessary to have helpers. According to some authorities twice the number could be managed in certain locali- ties with help only now and then. (2) It would be possible for an experienced bee- keeper to build up from ten colonies to 300 in three years; but an inexperienced per- son would not be able to do this. In fact, he might not have more than 30 colonies, or even less than the number he started with. (3) Yes. But this does not mean that any man who takes it up can make a success of GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE GLEANED by ASKING lona Fowls LJ 1 July, 1919 it. (See page 427 of this issue.) (4) One does not need to own land in order to start an apiary. It is easy to find some farmer who will be will- ing, for a nomi- nal rental, to allow one to place his colonies in the orchard. (5) Yes, it would be a good jjlan to work for some beekeeper until you have gained a little experience. Questions. — (1) I have been reading Mr. Somer- ford's method of forming nuclei, and am troubled to reconcile his tightly packing with grass, etc., on account of the statements on page 751 of the ABC book relative to smothering the bees so easily, and in so short a time, by closing their door. (2) In May Gleanings, Miss Fowls, page 327, suggests that frames of eggs and larvEe from the lower story of the brood-chamber be placed in the upper one, re- placing them with empty combs or foundation. This transfer could not be made with my equipment, since the brood-chamber is so much deeper than my supers. What other apparatus would I need, then, in the way of a second story? (3) Is an ordinary super ever used as a second-story brood-chamber ? Georgia. W. A. Northrup. Answers. — (1) Usually a small nucleus may have its entrance closed for a short time with grass; but during very warm wea- ther there is danger of smothering the bees by shutting them in so closely that it is im- possible for them to escape. The reason so many have used the Somerford plan with success is because the nuclei were so small. (2) If the supers were shallow it would be impossible to move the frames of eggs and . larvae to the second story unless one removed the center frames from two shallow supers and hung the deep combs in the space thus left vacant — a very awkward arrangement, however, and we do not recommend it. The remedy for this would be to have one deep super for each hive; for even those beekeep- ers who prefer shallow extracting-supers often provide themselves with one deep su- per for each hive, to use at the time of swarming. (3) Yes, the ordinary deep su- per has exactly the same dimensions as the lower brood-chamber. Questions. — (1) I have read a great deal about placing frames of brood and adhering, bees in oth- er hives. Why are the bees not killed? Is it be- cause they are young? (2) Is there any danger, when picking up queens, that, upon placing them back on the frame, they will be balled? (3) What is the lowest temperature at which brood may be safely exposed and the greatest length of time of exposure? (4) With reference to the Alexander method of dividing, why do not bees left with brood return to their old location? Are they only young bees? Does brood at its latter stage make enough heat for it to finish growth and emerge of itself, or must it be kept warm until the very last day by attendant bees? Arthur M. Cole. New York. Answers. — (1) When bees are placed in the hive of another colony by simply re- moving entire frames of brood with the adhering bees, altho those bees have a some- JlLY, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 459 wliat different odor from that of the colony in -whieli they are placed, still they act quite naturally. In fact, many of them do not realize that anything has happened if the work is done carefully. Usually when fighting occurs the bees have been excited, and this helps to bring on the trouble. If a frame of young bees was taken, there would be no danger from fighting. When the frame is taken from the hive, and gent- ly shaken, only the young bees are left on the comb, which may then be inserted in the other. hive. (2) Bees would seldom ball the queen because she was picked up in the hand, and yet they would be more apt to do so than if she were not touched. Doubtless the hands change her odor somewhat. (3) When frames are handled, the bees cover the brood so that the temperature may be higher than that of the surrounding air; but we can not say as to the exact length of time required to chill the brood. How- ever, the brood should not be handled at a temperature lower than 60 degrees Fahren- heit, and even then we would not leave it exposed longer than necessary. (4) When the brood is moved to a new location, some of the bees do return to the old stand, but these are the old bees. All of the young- ones stay with the brood; and since they have never flown from the old hive they will always return to the new location. You see, by the time t^ie brood is moved to the new location it is all sealed, and is, therefore, easier for the bees to keep warm. There is quite a little heat in the capped brood, but not enough, without the presence of bees, TUiless. of course, one were to put the brood into a room at a temperature of about 90 de- grees. Question. — Can you tell one how to distinguish swarming-cells from .supersedure cells ? England. W. B. Wallace. Answer. — In case of swarming, colonies usually build many moi'e queen-cells than when su})erseding their queen. Fui-thermore, if the brood is carefully examined, one will note that in case of supersedure there is not nearly so much brood; and he will often notice, from the scattering way in which it is i>laced, that the queen is apparently fail- ing. Sometimes colonies start out with the apparent intention of superseding but end by swarming. Supersedure cells are general- ly more uniform in size than swarming cells. Question.s. — (1) After the middle of April I put all weak colonies over strong" ones (according to the Ale.xander plan), and, due to rush of work, I have not used many excluders, letting the queen have access to 25 combs. She invariably goes above, but is crowded down as the super is filled with honey — sometimes entirely so. I believe I do not get as much honey this way, and theire is the trouble of hav- ing brood in the super. These cordbs containing brood and honey are left on the hives and filled with a later honey. I mark these combs and reserve them for winter stores. (2) Referring to the swarm control you practice, why is it nece.ssary to tear out any cells in the top hive ? I have frequently raised brood above an excluder, and had the bees develop cells to which I have never paid any attention. In fact, I should liavc never known that cells were there by any results. (3) Why would it not be perfectly practical to allow the queen to mate from the top hive. (1) What is a desirable method or tlie most up-to-date jiractice of heating honey in the combs for extracting. A. W. Fleming. New York. Answers. — (1) In the method you have been using, do you not think that you would like it better to put the queen in the lower story below a queen-excluder after the dan- ger of swarming is over? In that case, as soon as the brood above the excluder hatch- es, the bees would fill the cells with honey, and you would, therefore, overcome the ob- jection to which you refer. (2) We should not like the plan of allowing queen-cells to hatch above an excluder when there was no upper entrance, since when handling the colonies these virgins might get into the lower story quite easily. More than this, we have had reports of such queens passing thru the excluder and leading out a swarm. If we did not tear down cells in that upper story, then if several colonies were treated the same day they would require attention again before our next trip, for we plan to visit our apiaries every seven or eight days. More than this, if we tear down the capped queen-cells, and again at the end of seven or eight days tear down all but one queen - cell, we then know that it is impossible for the bees to raise another in that story, since the brood will then be all sealed. (3) If a small entrance is left at the upper story, it is quite practical to mate the queen from above. This is when several supers inter- vene between the lower and upper brood- chambers. We do not think you will like the plan after the honey flow stops, how- ever. (4) It has been pretty well proved that it does not pay to warm combs except as the whole room is warmed. In many ex- tracting-houses they build a fire or have an oil stove, or sometliing of that kind, to raise the temperature of the room for a few hours before extracting. It is impractical to attempt to heat two or three supers of combs by putting them for a short time in a high temperature, for there is danger of melting the combs. The safest way, there- fore, is to raise the temperature of the room to a pointj say, between SO and 90 degrees for a few hours. The honey is then thin enough for extracting, straining, etc. Questions. — (1) Miss Fowls, in the Beginners' Lessons, tells what to do " when the bees are bring- ing in nectar." I w^ant somebody to tell me how one is to know when nectar is coming in. Are they always bringing in nectar when their baskets are laden with pollen? (2) Please let me know the prevention or cure for the cockroach pest in hive.s. W. N. Northrup. Georgia. Answers. — (1) Bees sometimes bring in honey and pollen at the same time, but they may bring in either load without the other. When bees begin bringing in honey they do not fly as lightly; also, there is a busier kind of humming which you will soon learn. The bees are a!so better-natured, and not in- clined to rob; and when the hive is opened 460 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Jlly. 1919 unsealed honey will be noticed that will spill out of the combs quite readily. This is the nectar that has not yet been completely changed into honey. (2) We have known cockroaches to enter hives; and yet, if the colonies are kept strong, we have never known them to do any special harm. Question. — Today one of my colonies swarmed, and all settled on the ground and on the leg of the chair holding the hive, and started to go back into the old hive. A lot went back, and then I got a new hive and set it there and took a large spoon and took the cluster off the leg and put it on the top of the frames. I found the queen in one spoonful. I put her on the top, and she went in. Then I put the lid on and all the rest that were on the chair and ground went into the new hive; but none which returned to the old hive afterward went into the new hive. Did I do right? or should I have allowed tbem all to go back into the old hive? I believe they would have done so, for they were going back as rapidly as they could. Miss Laura Keel. Nebraska. Answer. — Your method of hiving bees was all right, only that it should have been ap- plied a little sooner — before the bees had begun retiring to the old hive. If you find that there are not nearly enough bees in the new hive, it wou^d be a good plan to take several frames with the adhering bees from the old hive and gently shake the bees from them in front of the new hive. If they are not shaken hard, only the older bees will fall off, leaving the young ones which should be returned with the frames to the old hive. In doing this, care should be taken not to get the frame having the queen-cell from which they are to raise their new queen; for if this comb is shaken, the queen will probably not hatch. Questions.- — (1) Last Sunday one of my colonies swarmed while I was gone, and a man tried to put them into an old box. On my return I asked him whether he thought it proper to hive those bees since they were on my own lot, and only 30 feet from the hive. He said that as long as I had not forbidden him on the ground he had a right to trespass. Now, had this man a right to trespass, and hive those bees on my premises? (2) Have I a right to go to my neighbor's orchard, without asking him, and hive a swarm of bees that left my apiary? (3) How can I see the queen when hiving? Indiana. Chas. J. Maurer. Answers. — (1) If the man followed those bees from his own hive to your land he would own the bees, but he would have no legal right to touch them. Of course, if they came from your own hives he had still less right on the land. (2) According to law, if your own colony left the hive and went to a neighbor 's orchard the colony would still be yours; but in order to hive the swarm and take it home it would be necessary to get permission from the owner of the orchard. As a matter of fact, how- ever, there is not one person in a hundred that would think of objecting to allowing a man to hive his own swarm of bees, even if the swarm did happen to be trespassing at the time. (3) It is not necessary to see the queen when hiving a cluster of bees. The only time it is necessary to see the queen when hiving is when she has clipped . wings and is not able to join the cluster. In this case she will doubtless be found crawling in the grass in front of the hive. Question. — I had a colony of bees in a box hive, and I wanted to transfer them into standard hives. So I put a standard hive on top of the box hive with full sheets of foundation in it, and then drum- med the bees up into it. When I got the queen up I put an excluder between so she could not get back down. In two or three days I looked at them, and all the bees were back down, and the queen was on the excluder dead. What was wrong? Indiana. W. Crumrine. Answer. — The plan you used would have been successful if j'ou had only left one frame with a little unsealed brood at)ove. If this had been done the bees would not have deserted the upper story. ANSWERS BY DR. C. C. MILLER. Questions. — (1) If queen mailing cages are bought with candv in them, will the candy remain good until the following year? (2) If the brood- chamber is full of capped sugar syrup, will they carry any of it up into the supers when they are bringing in nectar ? and will they carry it up when they are enlarging the brood-nest? (3) Do you think it is a good idea to get the small honey-boxes built out with sugar syrup so that thev will be all ready when the nectar comes in ? C. C. Mackey. New York. Answers. — (1) Not so good. It is likely to be too dry; but if kept for a time in a moist place — perhaps a steamy place — it might be all right. (2) Bringing in nectar would not send the syrup into the supers; enlarging the brood-nest might. It is well to be at least very careful about such things. (3)1 do not believe it would do at all. You cannot get comb built out without having something stored in it, and you certainly do not want any syrup stored in your sections. ANSWERS BY H. H. ROOT. Questions. — '(1) I am thinking of building some- thing like the Bartlott-Miller capping-melter, and should like to know about how large to make it. I had tliought of miking the melter with half-inch tubes along the top. The object of the small tubes is to let the honey escape without having to travel very far and bei'nming discolored by being heated too long, and ge'ting hotter than necessary. I should like your advice as to small tubes. There may be some objection that does not appear al first sight? (2) Would brass tubes be apt to in- jure the honey? (3) What should be the distance letween the tubes? C. E. Andrews. Nevada. Answers. — (1) I would hardly care to en- courage one in making a capping-melter on the Bartlett-Miller principle. Small tubes have been abandoned by several who have tried them. Mr. Bartlett-Miller himself found that they were not satisfactory. They soon fill up with propolis, and bits of cocoons slide off with the cappings. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to melt the cappings as fast as they drop down from the knife on steam-heated tubes as small as these. In spite of all one can do, he will overload the tubes unless he has an extremely large sur- face, say a melter several feet long, which would be impractical. (2) Brass tubes would be very apt to discolor both the honey and the wax. (3) The tubes can not be much further apart than 3/16 of an inch, else the (aiipings will fall thru unmelted. .Iri.v. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 461 \\/ and c TALKS TO By H. lur HILE .luly d All tr- ust the dead of win- ter in Australia, and New Zea- land, for the ma- jority of bee- keepers in the the northern I'art of the United States and in Canada these months tell the story of the year. The time of the honey harvest is the culmination of the beekeeper's hopes, the realization of his ambitions, and the climax of his efforts. Frequently the secret of the difference between success and failure lies in the at- tention paid to small details. How often is the fruit within our very grasp and we stum- ble in the grasping of it. In Jun^e the comb-honey producer has had his hands more than full in keeping the l)ees contentedly at work in the sections and curbing their feverish desire to swarm. Swarms there will be in a comb-honey yard. A beginner need not be discouraged if he has considerable swarming, for the most experienced comb-honey producer, in some years at least, can not absolutely control the bees' desire. Queen-excluders Unnecessary for Comb Honey. Fortunately, few queens show much ten- dency to enter comb-honey supers or to lay BEGINNERS H. Root 1 lU Extractor and btiainiii eggs in the sections. The section is abnor- mally small for a brood-comb, and the queen seems to realize this, hence the comb-honey producer as a rule does not need to use a queen-excluder between his brood-chamber and the supers. An occasional queen may show a tendency to go above, but it is better to replace that one queen than go to the expense of using excluders on all the colonies in the apiary. Pollen in Sections. Occasionally quite a few sections, other- wise perfect, are ruined for market by the presence of cells of pollen. If there is plen- ty of brood to use up the pollen and if the bees have plenty of room for the storage of pollen in the brood-combs, they are not so likely to store it in the sections, for they prefer it as close to the brood as possible. But if, thru neglect or mismanagement, the bees have been storing a rush of honey in the brood-combs, thus limiting the space for brood-rearing and leaving no place for stor- ing pollen close to the brood, some of the pollen inevitably goes into the sections. Such sections had better be sold locally, possibly to friends or neighbors to whom the pres- ence of the pollen can be explained. When to Take oflf Comb-honey Supers. It is rarely wise except at the end of the season to wait until the last section is com- pletely capped over. Better get the supers off when the sections are completely finished with the exception of two or three at each side. These can be placed as "baits" in the next super to go on. Eemember that the sooner a section of comb honey is taken off the hive after it is completely sealed over, the whiter and nicer it will be. If left on too long it becomes what is called "travel stained." Especially is this true when the honey flow ceases. The bees seem to take peculiar delight in walking all over the comb honey and in depositing more or less propolis here and there, giving it an unin- viting varnished look. The Bee Escape-board. The beginner had better use a bee-escape to get the bees out of comb-honey supers. True, they may be smoked out, or jarred or shaken out, but the bees when rudely dis- turbed are more likely to uncap some of the sections. Therefore, the more quietly they can be got down off the honey the better. Moreover, in trying to jar or shake bees out of a super there is always some danger of starting robbing. Always put the finish- ed super on top of the others, then slide the bee-escape under it. In this way the bees will not be trapped out of the unfinished supers. A fresh super of sections filled with foundation may be put on before a finished one is removed, except of course at the last of the season. Taking Extracted Honey. The escape-board is not absolutely neces- sary in freeing extracting combs of bees, altho the new ventilated type of escape- 462 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 board, with generous space each side of the escape covered by wire screen, is far better than the old solid escape-board. Therefore extraeted-honey producers are more and more coming to use the bee-escape. If slip- ped under full supers in the afternoon, by Most l>eekeepers uncap beginning at the bottom and cutting up, the cappings hanging clear of the un- capped surface because the top of the comb is tilted forward gradually as the knife moves up. The cap- pings in the barred should be frequently stirred and punched with a stick to facilitate draining. the next day the combs may be taken out with hardly any bees on them. No fuss, no uproar, no stinging. If the bee-escape is not used each comb may be given a sharp shake or two in front of the hive, the bees falling down on the alighting-board, then each side of the comb given a quick brushing before placing the frame in the specially prepared carrying box, preferably on a wheelbarrow. (It is necessary to work fast to avoid robbing.) Combs should not be extracted that are not at least three-fourths sealed over. The bees can do the ripening of the honey cheaper and better than man can possibly do it by any artificial methods. There is nothing to be gained and everything to be lost by ex- tracting green, unripe honey, which in all probability will ferment before it reaches the consumer, thus killing future sales and injuring the honey industry generally. It is not a good plan ordinarily to take the honey off the hive one daj' and extract the next. The sooner the honey is extracted after the bees are off the combs, the better, for being thin by reason of its higher tem- perature it extracts easier and strains faster. Here lies the most important advantage of the ventilated escape-board. The honey above the escape is subject to the high tem- perature of the hive, and does not cool off as it does when a solid board is used. The Arrangement of the Equipment. An expert may extract honey with an in- adequate equipment and do tolerably good work, but a beginner should not attempt ex- tracting _until everything is convenient. Even the expert learns that time spent in making adequate preparation saves money in the end. The extractor must be solidly anchored. There is no greater nuisance than that of trying to use an extractor that wobbles all around. If conditions are such that the ex- tracting is done in a two-story building, the upjier story of which is on a level with the beeyard, and the lower story on the level with a driveway, that is ideal. The extractor may then be placed directly on the floor, the gate standing over an opening leading into a tank in the room below. A honey-pump is the cheapest substitute for such an ideal condition, where the natu- ral surroundings pre\'ent any such arrange- ment; but the pump itself is not to be con- sidered for a hand-driven extractor. There- fore, we will consider the equipment for the beginner who has neither of these ideal con- ditions. The extractor should be secured to a solid box of such a height as to permit a galvaniz- ed pail to be placed under the gate. There should be a tin tray about eighteen inches square and two inches deep for the pail to stand in, so that, if by chance the pail runs over, the honey will be caught. It is easier to empty the tray than to mop the floor. However, never leave the extractor gate o^jen while the extracting is going on. The pail will run over, sure as fate. Wait until the level of the honey has nearly reached the lower bearings of the extractor, place the pail under the gate and jerk the handle wide open; the full stream will quickly fill the pail, which can then be emptied into the straining can, the gate always remaining closed except when the pail is being filled. Between the extractor and the door should stand the uncapping apparatus. A cheap cracker barrel with both heads knocked out, with a quarter-inch mesh screen nailed on the lower end makes an excellent un- capping can. A cleat nailed on each side of the barrel about four inches from the lower end will support it in a galvanized tub. A narrow board should be nailed across the top of the barrel with a projecting nail point in the center on which to rest the end- bar of the frame while uncapping the comb. Such barrels are cheap and several of them can be ])re])aied in advance at very small {Continued on page 474.; July, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE M A Y the Lord in his great mercy bring to your hearts this message that I am dictating- to you on this 2d day of June, 1919. At differ- ent times recent- ly I have been thinking that, before long I shall probably dictate my last Home paper; but rest assured, dear friends, that, as long as I have life and strength, this department of our journal shall be kept uj). Just now there is a series of articles appearing in the Sunday School Times, entitled " How Lawyer Scofleld was Won to Christ," by my good friend Charles G. Trumbull. Well, in the issue for May 17, Mr. Trumbull writes as follows: Shortly before this chapter of the Life Story went to press, the writer received a letter from Dr. Scho- field that he gladly incorporates here, so that many may rejoice in the marvel of its testimony. After the above, the letter was given; but I have space to put in only the con- cluding earnest appeal to his long-time friend Mr. Trumbull, as below : And — oh ! Trumbull, put it into the story, put it big and plain: instantly the chains were broken never to be forged again — the passion for drink was taken away. Put it " Instantly," dear Trumbull. Make it plain. Don't say, " He strove with his drink-sin and came off the victor." He did nothing of the kind. Divine power did it, wholly of grace. To Christ be all the glory. C. I. Scofield. OUR HOMES A. I. ROOT He lirought ine up also out of a horrible pit, . No. 3, Vinctnnes, Ind. Well-bred bees and queens. Hives and supplies. J. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. Hardy Italian queens; one, $1.00; 10, $8.00. W. Gr. Lauver, Middletown, Pa. FOR SALE. — 1919 Golden Italian queens, price list free. Write E. E. Lawrence, Doniphan, Mo. Queens on approval. Bees by package or colony. A. M. Applegate, Reynoldsville, Pa. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each, si.x for $.5.00. E. A. Simmons, Greenville, Ala. FOR SALE. — 100 colonies of bees in up-to-date liives. .T. N. Tull, Kenton, Tenn. FOR SALE. — 300 colonies Italian bees, cash or trade. Fred Alger, Waukau, Wis. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens, untested, $1.00 each; tested, $2.00. ,r. F. Michael, Winchester, Ind. PHELPS' GOLDEN QUEENS will please you. Mated, $2.00. Trv one and vou will be convinced. C. W. Phelps & Son," Binghamton, N. Y. THREE-BAND Italians only. Untested queens, $1.2,5; 6. $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50. $40.00; 100, $75.00. H. G. Dunn. The Willows, San Jose, Calif. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from May 15th to Oct. 15th; 10 or more. $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwichfown, Conn. FOR SALE. — Indianola Apiary offers Italian bees and) queens; tested, $1.50; untested, $1.00. J. W. Sherman, Valdosta, Ga. When it's GOLDEN it's Phelps'. Tw one and be convinced. Virgins. $1.00: mated. $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens ready April 15; $1.00 each: $10.00 per dozen. W. W. Talley, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR S.VLE. — Three-banded Italian queens, un- tested only, one, Sl.SO: six. $8.50; dozen. $16.00. P. C. Chadwick, 725 E. High Ave., Redlands, Calif. FOR S.4LE. — 3-band and Golden queens and nu- cleus. Queens, 1. $1.50: 6, $7.50. Allen R. Simmons, Claverack, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Italian bees in li^-story 8-frame Massive fnd dovetniled hives. $8.00 each. Thos. M. Keller, Dongola, Ills., R. F. D. No. 3. Italian queens of " Windmere " for sale. Untest- ed. $1.00: tested. .$2.00 each. Prof. W. A. Matheny, Ohio University, Athens, O. FOR SALE. — Finest three-banded Italian queens, 1 for .$1.25: 6 for $7.00. J. W. Romberger, 3113 Locust St., St. Joseph, Mo. FOR SALE. — 400 colonies, 10-frame, full equip- ment. Out-apiary privileges. Chas. Schilke. Matawan, R. D. No. 2. N. J. T/eather-colored Italian rine°ns, tested, .Tune 1st. $1.50. unte=tpd. $1.2.5 — ^$13.00 n dovpn. A. W. Yates, 15 Chapman St., Hartford, Ct. FOR SAI/E. — Good colonies of bees in ten-frame metal-covered hive« at $8 00. Frank France, Platteville, Wis. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens, untested. 85c: 6 for $4.75: 12 for $9.00. Select untested, $1.00: 6 for $5.50; 12 for $10.00. Tested. $1.25; select tested, $1.50; extra select tested, $2.50. No foul brood. No bees for sale. D. T. Gaster, Randleman, R. F. D. No. 2, N. C. FOR .S.\LK. — Three-banded Italian queens, un- tested, $1.00; $10 a dozen. J. A. Jones & Son, Montgomery, Ala., R. F. D. No. 1, Box 11-A. FOR SALE. — Bright Italian queens at $1.00 each, $10.00 per doz. Ready April 10. Safe arrival guaranteed. T. J. Talley, R. D. No. 4, Greeinville, Ala. FOR SALE. — (Tliree-band Italian queens. Un- t&sted queen, $1.00; six, $5.50; twelve, $10.00. Tested queens, $2.00 each. Robert B. Spicer, Wharton, N. J. FOR SALE. — Italian queens, select, just hatched, 50c; untested. $1.00. Especially safe introduction plan free. Order in advance. •Tames McKee, Riverside, Calif. FOR SALE. — Good Italian queens, tested, $1.50; untested, $1.00; 1-lb. package, $3.00; 2-lb., $5.00; nuclei, 2-frame, $4.00; 3-frame, $5.50. G. W. Moon, 1904 Park Ave., Littler Rock, Ark. FOR SALE. — ^llireerband Italian nueens ready June 1. Untested, each, $1.00; 12, $10.00; 100, $80.00. Satisfaction and safe arrival guaranteed. A. E. Crandall & Sons, Berlin, Conn. FOR SALE. — 'Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees; for gentleness and honey-gathering they are equal to any. Every queen guaranteed. Price $2.00, 6 for $7.50. Wm. S. Barnett, Barnetts, Va. PHELPS' GOLDEN ITALIAN QUEENS com- bine the qualities you want. They are GREAT HONEY-GATHERERS, BEAUTIFUL and GEN- TLE. Virgins, $1.00; mated, $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Extra fine Dr. C. C. Miller queens. Untested $1.00 each, 6 for $5.50; 12 for $10.00; 100 for $80.00. With 400 to draw from I will be filling orders by return mail. Curd Walker, Queen- breeder, Jellieo, R. D. No. 1, Box No. 18, Tenn. Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees ; the highest kind, gentle, and as good honey-gather- ers as can be found; May and June, untested, each. $2.00; six, $7.50; doz., $14.00; tested, $4.00; breed- ers, $5.00 to $20.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, Va. FOR SALE. — Not having time to care for all my bees I am offering at a reduced rate for the balance of the season 60 colonies in 8-frame, standard, most- ly new hives, wired combs, tested 3-banded Italian queens. No disease. J. F. Sempers, Aikin, Md. FOR SALE. — Michigan-bred Italian queens . Am now booking orders for Aug. 1st delivery. Three- band only. Untested, 1, $1.00; 12, $10.00; 100, $80.00; tested, $1.75 each. D. A. Davis, North Detroit, Mich. FOR SALE. — Mr. Beeman, head your colonies of bees with the best Italian stock raised in the South. One queen, $1.25; 12 queens, $14.00. One pound of bees with queen, postpaid, $6.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. M. Bates, Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — 3-band Italian queens from best honey-gathering strains obtainable. Untested queens, $1.25 each; 6, $6.50; 12, $11. Satisfaction guar- anteed. W. T. Perdue, Fort Deposit, R. D. No. 1, Ala. FOR SALE. — Italian queens, golden, and three- banded, bred from best selected stock. Untested, each, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $10.00; select untested, $1.50 each. Satisfaction guaranteed. G. H. Merrill, Liberty, S. C. FOR SALE. — Queens of Moore's strain of three- banded leather-colored Italians, one and two years old. All queens sent out suitable for breeders. Price $2.00 each; 6 for $10.00. Will also have a limited supply of untested queens at $1.50 each; 12 for $15.00. "Orders tilled in rotation. Satisfaction guaranteed. John Hutchinson, Fife Lake, Mich, 470 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE July, 1919 GOLDENS THA.T ARE TRUE TO NAME. Un- tested queens, each, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. Garden City Apiaries, San Jose, Calif. FOR SALE. — A limited number of bees and que&ns for Ma.v delivery from either home apiaries or South Carolina. Safe arri%'al guaranteed if shipped by e-xpress. Parcel post shipments at buy- er's risk. We invite correspondence as to details and price. The Deroy Taylor Co., Newark, N. Y. Victor's three-banded Italian queens of superior quality. All my queens reared by the best method known, from mothers that produced 240 lbs. of sur- plus honey last season. $1.00 each straight, from .Tune 1 to Sept. 1. Julius Victor, Martinsville, N. Y. IT.VLIAN QUEENS.— Northern-bred, three band- ed, highest grade, select, untested, guaranteed. Queen and drone mothers are chosen from colonies noted for honey production, hardiness, prolificness, gentleness and perfect markings. Price, 1, $1.00 ; 12, $11.00: 50. $45.00. Send for circular. J. H. Haughey, Berrien Springs, Mich. PURE ITALIAN QUEENS, Doolittle and Moore choice stock, also Goldens that are GOLDEN. Every queen mated and LAYING before being caged. Se- lect untested $1.50 each. Select tested $2.50. For large lots write for price. Safe arrival and satis- faction I guarantee. J. E. Wing, 155 Schiele Ave., San Jose, Calif. HOLLOPETER'S Italian queens readv in .June, untested, one $1.75; six, $9.00; July, one, $1.50; dozen, $15.00. Quantity price on application, de- livery after July 10. These prices guarantee you safe arrival of really high-grade Italian stock, more etiicient service and wings clipped when desired. J. B. Hollopeter, Rockton, Pa. NORTH CAROLINA BRED Italian queens of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain of three-band Italian bees, gentle and good honev-gatherers. Julv 1 until Oct. 1, untested, $1.10 each; $11.00 per dozen; tested. $1.60 each; select tested, $2.25 each. Safe arrival and .satisfaction guaranteed. L. Parker, Benson, R. D. No. 2, N. C. FOR SALE. — Quirin's hardy northern-bred Ital- ians will please you. All our yards are wintered on summer stands; more than 25 vears a commer- cial queen-breeder. Tested and breeding queen.s ready almost any time weather permits mailing. Untested ready about June 1. Orders booked now. Testimonials and price for asking. H. jG. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. iNiiiiNiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinniNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH ^^^^^ HELP WANTED HELP W.ANTED.— Want queen-breeder. State particulars and references in first letter. Heard & Ellison, Columbus, Miss. WANTED. — Helper in extracted honey apiaries, four months probably. Much e.xperience unneces- sary. State age, salary and particulars in first let- ter. G. C. Matthews, Filer, Idaho. WANTED. — One experienced man, and students as helpers in our large bee business. Good chance to learn. Modern equipment and outfit, including auto truck, located near summer resorts. Write, giving age, height, weight, experience, reference, and wages wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Clarion, Mich. SITUATIONS WANTED POSITION WANTED. — Ambitious American young lady desires position where she can learn modern methods in beekeeping. Have had five years' practical work in agriculture, sheep, poultry, pigs, and gardening. Address Box 1008. Gleanings in Bee Culture. MISCELLANEOUS. FOR SALE. — Pure maple syrup of finest quality. Fern Hill Farli, East Fairfield, Vt. " FOR SALE. — Silver Spangled Hamburg eggs, and fine rare old Paganini viuiin. Elias Fox, Union Center, Wis. PRINTING SPECIAL. — 100 letterheads, 100 billheads, 100 cards, 100 envelopes, $1.90. Send for samples. Hawthorne Press, Yonkers, N. Y. FOR SALE. — A canning outfit cheap, used but four times, cook .stove size, made of boiler iron, v.ith steam gauge. Northwestern Steel & Iron Works make. G. A. Hall, Clifton Sta., Va. Wm. A. Rafael, former Manager for the A. I. Root Company at San Francisco, has established a beekeepers' supply business, together with Mr. .T. E. Wing, queen-breeder, in the Southern Pacific Build- ing, No. 16 Steuart St., San Francisco, Calif. E. D. Townsend. the present owner of the Do- mestic Beekeeper bought beekeeners' supplies for the National Beekeepers' Association for several ypinrs. He is now buying for the sul>scribers of the Domestic Beekeeper at the same low manufacturers' price. Listen now what he has got up his sleeve : .\ny Gleanings' subscriber buying five dollars' worth of supplies thru the Domestic Beekeeper at catalog price, and sending along an extra dollar to pay for a year's subscription to the Domestic Bee- keeper will get in return a rebate check for a dol- lar, leaving the year's subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper absolutely free to you. Of course, if your order for supplies is larger than five dollars, you will get a correspondingly larger rebate check on your order. One of our subscribers got a rebate check of $40.00 on his order of supplies last month, March. It was just like getting money from home to him, as he sent us the same money he would have had to pay if he had bought thru the regular dealer in beekeepers' supplies. More and more, close buyers of beekeepers' supplies are investigating the buying facilities of the Domestic Beekeeper. A word to the wise should be sufficient to cause you to send your next order for beekeepers' suppliei.s_ to the Domestic Beekeeper, Northstar, Michigan. in!i!ii!iiiiiiiniiiiiiiiN:iiii[iin:iiiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii V — l' MAKES THE FINEST. Look for the Beeware Brand G. B. LEWIS CO., WATERTOWN, WIS. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy = Vol. XLVII AUGUST 1919 No. 8 11^ Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. Do not sell until you have seen us. We will pay you spot cash for any thing you sell us. Get our prices on cans and cases. Los Angeles Honey Co. 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts. Los Angeles, California Telephones; Home 10419, Main 5606 SEAMLESS PAPER CONTAINERS THK MOST PRACTICAL AND ECONOMICAL CONTAINER For EXTRACTED or STRAINED HONEY SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER SIN- GLE SERVICE CONTAINER MANU- FACTIREU. WRITE FOR PARTIC- ULARS AND PRICES I THE SANITARY PAPER ROTTLE CO., 413 Water St., SANDUSKY, O. Illlllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll I Root Service | S WE ARE CLOSING THE FIRST SEASON IN g 1 Our New Factory. | g BECAUSE OF A LATE START IX g ^ GETTIXR ifACHIJJERV SET FOB S ^ OPERATION OUR SERVICE EAR- g ^ LY THIS YEAR WAS NOT UP TO = g XORMAL. g g We are taking advantage. of the slack sea- g ^ son to make up a surplus stock of stan- g = dard goods and will be in a position to = ^ give prompt service in the future from ^ = both offices. ^ g We believe our factory is filling a need g = for a higher standard of quality in hives. g ^ frames, and other beekeepers' supplies = ^ in Pacific Coast territory and merits g ^ your support. ^ g Our company was incorporated as a g ^ California corporation last November, M ^ and there arc still some shares available ^ ^ for investment. = g Let us hear from you whether you are ^ = interested in selling honey or beeswax, or ■ ^ ^ in buying supplies, or in making a safe, M ^ investment. ^ I The A. I. Root Co. I "Griggs Saves You Freight" TOLEDO August is here-the White Clover Honey flow about over, . . Don't i;et short of sections and founda- tion—season promises to be good. Honey Cans and Cases Order these early— a limited number of 2d-hand cans on hand at 75c per case. Honey- Honey -- Honey We shall be in the market for any quan- tity, both comb and extracted. . Mail sample of extracted and state price asked in first letter. BEESWAX always in demand — Cash or in trade. of California 1824-E. ISlhSt. LOS "ANGELES 52-54 Main St. SAN FRANCISCO illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllll GRIGGS BROTHERS CO. Dept. No. 25 Toledo, Ohio lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll August, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE AUGUST, 1919 Money Markets 484-485 Editorials 489-490 Nevada Comb-honey Wizard E. R. Root 491-493 ^Modified Pratt System W. B. Bray 494-496 Cages with Chantry Features. . .E. F. Atwater and J. E. Thompson 496-498 Safe Introduction of Queens Jay Smith 498-500 Summer Field Meets E. "R. Root 500-502 Anue Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers Grace Allen 503-504 Seasonable Suggestions R. F. Holtermann 504-507 A Late Start in Beekeeping E. E. Colien -507 One of the Six Best Frank R. Arnold 507-509 Moving Bees by Freight E. F. Townsend 509-510 Once a Beekeeper Always One Lottie Altizer 510 ('olony Morale and Robbing T. W. Riggs 510-511 Thoroughwort or Boneset John H. Lovell 511 Stray Straws Dr. C. C. Miller 512-513 Siftings J. E. Crane 514 Our Food Page Staney Puerden 515-516 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 517-518 From North, East, West, and South 519-521 Heads of Grain from Different Fields 522-525 Bees, Men, and Things 526-528 Best From Others 529 Gleaned by Asking Zona Fowls 530-531 Talks to Beginners lona Fowls 532-o33 Just News 534 Our Homes A.I. Root 535-540 SUBSCRIPTION RATES. — One year, $1.00; two years, $1.75; three years, $2.50; five years, $4.00. Sinsrle copy 10 cents. Canadian subscription, 15 cents additional per year, and fnreig-n .subscription. 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscriptions, not paid in advance, or specifically ordered by the subscriber to be continued, vi'ill be stopped on euxpiration. No subscriber will be run into debt by us for this journal. CHANGE OF ADDRESS. — Give your old address as well as the new and write the name tn whicli the journal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Should be sent )iy postoffice money order, bank draft, express money order, or check. CONTRIBUTIONS to Gleaxixgs columns solicited; stamps should be enclosed to insure return to author o manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkablv satisfac tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY. — ^The publishers use utmost diligence to estab lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser iising space in this journal. Entered as second class mail matter at the Postoffice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly i-iliace occupied by reading matter in this issue, 75.6 per cent; advertising, 24.4 per cent THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Publishers, Medina, Ohio Editorial Staff E. R. ROOT A. I. ROOT ZONA FOWLS H. G. ROWE Editor Editor Home Dept. Assistant Editor Managing Editor GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 HERE IS A REPRODUCTION OF Muth's New Home in Cincinnati Pr> '^ ' '^ ^ a ^'' P^ \ 3 i t f i \ : « ^ -i' 1 1 J 1 %_^^-.w fc fa w , r * ^ 2 I j!j^- Hfii '^^uvd beeswax: ^;| ' 1 SUPPLIES 7 ji^nu^^^ fl;! amsacassa Anticipating the wants of the trade and to meet the demands of our customers, we are now located at Pearl and Walnut Streets, carrying tremendous stocks — making this the largest Honey House in the country. WHY YOU SHOULD BUY NOW! We advise you to buy your bee- supplies now. You not only get the benefit of favorable market conditions, but you are assured of immediate delivery. There will be no disappointment if you send your order for bee supplies to MUTH NOW. MUTH'S ADVANTAGES! We sell at factory prices, save you freight and give you the finest bee supplies manufactured. LEWIS BEEWARE DADANT'S FOUNDATION ROOT'S SMOKERS, EXTRACTORS, ETC. Our new 1919 catalog sent for the mere asking. Drop us a card now! OLD COMBS AND CAPPINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We pay you the highest market price for beeswax, and charge you but 5c per pound for the wax rendered. It pays to send us your old combs and cappings. WANTED, COMB HONEY. Comb and Extracted Honey find ready sales here. Tell us what you have. We buy beeswax at high prices. Always glad to reply to inquiries. We will appreciate a visit from you. When in the city come and see us. THE FRED W. MUTH COMPANY Pearl and Walnut Sts. 'The Busy Beemen' Cincinnati, Ohio August, 1919 SLEaNINGSINBEECULTURE 483 giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ II Superior Foundation Excels If READ THE FOLLOWING: Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. Cushman, Oregon. Dear Sirs: — Your foundation arrived O. K. I gave some of it and some of the the other make (in full sheets) to a natural swarm. In three days the bees had Superior Foundation nearly full drawn, and some of the cells at top of frames were two-thirds full of honey, while the other foundation was not over half drawn out. The o'her foundation was pur- chased this spring. I surely would ask for no better article than 'superior Foundation, as it is a first-class article. Shall use some more in the next natural stvarm and report further results. Yours respectfully, June 8th., 1919. L. W. Derrin. OUR MACHINES ARE RUNNING TO FULLCAPACITY. WE GUARANTEE PROMPT SHIPMENT. Superior Honey Company -:- Ogden, Utah (MANUFACTURERS OF WEED PROCESS FOUNDATION) lliip. HONEY WANTED HONEY iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiii»^ Write us what you have to offer in extracted or comb. If comb, state how packed, graded, and quantity. If extracted, state how put up, mail sam- ple, and quote your lowest price. We will buy un- limited quantities if price and quality are right. C. H. W. WEBER & COMPANY 2146 CENTRAL AVENUE CINCINNATI, OHIO .^illllllllllllilllillllllllliliilllllllllillllllllllllllilllllillllllllillllllllillllillilllliilliilll^ 484 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 HONEY MARKETS From the majority of reports, honey is moving rather slowly as is to be expected at this time of the year. The New York market, however, is becoming stronger and prices advancing somewhat. On the whole we consider prospects improving. Crop Report. Under date of July 24, E. R. Root tele- graphed from Washington, D. C, as follows: ' ' I have seen several hundred croi) reports from the Bureau of Crop Estimates, covering the whole of the clover area of the country. Many of the reports are from men I know. These reports are later than ours and show that there will be no shortage of clover hon- ey this year. Probably a lighter crop than last year, and crop little short in Ohio, In- diana, and Illinois but good in other clover States. ' ' U. S. Government Market Reports. HOXEY ARRIVALS. .lULV 1-14. Medina, O. — 2,575 lbs. Mass. and 82,920 lbs. Kentucky. Keokuk, la., and Hamilton, 111. — No arrivals. SHIPPING POINT IXFORMATIOX. Los Angeles, Calif. — New crop; supplies light, demand and movement good, market firm, little change in prices. Carloads f. o. b. usual terms. Californias, orange blossom 18-20c ; light amber sage 17-19c ; light amber alfalfa 15-16c per pound. San Francisco, Calif. — Old stock ; no sales report- ed. New stock : not yet on market. TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. (The prices quoted in this report, unless otherwise stated, represent the prices at whicli the "wholesale carlot receivers" sell to the "jobbers." Arrivals in- clude receipts during preceding two weeks. Prices represent current quotations.) Chicago. — Reiceipts light, demand and movement slow, market weak. Sales to jobbers : extracted, white 17-18c, light amber 15-16c per lb. Beeswax: demand and movement good, market firm. Refined, bleached 62-72c, unbleached 50c, unrefined 45-46c. Philadelphia. — Extracted: approximately 2,700 lbs. freight N. Y. arrived. Beeswax: 100 lbs. freight N. Y. and 200 lbs. freight N. C. arrived. S'upplies not cleaning up, market oversupplied. Practically no demand or movement. Sales to jobbers — ex- tracted, California light amber 13-14c per lb. Denver. — New crop: receipts and movement slow, market steady. Sales to jobbers — Colorado, comb : white, 24-section case $7.50. Extracted: white 18c per lb. Beeswax: cash to producer on farm — light 38c per lb. St. Louis. — Supplies light, practically no demand or movement, market weak, very few sales. Sales to jobbers — extracted: Southern amber, per lb., in barrels ll-12c, in cans 13-16c. Beeswax, prime 37 %c per lb. Kansas City. — ^Approximately 150 packages Mis- souri arrived. Demand slow, moveiment dragg^, market steady, no chanse in prices. Sales to job- ber.s — comb: Missouris No. 1 light, 24-section flat cases 17.50. Extracted: Colorado No. 1 light, 15c per pound. Beeswax: 35-40c per pound. Cincinnati. — No arrivals. Extracted: supplies liberal, no demand, market weak, no sales reported. Comb: supplies practically exhausted, no jobbing sales. Beeswax: supplies moderate, demand and movement slow, market steady. Sales to jobbers — pure vellow 40-42c per pound, dark yellow 38c per pound. Minneapolis. — Supplies very light. Too few sales to establish market. St. Paul. — Supplies very light. Too few sales to establish m.trket. New York. — Arrived: 10 barrels from Florida. Imported: 120 barrels from Porto Rico, 225 barrels from Cuba, 135 barrels from West Indies. Export- ed: 1,000 cases to Sweden, 100 barrels to England. 