GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



ing ill beekeeping he is g'oiug to lose a great 

 deal easier. The farmer should read the 

 books and the periodicals, and study the 

 catalogs devoted to the art. This is where 

 I failed. I thought 1 could keep bees any 

 old way; and when I was in doubt I would 

 wait until I saw some fellow who, I thought, 

 knew a little better than I did. I fiddled 

 around for two or three years, asking of 

 this one and that one the simplest questions 

 about beekeeping. I could have learned in 

 two or three days' careful reading more 

 than I learned by feeling about in the dark. 



" I looked about for equipment. I bought 

 old hives, the covers of which were rotted 

 and worm-eaten, and the frames ready for 

 kindling-wood. I guess I had a lot of swarms 

 that were ashamed of the quarters I offered 

 them and they ' flew the coop.' I lost bees 

 year after year from disease and dissatis- 

 faction. My colonies wintered poorly, and 

 it is now a wonder to me that any survived. 

 One year I dropped from about thirty 

 stands down to about two or three. The 

 bees seemed to swarm whenever they 

 pleased, and at such times as I would be in 

 a back field pitching hay. I knew of no 

 method of controlling swanning; and when 

 I did hear of them, they sounded as strange 

 as the stories in the Arabian Nights. 



" A beekeeper told me that I would have 

 to get down to business, look after my bees, 

 buy some good equipment, and read up on 

 the art. I finally an-anged to lease my 

 apiary to him for a year, and my cash 

 return was ten times as much for tlie one 

 year as it had been for six years before that, 

 and I was at no loss in time. The next year 

 I thought from the few things I had ob- 

 sen'ed that I could handle the bees myself. 

 The money of the pre\'ious year looked 

 good, and I thought that, with the increase, 

 and with the tenant's share, I could have* a 

 nice sum in the fall. When I took hold of 

 the bees I had a nice account of enthusiasm 

 to draw on, but I fell into the old n;t. I 

 had a dairy of twenty or twenty-five cows. 

 My attention was again divided between the 

 apiary, the farm, and the cows, and the 

 bees got the least amount of attention. 



" My bee tenant told me that, were I to 

 make money out of my bees. T slinuld look 

 after them, let the scrub cow liustle for 

 herself, and T would make more out of my 

 bees than out of my dairy. T believe him 

 now. I believe I should have been cash 

 ahead had I sold the scrub herd and just 

 devoted my time to the bees. 



" Last year my son returned to tlie farm 

 and made a proposition that he would look 

 after Ihe farm, the dairy, and all crops, and 

 tui'n the poultry and the bees over to me. 



Well, I thought that I could help out on the 

 farm, and again I neglected the bees for the 

 dairy. I thought it was up to me to boss 

 the farm; and the best end of the farm, the 

 apiary, failed to return the anticipated 

 amount, yet it paid, even in the face of 

 neglect. 



" I have been keeping bees for a dozen 

 years. I see why the farmer fails to make 

 the success he should. He divides the time 

 on the farm with the cows, the hens, the 

 horses, and the bees. He does not make the 

 apiary a department of the farm. He should 

 establish it on the same basis as the millin- 

 ery or tlie rug department in a department 

 store. These have to pay their way or they 

 are eliminated. If the apiary is recognized 

 as a department which will pay its way, and 

 the farmer studies beekeeping, and keeps 

 abreast of progress in the art, he can made 

 it go. 



" If scrub cows are taking time from a 

 profit-producing apiary, cut out the scrub 

 cow or turn her over to the hired man and 

 look after the bees. 



" Give attention to marketing the product. 

 Here is another reason for my failure; and 

 with neat cartons and cases for the honey 

 the product will find its way to customers 

 who ask for repeat orders, and bees will 

 pay." 



Ashtabula Co., 0. 



Bee-dreams of Golden California in Winter 



BV GRACE ALLEN 



I walked within our yard one winter day 



When not a hee from out a hive had stirred, 



When soft, across the air so chill and gray, 

 It seemed as though a droning song I heard. 



"You think we sleep, and only sleep? 



Across our darkness visions sweep 



And through our silence whispers creep 



Of golden California 1 

 We thrill with dreams of cloudless skies, 

 ■\\niere sunlit dawns and days arise; 

 Our winter sleep is stirred with sighs 



Fnr golden California, 

 Where every stroke of passing time 

 Is like a vibrant, ringing rhyme. 

 And winter's days, like summer's, chime 



In golden California. 

 Where roses redden through the hours, 

 .And bees that pause for naught but showers 

 Hang o'er the manzanita flowers 



In golden California." 



THE POET'S REPLY 

 (with apologies to our readers, as it's sorta 'tween 

 us and the bees) . 



Dear bees, we're in the same position! 

 And now we pray you softly listen — 

 This year they hold an exposition 



In golden California ; 

 So please you store a wealth of honey, 

 Then we will calmly take the money 

 .\nd hie us to that land so sunny — 



Golden California! 



