230 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15 



rather, tree), I do not understand how the 

 bees could retain the heat during cold 

 weather. 



I wish to transfer these bees to hives, and 

 am in doubt as. to the best plan The colony 

 is very large, about twice the size of a strong 

 colony in regular hives, and would do good 

 work if in hive and supers. Can I dx'um 

 them out into the hive I am using as a super 

 shown in the picture, or should 1 use Porter 

 bee-escapes? There is a hole in the top of 

 the log communicating with the super. I 

 should like to save the queen, and can save 

 most of the brood by putting the combs into 

 supers on top. 



My bees have done well this year. I had 

 to feed through April and May to keep up 

 brood-rearing, and at the first alfalfa flow 

 the hives were mnning over with bees. The 

 best colonies have 100 lbs. of surplus at pres- 

 ent. 



Medicine Lodge, Kansas. 



[There would be no doubt about your 

 drumming the bees up into a modern hive, 



SWEET CLOVER. 



Its Value as Pasturage for Cattle and Bees; 



AVorth Four Dollars an Acre 



for Honey Alone. 



BY FRANK COVERDALE. 



[In our last issue, p. 105, we published a report from 

 Mr. Coverdale on the subject of sweet clover. We are 

 glad to place this art'cle also before our readers, since 

 it gives some of his experience in regard to the value 

 of sweet clover from a bee-keeper's standpoint —Ed.] 



The steers shown in the illustrations are 

 part of a load shipped to Chicago Aug. 1, 

 bringing $5.75 per 100 During June and 

 July they were fastened into this 35-acre field 

 in which was a pretty good stand of sweet 

 clover. This ground has been sown to this 

 valuable legume for four years, and it seems 

 to thrive better each year. No one who looks 

 at this pasture and sees the cattle eatiug it 

 and becoming fat has any doubt about its 

 value as a pasture-plant. Most farmers think 

 I am growing a vile weed; but they say it 



CATTLE tKKDING ON SWEET CLOVER. 



but you may have to pound pretty hard and 

 continuously for a matter of twenty minutes 

 or longer. If this does not succeed, bore a 

 hole into the bottom of the cavity with an 

 inch auger bit, and with smoke drive the bees 

 upward into the upper box. — Ed.] 



A SPADE is a spade, and glucose is glu- 

 cose, even if it is made from corn starch. If 

 glucose is as good as its makers claim it is, 

 there will be no trouble about selling it un- 

 der the old name — glucose. 



makes good feed for the cattle nevertheless. 

 When I want to get rid of it after getting 

 other fields started, I guess I shall have to 

 plow up the field. 



Sweet clover is certainly a great honey- 

 plant, and this adds very largely to its value 

 to the keeper of bees. It is also the very 

 best clover to sow where a permanent and 

 first-class grazing-field is wanted for dairy 

 cattle, sheep, and hogs. I have not the least 

 doubt of its permanency, because of its lux- 

 urious growth through both wet periods and 

 the drouths. It always furnishes a large 

 quantity of nice green feed until the ground 