190 barrels to Italy, 100 cases to Norway, 50 cases to France and 360 cases to England. Export move- ment good, local demand and movement very slow, few sales reported. Sales to jobbers — extracted: Porto Rican and Cuban, per gallon $1.25-1.50. California, white per pound 17-17 ^/^c. Beeswax: arrived, 30 tons from Pennsylvania. Imported: 150 bags from West Indies. Demand moderate. Sales to jobbers — light, 41-43c, dark 38-40c per lb. Cleveland. — Supplies light. Demand and move- ment slow. Extracted: sales to wholesale confec- tioners and bakers — Western 60-pound tins white clover mostly 16-18c, some fancy high as 20c per pound. Ohio white clover mostly 20c. Comb: sales to jobbers — Ohio, mostly $3.75-4.00 per dozen combs. Beeswax: too few sales to establish market. EXPORTS OF HONEY, JUNE 1-20, 1919. Total, 476,207 lbs.; to Sweden. 123,340 lbs.; to United Kingdom, 109,067; to Belgium, 63,000; to Netherlands, 42,000; to Switzerland, 30,000; to Prance, 28,440; to Canada and Newfoundland, 6,- 665; to Denmark, 6,000; to Norway, 4,400; to all other countries, 63,355 lbs. Geo. Livingston, Acting Chief of Bureau. General Quotations of Wholesalers. [These firms are asked to quote the whole- sale price they make to retailers. Accord- ingly their prices must be figured at least one profit higher than the price paid the pro- ducer. The large dealers do not quote prices in print that they will pay futurely to pro- ducers.] NEW YORK. — We quote from several of the leading honey dealers in New York City, under date of July 16: "Market improving owing to better export demand and small spot stocks. Extracted honey, white 19- 21c; light amber, in cans 15 ^^ -21c." "There is a good supply of honey on spot, princi- pally Cuban, San Domingo, Haiti, and Porto Rico in barrels with a considerable quantity of case goods in addition. There are big inquiries in the market, and a fair business has been done, with the result that prices have been advanced and the future pros- pects are good. Beeswax is firm but quiet and spot stocks are very small. Extracted honey, light amber in cans 14-15c, in barrels $1.50; amber in cans 14-1 5c, in barrels $1.50. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 42-43c." "Demand slow, stocks of amber plentiful, of light moderate. Extracted honey, white 17c; light amber in cans 15; in barrels $1.25; amber in cans 14. in barrels $1.10." "Decidedly stronger with good demand for export. Extracted honey, white 16c; light amber in cans 14c: in barrels 12c; amber in cans 13c, in barrels lie. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 42c." LIVERPOOL. — Since our last report business has been very slow and scarcely any transactions have transpired. Values are nominally unchanged and we therefore repeat them as follows: Australian, in cases, 14-15c per lb.; West Indian and Cuban, 14-16c; Jamaican, 15-16c per lb.; Chilian, Pile No. 1, good quality, 17%-18y2C per lb.; No. 2, 17 l/3c ; No. 3, 15 %c. Tliere has been a little more activity in beeswax and prices have advanced somewhat. The value of good quality beeswax is about 47 to 48 cents per lb. Taylor & Co. Liverpool, England, June 24. CHICAGO. — Up to this date none of the new crop of comb has come on the market, but it will likely bring 35c per lb. At present there is very little call for extracted and prices are unchanged. There continues to be a good demand for clean bees- wax at 40c per lb. R. A. Burnett & Co. Chicago, 111., July 15. KANSAS CITY. — Market on comb honey very light here, selling around $7.50 per case, 24-section. Extracted honey moving fairly well. Stock not large, with no new honey on the market. Last Year's stock moving at 15c for light amber. C. C. Clemens Bee Supply Co. Kansas City, Mo. Al-GUST, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 48r ST. LOUIS. — Receipts of comb honey so far very light. Some eoctracted lioney in liarrels arrivina: from the south. Market still very dull. Extracted honey, light amber in cans 14-lGc; anil er in cans 12-1-Jc, in barrels 12c. Clean, average yellow bees- wax, per lb., 37V^c. R. Hartmann Produce Co. St. Louis, Mo., July 16. DENVER. — Bees have in most localities in this State so far made only a living, and prospects for a honey crop are not good at present. Comb huneiy, none in the markeit. Extracted honey, white per 11). 22c; light amber, in cans 20c. Clean, average yel- low beeswax, per lb. 36 cash, 38c trade. The Colorado Honey Producers' .'\ss'n. Denver, Colo., July 10. PORTLAND. — There is a fair demand for ex- tracted honey at lowered prices with increased con- sumption. Large stocks of extracted honey carried over. . New comb honerv- arriving in limited way. Extra fancy $7.50; fancy $7.00, No. 1 $6.50, No. 2 $6.00. Extracted, white in cans 15c per lb.; light amber 13c per lb. ; amber 12c per lb. No beeswax arriving. Look for good crop both comb and ex- tracted. Pacific Honey Co. Portland, Ore., June 25. MONTREAL. — Variety of reports on white clover crop. Soma say 1/3 average; others, fair avernce crop. Prices irregular, very little sold so far, as prices appear too high. Comb honey, extra fancy per case 32c; fancy 30c; No. 1 28c; No. 2 25c. Extracted honey, white per lb. 21c; light amber in cans 19c, in barrels 18c; amber in -cans 18c, in bar- rels 17e. Gunn, Langlois & Co., Ltd. Montreal, July 16. CUBA. — Extracted honey, light amber, in barrels $1.12 per gallon; amber, in barrels $1.12 per gallon. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 32c. Matanzus, Cuba, July 9. Adolpho Marzol. TEXAS. — Good demand for bulk comb, extracted slackening. Comb honey, fancy, per case, 20c; No. 1, I9V2C. Extracted honey, white, per lb. 18c; light amber, in cans 17^/^0. Clean, average yellow bees- wax, per lb. 36c. J. A. Simmons. Sabinal, Tex., July 12. IINIIIIIIlll Root Untested Queens .12.00 for 1 $21.60 for 19 $130.00 for 100 $11.40 for 6 $80.00 for 50 Prompt Shipm't The A. I. Root Co. - Medina, Ohio liiiiiiiiliiiiiiiS^^^ TORONTO. — Prices for new crop have not yet been named and last season's crop is practically ex- hausted. Ebv-Blain, Limited. Toronto, Ont., July 16. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ Rocky Mountain Honey Producers We carry a full line of Honey Containers and Bee Supplies Two five-gallon Honey Cans in Shipping Cases — Export Cases $1.55. Domestic cases $1.45. The cans quoted have a three-inch screw cap. Both cans are strongly made, with heavy partitions. Buy your new extracting outfit of us and save money. We have the mo^t practi- cal Capping Melter for commercial beekeeping. Let us make you a cash offer on your Wax and Honey Crop. The Foster Honey and Mercantile Co. Boulder, Colorado iiillllllllllllllllillllllllllillliililiillliiiiilliiiiliililiiilliillliillliiilliilili^ 486 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U L'T U R E AUGUST, 1919 IllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllO^^ A Big Surprise /.^\^ account of having such a run \f[f of business early we supposed later we would not have so much, but were surprised at the ava- lanche of orders received in May and June. During these two months we averaged a week behind on or- ders. It seems that there are bee- keepers yet that do not order hives till the bees give word by swarming that hives are needed. We expect from now on to keep abreast of or- ders. If foundation and sections are needed we hope to get them to you promptly unless another ava- lanche comes in July. F. A. Salisbury 1631 West Genesee Street Syracuse, N. Y. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy August, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 487 NEW [^INGHAM The B i n g li a m Bee Smoker has been on the market over forty years and is the standard in this and many foreign countries. It is the all- important tool of the most extensive honey- producers of the World. It is made in four sizes and has a leather bel- lows. The Genuine Bingham Honey Un- capping Knife is manufactured by us here at Grand Rapids and is made of the finest quality steel. These thin- bladed knives, as furnished by Mr. Bingham, gave the best of satisfaction, as the old timers will remember. Our Perfect Grip Cold Handle is one of the improvements. The Woodman Section Fixer, a com- bined section press and foundation fas- tener, of pressed steel construction, forms comb-honey sections and puts in top and bottom foundation starters, all at one handling. It is the finest equip- ment for this work on the market. The above specialties can be secured from us direct by post or from practi- cally all dealers and manufacturers of supplies, with the exception of the Eoot Co., and agencies. Our 1919 illustrated catalog and special circulars will be mailed on request. Tin Honey-packages 2 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 2 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 612 214 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 21/2 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 450 5 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 12 .5 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 100 5 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 203 10 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 6 10 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 113 Write for prices on friction top cans and pails and 60-lb. cans, giving quan- tity wanted. A. G. Woodman Company Grand Rapids, Mich, U. S. A. 488 GLEANIKGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 ^lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllll^^^ — iiii;iiiiiiiiii!i!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'iiiiiiiii:iin u iiiiiii{ii{iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiH;i!ii:iiii::iiMiii'iiiiJiii.:iii.iiii:iMi.iiiM!iLiiii'nii:iiii.iiii.ini.iiii:iiik = TEN PER CENT OFF ! Beekeepers are justly proud of their honey crop. The sections are usually carefully cleaned and the comb surface admired, as the beekeeper wonders what the honey will grade. Then it is cased and sent to the broker. Too many times the broker takes "10 per cent off," because the "cases graded lower than the honey." Honey in Lewis cases always grades best. We have ideal facilities for selecting choice basswood for these You get the benefit. Don't buy your cases until you = 1 cases get our quotation on your needs. It will mean dollars to you. OUR GUARANTEE Every article is guaranteed. Your money back if you are not satisfied. If you purchase goods from one of our distributors this same guarantee holds good as we stand back of our product. LET US HELP YOU TO MAKE GOOD. Have you been puzzled by some problem in your apiary this year? We welcome the opportunity to help you solve it. Ad- dress your inquiries for attention of our bee culture specialist. Get these valuable booklets postpaid at 5c each. 'How to Start Beekeeping." 'How to Manage Bees in Spring." 'How to Prevent Swarming." 'How to Buy Queen Bees." "How to Feed Bees." "How to Transfer Bees." "How to Care For Nuclei." "How to Unite Bees." ■'How to Locate an Apiary.' Send for a Lewis Beeware Catalog It is free BEWARE WHEREYOU BUY YOUR BEEWARE ^-^i/VIS.l 'WA TEf^rowt* MAKES THE FINEST. There is a Distributor Near You G. B. LEWIS CO., WATERTOWN, WIS lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllilllllll^ E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 3 EDITORIAL WE HAVE on file a large number of un- satisfied complaints against the Pelican Api- aries Company of Complaints New Orleans, La., Against whose advertise - Advertisers. ment we carried in April and May of this year; and against the J. E. Marchant Bee & Honey Company of Columbus, Ga., whose advertisement we carried two years ago. We have written to these parties a number of times, but have failed to get satisfactory replies; and therefore we feel it a duty to advise our readers, before re- mitting any money with their orders, first to ascertain if these firhis can and will fill their orders. THE EDITOE SAYS it seems good to get home again. While California is beautiful and the climate de- Back Home lightful, good old Again. Ohio with its beau- tiful green shade trees and green fields was never more ap- preciated than now. Much of California is dry and brown, especially in the summer time. All of the East or east of the Mis- sissippi is green. The editor no more than gets home than up and off he goes again — this time to the North and far East. More anon. California again — yes, we are expecting to go back for the month of December and perhaps longer. There is also a long and loud call from the great Northwest. ON ACCOUNT of the shortage of sugar re- ported elsewhere, we have been conducting some experiments New Orleans -^=;:\ Molasses for ! Feeding Bees. in feeding molas- ses. We bought a barrel of New Or- leans. The stuff tastes sweet and is sweet; but the bees won't touch it, even when it is smeared all over the frames and the combs. In one case where the bees were trying to rob, we smeared some of this New Orleans molasses on the front of the hive — presto, good-bye robbers! Thev can't stand even the smell of it. There are other brands of table syrups that the bees will take, and in the mean- time some of you may be able to get brown sugar. If so, you will find it a very good substitute for granulated white sugar. THE STOKY TOLD in another column about Harry R. Warren will seem to some like a fairy tale. Some of Locality — the old beekeepers What It Means. of the country will, perhaps, say that there is something wrong, or that Warren could secure as good or better results with less labor. All such should remember that localities in the United States vary so much that what works well in one place might not work in another. Furthermore, the editor once believed that bee behavior was the same all over the United States. He is re- minded again of the question asked by Josh Billings — ' ' What 's the use of knowin ' so much when so much you know ain't so?'' Or, to put it more exactly, bee behavior is so much modified by locality that one is almost forced to forget what he once knew back in the East and learn his A B C of beekeep- ing all over again. It takes years for even a good beeman to learn his locality; and this is particularly so in the great West. Some of the fundamental principles that work well in the East will not work in the West. Take the case of swarming. The rules that apply to that particular bugaboo of the beekeeper of the East and some parts of the West utterly fail in some localities in the West. In some places the bees just will not swarm, apparently; or, to put it more exactly, there is no swarming problem, simply for the reason that the bees do not swarm and do not want to swarm during flows of honey. In the spring the bees will swarm, but not enough to bother the oper- ator, and yet perhaps 50 or 100 miles away the swarming problem is serious. On account of the varied conditions of the different localities, there is a heavy handi- cap in migratory beekeeping, because the migratory fellows find they have something 490 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 to learn; and, if they do not learn it, they will lose out and that right speedily. One of the problems that the migratory beekeeper encounters is the behavior of the queens. We will say he moves his bees from Idaho, where the winters are cold, down into some location in southern California. The queens that went thru strenuous service in the northern locality, but which have had onlj' a very short rest, begin breeding again. They may, in fact, lay every month in the year. The result is, their vitality is exhaust- ed by the time of year they ought to be do- ing heavy duty in egg-laj'ing. The remedy is, of course, to requeen, and that costs mon- ey. When he ought to requeen is often the time when he can not get queens. Again, there are wintering problems in tropical and semi-tropical States just as there are wintering problems in the North. Bees in the Southland require more watch- ful care than bees in the North; and we have sometimes said that it is more difficult to keep bees in a semi-tropical than in a temperate climate. Again, the question of bee disease is much worse in semi-tropical than in temperate cli- mates; and this is especially true of Euro- pean foul brood. While the treatment is es- sentially the same in both climates, the problem of handling and curing is greater. The bee-moth proposition is not a serious one. in northern climates, for the reason that the cold winters kill off the eggs and larvae. In semi-tropical climates these pests thrive the year round, and woe betide the combs that are left entirely exposed. Thousands of dollars' worth are wasted every year in warm States for beekeepers who are careless enough to leave their stuff around. While bee nature is the sariie in all cli- mates, to a certain extent that same bee na- ture is modified; and unless the producer modifies his methods of management he will lose out. AT THIS TIME it is a little premature to forecast what the white-clover crop will be this season; but re- Honey-crop ports at present Conditions. from most of the clover districts, in- eluding Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and parts of Ontario, indicate a decided shortage. In New York the yield will be normal. The season in the Eastern States was full of promise — promise which at this time (Julv 21) appears not to be ful- filled. We have learned that there is a shortage in Colorado, but a heavy yield of alfalfa in some of the other alfalfa-growing States. There surely was a shortage of mountain sage and orange in California. On the other hand, there are vast stocks of honey left over from last season, particu- larly in Europe. Also there are reports of a large quantity of 1917-18 honey in South America, West Indies, New Zealand, and Australia. Just how far these left-over stocks will offset the shortage of crops this season, fancied and real, no one can at this time say. The left-over stocks must be subtracted from last year 's crop and added to this year's. At the time the armistice was signed there were large quantities of honey ready to go to Europe, but which had to be held. In the mean time there appears to be a scarcity of sugar, and in many parts of the United States the housewife has been limit- ed to five and even two pounds per family. We have been unable to buy granulated su- gar to feed our colonies to build them up for winter, and have been compelled to use brown sugar and molasses, some of which the bees would not touch. Even the brown sugars are hard to get. Our readers will remember th9.t one of the sugar magnates of the Pacific coast told the editor that there was a million-ton short- age this year. This has been denied; but on the other hand there is the stubborn fact that we cannot get sugar at the present time. The newspapers are saying that there is a shortage of sugar in Europe. Is some one profiteering by storing vast quantities of sugar against a rise in price? We do not know. It looks as if there were a colored gentleman somewhere. In spite of all these different rumors we are told that in the near future there will be plenty of sugar for everybody. However, it is evident that Uncle Sam appreciates the fact that there is a shortage of sugar, for he has put a temporary ban on shipping American sugar to Europe. If that is the case, is it not probable that Europe, as she did during war times, will turn again to honey, use up her left-over stocks, and then come to the United States for more? We do not know. The Great War has left a big question mark, and at the present time the honey- producer in the United States is guessing what the mai-ket is going to do. That the price has gone up since the beginning of the season is shown by market quotations. Whether it may or may not go higher, no one can say. It is an honest question whether it ought to go higher, because the housewife hesitates to buy honey at present prices, saying that she can use jellies, jams, find molasses instead. We are all a-guessing, and one guess is as good as another. We probably shall not know until September or possibly October just what is going to happen. Those who feed their bees for winter would do well to lay in a stock of sugar when they can get it. The Government will not and can not this year divert sugar from other uses to benefit the beekeeper. Later. — Since the foregoing was written and just as we go to press, our sugar short- age has been relieved, and we are advised that there will be plenty of sugar for every one in from 30 to 60 days. August, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C l' L T U R E 491 IN this day ami age when great syndi- cates are owning and operating from two to ten thousand colo- nies of bees it would be idle to say that this man or that man is the biggest beekeeper in the United States or the world. Last year, when prices on honey were up to the peak, one concern took .*50,000 worth of honey: NEVADA COMB-HONEY WIZARD Man luho Took $22,000 -worth oj Honey Last Year, and now Expects to Harvest 10 Carloads^Comb Honey By E. R. Root Fig. 1. — One ol' liiiriy K. Warren's apiaries at his home ranch near Yerington. The regular honey flow had not started. As soon as honey comes in with a rush, the working forces of three hives will he turned into one, and at the same time all the su- pers will be put on one hive. See Figs. 3 and 4. and large numbers of individual beekeepers in the great West harvested from $10,000 to $20,000 worth. At a later time I shall have something to say about these men and their methods. For the present I jiropose to .jump over into Nevada and tell you something about one of the most extensive producers of comb honey, if not the most extensive, in the United States. He is a wizard at the business. I refer to Harry R. Warren, whose headquarters are located at Reno, Nev., but whose bee operations, centering at Yerington, radiate hundreds of miles in all directions. He is now operating 70 api- aries with an aggregate of nearly .3,000 colo- nies. He has been making increase and buying combless packages of bees and hiv- ing them on frames of brood and foundation. Indeed, he had the nerve last fall to turn in an order for 3,000 two-pound packages of bees, with queens, for which he was to pay $15,000. He has already had delivery of about 1,200 packages. These two-pound packages, or "baskets," as he calls them, he figures will more than repay their cost in comb honey. This man Warren and his brother are operating hundreds of acres of alfalfa for honey, hay, and alfalfa seed. They have three big tractors, two big threshing machines, sevcL automobiles, five of which are two - ton trucks, besides big teams of horses and agricunaral machinery. The entire force at present consists of 25 people. Mr. Warren himself gives his time to the bees while his brother is working the ranch. Such extensive operations could not be carried on without a good foreman; and they have one such in tlie person of a re- turned soldier, an experienced beekeeper, by the name of Truxton V. Damon. I hope to show his picture, as well as that of Mr. War- ren, in our next issue. What is the secret of Warren's success? x\ny man, in order to succeed in any kind of honey production, must be a believer in strong colonies. Mr. Warren is one who not Fig. 2. — One of the typical Harry Warren comb- honey colonies. The lower brood-nest is nearly square, tilled with shallow frames. The space on each side is covered with boards, leaving the supers (eight-frame) directly over the center of the brood. Mr. Warren prefers the shallow brood-nest to either the eight- or ten-frame Langstroth hive. While he operates the ten-frame Langstroth, he uses the eight-frame comb-honey supers exclusively. As there is little or no rain in his locality, no special protec- tion against rain is needed. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 only believes, but proves it by his crops, that the average strong colony, good enough for most beekeepers, is hardly half as strong as he would have it. Perhaps most beekeep- ers would call him a crank, or crazy on the subject; but when it takes a stepladder to lift off the filled supers of comb honey from some of those triple-strong colonies, one is forced to believe that there is method in his madness. With so many bees located hundreds of miles apart, in 70 yards, it is impossible to tiive each individual colonv all the atten- brood hatches out, may or may not produce some honey. The one colony with the work- ing force of three queens, one would natural- ly think, would swarm; but the flow from alfalfa is so strong that swarming is cut out. This enormous force of bees from three queens goes right into the comb-honey su- pers— they have to, for where else can they go? As the bees fill the sujiers, empties are added. At the end of the season or at the fourth and last trip the crop is taken off. It will be apparent that, when the forces of three colonies are thrown into one at the ff^-'m Fig. 3. — Figs. 3, 4, and 5 repi-esrent three different apiaries of Mr. Warren after he had thrown the working forces of three colonies into one. Noticei the gaps between the hives. From some of these colonies he took 18 cases of comh honey at $5.50 per case, and one can of extracted honey, making a total production of $111 per colony, or as Mr. Warren says, a net profit, of $5.50 per minute for help and manipulation in the har- vesting. It sho/uld be remembered that this $111 per cO'lony was the ma.xiraum yields, and was also the product of three queens and three colonies. One-third of $111 would be $37.00 per colony, which, it will clearly be .seen, is not out of the range of possibility. tion it requires; nor is it necessary, by Mr. AVarren's system. He, with his helpers, visits his yards three times in the season at intervals of 30 days, spending five min- utes at each hive. At the end of the season a fourth trip is made to remove the honey. The colonies are set off in groups of three. At the approach of the harvest the working forces of all three are thrown into one colo- ny. The average beekeeper, if he owns 3,000 colonies, might think that that was an- other crazy notion; but let us see. Probably two of the colonies out of the three will be a little below par. Just before the harvest opens he shakes all the bees of the group in front of the strongest hive, giving all the sealed brood he can to the one colony. The rest of the brood from the two hives below par he gives to the colonies that are run for increase; and these later on, when the beginning of the harvest, there will be a two-thirds reduction in the numerical colony count. In other words, 3,000 colonies will shrink down to 1,000. Perhaps some will argue that the 3,000, each with its individual queen, would produce as much honey; but Mr. Warren saj'S not. As to whether this plan would work with the average man and in the average locality I have my doubts; but that it works with Mr. Warren in his locality there can be no doubt, if the statement of his men and of the railroad agent who ships the honey can be believed. By referring to Fig. 2 you will see how Mr. Warren starts out. The Flor}^ brood- chamber, which he prefers nearly square, is shallower than the regular Langstroth hive. As it is wider than the supers, the space on either side is covered with a strip of wood. AvGlST, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 493 Mr. Warroii believes tliat an eight-frame su- per will be filled out better than a super the full width of the brood-chamber. However, he started with the eight-frame super ami continues to use it. In our next issue I hope to show pictures of i\Ir. Warren and one of his crews as he goes from yard to yard. At that time I will go into further details as to how he manages with so large a number of bees in 70 different yards. In the meantime do not overlook the fact that there are 25 helpers to take care of the ranches, doing the farm- work as well as the beework. At the time I was at Mr. Warren 's place he was going from yard to yard in a Ford touring car carrying along his helpers. Two of them manipulate the colonies. One keeps the record while Mr. Warren directs what to do with each colony or group of colonies. In this way the master genius of the whole system of apiaries tells what to do with each hive. What that wizard is able to do will be seen by some of the pictures of the piles of comb-honey supers that reach clear above the height of the men so that boxes or stepladders are needed to put on and take off the supers. So high are the piles, indeed, that props are needed to keep them from tipping over. See Figs. 3 and 4. (Dr. Mil- ler, please take notice.) Do ^lot rush into Nevada, because bees on combs can not be moved into the State. Mr. Warren is connected with the Union Land and Cattle Co. at Eeno, and manager of the subsidiary company known as the Union Honey Co. The two companies own and control hundreds of acres of alfalfa. It would be impossible for an outsider to en- croach on Mr. Warren's bee-ranges, because the whole region is controlled by the Union Land and Cattle Co., and this comjiany has given exclusive rights to the Union Honey Co. What I have told seems almost like a .<* t- 'Si Fig-. 4. — A view of another of the yards of Mr. Warren manipulated on his system, the same as shown in Fig. 3. The view in the background shows one of his five automobile trucks for carrying supers, filled and unfilled, from yard to yard. fairy tale; but let me tell you, dear reader, I have seen some of the things I have de- scribed, and for the rest I take the testi- mony of reliable witnesses, Mr. Warren 's foreman, and the railroad station agent who ships a large part of the honey. More anon. In the meantime don't ask questions till I have told tlie whole stoi'v. Fig. 5. — This is still another yard operated on the Warren system. The spaces between the hives, as also shown in 3 snd 4, indicate that we gr fwo hives on either side are slialjen Hito oue hive. Tb^i result speaks • for itself, 494 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 MODIFIED PRATT SYSTEM A Few ^Modifications Overcome the Objections to the Swarthmore Sys- tem ofi ^een-rearing By W. B. Bray WHEN left to them- selves the bees attend to the rearing of their queens in their own way ; but when their owner steps in and takes the reins into his own hands he can so gui.le the actions of the bees as to attain the end he is striving for, that is, a strain ot bees that will gather more honey. Bees in their natural state are not such great storers of honey. Even an improved strain of honey- gatherers will soon return to the common level if left to their own devices for a few years. But once the beekeeper masters the ins and outs of queen-rearing he has it in his power to increase the honey-gathering qual- ities of his bees bv queen-rearing. A queen- rearing svstem that goes no further than using all "or sundrv cells that are discovered at swarming time"^to replace old queens does not go very far, the only gain being young queens instead of old ones. In fact, it is a bad p!an because it tends toward breed- ing a swarming strain. [Some question.— Editor.] , ^ ^ Queen-breeding implies the constant breeding from the best to replace those be- Fig. 1. — 'i'lii.s n\in mating-box height, 10 inches in width, and low the required standard. Every beekeeper has had a colony whose surplus has amazed and delighted him. He would say, ' ' If only all the others were like that, then beekeep- ing would be a good game." Every bee- keeper can and should do his own breeding unless he is prepared to buy queens from a breeding specialist for all his colonies, not only once iTut from year to year; for other- wise the sur- rounding bees will gradually but certainly cross with his till he has lost the strain he bought. It is now somewhat over 10 years since the late E. L. Pratt, writing under the name of Swarthmore, made public his methods of queen-.rearing. The new sys- tem attracted a great deal of attention be- cause of the improvement in appliances and ' the economy in bees and time. A set of booklets was published, descriptive of the system — namely, "Increase," "Baby Nu- clei," "Cell-getting," and "Simplified Queen-rearing." In "Baby Nuclei," Pratt recommended using extremely small nuclei, with combs about the size of sections; but later a larger size was found jireferable and the twin mating-box came to be used. Pratt subsequently, in "Simplified Queen-rear- ing," endorsed this change. The Swarthmore system has been severely criticised in this country; but in some cases I am sure that the critics have not given it a proper trial. I would point out here that a system that includes grafting of queen- cells requires of the operator both a keen eye and a steady hand. On referring to two of the latest American works by authors of world-wide repute, I find that Pellett's ' ' Profitable Beekeeping ' ' does not even mention the system. "Beekeeping," by Dr. E. F. Phillips, contains a description of it; but the author is rather non-committal as to its merits. He says: "Considerable va- riation in the success of this method has been reported, and there are numerous phases of this question on which more light is needed. Some strains of bees seem to be poor for this purpose. On the whole, how- ever, when directions are carefully followed, a good number of fine queen-cells will usu- ally be obtained. ' ' From this it would ap- pear that the system is not an infallible suc- cess. I bought the books and studied them with such interest that in 1910 I bought the ap- pliances and began using the new methods. Tho my first few attempts proved to be failures I was not satisfied to give it up. Pratt wrote in such a convincing and op- timistic manner, and gave such attention to details, that I was sure the fault lay with me. After a little practice I found the secret of success, and with a few modifica- tions I soon had the system working to my satisfaction. For the benefit of any who have been unsuccessful, and those who would like to try their skill at queen-rearing, I will explain where I have adopted or modified the Swarthmore methods. I use the Swarthmore swarm-box which is made to hold five frames. It has a wire- cloth bottom, and a cleat at each end raises it to give ventilation beneath. The lid has August, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE two long slots exactly above the second ami fourth combs (which arc not used). Only three combs are used in it — one in the cen- ter and one at each side. The slots are oc- cupied by special bars called cell-bars, which have sixteen 5/16-inch holes in which the wooden cell-cup bases are securely held by the flange. A special machine can be pro- cured to press out the waxen cell cups on these wooden bases; but I prefer to make them by the dipping process. I use wooden Fig. 2. — Swarthmore swarm box with wire-elotb bottom raised to give ventilation beneath. See lid. Fig. 3. sticks about the size of a wooden hayral^e tooth which, I first soak in water and then dip in melted wax, heated to about 160 de- grees, to a depth of half an inch. As the wax cools they are dipped again to a lesser depth, and so on for a few more times. The resulting cell has a fine edge, and I find it best to put fresh ones on the wooden cups every time they are used. So much for the apparatus, and now for the method. Two bars of cell cups are fitted into the lid. Three combs of new unsealed honey, one of which must contain some new pollen, are placed in the box. Great care is neces- sary to see that no brood nor eggs are in any of these combs. About half a cup of water is sprinkled into one comb. In the middle of a fine morning, wlien a gentle flow of nectar is on, I take the box to a good colony that has a two-year-old queen and is so strong that it can spare the required bees for a night. Bees from a younger queen will do, but they are not quite so keen on start- ing cells. I do not wish to get the queen in the box, so I locate her and put her to one side. I push the combs in the swarm -box over to one side, then in the empty space I quickly shake in the bees from five or six well-covered combs, space the three combs again properly so that, when the lid is on, the two rows of cell cups will be above the blank spaces, and finally carry the box to a sheltered spot or to the window in the honey-house. It is just here that Pratt's directions are incomplete. It is after he has detailed the method of grafting that he says the box must be covered with warm material and the room darkened, the inference being that this was unnecessary till the grafting was finished. As soon as the bees are in the box, v.annth and darkness are important. The bees, being qucenless and broodless, cluster on the cell cups, polishing and warming them. Every little while the "queenless roar" will be heard in crescendo and di- minuendo, which augurs well for success. When the bees are brought in I put the box on a bottom-board in case I wish to shift it. I lay a cloth over from each side and allow it to touch the ground so as to shut out the light at the bottom of the box, yet far enough away to allow the air to circulate. When I come to graft the cells I am very careful to remove the covering from the "top without letting any light fail underneath at the sides. The light wouhl cause the bees to rush to the bottom, and it would be some hours before they would again cluster on the cell cups. I usually leave the bees five or six hours before grafting; but when all the conditions have been favorable I have given them barely half an hour. From my breeder colo- ny I get a comb containing larvae which are so small they can barely be seen were il not for the food that surrounds them. II requires good eyesight to spot the youngest larviE, and a steady hand to lift them out on the grafting needle and place them in the cell cups without damaging them. The bees reject any damaged ones. I manage to pick up some food with the larva and de- Fig. 3. — Lid of .swarm box witli two long slots for cell bars. posit it in its new quarters with enough food to give it a comfortable appearance. The first ones are being fed before I have finished, and a contented hum takes the \ <3>Cd(3><^a>C^C^QC^~\ V ^ BLANK BAR Fig. 4. — These bars fit into slots of swarm-box lid. place of the queenless roar. I generally get from 2.5 to 30 cells accepted. In the morn- ing following, it is easy to pick out those which have been accepted. They are nicely rounded and drawn down with a new edge of white wax. Each larva can be seen float- ing in a plentiful supply of royal jelly. The failures are either empty or started in a half-hearted way. The queen-cells being started, the next thing is to get them finished and incubated. Pratt gives a method of using a queenless and broodless colony for a few days, after GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 which the queen and brood are returned, the cells being kept above a queen-excluder till hatching time. I get all my cells finish- ed above queen-excluders with a laying queen below. I select a colony with a good patch of brood in the second story, make sure the queen is below, and jnit an excluder between the two. I remove a side comb from the super and make a space between two combs of brood containing eggs or un- sealed larvae. This space is for the frame containing the started queen-cells, and I prefer two colonies thus for each batch of cells, about 16 being quite enough for one colony to finish. For convenience in getting at the cells, Pratt used a frame with the top-bar dropped two inches, the cell-bar rest- ing on the lugs and becoming a temporaiy top-bar. I prefer to sacrifice a little con- venience here and have the cell-bar right down among the brood. I believe the cells are better cared for there, and a cold spell will not cause them to be deserted. For this purpose I keep a number of special combs. They have a two-inch strip blank at the bot- tom, and grooves are cut across each end-bar so that when the cell-bar is inserted there is enough clearance to the bottom-bar to give room for the queen-cells. Under natural conditions queen-cells are practically always reared in a queen-right colony, and I believe that my method is as near the natural one as we can get. The morning following the grafting, the cells are put out as above, and 10 days after- ward they must be attended to, as they are then due to hatch. The bees in the swarm- box are returned to their hive, or they may be used for making nuclei or for increase. It is better to use fresh bees than to use them a second day for more cells. Likewise it is not advisable to use bees from the same colony continuously, but rather at in- tervals. Where the cells are being finished there is a likelihood of other cells being built. These must be destroyed, as stray virgins upset the nicest plans. The same colony can be used again later on, after al- loAving the queen to put more brood above or lifting up two suitable combs. The queen-cages supplied with the Swarth- more outfit were too small, too many virgins dying in them for want of room. I changed to a larger size (wire both sides), 24 of which fit into an ordinary Langstroth frame. But I seldom cage the cells if I can avoid it, as I find it is more trouble to introduce a virgin, while a ripe cell can be used under any conditions. It is true that the virgins occupy the nuclei for a longer time; but the less fussing and the smaller loss more than compensate. I have used the twin'mating- boxes as twins for some years, but I now prefer them as singles, as too often the queens change sides. I have made my own frames for them with proper top-bars; and to get them filled with honey or brood I put them on a special super over a strong colony. This super is six inches deep, and is divided in two, crosswise, so that it holds ten frames in each end. I draw on these supers for honej^ at all times. For starting the nuclei I prefer to use sealed brood, as the bees will locate afresh much more readi- ly. Only a ripe queen-cell can be used when starting with brood. Starting with honey only, bees from a swarm are best of all. I allow the first queen to get a good patch of brood well advanced toward sealing be- fore I remove her. This gives the nuclei a good start. They must at all times be kept well supplied with honey, else they are in- clined to swarm out, even deserting brood. Barrv's Bay, N. Z. W. B. Bray. CAGES WITH CHANTRY FEATURE Idea Used Long Ago by Chantry. Thompson Made Further Applica- tion and Improvement By E. F. Atwater and J. E. Thompson '-p HE article JL on page 463 of Gleanings for 1918, describ- ing queen cages in which the bees of the colo- ny to which the queen is to be introduced gain access to the queen a day or two before she is automatically released, brings to mind the old saying, ' ' There is nothing new under the sun," for here is merely an old prin- ciple re-discovered. Cage "A," page 464, is so nearly like the Chantry cage, which I illustrated and de- scribed, after years of previous use, on page 138 of the "Eeview" for 1907, that it looks as tho the inventor had at least a hazy memory, subconscious if you will, of seeing the article in question, the idea no doubt coming as a new inspiration, This Chantry cage (and I must call the cages there shown Chantry cages) was first shown to the writer by Mr. Chantry, then a practical bee- keeper of Iowa and South Dakota, in the early spring of 1902 or 1903, and has been extensively used in introducing many hun- dreds of queens in our apiaries here. Mr. Chantry found this cage to introduce nearly 100 per cent of the queens successful- ly, but in our experience, such results have not been reached. The idea of giving the bees access to the queen thru a piece of queen-excluding metal was even earlier; a^d, if I am not mistaken, was described in the ' ' Review ' ' many years ago, as the invention of C. W. Gostellow. In AlGl'ST, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 497 this early cage, the release of tiie queen, or the giving' the bees access to her, thiu the perforated metal, was not automatic. Later, on page 342 of the American Bee Journal for 1910, Vincent Asprea of Italy describes a cage embodying the same valua- ble principle, but, like the Costellow cage, it was not automatic in action, as it requir- ed that the hive be opened once or twice after caging the queen therein. However, the combination of the candy jirinciple with the bees eating tluMr way to Improved Benton cage with U-shaped tin removed, showing perforated zinc at outer end of passageway. the queen thru a short passageway, guarded only by a bit of queen-excluding metal, then, a day or two later, after the bees have become acquainted with the new moth- er, releasing her by eating the candy from a longer, unguarded passageway, is distinct- ly the invention of Thos. Chantry; and I feel should be so named, unless the princi- ple can be shown to have been used by oth- ers at an earlier date. The principle is of real value. E. F. Atwater. Meridian, Idaho. Thompson's Reply to Atwater. It is impossible that I could have had a hazy memory of anything written in the Beekeepers ' Keview 12 years ago, since I never saw a copy of that magazine until 1912. I used to keep queens for months by caging them in spiral cages along the top- bars of the frames, and after a few days replacing the tin with a strip of perforated zinc. This is how the cages came to be made: There was a colony that refused to accept a cell or a queen in the regular way, so I took one of the caged queens and released her on the top-bars of the frames. She then fanned her wings for joy, and the bees did likewise. She was accepted, and, being fed by the bees, was found laying the next day. So it occurred to me that if a queen is more readily accepted after the bees have mingled with her, why not make an introducing cage to admit the bees before the queen was re- leased"? Accordingly, I have since that time used the idea in various cages I have made. In the article to which Mr. Atwater re- fers I find this statement: "One fault of the Chantry cage is that occasionally a queen is so stupid that she can not tind the way out of the cage when the candy is gone. ' ' The reason for this, I have found, is that the grain of the wood and also the vertical position of the cage prevent her leaving. This .difficulty may be overcome by burning out the entrance to the cage and hanging the cage horizontally. Yet an en- trance with flat walls is much more satis- factory than one with rounded walls, even when the latter is burned out; for in testing- out these cages it has been my experience that over half of the queens refuse to leave thru a cylindrical hole. For this reason I prefer a passageway with four straight walls rather than a cylindrical one. The Improved Benton Cage. The principle of these cages I have also applied to the Benton cage. For sending out ({ueens thru the mails the Benton mailing and introducing cage shown in the cut has been tried out and has proved successful. The cylindrical passages at each end of the cage are filled with candy. The shorter one lias tacked over it at the outer end a piece of perforated zinc covered with a remov- able strip of tin bent in the shape of a U. The screen covering the face of the cage is just short enough for the admission of one arm of the U-shaped tin. This arm slips into the cage and covers the inner end of the short passageway, and the outer arm of the U strip covers the perforated zinc at the_ outer end of the passageway where it is tacked in place. Thus in the shorter pas- sageway both surfaces of the candy are covered so that the bees will be prevented Same cage with U-shaped tin in place. Perforated tin on side of cage may be removed when putting queen and attendants in cage. from getting to it while in the mails. For the admission of the queen and bees, a small opening is made in the middle of the side. After the queen and bees are caged, the opening is closed with a piece of tin. On arrival at the apiary, when the queen is ready to be introduced the U tin is removed and the cage placed horizontally on the comb just above the brood, the cage being attached to the comb by means of a nail or bent wire. In a short time the bees will have eaten thru and gotten to the queen, thus allowing the caged bees to be released, while the size of the perfora 498 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 tion in the zinc prevents the escape of the queen. At the opijosite end of the cage is a longer passageway, the outer end being covered Tfith a strip, of cardboard having a quarter- inch slit thru the middle. This slit allows the bees to gnaw more readily thru the pasteboard to the candy and thus liberate the queen. Instead of the slitted cardboard it would probably answer quite as well to use a piece of cardboard so narrow that the bees could easily get at the candy .at either side of the strip. When filling the cage the hole should be completely filled with the candy so that the candy reaches clear to the pasteboard, touch- ing it, because if the candy is not in contact wuth the pasteboard, the bees will not gnaw thru; but if the damp candy touches, then some of the sweetness soaks into the paper so the bees more readily gnaw thru. For the bees to eat thru the candy of the longer passageway requires a longer time than to eat the candy of the shorter pas- sageway; and therefore by the time the queen is allowed to escape thru the long' passageway the bees of the colony have been entering the cage at will thru the per- forated zinc, and have thus become so well acquainted with the queen that there is but little danger of their balling her when she finally leaves the cage. This same plan may be used by the bee- keeper on the arrival of an ordinary cage thru the mails. If he has no candy availa- ble, and yet wishes to introduce in this way, he should take the cage into the apiary house, leave one end of the cage closed, and over the other end tack a perforated strip, thus allowing the escorts to escape and leave the queen alone in the cage. As soon as the escorts have left the cage, cover the perforated strip with the U-shaped tin and introduce. At the end of 24 hours remove the U-shaped strip and slip between the per- forated strip and the cage a piece of news- paper daubed in honey, and replace the cage. Queens without escort are introduced much easier, for then they are fed by the nurse bees, and are often ready to lay when released; and, if the queen mixes with the bees naturally, she does not become fright- ened and thus become balled. Medina, Ohio. J. E. Thompson. SAFE INTRODUCTION of QUEENS Good '^sults Comb Method. THE intro- duction of queens has been one of the serious problems for beekeepers in all times. We have become ac- customed to los- ing a large per- centage of queens in introduction and have educated ourselves to expect this and take the heavy loss as a matter of course. Frequently we hear people say: "I in- ti-oduced 50 queens with the common mail- ing cage and lost only 10"; or, "I introduc- ed 100 queens by the smoke method and lost only 15"; or, "I introduced a large number of queens by the honey-bedaub method and lost only 25 per cent. ' ' We are reminded of the story of the man, who said: ' ' The way to teach j'our boy to swim is to just catch the kid and throw him into deep water, and he will swim all right. I taught my seven sons just that way and I lost only one out of the seven." Now, than, if we lose any queens in intro- duction, we should search for the reason and attempt a remedy, and not be satisfied un- til we have the hundred-per-cent method. Upon sending out questionnaires and upon investigating the subject, I have been as- tonished at the large loss of queens thru introduction. One experienced bee inspector says, "The average loss with all classes of beekeepers is 50 per cent. ' ' A man in Cali- fornia informed me that out of twelve pur- chased he successfullv introduced only three. with '^ush-in-the- Not the Average Fifty per cent Loss in Introduction By Jay Smith Another large honey - producer, who mostly rears his own queens, stated that he lost by introduc- tion fully two- thirds of the queens received thru the mail. Is look for better methods of it not time to introduction? In years past when queens could be pur- chased for 40 cents and upwards the loss Smith's Pushin-the-comb-cage heavy tin. with saw teeth cf w^as not so heavy, but more and more \)eo- ple are realizing that a good queen is a valuable asset and should be introduced with greatest care. Very often queens are August. