652 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 1 



success, if he manag-es it properly. The 

 main point is to feed plenty. 



But it is evident that, in northern coun- 

 tries, the case may be altogether different. 

 There, when the honej'-flow ceases, the 

 weather may be already too cool, or the 

 end of the season too near, to permit any 

 such operations. 



Knoxville, Tenn. 



[In your first sentence j^ou have evident- 

 ly read into my footnote, page 536, more 

 than I put in it. I did not say that "queens 

 raised in Aug-ust may possibh' be not ver}' 

 good because it is not nature's way," but I 

 did sny this: " If one is not going- to prac- 

 tice modern methods of queen-rearing, and 

 expects to rear queens in the old-fashioned 

 way, after the honey-flow, he will rear in- 

 ferior queens as a rule." You will see 

 there is quite a difference in the two state- 

 ments. If one uses modern methods he can 

 raise practically as good queens before or 

 after the honey-iiow as during the swarm- 

 ing season. 



I have read over your article above verj' 

 carefully, and I think that, in the main, I 

 agree with you all through; and if 3'ou will 

 read again my footnote on page 536, taking 

 into consideration \.\\& qualifying clauses, I 

 think you will see there is no real conflict. 

 Understand me, I do not advocate following 

 nature blindly and literally; but I do ad- 

 vocate having our modern methods incorpo- 

 rate some of the essential features of na- 

 ture's waj's. For example, the best queen- 

 cells are, as a rule, built in strong colonies 

 when the bees are well fed — that is, when 

 stores are coming in. Obviously, we can 

 not in practice have all the cells built dur- 

 ing the swarming season. In our artificial 

 methods we must imitate nature to a cer- 

 tain extent by feeding — get the bees up to a 

 high pitch of prosperity. Again, when we 

 make outdoDr-wintering hives we must fol- 

 low nature's plan, not to put our bees in an 

 inaccessible hollow log fifty feet from the 

 ground to get thick walls, but put them 

 into a hive that will meet the requirements 

 of man, and which will have the essential 

 features of protection — such protection as 

 we find in a hollow log, more or less por- 

 ous, with rotten woody fiber between the 

 bees and the outer air. When h6ns' eggs 

 are hatched in an incubator, notwithstand- 

 ing the whole plan is artificial the essen- 

 tial features of nature's way must be fol- 

 lowed implicitly. The eggs must be turn- 

 ed just so often; they must be kept at a 

 certain temperature; in fact, the incubator 

 must do with those eggs just what the old 

 hen does in a state of nature when she is 

 left to herself. 



When, therefore, we talk about following 

 nature's ways, it should be understood that 

 we do not follow her literally, but we adopt 

 the essential features that she points out, 

 and adapt them to our convenience. A box 

 hive will get perhaps as much honey in soine 

 form, asthe most modern single walledh hive 

 of the same capacity, but is not convenient 

 for man. — Ed.] 



THE HUMMING OF THE I5LES. 



BY FREDKRICK WEBLEY, M. D. 



.Sweet are the day-dreams of childhood 



And the hopes of early years ; 

 Then life is fair and beautiful 



And the heart knows naught of fears. 

 At times, as I work and listen, 



With a mind and heart at ease. 

 My childhood's days come back to me 



With the humming of the bees. 



Whenever I hear their murmur 



I think of a garden fair 

 With lilies and pinks and roses 



Lending fragrance to the air: 

 The birds built nests ; gay butterflies 



Came sailing over the trees, 

 And children's voices mingled 



With the humming of the bees. 



Oh ! what would I give if only 



I could hear those voices now, 

 And see the dear home faces lit 



With affection's tender glow? 

 Sometimes but a slight suggestion 



Will revive those memories. 

 And the past comes up before me 



With the humming of the bees. 



I can see the old surroundings 



Of the house with ample lawn, 

 The rainbow spraj' of fountain. 



The quaint sun-dial, the pet fawn ; 

 Bej'ond the hedge stood the bee-hives, 



And oft on the summer breeze 

 Was borne the scent of the lindens 



And the humming of the bees. 



A world so fair and beautiful 



Could be made by L,ove alone ; 

 And who can dou'it our destiny 



When the ways of I,ove are known? 

 For all life's blessings shall we not 



Render thanks on bended knees 

 If songs of thankfulness arise 



With the humming of the bees? 



Sweet are the day-dreams of childhood, 



And fair the ideals of youth ; 

 But fairer is the character 



Where the ideal forms in truth. 

 Our best hopes live in the future ; 



But dreams tint will ever please 

 Come back to me as I listen 



To the humming of the bees. 



Santa Rosa, California. 



BEE=KEEPERS' SONG. 



BY H.^RRY LATHROP. 



When apple-blossoms come in May, 



And clover comes in June; 

 When bees can work from day to day. 



In "soft and pleasing tune:" 

 When fiasswood comes in hot July, 



And heartsease in the fall ; 

 Then may we on the bees relj-. 



For food and raiment all. 



But when the spring is cold and drear, 



The apple-blossoms killed. 

 When clover fails to reappear. 



With shining blossoms filled. 

 When basswood-flowers are scarce and dry. 



And heartsease none at all. 

 We feel like sitting down to cry. 



We're driven to the wall ! 



'Tis well for us we see most clear 



The b'tter with the sweet 

 Is mingled nearly every year. 



To "make our' lives "coinplete. 

 When clover tails her shining yield, 



Then basswood comes along, 

 And autumn flowers in every field 



Oft tune our thankful song. 



Calamine, Wis., JuU- 8. 



