1885 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



381 



winter after that, and so on. Such a result 

 will be more convincing than pages of theo- 

 rizing. 



ANOTHEK REPORT EROM FRIEND 

 OSBURN. 



BEE-KEEPING IN THE TROPICS. 



fRIEND ROOT:— In drawing- the line of compar- 

 ison as viewed from the standpoint of the 

 apiarist, do not let us place it too far north or 

 too far south. Do not let us paint it with too 

 much sunshine on one side, and nothing but 

 gloom and disaster on the other. The North to-day 

 stands pi-e-eminent before the world as a honey-pro- 

 ducing country- Its white clover and basswood en- 

 joy positions as honey-producing plants that time 

 will not efface, or the fame of the white sage or 

 bellflower detract one single point from their use- 

 fulness. The proud position that apiculture in 

 the United States holds before the world will never 

 be superseded by any other country or set of peo- 

 ple, for it is backed up by too much of the spii-it of 

 enterprise and never-fail disposition, that has made 

 the U. S. what they are. 



In view of these facts (which arc stern facts) 

 would it be wiie to say that, because the North has 

 cold winters, that prove disastrous to the business 

 in some localities, that the business will be aban- 

 doned, and the enterprise which has assumed such 

 grand proportions, declared a failure? We think 

 not; no, the American people never fail; rebuffs 

 and setbacks may come; " but, as sure as the sun 

 rises to-morrow morning," tlioy will rebuild the 

 structure on a firmer foundation than before, and 

 " try, try again." 



Let us leave the North now, and rest (fully assur- 

 ed that she can take care of herself), and come 

 down to Cuba, and see what the prospects arc for 

 success in modern apiculture south of the frost- 

 line. Although we have been here now only 18 

 months, we feel justified in saying that the country 

 has many resources and advantages, for the honey- 

 producer, that no country north of this that we 

 have ever seen does possess. First among them is 

 the large amount of honey that there is here; and 

 in proof of this let mc say, that at this writing we 

 have 555 colonies, all in one apiary (shall make them 

 600), and all doing well. Second, there is no winter 

 here. But you will ask me, what about our dearth 

 of honey, and of our disaster last year; i. e., the loss 

 of so many colonies? To which I will say, that our 

 great loss was only the result of too much increase, 

 and ignorance, on our part, of what the honey i-c- 

 sources of the country were at that time of the 

 year. If you will remember, last year we increased 

 from 34 to 530. Any apiarist will readily understand 

 that, after such an increase, that pretty much all 

 the colonies were weak when the flow from the 

 flowers stopped. But now the situation is very dif- 

 ferent. Instead ot all weak ones there are 400 col- 

 onics with their top stories on, and full from top to 

 bottom of bees and honey, and "ve have two months 

 yet to go before the dearth comes, for the other »03 

 to breed and store moderately along, until the flow 

 ceases altogether. But suppose those that have 

 not honey now to carry them through the dearth do 

 not get it, we have a large surplus in the 400 to fall 

 back on, and there will be no need of letting any of 

 the weak ones starve. 

 We are making preparations not go very much 



unlike what we would for a northern winter, only 

 this difference: Our colonies can fly every day, 

 and they will be at all times so that wo can examine 

 them and know their condition. 



There is one source of trouble here in the sum- 

 mer that the Northern apiarist is bothered with 

 but little, and that is the moth. As soon as the col- 

 ony becomes weak, the miller will go in and de- 

 posit her eggs in spite of the Italian or Holy-Land 

 bee. That is, when -there is a hive full of combs, 

 and only bees enough to cover three or four, the 

 miller will go in, in spite of them. But after all the 

 disadvantages are summed up, when you take into 

 consideration that there are 8 or 9 months out of the 

 12 to raise bees and gather honey, it is not so bad a 

 place for the apiarist after all. And then, too, col- 

 onies will build up faster here than in the North, 

 for the weather is warmer. It does not take as 

 many bees to keep the brood warm; the queen can 

 lay more eggs, and there are more bees to gather 

 honey. The comfort of the apiarist, while handling 

 bees under these sheets, is ahead of any situation 

 out of doors, for there is no sun nor i-ain nor dew 

 to annoy him. With hat off, a low pair of shoes (no 

 stockings) a pair of overalls and shirt, with shirt- 

 sleeves lolled up to the elbow, we work with a large 

 degree of comfort. 



Now I will tell you about the fleas, for " there is 

 no rose without its thorn." During the dry months 

 they are a pest. While a fellow is flying around he 

 minds but little about them; but when he comes to 

 sit down, then they bite just a little for fun; but 

 they do not keep us from sleeping. We sleei> 

 soundly, and the sleep is refreshing. However tired 

 we may be when we go to bed, we get up in the 

 morning feeling as though we could dance a horn- 

 pipe. I have been in the mountain districts of Cal- 

 ifornia and Arizona, that were renowned for their 

 health-giving elements; but never have I found a 

 si)ot where sleep would so perfectly restore the 

 wasted energies of the system, as right here in 

 this portion of Cuba. Is not the reason clear? A 

 narrow strip of land set out in the ocean is fanned 

 by a continual breeze that carries in its very breath 

 health and long life. A. W. Osburn. 



San Miguel de Jaruco, Cuba, W. I., May 7, 1885. 



A NEAV DEPARTMENT ASKED FOR IN 

 GliEANINGS. 



FIUEM) MAI. 



GIVES HI.MSEI.F A SEVERE LASH- 

 ING. 



SI rl 



last performance in the bee line has al- 

 most discouraged me. I will relate the 

 rcumstances; and if you never have had 

 a department for fovis, you may prepare 

 one for my beneflt. Two weeks ago my 

 bees numbered IG hives; to-day the muster is 14, all 

 told— eleven Simplicities and three bo.v hives. Two 

 weeks ago the weather was warm, and the bees 

 were out in force. I threatened every day lor a 

 week to examine the hives and see what condition 

 they were in; but being very busy it was put off till 

 Friday evening, when 1 concluded to look into 

 them. The first hive looked at was in the last 

 stages of starvation— all dead but about a teacup- 

 ful. I made some syrup as quickly as possible, and 

 sprinkled them jijl over. I don't think I ever saw 

 any thing that affected me more than their weak 

 efforts to use their topgues and fail in the effort, 