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE accoptod aftei- bi-iiiii balled and injurod. They will live thru a honey ilow and the colony will produce no surplus. Then the queen is superseded. In the past year, par- ties have reported yields of 200 pounds and upward from the colonies containing the best queens; and from the poorest colonies, nothing. It can be readily seen in that case that the good queens might be worth $50 each and the poor queens nothing. No matter how good a queen originally, if she is injured in introduction she may be a com- plete failure. Methods of queen introduction come and go. In fact many of them come and go a good many times. People are making new discoveries and finding sure methods for introducing queens; but if they read back in some early edition of Langstroth, Quinby, or Doolittle, they will find these same meth- ods were used and discarded 30 or 40 years ago. In reviewing the older methods and ex perimenting on all the new or so-called new ones, I find but one method which has stood the test as being practically certain, and this is the method known as the "Push-in- the-comb-cage" method. In his book, ' ' Scientific Queen Bearing, ' ' Mr. Doolittle says, ' ' To introduce a queen that has come to me from abroad or one which I consider of more than ordinary value from my own apiary, I proceed as follows"; and he then describes the "Push-in-the-comb-cage. " Mr. Doolittle also states that with this cage ' ' Not one queen in one hundred is balled. ' ' Mr. Hutchinson in "Advanced Beekeep- ing, ' ' recommends this method very highly and the " ABC" says, ' ' Reports of this method of introduction have been uniformly favorable." Others who have used the "Push-in-the-comb-cage" give similar re- ports. Now the question naturally rises, ' ' Why then is this method not at present universal- ly used?" The answer is not difficult to find. The common "Push-in-the-comb-cage" was merely a screen wire with ends bent down and pushed into the comb, and it had a number of drawbacks which made it un- popular. Sometimes in pressing the cage into the comb, the corners were not bee- tight, in which case the queen came out too soon and was killed. Sometimes this cage would come loose, or drop out of the comb, thus releasing the queen too soon. Some- times the bees would burrow under this wire cage in too short a time; but the greatest drawback of all was the difficulty and in- convenience experienced in getting the queen into this cage. The cut illustrates a cage that we have used in our apiary in a modified form for several years and up to date has not a sin- gle failure to its discredit. It is a "Push- in-the-comb-cage" but overcomes the ob- jection to the old "Push-in-the-comb-cage." The saw-teeth which are pushed into the comb are made of heavy tin, with the points one-eighth of an inch apart, and these arc made just the length of a worker cell. When this is pressed into the comb, the points of these teeth become firmly embed- ded into the old cocoons in the bottom of the cells, making it impossible for the bees to gnaw their way under this cage. Being made of heavy tin, the teeth cannot get out of alignment, and consequently their func- tioning is certain. To get the queen into this cage is a very simple matter. All that is necessary is to remove the perforated tin on the mailing cage, and drop the mailing cage into the When introducing, shipping cage is inserted into (Mid of Smith's cage as shown in cut. upper part of the introducing cage, when the holes of the two cages come opposite, and the queen and bees immediately run down into the introducing cage on to the combs. If the six-hole cage, as illustrated in the cut, is used it is a perfect fit. If a three- hole cage is used, a small block of wood is inserted to take up the extra space. An old black comb should be used as it contains cocoons in the bottom of the cells, so the bees cannot gnaw under. If this can be pushed into the comb over a small patch of brood and honey, the condition is ideal. However, in colonies long queenless or in nuclei very frequently there is no hatching brood, but this seems to work just as well. When the bees and the queen get down on the comb, they at once take the odor of the hive and become a part and parcel of the colony. The colony odor is in the combs. While I do not recommend any method as sure with laying w^orkers, yet I have intro- duced a number of queens to laying work- ers with no loss. This method has several other advantages. You can always tell be- fore you release the queen from the cage, whether or not she is accepted; for, if the bees are kindly disposed toward her, they will not attempt to ball her thru the vvtre meshes, but will feed her and she will lay eggs, which can be readily seen thru the wire screen. When this is the case, the cage may be pulled out and the queen re- leased at once. In case this cage is taken out too soon and the bees are inclined to 500 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 ball the queen, it can be seen at once and the queen reeaged; while with the other methods, where the queen is automatically released, if they ball her when the bee- If the wood in the cage is made a little deeper, the cage may be used with a queen-nursery cage, by inserting a piece of wood to take up the extra space. keeper is not around she would be killed. One can leave the mailing cage with the cardboard over the candy until the bees gnaw this out and release the queen, or he can put a wooden plug over the cand}" and release the queen himself. I do the latter. This cage works equally well with virgin queens, and they can safely be introduced to full colonies. If the wood in the cage is made a little deeper it will accommodate the regular Queen Nursery cage. In this case the wooden cell cup is taken out of the cage, and the hole it occupied placed over the hole in the "Push-in-the-comb-eage. " A small piece of wood takes up the extra space and also covers the candy in the nursery cage. When desired, this wooden plug may be taken out and the bees allowed to eat out the queen; or the beekeeper may release her himself. I have used the last method in introducing virgin queens to nu- clei and find it by far the safest and easiest method known. Another point in its favor for virgin queens is the fact that the virgin queen is in no way injured by remaining in this cage a number of days. If bad weather should come on and queens be delayed in their mating and one has other virgin queens hatching, the second virgin may be confined in this cage until the first one has mated and been removed from the nucleus. Then the wooden block may be removed and the bees allowed to eat out virgin number two. Vincennes, Ind. SUMMER FIELD MEETS Hoijv they Make Better '^ekeepers and How they Eliminate Bee 'dis- eases By E. R. Root DUEING the last ten years sum- mer field meets of beekeepers have come to be quite the fash- ion. While they do not take the place of winter conventions they perform an important serv- ice in the way of actual demonstrations in the apiary. From a social standpoint they are invaluable. The picnic feature stimu- lates not only good feeling but a spirit of co- operation. If the beekeeper re- ceives no other benefit, the knowledge he gets concerning prices and the crops available at a time of year when he is getting ready to sell his crop will more than pay for the cost and time in going to the meet. But this is not all. Mr. Bee- Fig. 1. — Field meet ;U the liuiuc of C. B. Howard, Hayts Corners, N. Y. Tliis was the largest gathering of beekeepers at any iieild meet I attended a year ago. Between three and four hundi-ed were present from all parts of the State. It was impossible to get a general view; but the picture shows the crowd forming a circle around Dr. Phillips who was then speaking. Beekeepers came from all over the State in auto- mobiles, returning the same day. AuausT, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 501 Fig. 2. — Tliis shows Geo. H. Rea, the man holding the brood-comb, giving a demonstration at the apiary of M. H. Fairbanks, Homer, N. Y. Mr. Rea was covering the entire State, telling the farmers how to keep beas better and how to clean up bee disease. keeper by seeing the work done learns the tricks of the trade, and particularly how to eliminate bee disease. No one is too old to learn; and I have yet to attend a field meet when I do not see and hear something worth while. It was my pleasure to attend a number of field meets a year ago this summer, not only in Michigan, mention of which has al- ready been made, but in New York, which has as many up-to-date beekeepers to the township as any State except California. One large meet was at East Aurora, N. Y., under the auspices of the Western New Fig. 3. — ^This is a general view of the beekeepers present at the Canastota meet. Chas. H. Stewart, State bee inspector, is shown at the extreme left, middle row, sitting down. Next to him is Mr. Clark, of the firm of Doolittle .t Clark; then following in order are S. D. House, Geo. H. Rea, Dr. E. F. Phillips, C. B. Howard, and A. H. Root. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 York Honey Producers' Association, of which James H. Spront of Lockport, N. Y., is president, and Howard Myers secretary. There were between 200 and 300 who sat down at the basket luncheon. Fig. 4. — As one rides aver the country he will see thesei signs on the trees in front of the homes of prosperous farmers — prosperous because the owner of the farm is a meimber of the Farm Bureau, which sends out extension workers who make it tlieir business to inspect the farms, offering suggestions in regard to the treatment of the soil and how to get the most out of it. The next meet was under the auspices of the State organization and was held at the home of C. B. Howard, near Hayts Corners, N. Y., at the foot of and between the two lakes of Seneca and Cayuga. Mr. Howard is one of the best beekeepers in the State, president of the New York State Associa- tion of Beekeepers' Societies, and owner of five or six hundred colonies of bees. Another meet was that held at Canastota, at the home of A. H. Eoot, brother of L. C. Eoot, author of Quinby's New Beekeeping. The attendance was not as large as at the other field meet; but from the standpoint of enthusiasm it was the equal of any of them. The next field meet was at the home of M. H. Fairbanks, Homer, N. Y., Aug. 5. This was an extension workers ' meet- ing. Fig. 2 shows Geo. H. Eea, then of the Bureau of Entomology, Washington, and formerly bee extension worker in North Carolina, and State bee inspector of Penn- sylvania, but at that time extension worker in New York. The next series of field meets, Dr. Phillips and Mr. Eea helping, was in Cortland Co., with the regular field bee extension worker, Allen S. Merchant of Cortland Co., N. Y. Mr. Merchant kindly carried us thru the country, among the farmer beekeepers where foul brood had been reported. Fig. 4 shows that the State of New York is welcoming the Farm Bureau extension workers who take up general agriculture, and, indirectly, bee culture. As soon as a farmer becomes a member of the Bureau a tag is fastened in a conspicuous place on the farm. Under the regular Leaver law the extension workers are performing wonders. Every county in every State in the Union should have an extension worker. Before leaving the State I must show John Dcmuth 's apiary at Pembroke, N. Y. (See Fig. 5.) Fig. 5. — This gives a view of one of the pretty yards owned by John Demuth, a leading beekeeper of Northwestern New York, located at Pembroke. His specialty is comb honey. He is one of the few who needs no extension worker or bee inspector because he is clear up to date. August, 1919 Gi. p:anings in bee culture ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS J By Grace Allen — Chapter VII ^^r-r-iRUK taste is forever growing, leani- J[ ing, reading, worshiping, laying its hand upon its mouth because it is as- tonished, casting its shoes from off its feet because it finds all ground holy — " Daddy Lowe was reading aloud, to the clicking — ■ then resting — of Mrs. Lowe's knitting need- les; while Anne, big-eyed with the intensity of her listening, sat with her knitting in her laj), looking off across the world. The old man read on. "And it finds whereof to feed, and where- by to grow, in all things; for there is that to be seen in every street and lane of every city^that to be felt and found in every human heart and countenance, that to be loved in every roadside weed and moss- grown wall, which, in the hands of faithful men, may convey emotions of glory and sub- limity continual and exalted." Daddy Lowe laid down his beloved Eus- kin and the three sat silent. The early August day hung hot and heavy. "I wonder what Euskin would have done if he had lived during this war," Anne mus- ed presently. "He would have hated it," the old man answered. "But if he had been young, he would have fought, I think. And if he had been old, he would have written things to feed men 's souls. ' ' Again they were silent, there in the deep shade of the maples. "Daddy Lowe," Anne began again, "are all beekeepers like you?" "Bless vou, no. Are all young girls like you?" "Yes, I think so — just about. Only I like books more than most of them — and parties less. And country more and cities less. ' ' "And bees more and beaux less," sug- gested Mr. Lowe. "And old people more and young people less, ' ' smiled Mrs. Lowe. ' ' Oh, I love everybody, ' ' Anne declared, "almost. And you two most of all, after Robert. But I was thinking what a nice kind of work beekeeping is for nice men like Daddy Lowe, because it doesn't take every minute every day. Hours like this are so lovely." ' ' I have friends who say this way of liv- ing hasn't made me rich," the old beekeeper said quietly. "Well, it has," flamed Anne, "rich in- side. Why — some people are so poor inside that their ideals are all ragged and worn. But you, you are rich, rich, rich." "One thing we have to be careful about, Anne, ' ' Mr. Lowe said presently. ' ' Those of us who care a great deal about books and quiet hours have much the same problem as the more energetic ambitious people liave, that is, to maintain a poise, not too much work nor too much leisure, but a quiet bal- ance between the two extremes." "Well, you can certainly work hard," Anne approved. "And you can get a lot out of leisure too. ' ' ' ' You flatter me, ' ' he smiled, adding, "It's time I started showing off my work- ing talents again. Anyone want to join the \ain display?" Before Anne could answer, she was wav- ing a friendly hand to a passing car, as it crossed the one open space where the road was visible. "Theodore," she explained. Then, laughing, "He goes right by when I'm in polite clothes, and drives relentlessly in when I'm working in the yard." ' ' Then he '11 likely drive in tomorrow, ' ' said Mr. Lowe. And so he did. But only for a few min- utes. He was taking Aliss Katherine Clark to the train for a visit to friends in the city, and she wanted to say good-bye to Anne, to v.honi she had taken a great liking. "I'm going to have such a good time!" she chirped in delighted anticipation. "I do love the city so. ' ' She turned to Anne. "Do you really like all this?" she demand- ed, with a puzzled look at the work clothes and the stained hands and the moist face of Anne. "Ask Theodore," laughed Anne. "She thinks she does," he affirmed. "Can't we persuade her she doesn't?" Katherine pointed an accusing finger at him. ' ' Pluck the farming beam out of your own eye before trying to dig the beekeeping n'ote out of hers!" Then to Anne, "I've found out he doesn't like farming a bit. Even Father says he ought to go back to the city. But he won 't — for some secret rea- son. Patriotism, I suppose. ' ' "No telling," murmured Anne. The car started out. "But he's coming in Thursday to take me riding and to a concert," the girl leaned out to call back. "Isn't that nice of him?" "Lovely," agreed Anne, waving her good-byes and good wishes to the happy girl and a very red and very miserable Theodore. She watched quietly till they were out of sight, then turned back to her beekeeper friend and teacher. "What had you started to say, Daddy Lowe?" she asked. "Something about planning right now for next season 's crop. ' ' With the fine courtesy that makes no un- invited comments, he again started to ex- l)lain the next work to be done. ' ' You see, Anne, the only way we can get a maximum crop next summer is to have every colony in as perfect condition as possi- ble when that flow comes. That calls for good wintering. That requires a lot of young bees this fall. To get them we need GLEANINGS IN BEF CULTURE Al'GUST, 1919 a young queen in each hive. That 's our next job." Anne looked down the rows of hives. ' ' It sounds like a big one, ' ' she sighed. At the words Mr. Lowe sat down on a hive and looked at Anne gravely. "It does," he answered, "too big." "To you, too?" surprised. "For another reason, Anne. I don't like leaving Mother alone much these days. I believe — " a moment's steady consideration — "yes, I believe I'll let the requeening go this year, after all. Our queens are only a year old, anjTvay, — and there are other things much more important than bees. ' ' From the sudden sadness of his look, Anne turned her eyes. Something was there too much his very own to be watched. But after a minute she looked swiftly back. "Daddy Lowe," she said in tender impul- siveness, "let me re-queen the yard! You stay at the house — with her. ' ' There was protest, and insistence, but in in the end Anne seemed to win. ' ' Only, ' ' she conditioned, "please don't ask me to use artificial cell cups, and graft larvae and things like that. I'm no grafter," with a steadfast attempt at gayety. "I thought you'd enjoy that part," he said. "It's really fascinating." "Maybe, some day. But not yet. I'm too green. Why couldn 't I just kill all the queens — Oh dear, that 's honestly what I hate worst of all! — and let each colony raise its own new queen?" "You could." "Your tone says, But something. But what? Would it leave them queenless too long?" "It wouldn't be downright tragic, but it would be a little too long — a little too late. Three weeks to get a new laying queen, three more before any of her progeny emerge, and two more before they are flying. I don't mind a break like that in the latter part of the main flow or immediately after it. But for August, brood-rearing is better than queenlessness. " Anne sighed. "I thought that would be such a nice simple way. ' ' ' ' There is another objection to it. About a fourth of the yard this season produced less than the vard average. Don 't vou think—" "Oh, of course! We've got to requeen them from our best producers." "Well, if you really insist on tackling this job — " "I really do." "Then we'll compromise by requeening only those poor producers. You have men- tioned methods you don't want to use — is there any especial one you do want to use?" "There are so many ways to do every- thing a beginner can hardly decide which is best. It must take lots of experience to get the most out of reading. ' ' "It takes lots of reading to get the most out of experience, too, ' ' he replied. ' ' But lately I read all about putting a comb of eggs flat across the top of a hive, and I thought that sounded like a cutie sort of plan. Did you ever try it?" "Yes. That will do. I leave it to you," and he turned to go. " Oh ! " a little frightened. ' ' You better find out first if I know how. ' ' The man smiled. "If you don't, you'll either read or ask. You are a very con- scientious young lady. But say your les- son over, if you'd rather." ' ' First, ' ' she began radiantly, dropping down on the grass in the shade, and patting the bench beside her for the old man to be seated too, "I'll pick for a breeder the queen whose workers gave the most honey, that is, if they are good-looking and well- mannered. I'll give them a nice empty worker comb right where the queen will lay in it. Then I'll choose some other big strong colony for the cell-builders, and make them — " tapping fingertips — "queen- less — broodless — eggless. Then I'll take the comb of eggs from the breeder and scrape out the alternating rows of cells, each way, till— ' ' "Do that if you wish," interrupted Mr. Lowe. ' ' Otherwise you needn 't. ' ' Anne opened her eyes in surprised pro- test. "I thought I had to, but anyway I wish to — I like the checkerboard picture in my mind. Then I'll lay it flat, on sticks or something, an inch or two above the top- bars of the cell-building colony. I'll put a shallow super on and lay a sack over the flat comb and down to the edges of the brood-chamber. Then up will come the nurse bees — poor little things with nothing down there to coddle^ — and before long there'll be royal jelley — Oh, do you think I had better feed them a little every day?" "I don't think you need to — tho it helps. We 're cutting down the work right now. Use your own judgment. ' ' ' ' "That 's flattering, but embarrassing. Perhaps it's educative, too! Well, that's all. Except when the young queens are most ready to come out, I'll have to exe- cute the undesirable queens we want to get rid of, and give each colony a cell — in a protector, I suppose. Or will I have to put them in nuclei flrst?" "Put the ripe cells directly into the colo- nies. Then make up nuclei for the cells that are left over; that will give you queens to replace any that don't get accepted or mat- ed." The old man rose. "It's in your hands, Anne. And vou are a great comfort, child." Anne rose too. ' ' Daddy Lowe, ' ' she said in her wistful young way, " I do hope Mrs. Lowe will get stronger — and that she '11 get a letter soon from her soldier boy. Surely one will come soon. And perhaps that will help." "Perhaps," he answered gently. "Per- haps. ' ' AuausT, iyi9 (} L E A N I X (i S 1 X B K E C U L T U li E inches measured, making the average diameter of the cell .20818 of an inch. Dividing 1.1547 by the square of that diameter gives 26.645 as the number of cells in a square inch. That's about 2 cells less than in comb built without foundation. Will all foundation give the same results.' Very unlikely. I suppose that all foundation mills are alike, having perfect hexagons, liut the sheets of wax will stretch in the milling, and different conditions will make the stretching \ary. We need more data to have some- thing reliable. Later. — Now comes one H. H. Root, and deposes that the mills do not have perfect hexagons, but are made so as to allow for stretching. He gives further information that is very interesting, but rather discon- certing. He thinks 39 cells in 8 inches comes pretty close to the average. That would give 27.441 cells to the square inch. He measured a piece of surplus foundation, and says: "In 4 inches, horizontal measure- ment, I counted 19% cells. In one of the diagonal measurements there were 19%, and in the other 19%. These are not exact, merely as nearly as I could estimate with my eye." That would give 27.8.37 cells to the square inch. (I should have expected more stretching in the surplus foundation, hence fewer cells, but it seems the other way.) We now have three numbers of cells to the square inch, there being a difference of a little more than one cell between the larg- est and smallest, and the average of the three is 27.;>07 cells to the square inch. What would be a fair thing to take for the aver- age? Some of you figure-heads at Medina — I mean you fellows with heads for figures — help us out. Arthur C. Miller says in The Beekeeper 's Item: "I recently examined several hun- dred combs built on slack wires from stan- dard weight foundation and not painted, and tho done by and built out under the care of an expert beekeeper, there was not a perfect comb in the lot. Approximately the upper inch of every comb was of stretch- ed cells and useless for brood, or a reduction of brood capacity for the hive of about 10 per cent. Then by having the outer combs crowded against the sides of the hive the outer surfaces were useless for brood; so this beekeeper like thousands of others had but the equivalent of eight combs on a ten- frame investment." Mr. Miller's remedy is the Vogeler process of painting hot wax over the surface of the foundation. This matter of having cells in the upper part of the comb that the queen will not use is a serious one, all the more serious because many are not aware of their loss by it. The iHili,.ii that licc's will not use the upjier inch of comb tor brood is, 1 am sure, eiioiu'ous unless there be something wrong with that upjier inch. By using foundation splints I have had the row of cells next the top-bar nicely tilled with brood. [The stretching of the inch or two of comb next the top-bar is a condition that is all too common. Since the editor has been in California he beiieves he has a solution that will increase the breeding capacity of the brood-chamber from 10 to 20 jier cent. He will have something to say on that question in a subsequent ar- ticle later on. The stretching of the top row of cells has so reduced the queen 's ca-' pacity that swarming has resulted where in many cases it could have been avoided. And the actual crop of honey has been reduced because the working force has been curtailed in proportion as the breeding capacity has been limited by the stretching of the before- mentioned cells. — Jiditor.] * * * M. S. P. writes: "I am sure that if one were even to hammer the ground near a hive that the vibration along the ground, as well as thru the atmosphere, would excite the bees to a high nervous pitch. I have noticed this often, and am sure that while they may hear, vibration is the cause of what we suppose is hearing. ' ' I think it is generally understood that jarring a hive, which the bees feel, but do not hear, is the cause of trouble. But that proves notliing one way or the other, about hearing. I can feel a jar without hearing it, and I can hear a noise without feeling it. Why may it not be the same with bees? * « * Eugene Secor was a good man in many ways, but among beekeepers will probably be best remembered as the beekeepers' poet. Nearly all the beekeepers' songs were writ- ten by him. I don't know how much of a musician he was; but he had his own notions about the music to be set to his songs, and when sending to me the words to which he wanted music written he nearly always had some suggestion as to movement, chorus, or something of the kind. * * * In Texas, as in other States, there is di- versity as to taxation of bees, they being taxed in some counties and not in others. The Beekeepers' Item reports that at a late meeting of Texas inspectors this resolution was passed: "Be it resolved that the Coun- ty Apiary Inspectors go on record as favor- ing the rendition of bees for taxes in every county in the State." Which goes to show that those Texas inspectors have sense. ^ * * "It is regrettable that there is no law to prevent those who have no regard at all for the golden rule from poaching on the terri- tory of others," page 418. Thanks, Mr. Editor, many thanks. Whenever enough get to talking that way, there is no reason why there may not be such a law. c SIFTINGS J. E. Crane lur 514 ^yJ^ these morn- ings at our home, as the truck is loaded with brood- chambers filled with frames of foundation, su- pers of sections, smokers, bee-veils, extra clothes in case of rain, lunches for the noonday meal; and two experienced beemen with two strong boys, with jest and laughter, start for outyards four to twelve miles away. ■jf * * Bees are doing well in this section altho the weather has been too cold and wet for the greatest yield of honey. A light frost on the mornings of June 22 and 29 reminds us that winter lasts until July in New Eng- land and "comes out in spots all summer." * « * The idea of putting a super of brood- combs on a hive after the sections are re- moved at the close of the season, as advised by Belva M. Demuth, page 426, is new to me. About here we want for winter use all the late honey, if there is any stored in the brood-chamber. "Locality" again. * * * When I read of the immense quantities of extracted honey that is being produced in carloads and carloads, I am reminded of a letter written about 1872 by D. W. Quimby of New York to the American Bee Journal, asking beekeepers not to ship extracted honey to New York as there was very little demand for it. I find a super of shallow frames about as heavy as 1 care to lift alone; but, with a strong boy to help, I can lift those with deep frames just as well. We are using only seven frames in an eight-frame super this year. It saves frames and makes uncapping easier. * » * J. L. Byer says, page 449, "One thing sure, the prospective or present active bee- keeper must more than ever realize the ne- cessity of being able to diagnose the two brands of foul brood, and in a measure be his own inspector." He hits the nail square on the head. It looks hereabouts as tho the old-fashioned let-alone beekeepers are about to go out of business and stay out. * * * I received a nice letter from S. A. Kat- liff, some time since, explaining the reason for holes in the bottom of aluminum combs. These holes were, he said, for the purpose of getting the bees started to work in the combs. I was glad to know this. The alumi- num comb I had was placed in the center of i) strong colony June 21, and I found three (lays later all these holes stopped in the central part of the comb, and in a week nearly all were closed with wax, and sorne GLEANINGS IN B K E CULTURE AiGUST, 1919 1 iU honey and pollen stored. After e 1 e \- e n days there was, I judged, one and one-half pounds of honey stored near the top and ends of the comb while the central part was left for brood. The work- ers evidently thought it was all right for this purpose; but the queen, more fastidious, had refvised to trust her eggs to a metal comb. However, queens often refuse to lay in new combs when they can find old ones in which to lay. After the bees have work- ed it over, it looks absolutely perfect, and no one would suspect its artificial origin ex- cept by the color and ends. I am watching it with intense interest. Of course, one comb in one hive is not a fair test of its value. Whether these combs prove a suc- cess or otherwise, the person who succeeded in making them is worthy of great credit. I hope they may prove all that is claimed for them. * * » An invalid across the street, confined most of the time to an open air porch, finds not a little recreation and enjoyment in a one-comb glass hive. The glass is covered with corrugated paper when the bees are not being watched or studied. * * * This section seems to be improving in honey resources. In an inspection trip a few days ago with a horse and carriage, I saw very few meadows in which there was not more or less alsike clover in blossom. A horse and carriage is, to my mind, much bet- ter for looking over the country than an auto. A new colony on scales yesterday gained eight and one-fourth pounds. * » * That press for extracting the honey from eappings, page 423, July Gleanings, looks good, but — Mr. Holtermann represents it as being able to press out nearly all the honey when the eappings are dropped directly into the hoops and then pressed; and then farther on he tells us that Mr. Bedell by first al- lowing his eappings to drain thoroly before pressing them saved some 40 pounds of hon- ey to each one thousand pounds of honey ex- tracted. He is quite sure very little honey is left in the cakes of pressed eappings, for in chewing pieces of these cakes the wax is only slightly sweet. It would be interesting to know the exact proportion of wax and honey in these cakes. We could then esti- mate quite accurately the saving by the use of the press. [The fact that Mr. Bedell is willing to uncap directly into the hoops and then press instead of allowing to drain a day as he did last year, would indicate that he is getting nearly if not quite as good results in this way. We cannot tell the exact amount of honey left but, from the samples we saw, the amount must be very slight indeed. — Editor.] O L K A N I N (i S I K B F. E C tM. T U R E 515 c lur WHEN I was a small girl study- ing geography in the grade schools we were taught that the superi- ority of the peo- ples of Europe and North Amer- ica over the inhabitants of the tropical countries was due to climate, that cool or cold and bracing weather was conducive to energy, and for that reason Europeans and their descendants had always been progres- sive and the dominant race. Personally I shall continue to believe there is some truth in that theory, for altho I love summer days with sunshine, blue skies, and moderately warm weather, the kind of a day when bees are busy on the basswoods wilts energy and ambition right out of me. But now comes Dr. McCollum, of Johns Hopkins TTniversity, with the claim that the cause of the inferiority of the peoples of the tropics, represented by a large part of India, China, Japan, and the Philippine Islands, is because they have never developed a dairy industry, that they have never used milk, and their consumption of eggs is small ex- cept among the well to do. He says they are with few exceptions undersized, poorly nourished, and have a short span of life, that their infant mortality is the highest of any peoples of the world. They have never achieved much in the fields of science, literature, art, or invention, but have been content to go on generation after generation in the ways of their forefathers. Dr. McCollum is professor of chemical hy- giene of Johns Hopkins University and has been in charge of prolonged feeding experi- ments both upon animals and groups of hu- man beings, these feeding experiments, some 3,100 in all, extending over a period of eleven years. These experiments developefl the fact that it is impossible to make up animal diets which would preserve the spe- cies thru three generations without milk, eggs, or the leafy portions of plants. Animals which were fed a ration of cereals, legume seeds, such as dried peas and beans, tubers and edible roots, even with the addition of as much as ten per cent of meat, such as steaks and other muscle tissues, failed to make a normal growth, and premature de- generation took place in the older animals. There are three reasons why diets lacking the above-named foods are inadequate: first, all such diets are deficient in certain soluble minerals; second, they lack the so- called vitamine soluble in fats, called by McCollum "Fat soluble A;" third, the pro- teins found in milk, eggs, and meats are worth about six times as much to the living body as the protein found in legumes, such as dried peas and beans. It is for these three reasons that McCol- lum coined the term "Protective Foods" for milk, eggs^ ajld tJjf leafy vegetables, such as OUR FOOD PAGE Stancy Puerden 1 TU spiuacli, lettuce, Swiss Chard, cabbage, celery tops, turnip tops, Brussels Sprouts, etc. At this point someone may wonder why we human beings may not depend entirely upon the leafy vegetables for our protective foods instead of being obliged to supplement them with milk. Human beings do not seem to be so constituted as to be able to use the leafy vegetables for a very large proportion of their diet. Apparently our digestive appar- atus is not designed to accommodate enough of the leafy portions of plants for safety, and we must, therefore, in addition to a generous supply of the leafy vegetables, de- pend upon the grass-eating, milk-producing animals for milk if we wish to be adequately nourished. The meat of these same animals, tho a valuable food, will not take the place of their milk. It is deficient in the growth- promoting principle, essential not only to the young but also to the adult to prevent premature degenerative changes. McCollum points out that the Orientals and the peoples of the tropics eat much more of the green leaves than we do, and he be- lieves it is this which has preserved them from total extinction. Let me quote a little direct from Dr. A. C. Sherman, professor of food chemistry of Columbia University and author of several valuable books on foods and food chemistry. "So far as things so different in character can be compared with each other, it seems perfectly safe, in view of our present knowl- edge of nutrition, to say that a quart of milk is a greater asset to the family dietary than is a pound of steak, and anyone that can afford to buy meat at all can better af- ford to buy milk. Lusk 's dictum that the housewife having a family of five to feed should buy three quarts of milk before buy- ing a pound of meat remains as sound as ever, altho the prices of both have risen." Do you sometimes wonder why Our Food Page touches on this subject so frequently? It is because in these days of rapidly ad- vancing prices too many housekeepers are inclined to economize on the milk supply and the amount of green vegetables, regard- ing the first as a beverage and the second as a luxury with little food value. A walk in the residence district of almost any town, just after the milkman has been on his rounds, reveals milk bottles all too small and too few in number. As a result the dairy herds all over the country are being reduced and there is a prospect of our race suffering from mal-nutrition and deteriorat- ing physically and mentally. NOW that we have reached the conclu- sion that we should all use milk and plenty of it, let us consider the subject 516 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 of the milk supply. Those who have never owned a cow of their own can never imagine how good milk, cream, and butter reallj^ can taste. Fresh milk to drink twice a day, pans of milk covered with thick, yellow cream in the i(;e box, and perhaps a firm little pat of butter of home manufacture give a house- keeper a wonderful feeling of satisfaction. Whenever practicable I believe a family should own a cow, or at least have part in- terest in a cow while their children are growing up. For years we have owned one- sixth part of two cows, which would be equal to a third of a cow, wouldn't it? and most of the time we have all the fresh milk and cream we can use, and occasionally we have enough cream to spare for a little pat of sweet butter, churned in a cream whip. It is great fun, and the work of straining, di- viding the milk and washing pails and cloth strainer does not become a burden if each family takes it in turn, a month at a time. If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself in a locality where fresh milk cannot be secured, dried milk may now be obtained by sending direct to the producers. This is pure, pasteurized milk, reduced to a powder by a process which removes all the water content, and when the water is restored it looks and tastes like fresh milk which has been heated to the point of pasteurization. It will keep indefinitely in the dry, powdered state, but when mixed with the required amount of water will sour as ordinary milk. Both dried whole milk and dried skimmed milk, suitable for cooking purposes, may now be obtained. They have been used by large baking industries for some time, but have onlv recentlv been offered to the pub- lic. If it is difficult to induce your family to drink enough milk thei'e are endless ways to use milk and the milk products in cooking, such as creamed and scalloped potatoes, creamed vegetables of all kinds, creamed chipped beef or codfish, white sauce, cus- tards, puddings, junkets, bonnyclabber, etc., and nearly all good housekeepers are glad to have sour milk for use in baking. As to cream, there is just no limit to its possibilities; vegetables, fruits, and cereals are nearly all improved by the addition of a little cream. A spoonful of whipped cream placed on a dish of cream of vegetable soup just before it is served will spread over the surface and give the soup a velvety texture. Pie crust spread Avith cream just before it is put in the oven will taste much richer than it is and will brown delicately and have a delicious flaky texture and fine flavor. Cottage Cheese. If you like cottage cheese and can produce an article which satisfies your own house- hold, you will not need to read this; but several people have told me they never liked cottage cheese until they tasted mine, and so I will tell my way on the chance that there may be others with similar tastes. In the first place, when you remove the I-' ilk from the ice box be sure to put it in a warm place to sour quickly. Because of the necessity for this it is easier to make cottage cheese in the summer, but good cheese may be made in the winter if the milk is soured in a warm part of the kit- chen instead of in a cool pantry. "When it is solidly clabbered place the utensil con- taining it on a stove mat over a gas burner turned low or a moderately hot part of the range. It is well to cut thru the curd sev- eral times to make sure that the heat can penetrate evenly. So far this is just as anyone else makes cottage cheese; but where others merely warm the curd I heat it steaming hot and then remove it from the burner and let it partially cool before turning it into a colan- der to drain. This leaves the curd firm and dry but not tough. When the curd is not heated to this point a little of the whey is left in the cheese, and I believe it is the slightly bitter taste of the whey to which many people object. When thoroly drained put the curd in the ice box until ready to serve, when it should be worked until smooth with the back of a spoon, seasoning it with salt and adding cream until it is as soft as desired. Serve it with more cream poured over it and sprinkled lightly with pepper or paprika. If you have no cream, work softened butter and a little milk into it. Chopped green sweet pepper or canned pi- mento may be added to cottage cheese, or it may be packed into green sweet pepjier cases. It is also very tempting served with marmalade, preserves, or honey. f RKA^r SALAD DRESSING. V2 cup sweet or slightly 2 tablespoons vinegar sour cream Da.sh of pepper or 1 teaspoon sugar or paprika honey 1 teaspoon minced on- V2 teaspoon salt ion, if desired. Add the dry ingredients to the cream ai.d then the vinegar, a little at a time, beating constantly. Serve with green vegetables. EGGS POACHED IX MILK. 6 , eggs or less 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups milk Buttered toast. Turn the milk into a frying pan, liring to a scald, and add salt. Break the eggs into a saucer, one at a time, and slip into the scalded milk, cover and cook until set. Serve on the buttered toast, the crusts of which have been softened in the hot milk. Do not let the milk boil. Skimmed milk may be used. GREEX CORX I'UDDIXG. 