352 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



J. L. Byer, Markliam, Omltario 



I have just returned from visit- 

 ing the north yard referred to at 

 diiferent times during the past 

 winter, where the 250 colonies were 

 winterly mainly on aster honey. 

 The bees had no cleansing flight 

 wintered mainly on aster honey. 

 April 7, and, much to my surprise, every 

 colony in normal condition last fall is alive 

 at i:»resent, and not a spot of dysentery in 

 the whole apiary. More particulars later. 



At this date (April 12) it looks as though 

 bees have wintered better than anticipated 

 in my Notes for April 1. Heavy losses are 

 reported only where little feeding was done 

 last fall, and in some eases where natural 

 stores were bad. Our own losses seem to be 

 confined to two yards where about fifteen 

 colonies have perished, and in these cases 

 abundant stores were present, but granulat- 

 ed solid. The bees broke their cluster early 

 in March, with combs solid with this poor 



stuff. 



« * • 



Mention is made on page 173 about a 

 ten-pound pail, used for a boiler for a 

 steam-heated knife, bursting and severely 

 scalding the person using the knife. The 

 warning is not out of place, as one needs 

 to be careful. During 1913 we had a sim- 

 ilar experience, but no one was hurt. We 

 use a small kettle, and the top is fitted in 

 tightly by placing a few thicknesses of 

 cotton under the cover and then pressing it 

 in. Once the knife became clogged, and 

 this top acted as a safety-valve, blowing out 

 so forcibly that it went to the roof of the 

 building. Mrs. Byer was sprayed a little 

 with the hot water, but received no injury. 



• • • 



This is the time of the year when letters 

 come in asking about clipping queens. The 

 subject has been debated so much that it is 

 pretty well settled, and the verdict is appar- 

 ent from the fact that about 90 per cent 

 of (he commercial beekeepers, at least, fol- 

 low the practice. Just a word of warning 

 to beginners on this question : Do not clip 

 part of the queens in the apiary and leave 

 the rest. Clip all of them or none. Space 

 forbids at this time giving more reasons for 

 this advice ; but if the beginner is at all 

 doubtful as to its wisdom, let him try the 

 partial method; and if a bad swarming sea- 

 son should ensue, he will understand all 

 about it by the end of the season. 



My father left North Carolina for home 

 April 7, and at that date the bees there 

 were working on the soft maples. On April 

 8 our bees (at home) were getting pollen 

 and nectar from the same source. This is 

 an unusual condition indeed, as other years 

 when father has been in the South there 

 has been at least a month's difference in the 

 time of bloom of south maples as compared 

 with us in Ontario. If this has been gener- 

 al all over the South 1 would surmise that 

 it has been a poor year to move bees down 

 there to have them build up for increase 

 and moved back north again later in season. 

 I sincerely hope conditions have not been 

 so backward in the vicinity of the Dismal 

 Swamp. Vegetation was further advanced 

 on the date mentioned, in the vicinity of 

 Cincinnati, than it was twenty miles from 

 Asheville, N. C. 



« « • 



Glad for the caution to shippers of 

 queens and bees by the pound, as lately 

 given in " Special Notices," Feb. 15. Espe- 

 cially should shippers of bees by the pound 

 be careful in sending bees long distances. 

 While many have come to Ontario in good 

 condition, many have come otherwise, and 

 shippers should either be able to prepare 

 the bees so as to be sure of safe arrival, or 

 else be prepared to make good all losses. 

 One of the great troubles is getting quick 

 clearance from the customs office nearest 

 the beekeeper getting the pound packages; 

 and from past experience, if getting any 

 such packages I believe I would have them 

 sent to Toronto and then make it a point 

 to meet the shipment and bring them out 

 the twenty miles by auto or other convey- 

 ance. 



In 1913 a young man near me got quite 

 a large shipment from a point as near as 

 Michigan. They came to Toronto; and by 

 reason of a lot of red tape, they actually 

 lay there for two days. The result was a 

 lot of dead" bees; and although claims were 

 made on the express office, up to this time 

 not a cent has been paid to the buyer of the 

 bees, and he just lately received a letter 

 saying no payment would be made. For a 

 private individual to get after an express 

 company is out of the question, so I sup- 

 pose the beekeeper will have to bear the 



loss. 



• * • 



" What a difference between the North 

 and the South! " exclaims our friend from 

 Texas, page 222, March 15. Yes, there is 



Continued on page 355. 



