148 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



April 



BEE BOTANY AND ENTOMOLOGY. 



SEND herewith, leaves, bloom, and pod or seed 

 of a very singular and beautiful plant, or shrub. 

 It is a stranger to me and to everyone who has 

 seen it, and it seems to have got among us myste- 

 riously. Miss Mollie Heath, the daughter of quite an 

 extensive apiarian of this county, Mr. Henry Heath, 

 procured the seed among other flower seeds, and 

 planted them, late last spring, in the front yard at 

 their residence. 



This plant came up with the rest, but did not at- 

 tract much attention until the last of August, when 

 it commenced to bloom, and all other flowers were 

 gone. Then every passer by stopped to admire it. 

 There have been some 25 or 30 branches of bloom, 

 with from 50 to 100 blooms each. It is about 3 feet 

 high, with quite a large top. It is yet in full bloom, 

 and looks, from the number of buds yet unopened, 

 as if it will bloom until New Year's. Cold weather 

 and frost don't seem to have any effect on it. 



Not one of its many visitors has been able to name 

 this stranger; so we have concluded to get you to 

 do so for us, if you can, and tell us whether it is an 

 annual or semi-annual plant, and where we can ob- 

 tain seed of the same. I don't think any seed will 

 ripen on this one, this season. The bees have 

 worked on it all the time, and are working on it to- 

 day. G. W. Snider. 

 Denison, Texas, Nov. 23, 1878. 



We sent the plant to Prof. Beal, who re- 

 " as follows : 



This is some species of Ptyinciana, a woody plant 

 closely related to the acacias. These belong to the 

 order Leguminosse, an immense order of 6,-00 spe- 

 cies. With more time and better specimens, I might 

 make out the plant more certainly. W. J. Beat,. 



Agr. College, Lansing, Mich. 



plied 



MISS MOLLIE HEATH'S HONEY PLANT. 



As Leguminosse is the family to which the 

 locust, pea, and clover belong, it is nothing 

 strange that this should be a honey plant. 

 It is a plant of rare beauty, as you may see 

 from the cut our engraver has made. The 

 flowers are yellow. .Friend S., we are much 

 obliged, and if seed can be procured, we all 

 want enough to give it a trial. 



CHICKEN CORN. 



I send you enclosed some kind of chicken corn 

 (name unknown). 1 wish you to distribute it among 

 some of your bee-educated friends. It is the most 

 productive crop of any grain I ever cultivated. It 

 should be planted and cultivated just the same as 

 sorghum, which it very much resembles in size and 

 growth. It remains in bloom 3 or 4 weeks, and bees 

 work on no other plants while it lasts. I had buck- 

 wheat in full bloom along with it, and though I no- 

 ticed closely, I never saw a bee on the buckwheat 

 blooms while the corn was in bloom. I would like 



to have some bee-man's experience of what benefit 

 it is to the bees, that makes them so fond of it. 



Birds and fowls are equally fond of it when ripe, 

 and will soon devour the whole patch to the neglect 

 of all other grain equally convenient, if it is not 

 gathered soon after ripening. In your climate, it 

 should be planted very early, as I notice that late 

 planting here fails to form grain. Fred Battle. 



Withe Depot, Tenn., Feb. 23, 1879. 



Thanks, friend B. We sent samples of 

 the seed to our seedsmen, and also to the O. 

 Judd Co. Their replies are given below : 



We are not acquainted with this particular vari- 

 ety, but, judging from the seed and your descrip- 

 tion of its growth and habits, we should pronounce 

 it one of the numerous Impliees, all of which, even 

 if the seed should not ripen in our latitude, make 

 good fodder when cut up and properly cured. Very 

 early planting would not be advisable, but it should 

 be planted at corn planting time, as the seed would 

 not germinate at a low temperature. 



Cleveland, O., Feb. 27, 1871). Stair & Kendel. 



The seeds are evidently one of the Sorghums; but 

 it is not possible, so many varieties are there, to say 

 which one. In size and color, they are more like 

 those of one of the sugar sorghums than those cul- 

 tivated for their grain. I do not know how you can 

 ascertain the name. I have, among the many kinds 

 sent us, seen none just like this. 



George Thurrer, 

 Associated Editor of American Agriculturist. 



245 Broadway, N. Y., March 1, 1879. 



As our bee men are all "educated" or sup- 

 posed to be, I will send a few seeds to try to 

 any one who applies. If I get out, as I ex- 

 pect I shall, friend B., you will have to send 

 me another little bag full. 



pvenile Qjep/irinieiih 



WE have got 5 swarms. One swarm is dying 

 off quite fast. The bees come out when it 

 is very cold, and fly a little, and then they 

 fall and freeze. I put a stick before the entrance, 

 but still they would try to get out; they would crawl 

 out and I would poke them back; but they were 

 bound to stay out, so I let them stay out and went 

 away. The other 4 swarms don't die off so fast. 

 What is the matter with the bees? Is there any 

 remedy? 



One night, the door was open and about half of 

 them froze. Some die and stick fast to the glass. I 

 hope you will read my letter and put it in the bee 

 book," Gleanings in Bee Culture, for I am a boy 

 11 years old. (I want pa to see it; he don't know 

 that I am writing.) Lonson G. Barger. 



Five Corners, N. Y., Feb. 24, 1879.. 



To be sure, I will read your letter, friend 

 Lonson, and I am very glad of the privilege 

 of putting it in Gleanings. Your bees 

 have the bee malady that has prevailed so 

 universally, and I know no better advice 

 than what I have given in the past few 

 months. The warm weather has doubtless 

 cured them, if they lived till it came. I 

 hope your "pa" will smile, when he sees this 

 letter*. 



I am a boy 10 years old. My grandpa gave me a 

 nice hive of bees, and I want to learn all 1 can about 

 them. Ogie Dudley. 



Austinburg, O., Feb. 8, 1679. 



Glad to hear from you, Ogie, and I hope 

 you will please your grandpa by letting him 

 see how much you have learned about that 

 fine hive of bees. 



Cleveland, O., en route for California, Feb. 20, 1879. 



I cannot call, but greet you as I pass. I saw D. 

 Quinby, Thorn, and Cap. Hetherington, in N. Y. 

 Our country looks cheerful notwithstanding it is 

 covered with snow, and our people seem hopeful. 



R. Wilkin. 



