242 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 



p-ather honey from alfalfa with any certainty, in 

 Califoi-nia at least. I have talked the matter over 

 a good deal with bee-men here, in different locali- 

 ties, and they are of the same opinion— not but that 

 alfalfa will and does produce nice honey, but it Is 

 made into hay so soon, instead of honey; and that 

 is not all. If you want to get where your system 

 will soon be loaded with malaria, just go and live 

 in a locality where they raise large fields of alfalfa, 

 and irrigate them four or five times a year. 

 Nordhoff, Cal., Mar. 13. C. A. Sayre. 



Friend S., I made a good many inquiries 

 in regard to alfalfa while I was in Califor- 

 nia, and the substance of the reports seemed 

 to be very much as you give it. After I got 

 home, however, and saw the statements that 

 came from Arizona and Idaho, I felt a good 

 deal disgusted to think that I had made 

 such a lengthy trip and had not seen alfalfa 

 honey at all. I am inclined to think the lo- 

 cality makes the difference. I am surprised 

 at what you say about malaria. I did not 

 know that irrigation was ever carried to 

 such an extent as to produce any thing of 

 the kind, especially in hot and dry regions. 



MANUM TAKING A VACATION". 



A VISIT WITH K. L. SMITH. 



I HAVE noticed that vacations are very fashiona- 

 ble; and wishing to be in fashion, I decided, after 

 preparing my bees for their long winter's rest, to 

 take a vacation and visit some of our Vermont bee- 

 keepers of whom we hear but little through the pa- 

 pers. Therefore, Nov. 1st I started out with my 

 grip-sack in one hand and camera in the other; and 

 by the aid of horse and steam power I soon landed 

 in the town of Fairfax, where resides one of my 

 dearest friends, Mr. C. C. Gillette, at whose home I 

 very pleasantly and profitably spent several days. 

 Although Mr. Gillette is not a bee-keeper, he is an 

 interested reader of Gleanings. 



The next day after my arrival, Mr. G. kindly pro- 

 posed to take -me to the apiary of Mr. K. L. Smith, 

 which proposition I quickly accepted, and we were 

 soon on the road, winding our way along the banks 

 of the beautiful Lamoille River for about two miles, 

 with old Mount Mansfield constantly staring us in 

 the face; and as I was just fairly enjoying the 

 beauties and pleasures of the drive, Mr. G. reined 

 up to a pleasantly located home. As I alighted 

 from the carriage, a gentleman about 60 years of 

 age stepped out of what proved to be a tin-shop and 

 honey-room, and greeted us very cordially as I ask- 

 ed if this was Mr. K. L. Smith. The following con- 

 versation took place : 



"Is this Mr. K. L. Smith?" 



"Yes, my name is Smith." 



"Well, sir, my name is Manum." 



"What! Manum the bee-man?" 



" Yes, sir, I keep a few bees; and as I was visit- 

 ing friends so near you I thought I would call." 



" I am awful glad to see you. Walk right in here 

 gentlemen. This is my honey-house and tin-shop," 

 said Mr. S. 



"Then you are a tin-smith, a bee-smith, and a 

 supply-smith, I conclude, Mr. Smith?" 



" Yes, I am a tin-smith by trade, and I work at it 

 when not busy with the bees; and when buying my 

 supplies I buy a few extra, to furnish those about 

 me who keep only a few swarms of bees." 



"What are you doing here, Mr. S.? are you ex- 

 tracting bug-juice?" 



" No; my bees did not get much of that this year. 

 This is white honey." 



" 1 see you have the Novice extractor. Do you 

 like it?" 



" Yes, very much. It seems to do the work very 

 nicely." 



"Is it not rather late and cool to extract honey 

 and do a good job?" 



"Yes, rather; but these are a few combs I drew 

 out of the hives during the honey-flow, and held as 

 a reserve to feed such colonies as might be short of 

 winter stores, but as my bees all filled up nicely 

 this fall, I am now extracting the honey from these 

 reserve combs; and by keeping the room very 

 warm, as you see it is, I have no difficulty in throw- 

 ing the honey all out." 



" You do not feed much sugar for wintc r stores, I 

 should judge," I asked. 



" No; I have never fed any sugar, as I have so far 

 succeeded in securing honey enough for winter." 



"Do you find ready sale for your honey about 

 home?" 



" Yes. I have never had any difficulty in selling 

 all I get. This year I sell comb honey at 18 and ex- 

 tracted at 15 cents per lb. 1 put up my extracted in 

 .51b. pails; and my comb honey, which is in 1-lb. 

 sections, is put up in these small show-cases. I 

 leave a case of honey at each of our stores, within 

 easy reach of me, with the understanding that my 

 price is so and so, and that I am to take back what- 

 ever is not sold. But I never have to take back 

 any. There, you can see that these show-cases 

 have a glass on one side, so as to show the honey to 

 good advantage. The cover clos« s dfiwn tight, and 

 is held down by a hook so no flies can get to the 

 honey. This package seems to suit our merchants 

 better than any other I have tried, as many will 

 handle my honey now who would not before I used 

 these cases." 



" Mr. Smith, I believe you are taking the right 

 course to sell your honey. If more of us would 

 adopt this method of working up a home trade we 

 should hear less about our city markets being glut- 

 ted with honey as they are some seasons. 1 had 

 thought of this same method, but have never put it 

 into practice; but I believe I will hereafter. How 

 many colonies of bees have you, Mr. S.?" 



" I have 80 that I intend to winter." 



" How long have you kept bees?" 



" I commenced 16 years ago with a few box hives; 

 and soon hearing of your Bristol I ordered one of 

 you to try. I liked it so well that the next season I 

 ordered 40 more and now I have 80. I also have a 

 few Simplicity and Langstroth hives, but I like the 

 Bristol better than either of the others, for I can 

 winter my bees out of doors in them if I wish, 

 which would not be safe in the single-walled hives; 

 and, besides, the Bristol is so convenient in sum- 

 meron Hccount of so much room in the cap; and it 

 is not so necessary to set them in the shade." 



" Do you winter any of your bees indoors?" 



" Yes, all that are in single-wall hives." 



" Which do you prefer?" 



" Well, all things considered I prefer outdoor win- 

 tering, as I get the earliest swarms from those win- 

 tered on summer stands, and I also have less spring 

 dwindling with those wintered outdoors." 



"Do you find the business profitable?" 



"Yes, My bees have paid me something every 



