676 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Skpt. 



tliiit is to be pill into tiie hive and taken out 

 again is a nuisance, and liable to get lost or 

 brolcen. 



New Voik. E. 11amhi>ki!. 



For a hanging frame we don't use any thins 

 to keej) the frames at fixed distances. Any de- 

 vice to Iveej) tlie frames at lix(Ml distances would 

 necessitate a movable side to tlie hive, ^^'hen 

 we move bees in tlu' L. frames, ^\•e lay a piece 

 of our frame timber f?& x y» flatwise across the 

 ends of the frames, and drive 3 or 4 wire 

 4-i»enny miils down through the piece and the 

 frame hi-low. intollie ratibetsof the lii\'e. Tiiat 

 will liokl tlie frames secure. Tiien confine the 

 bees as you please, and go ahead. 



Wisconsin. S. W. E. Fjjanck. 



No. I \\'ould secure witii staples across tfie 



center of the bottom-board a jiiece of No. l:.' 



wire, bent like a worm \ A A A A 



fence, or thus: This \—/\ — /\ — /\_/\- 



interferes but little in setting the frames in the 



hives, and previ'uts the swaying motion in 



hauling. Then I would keep a set of notched 



strips of tough wood the length of the width of 



the hive, }4 inch wide by % inch deep, cutting 



the notches 3'2 inch deej): place these down on 



each end of the top-bars whil(> luiuling. thus: 



Frames are tlius sjjaced and 



I — i — \ — \ — f-] — I — [— 1 Stationai'y. but fi'ee when 



' wanted so. 



California. S. R. Wilkin. 



I am surprised to note that so many recognize 

 the need of something to hold the frames at 

 flxed distances. It is true, in some localities, 

 hanging frames can be hauled without fixing; 

 but even then, the hives must be on springs or 

 loose straw, and, wo;'se than all, slow and care- 

 ful driving is necessary. We have tried it. and 

 know. Another thing, there are localities 

 where hanging frames could not be hauled 

 without fixing. See Notes of Travel at El- 

 wood's, elsewhere in this number. If fixed 

 frames, or, if you choose, closed-end frames, can 

 be manipulated as rapidly and as easily as the 

 hanging frame, why bother with the latter? 

 Note particularly what Rambler says, and also 

 what is said elsewhere, regarding the ra])idity 

 with which Elwood handles closed-end Quinby 

 frames. E. R. 



FROM DIFFERENT FIELDS, 



MIfllKiAN HEE-KEEI'EHS STATE MEETIXCi. 



I wish early to call attention to the Michigan 

 State Association, which holds its next meeting 

 on New Year's day at the city of Di'troit. It 

 will be remembered that the Detroit meeting 

 of tlie National Association was one of the best 

 <n'er held. We propose tiiat this next State 

 meeting shall come well up to that grand one. 

 We hold it on New Year's day so all can get 

 half rates. We hope for a very large attend- 

 ance from Ontario. New Yoi'k." Ohio. Indiana, 

 and other States. It is to be hoped that all will 

 plan before hand to be on hand, aiul that the 

 very poor honey season may not keep any one 

 at home. A. J. Cook. 



Lansing. Mich. 



HOW TO (iET nil) OF DItONES. 



^Ve are having quite a honey-flow from what 

 is commonly called "smartweed." which, by 

 the way. as you doubtless kno\\'. makes the very 

 finest honey. All of my 2.") colonies are lushing 

 out and in at a furious I'ate. witii just one ex- 

 cejition. Fr^mi one hive but few liees have been 

 going out and in. while a good many loafed 

 around the entrance. The few that did go out 

 to work went and came in a lazy, dragging 

 fashion, quite in contrast with the busy I'lish 

 from the other hives. Upon examination by 

 lifting out a frame, I found that, while they had 

 some sealed honey and a considerable amount 

 of brood, the hive seems literally overrun with 

 drones. I estinuited the number at fully half 

 the swai'm. Now. what shall 1 do to get rid of 

 these fellows, as they will undoubtedly eat up 

 the whole store and leave the colony destitute? 



1 wintered 11 colonies last winter, and in- 

 creased this season to r.T) by natural swarming. 

 Tliey have made no surplus yet: but I think, 

 with the exception of thi'ec^ or four late swarms, 

 they will be in exci'llent condition for winter. 

 The honey-flow will probably continue here 

 three weeks, or till about tlu^ middle of Septem- 

 ber, so I may get some surplus yet. 



Waterman, Ind., Aug. 25. M. Stukm. 



Youi' queen is evidently a drone-layer. Re- 

 l)lace her and trap out by perforated zinc the 

 sui'iilus of drones. 



THE ItOf'KV MOUNTAIN BEE-PEANT— A KEPOKT 

 FROJI ITS NATIVE HOME. 



Frloid Root:— I address you thus familiarly 

 because of the fi-iendly way you have of talking 

 in your A B C book, which came pi'omptly to 

 hand, together with :ir> cts. returned, on account 

 of clubbing with (Jleanings. This was alto- 

 gether luiexpected. Is the inclosed sample of 

 onr most productive honey - jjlants in this 

 vicinity the si)ider-plant. illustrated on page 

 ?,"):'. of said book? You will see that it differs 

 soinewiiat. as this has only tlire<' leaves on a 

 stem, and the .seed-pods all hang down, even 

 \\'hen vei'y small; and instead of the flowers 

 opening alxmt sunset they are open all day and 

 covered with bees the whole day long; and in- 

 stead of from 12 to ;.'() flower-stalks to each 

 Ijlant, I should say from on(> to two hundred. 

 The small stalk that I picked this sample from 

 had 57 more like it, and is only about two feet 

 high, while there are thousands of them from 

 five to six feet high on high gi'ound. with no 

 water. There is one peculiarity about the 

 plant that you do not mention, which makes 

 me think that they are not identical. This 

 ])]anl with us is .something like the bee, being 

 very sent<Ui;ve. If let alone or handled very 

 gently it is all right; but if you strike it a blow, 

 or kick, oi- handle roughly, il instantly gives 

 out a vei'v strong and disagreeable odor — that 

 is. the stalk and leaves, but not the blossoms. 

 Its th living so well on all kinds of soil, by the 

 roadside or on hard dry clay, and with no wa- 

 tci', makes itthc honey-producer of this vicinity, 

 at this season of the year, for it is always ready, 

 whether the alfalfa crop is in bloom or has been 

 cut and stacked. 



If I can give you any further information con- 

 cerning this Rocky Mountain cimntry I shall be 

 happy to do so in my humble way. 



H()MEi{ Bkoavn. 



Taylorville. Utah. Aug. 30. 18U0. 



Fri(>nd R.. the plant you send is not the spi- 

 der-plant, as you suppose, but only a near rel- 

 ative. The spider-plant is Cletnnn Intajrifolia, 

 while this is the Rocky Mountain bee-plant, or 

 Clroinii piiiKjeiis. The flowei' of the spider- 



