AUGUST 1, 19ir> 



017 



NOTES FMOM CANADA 



J. L. Byer, Markham, Onlario 



1 am iilad to sch> lliat recoinmen- some nectar IVoin 

 (latioii of Carniolans, on })age "I'iO. 



Alllioiiyh I liavc iiiven I hem up 

 luetly well, owing to a Kuiopean- 

 I'onl-brood scare, yet I still really 

 believe a good strain of Carniolans 

 to be the very best bee, all things 

 considered. The swarming propensity is 

 overestimated in most cases, and we never 

 had any trouble to speak of, but, of course, 

 we used large liives. 



F. C. Greiner's article on page 549 in 

 the matter of foul brood and tlie effect it 

 has on the industry of beekeeping is in- 

 teresting and instructive. But 1 cannot 

 refrain from making a kick because he does 

 not label the brand he has been dealing 

 with. This is a common error; and, while 

 excusable on the part of a beginner, it is 

 hardly so in the case of Mr. Greiner. Many 

 of us will kr.ow at once on reading the ar- 

 ticle that he is referring to Eui'opean or 

 black brood, but others will not think of 

 that, and perhaps try the plans given with 

 our old friend American foul brood. Tlie 

 point is that, while the treatment he rec- 

 ommends is no doubt up to date for the 

 disease he has in mind, for American foul 

 brood it would be worse than useless. This 

 ci-itioism is made in all kindness; and in 

 mentioning this particular article it is sim- 

 ply to em})hasize the fact that a lot of 

 similar mistakes are being made all the 

 time, to the confusion of many who are not 

 posted on the two diseases which are so 

 radically difTerent and require such dif- 

 ferent treatment. 



* * * 



As predicted in last batch of "Notes" for 

 I his department, the clover flow here in York 

 <^'ounty has been very light. Absence of 

 showers early enough, and too much cool 

 weather, is res]ionsible. While we had 

 abundant rain during last week, at this 

 date clover is about over and the surplus is 

 verv' liiriit. Bees here in many cases were in 

 poor condition for what flow we had, as the 

 verA' bad weather that lasted all through 

 ^^ay and much of Ju!ie caused a heavy loss 

 <«f field bees; and when clover came on we 

 had hi\c>s filled with brood and baby bees, 

 but a lack of fielders. 



Basswood never looked better, but we 

 have little. Tn localities wheie there are lots 

 of frees there should be a good cliance of 



hat source. This is 

 written July 7, and the bloom on basswood 

 will not be open for a week. At our north 

 location chances are yet good for a crop 

 from clover, as it is later there and much 

 tnore abundant. Basswood buds up there 

 which gave a gi-eat showing were all frozen 

 in the late June freeze. Buckwheat in York 

 County is a heavy acreage as compared to 

 other years, and much is sowti early, which 

 will give a long time of blossoming. Some 

 of it is so early tliat if. by chance, we should 

 get a basswood flow the two will likely go 

 together. 



* « * 



Having mentioned the large yard we have 

 up north at various times, some seem to 

 think that these far-north locations are a 

 ^ovt of paradise for beekeepers. This opin- 

 ion is gleaned from considerable correspon- 

 dence that has come to me lately. Northern 

 Ontario has lots of room for beekeepers, 

 and in some seasons the country gives good 

 returns from the bees — no question about 

 that. But it is well to remember that, the 

 further north one goes, extremes of temper- 

 atures, especially in regard to late spring 

 and early fall frosts, are far more apt to 

 cause damage than in more southern locali- 

 ties. Our nortli yard is only 100 miles from 

 Toronto, and yet the difference in these 

 matters is considerable as compared to our 

 home apiaries not far from this city. For 

 instance, the frost of May 26, already men- 

 tioned, did little damage to honey-produc- 

 ing sources at home, while up at the north 

 yard, where we had a splendid showing for 

 basswood, all the buds were frozen from 

 the trees. 



Then, again, there seems to be some con- 

 fusion on the part of some as to the loca- 

 tion where we have our bees; and it is well 

 to remember that Ontario is a big province, 

 and our bees are not in the northern part at 

 all, strictly speaking. While our apiai-y is 

 but 100 miles from Toronto, the great clay 

 belt now being settled is over 300 miles 

 north of Toronto at the south side of the 

 Iracl running nearly as nnu-li juoie nortli 

 and hundreds of miles west. Up there, 

 clover, willow-herb, and raspbeirios are the 

 main sources of honey; and while there is 

 generally lots of honey flora for the bees, 

 as before intimated, weatlier conditions are 

 more uncertain one year with another the 

 further north one goes. 



