102 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Fei?. 



in the hives during the operation, choosing 

 a day cool enough so they will not be likely 

 to smother, and then get them all back into 

 their proper places as quickly as possible, 

 before letting them out. If you had told us 

 where you live, we could judge better as to 

 what the weather may be in April ; but, as 

 a matter of course, they will fly before re- 

 moving, and are pretty sure to immediately 

 afterward. 



^EP6R¥g ENceaR^eiN6. 



SIX YEARS OF SUCCESS IN BEE-KEEPING; A NET 

 PROFIT OF $1684:. 



As this is a holiday 1 thought I would send along- 

 to you a report of my six years' success in bees and 

 honey, as the years of failure are to come as yet. 

 Now, friend Root, what I have done in these years, 

 I don't say everybody in this wide world can do. It 

 would be an impossibility without the gifts and 

 (lualiflcations. These gifts, in the first place, are 

 love, then patience, and continual looking for the 

 reward. I believe this is a special calling for the 

 Lord's children, not so much for the money as for 

 the pleasure in looking after and caring for one of 

 the smallest of God's created insects for the sus- 

 tenance of man in this last age of opposition to the 

 truth as it is revealed in Christ Jesus. 



By legal calling I am a farmer and dairyman. 



I added one swarm of bees to this calling in 1884. 

 From this I received 40 lbs. of honey, and increased 

 to three colonies in the fall, at an expense of $13. 



In the spring of 188.5 I added two more colonies of 

 Italians, which I increased to 19 in the fall, w th 500 

 lbs. of honey. Expenses were $38.00. 



In 1886 I began with 19 swarms, and increased to 

 43 in the fall, with 3(X)0 lbs. of honey. Expenses 

 were $76 00. 



In 1887 I began with 19 swarms, having sold 20; 

 three died; one queenless. I increased to ;>5 in 

 the fall, with one ton of extracted honey. Expenses 

 were $72.00. 



In 1888 I began the season with 30 colonies, having 

 sold some of the increase. I increased to 43 in the 

 fall, with 7.50 lbs. of extracted honey. Expenses for 

 the seiison were $90.00. 



In 1889 I began with 40 colonies, from fine to 

 medium, all in chaff hives, and increased to 70 in the 

 fall, with 7200 lbs. of extracted honey. 



In summing up these six years, or seasons, of bees 

 and honey. I find my books give a record thus: 

 Total sum for outlays, cash, throwing work 



'n, is $ 347. 



Total proceeds from bees and honey 1401. 



With 70 Stocks of bees valued at $9 00 per 



colony 630. 



Total $2031. 



Deduct outlays 347. 



Foi' anxiety and care of bees $1684. 



Townsend, Ont., Dec. 25. 



D. Jeffrey. 



Mind you, I say plants. You can love the 

 berries too, if you choose ; but the main 

 thing is to have a real genuine love and af- 

 fection for the beautiful, bright, energetic 

 little plant that God has given us. Such a 

 love not only helps you to succeed, but it 

 helps you to be happy, and to enjoy your 

 work. Show me the man who has fallen in 

 love with strawberries, and I want to get 

 hold of his hand, and call him brother, and 

 just so with honey-bees. 



4300 LBS. FROM 50 COLONIES. 



I had ,50 colonies and one weak nucleus, spring 

 count. I secured 4200 lbs. comb honey, as near as I 

 can get at it, and I can come pretty near, for I 

 shipped the greater part of It. I increased to 68 

 colonies and 10 nuclei. Scarcely any increase was 

 allowed until after the honey harvest. Then I 

 formed nuclei, and queened them with those cheap 

 hybrids advertised in Gleanings, and they were 

 nice and prolific. I got some from Connecticut, 

 Arkansas, and Illinois. Two died in transit, which 

 were replaced. Those men acted honorably. 



E. B. Morgan. 



Cleveland, Lucas Co., Iowa, Jan. 13, 1890. 



]S[0¥Eg ^]^D QaERIEg. 



We solicit tor this department short items and questions of 

 a practical nature; but all questions, if accompanied by oth- 

 er matter, must be put upon a separate slip of paper with 

 name and address. 



STATISTICS OF THE HONEY INDUSTRY IN MICHIGAN. 



We clip the following from the Saginaw Cnu?irr; 



The returns of supervisors show 4487 bee-keepers 

 in the State, and 35,.513 colonies of bees in the spring 

 of 1889. The honey product of 1888 was .5.59,803 

 pounds of comb and 97,600 pounds of extracted 

 honey, with 7111 pounds of beeswax. 



Well done, friend J., not only as a bee- 

 keeper, but as a man and a Christian, in 

 recognizing and making use of the gifts be- 

 stowed upon you by the great Father ; and 

 I especially commend the point where you 

 mention love and patience as a qualification 

 for a bee - keeper. To succeed with bees 

 you must love them ; and to succeed with 

 strawberries you must love the plants. 



A HEAVY HONEY-DEW. 



There was a heavy honey-dew in this section of 

 country about the middle of September, and then 

 there was another one in December, lasting up to 

 Christmas. It was just dripping from the pines, 

 laurels, and ivies. Mrs. C. L. Penland. 



Lavinia, N. C, Jan. 6, 1890. 



POLLEN FROM SOFT MAPLES. 



To-day a large soft-maple at our back door is in 

 full bloom, and neighbor Kloer's bees are just 

 making things hum, gathering pollen and honey. 

 What's the use of living in Florida? 



Terre Haute, Ind., Jan. 11. Chas. H. Phelps. 



THE MILDEST WINTER IN 13 YEARS. 



We are having beautiful weather, and bees are 

 having fine flights, gathering pollen in full force 

 from soft maple. We are having the mildest winter 

 that has been for years. I have never known bees 

 to work as early in the season as this since I have 

 had any, and that is 13 yeais. Louis Werner. 



Edwardsville, Ills., Jan. 11, 1890. 



honey FROM THE MAPLE IN FLORID \. 



Our bees are doing wonders. They have filled the 

 hives full of honey the last two weeks, actually 

 crowding the queens for brood space. They are 

 making ready for swarming, and are hatching 

 drones in many of the colonies. This honey-flow is 

 from the maple, which commenced to bloom about 

 three weeks ago. J. Craycraft. 



St. Francis, Fla., Jan. 3. 



