322 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 15. 



Smith Grove, Ky., made a series of experiments 

 in the use of milk and honey, and of milk, hon- 

 ey, and eggs. All the tests gave help to the 

 bees when too cool for pollen-gathering; but 

 the trouble with milk in all the tests we made 

 was that it would sour in a short time in the 

 feeder; and, also, if bees stored a very little in 

 excess of consumption, it would sour in the 

 combs and become an injurious compound; 

 but if it could be so fed that only a daily con- 

 sumption was mixed and taken up by the bees, 

 we thought that, during cold and backward 

 springs, it would be a help. But we would not 

 advise its use at other times, and then only 

 sparingly. I have never given it any further 

 trial. We found that the milk, eggs, and honey 

 made the best food, being richer in the albu- 

 mens, but it would sour sooner. The mixture 

 was similar in character to the custard-pie 

 mixture, except it was made thinner. All was 

 boiled together. I have found by trial that, 

 for pollen, to feed cotton-seed meal outside in a 

 covered box is good for feed when pollen is 

 scarce. John Craycraft. 



Astor Park, Fla., Jan. 8. 



• MALTED MILK. 



In Gleanings, p. 142, the question is asked 

 by F. Greiner, "What is malted milk?" The 

 editor replies on the following page, " I can not 

 tell you what is malted milk. Very likely it is 

 a secret preparation known only to the manu- 

 facturers." 



Now, as I happen to know something about 

 that preparation, having used it myself, and 

 prescribed it for invalids, I beg leave to say 

 that, in my opinion, it is the best preparation 

 of milk ever put upon the market, for invalids, 

 as a recuperative diet for debility, or a weak 

 stomach. It is also very palatable. Being of 

 recent introduction, it appears many are not 

 acquainted with it or its qualities, but it is 

 pretty generally known and used by physicians, 

 and kept in stock by many druggists. 



I presume it never entered into the heads of 

 the manufacturers that apiarists would want 

 to use it to feed to bees. Having no personal 

 interests in its sale I would refer you to the 

 manufacturers for further information, and 

 samples, which they have been very liberal to 

 supply. Mailed milk is manufactured by the 

 Horlick Food Co., Racine, Wis. 



Pleasant Hill, 111. A. Mosher, M. D. 



QUESTION OF GRADING NOT DOWNED. 



It would seem that the question of grading 

 will not down. In a late issue of Gleanings 

 you spoke of bringing up the subject again. I 

 think the matter was discussed all that was 

 necessary. What is wanted now is action. All 

 hands are pretty well agreed as to how to grade. 

 Dr. Miller's grade suits me well enough, with 

 the exception of one thing: A few cells uncap- 

 ped next the wood should be allowed; other- 



wise, where honey is made very fast, the very 

 choicest of the honey will have to grade No. 2. 



My plan now is to print small cheap slips, 

 reading something like this? "The honey in 

 this crate is graded according to the rules laid 

 down by the Miller grade, which is as follows: 

 Parties buying or selling honey will please quote 

 this grade." 



F«?icy.— Combs straight, white, well filled, firmly 

 fastened to wood on all four sides; all cells sealed; 

 no pollen, propolis, nor travel-stain. 



No. i.— Wood well scraped, or entirely free from 

 propolis; one side of the section sealed with white 

 cappings, free from pollen, and having all cells 

 sealed except the line of cells next the wood; the 

 other side while, or but slightly discolored, with 

 not more than two cells of pollen, and not more 

 than ten cells unsealed btside the line of cells 

 touching the wood; comb fastened to the wood on 

 four sides. 



No. 2.— Three-fourths of the total surface must be 

 filled and s^ealed; wood well scraped of propolis. 



No. .i.— Must weigh at least half as much as a full- 

 weight section. 



For the classes of honey I would suggest the four 

 already in use, sufficiently understood from the 

 names alone; namely, liyht, amhcr, dark, micced. 



The grade marked on the crate would desig- 

 nate the contents. Larger copies could be 

 printed for the use of commission men and deal- 

 ers. A slip could be put into every crate sold, 

 and placed where they would do the most good. 

 Having once gained a foothold it would surely 

 spread. Thos. Elliott. 



Harvard, 111. 



The Miller grading referred to I take from 

 our issue for June 15, 1892, page 454. 



This was a compromise of the grading sug- 

 gested by J. A. Green and W. C. Frazier— the 

 grading proprosed at Albany, and the one at 

 Chicago, combining, as I understand it, accord- 

 ing to the best judgment of the doctor, the best 

 points in all. Some of the former gradings 

 were too exact, and too dii'licult to comply with. 

 Others were too wordy. If I remember correct- 

 ly, no other grade since that time was suggest- 

 ed, and I am going to assume, at least, that our 

 readers at the time had no particular objection 

 to it. 



But, say. friend Elliott, if I have selected the 

 right grading, and Dr. Miller proposed no other, 

 his No. 1 does permit of a line of uncapped cells 

 next to the wood. 



I was sorry that the subject of grading was 

 dropped some years ago, without coming to any 

 decision. I have always felt that a poor grad- 

 ing was better than none at all, providing that 

 all could adopt the same system in referring to 

 their qualities of honey. Now, lest we get into 

 the same snarl we did before in criticising and 

 suggesting until no grading was left, I would 

 suggest that, if this Miller grading is not so 

 " awfully " bad, we adopt it. 



I am of the opinion the bee-journals can do 

 as much as or more in this line than any associ- 

 ation or convention of bee-keepers. If they (the 

 journals) were to agree on some system of grad- 

 ing, and then request all their commission men 

 to quote prices on honey according to that 

 grading, it would not take very long before it 

 would be universally applied. Gleanings 

 stands ready to co-operate with any of its co- 

 temporaries.— Ed.] 



winter feeding; how^ to do it in the cel- 

 lar. 

 "J The question has been asked of late, how to 

 feed a swarm in the winter, that is short of 