2 cups fresh green corn 1 tablespoon honey cut from cob, or 1 teaspoon salt 1 can corn Pepper or paprika to 2 eggs taste 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/2 cups milk. Carefully cut the corn from the cob, cut- ting only halfway thru the kernel and scv.ip- ing out the rest of the pulp with the hack of tlic knife; mix with the eggs slightly hcateii, the butter, honey, and dry ingredi- euts; add the milk and bake in a glass or carthernvvare pudding dish until the custard is set. It should bake slowly. Alii I- ST, litis) (J L K A X I \ (7 S IK B K E CULTURE 517 "I c Beek eeping as a Grace Allen be liap}ty in are needed: must not do have a sense T is written 'in the sweat of th}' brow, ' but it was n e \- e )• written 'in the breaking of thin e li e a r t ' thou shalt eat bread; * * * Now in order that people may their work, these three things They must be fit for it; they too mucdi of it; and they must of success in it. ' ' This is part of what John Raskin said about happiness in work. He also says this: "All rivers, small or large, agree in one character; they like to lean a little to one side; they cannot bear to have their chan- nels deepest in the middle, but will always, if they can, have one bank to sun them- selves upon, and another to get cool under; one shingly shore to play over, where they may be shallow, and foolish, and childlike; and another steep shore, under which they can pause and purify themselves, and get their strength of waves fully together for due occasions. Rivers in this way are just like w^ise men, who keep one side of their life for play, and another for work; and can be brilliant, and chattering, and trans- parent when they are at ease, and yet take alco, TTtah, for the prize for the best lecord for 1919! The local crop as a whole may, however, rise to a better average than this. One thing looks certain to me. Where you get very often such small crops as that, 518 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 shallow supers are preferable to full-depth. The little combs are filled and sealed to the bottom-bars, while full-depth combs are not ready to extract. One day I sat idly watching the bees, and just as my eyes dropped on one colony, I saw a sudden excited bunching of the bees on the front of the hive, a bit above the entrance. Stepping closer, I found a queen the center of attraction, presumably a young one just returned from her nuptial flight. What a time she had finding her way into the entrance, or at any rate, what a time she took. She went nearly to the top of the hive, then nearly back down, then around the corner to the side. Presently I held my hive tool in front of her, and she obligingly ran on it. I laid the tool in the entrance, but she wandered off down on the grass, all the time with a goodly following of eager attendants. At last, however, she climbed back up the alighting board, and ran into the entrance. One thousand, seven hundred and nineteen hives burned! Didn't Jamaica act quickly and severely when foul brood came her wayf What would Our Fire Department, that rush- ed so vainly but valiantly forth to extin- guish a one-hive fire, have done with sucli a mighty conflagration? Well, anyway, it sounds thoro. We have seen no further sign of disease since promptly treating our one tragedy. I have been expecting to find it in the swarm this colony had cast about two weeks before the trouble was discovered, and over which, in approved orthodox style, I had set the su- per from the parent hive. So far it is free, liowever. "Shade is convenient, but not essential," Mr. Buchanan says, page 360, June. Mr. Bartholomew used to assert the same thing, — that shade was in no wise essential. Last month a neighbor returning from a visit to Chattanooga told me of having been seriously ill while there. Shortly aft^er breakfast one morning she seemed threaten- ed with a violent headache; soon, becoming dizzy and very sick, she rose to leave the room. Thereupon she fainted dead away, and, after being restored to consciousness, was taken with horrible nausea and vomit- ing. Her hostess and friends were distressed and gave her the best possible care. Of course she ate no lunch. The others did, however, and soon afterwards two others be- came ill about the same way. A doctor was called, and questioning developed the fact that my neighbor was the only one who had eaten honey for breakfast, while the other two ate it for lunch. This honey had just been brought down from the mountains, where the mountain laurel had been for some time in full bloom. Eepeated reports of similar trouble make a bad case against this beautiful blossom. I recall when I was at- tending a reception in a near-by county a few years ago, how lovely the summer home looked with great jars of mountain laurel thru all the spacious halls and on the wide verandas, and how emphatically a young lady disagreed with me when I exclaimed in admiration over its beauty. ' ' I certainly don't like it," she declared, "it poisons my father's cattle." It was two weeks ago that we brought home the supers from the little country yard, to extract. A double-handful of bees that came with them collected on the corner of the screened window of the shed where we extracted. Mr. Allen loosened a few tacks and let them out. Ever since then, they have hung collected in a little bunch there on the outside corner of that screen wire. Two weeks is a long time, isn't it? But just the same, there they are. Bee-escapes usually work well when they work, but about one colony in ten doesn 't empty the super thru them at all, for us. The bees just don 't go down. We looked ours all over before putting them on, boiling up most of the escapes to make sure they were not choked with propolis, yet a few supers had about as many bees the day after escape-boards were put under them as be- fore. In only one was the escape clogged, where a drone had wiggled himself into a misunderstanding with the escape and died in its clutch. Bees in these supers were brushed from the combs. There was no disturbance at all in get- ting the honey away from the yard, tho it was taken about 50 feet on a wheelbarrow and stacked, awaiting the delayed truck. We were painfully particular to keep it covered while thus being carted out of the yard. But returning the empty supers, when of course the process was reversed, the supers being stacked on the ground by the driver and immediately wheeled to the colonies, there was a different story. The truck reached the yard about seven o'clock, but the bees were on those empties faster than they could be wheeled down and put back on the hives. And after they were all on, there were menacing rows of bees along every crack and a decided uproar in the yard. It could not last long, however, at that hour. Beginners will do well to be- lieve that there is a sound reason for the ad- vice not to return wet extracting-supers till evening. * » » THE UNCAPTURED SONG. M\ soul stood silent on a hill Of listening. And something sung! Bright flocks of sky-born vibrant things In sun-blind distance hung. From out the blue of heaven they tlew, And high in heaven stayed. Across and thru its heart of blue They swung — -and swayed. The far sweet drift of sunloved song My tetnse soul strained to hear; " O flashing, rhythmic, far-off wings, Fly nearl Fly near!"' I listened long, but lost the song — My empty world is still. Some other time my soul shall climb A higher hill. AuGi.sT, 1919 GLEANINGS IN REE CULTURE ft FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH In T exas. .The new foul-brood regula- tions have been sent to every beekeeper whose name appears on the mail- ing list in the office of the State Entomolo- gist. No doubt there are many who are interested in these regulations who have not received a copy. Such parties should make application for Control Circular D of the Experiment Station. These regulations are greatly changed from those forni;erly in force, and it is to the interest of every bee- keeper to acquaint himself with them. H. B. Parks, formerly with the Extension Service of the A. and M. College, has ac- cepted a position with the Experiment Sta- tion. j\Ir. Parks has traveled widely among the beekeepers of the State and is thoroly acquainted with every section and its prob- lems. In his new work, in charge of the work of the experimental apiaries, this close contact with the apicultural condi- tions of the State will be of special value. All of those who are acquainted with the work which Mr. Parks has done in the past, feel that in his new line of work he will be able to secure results of great value. Beekeepers are urged to prepare for the apiary exhibit at the State Fair this fall. T. P. Kobinsoii of Bartlett, who is in charge of this work, has requested the co-operation of every beekeeper in making the exhibit the most attractive that has even been shown. The war has placed honey before every household and it is up to the beekeep- ers to retain it in this position. Good pre- miums are being offered, which should prove to be an inducement to many. Henry Brenner of Seguin has returned to Santo Domingo after a visit of six weeks in Texas. Mr. Brenner has extensive yards that have been developed during the war. He feels that the future of beekeeping in the islands is very bright. Mr. Brenner has been responsible for the introduction of late methods and an excellent stock of queens. One hears among other questions, "When is the price of honey going to come down?" This is a rather difficult question to answer; but one thing is certain, the beekeepers are doing all in their power to push down the price of honey. In one section there has . been a very good crop of honey harvested, and every one seems to feel that it is necessary to put this honey- on the market at once. They have been warned time and again that this is not a good marketing prin- ciple. Extracted honey was bringing as much as 16^2 cents f. o. b., loading station. Now there are plenty of beekeepers who are begging to sell their honey at 10 to 11 cents. How is it going to be possible to command the respect of the public for honey when such practice is so common? There will soon come a time when co-operative organi- zation can not offset such • practice. It is now due to co-operative selling organiza- tions that all honev is not 10 cents. And do sucli beekeei>erR tliiiik there can be anv money in such selling.^ One has only to recall that supplies in general have increased 1(10 per cent in cost to see the fallacy of selling honey on a pre-war basis. Why do the beekeepers continue such suicidal prac- tices.' Local and sectional rains prevailed over the State during May and June. In such localities the honey crop has been short. Colonies have been observed to consume all surplus during each rainy spell. The proba- ble honey crop has been more difficult to forecast this year than for many past. College Station, Tex. F. B. Paddock. * * « In Ontario. Reports received to date (July 9) seem to point to the fact that the white-honey crop for On- tario this year will be very light. Some 8 or 10 counties are included in these re- ports and they run from nothing at all to 50 per cent of a full crop. As an exception to the rule, the locality around Lindsay in Victoria County will have a good crop. Abundance of rain there all thru the season tempered the extreme heat and kept the clover alive, while 15 miles north of Lindsay where we have one apiary, everything was literally burnt up so far as clover bloom was concerned. Last year conditions were exactly reversed in those localities, which goes to show that one season is not sufficient to size up the honey possibilities of any lo- cation. For the first time in my experience we have obtained quite a respectable surplus from raspberry. At the apiary 16 miles north of Lindsay already referred to, the colonies were so strong that I was at a loss to know what to do to hold them in during clover provided the latter yielded like last year. But that immense force of bees so early in the season proved a real bonanza for this year, as they were in shape to take advantage of the raspberry flow, which w^as better than usual. With no clover flow at this yard, bees lost all desire to swarm; and, after all our planning to hold down swarm- ing, we find the precautions needless unless something unusual happens to bring on an- other flow. When the clover season is over swarming is always reduced to a minimum, no matter how much honey comes in — at least that has been our experience. Following the extreme heat of over a month, Avith temperatures running from 90 to 100 in the shade all the time, we have now had heavy rains and cool weart;her. Basswood has a great showing of bloom; but here in Markham hardly a bee is to be seen on the blossoms as yet, so it looks like another failure from that source. However, we do not count on basswood any more, for it fails to yield nectar five years out of six in our various locations. Speaking of the heat wave, I cannot resist telling of the experience of some good S20 a T. E A N I N G S IN REE C IT T. T U R E August, 1919 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH friends who motored from Pennsylvania (luring the time we had our most extreme heat. They had a great amount of luggage with them", and by a roundabout way I learned that they had brought lots of heavy underwear with them to wear while up in "cold" Canada. I jokingly asked them why they were not utilizing all those extra garments at the time they were at our place — the thermometer standing at 98 degrees at the time. But if they come up here some time next January or February I will advise them to bring the same equipment along, even if they didn 't need it this time. Honey prices are being discussed these days among the beekeepers fortunate enough to get a crop, and about every mail brings letters asking my opinion on the matter. Frankly I do not have any idea as to how prices will run. Everything else is so very high in price that I hesitate to make even a guess at prices for honey. Raspberries are bringing 37 to 38 cents a small box today in Toronto in a wholesale way, retailing out at 40 or over — we are shipping raspberries to dealers and honestly I am ashamed to take such inflated prices for such a small article of food. But what is a person to do in such a casef The dealer pays the price with no bargaining on the seller's part, so the only way I see to square up is to take the money and then shell out some of the proceeds to needy institutions. But there is something wrong, and I tremble to think of the final outcome of this orgy of high prices for food if it is continued too long. If export to Britain assumes propor- tions to amount to anything, honey w^ill be as high as last year or higher. If there is no export demand, I do not think honey will be as high as last year — especially buck- wheat— even if the crop is light. That is my guess, and time will tell if it is a good one or not. Speaking of buckwheat, prospects were never better than they are this year for a crop from that source. Recent rains are bringing along hundreds of acres, and, as there has been practically no swarming, colonies will all be in the best of condition to take advantage of the flow if it should yield. But prospects were never better for clover than this year, and yet few localities have obtained very much from that source. Beekeepers, however, are always hopeful, so I am looking for tons and tons of buck- wheat honey this year, provided the buck- wheat yields nectar. This mysterious disease going under dif- ferent names, understood by no one seeming- ly and quite appropriately best known as ' ' disappearing disease, ' ' gave us a call again this year. During all the extreme changes of the spring and all of June we watched the yards for signs of the disease, but none appeared even if the weather was verv hot and dry or verv cool and wet. On July 1 we noticed quite a numlier of worker bees and drones traveling fast in an aimless way so far as directions were concerned, but eventually ending up in piles of bees wher- ever there were any hollows in the ground. The next day there were thousands of bees crawling around so thick that one could not walk thru the yard without tramping on many of them, and the next day there were none crawling around, and hardly a bee since. I have no explanations to offer. The days the bees were dying were the days that clover yielded the most for the season. The weather was hot and clear. Markham, Ont. J. L. Byer. « * « In Northern California.— ^"7"^ *1\^ past month there has been much discouragement among beekeepers thruout almost our entire section. It might be said and without fear of contra- diction that colonies were in better shape both as to bees and brood during March and April than they were in June. May and June were both ' ' downhill ' ' months, due to continued cold days and nights and windy weather. At this writing (July 5) your correspondent doubts whether there is much more than a ton of honey on his colonies at the present time, whereas last year at this date over 12 tons had been extracted. Be- ginning with July alfalfa commenced to yield. At various points thruout our section grasshoppers (central) and army worms (southern) have caused considerable dam- age, but on the other hand butterflies are not near so prevalent as they have been during the past two years. The factor, how- ever, that concerns the beekeeper most is the condition of the colonies at the present time. Despite continuous feeding by many beekeepers there are thousands of colonies in the valleys today that have not more than five or six frames of brood and hardlj' enough bees to work in the supers. Should we take it for granted that there will be an excellent fall flow, nevertheless we may not expect a full crop this year. Alfalfa is the mainstay, and on the first few weeks of flow from this source the bees are build- ing up to full strength, which necessarily means less honey. In the southern part of our section alfalfa is going to do better than the forecast of a few weeks ago indicated. Of the fall plants alkali weed looks the most promising, and this is especially true thru- out the eastern part of our southern section. The stand of bluecurls is not of the best, and we need not anticipate much nectar from this source. What are we going to get for our honey f This question is now being asked constantly. Unquestionably, California will have a short crop, foi- orange and sage were off and al- falfa will be. The California Honey Produc- ers' Co-operative Exchange will market al- most all of our honey, and its officials know Al-GlST, 1019 a I. K A N I N G R IN BEE CULTURE 521 FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH tliat our iM'op will be sliort. It is the writ- er 's belief tliat light umber honey will sell from 13 to 15 cents per pound, and that white (15 to 30 per cent of our honey grades is white) will bring from 15 to IS cents. At present it seems that the U. S. crop will be slightly less than normal. During the past three years the value of honey imported into the country increased about eight times the normal, and the value of honey exported increased nearly ten times, During the same period exports of sugar decreased to about one-third the normal amount, and the three-j^ear period likewise shows a falling off of over four million tons in the world 's production of sugar. For some years to come Europe will need sweets, and with in- creased shipping facilities the demand for this food should be met. Furthermore, the above indicates that honey is being recog- nized to a much fuller extent. Prior to the war, the United States produced a full crop of honey which was almost entirely con- sumed in the country. It is up to our Ex- change to make the most of this demand, to analyze the markets thoroly, and to distrib- ute the crop thru the best possible channels. It is a big task and a hard one. Last week the writer had a very pleasant visit from E. E. Eoot. He seemed to like our section and was much impressed with the wonderful apportunities which it af- fords. Mr. Eoot concurs with the writer that the migratory beekeeper has a great future. This phase of beekeeping may be summed up in the following few words — it 's hard work but it pays. Modesto, Calif. " M. C. Eichter. * * * In Southern California.— ?^o»ey mar- ket condi- tions are at present hard to ascertain. The greater part of the crop of the State is to be handled by the California Co-operative Exchange. A few producers outside of the Exchange report sales at 18, 19, and 20 cents per pound for extracted honey. It is now a demonstrated fact that the honey crop of southern California is to be a very short one. In ordinary seasons, June first finds your correspondent with about half of his honey crop made. This year I have made no surplus honey since that date. On a recent trip (June 17 and 18) of about 160 miles across much of the honey- producing territory of Eiverside and San Diego Counties, very little honey had been extracted. The vegetation looked well in some sections where the spi-ing rains had been quite plentiful, but those sections are scarce. In most locations a light crop was predicted, but in some places no surplus honey was expected. A large producer, one with long experi- ence also, reports about 65 per cent of a crop for Imperial County. The cool nights during May and the first Half of June cut the How from the alfalfa very materially. While these large irrigated valleys always j)ro(luce some honey, it takes ideal weather conditions to make a big crop. The oranges, as has already been report- ed, yielded from 20 to 60 pounds per colony. Sixty pounds were produced in only a few- cases. An estimate of between 35 and 40 cars of orange honey (250 cases to a car) for California was made at a recent meeting of beekeepers. A large per cent of this will be consumed on the Pacific Coast. Many more beekeepers than usual moved to the orange groves last spring. The same is true in regard to the lima-bean fields this summer. Many who in ordinary seasons would move from the oranges to the sages, this year moved from the oranges to the bean fields. As the beans are just begin- ning to bloom, it is yet too early to tell how plentifully they will yield nectar. Some of our old-time Ventura beekeepers have for years successfully moved from the purple- sage ranges to the bean fields of Ventura Co. Originally Ventura County was con- sidered the bean county when we spoke of lima beans; but for the past 12 or 15 years the industry has grown until now Los An- geles and Orange Counties stand as close rivals in the quantity of beans produced. Some growers recognize the value of the bees as a pollenizing agent and welcome the beemen. Others are not so friendly when a man is looking for a location for an apiary. Many beekeepers feel it is a profitable step to take, and they move to the beans even tho the bees may get only enough honey for winter stores and to build up well in the spring. Any late flow that will give this result, allowing one to extract all of the orange honey, will pay for moving this year. Chas. Kinzie of Eiverside caught a large swarm of bees on April 22. It was put in a ten-frame Langstroth hive, comfortably fill- ing the body and two supers. Drawn combs were given as needed. On May 22 the colo- ny had 28 frames of brood, and 165 pounds of orange honey were extracted. On June 25 seven supers were on, containing lots of hon- ey, brood, and bees. Can you beat it? A beekeeper came today (July 2) to get permission from the county inspector to move his bees from an orange location to one in the San Jacinto Mountains in the eastern part of Eiverside County. This last location is at an elevation of nearly 5,000 feet, and the white sage and wild buckwheat are just coming into bloom. These higher altitudes got more rain and will produce honey later than those lower down. The mountain ranges are hard to get to, as most of the roads are poor. The bee pasturage being thinly scattered over large areas makes it necessary to have small apiaries smaller and further apart than when located in the orange and bean sections. Corona, Calif. L. L. Andrews. 522 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN TPppOTDrFFERENT FIELDS Young Queen The strangest and Leaves Bees and most remarkable bee Brood to Return behavior which ever Home. came under my ob- servation was witness- ed in 1915. In going thru one of our colo- nies, we found that the bees had reared a young queen and she was laying on the same comb with her mother. The old queen ap- peared to us to be as good as ever and, the colony being unusually strong, we decided to divide it. We took three frames of brood with the young queen and j)ut them on a new stand about 25 feet away from the parent colony. Three daj's later we looked into this new hive and found that the bees had deserted the brood and what honey was present. My partner, Mr. Marzian, and I stood and looked at each other for a moment, wondering what had happened or why those bees had absconded. He then sug- gested that we look at the parent colony, and see if those bees had gone back home with the young queen. Upon opening the old hive we found the young queen again on the same comb with her mother. Now did the young queen lead those bees back home or did she follow the bees back home? She had but recently mated, and it is possible that she remembered the location of the old hive and further knew that her mother was failing and that she was needed at the old home. We tried the experiment again, but this time clipped the young queen, and of course the new colony remained and built up. The old colony now built queen-cells and in due time another young queen was laying, working right along with her mother and both queens were usually found on the same comb. It being late in the season, we left both queens and hoped that the old queen might live thru the winter, but in the spring the old queen was missing. I have never read of a case like the above, that is, of a young queen returning to the old parent colony after being put on a new stand with plenty of bees, brood, and honey. Has such a case been observed or reported by any one else? Earl C. Walker. New Albany, Ind. Reaction of Bees There is not the slight- to Colors. est doubt that honey- bees will sting black more than white, as has been and can easily be shown again experimentally. Let any reader dress himself wholly in white, includ- ing gloves, veil, and hat; and, after binding a wide black band around either arm, open a hive and violently shake the frames. He will at once receive overwhelming evidence that the bees will sting black more than white, for the black band will be covered with angry bees while on the white portions of his clothing there will be very few bees. (For further experiments see Gleanings, Oct. 1, 191?), page 687.) According to my ob- servations black or German bees do sting a Vjlack veil more than thej^ do a white one. This veil is made of white tulle with a square of black silk tulle inserted for the face, giving the visional features of a black veil. Not only do the bees sting this veil less than a black one but also since white reflects heat while black absorbs it, this veil is much cooler and is a decided improvement on the black veil. and it is largely my practice to wear a white veil, altho such a veil is more difficult to see thru. Bees also sting red more than they do white, as was well known to the beekeepers of the Middle Ages according to Edwards' "Lore of the Honey-bee." I find by experi- ment that this statement is entirely correct. If Frisch of Munich is right and honeybees are color-blind to red and can not, therefore, distinguish it from black, then it is entirely natural that they should react to red in the same manner as to black. But I am com- pelled to add that I am not entirely convinc- ed that bees can not see red as a color. John H. Lovell. Waldoboro, ]\lnine. Uses Large Can This year I have clean- For Sterilizing. ed several hundred frames, leaving the wires in. Here is the way I do it: I bought a second-hand galvanized oil can large enough to set a hive into. In this can I placed some supports upon which the frames AlGlST. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE HEADS OF GRAl>niPf™MlQrDlFFERENT FIELDS are piled. The supports shoulrl be higli enough above the bottom so that there will be room for the melted eombs beneath. I use a piece of canvas to cover the can. Any- thing that will make it tight will do. Two pails of water are then put into the can, the combs placed on the supports, the can cover- ed, and a fire built under the can. The hot steam soon melts the wax on the frames; the combs become loose, and a few shar]) raps on the frames while hot leave them cleaned and sterilized, ready to put new foundation into. The hot combs are stirred up well and dipped out into the wax-press. In foul-brood cases, when sterilizing hives, supers, etc., one should leave them covered in boiling water for half an hour. Of course, there is some wax sticking to frames and hives; but I find that the bees sometimes use a part of this, so there is practically no wax lost. D. Gibbs. Wapakoneta, O. An Easy Way of When visiting one of Painting Hives and the prominent b e e - Supers. keepers of the county recently I found him stacking up new supers approximately ten high, the bottom one resting on a box about 15 inches tall. He then carefully straighten- ed the supers so they were all even and laid a piece of railroad iron on top, presumably to hold them down. My curiosity was arous- ed as to what was to be next, when he pick- ed up a bucket of paint and a four-inch brush and painted that stack of supers in less time than I have seen taken to paint one super or hive body. When I saw the speed with which he did a very good job of painting it struck me as a joke to reiuember the painting of one super at a time and try- ing to keep one's hands out of the paint and then finding some convenient spot to place the painted super to dry. Of course the idea is ancient history and may have been in the bee journals times without num- ber before; no doubt Father Langstroth did it first. But I have questioned other bee- keepers and have found more than one who had never thought of it and who stiU wrestled with supers and hive bodies one at a time while painting them. Maybe, after all, there are a few of the younger genera- tion who may save time by remembering that with a wide brush a stack of supers or hive bodies can be painted almost as rapidly as a single one. J. H. Tibbs. Fincastle, Va. Ol lO^^CB — to How Queens End What kind of a death Their Careers. a queen dies when she ends her career — this I first learned of my old tutor in 1881, when I saw a queen crawling outside of the hive. Also careful observation since that time has confirmed what he said, that the queen when slie commences to fail lays eggs in several queen-cells, allows a queen to hatch and usu- ally remains in the hive with her for a week or two after she commences to lay. Then the old queen leaves the hive and dies. But I have found exceptions to this rule, as I have found her sometimes on the comb and a few times on the bottom-board nearly or quite dead. If the conditions are normal, the bees or young queen hardly ever kill her or drive her out of the hive. (If the hive were dis- turbed or robbers about, it would be dif- ferent.) When the queen finds that she is of no more account, she does the same as an old bee does, just leaves and dies — why I do not know; perhaps she is in pain, but of this I suspect we shall never be certain. Binghamton, N. Y. C. W. Phelps. How Much Room I inclose a print of a Did These Bees colony of bees located Need? in a bush near my api- ary, first discovered on the afternoon of April 30. Altho they had all outdoors for room, and the sky for a roof, they cast a swarm on the morning of May 16 while I was working in my honey- Tliese bees swarmed with all outdoors for room and the sky for a roof. house, which is between the bush and the apiary. When smoking the bees back as in the inclosed i^rint, I saw some honey in the combs. Also there is sealed brood, which is covered by bees in the evening. San Diego, Calif. Jas. A. Nelson. Esparcet Honey, In the time I have Better Known as been reading Glean- Sanfoin. ings (over four years now) I have never seen any mention of the honey made from esparcet. This plant is grown by some of the ranchmen in this neighborhood for a 524 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE AuGi'ST, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN T£?i forage plant. Their fields are a bright pink with its flowers shortly before I find the first alfalfa blossom. The bees seem to be working on it quite busily, and the honev that appears in the supers at that time is very nice. It is a delicate honey of a pale- yellow color that makes a pretty appearance in the section, and it does not candy readily. A few years ago one of the merchants in our nearest town sent me word that if I had "any more of that honey made from flow- ers— not out of alfalfa,'' he would like some of it. Since then he has always insist- ed on having yellow honey, and has explain- ed to me that for his personal taste he finds ' alfalfa honey too much like granulated sugar syrup. 1 have suggested to him that a case of the white and a case of the yellow side by side offer a pretty contrast, and that some of his customers might choose one and some the other; but while the other lo- cal merchants do not seem to care which I bring them, he remains firm in wanting only the yellow. It was the kind of honey that we take to be esparcet, which is very superior, that first prejudiced him in favor of the yellow honey; but he does not dis- criminate when I take him other kinds, and we have several kinds of yellow honey. I suppose "the trade" would speak of them as amber. We get only a comparatively small amount of the white alfalfa honey, as we are at an altitude just under 8,000 feet here in the Wet Mountain Valley, and the alfalfa plant is not cultivated very exten- sively. It does not make as rank and rapid a growth, and therefore pay as well, as in the lower warmer altitudes. Westcliffe, Colo. Mary T. Comstock. [Sainfoin is raised extensively in Europe, but is not very common in our country. — Editor.] g) — to ^ ac= to Moves Twenty- seven Truckloads of Bees Every Year. This picture shows 96 two - story ten - frame hives of bees arriving at their new location 98 miles from their former home. We load- ed this truck at sundown, started at an ele- DIFFERENT FIELDS The canvas on top of the bees is to keep the hot desert sun from smothering them. I move an average of 27 truckloads of this size every year, and never lose a colony. I never sprinkle the bees with water, for every one I gave the least bit to always smothered. It does not pay to haul bees such a long distance unless you are sure of a large crop of honey. The largest percent- age of my bees are in three-story ten-frame hives, which I believe is the best hive for this locality; but it does not pay to haul three-storey hives so far. A. E. Lusher. Pasadena, Calif. Thinks Everyone Should Keep Bees. Everybody ought to keep bees, it seems to me. We started with a runaway swarm which came from a pub.ic building. The bees pollenize our fruit and Apiary of Cora June Sheppard. furnish us no end of sweets. I do all my canning and preserving with extracted hon- ey; and during the war I used honey for cake, and liked its flavor and keeping quali- ties. We also made icecream with honey.. We learned to get along without sugar dur- ing the war. The bees have proved to be wonderfully interesting, and last season they supplied us with $90 worth of honey. Shiloh, N. J. Cora June Sheppard. Summering Diffcult in Japan. vation of 841 feet, passed thru one mountain range, and 4,100 feet in the second range. 1 think the term ''summering" will be a new one to you. There is no flower for the bees, unless in an exceptional locality, thruout the summer months in Japan, especially in the middle and southern parts of the country, altho any kind of garden flowers is scarcely ever to be seen. There is some continuance of rainy wea- ther almost day by day during 30 days in early or middle summer. It is not so hot as to melt the combs in hives; but wax moths have a chance to breed. Suppose, how will the bees do without any pollen and nectar to gather, and with so AtausT, 1919 a L E A N 1 N G S IN B E K CULT U K E 525 HEADS "OF GRAIN TDpOgHTDIFFERENT FIELDS long a period of rainy weather. The sum- mering must be the most important and most difficult problem in place of wintering for us. Of course, the feeding of sugar syrup, combs of honey, and supplying arti- ficial pollen may be done, but that is ex- pensive. If the colonies are left with plenty of breeding room and plenty of stores, breed- ing produces a great many bees and this uses much honey. Some practice going with their bees for another honey flow in the north part of the country or any other spe- cial locality. Some practice destroying su- perfluous bees out of necessity to carry thru the bees' strength for autumn increasing. In place of destroying those superfluous bees, some are intending lately to sell in pound packages to any fellow beekeeper in their locality. Other beekeepers make, with superfluous bees, a new colony, and some allow wax production in a new hive without giving any comb foundation; and there are some expert beekeepers who practice to pre- vent or to control breeding and egg-laying in the honey season by using a queen-cage. In place of the queen-cage some experts use a queen-excluder between the super and brood-box, and two frame-shaped queen-ex- cluders in the brood-chamber to limit the queen 's laying to one, two, or three combs. Moreover, some experts manage with vir- gin queens in the place of fertilized queens during the honey-harvesting season. Some even dequeen the colony, altho there are some troubles with queen-cells, and deroga- tion of bees ' spirit to work. At all events, it is believed that is an effective and profit- able plan for extracted-honey production and "summering" of bees, because non- breeding or limiting of laying is an economy of the bees' energy, utilizing the breeding force to the gathering of honey and increas- ing hive capacity by supplying so many comb cells without brood. Therefore the smaller force of bees to pass the summer months is economy. Is it not so? But the colony, being reduced in numbers of bees, must be increased for autumn work upon fall flowers, and to go wintering with abundant stores and a multitudinous force. To do this, of course we treat them as in spring. Summering, autumning, wintering, and springing ought to be done well, of course. In some localities, as in our own, "sum- mering ' ' should be considered as a real prob- lem at least. Is it not so? Yasuo Hiratsuka. Tara, Gifu-ken, Japan. ^% - \ /, ^M^^^^^ -^ '^^W ^ THE BACK LOT BUZZER. Ua says she wishes they'd hnirry up and settle who's goin' to be queen in that hive by the apple tree. They've swarmed so often that then- is nothin' left in the old home bvt Bolsheviki. 526 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 c lur J_ keeping fraternity, I think, should appreciate the article of Mr. Joseph H. Peter- son of Garland, Utah, under the head, 'It Works Very Satisfactorily,' in April, 1919, Glean- ings, page 227. His method is decidedly the most satisfactory I have ever used for fas- tening foundation in frames. He does not name the tool he describes, and I wish to suggest 'Sticker' as a good name. It is short and appropriate. Any one can make a sticker. I made one from a piece of scrubby cedar I cut several years ago on top of Stone Mountain near Atlanta as a sou- venir, and it works fine. Choose a hot day for using the sticker, and have the cup of water handy, as suggested by Mr. Peterson, to keep the" foundation from sticking to the sticker." — L. K. Smith, Carroll County, Ga. ' ' Has it ever happened for any one else that a queen was received in a shipment of honey. I received from Florida a seventeen- case shipment of section honey, and upon opening it found a virgin queen running around as spry as a cricket. I had a queen- less colony, so I introduced her successfully, and now have a fine yellow prolific layer. She is a beauty. ' '— G. E. Leavitt, Hamilton County, Tenn. " E. G. Norton, a progressive beekeeper of Nevada, produced over $32,000 worth of honey from 600 colonies last season, or an average of $53.33 per colony. Some people are rather skeptical as to the chances of ' making good ' in the bee business. In fact, one man told me that it was rather a risky business to enter. As far as I can see per- sonally, more money is made out of bees for the amount of capital invested than from any other established business in the world. ' '— Bevan L. Hugh, Santa Clara Coun- ty, Calif. ' ' About 20 years ago I was a cripple as the result of muscular rheumatism. I was advised to keep bees, which I did. After handling them one year and getting stung a number of times, the rheumatism left me. I had bees for five years, and I had no pain. I quit for two years, and the rheumatism came back. At once I bought some more bees and have never had rheumatism since. I have doctored with the best doctors this State has, but the only cure found is bee- stings. One of my hives this day has 32 pounds of capped honey on top of the hive body, and I put on another super. ' ' — Gill- more 0. Bush, Orange County, N. Y. ' ' About two weeks ago I visited the rice mill at Beaumont. Going down the plat- form I noticed quite a few bees flying around. Upon investigation I discovered that they were working in the end of a box BEES, MEN AND ^THINGS (You may find it here) 1 TUl car. The men on the platform said that the car had just been set in that morning. After prying ofE one of the boards we found that they had a large brood-nest and a lot of surplus. I have wondered if the car had been on a siding for some time to allow the bees to accumulate the stores, or if the coming brood was sufficient to keep the colony working while the car was being moved from place to place. I never saw nor heard of a similar incident. — C. H. Deabler, Hardin County, Tex. "One day while getting a hive ready for bees, a number of bees came flying about the empty hive. Thinking it a good plan I set the hive down to let the bees clean out the little honey that remained, and thus have it nice and clean for the ones or- dered; but the bees never left, and in less than one hour the hive was occupied by a strong colony. Three days afterward I moved the hive to a permanent stand. Two days later bees were flying in great numbers over the same spot, so I brought another empty hive and set it down with the same results. Immediately the hive was occupied by a strong colony. This makes two strong colonies. Each came the same way and on the same place." — Edwin F. Kuhn, Cumber- land County, N. J. ' ' Crop conditions in this section — clover, none; honeydew and dark (yellow) honey, liberal enough only to keep the bees breed- ing and spoil the clover honey (if there had been any)." — Chas. F. Hoser, Montgomery County, Pa. ' ' Yesterday I was in a red-clover field and heard bees humming. I watched and found that they were working on the red clover. In a short time I found that they were working on imperfect heads. There were a great number of grasshoppers in the field, and they had eaten the bloom to some extent. Where the heads were eaten the bees were able to get their tongues down to the nectar. At times they hesitated at a perfect head, but seemed to know at once that it was no use and passed on. So far this is a poor year in this locality. The bees are fine, but they have gathered no surplus. Theie is some white clover — in some places enough to give a whitish cast to the ground, but there are no bees on it." — R. R. Ram- sey, Monroe County, Ind. ' ' Thanks for the ingenious smoker which we found of great help during the present epidemic of influenza. It is an ideal ap- paratus for aeration in hospitals, sanitari- ums, and in private homes. Several fami- lies.having fallen suddenly ill at once, I took two smokers and stuffed them with dry eucalyptus leaves. I then went to the bed- August, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 527 side of the invalids on all sides and at all hours, running from ranch to ranch, throw- ing out clouds of smoke which the patients received thankfully. No danger of fire any- where. Having performed this arduous work among the stricken people, none of them died but all were benefited. An amount of aromatic and balsamic substances was doubtless absorbed by the patients. One could notice a gratifying diminution in the coughing experienced by children and all other patients. When a doctor can not be liad, and one is isolated in the country, this treatment would prove of great benefit." — Pedro Flores Gomar, Acatanango, Guata- mala, Central America. "I noticed in Gleanings a discussion in •regard to blowing into 60-pound cans to test them for leaks. "Why not just screw the cap on tight and then place the cans in boiling water? The air inside will expand instantly and give the can all the test it needs." — Wm. C. Kelsey, Cook County, 111. ' ' Unless we have large quantities of old combs to render, and are equipped with a regular manufacturer 's outfit, the use of a wax-press is not at all necessary. Twice boiling and once remelting in a water-jacket, with a little scraping of the dark sediment from the bottom of the cake will extract practically all the wax and produce a first- class merchantable article. ' ' — G. C. Greiner, Niagara County, N. Y. ' ' I would have replied earlier to the ques- tion, ' Does beekeeping pay where beekeep- ing conditions are ordinarily favorable?' but I was ' too busy making beekeeping pay ' to find time to collect my thoughts sufficient- ly to write a few readable sentences. I am convinced that the nature of a person has a great deal to do with his success in any field of endeavor; and unless a person fol- lows an occupation that ajjpeals to him he is more than likely to be unsuccessful — cer- tainly not eminently successful. Undoubt- edly, there are many people not fitted by nature to be good beekeepers, and to whom the occupation of beekeeping does not ap- peal, while others may almost be classed as natural beekeepers. I believe that, unless a person loves bees and likes to work with them, the probability of his making much money from them is very slight. But if, in addition to a natural aj^titude for this work, a person has sufficient executive ability to care for bees in one or two out-ai^iaries there would seem to be no reason why that person, in proportion to the time and money expended, should not make more in beekeep- ing than in almost any other business, and do this in congenial environment and amid healthful surroundings." — Elton Warner, Buncombe County, N. C. ' ' Mr. George Launey, a prominent young- cotton man of Savannah, has demonstrated that this intangible something called ' bee fever' is contagious. Recently he purchased three box gums of fine Italians from a lady of Savannah. He obtained from the supply man several hives in order to transfer his pots to modern homes. He took the ' para- phernalia' up to the big office where he is employed, and soon -had the whole force busy assisting in setting up the hives and supers. All were busy, when, presto! who should walk in but the boss? Did he fuss? Not a bit of it. He looked on for a while in silence, and then he grabbed a hammer and went to work too, and in the meanwhile told in broad Scottish accents of the old- time ways bees were kept in the ' auld coun- trv. ' ' ' — L. W. Chovatt, Chatham County, Ga. ' ' This is a great valley with 40,000 acres of irrigated land which abounds with al- falfa and sweet clover. B. M. Caraway of Matliis, Tex., is the only extensive beeman here. He has a nice start of 1,000 colonies. Bees have come thru in fine condition. ' ' — D. F. Leonard, Wyoming. ' ' Eecently an undipped queen was in the act of making her escape, and she would probably have been followed by the swarm; but I quickly i)ut a dab of honey on her wings and the flight was all off. ' ' — Sam Houston, Orleans County, La. ' ' I have some colonies that have stored honey wonderfully, two of them having five supers full, and our best honey flow has not vet started." — T. W. Gentry, Stokes Coun- ty, N. C. ' ' I have fought both American and Euro- pean foul brood; and, with the assistance of our able inspector, J .E. Crane, have stamp- ed them out and have had no sign of either for three years. ' ' — C. H. Crof ut, Bennington County, Vt. ' ' This is the driest May and June in the memory of the oldest settlers here in central Montana. In a radius of two miles our bees can reach nearly a thousand acres of alfalfa and sweet clover which, on account of the drouth, have not yet begun blooming. The prospects are very poor. ' ' — A. E. Trapp, I'ergus County, Mont. ' ' I have always heard it said among bee- men that they had never seen foul brood in a bee-tree. I myself have been a bee- hunter all my life, and I have made a close examination in every tree that I have cut, and I had never seen a bee-tree affected with the disease until the other day. We cut down a bee-tree with the intention of transferring the bees to a hive. They were black bees, and had the worst case of foul brood I ever saw. ' ' — Henry S. Bohon, Eoa- noke County, Va. " If I had not fed 500 pounds of sugar to my bees in the spring I should not have se- cured half a crop, as the colonies were slow to do more than build up. Those that had enough in the spring and were not fed, did ■not do as well as those that were fed liber- ally to stimulate brood-rearing." — Judson Jones, Putnam County, O. