28 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



March. 



" P. G." has a plan of her own for feeding 

 that has been quite successful, as follows : She 

 makes an oblong bag of stout cotton and coy- 

 its its mouth by sewing in a piece of coarse 

 wire cloth, perhaps l'o by 10 inches. This is 

 placed between two combs moved slightly 

 apart, near the cluster, and is filled by pouring 

 the syrup through the wire cloth when the 

 quilt is turned back slightly; the wire cloth 

 holds the mouth of the bag open and prevents 

 bees from getting into it. Whatever plan of 

 feeding you propose in spring, do not do any 

 thing that will allow the warm air to escape 

 upward from the cluster: 



ARTIFICIAL, PASTIRAGE. 



/ r] he opening article in the A. B. J. for Feb. 

 ,A, by Mr. Gallup, it seems to us strikes about 

 at the root of the matter of raising plants or 

 trees for bees. Almost every season the bees 

 work on sonic plant that we had never noticed 

 their visiting before; and with the exception 

 of white clover we have had failures from all 

 sources. Locust trees gave us such a crop in 

 1870, that we meditated planting au orchard of 

 them; but we have had no honey of any account 

 from them since, although they have been full 

 of bloom ; basswood has also been almost a fail- 

 ure for three years past in this locality: buck- 

 wheat is reported generally very uncertain, and 

 the autumn flowers, unless in the vicinity of a 

 large swamp seeem equally unreliable. It 

 would seem extremely doubtful whether it will 

 pay to undertake to raise any plant exclusively 

 tor 1 ices, and we would advise none to unber- 

 take it unless they have ample means ; and it 

 should also be remembered 'that 'tis folly to ex- 

 pect much from any source unless there be at 

 hast an acre of it. Twere "well to consid- 

 er whether the same money instead of being ex- 

 pended in artificial pasturage had not better be 

 used tor the purchase of sugar to feed, for in 

 that case you are sure of the result, whether it 

 be for queen-rearing, or for furnishing winter 

 supplies. 



Ivaising Rape for the seed, near au apiary 

 might be a very profitable plan but as yet, we 

 have so far as we know, had no direct practical 

 report of its value in this country. We tried 

 a small piece last season, and the grasshoppers 

 ate oft' every leaf as soon as it appeared, but we 

 propose trying it again this year. Alsike clover 

 seems to be our only hope of any thing certain, 

 and even here we have rhore reports of failures 

 than positive success. If farmers could be in- 

 duced to raise Alsike as they do red clover, 

 there can be no question of its being a great 

 benefit to beekeepers. It certainly must be prof- 

 itable to raise it for seed, and we are surprised 

 that the price is not onlykept up but continues 

 to rise. AVe were advised by our leading seeds- 

 men to oiler it in our circular at the same prices 

 as last year, and the result has been that we 

 have sold seed for30c. that cost US 33c. because 

 none of the new crop could be found In the mar- 

 ket for a less price. If beekeepers can't make 

 it pay to raise it for the honey, they certainly 

 can for the seed, and as there is little danger 

 of loss in the operation we should advise Alsike 

 before every thing else, and while you are 

 •about it give it plenty of manure, and good cul- 

 ture, for lots of honey requires lots of plant 



food, and we "Young Americas"when we un- 

 dertake a thing, like to make it a success if 'tis 

 a possible thing in spite of obstacles that may 

 chance to arise. Those who have the brain, 

 muscle and energy that commands success in 

 whatever they undertake, are the ones we want 

 for beekeepers. See friend Nevin's letter, page 

 33. 



PKOHLKM 19 COMPEETELY SOLVED 

 IN A NOVEL ItlANNEU. 



^~FJHE following experiment seems to have 

 iJL, hit the solution of Prob. 19 so direct, and 

 pleases us so much that we mark our friend 

 paid for five years on Gleanings. We pre- 

 sume almost all of our readers are familiar 

 with the construction of hot beds, and we 

 think no possible harm can happen if this forc- 

 ing process be undertaken as soon as this 

 reaches you. Should you succeed in building 

 a colony up to the " swarming pitch" by the 

 first of Apt il you will probably, if you keep 

 them properly under control get a result in 

 the way of honey, that will amply pay for a 

 dozen hot beds and the attendant care. 



Our Bees are in splendid condition so far, I was all 

 through them on the 21st, (Jan.) and in some I found 

 three sheets with brood in, and in none did I lmd 

 more than a handful of dead bees. 1 feel as if we were 

 safe for this time, and begin to look forward to our 

 next honey season. My hives are all out of doors 

 with straw mats on the combs, are dry and in tine or- 

 der. I was somewhat surprised to hear you say that 

 we could not have had the bee cholera in"this seel ion ; 

 why, some bee-keepers lost 60 and 70 hives, while oth- 

 ers did not lose quite so many, for the simple reason 

 they did not have them to lose, I am satisfied I would 

 have lost all of mine last winter if I had not given up- 

 ward ventilation, some I saved by that means when a 

 mere remnant were left to tell the tale, and by careful 

 nursing in what might be called a "hot bed" got a 

 good return from them in the way of honey and arti- 

 ficial swarms. My hot bed consisted in surrounding 

 a hive with about six inches of manure on the three 

 sides and bottom, covering the tops with a quilt and 

 mat and leaving the front open. It would have done 

 you good to have seen how the Queen "spread her- 

 self; " I was a little afraid it might be too hot for them 

 but I heard no complaints, and I saw eggs deposited 

 and hatched out of the cluster just as we do in sum- 

 mer ; it came out my best hive and returned me the 

 most honey. I hope some others may try the same 

 and give us' the results. 



H. E. Cukry, 208 West 4tb, St. Chi. O. 



Later: Au appeal for further particulars 

 brought the following; 



In reply to your inquiries I am sorry to say I did 

 not keep a record of my experiments. I had no idea 

 of succeeding as well as I did or I would have been 

 more particular, I think however, it was the latter 

 part of March, but last year was a strange year, one 

 it wont do to go by, if I remember we had 1 very cold 

 weather in April, even the blue birds were deceived. 

 I thought of your lamp Queen Nursery and of Patent 

 Incubators; "the heat in those are kept up by means 

 of a lam]) and hot water, if the hot bed is as successful 

 as I think it is, it will do just as well and perhaps 

 better. I must close by thanking you for your kind 

 offer of aflve years subscription, and can assure you 

 it is appreciated, at the same time I could not think 

 for a moment of abusing good nature in such a way. 

 but as long as Gleanings is conducted in the manner 

 it is, I shall take pride in supporting it. 



TH73 STANDARD HIVE AND FKA1IE. 



ffpN our hasty description of a hive for the pro- 

 _!L posed standard frame in our last, we made 

 an error in length of cover that was not noticed 

 until half the papers were worked oft', and still 

 more humiliating was it to discover after all 

 were oft', that we had given directions for cut- 

 ting a side and end respectively^ 30 and 15^-g 



