GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



June, 1918 



HEADS OF GRAIN lPFRO^r^'^ DIF FEREN T FIELDS 



Not Due to The articles on Isle of 



Damp Climate. Wight disease have 



been of great interest 

 to me, as I have had some quite bad cases 

 of it among my colonies. This is a dry cli- 

 mate with about 12 inches of average rain- 

 fall. Our spring is early and the bees breed 

 from late July until early April and during 

 the late winter and early spring there are 

 ample honey and pollen coming in for brood- 

 rearing. Yet the disease is here and, not 

 even at midsummer, does it always do the 

 disappearing trick. 1 have never lost a colo- 

 ny from the disease, but have had some very 

 weak ones. I saw a queen affected a short 

 time ago, but I am sorry to say that I did 

 not mark the hive, and therefore can not tell 

 what became of her. One colony badly af- 

 fected last season is not nearly as bad this 

 year. I make mention of the Isle of Wight 

 disease because many writers appear to 

 blame a wet climate and bad stores for its 

 appearance, and believe that it will disap- 

 pear with the improvement of weather con- 

 ditions. Leonard A. Chappie. 

 Berri, Australia. 



How the Pollen A few years ago I no- 



Is Packed. ticed an article in 



Gleanings in which 

 the writer stated that it was difficult for 

 him to detect how a bee adjusted the pollen 

 to its legs. I have watched them many 

 times, and will admit that on a single flower 

 they will work and leave so swiftly that 

 there is but little opportunity to observe 

 their work; and it was only on a cluster of 

 bloom that I had a chance to observe the 

 operation clearly. Last summer, when the 

 corn tassel was in bloom, I watched the 

 pollen-adjusting with ease. A bee would 

 rise from the tassel some four or five inches, 

 and, while looking it over for ungatherecl 

 pollen, would rapidly use its central feet, to 

 which the pollen had adhered, by rubbing 

 them dextrously on the rear legs. Having 

 done this, the bee would alight on another 

 unhar vested bloom and continue the process. 

 Of course, old beekeepers have seen this 

 many times, but to the amateur this ob- 

 servation will give a decided thrill of pleas- 

 ure. C. E. Graves. 

 Blue Ridge, Texas. 



THE BACKLOT BUZZER. 

 Are we soldiers? ]'o« bet we arc. Ma -inj/s there's just two things to do 

 and raise honey to beat the Uun-s and 'tother is to go go 

 European foul brood. 



One is to sfni/ home 

 over there " and help stamp out the 



