74 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 



ARTIFICIAL, PASTURAGE. 



I would like to ask through Gleanings, what the 

 best honey plant seeds are, that ean be sown on un- 

 broken biuegrass and prairie sod, so as to produce 

 bloom the coming season. (i. S. Graff. 



Omaha, Douglas Co., Neb., Dec. 27, 1879. 



I know of nothing that would fill such re- 

 quirements, and very much doubt whether 

 it is possible to liud such a plant. The hon- 

 ey plants that will make their way so as to 

 drive out grass and weeds generally require 

 several seasons to do this, and, even then, I 

 do not know of any such that, without ques- 

 tion, are profitable. In fact, aside from clo- 

 ver, buckwheat, rape, and a few other plants 

 that are valuable for other qualities besides 

 for the honey, the whole matter of artificial 

 pasturage is, as yet, but little more than ex- 

 periment. 



MOVABLE FRAMES AND ITALIANS, VERSUS BLACKS 

 AND BOX HIVES. 



The past season has been a poor one for bees. In 

 the fall of 1878, I went into winter quarters with 18 

 hives,— 5 box-hives and 13 frame hives. In the spring, 

 they turned out lively, and all appeared to be in 

 good condition, but never showed much progress. 

 Among my 18 colonies was one Italian. To liud out 

 the difference between blacks and Italians, I put in 

 section boxes for Italians, and also for two black col- 

 onies. I noticed no difference between them when I 

 commenced the trial. 



When the honey se-ison had passed and the result 

 was inspected, 1 got 50tb. from the Italian hive, and 

 30fl>. from each black hive. Some of the rest of my 

 colonies had 8 and lott>. surplus honey, and some had 

 gathered nothing:. In all, I got 1801b. surplus, or Lufi>. 

 on an average from each colony. 



From the Italian colony I got, besides the 50 lb. of 

 honey, 2 swarms after the sections had been remov- 

 ed.* On the 29th day of Sept., to my surprise, a first 

 swarm issued, and on the 4th day of Oct., a second 

 swarm came out. Both swarms were hived, and 

 built up by giving them some combs from other col- 

 onies. 1 have often thought of the cause of such 

 untimely swarming, but I don't understand it yet. 



My bees in box-hives have never succeeded as well 

 as those in frame hives, and this fall, I transferred 

 the 5 colonies into frame hives, without the least of 

 any kind of trouble; no Queens were lost and no 

 robbing took place. 



I closed this season with 20 colonies, all in movable 

 frame hives. One of my colonies had a drone-laying 

 queen, and as it was late in the fall. I united the 

 bees with another colony. G. Wendelken. 



Marietta, Ohio, Dec. 27, 1879. 



GOOD FOR AN A B C SCHOLAR. 



I wintered 4 swarms last winter, without any loss. 

 From those 4 Italian colonies, I got 3811b. of comb 

 honey, in sections, and increased to 10 colonies. All 

 are in good sh»pe for winter. J. B. Stathauer. 



Gettysburg, Penn., Dec. 25, 1879. 



THE "UPS AND DOWNS" OF AN A B C SCHOLAR. 



Three years ago, I traded a cow for 5 stocks of 

 black bees. The first season, I sold bees and honey 

 to get pay for my cow, which I called worth $50., and 

 put up, in chaff, 20 colonies for winter. 



WHAT MICE MAY DO. 



Owing to the mice, I lost 15, as I failed to put 

 screens over the blankets, which left me 5 to start 

 with the next season. I sold over $ti5. worth of hon- 

 ey, and put up 8 in the same way, only putting 

 screens over the blankets. 



FROM 8 TO 30 AND 900B). OF HONEY. 



Last spring, I took out the 8 in good order, and 

 have taken off about 9001b. of box and section honey, 

 and put up 30, for the winter, in the same way. I 

 marketed my honey at home, selling about % for 

 Mc. the other half for 12M>c. I have Italianized the 

 mi st of my bees, and have them in the L. hive. I 

 shall send soon lor Alsike seed for 5 acres, and 50 

 bass wood trees. As I have to woik, I intend that 

 my bees shall. M. G. Hakes. 