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 "I noticed a knot on a black-gum tree and spoke of the striking resemblance it bore to a cluster of bees. I was told that an old man who formerly lived in that com- munity and kept bees, kept also one of those gum knots, on a pole, which he called his bee-knot. When the bees would swarm out the old man would set up his pole with the knot among or near the swarming bees. The knot at a short distance presents exactly the general appearance of a cluster of bees. When a few bees light on the knot it has the appearance of a large cluster, and the statement of my informant was that the bees usually would form a cluster covering the knot. The old man would then shake them off into the hive or near it. He thus saved swarms which might otherwise have run away, and also saved himself the trouble of hiving them from inaccessible places. ' ' — W. B. Eomine, Giles County, Tenn. "A cousin of mine has some very mean black bees. Last year he got a neighbor to hive them for him. They just simply ate him up, and, of course, he lost his job. This year I got the invitation to try them. So 1 read up in the bee book on points that I needed, and particularly on opening hives. I prepared for the bees just as nearly as the good book said — opened the hive, got all the honey, put the super and top back, and stayed by them as long as I wanted to, and went back in the house with lots of nice comb honey, and not a bee offered to sting. The owner of the bees stood in the house looking out the window. I know that, from reading the bee papers I'm taking, I know very little about bees; but I'm very much interested, and I'm going to learn lots more. ' ' — L. J. Davidson, York County, S. C. "I still have some American foul brood. Nearly all the bees here have died from it. I have written the State and Federal au- thorities about it repeatedly; but while they are suggesting educating the beekeeper to get rid of it, it is still getting worse. ' ' — J. E. Turner, Darke County, O. ' ' In Tasmania the bees this season made a splendid start, but they made a bad finish. I am afraid a lot will have to be fed to car- ry them thru the winter. ' ' — John H. Jen- kins, Hobart, Tasmania. "We got 416 pounds of honey from one swarm when we had but the one swarm, and those bees lived in the same hive without renewal of any kind for 24 years, when the hive rotted. ' ' — Lloyd' Z. Jones, Henry Coun- ty, 111. ' ' Popular talks and actual demonstrations at our central apiaries by competent and experienced beekeepers are much needed in Nebraska over much of the State. There has been a wonderful improvement in the possibilities of scientific bee culture in Ne- braska in the last ten years, largely owing to the extension of sweet clover. This hardy legume is adapted to a great variety of soils. It is a soil-builder, and will probably have a recognized place in the rotation of crops on the best-conducted farms of cen- tral and western Nebraska and Kansas. The much-execrated beeman of 30 to 50 years ago, who sowed sweet clover by stealth after dark at the risk of personal danger if de- tected, is now considered a public bene- factor in this section of the State. The trans-Missouri region is now indeed a land flowing with milk and honey, as both are being pushed to profitable extension and conservation. Popular field meets are essen- tial in every county of the State till the losses of bees in wintering will be as rare as the loss of good dairj^ cows from starva- tion. ' ' — Karl Aldrich, Nemaha County, Neb. " Merrils vs. Goodwin: A man's finding a tree of bees in another man 's land gives no right to the tree or the bees, unless they went from his own hive. Error to reverse a judgment of a justice in an action of tres- pass, Goodwin vs. Merrils, for cutting down a tree in the woods that had a swarm of bees in it and taking the honey which the plaintiff had previously discovered. The de- pendent pleaded in bar that said bees were a swarm from his hive; that he frequently lined them to near said tree; and that said bees were his property. The plaintiff re- I)lied that he found the bees in the woods and had good right to take them. To which reply a demurrer was given. The judgment of the justice was that the plaintiff's reply wr.s sufficient, with 30 shillings damages. Juax for cash or will work it into foundation for you, Dadant & Son, Hamilton, Illinois. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE August, 1919 REAL ESTATE FOR SALE. — My home and 17 acres of land, in- cluding 250 colonies of Italian bees fully equipped for extracted lionev- P. W. Stahlman, West Berne, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Young forest of 436 acres, 1% miles from Slaterville Springs, N. Y., $3,000. Cash one-third. Remainder on time. John A. Meier, 104 Garfield Ave., Hamilton, Ohio. FOR SALE. — Home of the late A. H. Root for 33 years. One of the best bee locations in Central New York for quantity and quality of honey. 24 acres. Write for particulars. Anna S. Root, Canastota, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Must sell small ranch, good build- ings, plenty of fruit, 250 or more colonies of bees run for comb and extracted, up-to-date fixtures. No better location. Room for 1,000 colonies. Reason for selling, asthma and must change location. J. G. Puett, CoUbran, Colo. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIinilllllllllllll!IIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINIIIIIIIIi:illl!llllillllIIIIIIIIII!IIIIH BEES AND QUEENS Finest Italian queens. Send for booklet and price list. Jay Smith, R. D. No. 3, Vincennes, Ind. Weill-bred bees and queens. Hives and supplies. J. H. M. Cook, 84 Courtland St., New York. Hardy Italian queens; one, $1.00; 10, $8.00. W. G. Lauver, Middletowu, Pa. FOR SALE. — 1919 Golden Italian queens, price list free. Write E. E. Lawrence, Doniphan, Mo. Golden Italian queens, untested $1.00 each, six for $5.00. E. A. Simmons, Greenville, Ala. FOR SALE. — 100 colonies of bees in up-to-date hives. J. N. Tull, Kenton, Tenn. FOR SALE. — 300 colonies Italian bees, cash or trade. Fred .^Igwr, Waukau, Wis. FOR SALE. — 20 colonies of bees and equipment, $140.00. Wm. Feier, Jr. Mason, R. D. No. 2, Mich. FOR SALE. — 20 colonies of bees. Mostly Ital- ians. A. C. Gould, Weston, R. D. No. 4, W. Va. PHELPS' GOLDEN QUEENS will please you. Mated, $2.00. Trv one and vou will be convinced. C. W. Phelps & Son," Binghamton, N. Y. THREE-BAND Italians onlv. Untested queens, $1.25: 6. $6.50; 12, $11.50; 50, $40.00; 100, $75.00. H. G. Dunn, The Willows, San Jose, Calif. "She suits me" Italian queens, $1.15 each from May 15th to Oct. 15th: 10 or more. $1.00 each. Allen Latham, Norwichtown. Conn. FOR SALE. — Indianola Apiary offers Italian bees and queens; tested. $1.50; untested, $1.00. J. W. Sherman, Valdosta, Ga. When it's GOLDEN it's Phelp.s'. Trv one and be convinced. Virsins. $1.00; mated. $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binshamton, N. Y. FOR S.-\LE. — Goldpn Italian queems ready April 15; $1.00 each; $10 00 per dozen. W. W. Tallev. Greenville, R. D. No. 4, Ala. FOR SALE. — Thi-ee-banded Italian queens, tin- tested onlv. one, $1.50: six. $8.50; dozen, $16.00. P. C. Chadwick, 725 E. High Ave., Redlands, Calif. FOR S.-XLK — Golden Italian queens, untested, $1.00; 6 for $5.00. J. F. Michael, Winchester, Ind. FOR S.\LE. — Business-first queens. Lavina: un- tested queens, $1.00 each: select untested, $1.25: tested queens, $2.00: select tested. $2.50. Price list for asking. M. F. Perry, Bradentown, Fla. FOR SALE. — 3-band and Golden queens and nu- cleus. Queens, 1, $1.50; 6, $7.50. Allen R. Simmons, Claverack, N. Y. Italian queens of "Windmere" for sale. Untest- ed, $1.00; tested, $2.00 each. Prof. W. A. Matheny, Ohio University, Atheins, O. FOR SALE. — Finest three-banded Italian queens, 1 for $1.25; 6 for $7.00. J. W. Roniberger, 3113 Locust St., St. Joseph, Mo. Leather-colored Italian queens, tested, June 1st, $1.50, untested, $1.25 — $13.00 a dozen. A. W. Yates, 15 Chapman St., Hartford, Ct. FOR SALE. — Three-banded Italian queens, un- tested, $1.00; $10 a dozen. J. A. Jones & Sons, Montgomery, Ala., R. F. D. No. 1, Box 11-A. FOR SALE. — Bright Italian queens at $1.00 each, $10.00 per doz. Ready April 10. Safe arrival guaranteed. T. J. Talley, R. D. No. 4, Greenville, Ala. FOR SALE.— Three-band Italian queens. Un- tested queen, $1.00; six, $5.50; twelve, $10.00. Tested queens, $2.00 each. Robert B. Spicer, Wharton, N. J. FOR SALE. — Italian queens, select, just hatched. 50c; untested, $1.00. Especially safe introduction plan free. Order in advance. James McKee, Riverside, Calif. FOR SALE. — September first 200 colonies of bees, 8-frame hives, full sheets wired foundation, $6.00 per colony. L. R. Dockery, Box No. 38, Hagerman, Idaho. Don't send to me for queens. If you want my stock send to The Penn Co., Penn, Miss. I furnish them, and to no one else, best breeding queens. C. C. Miller, Marengo, Ills. FOR SALE. — 500 colonies of bees in 8-frame hives, empty hives, extracting combs and other sup- plies. Price reasonable. O. D. Bobb, 811 O'Farrell St., Boise, Idaho. FOR SALE. — Three-band Italian queens ready •Tunei 1. Untested, each, $1.00; 12, $10.00; 100, $80.00. Satisfaction and safe arrival guaranteed. A. E. Crandall & Sons, Berlin, Conn. FOR SALE. — Golden Italian queens that produce golden tees; for gentleness and honey-gathering they are equal to anv. Every queen guaranteed. Price $2.00, 6 for $7.50. Wm. S. Barnett, Barnetts, Va. PHELPS' GOLDEN ITALIAN QUEENS com- bine the oualit'es vou wnnt. Thev are GREAT HONEY-GATHERERS, BEAUTIFUL and GEN- TLE. Virsins, $1.00; mated. $2.00. C. W. Phelps & Son, Binghamton, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Extra fine Dr. C. C. Miller queens. LTntested $1.25 each. 6 for $6.50; 12 for $12.00: 100 for $90.00. With 400 to draw from I will be filling ordeirsi bv return mail. Curd Walker. Queen- breeder, Jellico, R. D. No. 1, box No, 18, Tenn. Golden Italian queens that produce golden bees: tb.e highest kind, gentle, and as good honey-gather- ers as can be found: Mav and June, untested, each, $2.00: six, $7.50; doz., $14.00; tested, $4.00; brepd- ers, $5.00 to $20.00. J. B. Brockwell, Barnetts, Va. Victor's three-banded Italian queens of superior quality. All my queens reared by the best method known, from mothers that produced 240 lbs. of sur- plus honey last season. $1.00 each straight, from June 1 to Sept. 1. Julius Victor, Martinsville, N. Y. FOR SALE. — ^Mr. Beeman, head your colonies of bees with the best Italian stock raised in the South. One queen, $1.25; 12 queens, $14.00. One pound of bees with queen, postpaid. $6.00. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. M. Bates, Greenville. R. D. No. 4, Ala. August, 1919 QLE.ANr.Ni'iS IN BEE CULTURE 543 FOR SALE. — Select untested three ! nndcd Ital- ian queens, $1.50 each; $15.00 per do'c.;. J. F. Garretson, Bound Brook, N. J. GOLDENS THAT ARE TRUE TO NAME. Un- tested quoens, each, $1.25; 6, $6.50; 12, $11.50; .=.0, $40.00; 100, $75.00. Garden City Apiaries, San Jose, Calif. FOR S.VLE. — 25 colonies of bees in nearly new standard lOframe hives, and my equipment if you want it. Come and see them. D. C. Noble, 365 N. Walnut St., Columbia City, Ind. WARRANTED QUEENS. — Dr. Miller's strain, $1.00 each; $10.00 per doz. Tested, $1.50 each; $15.00 per doz. Safe arrival and satisfaction guar- anteed. Geo. A. Hummer & Sons, Prairie Point, Miss. FOR SALE. — 3-band Italian queens from best honev-sathering strains obtainable. Untested queens, $1.25 each; 6, $6.50; 12, $11. Satisfaction guar- an'ced. W. T. Perdue, Fort Deposit, R. D. No. 1, Ala. FOR SALE. — Queens of Moore's strain, leather- colored, three-banded Italians. I am doing my an- nual requcening and can furnish select tested queens onci and two years old, at $2.00 each. Also can furnish untested queens at $1.50 each; $8.00 for 6: $15.00 per dozen. All orders filled promptly. ■John Hutchinson, Fife Lake, R. D. No. 2, Mich. ITALIAN QUEENS. — Northern-bred, three band- ed, highest gi'ade, select, untested, guaranteed. Queen and drone mothers are chosen from colonies noted for honey production, hardiness, prolificness, gentleness and perfect markings. Price, 1, $1.00; 12, $11.00; 50. $45.00. Send for circular. J. H. Haughey, Berrien Springs, Mich. PURE ITALIAN QUEENS, Doolittle and Moore choice stock, also Goldens that are GOLDEN. Every queen mated and LAYING before being caged. Se- lect untested $1.50 each. Select tested" $2.50. For large lots write for price. Safe arrival and satis- faction I guarantee. J. E. Wing, 155 Schiele Ave., San Jose, Calif. HOLLOPETER'S Italian queens ready in June, untested, one, $1.75; six, $9.00; July, one, $1.50; dozen, $15.00. Quantity price on application, de- livery after July 10. These prices guarantee you safe arrival of really high-grade Italian stock, more efficient service and wings clipped when desired. J. B. Hollopeter, Rockton, Pa. NORTH CAROLmA BRED Italian queens of Dr. C. C. Miller's strain of three-band Italian *beas, gentle and good honey-gatherers. July 1 until Oct. 1, untested, $1.10 each; $11.00 per dozen; tested, $1.60 each; select tested, $2.25 each. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. L. Parker, Benson, R. D. No. 2, N. C. QUEENS, QUEENS. We are now up with or- ders, are mailing queens day after receipt of rush iiiders. No disease. Satisfaction guaranteed. Best Italian untested queens, 1 for $1.00, 12 for $11.50, 50 or more 90c each. See illustrated ad, page 551. I will care for vour interest. W. D. Achord, Pike Road, Ala. TESTED ITALIAN QUEENS from the leather- colored, famous Moore strain. I am now doing my annual requeeniug. I will select the best of those one-year-old queens and offer them for sale at $2.50 each. A few choice breeding queens for $5.00 each. Safe arrival guaranteed. Elmer Hutchinson, Lake City, Mich. FOR SALE. — Quirin's hardy northern-bred Ital- ians will please you. All our yards are wintered on summer stands; more than 25 years a commer- cial queen-breeder. Tested and breeding queens ready almost any time weather permits mailing. Untested ready about June 1. Orders booked now. Testimonials and price for asking. H. G. Quirin, Bellevue, Ohio. FOR SALE. — Italian queens, golden, and three- banded, bred from best selected stock. Untested, each, $1.00; 6, $5.00; 12, $10.00; selected untested, $1.50 each. Satisfaction guaranteed.. G. H. Merrill, Liberty, S. C. BEES AND HONEY FREE.— 100 colonies of Italian bees, several of the best strains obtainable. No disease. I hold seven yearly State certificates showing no disease in the apiaries. I oiler these bees and honey in the hives free to the person that will give me what the supplies they are in, would cost at catalog prices. The equipment consists of the above 100 strong colonies, a small queen-rearing outfit, a two-frame Root Automatic extractor, 2 wax- extractors, storage tanks, uncapping tank, feeders, honey cases, extracting combs, eitc. Pull sheet foun- dation, comb-honey supers with sections and foun- dation. Will sell the above in two lots if necessary. My reasiin for selling — must move to city to further tlie education of my blind boy and girl. The above, must be sold before September. E. A. Leffingwell, Allen, Mich. HELP WANTED WANTED. — One experienced man, and students as helpers in our large bee business. Good chance to learn. Modern equipment and outfit, including auto truck, located near summer resorts. .Write, giving age, height, weight, experience, reference, and wages wanted. W. A. Latshaw Co., Clarion, Mich. SITUATIONS WANTED Position wanted by eixperienced apiarist in a southern apiary, Florida preferred. 25 years' ex- perienie in handling large apiaries. Write 206 Box 278, Alliston, Out., Can. MISCELLANEOUS. FOR SALE. — Milch goats and kids, prices reason- able. F. F. Huebner, Monroe, N. Y. FOR SALE. — Silver Spangled Hamburg eggs, and fine rare old Paganini violin. Elias Fox, Union Center, Wis. PRINTING SPECIAL. — 100 letterheads, 100 billheads, 100 cards, 100 envelopes, $1.90. Send for samples. Hawthorne Press, Yonkers, N. Y. Guinea Pigs. Young Stock for sale, females, $1.50; males, $1.00. Pleasant Hill Caviery, 1629 E. Florida St., Springfield, Mo. E. D. Townsend, the present owner of the Do- mestic Beeki'fper bought beekeepers' supplies for the National Beekeepers' Association for several years. He is now buying for the subscribers of the Domestic Bukecper at the same low manufacturers' price. Listen now what he has got up his sleeve : Any Gleanings' subscriber buying five dollars' worth of supplies thru the domestic Beekeeper at catalog price, and sending along an extra dollar to pay for a year's subscription to the Domestic Bee- keeper will get in return a rebate check for a dol- lar, leaving the year's subscription to the Domestic Beekeeper absolutely free to you. Of course, if your order for supplies is larger than five dollars, you will get a correspondingly larger rebate check on your order. One of our subscribers got a rebate check of $40.00 on his order of supplies last month, March. It was just like getting money from home to him, as he sent us the same money he would have had to pay if he had bought thru the regular dealer in beekeepers' supplies. More and more, close buyers of beekeepers' supplies are investigating the buying facilities of the Domestic Beekeeper. A word to the wise should be sufficient to cause you to I send your next order for beekeepers' supplies to the j Domestic Beekeeper, Northstar, Michigan. I. F. Miller's Strain Italian Queen BEES FOR SALE.- Northern bred, for business, from my best Superior Breeders ; gentle, roll honey in, hardy, winter well, not inclined to swarm, lea- ther-colored or three-banded. Queens a specialty ; twenty-five years' breeding experience. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Untested, $1.00 ; 6, $5.50; 12, $10.00. Select untested, $1.25; 6, $6.75; 12, $12.00. I. F. MILLER, Rt. 2, Brookville, Pennsylvania GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE AUGUST, 1919 Advertisements Received too Late to Classify I NEW ENGLAND | 1 BEEKEEPERS will find a complete stock d up- | = to-date supplies here. Remember we are in the ^ = shipping center of New England. If you do not = = have a 1919 catalog send for one at once. = i H.H.Jepson, 182 Friend St., Boston, Mass. | Electric Imbedder Price without Batteries, $1.25 .\etually cements wires in the foundation. Will work with dry cells or with city current. Best de- vice of its kind on the market. For sale by all bee- supply dealers. Dadant & Sons Manufacturers Hainiltoii, Ills. I Don't Lose Any More Wax | M TlpplrfPTIPTC' ^' "* print you some cloth or p = ^ mauiila tags to go on your ship- ^ ^ ments of wax with your name and address. That is the g = only safe way to be sure your wax isn't lost in transit. = ^ iiiiiiijiiiii uiiiriijiiiiiii Piicts on Application, i,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, , = I The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio | I want to contract with a few men for bees for next season. Don't care to sell leiss than a hundred packages to the man. No diseases. Willing to send samples at reduced price now. P. M. Morgan, Hamburg, La. FOR SALE. — New crop clover extracted honey, two 60-11). cans to case, 25c per lb. H. Or. Quirin, Beilluevue, Ohio. FOR SALE. — One Cowan extractor, used but lit- tle. No. 15, price $15.00. One Dadant uncapping can, good as new, $7.00. J. Mason, Mechanic Falls, Me. FOR SALE. — Whole or part, apiary of 75 colo- nies with complete equipment for operating about 125 colonies. Some comb equipment but mostly ex- tracted. C. F. Genthner, Kingston, N. Y. Position wanted as working partner, or manager of modern apiary, or poultry business on per cent basl.s, by a'n experienced man. J. W. Bush, Crystal Bay, Minn. iMiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Special Notices hy A. I. Root THE NEW ANNUAL WHITE SWEET CLOVEE ; ITS RAPID GROWTH. I planted the clover seed which you so kindly sent me. I made two plantings of it, so as to make sure. The early planting produced two plants; the later planting twelve plants, which are now 23 inches high- Tlie old variety planted at the same time are about 13 inches high, althO' I think they have the better situation. I will give them a fair chance and will report the final outcome later on. Yours sincerely, M. Y. Calcutt. 8126 47th Ave., S., Seattle, Wash., July 11, 1919. P. S. — The clover I said was 23 inches high (that was yesterday's measurements) today I find to le 24%. The above is further proof of the fact that this new .sweet clover makes as big a growth in one year as the old does in two seasons, and perhaps more than that; but I am sorry to tell you that our supply of seed is now exhausted, so that we cannot send even H little i^inch, and there will be no more un- til, say, October. The plants we have in the garden are making a tremendous growth, like thos-e men- tioned in the letter. We will hold the addressed envelopes that may come until the new seed will germinate. iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ SHIPPING CASES FOR COMB HONEY I It is an acknowledged fact that comb honey put up in Attractive Shipping Cases will bring a better price than the same honey put up in an inferior case. Our Shipping Cases are made of a good, clear grade of basswood lumber and will be a credit to any crop of honey. Tin Containers for Extracted Honey We have a good stock of 60-lb. Square Cans, 12-lb. Square Cans, 5- and lOlb. Round Friction Top Pails. We also carry in stock a complete line of all other Beekeepers' Supplies. The Lotz 1-piece Section The kind that does not break in folding is manufactured by us. Our 1919 catalog and ])rice list mailed to you free upon request. AUGUST LOTZ COMPANY BOYD, WISCONSIN | illlllllillilllllillllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllilllllilllll^^ August, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE WANTED— TO PURCHASE COLORADO Section and Bulk Comb Honey | pr I and less than car lots, ve and enbniit eample. direit from producers in car lot Please let us know what you 1 full description as to weight, and your lowest price to J. E. HARRIS, MORRISTOWN, TENN. or our western representative, Mr. R- B. McGuffin, 1165 Emerson St., Denver, Colo. i;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!miiiiiiii!ii!iiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii I Distributors Root's Goods j j FOR PENNSYLVANIA | 1 Send for new special catalog featuring the "Simplex" = = Super, and giving instructions to beginners = 1 Prothero, Bailey & Goodwin I'UBois [ I Leininger's Strain of Italians = have stood the test for 35 vears. We will offer queens for = sale from this famous strain, beginning June, as iollows: = One untested queen. $1.50; 6, S8.00. One tested queen, 1 $2.00; 6, $11.00. Select breeders, $15.00 each. j Fred Leininger & Son, Delplios, O, Positively the cheapest and etrongeat light on earth. Used in every country on the globe Makes and bums its own gas. Casts no shadows. Clean and odorless. Absolutely safe. Over 200 styles 100 to 2000 Candle Power. Fully Guaranteed. Write for catalog. AGENTS WANTED EVERYWHERE, THE BEST LIGHT CO. m, 306 E. 5th St., Canton. O. FLOUR IS HIGH Why not live better and save money, too? Grind your wheat into Best Whole Wheal or Graham Flour. Yonr doctor knows how healihy these are. Make the BEST Corn Meal, the old-fashioned sort you can't buy at any price nowadays. Do alt sorts of hne and coarse grinding with an APACHE MILL Wt. 35 lbs. Price $7.50 T^l * 1\ /r * 1 1 ^'a''<^* Best Corn Meal, Graham X ins IVXlll Flour, Rye Flour, Chops, Hom- iny, Cracks Peas, Grinds Coffee, Spices, etc. Perfect adjustment for coarse or Ct'T ^O Ene work. Will send Mill prepaid by Express 'IP • •'-'" APACHE GRIST MILL — Largest capacity, fastest grind- ing, easiest turning handniill. Does more, lasts longer. A. H. Patch, Inc., Clarksville, Tenn. The Blackhawk Corn Sheller Inventor Invented 188S f? Special Crops" A high -class il- lustrated month- ly journal devot- ed to the Growing and Marketing of Ginseng, Golden Seal, Senega Root, Belladonna, and other unusual crops. Senega $1.00 per year. Sample copy 10c. Address Special Crops, Box G, Skaneateles, New York LOCKHAKT'S SILVER - GRAY CARNIOLANS "LINE BRED" for the past 33 years. They are VERY hardy, gentle, prolific, great workers, and builders of VERY WHITE combs, and use mostly wax in place of propolis. Prices of queens for 1919: Untested queen, $1.25, six $6.00, dozen $11.00. Select untested queen $1.50, six $8.00, dozen $15.00. Tested -82.00. Breeders $3.00. $.5.00, $10.00. Safe arrival guaranteed in United States and Canada. No foul brood here. F. A. LOCKHART & COMPANY . - . . LAKE GEORGE, NEW YORK Banking BY MAIL r E' FFICIENT service, unquestioned safety, an 4 per cent compound interest have brought to this bank hundreds of depositors residing in all parts of this country. Without any obligation on your part, we will glad to send you full information. n jj The Savings Deposit Bank Co A.T.SPITZER, Pres. E.R.ROOT,VicePres. E.B.SPITZER,Cash. MEDlNA.OHrO 546 G L E A N I N G S I N lllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ i MOORE'S STRAIN I I OF ITALIANS | M Noted for Honey Gathering, W M Hardiness, and Gentleness | = Untested queens - - - $1.50; 6, $8.00; 12, $15.00 g g Select Untested - - - 2.00; 6, 10.00; 12, 19.00 g ^ Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. = = I intended to run my apiaries for honey this year; but |i; ^ so many of my customers say that they must have =i ^ "Moore" queens, I am devoting part of my home api- p; = ary to queen-rearing. == I J.P.MOORE, MORGAN, KY. | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii BARNES' Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circular saw. which is made for beeljeepers' use in the construction of their hives, sections, etc. Machines on Trial Send for illustrated catalog: and prlcep W. F. & JOHN BARNES CO 545 Ruby St ROCKFORD. ILLINOIS BEE -SUPPLIES FALCON LINE We carry the largest supply in our section. Send us your inquiries. Lo'west Prices, S^uality Considered C. C. Clemons Bee Supply Co. 128 Grand Ave. II KANSAS CITY, MO lllllllllllllllllllll BEE CULTURE August, 1919 MASON BEE SUPPLY COMPANY MECHANIC FALLS, MAINE From 1897 to 1919 the Northeastern Branch of The A. I. Root Company PrOmnt and because — Only Root's Goods are sold. ■cca • * It is a business with us — not a lide line. htfacient Eight mails daily. Service Two lines of railway. If you have not received 1919 catalog, send name at once. Established 1885 It will pay you to get our cata- log and order early. Beekeepers' Supplies The Kind You Want and The Kind That Bees Need. The A. I. Eoot Co. 's brand. A good assort- ment of supplies for prompt shipment kept in stock. Let us hear from you; full in- formation given to all inquiries. Bees- wax wanted for supplies or cash. John Nebel & Son Supply Co. High Hill, Montgomery Co., Mo. MakeaTractorofYourCar Use it for farm work. Pullford catalog shows how to make a practical tractof out of Ford and other cars. Write for Catalog Pullford Co., Box 23 C Quincy, III. Illlllllllllllllllllllllllll Q UEENS ^R BEEKEEPER ^ ^EENS the Season for Requeening is Now Here We are now in a position to a:ive your orders prompt attention. Our queens are bred from the very best imported stock that can be had. They are hardv, gentle, disease-resisting, and not given to swarming. You take no risk in buying our queens, for wc guarantee every queein to reach yon in lirst-class condition, and to s'wc. perfect satisfaction in the U. S. and Canada. Price List for 1019. One Six Twelve Untested $1.25 $ 6.50 $11.50 Selected Untested 1.50 7.50 13.25 Tested 2 . 50 13 . 00 24 . 50 Selected Tested 4.00 22 . 00 41 . 50 Untested, $90 per hundred. Selected untested, $115 per hundred. L. L. FOREHAND iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii FT. DEPOSIT, ALABAMA Al'Gl'ST. 1919 GLEANINGS IN B K K C V I. T U H E I Beeswax I Wanted In big and small shipments to keep Buck 's Weed-pro- cess foundation factory go- ing. We have greatly in- creased the capacity of our plant for 191.S. We are paying higher prices than ever for wax. - We work wax for cash or on shares. Root's Bee - supplies Big stock, wholesale and retail. - Big catalog free. I Carl F. Buck | I The Comb-foundation Specialist 1 I Augusta, Kansas | I EBtablished 1899 | wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii i W .'o,™"r B« Supplies I C ee Keepers' Supply Mftt. I'liint. 1 1 All boxed ready to ship at once; 275,000 | I Hoffman frames, also Jumbo and Shallow | I frames, of all kinds, 100 and 200 in a box. | I Big stock of Sections, and fine polished | I Dovetailed Hives and Supers. I can give | I you big bargains. Send for a new price | 1 list. I can save you money. 1 1 Will Tail Ben-wax in Trade at | § Hiehett Market Price. 1 I Charles Mondeng | 1 146 Newton Ave, N. Minneapolis, Minn, | P ATENTS Prai'tioe in Patent Offire and CourlH Patent Counsel of Tin- A. I. Root Co. Chas, J. Williamson. McLaclilan Building, WASHINGTON, D. C. Queens-Rhode Island-Queens | Italian Northern-bred queens. Very = gentle and hardy- Great worker.-*. Un- = tested, SI; 6 for §3. Circular on appli- ^ cation. Queens delivered after June 1. h O. E. Tulip, Arlington,. Rhode Island I 56 Lawrence Street = ^ost Hand lairtwn powerful portable lamp, giving a 300 candle (ver pure wliite light. Just what the farmer, dairyman, stockman, etc. needs. Safe — Reliable Economical— Absolutely Rain, Storm and Bug proof Burns either gasoline or kerosene. Light wcitrht. Agents wanted. Big Profits. Write Catalog, jjjg g^ST UGHT CO. 306 E. 5tb St., Canton, O. =tiiiiiiiiiniii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii• ■ ■ -3fjJM jng^^jl iflHffl&K ^S r-«^» "41 P pi ij^5^-< -^.. . - -i mm T ■»■■ ^ 1 ■ 1 South- ern Head- quarters for Italian Queens % We liave increased our queen yard 25 per cent to supply increasing demands for our Italian queens. = s Before June 15 After -Tune 15 ^ s 1 12 50 or more 1 12 50 or more = 1 Untested Italian queens $1.25 $13.25 $1.00 each $1.00 $11.50 $0.90 each ^ i Tested Italian queen.s 2.00 23.00 1.50 15.00 s s Breeders, Italian queens 5.00 each, any time. ^ = We are willing to replace any untested queen which might prove to be mismated. We guar- ^ s antee safe arrival on all queens we send out. We have never had any foul brood in or near any of ^ = our yards. Because we spaie neither labor nor expense to produce the best queens for you is why ^ = we can not sell cheaper. Let us supply jour needs. g I W. D. ACHORD, Pike Road, Alabama. | lilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllH 552 GLEANINGS £N BEE CULTURE August, 1919 ^|||||||IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!IIII1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1IIIIIIIP1!III!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!I^ = E^MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^ = QUEENS We guarantee safety from all foul brood disease, be.ause there is not now and never has been any foul brood in our part of the country. Our bees and queens are absolutely free from it. Remember that LAST YEAR WE REARED 12,348 QUEENS which we believe to be the world's record among queen-breeders. We could do this only because of the reputation for quality and service that we have established among beekeepers far and wide. PRICE OF QUEENS. After .Tune 15th 1 12 50 or more Untested $1.00 $11.00 $ .90 Select Untested 1.50 15.00 L.-'.O Tested . 2.00 22.00 1.75 Breeders, $5.00, $10.00, and $15.00. Prices of Dr. Miller's Queens After .June 15th 1 12 50 or more Untested $1.25 $13.25 $1.10 Tested 2.00 22.00 1.75 Breeders, $5.00, $10.00, and $15.00. We have a full line of Eoot 's goods and guarantee to fill all orders within three days after receipt and all mail orders the same day received. Try us on sections, foundation, smokers and all small orders by mail. A full line manufactured from Cypress, the Wood Eternal, which we guarantee to please you. Solid one-piece covers made from the best wood in the world, without crack or crevice, at the price of other wood covers. Beeswax wanted. "ii"ii"il"i"illilliiiiiiiii"iilliiliil SEND FOR CATALOG iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiii iiiiiiiiii The PENN COMPANY PENN, MISSISSIPPI ^^.llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllHllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllliNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^ ^ iiiillliiliiiliiiiliiiiliiiiiiiiuiiiillliillliilliiiliiilllliilliiiiiiiiiliiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ i^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ IT'S OUT THE NEW 1919 EDITION of THE ABC&XYZof BEE CULTURE iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ This standard work has again been thoroly revis- ed and brought down to date, and considerable new material has been ad- ded. If you are a begin- ner or an expert in bee- keeping you want this last word on the subject. More than one-fourth of the new edition is already sold. You had better order today. The A. I. ROOT Co. MEDINA, OHIO ^Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ DADANT SPECIALTIES World renowned for its exeel- DADANT'S lence. Put to actual tests in T?r\T Tivrr^ A Tir^TV i our own apiaries of several hun- J^UUiMJAliUi> I dred colonies. Every inch equal to sample in every respect. Ac- knowledged by hundreds of users to be the most readi- ly drawn out by the bees, and therefore a saving to use under any circumstances. Melts the wires into the Founda- ELECTRIC tions as if they had grown there. TMBEDDER Eequires only two dry cells to operate, or can be used on city cur- rent by use of a transformer which we furnish or which can be made at home. Full di- rections with each machine. First Lessons in Beekeeping, by C. P. BEE Dadant, is a thorough book for the be- ROOKS ginner, while The Honeybee, by Lang- I stroth and Dadant, is considered the clas- sic in Bee Culture. A Thousand Answers to Bee Keeping Questions, by Dr. C. C. Miller, is a compilation of over 1,000 questions answered by Doctor Miller in his 60 years of beekeeping; for veteran and amateur alike. Practical Queen Rearing, by Frank C. Pellett, gives the improved methods of rearing queens, with variations suitable for the home vard. A monthly publication of 36 AMERICAN pageS) foremost in its field for BEE JOURNAL *^® advancement of beekeeping. 1 Contributors from all sections and countries. The result of painstaking efforts and long experience of its editors, C. P. Dadant and Frank C. Pellett. I Distinctive designs, up-to-the-minute. HONEY I W© have just issued a label catalog LABELS 'w^ith samples of stationery designed es- I pecially for the beekeeper. Write for your copy. All kinds of labels to fit all styles of packages. Attractive honey sellers. Read Our Catalog for Further PartiouXart. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Ills, llllllllllllllllllilllllllll!!l:l . . ' Jl!llillli!llllll!llllllllllll!i:i{|llll!lilllllii:illll!illiyi!!iy!!l'lll|i|ll!l!l!llllllll!!!!;l!il^ CSl^atiinga tn iin Culture = Vol. XLVII SEPTEMBER 1919 No. 9 = illlllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^^ I We are always in the market for HONEY and BEESWAX. 1 Do not sell until you have seen us. ■ We will pay you spot cash for any thing you sell us. 1 Get our prices on cans and cases. Los Angeles Honey Co. 633 Central Bldg., Sixth and Main Sts. Los Angeles, California Telephones; Home 10419, Main 5606 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllll^^^ I SHIPPING CASES FOR COMB HONEY = It is an acknowledged fact that comb honey put up in Attractive Shipping Cases will bring a M better price than the same honey put up in an inferior case. Our Shipping Cases are made ^ of a good, clear grade of basswood lumber and will be a credit to any crop of honey. g Tin Containers for Extracted. Honey M Wei have a good stock of 60-lb. Square Cans, 12-lb. Square Cans, 5- and 10-lb. Round Friction ^ Top Pails. We also carry in stock a complete line of all other Beekeepers' Supplies. The Lotz 1-piece Section The kind tliat doeis not break in fcliliiiu' is mannfactured by us. price list mailed to you free upon reiiuest. Our 1919 catalog and ■ AUGUST LOTZ COMPANY ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ I Root Service | I WE ARE CLOSING THE FIRST SEASON IN J 1 Our New Factory. i g BECAUSE OF A LATE START IX g M GETTING MACHINEKV SET FOR ^ g OPERATION OUR SERVICE EAR- = g LV THIS YEAR WAS NOT UP TO ^ ^ NOR.MAL. ^ g We are taking advantage of the slack sea- = ^ son to make up a surplus stock of stan- = = dard goods and will be in a position to g = give prompt service in the future from g = both offices. = g We believe our factory is filling a need ^ ^ for a higher standard of quality in hives, ^ g frames, and other beekeepers' supplies ^ M in Pacific Coast territory and merits ^ = your support. = g Our company was incorporated as a g ^ California corporation last November, ^ M and there are still some shares available g ^ for investment. ^ g Let us hear from you whether you are g M interested in selling honey or beeswax, or g ^ in buying supplies, or in making a safe ^ ^ investment. ^ I The A. I. Root Co. I of California 1824 E. 15th St. LOS ANGELES 52-54 Main St. 5AN FRANCISCO BOYD, WISCONSIN | iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ ** Griggs Saves You Freight" g TOLEDO I August is here— the White Clover Honey flow about over. . . Don't pet short of sections and founda- tion—season promises to be good. Honey Cans and Cases Order these early--a limited number of 2d-hand cans on hand at 75c per case. Honey- Honey -- Honey We shall be in the market for any qii;in- tity, both comb and extracted. . Mail sample of extracted and state price asked in first letter. BEESWAX always in demand — Cash or in trade. fillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!! GRIGGS BROTHERS CO. Dept. No. 25 Toledo, Ohio SKl'Tli.MliKK, 19 19 i; L K A N I N G « I N B E E C U L T U K E SEPTEMBER, 1919 Honey Markets 556-557 Editorials 561-564 Nevaila Coiiib-lioney Wizard E. R. Eoot 565-568 An Old Friend in New Guise Dorothy Quincy Wright 568-570 Milkweed as a Honey Plant '. .John H. Lovell 570-571 Beekeeping in Ontario G. G. Gemmell 572-575 Old Abandoned Apiaries E. R. Root 575-578 Anne Lester and Daddy Lowe, Beekeepers. . Grace Allen 579-580 Bee Mandibles and Wax Scales Arthur C. Miller 581 The Quadruple Case Today R. F. Holtermann 581-583 Exhibits and Demonstrations J. O. Wallace 583-581 Shipping Beeswax Superior Honey Co. 584-585 The Granulation of Stores J. A. Green 585 Stray Straws Dr. C. C. Miller 586-587 Siftings J. E. Crane 588 Our Food Page Stancy Puerden 589-590 Beekeeping as a Side Line Grace Allen 591-592 From North, East, West, and South 593-595 Heads of Grain from Different Fields 596-598 Talks to Beginners lona Fowls 599-600 Just News ■ 601 Gleaned by Asking Zona Fowls 602-6(14 The Best from Others Zona Fowls 6()5 Bees, Men, and Things 606 Our Homes A.I. Root 607-612 SUBSCEIPTION KATES. — One year, $1.00; two years, -fLTS; three years, $2.50; five years, $4.00. Sino:le ropy 10 cents. Canadian subscription, 15 cents additional per year, and foreign subscription, 30 cents additional. DISCONTINUANCE. — Subscriptions, not paid in advance, or specifically ordered by the subscriber to be continued, will be stopped on cuxpiration. No subscriber will be run into debt by us for this' journal CHANGE OF ADDBESS. — Give your old address as well as the new and WTite the name to which the journal has heretofore been addressed. REMITTANCE. — Should be sent by postoffice money order, bank draft, express money order, or check. CONTBIBUTIONS to Gleanings columns solicited: stamps should be enclosed to insure return to author of manuscript if not printed. ADVERTISING RATES. — Advertising rates and conditions will be sent on request. Results from advertising in this journal are remarkably satisfac- tory. ADVERTISERS' RELIABILITY. — ^Tlie publishers use utmost diligence" to estab- lish in advance the reliability of every advertiser using space in this journal. Entered as second class mail matter at the Postoffice at Medina, Ohio. Published monthly Spare occupied by reading matter in this issue 76.2 per cent; advertising, 23.8 per cent THE A. I. ROOT COMPANY, Publishers, Medina, Ohio Editorial StafF E. R. ROOT A. I. ROOT lONA FOWLS H. G. ROWE Editor Editor Home Depc. Assistant Editor Managing Editor ti [. E .V K I N G S IN BEE C L L T U R E September, 1919 HERE IS A REPRODUCTION OF Muth's New Home in Cincinnati AnticiiJatiii^; '.^i ■ n>.:: is di lii^ trade and to meet the demands of our customers, we are now locateci at Pearl and Walnut Streets, carrying tremendous stocks — making this the largest Honey House in the country. WHY YOU SHOULD BUY NOW! We advise"^ you to buy your bee' supplies now. You not only get the benefit of fav6rable market conditions, but you are assured of immediate delivery. There will be no disappointment if you send your order for bee supplies to MUTH NOW. MUTH'S ADVANTAGES! We sell at factory prices, save you freight and give you the finest bee supplies manufactured. LEWIS BEEWARE DADANT'S FOUNDATION ROOT'S SMOKERS, EXTRACTORS, ETC. Our new 1919 catalog sent for the mere asking. Drop us a card now! OLD COMBS AND CAPPINGS. Send them to us for rendering. We pay you the highest market price for beeswax, and charge you but 5c per pound for the wax rendered. It pays to send us your old combs and cappings. WANTED, COMB HONEY. Comb and Extracted Honey find ready sales here. Tell us what you have. We buy beeswax at high prices. Always glad to reply to inquiries. We will appreciate a visit from you. When in the city come and see us. THE FRED W. MUTH COMPANY Pearl and Walnut Sts. *The Busy Beemen' Cincinnati, Ohio «Ki>TKMBKR, 1919 G LE A N I N G S I N B E E C U LTU RE 55:- piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiy^ I Do the Bees ^Take to Theirs First''? | I READ THE FOLLOWING: I Montalba, Texas, June 11, 1919. Superior Honey Co., Ogden, Utah. Dear Sirs : I received your SUPERIOR FOUNDATION all 0. K. and tried it in the brood-chamber and supers, side by side with that of others who claim that the bees would take to theirs first, but they did not. I never jiad tried your foundation until this time, but the bees draw it out nice and even. Some makes that I have tried they gnaw out, so I count yours- the best that I have ever tried, and will try to get it every time. Please send me your price list. Yours truly, Leo Wardel. When ordering for next season write us for special prices on our SUPERIOR FOUNDATION. I Superior Honey Company -:- Ogden, Utah | ■ (MANUFACTURERS OF WEED PROCESS FOUNDATION) j lllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillliillllllllllllllllllllllllilllll^ HONEY WANTED HONEY Write us what you have to offer in extracted or comb. If comb, state how packed, graded, and quantity. If extracted, state how put up, mail sam- ple, and quote your lowest price. We will buy un- limited quantities if price and quality are right. C. H. W. WEBER & COMPANY 2146 CENTRAL AVENUE CINCINNATI, OHIO P?ri 556 GLEANINGSIN HONEY MARKETS In Canada and parts of the United States where unusually high prices are asked, the demand and movement are slow; but, in general, the honey market is firm and prices are slightly advancing. U. S. Government Market Reports. HOXEV ARRIVALS, AUG. 1-14. Medina, 0. — 54,940 pounds New York, 49,760 pounds California. Keokuk, Iowa, and Hamilton, III. — No arrivals. SHIPPING POINT INFORMATION. San Francisco, Calif. — Offerings light ; demand moderate, improving; market firm. Price to pro- ducers: extracted, per pound, light amber alfalfa 14-16c, white 16-18c, light amber sage 15-17c, white sage 18-20c, white orange 18-20c. Los Angele.s, Calif. — Supplies very light, estimat- ed season half over. Demand and movement good, market firm, little change in prices. Carloads f. O'. b., usual terms: Californias, white orange blossom mostly 20c per lb., white sage 20c, extra light amber sage 18i/i-19c, light amber sagei 17 ^^c, light amber alfalfa 15-16c. Beeswax: 1. c. 1. sales mostly 40c per lb. TELEGRAPHIC REPORTS FROM IMPORTANT MARKETS. (The prices quoted in this report, unless other- wise stated, represent the prices at which the '"wholesale carlot receivers" sell to the "jobbers." .Arrivals include receipts during preceding two weeks. Prices represent current quotations. ) Chicago. — No carlot arrivals, demand and move- ment slightly improving, market steady. Sales to jobbers: variou.s sections, e^xtracted, white 19-20c, light amber 17-19c per lb. Beeswax: demand and movement good, market steady ; refined 50c, unre- fined 45-46c per lb. Cincinnati. — 1 Calif, arrived, express receipts light, fair inquiry. Extracted and comb: no sales reported. Beeswax : supplies moderate, demand and movement good, market firm. Sales to jobbers, average yellow 40-42c per lb. Cleveland.- — Supplies light, demand and move- ment slow, market dull, no change in prices. Sales to jobbers: extracted, Western 60-lb. tins, white clover 21-23c per lb., Ohio, white clover 22-26c. Comb: Ohio mostly $4.00-4.50, few $4.75 per dozen combs. Beeswax: Too few sales to establish market. Denver. — Approximately 700 cases comb and 10,- 000 pounds extracted arrived. Supplies moderate, demand and movement moderate, market steady. Sales to jobbers: Colorado, comb; white, 24-section cases. No. 1, $6.75. Extracted: white 18-20c per lb., light amber 16-18c. Beeswax: cash to producer on farm, 38c per lb. Kansas City. — .A.pproximately 110 cases arrived, demand and movement good, market stead\-, little change in prices. Missouri, comb; No. 1 light, 24- section flat case $7.50. Extracted: No. 1 light 20c p^r lb. Minneapolis. — Supplies very light, practically no demand, market weak, too few sales to establish market. New York. — Arrived : 1 car from Penn. and 1 car from Colo. Imported: 180 barrels and 15 tierces from Porto Kico. 86 barrels and 25 cases from Mexico, 39 barrels from West Indies. Export- ed: 551 cases to Italy, 42 cases to Prance, 247 barrels to Belgium, 366 cases and 751 barrels to Holland, 41 cases to Norway, 25 barrels to Sweden. Demand and movement moderate, market unsettled. Sales to jobbers: extracted: Porto Kican and Cuban, $1.35-1.60, mostly $1.40-1.50 per gallon. Cali- fornia, light amber alfalfa, 16-16 Vtc per lb. Bees- wax: imported; 369 bags and 42 Ijoxes from South Pacific ports, 50 bags from Mexico, and 51 bags from Cuba. Demand and movement good, market steady. Sales to jobbers: light 44-45c, dark 42-44c per lb. Philadelphia. — .Approximately 8,200 pounds from Calif.. 