66 



GLEANINGS IN BEE GULTURE 



Fig. 2. — The big drainage canal in Florida, showing how the wild flowers crowd the banks. 



comi^lete possession of the spoilbank also. 

 We could not make progress along it, and 

 we dropped down into the ditch and walked 

 at the water's edge on a slippery, sloping- 

 incline set at an angle of 45 degrees. 



After what seemed an hour we came to a 

 bridge and a road which led toward the rail- 

 way. We climbed out of the ditch into the 

 road, catching a snap-shot by the way. 

 Everywhere there were vast sti'etches of 

 nectar-bearing plants. In a comparatively 

 open place Mr. Clute gathered a bunch of 

 boneset and held it up while he posed beside 

 a clumj:) of W. S. F. that towered far above 

 his head. The boneset and the smartweed 

 had been in flower for more than six weeks. 

 They looked as if they were taking a fresh 

 siart with a second crop; and the W. S. F. 

 that gemmed with gold this rich region was 

 just coming into its own. There were acres 

 upon acres of lioney — enough to keep a 

 thousand colonies busy for months, and 

 only fifty colonies at one corner. What a 

 wealth of sweetness going to waste! 



As Av.e walked we discussed the wisdom of 

 bringing bees to save a little of this vast 

 store. Ours were doing well where they 

 were. Spanish needle and goldenrod would 

 give them pasture for a while, then would 

 come sweet myrtle, on which they always 

 grow rich. To move meant time, trouble, 

 and expense. We thought we might as well 

 let well enough alone. 



Then we talked of the future. What about 

 1915? Should we keep the bees on their 

 present stands until after the orange and 

 palmetto flow, then get them in June to the 

 B. S. G. for a summer and fall killing? The 

 old beekeepers, like Poppleton, claim that 



iheie is no honey-flow on this peninsula in 

 August. But we lielieve we can show them 

 that the last word has not yet been said 

 about Florida possibilities. The longer one 

 stays in this great State the more he finds 

 what it can do. Mr. Christopher had a 

 summer flow, and he was at least a month 

 late getting there as we figure it. There are 

 other sawgrasses, and they .should be as 

 promising as this. 



IXTRODUCIXG BY SMEARING THE QUEEN WITH 

 HOXET. 



Mr. Clute had a fine year — more than 

 .30,000 pounds and 100 ]>er cent increase. 

 If he cai'ries out tlie i^roject that we dis- 

 cussed he should be able to show three 

 times as good a year in the one that is 

 coming. Like all old hands with tlie bees, 

 he has a store of practical knowledge that is 

 very valuable to the novice. On one occa- 

 sion, when I had a high-priced queen to 

 introduce, he said, *' Let the smoke method 

 go. Put her in half a cup of honey. Don't 

 be afraid to push her 'way down into it 

 with your fingers. Smear her all over. The 

 bees will lick her clean. Get her covered 

 deep, and pour her and the honev into the 

 to]) of the brood-chamber." My heai-t sank 

 when I saw her apparently drowned in tlie 

 honey smothered in sweetness. But the deed 

 was done, and I could tliink of no way to 

 s:et the sticky stuff from hor body and wings. 

 The bees would have to do it or she would 

 be hopelessly smotheied. So into the liive 

 T poui'ed her. When T opened the hive after 

 several days I found that she had been 

 :icce]ited. and Avas doing all that one could 

 desire of the mother of the colony. Not 

 long after, I repeated the operation. This 



