706 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Sept. 15. 



I went up to a mountain village to visit a Chris- 

 tian. His father and mother were very aged, 

 and, after the common custom of the land, he 

 had their coffins all ready, finished up and var- 

 nished over nicely, in a shed adjoining his 

 house. The cover of each coffin rested loosely 

 on it; and a swarm of bees, finding a place large 

 enough at the edge of one of the covers, had ta- 

 ken pos-^ession of the coffin. 



This part of China abounds in woods and 

 trees, yet I have never, but once, seen a swarm 

 of bees in a hollow tree. That one exception 

 was in an immense camphor-tree which stood 

 just at the entrance of a village. Chinese bees 

 seem to be almost as much domesticated as cats 

 or dogs. They have no special attachment to 

 any particular place or person; and if their 

 hive becomes infested with moths, or in any 

 way unacceptable to them, they abscond; but, 

 so far as I have observed, they always locate in 

 or near some human habitation. Buddhism 

 makes a Chinaman loath to take the life of any 

 thing not hurtful ; and the coming of a swarm 

 of bees to a house is considered a lucky eveiTT, 

 bringing good luck. The operation of these two 

 causes has made human habitations the safest 

 place for bees for ages past, and the consequence 

 seems to be a domesticated race of bees. 



In this climate, where frosts are rare and se- 

 vere freezes are unknown, we build our houses 

 with a double wall made of lath and plaster, 

 one on the inside, the other on the outside. 

 This leaves an empty space, about six inches 

 wide, between the two faces. One of our houses 

 here is just now unoccupied, the family being 

 away for the summer. A few days ago a swarm 

 of bees, finding a crack between the mop-board 

 and the floor of the veranda, located themselves 

 between the walls of the house. This is anoth- 

 er instance of the propensity of Chinese bees to 

 locate themselves in human dwellings. 



Shaowu, China. June 4. J. E. Walker. 



Best time fer spreadin' brood is— after the 

 brood has hatched. 



Bees kin be united without enny fightln' — in 

 the pupa stage. 



Good queens will sometimes lay more eggs in 

 the spring of the year'n the bees kin kiver. 



If a feller knowed all about the hunny-bee 

 he'd have to know all about God him'self, and 

 that is impossible. 



I'd ruther be in it every yeer with a few good 

 kolonies well taken keer of than to be out of it 

 half the time with a hull gee-raft. 



I make my supers hump themselves so as to 

 hold 32 sections, and, after keerful testin', I have 

 found that a helthy kolony will komplete that 

 menny jist as quick as ihey will 24. 



Baitin' supers is like feedin' katnip tea to 

 young infants— it may not do enny harm, but 

 does it axually do enny good ? 



By way of 'sperimenU sirup made of granu- 

 lated sugar wuz fed thick enuff to harden be- 

 fore the bees kapped it over, and the kolony 

 pulled through the winter, owin' to the mois- 

 ture in the atmosfeer, I s'pose. 



Hybrid bees kin hear when they are tryin' 

 to git at you through your veil, as the follerin' 

 'speriment proves: Set your teeth together and 

 give the grand hailin' sign of a bee in distress 

 by imitatin' the sound a hunny-bee makes 

 when pinched, and thay will redouble their 

 efforts to sting you. Try it. 



If bees hain't protected frura heat, comb 

 built on wired foundashun will sag in two er 

 three seezins' use until drones will be razed 

 along the top-bar. It's a fax. 



Durin' apple-bloom, queen-cells wuz started; 

 and then several days after, when they orter o' 

 knowed better, with hardly enny hunny left, 

 and none comin' in, the bees k'menced throwin' 

 off swarms — which is a proof that the presence 

 of queen-cells is a powerful cause of swarmin'. 



FATE. 



See me, see me as I rush 

 To the lightin' board, and brush 

 Off my coat of yellow plush. 

 Ready fer a romp and play 

 Round the apiary to-day ! 

 I'm a dandy, so thay say, 

 And for beauty stand alone 

 'Mongst the bees — and I must own 

 Up that I'm a hand-picked drone ! 

 But, alas ! the farmer's hen 

 Happened 'round that way jist then — 

 She belonged to the Shanghigh 

 Breed; and when she got her eye 

 On that drone she nabbed him by 

 His plush collar, and in two 

 Seconds he wuz gone frum view 

 In a happy " hum, sweet hum," 

 Whare all bees must go to sum 

 Sweet day; and now he must own 

 Up that he's a hen-pecked drone ! 

 Alexandria, Ind. Ellery Krum. 



Bees have not done much for three years un- 

 til the last two weeks. Now they are booming. 

 It's from second growth of white clover, Jap- 

 anese buckwheat or corn, or altogether. Pros- 

 pect is good for fall honey. We have had 

 abundant rains. Thomas Shepherd. 



Barry, 111., Aug. 9. 



Bees have done well this season. I have 3000 

 lbs. from 40 colonies, spring count, and 25 

 swarms. There are good prospects for 100 lbs. 

 per colony, ^ring count. I am selling the hon- 

 ey at lOc per lb. This honey is all extracted, 

 and fine quality. Wm. Malone. 



Newbern, Iowa, Aug. 22. 



COMMON swamp MII.KWEED — ASCLEPIAS 



incaknata. 

 I mail you a flower to be named. It is be- 

 coming more plentiful here in my vicinity, and 



