GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Beekeeping in the Southwest 



Louis H. Scholl, New Braunfels, Texas. 



That cover picture of Ira D. 

 Bartlett's apiary, in the Feb. 1st 

 issue, appeals to me from the fact 

 that it shows the hives aiTanged in 

 pairs. I have raised my objections 

 at various times to the too com- 

 mon practice of placing them in 

 lono rows with a single hive to a location, 

 and all the same distance apart. My ex- 

 perience seems to prove beyond a doubt 

 that the loss of queens returning from their 

 mating-trip is far greater because of the 

 fact that the queens are less able to locate 

 their own hives when they are all alike. 

 This is obviated to a great extent by setting 

 them in pairs, even when they are in long 

 rows. I prefer to have them in groups of 

 fives, partly in the shade of a tree or where 

 there are several trees close together, facing 

 three hives to the southeast, one to the 

 southwest, and another on the opposite side 

 facing to the northeast. Enough room is 

 left between the backs of the hives and the 

 tree or trees to allow free operation with 

 the hives from the rear, and out of the flight 

 of the bees. I call attention to this matter 

 at this time so that others may try it when 

 setting out their bees this spring in the 

 North, or for those who may wish to rear- 

 range their apiaries in the South. I have 

 had several enquiries on this subject lately. 

 * * * 



" BUY MORE COTTON " OR " BUY MORE 

 HONEY " ? 



When the cotton farmer was so " hard 

 hit " by the outbreak of the European war 

 every effort was made to relieve the stren- 

 uous situation that affected almost evpry 

 industry and every vocation to some extent. 

 One of these movements was the " Buy a 

 Bale of Cotton " idea, and many bales were 

 taken care of in this way. 



The writer soon learned, not only from 

 his own experience as an extensive produc- 

 er, but from many other sources, that the 

 beekeeper is suffering from the effects of 

 the war upon the honey markets, especially 

 in the South. It was soon realized that the 

 beekeeper, as a producer, was affected very 

 much as was the cotton producer; and if 

 the " Buy a Bale of Cotton " movement was 

 doing the latter some good, why should not 

 a " Buy a Pail of Honey " movement aid 

 the beekeepers? 



It is not too late for a campaign of this 

 kind even now. There is much un.'^old hon- 

 ey, and the end of the war is not yet ; so 

 that I feel the conditions will not meet with 



a material change for the better for some 

 time. Especially true would this be if we 

 experience another large crop this year, for 

 which the prospects in Texas, at least, are 



most excellent. 



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THOSE COVER PICTURES. 



Speaking of the cover pictures as they 

 have appeared on the front cover of Glean- 

 ings for some time, I agree fully with Prof. 

 Newell, p. 134, Feb. 15, in hoping that this 

 type of cover may not soon be discontinued. 

 These not only help to make Gleanings 

 look more beautiful, but the pictures the 

 editors have used have been interesting and 

 of an instructive character in one manner 

 or another. 



With special reference to the illustration 

 of the experimental apiary near College 

 Station, Texas, by Prof. Newell, I feel that 

 Prof. Newell would not have the readers, 

 and especially beginners, infer that he 

 would have them adopt in their own apia- 

 ries either the arrangement of the hives, the 

 methods of keeping records, and one or 

 two other features shown in this picture. 

 I have already raised objections to setting 

 hives singly and systematically in rows oi' 

 in hexagonal order. This experimental api- 

 ary is arranged in this manner. 



Although the manner of keeping records 

 of the hives as shown is excellent for ex- 

 perimental purposes, it would be rather im- 

 practical to employ on a large scale or for 

 many hundreds of colonies. While the 

 white-jjainted and numbered-stake plan is a 

 good one in some respects, the stakes are 

 rather expensive in the first place; and in 

 keeping up the numbering properly on ac- 

 count of the comparatively rapid decay of 

 stakes driven in the earth I should prefer 

 to keep the number of the location on the 

 hive-body itself, and for this purpose I 

 have a hive number that surpasses any that 

 has been brought to my notice so far. This 

 has been shown in Gleanings, but it seems 

 to me it was not fully understood. It is 

 very simple, made of galvanized iron, is 

 very cheap, easily made, and hangs over the 

 hive rabbet, and is held firmly in place by 

 the supers or cover set on it. It is easily 

 shifted from one hive to another when there 

 is occasion to take the hives to another loca- 

 tion. These are more satisfactory than the 

 stakes, and are not in the wav of the opera- 

 tor. 



The manner of indicating certain condi- 

 tions of the colonies by means of bricks on 



