December, 1915. 



American IBee Journal 



417 



California. Most of the species are 

 weeds growing most commonly on low 

 or swampy lands. Not all of them 

 produce honey in appreciable quantity, 

 and possibly some of them are not 

 sought by the bees at all. Figure 60 

 shows tiidens aiistosa, which has an 

 attractive yellow flower and is most 

 frequently mentioned as a source of 

 honey. This is particularly valuable 

 on the lowlands along the Mississippi 

 and Missouri rivers. During the past 

 season (1915) much honey has been 

 gathered from it. 



Two species are reported among the 

 honey-plants of California by Richter, 

 B. froridosa and B fi/osa. The former 

 is one of the most widely distributed 

 species and closely resembles the one 

 shown in Fig. 61, but has a wider leaf. 

 Frondosa is seldom reported as yield- 

 ing nectar, and it is of doubtful value 

 to the beekeeper. 



Figure 61 shows the western bur 

 marigold />. involucrata, which occurs 

 from Illinois and Iowa south to Texas 

 and Louisiana. This is reported as a 

 good honey-plant. This flower has no 

 colored corolla, but is surrounded by 

 greenish rays. August is the month of 

 flowering with this species. The Span- 

 ish-needles are all late bloomers, and 

 where they yield nectar add something 

 to the tall honey flow. 



Atlantic, Iowa. 

 Copyright: 1015. by Frank C. Pellett. 



Shipping Bees in Pound Lots 



BY CHAKLES E. HOPPER. 



THE plan of shipping bees in comb- 

 less packages in early spring is 

 making great headway in Ontario 

 and in Canada generally, in fact. For 

 a number of years we have been buying 

 bees in this way, not only for our own 

 use but for other beekeepers as well. 

 This system is so much in advance of 

 the old method of shipping bees on 

 the combs, that we have decided to tell 

 the readers of the American Bee Jour- 

 nal just how we operate, and why it is 

 superior to the old methods. 



In the North, a colony of bees is not 

 in condition to spare either bees or 

 brood much before May 25, hence, gen- 

 erally speaking.it is impossible to make 

 any increase that will give a good re- 

 turn in white honey. A pound of bees 

 placed on two drawn combs will, here 

 in Ontario, equal, and in some cases, 

 surpass a 3-frame nucleus, if it is 

 started a little before fruit bloom. 



During the season just past we 

 shipped out nearly 400 pound packages 

 of bees and about 75 .3-pound nuclei. 

 A considerable number uf our custo- 

 mers bought both packages and nuclei 

 because, as they frankly said, they were 

 doubtful about the packages making 

 good. To each of this class we ad- 

 dressed a letter asking to report to us 

 at the end of the season their observa- 

 tions on the relative merits of the two 

 systems. 



Out of 17 letters received, up-to-date, 

 16 of them have reported " decidedly 

 in favor of the pound package." Why ? 

 The 3 frame nuclei received from the 

 South early in the spring. May 1. got a 

 severe set-back, and in many cases 

 stopped operations entirely until all 

 the brood had emerged, then com- 



menced slowly again, or, on the other 

 hand, forged ahead so rapidly (we 

 think weather conditions and apiary 

 situations explain these contrary re- 

 ports), that they either swarmed or 

 prepared to swarm and sulked, which 

 is just as bad, so that the total white 

 honey crop was considerably less than 

 it would have been had they just at the 

 exact time reached their maximum 

 producing capacity. 



The pound packages came along 

 slowly at first, but under the stimulus 

 of fruit bloom and natural efforts 

 reached their best at the time of the 

 main flow, and held together with no 

 thought of swarming, and in the end 

 piled up a bigger surplus than the colo- 

 nies built up from the 3-fra ne nuclei. 



These reports are from all over Can- 

 ada excepting British Columbia. Two 

 reports came from Nova Scotia, two 

 from New Brunswick, five from Que- 

 bec, one each from Manitoba and Sas- 

 katchewan, and the remainder from 

 widely different points in Ontario. 

 In addition to these written reports, 

 we have received very flattering per- 

 sonal testimonials as to the value of 

 the pound package system. 



PACKING AND SHIPPING. 



Our experience, covering five sea- 

 sons, goes to show that there are some 

 breeders and shippers who advertise 

 very extensively, but are not able to 

 deliver the bees in a satisfactory con- 

 dition. The shipper must be not only 

 a reliable, competent, trustworthy 

 breeder, but what is of more impor- 

 portance in the pound package trade, 

 one who knows how to put up the bees 

 properly without losing a quarter of 

 those in each package in transit, and 

 has a thorough knowledge of the ex- 

 press business from the standpoint of 

 tariff rates and proper routing of 

 shipments. 



KIND OF PACKAGES. 



The package itself is important. It 

 must be made so that on arrival at the 

 apiary the bees can be easily removed 

 therefrom. We find that if the queen 

 is caged inside of the package (not on 

 the outside) there is less loss ot queens 

 on arrival. Some breeders ship with 



Fig. 61.— Bur Marigold 



THE MODERN WAY OF SHIPPING BEES 



the queen at liberty among her subjects. 

 While not prepared to condemn it out- 

 right, we prefer the other way for va- 

 rious reasons. 



We find that the packages are usually 

 made too heavy. This is a big item in 

 a long shipment. There is a patented 

 package now out that is just about 

 right for size, weight and strength. 



WATER NOT NECESSARY. 



We do not think water necessary in 

 shipping bees in combless packages. 

 For some time we were in doubt about 

 this point, but after receiving pound 

 after pound during the hot season, we 

 have come to the conclusion that water 

 does not add any advantage to the 

 package. In this we have had ample 

 proof, as on the same train from the 

 South we have received bees in both 

 types of package and could detect no 

 difference. 



AN EARLY START NECESSARY. 



If one would get the best results 

 from the pound package, the bees 

 should be received and put on the 

 combs several weeks before fruit 

 bloom. This gets them established 

 nicely, and when the bloom opens up 

 they forge right ahead. 



We have received some very flatter- 

 ing reports during the past season. 

 One lady reports 150 pounds of white 

 honey, and she did not receive her 

 bees until the middle of fruit bloom. 

 As an investment, we believe it a pay- 

 ing one. There is scarcely any swarm- 

 ing during the season, and the whole 

 force holds together much better than 

 an old established stock. The bees 

 seem to feel that they are still '"jun- 

 iors," and consequently work much 

 harder than a colony that has come 

 through the winter here in the North 



THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM. 



Almost all beekeepers want to know 

 just what advantage lies in any new 

 system offered. The advantages are 

 many. 1st. An early start can be made 

 if increase is desired. 2d. Help can be 

 given very early tu weak colonies. 3d. 

 The cost of getting a plant under way 



