950 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



say that Germany's honey crop this past 

 season has been above the average. In some 

 parts it is good, and even very good; in 

 some, on account of drouth, it is but fair. 

 However, a good crop in California differs 

 greatly in the number of pounds per colo- 

 ny from what is called a good crop in 

 Germany. Here we have places where an 

 avei'age of 20 lbs. per colony is considered 

 very good. Only rare places may in an 

 extra good season bring as much as 100 lbs. 

 per colony by migrating with the bees. 



HONEY BY PARCEL POST. 



Much honey is sent here by mail. Eleven 

 pounds from one end of the empire to the 

 other costs but 12 cents; and if the distance 

 does not exceed 60 miles the charge is but 

 6 cents. I send only crystallized honey 

 through the mail, so no damage has ever 

 occurred by the roughest handling. The 

 cans used differ from the common gallon 

 can with screw cap. They are round, with 

 a well-fitting cover that can be taken off. 



Kempten, Bavaria, Germany. 



TWO-STORY HIVES FOR WINTERING 



BY J. M. DONALDSON. 



Wintering over a set of empty combs has 

 been my way of wintering in three widely 

 different localities. In two of the locations 

 I used winter cases, but here in central New 

 Jersey the added protection does not make 

 enough difference in wintering to justify 

 the extra cost and labor. 



Ten years' experience in this location has 

 taught me that colonies with young queens 

 and plenty of good stores if wintered in 

 two-story hives will come out good and 

 strong in the spring. Some who winter 

 bees in the cellar or in well-packed winter 

 cases may wonder what advantage there is 

 in using two stories if the lower set of 

 combs are empty. There are several ad- 

 vantages. Mr. Hill names two of them when 

 he says that the lower set of combs acts as 

 a windbreak, and that the bees are not so 

 apt to fly out on bright cold days. 



I do not consider a one-story hive deep 

 enough for the bees to store enough honey 

 to carry them safely through the winter and 

 have enough left so that brood-rearing can 

 go right along till honey and pollen are 

 coming in, and at the same time keep up 

 late brood-rearing, so there Avill be a large 

 force of young bees to winter. With a two- 

 story hive the bees can crowd the queen 

 clear out of the upper story, but she will 

 still have that lower set of combs for a 

 brood-nest. Should the upper set be en- 

 tirely filled and sealed down to the bottom- 

 bar the lower set makes an ideal clustering- 

 place until some of the honey is consumed 

 and tlie winter nest formed in the top story. 

 When file queen begins laying, the brood- 

 nest will be in the upper story, and the first 

 examination of the colony can easily be 

 made without unsealing the cover by simply 

 tipping up the top story. When the queen 

 has expanded the brood-nest so that there 

 are five or six frames of brood, the bodies 

 should be shifted, the queen being used in 

 the top story, as her brood-nest will soon 



occupy the empty combs if a frame of 

 brood is put in when the shift is made. 



The editor thinks there would be danger 

 of mice getting in and destroying the lower 

 set of comb. I did not tliink so; but when 

 I had bottom-bars gnawed almost in two, 

 and whole sets of combs destroyed, besides 

 having the bees disturbed, then I knew foi* 

 a fact that there was danger. I now use 

 an entrance-contractor with frame-spacing 

 staples driven in the opening. 



Would honey left in the lower set of 

 combs in the spring invite robbers to enter? 

 I don't know, because honey is seldom 

 found there, even if there was quite a little 

 when winter set in. I have always had an 

 idea that the set of empty combs discourag- 

 ed robbing. It's a long way from the 

 entrance to the honey; and if robbers 

 should succeed in entering they have the 

 same road to travel again before they can 

 spread the news. 



Moorestown, N. J. 



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THANKSGIVING 



BV GEACE ALIiEN 



Across the land I hear a noble strain, 



A mighty son?, triumphant, of thanksgiving, 

 A proudly gratehil hymn sung not in vain 



So it but stir a chord of larger living. 

 And may my voice commingle, as I strive 



A low, full-throated, yearning note to sing; 

 Give thanks, O hosts, for honey in the hive, 

 But let me lift my song 

 To celebrate the long 



Courageous quest and uncomplaining wing! 



Give thanks for harvests, aye, and join me then 



In thanks for labor of undaunted men. 



Re.ioice for viet'ries won for truth and right. 

 And tlien rejoice in hearts that fight the fight. 



Full thanks we yield for peaceful blessings streaming 

 Across our lives, with glimpse of dream come true; 



But most of all I prize the very dreaming. 

 And some slight will to do. 



Our thanks then, God, for dreams that dare to soar. 



And faith that thrills to work. And grant us more! 



