GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



not been able to get it always perfect in 

 times past. Mr. Rea (see page 150) has 

 probably got it nearly right. If we can use 

 a candy made with invert sugar without the 

 t'mployment of heat we shall feel that we 

 have nearly solved our problem. More anon. 



Our Cover Picture 

 We always appreciate criticisms concern- 

 ing the policies of the editors of Gleanings 

 when they are sincerely given; and we are 

 genuinely pleased, of course, when we re- 

 ceive an interesting word of commendation 

 like the following: 



Dear Mr. Root : — I have followed with much in- 

 terest the long series of excellent and interesting 

 photographs on the cover pages of Gleanings, and ' 

 have marveled at your ability to secure a steady and 

 constant supply of such excellent prints. I certain- 

 ly hope this type of cover on the magazine will not 

 1 e discontinued. 



I venture to enclose a photo herewith which might 

 po^ssibly be used in this connection. It is a partial 

 view of our experimental apiary, taken during the 

 winter months. For this reason the hives are all 

 shown as one-story, and only about one-fifth of the 

 yard is within the field. This view was taken from 

 the roof of the extracting-house, but is not nearly as 

 good a picture as I had hoped for. You have no 

 idea how difficult it is to photograph Spanish moss 

 — unless you have tried it. 



The photo also shows my method of numbering 

 colonies, or, rather, hive locations, for I number the 

 stand, not the colony or the queen. The one-inch 

 numbers are stenciled on 1 x 4 x 22-inch stakes which 

 are painted white. I have used this scheme for three 

 years, and find it by far the most satisfactory of any 

 yet suggested. The stakes are placed directly back 

 of the centers of the hive-stands, where they are 

 very convenient to hang the smoker on. 



WiLMON NewelIj, State Entomologist. 



College Station, Tex., Nov. 26. 



igg; Itlhie Essen- 

 '^iMtteriog 



In our last issue, page 97, we referred to 

 the fact that tliat cluster of bees mentioned 

 in the previous issue had become disinte- 

 grated; that the protecting shell or wall had 

 been broken, and that the individual mem- 

 bers of the cluster were scattered, and many 

 of them chilled to death. We also referred 

 to the fact that the entire cluster was chilled 

 through, and remained chilled for several 

 days. It seemed as if the bees were dead, 

 but after several hours they " came to " 

 when placed inside before the radiator. We 

 wondered at the time whether this freezing 

 of the four days would have a disastrous 

 effect. After the bees were warmed up they 

 were uneasy, and showed unmistakable signs 

 of dysentery, and in the space of four or 

 five days they were all dead. 



This goes to show that, when the cluster 

 is too small, or the protection is inadequate, 



there comes a time when the cluster loses its 

 power to keep up its individual lieat. When 

 that time arrives the protecting wall or shell 

 is broken. The bees become chilled through; 

 and, even though a warm spell may follow, 

 so that they revive, the severe chilling has a 

 disastrous effect, apparently, resulting in 

 dysentery and death. 



We have broken into outdoor clusters in 

 years gone by. Some seemed scattered all 

 over the frames while other clusters in other 

 hives were compact, and seemed to be in 

 nice condition. But the first-mentioned bees 

 always died in a few weeks' time. A brok- 

 en cluster, then, in cold mid-winter is a 

 very bad sign. It is evident that the bees 

 are demoralized and the end is near. 



The object-lesson from these observations 

 is that a colony to be wintered outdoors 

 should be strong or well housed. But even 

 good housing (double walls and packing) 

 will be insufficient to protect a weak colony 

 outdoors. But Aveak colonies very often can 

 be and are wintered in a good bee-cellar 

 that is not too cold nor too warm, that has 

 sutficient ventilation. 



The Iowa S 



The third annual report of State Bee 

 Inspector Frank C. Pellett, of Iowa, for the 

 year 1914, has been published. Besides the 

 short sketch of work accomplished by the 

 insjDector during the year 1014, the report 

 contains information of value to the bee- 

 keeper in the care of apiaries and the treat- 

 ment of diseases. The greater part of the 

 pamphlet is taken up by the papers read at 

 the third annual convention of the Iowa 

 State Beekeepers' Association at Ames, 

 Nov. 17-19, 1914. 



The inspector found that, owing to the 

 low production of honey and to the spread 

 of European and American foul brood, both 

 conditions due largely to the drouths of 

 1913 and 1914, many of the fairaer bee- 

 keepers are either discouraged and going 

 out of the business or are giving the bees 

 the necessary attention and realizing conse- 

 <|uent profits. The writer concludes that 

 these adverse conditions have reacted favor- 

 ably toward a more businesslike and scien- 

 tific apiculture witliin the state. The great- 

 est need is education. 



The same conditions which favored the 

 sjiread of the diseases made it diffieult for 

 the inspectors to deal with them. With 

 inspection duinng a heavy honey-flow, rob- 

 bing could be started easily, and the disease 

 spread instead of checked. This emphasizes 

 the need in certain localities of county in- 