10,100 pounds from New York, 4,100 pounds from Florida, and 26,100 pounds from West Indies arrived. Demand and movement improving, market stronger, prices higher. Sales to jobbers: extracted; West Indies, amber $1.55-1.60. per gallon. Pur- chases by local wholesalers f. o. b. Philadelphia, white orange 22c per lb.; Ploridas, amber 17c. BEE CULTURE September, 1919 St. Paul. — Supplies very light, practically no de- mand, market weak, too few sales to establish mar- ket. St. Louis. — Slipplies very light, practically no de- mand or movement, market dull. Sales to jobbers: e-xtracted; Southern amber, per pound, in barrels ll-12c, in cans 13-16c. Comb: practically no sup- plies on market. No sales reported. Beeswax: prime, 40c per lb. George Livingston, Acting Chief of Bureau. From the market bulletin of the Montana State Beekeepers' Association under date of August 15, we take the following: From data received from the members of the association the secretary has compiled the following lineup of quotations: Comb honey, retail sales: average price for No. 1, $6.09; for No. 2, $6.58 i/i per case. High price for No. 1, $7.20; for No. 2, $7.00; low price for No. 1, $6.00; for No. 2, $6.00. Comb honev, wholesale : average price for No. 1, $6.58; for No. 2, $5,831/2; high price for No. 1, $7.20; for No. 2, 6.50; low price for No. 1, $6.00; for No. 2, $5.00. Extracted honev, retail sales: average price, 60-lb. tins, 23y2C; 10-lb., 26%; 5-lb., 27c. High price, 60-lb. tins, 23c; 10-lb., 27i^c; 5-lb., 30c. Low price, 60-lb. tins, 20c; 10-lb., 24c; 5-lb., 25c. Extracted honey, wholesale: average price, 60-lb. tins, 22%c; 10-lb., 24% c; 5-lb., 26c. High price, 60-lb. tins, 23c; 10-lb., 27i^c; 5-lb., 30c. Low price, 60-lb. tins, 20c; 10-lb., 20c; 10-lb., 20c. Buyers of- fer, 60-lb. tin.s, 23c; 10-lb., 25c. "The buyers' offer" on extracted honey exceeds slightly the average of prices listed by the producers and indicates a willingness to pay a good price for extracted honey. The market is in a peculiar con- dition as regards sales to wholesalers at this time; the local wholesalers are generallv carrying over a considerable portion of their 1918 crop, which they will move before buying much of the 1919 crop. This will make the market somewhat low, but since they paid in many cases as much as 25e in 60-lb. cans for the 1918 stock, prices will remain firm. As soon as the old stock gets low they will be in the market for the 1919 crop and. as the shortage of canned fruits and other sweets will be making itself felt by that time, the demand for honey will be heavy." General Quotations to Wholesalers. [These firms are asked to quote the whole- sale price they make to retailers. Accord- ingly their prices must be figured at least one profit higher than the price paid the pro- ducer. The large dealers do not quote prices in print that they will pay futurely to pro- ducers.] NEW YORK. — We quote from several of the leading honev dealers in New York City, under date of Aug. 16: "The honey market is quiet but steady. Stocks are plentiful, but the demand is backward. There is a good demand for yellow beeswax, also darker 2rades, and the market is firm. Extracted honey, light amber in barrels $1.50; amber $1.40. Clean average yellow beeswax, per lb. 43c." "Market strong and advancing. Extracted honey, light amber, in cans, 21-25c." ".\ltho the demand is not very heavy, there is a firmer feeling in the market, and prices are a little higher. Plenty of stock on hand to take care of immediate business, especially darker gi-ades in bar- rels. Extracted honey: white, per lb.. 18-20c; light amber, in cans 16-17c, in barrels $1.50; amberj in cans 15c, in barrels $1.30. Clean average yellow; beeswax, per lb. 42c." S CLEVELAND. — No new honey in market yet.^ The supply of old crop comb honey is light and de- mand very limited. Comb honev, fancv. per case of 24 sections, $6.50-7.00; No. 1. '$6.00; 'No. 2, $5.50. C. Chandler's Sons. Cleveland, O., Aug. 13. CHIC.\GO. — .-V few shipments of the new comb, honey have appeared on the market and are selling^ Septkmbkr, 1919 GLEANINGS F X B E K C IT I. T U R E at 30 to 35c per lb., according to grade. No new extracted, and what is on hand of last season's pro- duction is selling at 17 to 19c per lb. Beeswax 40c per lb., if yellow and free from sediment. R. A. Burnett & Co. Chicago, III., Aug. 16. FLORIDA. — No honey for sale in our market now. We have a few barrels of dark honey, which we are tryin? to sell to bakers. We had quite a scare with foul brood this year, but the State of Florida came to our rescue with an appropriation of $10,000. The bees are doing well now. S. S. Alderman. Wewahitchka, Fla., Aug. 16. ST. LOUIS. — Very little new comb honey has so far arrived in this market. It is selling for good price. Some extracted arriving and selling fairly well. Extracted honey, amber, in cans 16c, in liar- rels 13-1-lc. Beeswax, clean, average yellow bees- wax, per lb. 40c. R. Hartman Produce Co. St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 16. TEXAS.- — Bulk comb in good demand. Extracted going slow. Bulk comb honey, fancy, 20c ; No. 1, 19 %c. Extracted honey, light amber, in cans, 18 %c. Clean, average yellow beeswax, per lb. 36c. Sabinal, Tex., Aug. li. J. A. Simmons. DENVER. — ^New crop comb honey just commenc- ing to come in and selling at the following prices to the retail trade: Comb honey, No. 1, white, per case, $7.50: No. 2, white, per "ease, $7.00; partly honeydew, $5.00. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 22c; light amber, in cans, 20c; amber, 16-18c. We buy beeswax and pay for clean, average yellow, per lb., 38c cash and 40c in trade, delivered here. The Colorado Honey Producers' Ass'n. Denver, Colo. HAMILTON. — Market is very uncertain. Old honey still in stock at 23 to 24c. New honey not yet sold. Price quoted 20-22c. Holders say stocks are light. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 22-23c; light amber, in cans, 21c; amber, 20c. F. W. Fearman Co. Hamilton, Ont., Aug. 5. Montreal. — Apiarists are asking 25c for dark and 27c for white clover honey. Dealers are not buying at anything like these prices. Honey should be cheaper this year, as the crop is fairly good, with demand slow on account of high prices. Comb honey, extra fancy, per case, 32c; fancy, 30c; No. 1, 28c : No. 2, 25c. Extracted honey, white, per lb., 23c; light amber, in cans 21c, in barrels 20VzC', amber, 19c, in barrels 18 %c. Gunn, Langlois & Co., Ltd. Montreal, Can. TORONTO. — New honey is coming in slowly. AMiolesale prices for new crop white clover honey are as follows: Extracted honev, white, per lb. 5- Ib. tins $1.35, 10-lb. tins $2.70, 60-lb. tins, per lb., 26 1/2 c. Eby-Blain. Ltd. Toronto, Can., Aug. 18. CUBA. — Extracted honey, light amber, in barrels, $1.25 ; amber, $1.25. Clean, average yellow bees- wax, per lb., 37 %e. A. Marzol. Matanzas, Cuba, Aug. 7. BARNES' Hand and Foot Power Machinery This cut represents our com- bined circular saw, which is made for beekeepers' use in the construction of their hives, sections, etc. Machines on Trial Send for illustrated catalog and prices W. F. & JOHN BARNES CO 645 Ruby Street ROCKFORO, ILLINOIS GET YOUR CHURN FREE 17,0UO Leader Chui ns.in use ailover the country, have reroovtd the ^^^ dread of cliurning day by saving 2 jtime and labor. They make more ard •• belter butt, r; 6000 ursclicited testi- Zi m nials. A.N. Hollis.Lawrenceburg, ~ Tenn. says: "Cliurnirg was a burd< n — until we got the Leader. Now tie S children c y tochnn. Wecanchu'n JJ inS or 4 mnute-. "Special dasli-sieel — frame— litht weight— easily cleaned. S Lasts a Lifetime ~ So'd undrr two plai s. Simply order 5 atrial churn now, without serdiig " M any money; then, when satiffed at ■■ ~ end of thirty days, rem t the price shown below, or ~ " take ordjrs fro-u your fri' n''s and let your oomn-i- •• n sions pay for your churn, thus securing your Leader !I ~ Churn Free. 3 = I lOGal. $5.001 — ir Gal. $5.501 — |QGal.$6.00 = - JCh.irnsll-:; il ChurnB3 rl Churns 4 - ; ' '** Gallons ' '^* Gallons ' '^ Gallot 8 5 - Sond No Money pjd'-'- direct fr^m this AdvcheckiPKBizo of - JJ 2. Churn wanted. You pav expreescnargeonly. fj ^ Nursery agents or farmer aprents take trial orders. ^ NWe deliver and collect; no money Deeded. ^m Novelty Mfg. Co., Box 722 Abingdon, III. ^ CHURNS IN 3 MINUTES Electric Imbedder \ V ■«t.^ Price without Batteries, $1.25 .\ctually cements wires in the foundation. Will work with dry cells or with city current. Best de- vice of its liind on the market. For salei by all bee- supply dealers. Dadant & Sons Manufacturers Haiiiilton, Ills. I. F. Miller's Strain Italian Queen BEES FOR SALE.- Northern bred, for business, from my best Superior Breeders; gentle, roll honey in, hardy, winter well, not inclined to swarm, lea- ther-colored or three-banded. Queens a specialty; twenty-five years' breeding experience. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Untested, $1.00; 6, $5.50; 12, $10.00. Select untested, $1.25; 6, $6.75; 12, $12.00. I. F. MILLER, Rt. 2, Brookville, Pennsylvania TRADE NOTES ?PE<'I.\L SALE ONE-rOUXD HONEY-JARS. We havei a surplus stock of these glass jars holding 15 ozs.. put up 2 dozen to a case, includ- ing lacquered tin tops, in our St. Paul branch; also with Kretch raer Mfg. Co., Council Bluffs, la. The cost of these jars has nearly doubled in the past three years. Our present list price is $1.60 per case. We offer for a short time the surplus stock available at $1.25 per case, $12.00 for 10 cases. Send your orders direct to the point nearest you where the stock is located, mentioning tliis notice and including remit- tance with your order. The a. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio. 558 G L E A N I N G S I N B E E C U L T U R E September, 191< (ral iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ W Let Us Furnish You With What You Need ^We can do so promptly and ac- curately. Can save you time and freight charges. ^ When you find you are out of the very thing you need, that you must have "right away," then is the time to drop Lis a card or send in your mail order. d^Wliy not do so right away so as to have everything right on hand when you need it? Don't delay. Order today. Try Us for Promptness F. A. Salisbury 1631 West Genesee Street Syracuse, N. Y. Septembkr, 19in GLEANINGS TN BEE CULTURE 559 pilllllllllllllll!lllllllll!illlll!;illlllll!ll{||||l!lllinilll!illlll!l|lillllllll!!lll!l'l!^ I Winter Problem Solved | I by the Hive with an Inner Overcoat | Tlie IS colonies of bees, shown above on the roof of one of our buiklings here in Grand Rapids, wintered 100 per cent perfect or without loss, during the winter of 1918-19. They were brought in by truck over forty miles about November 1st. An attempt was made to feed them, as they were short of stores, but without suc- cess as it was too late and cold. They were transferred from single-walled hives to the Protection Hives. They were left here all w^inter and the winds swept them from all directions. No special preparation was made as to young queens, young bees, feeding, etc. Every sw'arni came out a jirime swarm, with the exception of one that was queenless and dwindled out in May. It will pay you to try out a sample shipment of these hives this winter. Send for special circular and catalog. Tin Honey-packages 2 21/, V2 9.V^ fe 5 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 612 lb. Friction top cans, cases of 24 lb. Friction top cans, crates of 450 lb. Friction top pails, cases of 12 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 100 .") 111. Friction top pails, crates of 203 lu lb. Friction top pails, cases of 6 10 lb. Friction top pails, crates of 113 Write for prices on friction top cans and pails and 60-lb. cans, giving quan- titv wanted. A. G. Woodman Company Grand Rapids, Mich, U. S. A. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllli SELLING HELPS Now is the time to advertise your prod- uct and establish your own market. Let us help you with suitable advertising matter. " The American Bee Journal has established a Our Printinff Plant printing plant in charge of an expert printer _ who devotes his entire time to specialty printing for beekeepers. We take pride in our ability to turn out the best work with prompt service. If you have not received a copy of our label catalog, Labels send for one toda3^ Attractive labels help to sell your honey. A good product in attractive packages will make permanent customers. Our stock labels are the best in the market and we are jjrepared to furnish distinctive designs on special order for custo- mers ' exclusive use if desired. o ■!• Letterheads, envelopes, cards, tags, carbon sheets, every- Fr thing in the stationery line for beekeepers ' use. Since there are weddings and parties in bee- Society Printing ' keepers' families we are prepared to furnish latest styles in invitations, announcements, calling cards, etc., on order. Ours is a sjjecialty shop designed to serve A Specially SllOp the beekeepers' needs exclusively. Our shop makes a special study of the beekeeper's needs and guarantees your money's worth or your money back. For Quality, Service and Satisfaction in Printing, write II AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL I I HAMILTON, ILLINOIS iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ E GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 1 EDITORIAL FEOM PRESENT INDICATIONS, general freight rates will increase possibly as much as 4 5 per cent Freight Rates within the next going Up. few weeks. On large shipments this item is worth considering. Beekeepeis will do well to take advantage of this ad- vance warning. a — H3 ^ cig= to ELSEWHERE we have referred to the fact that we are feeding our bees brown sugar to stimulate. Many Brown Sugar for Feeding. years ago A. I. Root found that he could use a good grade of brown sugar for wintering bees, but he also discovered that Coifee A, which was the best grade of white sugar we had then, while a little more expensive was about as cheap and a slightly better winter food. There may be some beekeepers who will not be able to obtain enough white sugar to feed their bees for winter and yet can obtain brown. The latter is probably just as good for stimulating brood-rearing as the white, if not a little better; but un- questionably white is to be preferred as a win-ter food. We have about 1,400 colonies which we are building up for winter. The demand for bees and queens everywhere is very heavy, and we are finding that we can convert sugar into bees for less money than we can afford to go out and buy nondescript lots of bees, taking a chance of disease. By the sugar method we get clean, first- class, pure stock. At the present writing it is doubtful if the beekeeper will be able to get sufScient white sugar for feeding. Our advice is to get all the white you can and make up the difference with brovcn. If you don't have a fall flow, you better not waste any time in getting in your order for even brown sugar. THE REPORT we gave in our last issue edi- torially regarding the shortage of clover honey was nearly Honey-crop correct in spite of Conditions. the report of July 1 from the Bureau of Crop Estimates, Washington, D. C, that it wouhl be about normal. We have been all over the country in the East, and we find that a number and perhaps all of those who reported to the Government that they would have a normal yield found that the drouth set in, and that the actual crop fell short of the earlier expectations. The writer has talked with beekeepers in Michigan and New York — States that, according to the Government reports, would have a normal yield; but the crop will run only from 3.3 to 75 per cent normal. It is our belief that over clover districts generally the yield of clover will run from 50 to 75 per cent. Sage and orange were very short, and the few lots that are left are bringing good prices. There will be the average amount of alfalfa honey thruout the Western States with one or two exceptions. The shortage in some areas will be more than made up by surplus in others. There has been a fair to good yield thruout the Southern States, and above normal in New England; and the prospects are excellent for a good fall flow on account of the rains. One of the factors during the Great War that had a tremendous influence on the price of honey was the scarcity of sugar. When the housewife, the candy, ice-cream, and soft-drinks people w^ere unable to get sugar in sufficient quantities they turned to honey. Cheap molasses and glucose will supply only a part of the candy trade. The housewife can use only a limited amount of molasses. After that she must have a better form of sweet; and when sugar is not available she will turn to honey. At the present time there is a scarcity of sugar. Whether that scarcity is real or artificial we don't know. For several months back the wholesalers and jobbers have been saying that there would be plenty of sugar later on; but that plenty has not been forthcoming. If the activities of the United States Government and those of the various States against packers who have been hoarding should release vast quantities of sugar, the price would have a tendency to decline. It might take a tumble. It is inconceivable that either could happen. It has been claim- ed that there is no sugar in storage — that what there is has gone to Europe. We don't know. We do know that there is a very serious unrest over the high cost of living. The reaction may send all prices downward, 562 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1910 including honey. We don 't think so, at least not immediately. Even the best experts of the country seem to be all at sea as to what is going to hap- pen, and it is probable that one guess is as good as another. To summarize: If there should be a scarcity of sugar, and honey should be taken as a substitute, its price will advance. If, on the other hand, the price of all foods declines, it would be ex- pected that honey would go down with other commodities. It is our guess, and only a guess, that one tendency will offset the other, and that the price of honey will re- main stationary. A MANUFACTUEER of invert-sugar syrup is sending out what appears to be a cir- cular to the trade. Honey Adulter- From it we make ated with the following quota- Invert Sugar, tion: "It has been found that honey can be diluted with two to three parts of invert sugar syrup, and the resulting prod- uct can not be distinguished from natural honey." Black type ours. While further on in the letter it is admitted that this adulteration should be ' ' properly labeled, ' ' there are some people to whom such a letter might go, who, taking the hint, would not take the trouble to see that the mixture was ' ' properly labeled. ' ' In the first place, it is not true that a hon- ey adulterated with invert sugar ' ' can not be distinguished from natural honey. ' ' The United States Government, in a test case, clearly proved that chemists could and did detect the difference, with the result that- the adulterator was made to pay a heavy fine. See Invert Sugar in the ABC and X Y Z of Bee Culture. Buyers should, nevertheless, be on their guard against being ' ' taken in " in the pur- chase of so-called honey containing invert sugar. While, of course,- it is more difficult to detect adulteration of honey with invert sugar than it is to show adulteration with glucose, nevertheless a good chemist will not be fooled in either case. THE LOSS from careless shipping each year costs the producer thousands of dollars. This waste is so entirely Hurting the needless that no Market by Care- one can think of less Shipping. any possible ex- cuse. The plain fact is that the gambling spirit in many produc- ers causes them to attempt saving a few cents on cans and containers, while taking chances on a good many dollars' worth of honey. Buyers in foreign countries as well as our own are feeling the effect of our poor ship- ping. This we can ill afford when exports have so decided an effect on the honey mar- kets. In foreign shipments even greater care must be taken than in home shipments. It has been claimed that not a single im- porter in Italy has been making any profit on the importation of American honey. If foreign importers are to purchase our honey from choice instead of as a last resort, we shall be obliged to make radical changes in our methods of shipping. Every year quantities of honey are re- ceived at Medina in poor condition. In some cases the honey has been removed from the hives before being sufficiently ripened, and has accordingly fermented on the road, ooz- ing from the cans and running all over the car floor. In rare instances, cans arrive in veneer jackets that are fit only for kindling wood on arrival. At other times the cases are too light or too large. Recently a carload arrived in very poor condition. In almost no time Root's bees had located the car, and soon the air was filled with millions of angry, hissing bees, frightening the passers-by, stinging the horses, and causing great excitement gen- erally. The Root fire company was called out. Some of the men refused to work, but soon two men were on top of the car and others on the ground, with the hose playing all about. The trouble subsided to some ex- tent, but it was necessary to keep up the performance the rest of the day. Not until night did the bees allow the honey to be re- moved from the car. During all that time the honey was oozing from every crack and crevice. On opening the car the cases and cans were found in the most astonishing confusion. Later we learned that the car had been overloaded, and the contents had to be transferred at Cincinnati to another car. The honey had been leaking so that, during the process of transferring, the bees started robbing, and the freightmen in their fran- tic excitement threw the cases in like cord- wood — endwise, sidewise, crosswise, any way to get there. After these cases had jammed this way and that on their trip to Medina, one may possibly imagine their condition on arrival. Now that carload represented over $10,000 worth of honey. Doubtless nominally the railroad will make good the loss. In reality it will come from the pockets of the bee- keepers. In this country the largest part of the honey is now shipped in 60-pound cans, and, if suitably packed, this is a good method. Bulged or rusty cans should never be used. Nor should anyone tolerate a round can, for if knocked over, they are soon battered to pieces. Moreover, the cans should fit the cases, leaving no space for chucking. On the arrival of carloads of honey, one will some- times notice instances in which the cover has been nailed to the case, driving the nail straight into the can. The hole being at the top, the trouble is perhaps not in evi- SiKrTliAlllKK, 19iy G 1- E A N I N G S IN BEE C U I. T U K E 563 dence until en route; or in some cases, the nail doubtless does not at first penetrate the can, but by constant rubbing, finally causes the can to spring a leak. Good results are obtained when two square 60-pound cans are shipped in strong wooden cases having the ends and middle partition of %-incli stuff. Any cases lighter than this are too frail. In the West some have trieti using fifteen-gallon steel drums. These are especially good for export shipment, and it is claimed that they are practically inde- structible. Most beekeepers doubtless know that there has recently been a proposal by the Interstate Commerce Commission to raise the rate on honey. This is exactly what could be expected while the present careless- ness prevails. The beekeeper usually com- forts himself with the thought that the rail- roads will stand all loss in transit. But in order to stand this loss, the railroads are compelled to put their freight rates high enough to bear the loss and still leave a mar- gin of profit; which, plainly stated, means that the beekeepers and not the railroad company ultimately pay the bill. It is impossible to keep down freight rates when beekeepers show an utter disregard of safety in packing. General freight rates are already high enough without an addi- tional increase on honey. Last fall freight rates increased 25 per cent and now late de- velopments indicate that another rise of from 15 to 45 per cent will be made within the next month or so. The time has apparently come when bee- keepers will be compelled, not only individ- ually to be more careful in packing, but also collectively to look into the container propo- sition. THEEE HAVE PEOBABLY been several more or less related diseases of adult bees that have been de- The So-called. scribed under the Disappearing name of either dis- Disease. appearing disease or paralysis, due to their characteristics of the disappearing of the bees from the colonies and the paralytic symptoms of the sick bees, followed often by a disappearance of these various symp- toms more or less without apparent cause. The trouble often shows up at the begin- ning of a honey flow, when the fielders can least be spared. Sometimes when at its vv'orst, and just as the bees are beginning to store honey, the super will be deserted and the colony will dwindle down to less than half -strength in the space of two or three days. The ground for rods around will be covered with bees crawling — or, rather, run- ning— in nervous haste, for they seem to be trying to get away from something. Short- ly the runners become listless, and cluster in little groups and then die. Then, appar- ently, the trouble will disappear almost as suddenly as it occurred. Several severe cases occurred in southern California in early May; and, as the trouble came just at the beginning of the sage flow — the only place in the whole county where it was yielding — it cut off the crop in- stanter. But these severe cases seem to be the exception and often by studying the pre- vious history of the apiary, some very good reasons may be found at least to help ex- plain the condition. When this disappearing disease broke out in the locality in southern California re- ferred to we were called in to determine what it was. All we could say was that it was disappearing disease and that it would ' ' disappear ' ' in three or four days, and it did. We also found what we thought was sacbrood. We were able to offer no remedy or solution for the trouble.* A small amount of Euroisean foul brood had shown up at the first visit in a few- colonies. On the second visit, a week later, it did not look like European but like sac- brood. Here was a case where we needed the Government bacteriologist if we ever did, and we accordingly wired A. P. Sturte- vant, who, as we have before stated, was sent to California from the Bureau to study bee disease. He was then in Sacramento, and we told him he must go. He was kind enough to rearrange his plans and go. He reports after going, that, while he saw a lit- tle European foul brood, he did find consider- able sacbrood, but the dying off of adult bees had practically ceased. Whatever it was, he had some doubt about its being a tine disease. Furthermore, a later report comes from Mr. Sturtevant that none of the several samples of sick bees taken at this place and from other similar cases else- where, which he examined upon his return to the laboratory in Washington, showed any indication of the presence of No>iC>iia apis. This conclusively eliminates this or- ganism as the culprit. He was not prepared to give a definite opinion, as very little is known about these diseases, but offered the following purely tentative theories after having studied the case from all angles: (1) The adult trouble might have been brought on because the bee- men in the afflicted district did not requeen during the previous season, as they had formerly done. This might cause a weaken- ing of the strain, and be due to the fact that the queens did not or could not populate the colonies with young bees before the winter season. (2) It had been an unusually hard w^inter, even for California, followed by a long dry spring. Therefore when the honey flow did come the old bees did not have the proper vigor. (3) There might have been some derangement of their digestive appar- atus due to the sudden honey flow. Mr. Sturtevant found that there was an abnor- *Colonies that were fine and strona; the week be- fore, just beginning work on a fine flow from sage — the only good sage we knew of — such colonies it was really' too bad to see i;o down to less than half-sti-ength. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 nial amount of iiollen present in nearly every hive. This, he suggested, might give them too much nitrogenous diet, and this diet might have been in part the cause of indigestion or of auto-intoxication — more likely the latter. If the adult trouble had been due to a germ disease, it seems probable that it would not, according to Mr. Sturtevant, have struck every hive so nearly at once nor so suddenly, but probably would have developed more or less from one or more dis- tinct foci. As to sacbrood being present also, he thought there was absolutely no connection between that and the adult trouble, further than that the sudden depopulation of the colonies would so weaken them that a sec- ondary disease could develop. This showed up markedly after the bees began to die off. In Oregon there has been reported a brood disease of some sort along with a somewhat similar disappearing dis- ease. Mr. Sturtevant tells the beekeepers that there is no need of their melting up combs. So far as is known, he said, the best thing that can be done is to give young queens. This is good beekeeping practice under most conditions. He reijorts that at the time of his visit the colonies were rapidly building up, and that the beekeepers were very much encouraged. We have since found the disappearing dis- ease in other parts of the State, but in a much milder form. Along with it in one apiary was a case in which the honey was beginning to sour under the cappings, as shown by the bubbles of gas. At the same time, the bees were spotting up the hives with pale-yellow dysentery marks. An old beekeeper, who had had souring honey in his combs as a result of too much fog in years gone by, made the statement that one would always find bees in such cases crawl- ing and dying in the grass, unable to fly; that the tops of the hives would be spotted with dysentery marks. This rather supports Mr. Sturtevant 's theorv of intestinal trou- ble. Not only from California but also from all over the United States and parts of Can- ada we continue to receive reports of a so-called disease that affects the flying bees, seriously cutting down their numbers and materially lessening the honey crop. Whether reported as Isle of Wight, paraly- sis, or disappearing disease, the symptoms are about the same — quantities of crawling or dying bees out in front of the hives, sometimes listless, sometimes extremely ac- tive, with various symptoms of more or less importance. Some autliorities whose opinions are cer- tainly worth considering claim the trouble is quite unimportant and not worthy our at- tention; but when we learn not only of hon- ey crops cut down at least a third, but also of colonies (and in a few cases entire api- aries) being wiped out from this cause (Herman Ahlers of Oregon lately reported a loss of 400 colonies), we believe it worth while to sit up and take notice. Later. — Since writing the foregoing a large number of rex)orts have come in from the Northwest, Oregon and Washington, showing that the so-called disappearing dis- ease has been getting in its work. A heavy mortality has occurred in the Yakima Val- ley, Washington. One beekeeper, W. H. Tucker, with over 200 colonies of bees, which he said yielded him an income of from $45 to $50 per colony last year, reports that he will have no honey for sale this year and in addition he lost 80 colonies. Others lost in like proportion. There seems to be considerable evidence to show that the poison used for spraying fruit trees is one of the causes. Some good orchardists believe it is good policy to spray several times during the season, outside of the usual period of spraying just before and after blooming. During a time when the bees are unable to get water they will some- times apjn-opriate the dews that fall on the leaves of the poisoned fruit trees. In other instances the poisons fall on the cover crops beneath the trees. These cover crops may consist of red clover or alfalfa, and if so the bees will get a considerable amount of the poisons that fall down under the trees; and there are numerous instances to show that bees are poisoned in this way. In Massachusetts, where the gypsy moth has done so much damage on the shade trees, poisonous sprays have been used to hold them in check. A large number of bees have been poisoned as the result of these sprayings. There is now some move- ment on foot in Massachusetts looking to- ward putting some repellent into the spray- ing liquids so the bees will not go near the trees that are sprayed. Various forms of sulphur and creosote have been used in the spraying liquids with most excellent results. There are others in various parts of the country who have suffered from the so-called disappearing disease who say that there has been no spraying of any sort in their respec- tive localities, and that they are sure that what they have had is the real Isle of Wight — a disease and not anything due to poisons nor to indigestion. While only good guesses can be offered, the editor is coming more and more to the conclusion that whatever we have in Ameri- ca may be due to several causes; namely, poisons, indigestion or auto intoxication, and old age. As pointed out elsewhere in the article about Harry Warren, too many beekeepers fail to have a large force of young bees at the time the harvest opens. When the flow does start, if the colony is made up of old bees they very soon die off and disappear. We hope our readers will keep us inform- ed, giving us all the information possible; and if there is any disappearing trouble, see if any one is spraying or has failed to have j'oung bees at the time of the harvest. Skptember, 1919 G f; K A N T N G S IN BEE CULTURE 565 NEVADA COMB-HONEY WIZARD Alfalfa Hay, Comb Alfalfa MOST of Ne- V a (1 a i s iiiountaiii- oiis and much of it is desert coun- try ; but Harry Warren, the comb -honey wizard, lives in one of the finest alfalfa sections of the State, about 75 miles from Eeno, between the towns of Wabuska and Yerington. As one approaches his home he sees a grove in the center of large fields Honey, Alfalfa Seed in Carlots By E. R. Root Fig. 1. — Three big tractors and two threshing ma- chines held in reserve for operating the big alfalfa ranch run for hay, seed, and honey. of alfalfa — alfalfa for hay, alfalfa for seed, and last but not least, alfalfa for comb hon- ey. In order that the Union Land & Cattle Company and the subsidiary company, the L'nion Honey Company, may carry on their extensive operations, they have the latest and best machinerj' available, including mammoth tractors, gang plows, threshing machines, big, heavy, stocky teams, 25 em- ployees, a general manager in the person of Mr. Warren, and a superintendent or fore- man in the person of Truxton V. Damon. The whole outfit, teams, men, and machines, apparently work like clockwork. How the Bees Make Alfalfa Seed. The combination of bees, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa seed-raising goes well together. It was formerly supposed that bees performed no useful work in pollinating the alfalfa blossoms. Indeed one or two experiment sta- tions went so far as to state that there was no evidence showing that bees had any ef- fect in increas- ing the amount of seed from the alfalfa; but Mr. Warren has demonstrated that with plenty of bees he not onlj' can double, but more than triple, the amount of seed grown per acre. His evidence is so overwhelming that there can be no possible doubt on the ques- tion any further because he produces car- loads of alfalfa seed. It is a pretty safe rule to give out, when nature furnishes a large supply of nectar as in the case of al- falfa, that there is "method in her mad- ness. ' ' She wouldn 't do it without a pur- pose, and that purpose is to make more and better fruit, or seed, as in this case. When nature desires the visitation of cer- tain insects, she provides doorsteps as well as color, nectar, or pollen in her flowers; and sometimes she supplies all of them, as she does in the case of the alfalfa. Every one of the means that she employs is calculated to attract bees or some insects, and it is evi- Fig. 2. — One of Mr. Warren's honey trucks loaded with bee supplies ready to go to an outyard to con- nect with him and his crew who are shaking the yard into skyscrapers. The men had just changed a tire and were about ready to start out. 4 ^K^' , 1 JSBlfe^-^^^ptt- SPT"- .■eioi»<>«»S'— *'tmmm''»'fmimtia^A^ ' 1 Fig. 3. — A few of t!ip numi nse ult'.ilfa lia\ sl;n k.s uf tlio Union Land & Cuttle Compauy. lu tlic foreground are oue of their tractors and a threshing machine, threshing out alfalfa seed. It has been proved that bees make it possible to increase the seed crop ^OD per cent in this valley. 666 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE Septembee, 1919 Warren has proved beyond a doubt that nature, having put out these inducements, knows what she is doing. Warren's System of Comb-honey Production. G. M. Doolittle nearly all of his life stressed the great importance of having powerful colonies made up of young bees of the right age at the right time. (Notice the black type.) He used to say that many beekeepers made the mistake of having a large force of bees at the wrong time. From extensive observation all over the United States for the last 30 years, I know that he was absolutely right. I observed that in California, for instance, many beekeepers had colonies which were too weak for the orange flow but strong enough for sage. They would get a light yield of orange and a good flow of sage. The same holds true of the alfalfa flow. Again the reason why many fail to get a good crop from alsike or white clover is because they don't have colo- nies strong enough when clover does come. They will often have hives with a large force of bees but after the clover is out of bloom. Better late than never is a poor rule here because it generally means failure. One of the strongest and most consistent advocates of powerful colonies made up of young bees of the right age at the right time is Harry R. Warren, the subject of our sketch. According to Mr. Warren, for his locality at least, the average queen will not give him the working force he wants at the first bloom of the alfalfa, so it is his policy, Fig. 4. — Mr. Warren's portable extracting houso that he formerly used. He now uses a central ex- tracting station with power equipment, to which he hauls the combs; but, as he runs mainly for comb honey and almost exclusively for it this year, he will extract very little comparatively. as outlined in our last issue, to throw the strength of two, three, or more queens or Pig. 5. — iForeman Truxton V. I);inpiii tittiiij; at tin \\lii>l •! o;il of tlie lisht Ford trucks. In the back ground is a heavy truck with one of the men in the act of loading hives and supers. lu the extreme background are some of the buildings whexe the workers of the ranch are housed. At thei extreme right is a tent-covered sleeping-room that Mr. AVarren himself uses, and the fact that he uses this outdoor sleep- ing-room the year around may explain in part his wonderful vitality and endurance. Skptkmber, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE colonics into one, and when he gets thin shaking and the bees are fairly at work in the supers, he has regular skyscrapers. The colonies that are producing comb hone>y look like tall shafts ])oaking up here and often I'oquii'e a stej)laddcr oi- a box to en- able the operator to i)ut on and take off su- pers. T knew that our readers would ask for furtliei' information ;uid so 1 jilm-cd l)efore Figs. 6 and 7. — To undi-rstand these properly, refer to h'lg. « w lUi iiic legend ijeiieatli. These stacked- up supers stand on top of a single shallow brood-nest. These piles contain from two to five colonies all in one. The unsealed lnood and very young bees are devoted only to inci-ease, while the, entire workins; force of two or three colonies, with the sealed brood as much as possible in one broodnest, is forced into one of these piles here shown. Mr. Warren a few questions, to which his foreman, Mr. Damon, replies as follows: In uniting, the union may be made with from two to five hives, depending upon the strength of the individual hives, the principal idea being to get at there over a little plot of ground. In the early part of the season there will be a large number of stands; in the midst of the season the colonies ' numerical strength drops down, leaving just a few boomers that Fig. 8. — A view showing four of Mr Warren's colonies run for comb honey. .Just about as the main flow begin.s a group of two, three, or more of these colonies are shaken into .the best one, when the supers are piled stepladder high, all on one hive. The apiary after it has gone thru this treatment looks likei Pigs. 6 and 7, with large gaps beitween the piles where the other hives stood. Mr. Warren follows no invariable rule any further than to bring ervery colony up to a honey-gathering pitch. 'lo do this he may draw from, two, three, or more colonies. 568 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 least one big producer out of the lot. Immediately upon such a union, we endeavor to add the supers in order to provide ample room for the strong colony, and also to eliminate the possibility of swarming proclivities. We do not regard queens, and, as you mention, let them fight it out. We do not usually re-divide after the harvest, as you state in the August issue, since this method would create an untold amount of extra labor; and besides, we contend that a good, strong colony with sufficient stores will winter better than a weak one. Besides, such a colony invariably winters well and turns out in fine condition in the spring, giving dividing possibilities, with prospects for two or even three producers out of the one, providing they ai'e properly and timely manipulated. In adding empty supers we have no definite plan to follow. Sometimes we put them below the partly filled, and again above. The transaction just de- pends upon the amount of timei we can spare. Per- sonally, I am inclined to believe that the best meth- od is to add the supers to the top. This condition usually results in complete and nicely filled sections, as the natural instinct of thei bee seems to inspire it to finish one job before taking on another. Of course, if the bottom supers are completely filled, then it is undoubtedly advisable to insert the empties bellow in order to prevent the unnecessary travel stain and extra distances before reaching the place of deposit. At the present writing it looks as if our crop will run in the neighborhood of ten cars. AN OLD FRIEND IN NEW GUISE Honey 'bonbons Bring Novelty 'J^rices. Comb Honey Cut in Squares, Drained, Wrapped, and Sold in Fancy ^oxes By Dorothy Quincy Wright THERE is probably no beekeeper who has escaped entirely the ir- ritation of find- ing unfinished sections of comb honey at the close of the honey flow. In this part of New England the vagaries of flow make this nuisance quite a serious drawback to obtaining the maximum profit from section honey. This fact and the breakage loss in shipi^ing comb honey to retail trade inspired the invention of the ''honev bonbons,'' which have been comb honey not finished enough to market, mak- ing twelve out of a four-by-five s e c t i'O n . The squares not wholly capped were discarded, and the perfect ones dripped overnight on the racks from the extractor. Each square was then wrap- per in wax paper and packed in a fancy one- pound candy box, 12 to a box. The dainti- ness of the package and the fact that sticki- ness was eliminated in eating the honey, made these boxes so popular for gifts and The squares nf honey are wrapped in wax paper and packed in a fancy-one-pound candy box, twelve to a box. These boxes are quite popular as gifts and prizes. enthusiastically received as a novelty in the candy line. My Start in Bonbons. When the idea was first developed I simply cut into iiJCh squares the sections of prizes that the demand soon exceeded the supply, In 1916 I changed over my entire section-honey equipment to the exclusive production of this form of comb honey, and SO when the sugar and candy shortage creat- StHTIiMBKK. 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 5G9 ed au iiillatod domaiul for all kinds ol' sweets I was able to take full advantage of the increased orders. Necessary Change in Management. In making this form of comb honey a staple crop instead of just a bj'-product some change in the management of the colo- nies was necessary. As appearance is of the utmost importance I run the colonies for the light-colored honeys only, aiming for the fruit bloom, clover, and clethra flows. The honey must also be mild in flavor, as it is eaten "straight." A mouth- A small oil stove with a deep kettle of boiling water in which several long sharp knives are kept in readi- ness when cutting the squares of honey. ful of some of these honeys would almost choke the victim if eaten without bread or some neutral substance. As soon as the clethra begins to flag, preparations for the next season 's campaign are begun. The hives are requeened, increase is made if wanted, the combs are examined, and ex- cess drone comb is removed. I always count on a heavy goldenrod flow and use this to make bees for next season and to give the colonies a tremendous surplus for winter and sj^ring so they may be at full-gathering capacity when the fruit flow sets in. The brood-nest is always a two-story eight- frame one, over which are the excluder and three or four shallow extracting supers with unwired frames and full sheets of extra- thin super foundation. As soon as the su- pers are filled they are removed in order to avoid travel stains, but empties are put on immediately. With this management the yield should average nearly 20 per cent more than with section supers, and the swarming fever is kept in check by the large storing- space. "We cannot get the great increase in jdeld possible when the colonies are run for extracted honey, as the comb must of course be made fresh each time. Black bees make the most attractive hon- ey for this purpose, as the air space which they leave between the stored honey and the capping gives the comb a dazzling white- ness which is mgst attractive to the eye. This should not prevent anyone from Italian- izing, as the many vices of the blacks offset this one advantage. Actual Process. When sutlicient filled supers have accumu- lated they are removed to a large work table. A small oil stove, with a deep ket- tle of boiling water in which are several long sharp knives, should be in readiness. Tlie knives should always be hot and clean. 