1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



603 



with an outfit much like the one represent- 

 ed in the photo. They are in universal use 

 in all of this back country. 



Mr. H. brought his bees from Florida, in 

 Heddon hives; and thoug-h he likes the hive 

 and system of management, he finds that 

 the humidity of this climate causes the 

 frames and thumb-screws to swell and hold 

 the frames practically immovable, and for 

 this reason he was using the regular L. 

 hive for his increase, and proposed to change 

 the Heddon into L. 



We discussed the possibilities of improve- 

 ment, and caine to the conclusion that quite 

 a change was necessary in order to adapt 

 the hive to Cuba. I predict that such 

 changes will be made. 



At the time of our visit the bees had just 

 been moved ; the binding-strips were not tak- 

 en from the hives, but the bees were roar- 

 ing, and working on the bellflower. In ad- 

 dition to that the range has romerea, cat- 

 claw, palm, and much other flora. 



Mr. H. is one of those bee-men who do 

 not believe in wiring combs, and showed us 

 several sound new combs that had been 

 jolted and banged in the carreton in mov- 

 ing, and they were not broken. I have not- 

 ed this matter before among bee-keepers, 

 and am inclined to think there is much use- 

 less wiring in a majority of cases. 



Mr. H. thinks his apiary is in good work- 

 ing order when he can take a bocoy (100 

 gallons) of honey from 280 combs, or 1000 

 gallons from 200 colonies at each extract- 

 ing. At the time of our visit the apiary 

 contained the above number; and as there 

 is nothing small about Mr. H. I have no 

 doubt he will double that number during 



the coming season, and I have no doubt he 

 will have the prevailing Cuban-American 

 idea of an increase to thousands. And here 

 is a point we discussed: While so many are 

 getting their thousands of colonies, the bee 

 journals are conducted for the man with a 

 dozen or a hundred or two hundred hives. 

 A person visiting these large bee-keepers 

 necessarily feels the spirit of a larger bee- 

 keeping, and nowhere is this more mani- 

 fest than in Cuba. 



Another matter that struck me as pecul- 

 iar was the cheerfulness and contentment 

 of the lady of the house; for Mr. H. has a 

 helpmeet, and two children grown to the 

 dignity of young people. When at Mr. 

 Somerford's I thought the "Mrs." there a 

 very contented woman; but Mrs. Hochsteui 

 s still more isolated, and seems to be wili- 

 ng to leave all of the refinements of town 

 and the pleasure of meeting friends often 

 n social intercourse, and to live contentedly 

 in this secluded place. 



I noted, however, that the family kept in 

 touch with the outside world through a 

 number of our popular magazines and pa- 

 pers. 



There was ample evidence of Mr. Hoch- 

 stein's prosperity; for while we were there 

 the oxen and carreton broug-ht in a load of 

 lumber for a new house, and at this writ- 

 ing the family are occupying it. I have 

 also since learned that the yield of honey 

 from the 200 colonies was very satisfactory 

 to the owner. 



The "American Tramp" and the Ram- 

 bler posed for a photo near the apiary; and 

 Harry Beaver, who was the only one that 

 day who carried a camera, made the expos- 



CAKRETON AND OXEN READY TO MOVE BEES. 



