1902 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



739 



THE DANGER FROM THE USE OF PROPOLIZ- 



ED CLOTHS IN SMOKERS; GRANULATED 



HONEY VS. GRANULATED SUGAR. 



On page 656, August 1, I find the follow- 

 ing: "Some one has suggested the value of 

 old coffee-sacks for smoker fuel. There is 

 nothing better for good strong pungent 

 smoke, unless it is propolized cloths or 

 quilts, that have outlived or outworn their 

 usefulness." I wish to sound a note of 

 warning with reference to putting propoliz- 

 ed cloth into a smoker. A bee-keeper living 

 in this city put propolized cloth into a smok- 

 er, lighted it, and opened a colony of bees. 

 In a short time bees from every colony in 

 his yard came in great numbers and com- 

 menced to rob the colony, and sting every 

 person near. The whole apiary was de- 

 moralized. The owner's stepson was stung 

 so badly that he was so sick for several 

 days he could not go to his work. As a re- 

 sult, the owner had to move his bees away 

 off to a gardener's, and finally went out of 

 the business. The infuriated bees stung 

 the neighbor's chickens and dogs, and were 

 too dangerous to be tolerated. 



Our bees wintered very well, and built up 

 quite strong during fruit-bloom. Very few 

 swarms have issued, and no surplus has 

 been removed. Now and then there is a 

 pretty good day. I'm of the opinion that a 

 quarter-section in the city furnishes more 

 bloom than the same amount of land in 

 prairie farms. There is scarcely a lot but 

 has flowers of some kind — beds of portulac- 

 ca, sunflowers, madeira vines, etc. Sweet 

 clover and catnip are quite plentiful, and 

 bloom freely; but frequent rains wash out 

 their sweetness. I've not been very well 

 during the past year, and I came to the con- 

 clusion that sugar was injuring me. Chem- 

 icals used in bleaching and manufacturing 

 it disagreed with me, and it took much of 

 it to sweeten cofi^ee or tea. Of late I've 

 been using granulated honey to sweeten 

 my coffee, and I'm well pleased with the 

 change. 



Who among the fraternity will realize 

 enough money from his bees to pay his ex- 

 penses to Denver? Don't all speak at once. 



Peoria, 111. Mrs. L. Harrison. 



[It was J. E. Crane, a bee-keeper con- 

 servative and careful, who suggested or 

 recommended propolized cloth. Perhaps he 

 would tell us of his experience. — Ed.] 



an asthmatic attack induced from 



OPENING A BEE- hive; WAS IT BEE- 

 POISON OR POLLEN? 



I write to ask information about a pecul- 

 iar thing that happened to me last Sunday. 

 I have never read any thing like it. 



To commence with I would say that at 

 times I have attacks of asthma, but not very 

 severe, and have had no attack for nearly a 

 year. Last Sundaj^ morning, about 9:30, 

 I thought I would open the top of a super 

 on one of m}^ Italian hives, and see if thej' 

 were making any honey. The bees were 



bringing in pollen very fast, and I put my 

 head clear down to the hive to see the con- 

 dition of it without lifting out any of the 

 frames, thereby getting the full benefit cf 

 all the odors in the hive. I commenced to 

 have an attack of asthma. I started for 

 the house; but before I reached it I fell un- 

 conscious on the ground. The neighboi s 

 came running in, and a doctor was called. 

 It was over thirty minutes before I came t <. 

 and mean while I had been struggling f>.r 

 breath. My wife said my face and hands 

 were just as black as they could be, an. I 

 the doctor said he could hardly feel my 

 pulse. They injected morphine into niV 

 arms, which finally brought me around. I 

 never want such an experience again; and 

 if this is what bees are going to do to me I 

 shall have to give them up. 



What I want to know is, what pollen pro- 

 duced it? and do all asthmatic people ha\e 

 trouble among bees? I was stung on tlie 

 hand when I was looking in, but I don't 

 think that had any thing to do with it. 

 Newton A. Knapp. 



Winchester, Mass., Aug. 12. 



[Perhaps some physician in our ranks 

 could give us some light on this case. — Ed. J 



HOW TO keep a SURPLUS OF QUEENS. 



A subscriber, a while ago, asked how to 

 keep his extra queens. I will tell you hou- 

 I do. When the honey harvest begins, if [ 

 do not want swarms I cage the queens with 

 four or five attendants, in a cage something 

 like the Miller introducing-cage, and pur 

 the cage in the surplus box. I think it bol- 

 ter than the brood-chamber, as it calls the 

 bees into the sections. No food is needeil, 

 as the bees will care for them, neither doi s 

 it matter about caging them in their o\\ ii 

 hive, and several can be kept in one hi»e 

 the whole season if you wish, by replacing 

 attendants once in a while. 



What kind of cloth is used in your wax- 

 press, described in July 15th issue? 



Stark, Mich., Aug. 4. B. Passage. 



[Cheese cloth is what we use. Burlap 

 answers a very excellent purpose. — Ed.] 



450 lbs. of comb HONEY FROM ONE COL( - 



NY IN NEBRASKA. 



Contrary to most reports from diflerent 

 parts of the country we are having a fine 

 season here. We have had just enough ram 

 to make crops grow finely. Our honoy 

 source is mainly alfalfa. From one colony 

 we have already taken 450 lbs. of fine comb 

 honey in 1-lb. sections, and it is still com- 

 ing in at about 5 lbs. per day by sca.e 

 weight. From 30 colonies we have no v 

 about 3000 lbs. of comb honey. Theseasi'ii 

 will not be over for a month here. When I 

 came here this spring all bees had foul 

 brood, and I have successfully eradicated it. 

 I will report the most successful methods 

 later when it proves sure. 



Roy a. Wilson. 



Kearney, Neb., Aug. 18. 