Tekouska, Calhoun Co., Mich., Dec. 17, 1879. 



GRAPE-SUGAR CANDY MADE AVITH HONEY. 



Please tell us, in Gleanings, just how to make 

 Hour candy, using honey instead of grape sugar. 

 Cassville, Mo., Nov. 29, '79. Mary A. Terry. 



Since receiving your card, I have had some 

 candy made, using honey instead of cane 

 sugar. It hardens more slowly, but, in 3 or 

 4 days, is just as nice to handle as the other. 

 We have to-day put some over the hives, and 

 will report how the bees seem to like it. I 

 have no doubt, but they will eat it even 

 faster, on account of the flavor the honey 

 gives it. Therefore, if you find it cheaper or 

 more convenient, make your bee candy with 

 3 lb. of grape sugar, 1 lb. of honey, and £ lit. 

 of flour. Pour it into shallow trays and let 

 it stand 3 or 4 days to harden. 



PREPARED PAPER OF PASTEBOARD AS A ROOFING 

 MAT* RIAL FOR HIVES. 



Is not the cover of the chaff tenement-hive made 

 of shingles heavy and inconvenient to handle? En- 

 closed you will rind a sample of Water-proof, Hemp, 

 and Manilla Roofing, which. 1 think, would make a 

 cheap, durable, and light covering for the tenement 

 hive. It might also be used over hive covers made 

 of several boards. It is manufactured by ( '. .1. Fay, 

 Second and Vine Streets, Camden, N. J. lie will 

 send you samples and prices upon application. It is 

 made in different widths, Item 16 to 40 inches, and 

 costs from 1 to 2' ,c. per sq ft. 



Urbana, O., Dec. 7. 1879. John C. Barnett. 



This material has been much talked about, 

 and to some extent used, for making covers 

 to hives water-tight ; but, so far as I can 

 learn, those having used it have all dropped 

 it sooner or later. After it is soaked with 

 water, and it seems to me it must get soaked 

 during long rains, it is very easily torn and 

 injured. It does not seem to me 'as if it 

 could possibly compare at all with tin, in 

 point of durability, and yet the highest price 

 you mention, is as great as we had to pay for 

 tin, last summer. The quality of lightness, 

 I value much ; and if a paper can be produc- 

 ed that will stand the test of years, I should 

 think it a great acquisition. 



Bees in this locality did almost nothing the past 

 season. The loss will be fully one-half, especially of 

 those in old box hives. My bees, of which I have 

 some 200 colonies, in Lana:streth hives, mostly with 

 10 racks, packed in chaff and straw on 3 sides and 

 over the top, are doing finely, if they have honey 

 cuouirh to go through to feeding in spring. They 

 averaged about 16 lb. of honey to the hive, each hive 

 having been carefully weighed about ihe 15th of 

 November. 



OPEN AIR FEEDING IN THE SPRING. 



Will it do to feed grape sugar outside of hives, 

 when the bees fly in the springy 



KEEPING BEES ON SHAKES. 



My bees arc scattered over several miles extent. 

 I furnish hives, and work on one-half shares. All 

 were transferred from box hives in the spring, leav- 

 ing out drone comb. 



AVHY DOES CANDY "DBIP"? 



Drouth commenced in June, and cut otf white 

 clover, so that many colonies did not fill the brood 

 chamber with comb. Fall flowers and buckwheat 

 furnished but little honey, so that, in many hives, 

 we had to use sugar boiled to wax and run into 

 frames; but I see they drip considerably. Why is 

 this? John A. Williamson. 



Argcnta, Macon Co., 111., Jan. 1880. 



After the bees get so as to be able to fly in 

 the spring, it will be perfectly safe to feed 

 them grape sugar, in the open air, and the 

 grooved board arrangement is perhaps the 

 easiest and simplest way in which it can be 

 done. The only danger to be avoided is that 



