i9o: 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



329 



would do more to arrest and control foul 

 brood than any thing- that had been tried. 



The prejudice or superstition was so 

 marked and general that the only thing- to 

 do was to stamp out, on the old plan of cre- 

 mation, any signs of trouble, that little dis- 

 cussion followed. 



Undoubtedly those who were there had 

 never read of such a method, and acted 

 with usual caution, and on the motto that it 

 is better to suffer wrong- than to do wrong-. 

 The treatment would be regarded as under 

 the head of cruelty to iinimals, by many. 

 The future, as in the past, may demonstrate 

 that sulphur smoke as a disinfectant or 

 spore-destroyer has no equal, and is as ap- 

 plicable to bees and combs and hives a^ to 

 pest-houses, etc. 



I may remark here, that sulphur smoke 

 does not kill bees if allowed fresh air soon 

 after it is applied. The odor, however, re- 

 mains in the hive and among the bees for 

 several days, but in no way disturbs their 

 general actions. The smoke should be ap- 

 plied at night after the bees are mainly 

 quiet, so that they may recover in time for 

 the morning's duties. 



If sulphur smoke will kill germs and 

 spores it may also kill eggs, and work 

 more injury than might be expected. My 

 experiment was free from eggs and larvje, 

 and could not be regarded as a test in that 

 sense. 



I shall test the effect on eggs and larvae 

 that have no disease. If it will dry up 

 dead brood and immature larvas, foul brood 

 and similar disorders will lose their terror. 



It is well known that bees will not remove 

 gelatinous substances from their combs, 

 and it is probable that they would not dry 

 matter, except to accommodate immediatelj"^ 

 the instinct to produce brood. 



Farwell, Mich., Feb. 24. 



[Sulphur si-noke is a strong germicide; 

 but I should question whether it would kill 

 the spores of foul brood, especially if those 

 same spores can resist the temperature of 

 boiling water for an hour or more. — Ed.] 



ALFALFA IN KANSAS AND NEBRASKA. 



How it Yields Honey in Unirrigated Lands. 



BY CARL F. BUCK. 



Mr. Editor: — On page 179, March 1, in 

 one of Dr. Miller's Stray Straws, you and 

 he both claim that alfalfa does not yield 

 honey except on irrigated laud. This Straw 

 is surely a stra3^ I don't know what we 

 would do if not for our alfalfa. Last year 

 our fruit-bloom and alfalfa were our only 

 honey-plants, and my bees averaged be- 

 tween 35 and 40 lbs. surplus per colony; be- 

 sides, I sold many nuclei and queens from 

 my 192 colonies, spring count. This honey 

 was all gathered from alfalfa in the short 

 time of about two weeks. After this we 

 had the great drouth, and our fall flowers 

 did not furnish any honey to speak of. Not 



only does my locality furnish alfalfa honey, 

 but so does all the bottom lands along the 

 Arkansas and Kansas Rivers and tributa- 

 ries. Two years ago I purchased 150 colo- 

 nies of bees in Chase Co., on the Cotton- 

 wood River. These bees were located in 

 large alfalfa-fields. When examining the 

 bees I found they had produced large quan- 

 tities of alfalfa honey, and they were not 

 cared for at all. They were in all kinds of 

 cheap hives, some open at top so wide one 

 could put his lingers in; covers warped, 

 etc. The manager reported that he had 

 lost at least 40 colonies that spring by spring 

 dwindling. Should this apiary have been 

 run with Danz. hives, that have no such 

 cracks as above hives, and been cared for 

 as they should, I see no reason why this 

 locality would not have yielded over 100 lbs. 

 per colony surplus from alfalfa only, be- 

 sides some other flowers on the bottoms and 

 prairies. 



Alfalfa does not seem to do much good in 

 Missouri, Illinois, and other more eastern 

 States; but in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklaho- 

 ma, and Indian Territory alfalfa on the 

 bottom lands does j'ield honey, in some 

 quantity at least, and in many localities it 

 yields it in abundance — but, of course, not 

 like the irrigated districts of Colorado and 

 other western States. Come out here some 

 time, Mr. Editor, about June 1st to 15th, 

 and I 11 prove to you that our alfalfa does 

 yield honey. I might add that our locality, 

 Butler County, is now overstocked, so we 

 don't ask any H. O. G. to come in. You 

 see. only just here and there are these al- 

 falfa-fields, so there is no large number of 

 colonies in one location. 



Augusta, Kan., Mar. 22. 



[Thanks for your invitation. The next 

 time I make a general tour westward I'll 

 stop in your countr}\ 



I, had always supposed that no nectar 

 was secreted from alfalfa in unirrigated 

 lands. — Ed.] 



DAD'S ADVICE. 



BY HARRY LATHROP. 



Now, Lewis, when you see a riiaid 



With face so very pretty, 

 Just think of that old maxim true. 



And this my little ditty. 



' Handsome is as haudsome does," 

 Nong. t repays the one who loves 

 But the worth of heart and mind, 

 These witli beauty well refined. 



To the lover's eagef eyes, 

 Beauty may her faults disguise. 

 And the plainer face reveal . 

 That which dress may not conceal. 



Plainest surface may but cover 

 That most worthy of a lover; 

 Let'each merit ha%'ea portion 

 Of your heart's sincere devotion. 

 If you follow my direction, i 



Kindly given for your protection, 

 "Vou perchance may sooner fiod ■ 

 Beauty, strength, and worth combined. 



Then when you have made selection. 

 Love may not avoid detection; 

 What to say, I will not mention. 

 That u.ust be vour own invention. 



