Gleanings In Bee Culture 



Published by The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio 



H. H. ROOT, Assistant Editor E. R. ROOT, Editor A. L. BOYDEN, Advertising Manager 



A. I. Root, Editor Home Department J. T. CALVERT, Business Manager 



Entered at the Postoffice, Medina. Ohio, ae Second-class Matter. 



VOL. XXXVIII 



FEBRUARY 1, 1910 



NO. 3 



EDITORIAL 



By E. R. Root. 



Did it ever occur to you that a breakfast 

 food tastes better, when honey is used to 

 sweeten it, when it is cold than when hot? 

 Honey poured over any hot food will lose a 

 part of its delicate flavor, consequently the 

 editor has his breakfast food served at the 

 same time with the rest of the family, but 

 eats it last of all, making it a sort of dessert. 

 By that time it has cooled; then he spreads 

 upon it mountain sage or alfalfa honey with 

 a liberal supply of good cream. None of the 

 flavor of the honey is lost, and the breakfast 

 food itself is just as good — yes, even better. 

 Try it, dear reader, and see if you do not 

 agree with us. 



Newspapers and magazines all over the 

 country are discussing the present high cost 

 of living. What is the reason for the often- 

 times excessive cost of food? Has honey 

 increased in price proportionately? These 

 and other questions relative to the topic will 

 be dealt with in our next issue by two of 

 our correspondents who are in a position to 

 speak with authority. 



The following letter from O. L. Hershiser 

 is timely and to the point: 



It seems to me there is something wrong somewhere 

 when the price of living is getting out of sight and the 

 prices of apiarian products remain stationary. I want 

 to see better prices for honey if every thing else is to 

 be high, so we bee-keepers may have a fair show in 

 the fight for a livelihood. I am of the opinion that a 

 lot of bee-keepers are to blame. Many others do not 

 read bee journals or market quotations, and sell in ig- 

 norance of the value of their product. If honey were 

 even a cent higher it would do a lot of good. It is im- 

 possible to make any thing putting up honey in tum- 

 blers when it is sold by jobbers here at 85 cts. per doz. 



THE COVER DESIGN; BEE-KEEPERS OF ANCIENT 

 GREECE. 



We do not know when the Greeks became 

 bee-keepers; yet at a period of time when 

 many other great nations were yet unborn 

 we find these classic people engaged in hon- 

 ey production. They seem to have produc- 

 ed vast quantities of this delicious food, for 

 the poets and historians are very profuse in 

 their praises of the industry. This aJone is 

 proof that the bee-keeper was a factor worthy 

 of attention. The fame of the honey of Mt. 

 Hymettus reached from the Pillars of Her- 

 cules to Colchis. 



The drawing shows a Greek bee-keeper of 

 the "Macedonian Supremacy " period paying 

 a forced tribute of honey to the tax collector. 

 The hives shown are not of straw, as they 

 appear to be, but are made of woven splints 

 or wood, much after the fashion of the hick- 

 ory corn-baskets of our fathers. The bees 

 of Greece were quite likely of the yellow va- 

 riety. 



THE ALEXANDER METHOD OF CURING FOUL 

 BROOD (BLACK BROOD). 



More evidence is still coming in, showing 

 that there is undoubtedly some merit, at 

 least, in the Alexander cure. One letter, 

 especially, comes from the author of the Mc- 

 Evoy treatment, and we are glad to place 

 this before our readers: 



Mr. E. R. Root:— Dr. C. C. Miller did well in curing 

 his apiary of disease in an off year and in a very try- 

 ing time. He has few equals as a practical bee-keeper. 

 I am much pleased over his success, as it confirms al- 

 most all I have ever claimed. I felt like going over the 

 doctor's article and writing a few lines which would 

 be in his favor; but as others will, no doubt, take a 

 hand, I will leave it to them. 



We are having a line winter so far — ground all C9V- 

 ered with snow enough to save clover if it remains 

 long enough. Wm. McEvoy. 



Woodburn, Ontario, Can. 



Italics ours. As this letter came unsolicit- 

 ed, and from one of the best authorities on 

 brood diseases in the world, it doubtless will 

 have some weight. We are anxious to gath- 

 er in all the testimony both for and against 

 the Alexander treatment, and we hope to 

 hear from others, including, of course, Mr. 

 McEvoy. 



THE CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE TO BE TAKEN 

 THIS YEAR; THE UNRELIABILITY OF FORMER 

 CENSUS FIGURES AS THEY RELATE TO BEE 

 CULTURE; SOME DIFFICULTIES FOR 1909. 



According to the usual practice of a de- 

 cennial census, the thirteenth census of the 

 United States will be made this year. The 

 agricultural census, which will form part of 

 this general census, will be taken between 

 April 15 and May 1, and the enumeration 

 will be as of April 15. The reports on crops 

 will be for the year 1909. The bee-keepers 

 of the country will be interested in this cen- 

 sus, for this is almost the only means which 

 we have at present of learning the extent of 

 the industry or what its growth has been. 



We can supplement census data somewhat 

 by general impressions and careful estimates; 

 but, unfortunately, census figures in the past 

 have not been very satisfactory. For ex- 

 ample, the census of 1900 gave the total hon- 