1 have designed and tried out several forms of tin implements to cut the whole frame at one stroke, but none of them have been so successful as the ordinary thin knife. The frames are laid Hat on racks of %-inch wire screening and the whole combs cut out. These are then cut thi-ec times lengthwise, making four long strips of comb. Each of these strips is cut into 15 pieces making sixty squares per frame. Thus we get from a full eight-frame super filled and capped I^erfectly 480 squares, which when packed 12 to a box gives 40 boxes as against the 24 wooden section boxes when the hive is run for comb honey in the regular form and when each section in the super is a perfect- ly marketable one. This increased produc- tion more than makes up for the greater cost of container and the advertising neces- sary to float a novelty. The work of cutting and dripping should be done on a warm, dry day. The squares drip over night and the next day are wrap- ped in waxed tissue paper. The drip from the squares is strained and added to the regular extracted honey. The one point in preparing this form of honey which must be emphasized over and over and impressed upon one's helpers is that of absolute clean- liness and daintiness of preparation, for the honey must be handled and only the strict- est surgical cleanliness should be tolerated. The boxes are ordered from a local box- maker. They are slightly shallower than /P ™g3KlK map,:^' ^^m^^k Such fancy packages bring novelty prices. The boxes are made to order and are slightly shallower than the one-pound candy box, being made to ac- commodate exactly the depth of the/ honey comb and its wrapping. the one-pound candy boxes, being made to accommodate exactly the depth of the honey- comb and its wrapj^ing. Each holds ten ounces net. The name of the apiary and the weight are printed in green in one corner, and a clover leaf together with the blos- som is painted beside the lettering. The wrapping and the packing are done the day after cutting and this is the most expen- sive part of the work in point of time. By standardizing and planning and not under- GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 taking too siaall a unit of work at a time, a fairly speedy system can be evolved. About 20 boxes can be painted and filled per hour. Does It Pay? We reckon that the honey should not cost over two cents per box to produce. The box and paper will cost nearly six cents more, making a total cost of about eight cents per box. If the cost of section honey is computed we shall find the overhead charges on producing honey about three cents a section (the number of unsalable sections makes this item high in our re- gion). Mr. Crane gives the cost of con- tainer, or section box, nearly a cent; foun- dation, the best i^art of another cent; and carton, still another cent, making a total of nearly 6c a section. In neither case does this cover the cost of shipping cases and crates. Thus we have with our system 40 boxes per super at a production cost of seven cents per box, as against the regular system of 24 wooden section boxes per super at six cents per section, the first method also yielding an extra superful by the great- er speed with which the bees will enter the long frames. The boxes formerly sold for 35c, but last winter went to 50c, thus keeping pace with section honey. As in the development of any merchandis- ing idea the second part of the enterprise, the advertising and marketing, is often the harder part of the undertaking. It must be remembered that one is floating a novelty, a luxury at the price of such; and the pub- lic is paying not only for the food in the box but for the appeal to the eye and for the fact that it is "something new." It would be folly to try to sell such a product in a community where the last cent of value is demanded for the money spent; but where one can be sure of a high-class patron- age and can give something different, a lit- tle better than the average and always de- pendable, there is no reason why any novelty in honey-packing should not find a ready sale. I have found an excellent way of dis- posing of the honey is to place it at not too many high-grade shops where a poster and one open box will usually sell it from the start. If the patronage is a floating one, such as the motor trade, the advertising spreads automatically. These notes are of course only a sugges- tion as to what can be done in the way of selling fancy honey. This particular pack- age was inspired by a remark made casual- ly by Dr. Gates at Amherst that there ought to be no reason why a fancy grade of honey put up in an attractive box should not bring as high a price as a box of Page and Shaws. It is a case of studying one 's market and giving it what it wants, and while it may take strength of mind to feed back all the slightly off grades of honey it is just turn- ing poor honey into good bees with which to gather the fanc,y crop. Chelmsford, Mass. MILKWEED AS A HONEY PLANT Spreading Over a Wide cArea. Yields Considerable Honey of Good Color, Flavor, and Body By John H. Lovell A FULL de- scription of m i 1 k w e e a flowers and of their adaptation to the visits of insects will be found in the A B C and X Y Z of Bee Culture, I>age 500; the present article will consider the milkweed only as a source of honey. While this genus is listed in the honey flora from Michigan to Texas and from North Carolina to California, in most localities it is not sufficiently abundant to yield a surplus and the honey is mixed with that from other flowers. In California Richter informs me that it is esteemed of great value and is the source of much honey. While widely distributed in that State it is not found near the coast. Abundant in Michigan. But there is no other section in this coun- try in which milkweed is so abundant and important, or has so great a future before it in its relation to bee culture, as in North- ern Michigan. P. W. Erbaugh, deputy api- ary inspector, writes that the counties in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula usuallv contain sufficient numbers of this plant to yield a fair surplus. In Antrim, Charle- voix, and Che- boygan Counties they consider the milkweed as one of their best honey plants. _ Ira D. Bartlett says that it is also plentiful in sections in Emmet and Grand Traverse Counties. The plants grow on any kind of soil from white shore sand to heavy clay, but as with clover the heavy soil gives the most nectar. The milkweeds are by many regarded as noxious weeds, and the highway commis- sioners of Michigan require the plants to be cut; but despite all regulations to the con- trary they are steadily increasing, even on farms where efi'orts are made to check or destroy them. On the other hand, there are farmers who claim that they are a benefit and improve the soil. To a man coming from the prairie States, says Pellett, where milkweeds grow only occasionally, it is as- tonishing to see them in such abundance. The land in places is completely covered by them, almost to the exclusion of all other \ cgetation. After the forests have been lumbered, SKPTKMUliR, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE C U I. T U R E 571 large areas are soon covered by lieuse thick- ets of raspberries; and in sections which have been burned over there springs up a rank growth of fireweed or willow-herb. But in a few years these plants become less vigorous, and other forms of vegetation be- gin to take their place. With the disap- pearance of the forests and the increase of the area of land under cultivation, the time must come when the raspberry and the fire- weed wull no longer be the chief reliance of the beekeeper of northern Michigan. To what other sources shall he then look for his surplus honey? In southern Michigan the plants which furnish most of the surplus are Milkweed (A.irle)nas Syriaca.) white clover, alsike clover, and basswood; but basswood in this region does not yield annually, as every other year it fails to bloom freely, and is not only not abundant, but is becoming rare. White clover does not grow well in the sandy soil of northern Michigan, and it will be long before alsike clover W'ill be extensively planted. Thus bee culture here is likely to be largely de- pendent on milkweed. Milkweed Honey. Alieady the milkwcu^ds cover much land and arc steadily spreading. There are sev- eral sjK'cies, but the most common one is .l.sc'/e;;i«.S' sijriuca, a tall hardy plant with deep roots, which multiplies freely from seed. When once it has obtained a foot- liold, it is almost impossible to eradicate it. It blooms from early in July to the middle of August. L. C. Gordon of Bellaire, who obtains annually a surplus of 50 pounds of milkweed hoiiey per colony, writes that the Dow of nectar is not affected to any great extent by the weather. The color, he says, is very light, in fact, about the lightest hon- ey produced in this section, and is very thick if left to ripen thoroly. Milkweed honey is described by Ira D. Bartlett of East Jor- dan as follows: It is very light in color, ex- cept in unfavorable seasons, when it is a little darker, altho it would always be class- ed as white. The fla- vor is something like clover but stronger, be- coming milder with age. The body is good; in hot dry seasons it is very heavy. Thru the kindness of Mr. Bartlett I have received a sample of pure milkweed honey, which, he says, is slightly darker than the average. The comb is white, but the ex- tracted honey is ting- ed with yellow, which would promote its sale with most buyers rather than otherwise. It had a very pleas- ant flavor, not at all pronounced, leaving a fruity tang perhaps a little suggestive of quince. We prefer it to clover honey, and it is certainly well suited for table use, deserv- ing to rank with the best of our northern honeys. As much as 15 or 16 pounds of milkweed honey has been stored in a single day; but i to 6 pounds is nearer the average. On page 594, Gleanings, August 1, 1914, the reader may see a photograph of an apiary in Antrim County where the yield of this honey was 95 pounds per colony. An aver- age of 11 pounds per day for ten days is said to have been obtained in some instances. Waldoboro, Maine. 572 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September. 1919 BEEKEEPING IN ONTARIO Large Producti've oApiaries, Many 'Producing an Average of T^wo Hundred Pounds By G G. Gemmell ONTAEIO, one of the great un- written honey lo- calities of the world, may be divided into three regions. The well-culti- vated fields and undulating areas of the southern part of the province produce large quantities of al- sike clover and buckwheat honey; while the wild rocky timber regions of northern On- tario give rich yields from fireweed and oth- er wild bloom; and the Niagara peninsula with the aid of bees produces large quanti- ties of plums, grapes, and other small fruits. In many parts, beekeeping is still primi- tive as seen in Fig. 1, but where intensive ever, is making great bounds to- ward a general up - to - date sys- tem. The box- hive beekeeper is beginning to introduce stan- dard hives into his yard and is beginning to read good bee literature. The beemen are also getting together and form- ing large beekeepers ' associations. This is one of the best methods for promoting profit- able beekeeping. Fi° -James Wri^ktson's vard of 200 Lox hives. bee culture has been practiced, large produc- tive apiaries are operated successfully as will be seen by Fig. 12. Beekeeping, how- Fig. 2. — Deep hives used by A. E. Jones. These 162 colonies produced 200 lbs. per colony last year. The enthusiasm of these beekeepers is commendable. James S. Schrank, ex-in- spector of Port Elgin, is a fitting example. For five successive years, Mr. Schrank suf- fered a failure in the honey crop; but still he did not give up his faith in bees, and for this faith he was justly rewarded in the sixth vear when his bees harvested a bounti- Fig 3. — Thi.s thii-Ulx piiimlated yard of .J. S. Schrank, exliee iii^iiri ujr of Bruce County, contain.s ."^OO colonies. Septk-Mber, 1919 GLEANINGS T N BEE 0 IT I. T U R R 573 ful erop. Air. Schrank describes it as hav- ing filled every can, kettle, and tub that his <>ood wife could spare, and then, having no room to store more, he lost about two tons. This spirit of op- timism is shared by nearly all the beenien of Ontario. In some localities this year's crop is a total failure Fi?. 4. — Jumbo Buckeye 10-frame hives now being adopted by T. E. -Hod- gins. but these men are not down and out. They are looking forward to a bigger and bet- ter crop next year. The failure of a Fig. 5. — The double- vear's crop probably walled hive used by E. means more to a bee- Clark of Ingersoll. In , • r\ 2. • summer he removes the keeper m Ontario ^^^j^;^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ l^i^,^^ than it would m many other localities, as every man 's purse for the past five years has been backing the Canadian army, and the failure of a crop means a still further bleeding of the purse. But above all, the beekeeper is still smiling and looking for better things to come. Not Much Disease- Disease has as yet not been very active in Ontario, altho in the southern part a few traces of American foul brood are evident; Fig. 6. — The prosperous-looking honey-house is o\vned by A. E. .Jones of Paisley. It contains an air-tight room in which Mr. Jones disinfects his combs. but there is nothing near the per cent found in many parts of the United States. Of course, good methods are taken to prevfflit its spreading. Besides the usual inspector, a law governing the sale of bees prevents anyone from selling infected bees. There is also a hope among many of the beemen that in the future a license will be charged for every hive. However, as long as these men continue their good work, they have no cause for worry. Crop Conditions. The crop of this year is far below that of last year. Bruce County, a section that sel- dom fails and a place where beekeeping is carried on extensively, seems to be faring badly on account of the dearth of a honey flow. It may be stated here that this section affords pasturage for yards of all sizes. A. E. Jones of Paisley has a yard of 162 colo- nies. J. H. Sieffert of North Bruce has a \aY(\ of 200 colonies, while J. H. Schrank of Port Elgin has 300 colonies in his yard. These large yards produced an average of 200 pounds per colony last year. These men are hop- ing for a half crop this year. Chute Saves Steps. The picture on page 574, Fig. 11, shows a chute used by T. E. Hodgins cV Son of Kincardine. This is made of half- inch pine about five inches deep and per- il a p s seventeen inches wide. Besides saving a great deal of time, this chute saves a great many steps in moving the s u ]T e r s and h i v e - bodies from the up- Fig. 7. — To aid in dis- tinguishing between a honey -board and a per-story windows of Porter bee-escape board, the storehouse to the E. V. Tillson paints one truck. When thru red and the other blue, loading supers the ( hute is pulled up and left in the storeroom. Large Hives. A prevailing style of hive for extracted- honey production is one containing a deep Fig. 8. -Empty supers are used 1 shade frames. J. H. Sieffert as brood-frame. The Jumbo hive is quite popu- lar, and some very good beemen are going further by using still larger hives. E. F. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 H 0 1 1 e r 111 a n n of Brantford is using a 12-frame hive suc- cessfully. In gen- eral the large hive is gaining ground, and rightlj^ so. It gives a good queen plenty of room to raise a large work ing force, to a great extent prevents swarming, and makes a good foun dation for a sky- scraper. Fig. 0 shows a corner of one of the Hodgins outyards. Note the Jumbo hives used as hive-bodies. Af- Fi^. 9. — A corner of one of Hodgins' outyards of .Jumbo hives. ter the fine success that Mr. Hodgins has had with these hives, he is now adopting Buckeye Jumbo hives pack- ed with granulated cork. He believes this packing will be sufficient for win- tering in this cli- mate. Fig. 2 is a part of the yard owned by A. E. Jones of Paisley. This yard contains 162 colo- nies in hives that are nearly square. Mr. Jones gets ex- cellent results from Fig. 10. — This neat-looliing: yard is owned by Earl Clark of Ingersoll. Clark is a baker by trade and besides producing thousands of loaves of bread a day is managing an apiary of 75 colonies. Fig. 11. — The time-saving chute used by T. E. Hod- gins and Son "of Kincardine. The chute is made of half-inch pine, is five inches deep and about seven- teen wide. When thru loading, the chute is pulled up and left in the storeroom. Fig. 12. — This yard .sliows ili good management of its owner; Kincardine. It is owned In T. E. Hodgins & Son of Septkmber, 1919 GLEANINGS T N BEE CULTURE 575 these deep frames, as will be seen by tlic number of supers; and this picture, it should be remembered, was taken on Jiily 8 in the fore part of the honey flow. The luxurious honey-house in Fig. 6 is also an example of the prosperity of Mr. Jones' bees. Other Yards of Interest. E. Clark of Ingersoll, owing to the cramp- ed quarters, has his bees in two long rows as will be seen in Fig. 10. Mr. Clark has surprisingly little trouble with drifting and as he always introduces laying queens he has no trouble with queens entering the wrong hive after the mating flight. How- ever, he intends moving some of his bees to an outyard next spring. Fig. 5 shows the type of hive he uses for wintering. This hive has not been entirely satisfactory and Mr. Clark is now adopting the cork-packed hive shown in the fore part of Fig. 10. The primitive yard shown in Fig. 1 con- tains about 200 colonies, all in box hives. They are owned by James Wrightson of Paisley. Mr. Wrightson winters his bees in sawdust-packed hives. In consideration of the antique hives, he has good success. The shade frame on the hives in Fig. 8 is used by J. H. Sieffert of North Bruce to I^revent the sun from overheating the colo- nies. The frame is made the same size as the hive, from six to eight inches deep, and is jDlaced above the inner cover. Mr. Sieffert being a handy man has many labor-saving devices in his yard. He has 200 colonies of excellent leather-colored Italians. Fig. 7 shows a very good scheme used by E. V. Tillson of Tillsonburg. Mr. Tillson paints his queen-excluders red and his bee- escape boards blue. In this way he has no confusion in taking off supers of honey. Mr. Tillson also uses the Jumbo hive successfully. Ingersoll, Ont. OLD ABANDONED APIARIES Visit to Zimmerman and Crowaer Gi-ves "Joints on Roadside Selling, i2-Frame Hives, and Ventilation By E. R. Root ONE dav in May Chas. F. M. Stone of Lamanda Park, and Frank McNay of Pasa- dena, formerly of Wisconsin, and myself, drove up into Sycamore Canyon near Los Angeles, where there were two old abandoned apiary sites among the sages. The accompanying pic- tures show what we found — empty hives and frames that the owners had not come after, and an old so- lar wax - ex- tractor of ye olden days, somewhat typi- cal of sun wax- melt e r s that have been and are even yet used in the State. Last, but not least, we discovered that runaway swarms had found lodge- ment in some of the old hives stacked up. K u n a w a y swarms are very common in California. Where old hives are left it is not i;ncom- mon to find them full of Fi<;. 1. — The girl who was sellina; her father's new orano;e-l)los- som lioney at the rate of 39 rents a pound, in Mason jars, along the roadside. The apiary in the background, not shown here, is shown in Fig. 11. Her sales averaged about $25 a day. bees. What Mr. Stone and Mc- Nay found was no great surprise to them. There were bees there. They ' ' met' ' us in a way that in- d i c a t e d that they thought they owned the whole ranch. As Mr. Stone and I were driving down one of the highways we found along the roadside a young woman. Miss Beula Crowder, sell- ing her father's orange honey produced this year. She was averaging sales of $25 a day, and get- ting, in Mason jars, at the rate of 39 cents per pound. No en- terprising young man in need of a farm- erette beekeep- er to sell his honey or help in the apiary or make his flapjacks need apply, for the reason it may be too late. While the stand is not elaborate or ex- pensive, it does the business, as the receipts 576 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 Fig. 5. — Another runaway swarm in that stack of empty hives of the old Sweet apiary. So much comb had been built that it extended down into the lower hive bodv. Fig. 2. — An abandoned apiary site, with empty hives and frames and extraeting-hoiise up in Syca- more Canyon, near Los Angeles. The frames were whittled out of hard wood. Thei original owner died a year or so ago ; but some stray swarms of bees bad found homes in .some of his empty hives, as will be seen in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 3. — A runaway swarm that had just started housekeeping in a stack of empty hives of the old Sweet apiary of Sycamore Canyon. The bees evi- dently thought the hives needed " sweetening " up asain. Mr. Stone is inspecting. I'i^. ii. — An (lid California solar wax-extractor found in that abandoned apiary referred to in the legends under Figs. 2 and 4. Even now such wax extractors are found in some parts of California. Fig. 4. — Stone and McNay looking for more run away swarms in the abandoned apiary shown in Fig. 2. Mr. Stone has just located a bunch of bees on those old empty frames. Fig. 7. — The ventilating-frame which goes between the two stories as sliown in Fig. 10 is here shown resting on top of tlie end of the hive-body. It is open at the sides and closed at the ends to give ventilation between the two stories. SlKI'TKMBKR, 1919 G 1. ?: A N T N 0 S T X BE E C V I. T V K K ST" Fig. 8. — Some of the twelve-frame colonies that do not know enough to swarm, as referred to in the legend under Fig. 11. They keep ris;ht on piling in the honey. Notice the ventilated covers, which the owniers say they will adopt exclusively in place of that shown at the e.Ktreme right. show. Here is a suggestion for some bee- keepers ' wives and daughters. Ten- Versus Twelve-frame Hives. After interviewing Miss Crowder we hunt- ed up her father, J. F. Crowder, of Zimmer- Fig. 9. — The J. F. Crowder scheme of ventilation. See Figs. 7 and 10. The floor-board draws out, leaving the bottom open that is covered by wire cloth in the bottom of the hive-body. man & Crowder, of Pasadena, and the apiary in the background where this honey was produced. Yes, indeed, there was a very pretty apiary made of three- and four-story colonies about evenly divided between ten- frame and twelve-frame colonies. Dare I tell it? and would you believe it"? the twelve- framers hardly swarm at all, while the ten- framers swarm — ^well, just as all ten-fram- ers do, right in the same yard with the same honey flow and the same management. Both Zimmerman and Crowder testified to the comparative freedom of the big hives from swarming. It is the same old, old story that the Dadants, Holtermann, and others have told us for years. The main ob- jection seems to be that they are odd-sized and too big to lift. Mr. Crowder testified further that he had always noticed that a hive of any size would be full of brood and honey in a Fig. 10. — The whole scheme of ventilation, in effect, except that the floor-board is removed entirely when the entrance is closed up. The removal of the floor- board expo.ses the bottom screen, whieh is always under the brood-nest. After the hives are moved, the floors are shoved back into place, closing up the bottom, after which the ventilating-frame is removed from between the two stories. good season. He argued if a twelve-frame hive under the same conditions, with the same honey flow, same management, and with the same queen, gave 50 per cent more 573 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1&19 honey than an eight-frame, couldn 't we af- ford to do a little more lifting? A Unique Scheme for Ventilating Hives. Mr. Crowder showed Mr. Stone and me his scheme of ventilation, that is about as unique as anything we have seen for mov- ing strong colonies in hot weather — and they have a lot of that to do in California. Mind you, the weather is hot, and the colonies two-story and strong, just off the orange and ready for another flow after moving. Well, here is the scheme: He makes all his brood-nests with per- manent bottom screens. While the hives are in service' a removable floor-board slides over this screen, leaving, when in place, the usual %-inch space between the bottoms of the frames and the floor. It will be seen available by drawing out the floor-board, and this ventilating-frame between the two stories, are enough. The half-tones will make the idea plain. A Caution About Large Hives. Before closing I wish to enter a caution. Large hives, particularly the Jumbo ten- frame, are selling as they never did before. I believe that in districts where swarming is common the restriction of egg-laying or breeding is one of the most common causes of swarming. A large hive, ten-frame Jumbo, thirteen-frame Langstroth, or a thirty-frame Long Idea or a two-story eight- or ten-frame Langstroth, when the Demaree plan is practiced, should give plenty of breeding room, with the result that swarm- ing is almost entirely cured. Fig. 11. — lu this aiumy oi Ziimin rmni \ ( rowder is an exjual number of teu- and twelve-frame hives; with the asual number of swarms froiu tlie ten-frame colonies, and almost no swarms from the twelve-frame. that the hives must be made enough deeper to allow placing the screen below the remov- able floor-boards. When the board is re- moved a lath closes up the entrance that is an inch and a half deep. This scheme of providing bottom ventilation may be ob- jected to because of expense and of making the brood-nests deeper than the supers. But really the ' ' unique ' ' part of the scheme is the ventilator placed between the two stories. This, inasmuch as it can be ap- plied to any two-story hive, is certainly good. It consists of a sort of framework about three inches deep, the sides open, and covered with wire cloth for ventilation. In extremely hot weather, or where the colo- nies are very strong, a top screen can be used; but ordinarily, says Mr. Crowder, the bottom screen already on the hive and made The caution I wish to enter right here is this: There is a question whether these big brood-nests are adapted to the produc- tion of comb honey; and even for the pro- duction of extracted honey they are not suitable for all localities and for some bee- keepers. There is the objection of their greater weight; and in some localities where the seasons are short a small hive will ac- tually give more surplus, where a large hive would have that surplus turned into bees that come too late for the harvest. I most strenuously advise trying only a few hives at first. Try out your locality and yourself. The idiosyncrasies of human na- ture are so varied that what is all right for one man is all wrong in the same environ- ment for another. The ten-frame Langstroth can tit either. SHI'TKMUKR, 1919 GLEANINGS IN 11 E L: C L L T U K E 579 ANNE LESTER AND DADDY LOWE, BEEKEEPERS By Grace Allen — Chapter VIII ^^T->^EAK Brother Robert: I don't under- I J stand why my letters aren't reach- ing you. Probably you '11 get them all in a bunch. But lest you shouldn't, I'll mention some things I've already told you. "Tlic most important is Jack Lowe's re- turn— which you may know about. Anyway, he 's here and has been for three weeks, having arrived the third of September. And now that the danger is past, I am going to admit to you that for a time we were frightfully worried over Mrs. Lowe. For weeks she was so frail it seemed as tho any unex2)eeted wave of the hand might carry her off. And no news from Jack for so long. Then out of that long silence sud- denly came word of liis having been seri- ously gassed. Why it had been so long get- ting here will probably never be known. How we dreaded telling her. But tho she went even whiter than usual, she lay without a word for a few minutes, there on the sofa; then looked up at her husband with the darlingest smile you ever saw, and said: 'Our baby. Father — a wounded soldier in France!' — as tho the wonder of it lay closer to her mother heart than the sadness or the fear. Then she said it was good to get past the uncertainties, asked for an egg- lemonade and proceeded to get well! ' ' Wires and letters came thick and fast once they started, and almost before we could comprehend the fact. Jack was here himself. Not looking like himself, tho, be- ing a very thin, white, shaky young man, indeed, and greatly distressed over being so soon out of the running. He was to be made instructor at some camp over here, but his strength is coming back so slowly, that may be given up. Tho he still stub- bornly plans to go back to France. "Mrs. Lowe's improvement has waxed apace since his arrival. Of course he has to lie around and rest most of the time, so they are together a great deal. He is de- voted to her. In fact, he seems as proud of both of his parents as they are of him, and he wants everyone else to be. I don't blame him. But he has said so often that he is glad I am fond of them both that it is almost funny. How can I help l^eing fond of them? "The whole neighborhood has wanted to lionize him, but he 's as shy as a girl when it comes to things like that. And anyway, he isn't strong enough; so after the first few days we have been pretty much alone here, quiet and serene as always. Daddy Lowe is his old self again — with his son back ap- parently safe and his wife restored to some- thing a little more substantial than the mere shadow she was. He swings around outdoors somewhat as he used to do, and promptly resumed his interest in the bees. ' ' ' We can make a honey display at the Fair after all,' he told me after Jack had been here a few days. He had previously decided not to. We had to take what space we could get, being the last ones to apply; and then we rushed. It was all new to me. I had never even been to a State Fair be- fore. But Daddy Lowe has exhibited many times, so he went at it like the veteran he is. "Last week was Fair week. All the hon- ey exhibits were against a row of windows, which certainly made the bottled honey show up fine. Our booth was decorated in red, white, and blue bunting. Everyone else had the same thing, which was as it should be. ' ' It was fun, just lots of fun, watching the people and listening to what they said. I was often alone in the booth, knitting and looking on and enjoying it all. They did ask the most curious questions! And I pointed out the queens in our glass-walled nucleus boxes a hundred times. And ex- plained about foundation and how to use the extractor, and assured them the honey was pure, and altogether had a picnic. Incident- ally I sold some honey, and began to feel remarkably experienced and wise. ' ' I must tell you one story that a store- keeper from a small country town told me. Once he bought a whole barrel of honey from a farmer beekeeper he knew, having decided to try selling it like molasses. This barrel had a spigot that turned sidewise. Well, of course in a small country town the grocery store is sort of headquarters; so one day when a man sold a prize-winning Barred Eock rooster, he arranged to deliver it to the buyer at the grocery store. At the ap- pointed time he arrived with his rooster and waited around a bit. But the other nuui was late. So he finally told the storekeeper he 'd just leave the bird there if he didn 't mind. 'All right,' agreed the accommodating store- man, ' just tie him up, back there some- where.' He tied him. And on that tying hangs the tale. He tied him to the spigot of the honey barrel. And the rooster flop- ped and flapped and plunged, in his strug- gle for liberty and self-government. Every- one heard him using ungentlemanly rooster language and doing his flopi^ing and flapping- stunts. But everybody was busy, buying or selling or fighting the war, so no one came back to protest against either his opinions or the unseemly vigor and violence of his conduct. Yet according to later circum- stantial evidence, the very first flop, dear Brother, must have opened the spigot! The honey had not only spread thick upon the floor, but in its rush it had completely cover- ed the rooster! He was honeyed from comb to tail and on down his restless yellow legs. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 He was sticky and gooey aud mussed and miserable. And at last, the deluge being still unnoticed and unstopped, he gave one last powerful lunge that successfully sever- ed him from his moorings. With a rush he skidded down the aisle, volplaned thru the open door and tore on out down the street, squawking, squeaking, flapping, trumpeting his disgust to high heaven and trailing the sticky honey over every spot he touched! Then someone walked thru a sea of honey and turned off the spigot. 'What a mess! What a messi' groaned my storekeeper nar- rator, laughing as he groaned. 'Six inches deep over the hull back o ' the store. An when that man came back and grouched round bout his rooster bein all mussed up that way, rooster nothin, I ses, how about me losin a hull barrel o ' honey, an it costin me a dollar a gallon?' Which proves, says Daddy Lowe, that it happened several years ago. ' ' We got several prizes, including third on extracted honey. There was a good deal of animated, perfectly friendly discussion among the exhibitors after the prizes w^ere awarded, about the system of judging honey. It was the general opinion that making color the chief deciding factor was unfortu- nate. Yet no one seemed able to suggest any other really practicable basis. Color and body were the two qualities considered, which I understand is the custom in all judging. (They turn the bottle upside down to judge the body, or thickness, and watch the bubble rise. Quickly up, too thin, pos- sibly 'green' and liable to ferment; slowly up, thick and heavy and rich and ripe.) We all tasted the different honeys, and it was a fact that some of the darker ones were better flavored than the very light ones. Everybody said so, including the winner of the flrst prize. Yet it would hardly be safe to judge by flavor, because different judges would have different tastes. Unless they had a committee. Oh, well, it's not my problem — and it 's certainly not yours! "At last Theodore has abandoned his fool- ish farming venture with Mr. Clark, and has his old place back in town. He brought Katherine Clark over here several times alter Jack came back. You see she and Jack are old friends, neighbors always, and I have heard several times that they were expected to be more than friends some day. Theodore came along, tho, to tell me good- bye. I was sitting with Mrs. Lowe and, hoping to avoid serious topics, I wouldn't leave her. But presently he said, most seri- ously, 'Well, Anne, right here before Mrs. Lowe I admit I've given up. I tried hard, and I hope we'll always be friends. But I give up — and admit it.' Now wasn't that like Theodore? And so he went. ' ' The funnv thing was Mrs. Lowe 's sur- prise. She had thought I really cared for him — that way! Later she told me she was glad I didn 't. Everyone seems glad. Dad- dy Lowe said he certainly couldn't spare his apiary assistant, and even Jack, who of course barely met Theodore (and didn't seem to take to him much) seems pleased that he is getting his old place back. Which is nice of Jack. ' ' You have often said he was a fine type. And so he seems to be. How could he help it, with the parents he has? In his restrict- ed semi-invalid way he has certainly been considerate of me, asking me often to read to him or talk to him or listen to him — - trying, you see, to save me from feeling lonesome or out of things. ' ' One day lately he even took me into his confidence about Katherine Clark — evident- ly knowing I would have heard about his former attentions to her. He said the week that you and I spent here last winter was a very important one for him, being the week he decided not to ask Katherine to marry him, till after he came home. (How little we suspected, that pleasant week, what an imjjortant matter our younger host was de- ciding!) Well, when he told me that, I kept thinking about Katherine 's frank delight in Theodore 's return to city life and the fact that she is planning to spend the com- ing winter in town with her aunt, and I began to fear my secret hopes for Theodore might mean disaster for Jack. I hesitated to say anything — he was so pale aud weak- looking — but finally I said I hoped he hadn 't waited too long, and wondered if Theodore might count now. He looked at me for a minute as tho he didn 't understand, then suddenly laughed, as tho it were funny, and said he hadn't the slightest fear of Theo- dore. Men are certainly confident creatures. ' ' I don 't know where I '11 be when I write you next. Not here, of course. The gap I came to fill has ceased to exist, now that Jack is back. And with him and Mrs. Lowe both getting stronger, I think it would be better for them to be just by themselves. I haven't- said anything to them about it yet, and of course they will be all urgent hosjiitality. They're like that. I expect to go, tho — I 'm sure that will be better. And more considerate. But don 't you worry about me. Wherever I am, I shall be busy and, except when I think about this cruel Mar, I shall be happy. Because wherever I am, there will be beauty over the earth and something inside me singing. "And indeed, Eobert, even when I think about the war, I am seldom wholly unhappy. For I always thrill to think how nobleness and righteousness have flamed up in people's hearts and how much closer, when the world is still again and clean, it must walk with God. Your loving sister, Anne. " SErTKMBER. 1919 GLEANINGS T N BEE CULTURE 581 FROlvrTHE^FIEED^ j:ii BEE MANDIBLES and WAX SCALES Involuntary Secretion of Wax and Irregularity of Cell Construction Mr. Bigelow 's photos of bee mandibles and wax scales as here shown should con- vey to the uninitiated a clear iden of wax The jaws or mandibles of the bees that work over the wax " scales " or " chips." in its original form and the tools with which it is worked into that marvellous structure, honeycomb. The comb seems even more wonderful when we watch its building — a dab of w;ix here, another there, pushed one way by one bee and another way by some other bee. Tho the general effect is one of apparent uniformity, it is far from uniform. The cells are not unfrcquently of different sizes, from smaller than normal worker to larger than normal drone. One colony will put the side walls of cells vertically, making a V at bottom and top — the usual way; while another will have top and bottom of cells horizontal. It is idle to sj^eculate as to the why, or why they make hexagonal cells; simply, " 'tis the nature of the beast." The picture of "scales and chips" is of particular interest, as chips are not often in evidence, the bees using them more readily than dropped scales. And by the way, wastage from dropped scales is very small, as can be shown by putting a tray covered with wire cloth beneath a colony building comb. It is said that bees "chew the scales and add saliva to them." Perhaps it is so; but, so far as I have been able to discover, propo- lis only is added and quite a lot of that. Apparently the secretion of wax is invol- untary on the part of the bees, and is gov- erned by the kind and quantity of food they have. Superabundance of nectar or sugar syrup brings the secretion of much wax even in the cool weather of fall and spring; while a similar or great quantity of ripe honey does not produce this effect, except sparing- ly, either in warm or cool weather. Providence, E. I. Arthur C. Miller. THE QUADRUPLE CASE TO-DAY Some of Its Past History and Something About Its Present Status The quadruple winter case has been so frequently connected with my name, some even accusing me of claiming to be the originator of this method of wintering, that I have decided to tell what I know about the case. First, however, I might say that in all my writings I have tried conscienti- ously to give full credit for new ideas given me in beekeeping. Still, it is true that my writings in connection with the quadruple Flakes of wax as firiginally formed. .\lso ' chips falling from working jaws. case stimulated discussion, drew ;ittention to that method of wintering, and gave suflBcient confidence in the method of out- side wintering to cause others to make and test the cases themselves. In 1879 I visited the county of Hildemand, in the province of Ontario, Canada, and found it an old and well-established practice to winter bees four colonies in a case. The strong points of the method did not at that time appeal to me. I kept bees for manv years, and had sad and GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE glad experiences in wintering and trying to winter bees in cellars and on winter stands. Then there came across my path a beekeeper named Jacob Alpaugh, who had been using the case for eight or nine years. He gave me many good ideas, among which was that of wintering bees on their summer stands in Mr. Wallace with liis fur cape of bees. (See page 583.) a quadruple case with forest leaves as pack- ing. The case was made of half-inch lum- ber. The bottom, sides, and cover-pieces were held together with cleats made of heavier material. The cover was made water-tight by means of roofing-paper. There was only about an inch or two of packing under the hives, and six inches at the sides, and, I think, eight inches of pack- ing over the hive. Since first trying these cases I have seen fit to make some changes. Others have also made changes; and of these I would men- tion one made by a well-known and skillful beekeeper, H. Sibbald of Toronto. He makes the side of the case in two parts. The di- vision in the sides is level with the top of the hive as it stands in the outer case. The upper portion has tacked to the bottom of it a piece of burlap, making a receptacle for all the top packing, which can be removed by one movement. This is cleanly, saves time, and preserves the packing; but, in my estimation, there are serious objections. First, I like the case deep enough to al- low ample room for a super on top of the brood-chamber. Next, in cold or cool wea- ther the packing has to be kept off from all four sides until an examination of the entire group has been made. Some one may tell me that tha.t is no time to examine bees. We can not always pick our time, and this is particularly true of the large beekeeper. When the diagnosis is made quickly I have never seen any harm done. Moreover, feeding in the winter cases can not readily be carried on, for there is no room for the feeders and I find it an ad- vantage to feed after packing. The later one feeds, the better; for then the bees have sugar syrup for winter stores, as the last food given is the first consumed. The wea- ther is then cool, and the packing makes it necessary for the bees to utilize less stores to produce the heat necessary for storing and ripening the syrup'than would be neces- 4'' Such stunts draw large crowds. sary if no packing were used. And do not forget that packed colonies are rarely rob- Vjcd. The ten-pound pail with perforated cover can be turned on top of the frames, and the leaves drawn about the pails or tins. I consider it an improvement to nail to- SEPTESfUKR. 1919 G 1> E A N T N G S IN B E E C T ' L T U R E FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE gether thoroly the outside case and not take it apart during the winter. The bridges forming a passage for the bees thru the packing are all collected as the hives are unpacked, and they are stored in a marked and known place. The packing of leaves is left in each case. This facilitates work in the fall of the year. Where there is no fence about the apiary these cases can be piled two or three high, to prevent the bees from flying low in a direction in which they are not desired. Leaves are not easily secured early enough to pack, but by this method they are always on hand. In niv estimation the half-inch cover is EXHIBITS and DEMONSTRATIONS Wide-awake Advertising at County Fairs. Police to Hold Back Crowds Having been superintendent of the apiary department at the Southwest Washington Fair for a number of years, I meet with and talk to a great number of people in regard to bee culture, and find that most people have only a hazy idea of the subject. I try to have my exhibit put up in the most attractive, educational way possible and each day during our fair I give demon- strations outside in a bee-cage. The stunts Honey exhibit shown by Mr. Wallace at a county fair. 'leinon.str not strong enough to hold up the weight of accumulated ice and snow. I would advise the use of inch or %-iuch board for covers. Then there is insufficient packing at the bot- tom of the case. According to Dr. E. F. Phillips, there should be six inches of packing under the hive, and between the hive-bottom and the bottom of the case. Now, there is no use of any one saying it is not necessary, until he can prove that the bees are not compelled to consume more stores to keep up the needed temperature when the packing is not under the hive. E. F.Holtermann. Brantford, Canada. In connection with these exhibit.s. he gives live-bee ations. are a great help in holding the interest of the people while I talk to them and try to get them to use more up-to-date fixtures and latest methods. In the "cage picture" I have the bees gathered on me, which gives the appearance of a beautiful cape or fur. The man to my left is my helper Mr. Julian. Most of the people seem to be very timid and afraid of a few loose bees flying out- side of the cage, but while I am pulling off these cage stunts they lose all their fear. It took a policeman to hold the crowd back while I stepped outside of the cage to have the second exposure made. These stunts are both educational and interesting, and 584 GLEANINGS IN B K E C I' I. T l^ R E September, 1919 FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE show what can be done with proper knowl- edge of handling the bees. The picture of the honey exhibit was made at our county fair. I showed a more complete exhibit at our state fair where I took a sweepstake premium and a number of other firsts. I had also the privilege of demonstrating bees, met a number of promi- nent beekeepers of Yakima, and altogether spent a very pleasant week. Do not make the mistake of thinking that beekeeping is all sunshine in this country. We have j^lenty of troubles of our own. More than all else we are in need of a good, competent bee inspector, and need him badly. However, in spite of our troubles I may truthfully say that this Western Washing- ton offers big opportunities for the live, wide-awake beekeepers. Our valleys are fine for starting early brood-rearing. Some- times we have pussy willow in bloom in February. From this on we have plent,y of pollen and some honey coming in to keep up brood-rearing. Then later on we have the berries, fruits, and hundreds of other blossoms. About June 1.5 to July 1, the first fireweed or bear-weed blooms, lasting from six to seven weeks. This is our main flow, and with a fair amount of rain in June, we get a nice surplus. This plant comes in our logged-off lands the second year after being burnt off and lasts from two to three years; then other weeds crowd it out unless it burns over again, when it will again spring up. The winter problem is not a serious one with us. We winter our colonies on the summer stands. When the hives are kept dry and the bees have plenty of good ripe honey, we have but little winter loss. In this locality lumber is cheap, there are plen- ty of good locations without crowding other beekeepers, and a good even climate with beautiful scenery. Any time in the hottest weather when working with bees, we can look up and see the beautiful snow-clad mountains in the distance. The blue ocean is within a three hours ' auto drive. Cliehalis, Wash. J. O. Wallace. SHIPPING BEESWAX Double Burlap Sacks are Safer and Cheaper than Boxes Mufh has already been said, both in tlic form of bulletins circulated by foundation manufacturers and thru the columns of the bee journals, with reference to preparing and shipping beeswax; but, as experience shows that the subject has not yet been drained of its important details, we submit herewith a few suggestions, which we trust will be of benefit to the shippers in general. In the first place, it should be borne in mind that by beeswax is meant the rendered product taken from old combs, cappings, etc., exclusive of the honey, dead bees, dirt, and other refuse. It very often happens that some one sends along a shipment of old combs or cappings and expects to receive credit for the entire weight as beewax. Such credit is quite impossible, for the beeswax must first be rendered from the cappings, combs, or whatever it may be, and credit given on the actual amount of beeswax con- tained therein. Of course, most manufac- turers of foundation are well equipped to do the rendering for the beekeepers who do not have equipment or who do not care to do the work; but there must necessarily be compensation for such services rendered — - ordinarily a certain percentage of the bees- wax rendered. The manufacturers may be likened to the mining concerns that produce ore — the ore must first be refined at the smelters before the metal itself can be put to any manufacturing purpose. And it is quite impossible to manufacture foundation from old combs or cappings before these have been refined. Experience has shown that beeswax can best be shipped in double burlap sacks (one sack within another), or in heavy nut sacks which can often be picked up at the grocery stores. Some shippers propose to ' * econo- mize ' ' by using only thin burlap sacks. This is exceedingly poor economy, for wax shipments are subjected to very rough handling while in transit. The tearing or bursting of a sack means the loss of bees- wax from the shipment, which loss must be met by none other than the shipper. Just figure out the "economy" when you lose some few pounds of beeswax from your ship- ment. The extra sack is insurance on your property. Some persons prefer boxing their wax. Wax shipped in boxes usually gets thru all right if the boxes are stron-T. fo'- it takes a strong box when filled with bees- wax to withstand a jolt by some rough freight-handler. Then boxes make exces-s weight, for which- transportation charges must be paid, anywhere from 1.5 to .