1882 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 



591 



here in Belmont County, which usually afifoids a 

 great deal of honey just at a time when the bees 

 most need it, and we have not had n failure in locust 

 bloom for some years before lh:s. As the frost 

 killed the fruit-bloom, the bees got no honey from 

 that source. But I kept up the feeding. If I had 

 not I should not have had any bees, especially amonf;- 

 the weak colonies; so I think I have proved to a 

 demonstration, that it pays to feed bees, especially 

 in the spring. Finally, white clover began to 

 bloom much later than usual, but yielded honey 

 from the very start, so the bees began to pick up by 

 their own efforts; but the blossoms and honey both 

 came very slowly, on account of the continuous 

 cold weather; and as I thought this state of things 

 likely to continue, I concluded to take my surplus 

 with the extractor. I am glad now that I did ; for 

 had I depended on getting box honey, I think 1 

 should have failed. So I ordered a "Novice" ex- 

 tractor, with which 1 was well pleased. I brought 

 it from the express ollice in the evening, and I guess 

 I extracted all night (in dream land). But the next 

 morning I went to work in real earnest, and extract- 

 ed from all my hives, from the brood-chamber. My 

 first extracting amounted to 300 lbs., and I think I 

 was never more delighted with any thing than I was 

 with my bees, honey, and extractor. That was the 

 most honey I had ever seen at one time, and the first 

 extracted. In something less than two weeks after, 

 I again extracted about 250 lbs. more, and again 

 about 150 lbs., making in all about 700 lbs. from 8 

 stands and their increase. 



I think now that 1 extracted too closely, as the 

 flow of honey did not continue as long as I expected; 

 but I did not let them starve. Each hive contained 

 some honey or syrup all the time, and I kept feed- 

 ing them a little nearly every night. I increased to 

 18 stands; but when 1 fixed them up for winter I 

 united them to twelve. 



I almost think 1 can hear some of the ABC clnss 

 ask, "How much did you get for your honej% and 

 how did you sell?" Well, I sold it without any 

 trouble, but I sold too low. I sold most of it for 1254 

 cts. per lb., or $1.50 per gallon. I co\)ld have got 15 

 cts. per lb. just as readily, had I asked it; but as ex- 

 tracted honey is a new thing in our town, I thought 

 I would put it at a moderate figure; it was very 

 nice, the most of it being capped. 1 think now, that 

 if I could always sell extracted honey as readilj' as I 

 did this year, I would not bother much with comb 

 honey. So you see my bees have paid me pretty 

 well this bad year, when my box-hive neighbors got 

 but very little. K. M. Denham, 13. 



St. Clairsville, O., Nov. 11, 1882. 



TROUBLES %V1TH THIi: RAIIiROADS, 



ETC. 



.VKE WE IN DANGER OF MAKING A MISTAKE? 



HAVE noted Dadant's articles on the railroads, 

 and I think he is very nearly right. A single 

 individual can do nothing with them. If you 

 expostulate with them they turn their heads side- 

 wise to you, and your words roll in one ear and out 

 of the other. Then they will smile on you very be- 

 nignly, and will " see about it as soon as we can, my 

 dear sir," and walk away. I have been nearly two 

 months getting a package from Indianapoli?, and it 

 has not got here yet. It was stopped at Freeport 

 tin the freight should be paid. They did not let mo 



know where it was till I got a tracer after it. If I 

 am not mistaken, some time ago you argued that it 

 is good for some persons to bo punished for their 

 wrong doings; now, is it not just as right and proper 

 that a railroad man be made to suflfer for the dam- 

 age he carelessly infiicts? They ought to pay for it 

 just as much as you or I in our private deal; and I 

 don't believe one farmer or bee-keeper wants any 

 thing more. 



Bees this year have done pretty well for the short 

 time they had to gather honey. Not much dark 

 honey this year here; 1700 lbs. comb honey, and 

 about l(i.50 lbs. extracted; ;55 fair colonies in the 

 spring, and 5 or 6 queens in 3 and 4 frame hives; 5t 

 swarms now, I believe. V. "W". Keenky. 



Shirland, 111., Nov. 10, 1882. 



Friend K., if you have any confidence in 

 my wisdom or experience, I inay you to be- 

 ware of letting these feelings of hostility to- 

 ward railroad companies get a hold in your 

 heart, I know whereof 1 speak. The offi- 

 cers of the roads are often our near neigh- 

 bors, and are as much disposed to do right 

 as we are ; and they look at us much as we 

 look at them. The reason why they detain 

 packages until the charges are advanced, is 

 because they are subjected to shameful loss- 

 es by farmers, and bee-keepers too, I fear, 

 who order goods thoughtlessly, and then re- 

 fuse to take them from the office, when 

 charged more than they exi)ected. Because 

 of this, several railroads have declared they 

 will not receive any more small freight until 

 tliey are made safe, and none can really 

 blame them very much tor it. Our railroad 

 men here are personal friends of mine, and 

 1 have found them gentlemanly and liberal, 

 when they found I was so disposed myself. 

 " It is not by might nor by power, but by 

 my Spirit, saith the JiOrd;" and may God 

 help us as Christinns to bear it in mind, I 

 I know these railroad officials are careless, 

 and sometimes thoughtless too ; and so are 

 our other neighbors as well. 



FRIEND ITIALONE'S *' SHOWER " OF 

 HONEV. 



FROM 19 TO 56, AND OVER 5000 LBS. OF HONEY. 



f BEG AN the season with 19 swarms, and increased 

 to 56. I have taken 2000 lbs. of honey; have 30 

 ' swarms, with 20 L. frames filled with sealed 

 honey that will average 6 lbs. to the comb. I have 

 six 1-story hives, with a 7-inch cap, with honey- 

 board, and six 6-lb. boxes. The boxes were filled and 

 sold, and I had no more to put on. The bees took 

 possession of the caps and filled them with honey. 

 This I estimate at 40 lbs. to the cap, making 240 lbs. 

 Honey taken, - . . . 2000 lbs. 



Surplus in hives, .... 304s iba. 



Honey in cap, .... 240 lbs. 



Honey in 6-lb. boxes, - - - - 468 lbs. 



Total surplus, .... 

 Honey for winter, . - - 



575(5 lbs. 

 1960 lbs. 



In all, 7716 lbs. 



This is what I reckon as surplus. Now, the re- 

 maining 20 and the just counted have 3 combs each 

 of surplus, and each one of the 56 has 7 combs that 

 will average 5 lbs. to the comb. I know what I am 

 saying. I have weighed and re-weighed, so I know 

 how to calculate. Besides this, my bees filled 500 L. 



