1880 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



339 



ly and late, especially when you have weak colonies, 

 or after a frost.] 



DANGER OF STARVING EVEN IN .1UNE, ETC. 



I examined my bees this afternoon, and found that 

 during- the last week they have consumed nearly 

 every ounce of their stores (result ot a continuously 

 rainy week). To-day was bright, and I trust they 

 may open up hostilities with the advent of white 

 clover. 



When I was a student, Prof. Cook used to "hoot" 

 me with a grave shake of his head, "Ah ! Mr. Taylor, 

 you'll never make a bee man; tooscarey;" but I be- 

 gin to think I can "skunk" the Prof, handling them, 

 for he used to get hit by a bee's helm now and then, 

 while I go through with impunity, so far at least. 



J. E. Taylor. 

 Otisco, Mich., May 7, 1880. 



SWARMING RETARDED BY GIVING THE BEES ROOM 

 IN SECTIONS. 



Mr. Root : — Will you please tell me if placing a 

 case of sections on a hive will in any way prevent 

 swarming, or at least as early as otherwise. I wish 

 to have as early swarms as possible. Ought I to 

 place the surplus boxes on before they have the low- 

 er part filled ? C.S.Burke. 



Batavia, N. Y., June 12, 1830. 



[While giving the bees empty sections, right above 

 the brood nest, will not absolutely prevent swarm- 

 ing, it will, as a general thing, do much to make it 

 less probable that they will swarm; and, if you want 

 swarms instead of honey, you will hasten them 

 greatly, by omitting to give the bees any room in 

 sections, or an upper story. It is rather a wasteful 

 proceeding, however, for many stocks will get their 

 hive full, and remain idly hanging on the front of 

 the hives, before they are ready to swarm, and it 

 would be nothing strange, if they should thus idle 

 the whole season through, and not swarm at all. If 

 you want honey, put on the surplus boxes, just be 

 fore the lower story is filled.] 



ABSCONDING SWARMS. 



I had a large first swarm issue on the 10th inst. 

 After having obtained a frame of unsealed brood 

 from the old stand, and placing it in a new hive, I re- 

 paired to my clustered swarm. After having hived 

 it successfully, I removed the new colony into my 

 apiary, and gave it proper shade. On the morning 

 of the 12th, my new swarm came out, and, to my as- 

 tonishment, started for the woods. By this time, I 

 had my smoker in got d trim, and my legs were then 

 used pretty freely. After going about \'« mile, they 

 concluded to go to house-keeping in a large ash tree. 

 I cut the tree down, and succeeded in saving only 

 about 3 pts. of bees. 



Scarcely had I finished the work, when my Italians 

 commenced swarming and without even waiting to 

 say "thank you" for the favors I had done them, 

 they took a bee line for the woods, but not without 

 company, for I kept pace with them, until they 

 reached their (supposed) place of abode in a tree. 

 This was a large first swarm of Italians, containing 

 a tested queen one year of age. Now you see a 

 frame of unsealed brood did not prevent my first 

 swarm from going to the woods. I would like you 

 to give me some information concerning these two 

 swarms. E. J. Hinshaw. 



Lynn, Itandolph Co., Ind., June 15, 1880. 



[I do not know but that I am "cornered," friend 

 H., if a frame of brood, shading, and carrying to a 

 new location will not stop them. If we have many 



more such reports this season, I shall have to vote 

 in favor of artificial swarming I fear.] 



HAMMOCKS FOR BEE-KEEPERS(V). 



I would like to suggest that you add Hammocks to 

 your counters. Would they not be splendid to hang 

 under a shady tree, to lie in and read Gleanings 

 while watching the bees? H. L. Webber. 



Monroe Centre, Me., June 9, 1880. 



[The counter store was started with the idea of 

 having it include only useful articles, friend W., and 

 I confess I feel a little doubt in regard to whether 

 Hammocks belong in that list; but perhaps a bee- 

 keeper should rest once in a while, at least long 

 enough to read Gleanings. Who can furnish good 

 ones, at a low price, by the hundred?] 



TOOL BOXES AND TOOL CHESTS. 



Can not you do something in the way of getting 



up and offering for sale, tool chests and tools for 



boys? They are offered at the stores, but for the 



most part the tools are of the poorest quality, and 



the prices high. One of my boys has been saving 



money for months to get some tools, and I have told 



him that Mr. Boot loves the boys so well that I think 



he will do something for them in the way of tools. 



U. C. Bosworth. 

 Creston, Iowa, June 1, 1880. 



[Thanks, friend B. I have had, for some time, 



stowed away in a corner of my brain, a tool box, 



to hold some of the nice little tools that are cheap, 



and have been proved to be good, but it seems as if 



I should never get time to see to it. On our 10 cent 



counter is a very pretty little box, called a knife 



tray, and our boys have found them very handy to 



carry nails and small tools in. These, with a few 



divisions, would be pretty and cheap. To avoid 



mixing the nails, I would have a nail fastened with 



staples, on the side of each box, and then any child, 



(or woman?) could put each nail right in the box 



made for it, and there need never be any excuse 



for mixing them. A mixed lot of small nails, the 



small wire nails for instance, might almost as well 



be thrown away; for it will cost more than they are 



worth, ordinarily, to separate them.] 



FLORIDA AND PALMETTO HONEY. 



I started this year with 14 swarms, and now have 

 30, and expect more out any minute. Have ex- 

 tracted 300 lbs. of saw-palmetto honey, to give room 

 for brood. It has been the hardest season on bees 

 here so far, for many years; but every thing prom- 

 ises well for a big crop for the rest of the season. 



w. s. Hart. 



New Smyrna, Fla., June 3, 1880. 



SIMPSON HONF.Y PLANTS. 



I have at last found out what Simpson's honey 

 plant is. I have plowed under more this spring, I 

 suppose, than you have got on your honey farm. 

 So much for not knowing more. After hoeing mine 

 so well, and taking so much pains with it, you may 

 know how I felt, when I found out what it was. My 

 bees are doing better and better. 



Geo. W. stites. 



Spring Station, Ind., June 11, 1880. 



[Now, friend S., unless you have seen the blos- 

 soms on those weeds, I think you are making a mis- 

 take. Our gardener Left a large weed near the door 

 a few days ago, saying it was a Simpson plant, but it 

 was only a common weed that looks, to an un- 

 trained eye, very much like it. Look again and 

 report.] 



