December, 1919 



ALMOST the 

 ^ first thing I 

 did on re- 

 ceiving Glean- 

 ings for Novem- 

 ber was to look 

 for ''Stray 

 Straws." Not 

 finding them I 

 turned to the 



editorials to learn of Dr. Miller's illness. 

 May I speak for and hope with a multitude 

 of others that he may soon be strong and 

 well again. 



* * * 



After seeing our own bees at work, a year 

 or two since, on wild carrot we can readily 

 believe E. E. Eoot's statement (page 711) 

 of the way bees work on the flowers of par- 

 snips and celery where the conditions are 



favorable. 



* » * 



There is again much trouble in beekeep- 

 ers ' getting enough sugar for feeding bees. 

 As there has been but little honey gathered 

 in this section since July 20, it looks as tho 

 there would be a heavy loss in bees from 

 starvation the coming winter. We lost two 

 or three before we began to feed in Septem- 

 ber. 



* * « 



H. B. Parks, on page 728, refers to the 

 larva3 of the wax moths working on alumi- 

 num combs. On taking our own lone comb 

 out of the hive the last of August and leav- 

 ing it in a warm room, we found that the 

 worms started on it the same as on wax 

 combs, but of course, did not do as much 

 damage as tho it was all wax. 



Already we notice the demand for honey 

 is on the increase, as people are calling al- 

 most every day for a few pounds of honey, 

 quite content to take unfinished sections if 

 they can only get it. There is very little ra- 

 tioning of sugar about here, as there is none 

 at the grocers ' to ration. Bottled honey is 

 in greater demand by the wholesale grocers 

 than for some time past. 

 ft * * 



"The winter entrance should not be wider 

 than 2 inches by %," says editorial, page 

 707. I am right glad that a small winter 

 entrance is being appreciated for outdoor 

 wintering in well-packed hives. The folly 

 of making a hive warm on five or six sides, 

 and then leaving a large entrance for the 

 cold winds to blow in, has been apparent for 



some time. 



* * * 



The cause of the shortage of sugar is of 

 great interest. Was it caused by the pro- 

 hibition of alcoholic liquors or by the short- 

 age of sugar last year or some other cause? 

 There is reason to believe that prohibition 

 has had much to do with it. Howard Van 

 Tracey, an official of the Holland-St. Louis 

 Gompanj^ declares that sugar is re- 

 placing liquor, and that the per capita 

 consiimption of sugar has increased from 84 



G I. E A KINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



787 



to 104 pounds. 

 If this is so we 

 have little cause 

 to worry; but if 

 over 20,000,000 

 pounds of sugar 

 or its equivalent 

 in honey is to be 

 added to our an- 

 n u a 1 bill for 

 sweetening, then beekeepers should let it be 

 known that honey is better than sugar for 



this purpose. 



* * * 



That little experience related by Grace 

 Allen, page 727, telling how she discovered 

 a can of sorghum because ' ' Honey ' ' was 

 printed on it in large type, should give bee- 

 keepers a hint as to labeling their honey. 

 Whether on neat cartons or larger cases let 

 the word "HONEY" appear in large, clear 

 type so it can be read across the store or 

 street; and you can add in smaller type, if 

 you wish, "It is better than sorghum syrup 

 or sugar or corn syrup or ' Americose, ' " a 

 new liquid of almost the exact color of a 

 good grade of honey and about as sweet as 

 glucose. 



* * * 



That description of Balkan bees on page 

 721, by Francis Jager, stirred my enthusi- 

 asm as much as reading about Italian bees 

 did nearly 60 years ago. Think of bees 

 thriving and filling their hives when there 

 are no or but few flowers within six or seven 

 miles, gentle withal and quiet on their combs 

 and not given to robbing. How many Ital- 

 ian colonies could compete with those Bal- 

 kan bees? What an advantage to have bees 

 that will collect honey from flowers seven 

 miles from home. Some Florida beekeepers 

 tell us their bees will hardly go two miles 

 for honey, and they have good Italians too. 

 Doubtless the dry, warm, even climate of 

 southern Europe has much to do with the 

 distance bees can fly in those countries. 



* * » 



The United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture informs us that a new sweet is being 

 now manufactured in commercial quantities 

 and sold at from seven to nine cents a 

 pound, barrel lots. In addition to its being 

 a sweet malt syrup, "it has a delicious 

 flavor somewhat resembling honey, which 

 adds much to its palatability and its value 

 as a sugar substitute." * * * * "Malt 

 sugar syrup looks very much like maple 

 syrup. It can be used for everything that 

 cane sugar is used for. While its use on 

 the table may not be as convenient as sugar, 

 it is a most excellent substitute for table 

 use when sugar is, not to be had, as it not 

 only provides sweetness but is equal to 

 sugar in food value. " It is said that the 

 breweries can be very quickly made over 

 so as to be adapted to manufacture it. 



The sample of Americose we have receiv- 

 ed may be malt sugar, which we found bees 

 would take in place of honey, and it may 

 prove of value for winter feeding. 



