854 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 1 



siderably in all directions. In the matter 

 of bees he owns 500 colonies, and was run- 

 ning- 100 more on shares. He had moved 

 from an humble cottage on a back street to 

 an eleg-ant new mansion in the fashionable 

 center of Selma, and the house appoint- 

 ments were all new and elegant, and as 

 neat as wax — kept so, of course, by the 

 worthy wife and daughter. An elegant up- 

 right piano graced the front parlor, and 

 Kitty evidentlj' knew how to touch the keys 

 for harmony. 



An older daughter, and she scarcely out 

 of her teens, married about eighteen months 

 ago, also living in Selma, has fairlj' upset 

 the whole family; for one fine morning Mr. 

 Stearnsfound himself grandpa, Mrs. Stearns 

 grandma, and Kitty a f ull-lledged aunt, and 

 I really believe that is the most wonderful 

 girl baby the world ever saw. Well, babies 



he is a veritable trick horse — will open gates 

 and doors, and it is decidedly comical to 

 see him turn on the water from the hydrant 

 when he needs a drink. Both horses will 

 eat honey; and if it is not coming fast enough 

 they will whinner for it; and when bees are 

 stinging mad they have learned to carrj' 

 themselves with due decorum. 



The photo shows Mr. Stearns in the wag- 

 on, ready for a start to the out-apiary. 

 Mrs. Stearns is on the veranda to bid him 

 bori z'oyaffe, and many returns with many 

 loads of sweetness. 



Mr. S. has no honey-house and outfit at 

 the out-apiaries, but carries it all in that 

 wagon. On account of its compactness and 

 portability the two-frame Cowan extractor 

 is used. Then there is the tall tank, capac- 

 ity about 50 gallons. A common galvanized- 

 iron wash-tub is telescoped over the top of 



MR. STKAKNS STARTING FOR THE OUT-APIARV. 



will arrive, and will crow and grow, and I 

 am sure we all wish that the richest bless- 

 ings may be showered upon them. 



Mr. Stearns commenced bee-keeping at 

 the age of 14, in Iowa. He has been in 

 California about 10 years; and although he 

 is now owner of 500 colonies he is not satis- 

 fied, but is ready to buy any apiary thtit 

 happens to be for sale. He manages all of 

 his apiaries, and manufactures quite an 

 amount of foundation, and does nearly all 

 of the work himself, and I propose to give 

 3'^ou just a little glimpse of how he does it. 

 His bees are in four or five apiaries, all 

 away from home, one apiary being nearly 

 20 miles away. 



The first essential in the management of 

 out-apiaries is a good lively team, and the 

 photo shows such; and, by the way, the 

 front horse deserves special Jittention, for 



it. This is for cappings. Tent and tent- 

 poles, and several five-gallon tin cans for 

 the honey, complete the load. 



Upon arrival at the apiary the tent is 

 erected; and right here allow me to remark 

 that, when the temperature is above 100°, 

 that tent is a fearfulh' hot place, and Mr. 

 S. contemphites using a portable wire-cloth 

 arrangement with a covering of willow 

 branches. This would be a great impro\e- 

 ment over the tent. 



The tent in place, the extractor is mount- 

 ed upon a hive, iind held firm with a strong 

 cord or wire from the top, to pegs in the 

 ground right and left. If a super is ripe 

 for extracting, the combs are removed and 

 shaken one by one. No brush is used. If 

 the bees do not all shake off, they are taken 

 to the tent, and escape as they may. No 

 wheelbarrow is used. The super in which 



