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dlyTMEAll^OO'f Co. 



i2°ptRVtAR'^'\s) Medina-Ohio- 



Vol. XXX. 



NOV. 15, 1902. 



No. 22 



Are the seasons changing-? Oct. 24 a 

 number of bees were working- on red clover, 

 and at least one on white clover; Oct. 25 we 

 picked nearly a quart of larg-e ripe straw- 

 berries that were fine; and now in the first 

 of November roses are still in bloom, lilacs 

 have put forth young leaves, and some of 

 the lilac-blossoms are fully out. 



It seems to be the common belief that the 

 new growth of white clover, although hav- 

 ing abundance of bloom, never secretes 

 honey. Is that correct? Does no seed re- 

 sult from such bloom? Can we have an 

 authoritative answer from our experiment 

 stations or some one else? [I have also seen 

 it stated that the new growth of white clo- 

 ver does not yield nectar. If that is true, 

 then we would naturally expect nectar next 

 season if conditions are favorable. Yes, by 

 all means let us hear from our experiment 

 stations or from any one who can give us 

 authoritative information. — Ed.] 



T. K. Massie, p. 907, advocates the ad- 

 vantages of closed-end frames over loose 

 hanging frames. A footnote adds, "All 

 that you say of closed-end frames is 

 equally true of the half-closed end or Hoff- 

 man." Let me add, " All that you say of 

 closed-end or half-closed end or Hofi^man is 

 equally true of open-end frames when prop- 

 erly self-spaced." [No, not quite. It is 

 easier to handle closed-end or half-closed- 

 end frames in groups of two, three, or four, 

 or en masse, than it is to handle an equal 

 number of metal-spaced frames like yours. 

 The wood-spaced frames can be set down 

 in a bunch leaning up against the hives, 

 and they will cling- together. You may say 

 that is not what yon want. Very likely. 

 But some do prize it. I grant, however, 

 that many things that we can do with the 



regular closed-end or Hoffman frames you 

 can also do with your nail-spaced frames. 

 —Ed.] 



After i had read aloud what A. I. Root 

 wrote in last Gleanings, one of the women 

 asked, " What do they stay in that cabin in 

 the woods for? " I replied, I don't know." 

 [Because they do not know whether North- 

 ern Michigan will be their permanent sum- 

 mer home. If the climate does not " wear 

 out," if the potatoes and other crops turn 

 out as they did the past summer — in short, 

 if they like it, they will probably put up a 

 more pretentious dwelling. But there is 

 one thing about that small cabin — it is so 

 small that my good mother does not have 

 big rooms and large porches to keep clean. 

 She won't have help; and as long as she 

 won't, a small house gives her a chance to 

 rest. — Ed.] 



I don't know for certain, Mr. Editor, 

 just what your position is. Please tell us 

 just what it is that bees prefer to old black 

 comb, and for what purpose they prefer it. 

 [When it comes to winter-nests, then the 

 old comb has the preference, of course; but 

 in my comment on page 884, and in my 

 later reference to the same thing, page 888, 

 I had in mind not so much the bees as the 

 queen — that is to say, it was my observation 

 that a queen preferred to lay in combs 

 partly drawn out on foundation. In the 

 comments to both, I see that I have not de- 

 fined myself; but in view of what you say, 

 perhaps I shall have to admit that the bees 

 may have a preference for old black comb, 

 even for storing. Mj'^ own mind is not 

 quite clear in the matter. — Ed.] 



AlI'Alfa llavor is mentioned, p. 887, as 

 being "so pronounced." I have always 

 thought of it as being verj^ mild in fiavor, 

 and on that account keep it for daily use in 

 drinks. I know well what its flavor is, 

 but am probabl}' mistaken in thinking that 

 there are not other honeys much milder. 

 What do you consider mildest, Mr. Editor? 

 [Alfalfa flavor, while not so pronounced as 

 that of basswood, yet to my taste is strong- 

 er than that of ordinary white clover. We 

 know this — that, when alfalfa is used for 

 the bottling trade in some localities, in 



