182 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



April 



on the line of blossoms. I crossed the dikes of four 

 quarter-sectioHs, making two miles. I hei-e struck an 

 open slough that I could not cross without a boat. 

 On the banks of this slough I found quite a number 

 of Italians, and also a few black bees, which I con- 

 cluded wore from the Pleasant Ridge apiary. I was 

 nowT'/^ miles from my homo (S'/i by water and 3 by 

 land), and still I found Italians, though not very 

 plenty. Could I have crossed the slough, I am confi- 

 dent I should have found my bees quite a distance 

 further. I followed the slough that ran to the north- 

 oast for half a mile further, and still found bees in 

 tho ratio of 3 blacks to 1 Italian. I was probably 

 nothing less than 5 miles of the black apiary. I then 

 turned back for home, perfectly satisfied with my 

 trip, for I had proven to a certainty that bees would 

 lly from 7 to 8 miles for honey. There could be no 

 mistake, for I am the only one in this part of the 

 country who keeps Italians, and I have never lost a 

 swarm, having always artiticially swarmed my bees 

 before they were ready to swarm naturally. Now, 

 if you think the above Is worth recording, I should 

 like to see it in Gleanings. H. A. March, 



Fidalgo, Whatcom Co., Wash. Ter., March, 1883. 



Many thanks, friend M. I have clianged 

 the statement in the A B C, but still I am 

 inclined to think they would go further over 

 the water, as in your case, than over Iiills 

 and forests, as with us. We have given 

 you credit for §2.50 for that day's work in 

 l)ehalf of the cause of bees and science, as at 

 least a partial payment for the service. If 

 you have goldenrod like that every year, I 

 think it would be a pretty good place for a 

 bee-keeper to go to. 



HONEY FROM THE OAK. 



EN compliance with your request contained in the 

 December No. of Gleanings, I inclose a live- 

 oak twig with two balls attached, from which, 

 at certain seasons of the year, bees procure a cer- 

 tain quantity of honey. These balls are simply nut- 

 galls, from which tho tannic acid of commerce is 

 principally obtained. I can not undertake to ex- 

 plain how a substance yielding, or, rather, contain- 

 ing, tannic acid in such large proportions, will also, 

 by some hidden process of nature, yield honey, an 

 article essentially different in all its properties from 

 tannic acid. But such is the act, for I have often- 

 times seen live-oak trees swarming, not only with 

 bees, but also with many other varieties of insects in 

 pursuit of this honey. Nor can I perceive any pe- 

 culiarity in taste differing from that of honey pro- 

 curetl from many other sources. 



Should you desire to experiment in the cultiva- 

 tion of the live oak, I will take great pleasure in 

 sending you some of the acorns, as soon as they 

 ripen in the fall, though I doubt very much the suc- 

 cess of the experiment in your latitude, as it is a tree 

 indigenous to the Southern climate, and one which 

 I have never seen growing north of Mobile, Ala. 

 With us tho live oak may be considered an ever- 

 green, as it remains perfectly green during the en- 

 tire winter, and, in fact, until the old leaf is pushed 

 off, as it were, by the appearance of the new. As an 

 ornamental or shade tree, it surpasses aU other va- 

 rieties of the oak family; and a grovo of them 

 would remind you of an old and well-preserved 

 apple orchard. It yields. In profuse abundance, a 

 dark brown or nearly black acjrn of an oblong coni- 



cal shape, of a sweetish astringent taste, and of 

 which all quadrupeds, and many of the larger birds, 

 are excessively fond. The timber is highly prized 

 by us for its strength and durability. As an in- 

 stance of tho latter quality, I will mention that I 

 have a gate-post which has been in use for more 

 than thirty-one years. I. A. Wimbish. 



Cuero, DeWitt Co., Texas, Jan. 9, 1883. 



And here is something from another friend 

 who sends us samples: — 



The cuttings of live oak I sent you some time ago, 

 with the apples, or nut-galls, adhering, are the balls 

 spoken of by I. L. VanZandt, and many others, as 

 furnishing bees with considerable honey. 1 don't 

 know that I can give you a better explanation than 

 friend Van Zandt has done in Gleanings of Dec, 

 1881, page 001. We have an abundance of the oak in 

 this section of country, and the bees (and other in- 

 sects) must gather considerable honey from tho 

 balls, for their loud humming will attract your at- 

 tention in passing by the trees. The oak may 

 grow in your country, friend Root, but I doubt 

 whether you have the fly that causes tho growth 

 of the "honey-balls." You will see on the balls 

 I sent you the circle of black spots, showing 

 where the honey was exuded; and in cuttimg them 

 open you will find a little cavity containing the tly, 

 in some stage of growth. If you would like to have 

 a few growing near your apiary, I will try to send 

 you a few small trees next fall. Thos. Balcomd. 



Luling, Caldwell Co., Texas, March 5, 1883. 



Many thanks, my friends. I hardly think 

 I will try growing oak-trees for honey just 

 yet, especially if we are to depend on "bugs" 

 and the like to make the honey-yield. I 

 have had a drawing made of the twig and 

 ball, sent by friend 11. 



TWIG, WITH ONE OV THE BALLS, THAT 

 PRODUCES THE HONEY FROM THE OAK. 



The friends will observe the leaves are 

 not all just alike in shape. The samples 

 sent by the first writer all had a regular 

 curved outline, while the cut shows many 

 with a scalloped or slightly notched edge. I 

 should infer from this, that the honey is not 

 confined to any one species. In fact, re- 

 ports in our back volumes show that honey 

 is often gathered from a species of oak in 

 the JSorth; and, if I am correct, it some- 

 times comes from the buds instead of oak- 

 galls. Those who are curious in the matter 

 can, by means of the indexes, go over the 

 whole matter, for we have had reports of it 

 for nearly ten years past. 



