1882 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



339 



blossom sufficiently to pay in dollars and 

 cents? A neighbor wanted to buy that ten 

 acres a few days ago, on -w hich I had, as 

 lie thought, " fooled away so much money." 

 The land cost me $400. I told him he could 

 have it for S2000 and no less, and I pre- 

 sume he thought I was crazier still. 



A STRING OF SKiGESTIONS FROM 

 FRIFIVn BROOKS. 



THE SWARM-CATCHER, AND OTHER MATTERS. 



^5^0U say, that if my s warm-catcher is not com" 

 jl([ pletc as it is, some of the bright boys and 

 — ' girls will be sure to discover the "missing 

 link " ere the season passes. I could have made an 

 addition to the model sent you, by inserting a tri- 

 angular piece of cloth in Ihc gap made when we lay 

 down the side C, when hiving a swarm. I use it 

 just as I sent it, and as shown in the illustration, as 

 the bulk of the swarm generally clusters down on 

 the apron with their ciigcd queen. Those prefer- 

 ring this gap filled out can have it so, using a thin 

 piece of cloth, so it will easily fold inside the catcher 

 while catching the swarm. However, if it can be 

 improved in any way, "let's have it." AVc can't 

 have things too handy in the apiary. I see you have 

 allowed me fS.OO for "professional services " ren' 

 dcred the craft. Here's my ffS^, friend Root, with 

 many thanks. 



Now I Bhould like to make a suggestion, and per- 

 haps you can start another department in Glean- 

 ings, as you and I believe the majority of bee-keep- 

 ers are opposed to patenting articles in the apiary. 

 Could there not be an association formed of bee- 

 keepers for the "encouragement of inventors" of 

 non-patented articles for the apiarist's use? Come 

 to think of it, friend Root, you have it nearly started 

 now. You pay for the idea of any thing you find to 

 bo new, and think will be a benefit to bee-keepers. 

 Now, could you not think of some plan that would 

 give more encouragement? How would it do to 

 start a list of those who are willing to pay for any 

 thing that, after a trial, proves to be a benefit to 

 thorn? Of course, there would be nothing compul- 

 sory about it, and it would be optional with each 

 one to pay nothing, or whatever he might think the 

 Idea worth to him. Subscribers to this list cnuld 

 also make their wants known, if any. For in- 

 stance,— 



John Brown, Canton, Ohio. 

 Wanted.— AdjugtcMc Divii^ion-hoard. 

 We want an exchange of ideas, and something 

 should be done to bring it about. No doubt but 

 there are many useful things being discovered that 

 are kept from the public, simplj' because of the lack 

 of "money inducement" to bring them out. Men 

 generally, do not care to work for the glory of the 

 thing; but let there be a little pay in it, and see how 

 quickly they fall into line. The idea of patenting 

 hives, etc., is about dead. But let's not bury invent- 

 ive genius with it, but give it all encouragement 

 possible. 



kloer's bee-feeder, 

 I used feeders like it ten years ago, and I know it 

 to be a good feeder. The objections I had to it, as 

 well as many others I have made, is that they must 

 be taken off the hive to be refilled. Who will be first 

 to get up a ;'c, der to be useil oji toj) the frames, that 

 will fi-ed from the bottom close to the bees, and can 

 be filled while on the hive, and show when it's empty? 



Who will invent a simple division-board for both 

 winter and summer use, one that will adjust itself to 

 fit the hive bee-tight in every direction, and bang on 

 the rabbets; also a<lrait of letting the tees i ass un- 

 der it or not, as the operator desires, without lifting 

 off the rabbets? 



THE weather. 



Well, you all know how it is yourself. I sent South 

 for a nucleus containing drones, thinking to steal a 

 march on my own bees, but that cold snap put an 

 end to them. The bees killed them all off, almost, 

 before I knew it. I could have saved them, perhaps, 

 by making them queeDless,l)ut the weather remain- 

 ed cold so long that I was prevented from rearing 

 queens, and diil not gain any time after all. I win- 

 tered on summer stands this last winter; all came 

 through in good condition except one I found queen- 

 less this spring. I gave it a comb of brood and bees, 

 and now they have a laying queen. We are having 

 warmer weather now, with plenty of drones flying, 

 and queen-rearing under way. Jos. M. Brooks. 



Columbus, Ind., May 5, 1882. 



I approve your suggestion in regard to a 

 contribution "for the encouragement of the 

 friends who have given us valuable inven- 

 tions, friend B., but I do not at present see 

 how it can be carried out. The principal 

 trouble standing in the way is the fact that 

 inventions which seem to promise a great 

 deal at first glance, often never come into 

 use at all, and those that are in use may be 

 dropped for something better to-morrow,— 

 the Tarker machine, for an illustration. 



POISONiNG 'JTHK BEES BECAUSE THEY 

 INJDRE THE FRUIT. 



fWANT to ask a favor of you in regard to bees 

 injuring fruit by working on the blossom. Wo 

 — have some people here who have been putting 

 out poison of some kind to kill the bees, and have 

 accomplished it to some extent. Please answer soon 

 and oblige. Mus. Ruth A. Brown. 



Fostoria, O., May 26, 1882. 



My friend, your people need enlighten- 

 ment. Can you not overcome their preju- 

 dices in some way, enough to show them 

 how sadly they are mistakenV In our last 

 number we had a most convincing experi- 

 ment, showing that fruit can not be raised 

 without the agency of bees, or some similar 

 means. It might be well to quote them the 

 law against injuring a neighbor's stock. 



POISONING the bees, AGAIN, 



Some of our very intelligent citizens have taken a 

 notion that bees injure the fruit by extracting the 

 secretion, or nectar, of the blossoms. Acting upon 

 this idea, and not being troubled by any notions of 

 honesty, they are now poisoning our bees, so that we 

 shall have no surplus honey or bees. There are 

 about 40 colonies that have been destroyed entire. 

 They use some tasteless poison mi.xed with honey or 

 syrup, and they nearly all die before reaching home. 

 A few return loaded, and die at the mouth of the 

 hive. The young bees within the hive are all healthy 

 and strong. Wm. M. Cake. 



Fostoria, O., May 27, 1882. 



Friend C, are you sure vou are not mista- 

 ken in thisV There is one feature of the bee 

 disease, or spring dwindling, that operates 

 very much as you describe. If any personsj 



