1893 



GLEANINCi8 IN BEE CULTURE. 



737 



RAMBLE 93. 



NEW OK OLD fOMBS. 



The delightfui and invigorating experience I 

 enjoyed in Cold Water Canyon gave me a desire 

 for a still further experience of nearly the same 

 kind in the higher altitudes of the noble San 

 Bernardino Mountains: and on Aug. lOlh the 

 Rambler might have been seen astride a line 

 horse, loping across the country from Redlands 

 to San Bernardino, a distance of nine miles. 



The benetits of a horseback ride, from the 

 point of view of health, can not be overestimat- 

 ed. There is not a corpuscle of blood, nor a 

 ganglion nor a nerve center, but gets shaken 

 up; and there can be no stagnation in the 

 system of an habitual horseback-rider. The 

 fresh morning fragrance of the gum-trees, in 



the shade of which I galloped, and the com- 

 panionship of a strong and noble animal, were 

 also factors not to be lightly considered. A 

 recent writer claims that the evidences of rev- 

 elation and reason prove that there is a future 

 life for horses; and if any animal deserves the 

 honor of a happy future it is surely the noble 

 and useful horse. When we descend from the 

 horse and get astride the cycle we lose the 

 companionship, for the latter is only a machine, 

 and that is where it fails in its comparison to a 

 horse. 



My destination was the ranch of our bee- 

 keeping friend Mr. Geo. Ferguson, a little be- 

 yond San Bernardino. At this rendezvous our 

 friend Wilder, the expert hunter and camper, 

 was to miM>t me. and from thence we were to 

 strike direct for the mountains for a sojourn of 

 several days. Arriving some little time ahead 

 of my friend I had the opportunity of visiting 

 awhile with Mr. Ferguson, who was busy ir- 

 rigating his Held of corn. We gradually drifted 

 to the house and the shade, and our conversa- 

 tion there naturally fell into the topics of bee 

 culture: and old versus new combs were fully 

 discussed. While we find now and then a be<'- 

 keeper who advocates the renewing of his 

 combs with new foundation every four or five 

 years, we rarely find one who puts it into 

 practice. Mr. F. said that he never renewed a 

 comb as long as it could be used, and he had 

 some in his hives that he knew were fifteen 

 years old. The Rambler had also used combs 

 in his eastern apiary that were twelve years 

 old, and in both cases no had results were visi- 

 ble. In the use of old combs our experience 

 was similar, in observing that be(;s will store 

 honey in an old comb in preference to a new 



one. If four old combs and four new ones are 

 inserted in a super, either alternate or each 

 four by themselves, the four old combs will be 

 filled with honey before the new ones show 

 much honey. Experiencing this inclination of 

 the bees in such a marked manner, we conclud- 

 ed that the reason why the honey was stored 

 in the old combs was their better heat-retaining 

 qualities, and that the ripening process was 

 more rapid in such combs. Another point, 

 these old black combs ai'e renewed to a much 

 greater degree than many think. The uncap- 

 ping process, the inroads of the moth-miller, 

 and various mishaps to the comb when used for 

 several years, renew the outer ends of the cells 

 if not the base; and we left the discussion of 

 old versus new combs with a resolve to never 

 throw away a good comb, even if it were black 

 with age. 



We also agreed upon the gen- 

 erous use of foundation; and 

 upon a comparison of notes 

 found that there was much dif- 

 ference in the working of mills, 

 even from the best of care in 

 the manufacture. Although the 

 Root mills are made with care, 

 and nicely adjusted machinery, 

 there seems to be one occasion- 

 ally that refuses to do good 

 work. The Rambler brings viv- 

 idly to mind a California bee- 

 keeper who was struggling with 

 a mill that had a kink for con- 

 trariety in it; and said bee- 

 keeper was not only sweating, 

 but using very profane language 

 with every thing connected with the mill. A few 

 days after I called again, and satisfied smiles 

 wreathed the face of the former profane man, 

 and the cause was a new Root mill which 

 woiked like a charm, and beautiful section 

 foundation was being rapidly rolled out with- 

 out a hitch. 



Mr. F. had experienced trouble of a similar 

 kind, except the swearing: and I mention the 

 above fact as a sort of hint to the makers of 

 foundation-mills in the Home of the Honey- 

 bee, that their best machines are real mission- 

 aries among those who are inclined to be pro- 

 fane when crosses are laid upon them. This 

 should surely be an incentive to make every 

 mill a perfect one, as I have no doubt they now 

 are. for the bad-working mills were made at an 

 earlier date. 



In the midst of our conversation my traveling 

 companion Wilder came brushing through the 

 orange-trees, mounted on a large gray horse, 

 and leading the bronco Vick, with a jack sad- 

 dle loaded down with camp equipage and two 

 guns.' Our friend, who is very urbane and well 

 poised in demeanor, was evidently laboring 

 under great excitement; and, leaping from his 

 horse, he proceeded lo inform us. with much 

 suppressed emotion, that the greatest advance 

 ever made in bee culture was about to be 

 accomplished. 

 "Do tell!" said I. 

 " You don't say I" said F. 



'■ Well, gentlemen, the working time of the 

 honey-bee is about to hv doubled. It may 

 seem to be a mean trick to play upon the al- 

 ready overworked bee; but the fact is, a; report 

 comes froTU the World's Fair that a California 

 bee-keeper, not yet satisfied with his wond(!rful 

 yields of hon(\v. is trying to breed a cross be- 

 tween! the Italian bee and the American light- 

 ning-bug. The great advantage is apparent — 

 th<^ bee can then carry its own light, and work 

 night and day." 



'•Wonderful I remarkable! eureka!" shouted 

 Mr. F. and I, rising in excitement to our feet. 