^0 pounds or over. One very necessary point, which is over- looked by many shippers, is the use of tags for the packages. Each and every sack or box should have a tag — preferably linen, which foundation manufacturers are always glad to furnish — attached to it securely, which tag should bear the name and address of the consignee as well as the name and ad- dress of the shipper. We also urge that shippers place a card (a piece of strong paper or a side from a broken section serves well) inside each package, giving the name and address of the shipper, to which may be added the gross and net shipping weights. This will identify the package in case the Skptkmbkk, 1919 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE L FROM THE FIELD OF EXPERIENCE (iiitiT tag is toiii off. Ill some iustaucos, bee- koepors club together to send their wax. In such cases, the outer tag shoubl show tlie name aii G 1, K A KINGS T N H K K (' V L T V K E FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH In Ontario.— <^«"/int:od drouth in many parts ot Ontario has cut down prospects of a good buckwheat crop in most pUices. In our own locality the acreage is larger than usual, but many fields of buckwheat are just nicely up out of the ground, and at best the bloom will be late. Here in Ontario we rarely get much buck- wheat honey after the first of September. The Honey Crop Committee for Ontario, appointed by the Ontario Beekeepers' Asso- ciation each year, recentl^y met in Toronto and have issued a report for the season. Prices advised are practically the same as for last year, and, judging b_y the prices of all other articles and the short crop in the Province, there should be little doubt but that these prices will be maintained. Full reports received point out to a reversal of last year's conditions so far as the crop is concerned. Last year the western counties gave a large yield; central Ontario, half a crop; and eastern Ontario, a very light crop. This year the western counties, where most of the producers in the Province reside, have a very light crop — many localities have a total failure. Central Ontario has a medium to light crop, and eastern Ontario has a good crop. Fear is expressed in the western coun- ties that in some localities the clover is all killed for next year. This drouth is quite acute, and includes the districts where most of our bees happen to be situated. Probably sweet clover has produced more honey in Ontario this year than ever before — largely because there is more grown than ever before, and again it seems as tho the hot dry weather suits this plant so far as honey production is concerned. Personally, as many know, I have never been enthusias- tic about sweet clover as a honey plant, but that factor shall not keep me from telling the facts about the matter as proved in our own locality this season. Sweet clover, even by its boosters, has generally been classed as a slow yielder of very thin nectar; yet I positively know of an apiary near us that during the last week in July actually stored an average of 40 pounds per colony in four days, tho there was nothing but sweet clover for them to work on and the weather hot and dry — nothing very slow about that. One of our apiaries near home, that had no sweet clover in reach to amount to anything, stor- ed an average of about 30 pounds per colo- ny. Another apiary eight miles away and in reach of sweet-clover fields (some of which were let go to seed without being pastured off early in the season, while other fields were pastured and thus prolonged the bloom- ing period) yielded an average of 125 pounds per colony. As to quality, certainly it does not equal alsike or white-clover honey, but it tastes and looks mighty good when the other clovers fail to yield. With the crop so variable in different parts of Ontario this year, some arrange- ment, wIuMel)y more equal distribution could 'x' i"ad(> 0+' the product, would prove very beneficial in marketing the crop. I have roceixed requests for honey from some of the best producing parts of the province which this year happen to have failures; and just yesterday I noticed an ad in one of our farm journals from a subscriber in one of the best clover counties in western Ontario asking where 40 or 50 pounds of good clover honey could be secured for pri- vate use. In many localities people will prob- ably be unable to get honey, while in oth er places there may be abundance with not enough purchasers. Of course, there is al- ways the wholesaler as a distributor, yet he does not take the place of home trade ex- actly; and the more honey sold locally, the better for all concerned. By the time this is in print, fall feeding- will be the question of the hour. Present in- dications are that sugar will be hard to get again, and of course it will be high in price. Many who wintered largely on buckwheat stores last year will be more anxious than ever to get sugar; for in many eases the natural stores gave very poor results last season; while universal good wintering was the rule where sugar syrup was given for the coldest part of the winter. At present there is no ruling against getting sugar; but judg- ing by the present outlook, there is going to be ditficulty in obtaining what is needed. The writer of these notes had the pleasure a few days ago of once more meeting our old friend, Prof. F. E. Millen now in charge of the apiary work for the Province, and who is of course stationed at the Guelph agricultural college. While we were very sorry to lose the genial Dr. Gates, we never- theless welcome Prof. Millen, who is an old O. A. C. boy, and well known to many of the fraternity. Prof. Millen is secretary- treasurer of the Ontario Beekeepers' Asso- ciation, and all association correspondence should be addressed to him at the College, Guelph, Ont. J. L. Byer. Markham, Ont. * -^ * In Northern California.— ^"^ section must con- tinue to report unfavorable conditions. In the southern and central parts the conditions are decidedly unfavorable; but in the north- ern, it may be said, they appear much more promising. July was an unusually cool month and crops of all kinds suffered owing to poor growing conditions. Alfalfa has been a keen disappointment, and beemen in almost all sections are reporting from a one-third to one-half a crop from this source. Of course, unfavorable weather and insect pests were the causes of the small crop. About Newman approximately 2,000 acres of alfalfa were lost owing to grasshopper depredations. Those beekeepers that get their crop during June and July ar© the GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 ft FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH heaviest suffeiers. The cool weather during these two months has in most instances helped the fall honey plants; and at this writing there are many of us that believe such plants as alkali weed, jackass clover (alkali mustard), yellow sticker, tarweed, thistles, and blue curls have been consider- ably benefited by the cool weather. If proper climatic conditions prevail during August and September, we should get a fair flow in most regions. A light honeydew flow has commenced along the San Joaquin Eiver. Taking it all in all, the season to date has been freakish. For short periods the bees would work well on certain flora and then desert it, altho in full bloom, and work upon something else. The yield from button willow and melons was practically a failure, and to date hardly any bees have visited sunflowers. Several yards in the eastern part of Stanislaus County have ac- tually not made a pound of surplus up to the beginning of August. Ordinarily we have very little European foul brood during July; but this season, owing to the abnormal weather, there was as much diseased brood as we had in June. It does not now appear that our section will get more than half a crop and we are hoping for a general stif- fening in the price of honey. In an off year such as this, so-called minor considerations may easily receive attention. First of all, why not weed out all poor stock? and next, why not take as much pride in every one of the combs in your hives as you do in those young vigorous queens bred from pure stock? The question of faulty supers and ill-fitting hive covers might also receive attention; and lastly, why not keep a careful watch for skunks, toads, lizards, and bee martins? M. C. Richter. Modesto, Calif. ■s * » In Southern California ^ o n e y prices arc gradually advancing, and white orange hon- ey is offered at 21 cents, with light amber at about 16 cents. As the season advances, the crop prospects seem to show that even a smaller quantity of honey will be pro- duced than any of the early estimates led us to expect. This fact should tend to keep the price of honey advancing. The market for bees is not nearly so ac- tive as it was some three months ago. Buy- ers were plentiful and one could have sold at almost any price asked. With prospects for a crop as they were in the winter and early spring, and also with the high price of honey in evidence, one could pay a big price for bees and apparently have a fair chance of getting most of his money back this year. The crop is a disappointment to most beekeepers, and the price is not so good as last year. But from past experi- ences, it would seem as tho with extracted lioney selling at from 12 to 20 cents a pound, it is a good business to stick to. A man called here a few days ago and said that he intended going into the business. He said that he had enough income to support him but wanted to get into something to keep him busy. He thought that he would put from seven to ten thousand dollars into the business. If you had thought of putting that amount into bees twenty years ago, most people would have thought you "loco" (western expression for a little crazy). This man had traveled quite extensively and seemed to be well posted about locations, honey-producing flora, etc., some things very essential to the success of apiculture. The sweet clover grew quite abundantly in some localities in the moist bottoms and along the ditch banks, but it is now (July 1) drying up very fast. This plant helps the colonies to get stores for winter, but only in very favorable locations in southern Cali- fornia is there enough to count on for any surplus honej'. The blue curl, which often is a good honey-producing plant in the late summer and fall, this year promises little or nothing. Lack of sufficient rainfall during the winter and spring is quite likely ac- countable for its failure to grow this year. The sumac gave a good flow for a short period and helped very materially toward winter stores in some apiaries. While there was considerable bloom on many other va- rieties of our wild honey-producing plants, very little honey was secreted. It seems to prove again the old saying that it takes an abundance of winter rains to assure us of a honey flow. Some of the beekeepers have moved to the valleys where the bees get some eucalyp- tus, alfalfa, etc., hoping to get enough for winter stores. The alfalfa, excepting in a very few localities where it is grown for seed, is not allowed to blossom in these sections. The farmers cut it for hay just as the bloom appears. About once every four or five years these fields are plowed up and planted to grain. The roots not killed by this process start to grow and often blos- som and go to seed. These flowers are some- times quite a help to the bees. Reports from the lima-bean districts vary considerably. The older sections report that there is not much hope of any great quan- tity of surplus honey. These districts are near the coast and on years favorable for beans are visited by very heavy damp fogs. This year there has been a scarcity of these fogs, and the beans do not promise a large crop. Some of the newer localities, where irrigation is used, indicate better results. It has been reported that the honey from these latter fields is of a darker shade than that usually displayed as bean honey. The beekeepers in southern California seem to be universally disappointed with Ski'TKMHKk. 1019 G L R A N I X G 8 IN B E K (' U I. T U R E FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH tlie Uowfronnvild biakwhoat aiidwliite sage. I have yet to hear of a location in south- ern California that furnished a full crop of honey. Some farmers say that it is the dri- est season that they ever experienced. The water is very low in the mountain streams. Much of the irrigating water is pumped from wells, and these wells in many cases have been dug deeper in order to get below the water level. This shows a shortage be- low as well as above the earth 's surface. Corona, Calif. L. L. Andrews. In Texas '^^^'^ ^'^*^* °^ ^^- ^'- ^- -^^"^' lips was thoroly appreciated by every beekeeper who attended the sum- mer meeting at College Station. The attend- ance was small, but those present were able to carry home with them a good message from Dr. Phillips. Only once before, 1906, had Dr. Phillips been in Texas; but he has always been impressed with the possibilities of beekeeping in this State. He found that the beekeei^ers of Texas are now ready to admit that there is a winter problem in this State. However, few are yet ready to be sufficiently liberal with the bees to leave ample stores in the fall. Eealizing the need for further work in this State, tentative ar- rangements were made to hold a Beekeepers' Short Course during the fall. The pro- gram will contain much of interest to every one in the State. At the annual summer meeting the edu- cational section of the Texas Honey Pro- ducers' Association enjoyed the best pro- gram in the history of the organization. Every one present was able to profit by the papers presented and the discussions that followed. Some came great distances to this meeting, but felt repaid for their efforts. During the Farmers' Short Course at Col- lege Station a very interesting program was given on beekeeping. This was largely at- tended by people from every section of the State. Interest in improved methods is cer- tainly increasing. The day of the box hive is doomed — education is winning. Crop yields thus far have been very good indeed. Prospects are excellent for a good late summer and, fall flow. Kains have oc- curred frequently enough to insure good flows from every honey plant. The price of honey is causing some worry. The price will remain good if the beekeeper does not force it down by putting all the honey on the market as soon as possible. Now is the time to begin preparations for next season. Many colonies will need re- queening. The colony should go into the winter with an abundance of young bees, if work next spring is to be of high quality. Do not take too much honey from the colo- ny. Honey will be needed next spring to build up with. Best results are not secured by a tardy feeding after semi-starvation. Several additional counties have become interested in the organization of a county beekeepers' association. Beekeepers are very ready now to appreciate the value of organized effort. Co-operation between the association and the State Entomologist in fcu'.-brood control work is a sufficient exam- jile of immediate benefit for the association. College Station, Tex. F. B. Paddock. In Minnesota. There will not be so large a crop of honey in Minnesota this year as was expected earlier. In some localities considerable loss has been suffered from high water. Hun- dreds of acres of pasture lands have been flooded, killing the white clover. Some commercial beekeepers suffered the loss of their entire crop thru floods. Many have reported that at times the clover ceased to yield W'hile the fields were white with blos- soms. There was an excellent yield from basswood in some places, while in others the buds were destroyed by worms. In some localities the crop was much larger than the average, so I believe that taking the State as a wdiole the yield will come up to the average — perhaps a little above. But the Minnesota honey crop might easily have been doubled with the same number of colonies, if the beekeepers had only been awake to their opportunities. This year we had a remarkable flow from ilandelion, but thousands of colonies came out of the cellar too light in stores to take full advantage of the flow. This summer I have met beekeepers having from 50 to 1.50 colonies, who have confessed that many of their colonies lived on the border of starva- tion in the early spring. Many beekeepers are satisfied if their bees have enough honey in the hive to keep them from starving, in spite of the fact that for years our leading beekeepers have emphasized, thru the pages of the bee journals, the "rich-in-honey plan." Mr. Doolittle has told us that after trying all other plans for stimulative brood- rearing he found that there is nothing that compares with the plan of ' ' millions of honey at our house." And now Dr. Phillips and Mr. Demuth are telling us how they have demonstrated that one of the condi- tions that is necessary to secure a large force of bees ready for the harvest is to see that there is not less than 15 pounds of hon- ey in the hive at any time, so that work will continue in the hive uninterrupted. I believe that if this rule had been adhered to, and sufficient room had been provided for the queen to lay, the Minnesota honey crop would have been double what it will be this year. And right now is the time to make plans for next year. See that each colony goes into winter with enough honey to carry it thru to the honey flow. Minneapolis, Minn. Chas. D. Blaker. 596 GLEANINGS BEE CULTURE September. 1919 HEADS "OF GRAINlPPQRiQrDIFFERENT FIELDS Entrance-guard for Prevention of Robbing. The accompanying sketch of au entrance- guard is like one made for me by an Italian friend, who kept bees for several years in Italy. He says that such entrance-guards were always used by beekeepers in the lo- This entrance-guard for prevention of roliliin<; ex- tends clear across the hive. The wires are % ineli apart. cality from which he came, and that they were of great value in preventing robbing. As T have never seen them mentioned in books nor in bee journals, I would like your ojjinion. Frank E. Huff. Chicago, 111. [This is of interest, altho we believe as good or better results could be obtained by throwing grass loosely over the entrance and dampening it with water. — Editor.] Ql= Short Cuts in Amerl- I have had a great can Foul-brood. deal of experience Treatment. with American foul brood, both in my own apiaries and as a bee inspector. It might be said that, to a considerable extent, I have made a business of curing foul brood, as I have bought a number of apiaries that were badly diseased and have always been ready to buy any remnant of an apiary, provided the price was such that I could see any profit in it. In this way I have had an excellent opportunity to see how expensive it often is to try to save a little brood or a few combs. While I am not afraid of the disease, I have a wholesome respect for it and regret that soine people believe it an easy and simple matter to control foul brood. I have tried practically everj- method for the cure of American foul brood that has been jiroposed for the past thirty years. I have had some success with some of these short methods. I have even been guilty of recommending in the pages of Gleanings at least one of these methods, for which I am heartily sorry. The fault with all of the short cuts is that they are not sure cures, and in the long run it does not pay to use methods that may not only require that you do all your work over again, but perhaps a whole lot more in addi- tion. In a very large proportion of cases the disease will break out again, even tho for a time, perhaps for several months, or a whole season, the colony will appear to be cured. All who are familiar with American foul brood know that when once an apiary is infected to the extent that there has been a considerable amount of robbing of diseased colonies, it frequently requires sev- eral years of the most careful work to get .■\piary of Page Brothers, .-^von, N. '^ SKl'TliMBKR, 1919 GLEANINGS I N \i E E C U L T U It E 5tt7 HMDS OF"GRAI?rS?giQMP DIFFERENT FIELDSlD that apiary cleaned up again. New cases will be constantly breaking out, even when there is no apparent source of infection. The trouble appears to be that infected hon- ey is stored in the hive in places where it remains for long periods without being used for brood-rearing. Then in some time of scarcity, usually in the spring, this honey is fed to the brood, and then we have the disease again. Any method that keeps in existence a dangerous source of infection is objectionable. Short cuts for the elimina- tion of foul brood are not likely to be suc- cessful except when used by the expert, and he is the one least likely to adopt them. It is the inexperienced and the careless, the one who does not appreciate the risk he is running or the care needed in ail his work with the disease, who is most likely to de- pend on such methods. The man who has had experience in handling foul brood can cure it, with considerable variation in meth- ods according to the circumstances; but for the inexperienced, I honestly believe that total destruction of colonies that are dis- eased is not only the safest way, but nine times out of ten actually the cheapest way, to get rid of American foul brood. Grand Junction, Colo. J. A. Green. Keeping Waxworms For preserving fresh from extracting-combs from Extracting-combs. damage by wax worms after the extracting season, I have used for over 20 years a meth- od which works well in this locality. After the last extracting, escape-boards without escapes are put on the brood stories Dr. C. G. Luffs winter case of poultry nettiiiy; and tar paper packed with leaves. of as many stands as I wish to give empty extracting-combs. Four stories of extract- ing-combs are put on over the escape-boards and left until about Oct. 15, and then put in the honey-house where they are safe until the next June. If carried in on a cold day, the combs will be clear of bees. These combs can be put out any time of day without damage from robbing, if the stands are strong in bees and the hives bee-tight. Otherwise it is better to wait till evening. If there is foul brood in the apiary, the combs should be returned to the hive from which thov came. Those views show how I Apiary of Dr. C. G. Luft, ready for winter. winter my bees in cases of poultry netting and tar paper, packed with leaves. Fremont, O. Dr. C. G. Luft. The Unusual Flight A few days ago a of a Queen. small nucleus of mine swarmed out and set- tled. I caged the queen and hived the bees. Having the bees in their home and the queen in the cage, 1 decided to carry her to a queenless colony in a small apiary located over half a mile away on the edge of town. Using the smoke method of introduction I undertook to run the queen in at the en- trance of the hive, but she took wing from the cage and escaped. According to regula- tions made and provided, she ought to have returned to the cage after a short time. Some of her attendants clung to the cage awaiting her return, but she came not. After about an hour I gave her up as lost and returned home. On going into my garden I saw a small cluster of bees, about a hundred, and others coming, and my queen with them. I caged her again, gave her a larger hive, more rombs for her to exercise her laying abili- ties, and now she is happy at home with her own people. I am quite sure of her identity. Her ap- pearance was the same as the one I had observed before, and she had come back to within about 20 steps of the place where the little swarm settled when they swarmed out. I inspected all the other hives and nu- clei, and found them in normal condition. Carrollton, Ga. L. K. Smith. Bees Care for One day as I was ad- Injured Queen. ding some frames of bees to a hive, the queen left the comb and ran among a group of strange bees on the bottom of the hive. They began to attack her, and, before I could rescue her, one of them caught the >98 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 HEADS OF GRAIN l^pMlHTDIFFERENinFIELDS" point of its sting in the queen's side so that it stuck slightly when I crushed the bee and pulled it away. Immediately the queen acted differently from the way she had pre- viously behaved. She seemed hardly able to hold on to the comb; and her own bees, either because of her condition, or because I had held her in my fingers, gathered around her in unusual numbers, feeding her and massaging her with their tongues and working over her. Then I noticed a small welt on her side about the size of a small pin head. This seemed to be about where she appeared to' have been slightly stung. At the time I took it for granted that it was a slight swelling from the sting, but since then I have somewhat doubted whether that was possible. It may be that the welt was there previously, and that I had not noticed it. I expected her to curl up and die within a few minutes. Her at- tendants, three or four minutes from the time I had rescued her, covered her over in their massaging and exceptional atten- tions, and I did not like to disturb her; but she was on an odd-sized frame that I wanted to remove from her hive, and she had to be removed to another frame. To do this I drove her attendants away with a little smoke and carefully placed her among others of her own bees between two brood-combs. She still seemed weak and dazed. She was immediately surrounded by a new retinue of nurses, that seemed to rec- ognize her need of attention, and they re- peated the performance of the bees from which I had just removed her. I closed the hive fully expecting to find her dead in front of the hive the next day, but a few days later I found her apparently as well as ever and laving nicely. Seattle, Wash. H. H. Benton. THE BACK LOT BUZZER. The war is over, booze has vanai'd aivaii, an' thf wirnin have the vote. Maw says, "There's nothing to worry about now but th' hives." Skptkmbkr. 1010 0 T- E A N T \ 0 S T N BEE CULT U K E 599 c TALKS TO By lona LJ NOW that tlu' lioiiey has 1) 0 e n h a r - vested, the bost of care should be given it until disposed of. The comb honey should be care- fully stored, with no opening large enough for the ail- mission of the wax moth, otherwise the hon- ey may soon be in a disgraceful condition. If any sections are cased and are to be sold at stores, there may occasionally be a few having beebread. If so, these should be kejjt for home use or sold for immediate consumption. Honeys from various sources differ greatly in their tendency to granulate or solidify, some granulating in a few weeks and some remaining liquid for a year or two. The temperature at which comb honey should be stored, as stated last month, is between 70 and 90 degrees, for if comb hon- ey granulates it is unsuitable for market. Care of Extracted Honey. Well-ripened extracted honey may be kept for years with no special care on the part of the beekeeper. To be sure, it will granu- late, but this will not injure its sale as in the case of comb honey. In fact, extracted honey ships all the better when candied, since there is certain to be no loss from leakage; and when one wishes to bottle the honey, it may be easily liquefied without in- juring its flavor by heating in a hot water jacket to about 150 degrees and then bot- tling while still hot, at about 140 degrees. If extracted honey is stored for a time, it should be left in 60-pound cans or in small enough containers so there will be no dif- ficulty in melting it after it becomes can- died. If left in a large container, removing it after it solidifies will involve considerable work. Hurting the Market. The step at which the beginner is most likely to fall down is in the disposal of his honey. Just why, we cannot say, but the man or woman with a few colonies almost invariably gives all the honey away or sells far below the market price. Now if a bee- keeper chooses to give his honey away, that is his own business; but when he sells at so ridiculously low a figure as he often does, then it becomes the business of every other beekeeper. In most localities there are one or more beekeepers who cannot sell as their fancy dictates, but are obliged to make their living from their bees. Such beekeepers are often compelled to hold their honey until the smaller beekeepers are sold out, and even then they are handicapped by the early low prices. At the present time there is no rea- son why any small producer should get less than 30 cents a pound for his honey in small packages, and many are getting even more. Another way in which the beginner some- times injures the market is by his careless preparation of the honey. The sections BEGINNERS Fowls 1 W^^^^^^^^ IL should be nicely cleaned and at- tractive in ap- pearance. The unfinished and off grades should be used at home. Extracted honey should be in clear glass with neat labels, and no scum of particles of wax and other material should be tolerated. Care of Combs. If the extracting combs after being cleaned were piled carefully so that no moth miller could find an opening large enough to enter any of the supers, the combs will now probably be all right; but as long as hot weather lasts they should be examined every two weeks or oftener, and if wax worms ap- pear, the combs should be placed over strong colonies to be cleaned. Combs are alto- gether too valuable to be lost thru careless- ness. Time of Fall Feeding. In some northern localities there is little or no fall flow, and breeding practically stops in September. Under such conditions, if the bees have not enough stores for win- ter, they may be fed in September. But in case there is a good fall flow, feeding may be delayed until October when there is less brood and therefore more room for storing. It is always an advantage to feed early so that the stores will be well sealed. When first placed in the cells the stores are too thin for good wintering; but if there is time before winter, the bees evaporate, or "ripen" the stores until of the right con- sistency, when they are sealed. Stores too thin or in any way poor often cause dysen- tery and death of the colony before spring. I'or when bees use poor honey, it results in more waste matter, and bees normally void their faeces in flight. Therefore if unable to fly for some time, this matter accumulates and often causes the death of the bees. Requisite Stores. Those colonies wintered outdoors should be left with from 30 to 35 pounds, depending upon the size of the colony. It is probable they will already have considerable honey in the brood-chamber. Each full, standard- sized Hoffman comb contains five or six pounds of honey, so that by handling each frame and noting the sealed honey it will be easy to arrive at a general estimate of the amount of honey in each hive, and there- fore the amount that will need to be fed. We "do not estimate the unsealed honey since it is generally used up before winter. Each hive should be marked with the amount to be given. If one intends wintering in a double-walled hive, the 30 to 35 pounds of stores should be contained in seven or eight frames so that, if desired, the brood-chamber may be contracted as will be described next month. There is considerable difference in the G I. K A X I X G S IX BEE C V I. T U R E September, 1919 wintering qualities of honeys, some of them having too large a per cent of resins and gums to be a good winter food. As already stated, if bees have frequent flights, such food is safe; but during the dead of winter it is apt to result disastrously, so that to be on the safe side, we have for years given each colony as much as ten pounds of sugar syrup to store on top of their honey. The colonies will probably not use more than ten pounds during the most severe weather, and so the syrup being fed last will be used first, and the bees will not get down to the undesirable honey until spring when they may be placed at the side of the hive, to be removed later at the time of packing when the brood will have hatched. Whenever there is a chance for a choice in the matter, old dark combs should be left at the center of the hive for the bees to cluster on, since the cocoons in the cells make such comb much warmer than new light comb. Wherever the last brood hatch there will be empty cells. As winter comes on, more than half of the bees will crawl into these empty cells using the cells for overcoats, the other bees clustering in be- tween the combs and these overcoated bees. The 5- or 10-pouiid frictiim-top pails with pierced lids make good feeders. water is aljout right. Two ijiirts of sugar to one of will be able to have frequent cleansing flights, and thus avoid dysentery. Examination of Colonies. While making the estimate on the requis- ite amount of stores, there will probably be no honey coming in, and therefore care should be taken not to start robbing. If any colonies are weak, their entrances should be contracted, and if the hives are open for any length of time it may be neces- sary to use a robber tent, for it would cer- tainly be very bad for the colonies to be- come unduly stirred up at this time of the year when they should be quiet. During the work, if weak or queenless colonies are found, they should be united with others; or the queenless one, if strong, may be given a good queen by the cage method. Crooked combs or those having too large a per cent of drone comb or too much beebread should be removed; or, if there chance to be some brood in them, they Thus the bees during cold weather are in a compact spherical mass. This part of the combs which they occupy is called the brood-nest. If possible, the brood-nest should not be disturbed since this affords a good clustering space for the bees. Method of Feeding. The friction-top pail offers a very easy method of feeding. The lid is pierced full of holes made with threepenny nails or in some cases by machinery. These feeders are filled with syrup made of two parts of sugar to one of water, or even denser if late in the season; for late in the fall the bees become rather sluggish and if given syrup too thin may not evaporate it sufficiently. In cold weather the syrup should be thick and warm when fed. When the syrup is ready to be fed, a deep super should be placed over the brood- chamber, the pail of warm syrup inverted {Continued on page 617.) September, 1919 G I. E A N I N G S I N BEE CULTURE THE East Tennessee Beekeepers ' Association, on July 29, held its first all-day field meeting at the a p i a r V of Curd Walker, Jellieo, Tenn. The organization meeting at an ear will 1 V date. Ian anotluM' ficli P. C. Chadwiek of Eedlands has moved to Delano, Calif. A lack of honey flow caused the move as his queen-rearing busi- ness could not be maintained at a profit in the South. This is perhaps the most giant undertaking by truck transportation yet at- tempted. He made a 30-hour continuous run, with relief drivers, and transported 200 two-story standard colonies, and 200 queen- mating hives, with a loss of only one-half of one per cent. * * * The annual field-day meeting and basket picnic was held by the Massachusetts So- ciety of Beekeepers at the nurseries of M. W. Barrett, Hyde Park, Mass, Aug. 9. Prizes were given for the best sections of honey, the best demonstration of handling bees, and for the best hive of Italians. Professor A. C. Miller was the principal speaker. * * * The Minnesota State Fair and Victory Exposition, which is to be held at Hamline, Minn., from August 30 to September 6, gives considerable emphasis to bee culture, offering in this department $1,100 in prizes. There are now 20,000 people engaged in bee- keeping in Minnesota and it is estimated 15 million dollars ' worth of nectar is going to w^aste each year. Minnesota appears to be keenly awake to the possibilities of beekee])- ing in that State. * * * Mr. Eae, formerly of the Bureau of En- tomology, as announced in our last issue, had been working in New Yoi'k, helping the beekeepers of that State to solve their bee- disease problems. He left the State to go into other business; but so long and urgent was the call for him to return that now he is a regular employee of the Department of Agriculture at an increased salary. When we heaid that he had left beekeeping and gone into an entirely new field of work we felt just as we now feel about Dr. Gates — that the business had lost a valuable man. Mr. Rae has reconsidered and is now back in the ranks. May we indulge the hope that Dr. Gates will likewise come back to his own. He still loves the bees and his many friends engaged in keeping them. * * * There was a large field meet of Ohio bee- keepers on August 7 that met at the apiaries of F. W. Leininger & Son at Delphos, 0. Ohio beekeepers were especially favored by the presence of B. F. Kindig, State Inspector, of Lansing, Mich. Mr. Kin- dig gave an ad- dress on the sub- ject of organiza- tion and bee dis- eases. He is one of the wideawake state apiarists of the country and at the present time is president of the National Beekeepers' Association. There were other addresses given; among them were two by E. R. Root, editor of Gleanings. s * * There was another enthusiastic field meet which the editor attended on August 9. It was held in South Lancaster, Mass., at the apiary of Miss Morse. While the crowd was not large, the enthusiasm was of the very best. Dr. Burton M. Gates, formerly pro- fessor of bee culture at Amherst, Mass., and later of Guelph, Ont., was scheduled to speak, but was unable to come. After some business was transacted, Mr. Root was given the whole afternoon. A basket lunch was served at this meet that was very enjoyable. The general report was that the season had been exceptionally good. * * * The editor recently attended two very im- portant field meets, which he intends to mention at greater length in the next issue. The Eastern Massachusetts Beekeepers' As- sociation was held on July 26 at the home of Charles I. C. Mallorey, Boston. The prin- cipal speakers were Dr. Burton N. Gates, Arthur C. Miller, J. C. Frisby, and E. R. Root. On August 1, next to the largest field meet ever held in the United States was held at Newark, N. Y., at the home of De- roy Taylor. The speakers were Pres. O. L. Hershiser, Kennith Hawkins, E. R. Root, H. L. Case, Geo. H. Rae, S. D. House, and oth- ers. Between 500 and 600 beekeepers were present. ^ ^ ^ A very successful field meeting of the Maryland State Beekeepers ' Association was held at the home and apiary of Walter E. Atkinson of Glyndon, Md., July 26. The Association voted to purchase its supplies co-operatively, and the purchase of approxi- mately .$2,000 worth of supplies was secured at the meeting. * i« -H- We regret to learn that the Western Hon- ey Bee is losing its able editor, J. D. Bixby, who has recently handed in his resignation. We have not learned the name of his suc- cessor. ^ ^ ^ By recent act of the Pennsylvania Legis- lature the old Bureau of Economic Zoology of the Department of Agriculture has been eliminated, and there has been created a Bureau of Plant Industry embracing all the duties of the old Bureau with additional ones. 602 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE September, 1919 c GLEANED BY ASKING lona Fowk QUESTIONS. — (1) I would be obliged if you will tell me whether any one of the follow- ing is considered a sign of either Amer- ican or European foul brood: Queen of a hive being missing, queen larvre diseased, drone larvw diseased. (2) Is the drone whose mother was not mated con- sidered a capable male and as good as a mated queen's drones in all respects? (3) Are the germs of foul-brood diseases carried on the bodies of the bees? Fred E. White.. British Columbia. Answers. — (1) In neither the European nor American foul brood have we found the queen apt to be missing. In both European and American foul brood the queen larvae as well as drone larvfe may be affected. We believe, however, that it is rare for queen larvae to be affected in case of American foul brood. Drone larvae are more apt to be affected in European than in American foul brood. (2) We believe the drone whose mother was not mated is capable of ferti- lizing a queen; but because of the dwarf size of such drones, caused by being reared in worker cells, we would greatly prefer a drone raised in the ordinary way. (3) We have never seen anything to indicate that the germs of either kind of foul brood are spread by being carried on the bodies of the bees. There is very much on this subject which is not definitely understood at present. Contaminated honey is, however, the means of spreading both diseases, and European doubtless is often spread from cell to cell of an affected colonj^ by the nurse bees car- rying juices from diseased larvae. This an- swer will probably not entirely satisfy you. It doesn 't us. Question. — (1) In keeping bees with chickens, Mon't the chickens eat the bees? (2) Will bees hurt pigs? W. Toppin. New Jersey. Answers. — (1) A few have reported chick- ens eating bees but we believe you will have no such trouble. Many people keep hives right in the chicken yard. (2) If pigs are allowed in an apiary they will get stung, and then probably rub against the hives, thus enraging the bees, and possibly upset- ting the hives; but, if pigs are near the bees, yet shut out of the apiary, we believe there will be no trouble even tho the pigs should receive an occasional sting. Questions. — (1) Why don't all of those people that want to stop swarming have a brood-chamber so big that the queen cannot get it full of brood at once? (2) I would like to know if palo verde, a tree that covers the Southwestern States' hills, yields a surplus. (3) Where could I obtain some sting- less bees? (4) Why haven't we a law so that a man can take up a bee claim on a piece of land to prevent crowding? Burns Wood. Arizona. Answers. — (1) If the swarming problem could be solved by giving plenty of room, it would not be such a troublesome factor in 1 ■r^^^^^^^^ TU beekeeping. We have known a colony to swarm when hanging from the limb of a tree with all outdoors for room. There is doubtless a great deal yet to be learned on the whole subject, but we feel certain that the size of a suitable hive de- pends greatly on the season and locality. (2) Palo verde, altho it yields some honey, could not be counted on for surplus. (3) From South America, but tho they are rather interesting as a curiosity, they would not pay financially. (4) There are many points to be considered in formulating a law to i^revent encroaching on another's terri- tory. Such a law would need to specify the proper distance between apiaries, which of course differs with the locality and even varies from year to year as the forage grad- ually changes. More than this, priority might give a man the apparent right to a location, yet he perhaps be a renter and a poor beekeeper at that. Later a man might buy a home in the same locality and wish to keep bees. It would be manifestly unfair to deprive him of this privilege. There are many other puzzles that will naturally occur to one in this connection, but the puzzles arc surely worth solving. Questions. — (1) Can bees use' old odds and ends of wa.N to draw out foundation? (2) I have a plan to keep tees with very little manipulating. I would have a regular Buckeye hive, but instead of resting it on the bottom-board I would have a shallow ex- tracting super with full sheets of foundation for it to rest on. Under this, of course, would be the bottom-board. In the spring and fall it would keep the brood farther from chilling winds. Also, I do not think they would swarm with the foundation IjcIow. What do you think of the plan ? Massachusetts. C. L. Stone. Answers. — (1) Bees use bits of wax from adjoining combs and when placed in the en- trance they do sometimes take it, but I do not think you could get the colony to draw out foundation by simply feeding them bits of wax. (2) On page 367 of the June issue of Gleanings, under the heading, ' ' Another Swarm Prevention," you will find something similar. The editors of Gleanings tried this out this summer, using shallow supers un- der the brood-chambers; some with starters, others with full sheets of foundation, and still others with combs. Of course, in our locality this season did not result in many swarms anyway, but we rather think the plan of thus using starters may be of value, and intend trying it again next year. Questions. — (1) How could I find a colony of bees? (2) When bees are gone only 10 minutes, ulout how far would you look for them? Arkan.sas. W. H. Lassiter. Answers. — (1) A good way of locating a colony in a tree is to capture a .few of the bees that are at work in the field, placing them in a box containing a little diluted Septe.mhkr, 1919 G LEANINGS IN BEE C U L T U R E 603 honey, anil then watch their llight as you liberate them. By following in the general direction they take, and from time to time catching more bees, and again liberating them, you will be able to locate the tree. (2) If bees fly a mile in five minutes, and spend two minutes at the tree, one could estimate the distance of the tree by noting how many minutes the bees are gone, subtract two minutes from the number, and divide by 10. Therefore if they are gone 10 minutes the tree is probably about 4/5 of a mile away. This is taking it for granted that the honey fed is of the same consistency as nectar. Questions. — (1) Should an unmated queen get clipped, would she be mated and return to the hive ? (2) How long will hecs live without eating? New Jersey. Arthur Stiebritz. Answers. — (1) If an unmated queen is clipped she will never lay anything but drone eggs, as she could not be mated. Queens are mated only when flying. (2) We have known bees to live over a week during the summer without eating if their honey - sacs were filled with honey at the beginning of that time. How much longer they could live we do not know. Question. — If you give a frame of unsealed brood to a colony having a virgin queen, you sign her death warrant. Repeatedly I have done this and soon found the queen missing and cells started on the brood. Why is this ? I have studied about it a great deal and have come to this conclusion: Bees prefer a laying queen to a virgin. This is well known. When they find eggs in the hive. I thinli they conclude they have a laying queen somewhere in the hive and pro