250 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 



May 



hives that is in round balls that look like poUen? I 

 saw a bee alight on my pants the other day, and I 

 saw him drop something on my knee that looked 

 just like what I see on the bottom-board. 



I believe the dry excrement is now a set- 

 tled matter. 



■WHITE BEES. 



Did you ever see or hear of a white bee? I saw a 

 young white bee alight on the alighting-board, while 

 I was looking at young bees playing last summer. 

 It was so white that the boards seemed to be a 

 muddy color. I noticed it closclj', and there was no 

 mistake. 



Bees have wintered well, and are now gathering 

 honey from the willow — what we call prairie wil- 

 low. It grows on wild land, from 1 to 3 feet high. It 

 beats all the other willow we have in this country 

 for honey and pollen. Fruit is opening now, and 

 buckeye will soon follow; and if I can get my hives 

 full of bees I will have some buckeye honey. Tell 

 friend Hayhurst that the Cyprian bee becomes as 

 gentle as the Italian after handling them for one 

 year, I can't see any difiference this spring. The 

 cross between the two races, I like the best. 



Oaklej', la., April 10, 1883. Wm. Malone. 



The white bees you mention are the real 

 Albinos. I believe no one has ever yet seen 

 a hive full of such. The Albinos sent out 

 by some of our friends in the Sovith are 

 simply light-colored Italians, and none have 

 ever been sent us that would even be called 

 any thing else than Italians, were not the 

 slight difference pointed out. 



]adi^^' f^j^arlipwl. 



^ CAN only recapitulate what I know you hear 

 J(|_ until I wonder you are not vain. How precious 

 Gleanings has become, with its fresh bright 

 pages once a month! All are anxious to read it, 

 from grandpa down to little Daisy, who enjoys look- 

 ing at "Merrybanks." The other day, an old-time 

 bee-keeper called to see my brother's bees, and, in 

 brother Will's absence, I, out of the kindness of my 

 heart, undertook to show him the workings of the 

 movable frame in the Simplicity hive. He looked 

 at me with a sneer, and said, "Why, we will soon all 

 be hcc-men." My brother is getting his new chaff 

 hives painted, and when we get the bees in them we 

 will have an apiary to be proud of. I have named it 

 " The Branch,'* as it really is a branch of Rev. Mr. 

 Woodburn's, of Livermore. 



Mrs. Bell L. Duncan. 

 Black Lick,' Pa., April 4, 1883. 



Thank you, my good friend ; but you 

 know I have growls enough mixed in with 

 the kind words, to keep me from getting 

 vain ; and it is quite likely they do me good. 

 Such bright cheery letters as yours always 

 make me happy, though, in spite of the 

 growls ; and may God bless you and the 

 -Branch apiary, in your mission of shedding 

 sunshine ! and tell our old friend Wood- 

 burn, " long may his branches wave." 



veils of wire cloth, etc. 

 If Mrs. Harrison would sew the wire cloth to a 

 comfortably fitting chip hat, such as small boys 

 wear in the country, I think she would find it better 



than her flat crown. If the wire cloth is cut 6 inches 

 deep it will not touch the shoulder or head in any 

 place, and will keep its proper place on the head, no 

 matter how much we move. No other shade is need- 

 ed to protect from sun. We also cut out a part of 

 the wire before the eyes, and cover with brusscis 

 net. I think it is better for the eyes. I would like 

 to ask Mrs. H. if prespiration hardens buckskin 

 gloves. Elizabeth H. McClymonds. 



Tcmpleton, Armstrong Co., Pa., March 30, 1883. 



We have not offered wire-cloth veils for 

 sale, because of their injurious effect on the 

 eyes ; but by putting on a brussels net face, 

 as suggested, we might get a much more 

 durable veil than any we have now. A cloth 

 veil is easily doubled up and pvit away, but 

 a wire-cloth one must occupy just about so 

 much room any way. For all this, a wire- 

 cloth veil may be a thing needed. I think 

 we can rig one up, hat and all, for about 75 

 cts.; but how are we to ship such a bulky 

 thing, either by mail, express, or freight? 

 Perhaps we could roll the wire cloth up and 

 put inside the hat, and put in printed di- 

 rections for '' setting up the structure." If 

 there are enough of you who want one of 

 that kind, we will get up a lot. The wire 

 cloth and hat would not be easily torn or in- 

 jured, unless it was the brussels net getting 

 torn out, and this could be easily and cheap- 

 ly replaced, 



1 hope next time friend Jones has a communica- 

 tion to make like that in April No. of Gleanings, 

 page 176, he will include women also; for I think 

 they can " s'.eal a living and do it honestly," as well 

 as men. I have charge of 43 colonies, all wintered 

 on the summer stands, with no losses, and all now 

 in good condition. If we have a good season I will 

 tell you in the fall how a Sunday-school girl can 

 steal a nectarious living. I have not much to brag 

 about, but I was the first lady member of the New 

 Jersey and Eastern Bee-keepers' Association. I can 

 handle our Cyprian bees almost entirely without 

 smoke; just a puff or two at the entrance. That is 

 not very cross, is it? M. J. T. 



Stelton, N. J., April 18, 1882. 



I am sure, my friend, Mr. Jones meant to 

 include women in what he said ; and if he 

 did not, I do •, for I have satisfied myself 

 that an earnest '' Sunday-school girl " can 

 do any thing that requires brains, that a 

 man can do, if she wants to. We shall be 

 very glad to hear from you again, '' M. J. T." 



APRIL DAYS, AND APRIL GLEANINGS. 



April, five of 'em; and such daysl cut from the 

 best piece; sunshiny, warm, balmy, just the right 

 conditions for the secretion of honey. Peach-trees 

 in bloom, and box-elders opening. Heavily laden 

 bees rushing into the hives — all is lovely. We've 

 spent a delightful evening reading Gleanings. It 

 reminded us of the little girl writing to the ^duocafe, 

 "We are all getting gooder and gooder all the time 

 at our house." An evening among the " stalwarts " 

 ought to be enjoyed by all lovers of the bee:— Muth, 

 Heddon, Doolittle (or, rather, do a great deal), Jones, 

 the Christian lady Mrs. Axtell, and Mr. Duster, on 

 the qui Vive, were present, with A. I. Root as presid- 

 ing officer. It was a grand repast, and no April fool- 

 ing either. Lay the cloth and we'll gather around 

 the table May 1st. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



Peoria, 111., April, 1883. 



