1908 



GLEAN INCJS IN BEE CULTURE. 



487 



Secretart W. Z. Hutchinson is doing 

 some good work on plans for the next Na- 

 tional convention at Detroit. See Conven- 

 tion Notices on page 525. 



HOW THE BEES ARE WINTERING. 



Reports from nearly every portion of the 

 United States seem to indicate splendid win- 

 tering; in fact, we may say that in all of our 

 experience we do not remember the time 

 when bees came through so well. 



HONEY CROP PROSPECTS FOR 1908. 



We have just gone over a large number of 

 reports that have accumulated within the 

 last few days. The prospects for a good hon- 

 ey crop are favorable. 



For the North the winter has been mild, 

 and spring not so early as to start brood- 

 rearing out of season to be chilled later on. 



Reports from California are somewhat con- 

 flicting. Early in the spring bountiful rains 

 had come, seeming to insure a good honey 

 crop; but since that time conditions have 

 been less favorable in some sections. As it 

 is, we judge there will be from a light to a 

 fair crop ; and should the situation change 

 for the better, the ci'op may be a good one. 



Conditions are exceedingly good for a flow 

 iu Texas. It begins to look as if the Lone 

 Star State would redeem its reputation. Its 

 bee-keepers could once boast of a certain 

 crop year after year; but during the last two 

 years it has been a failure in many sections. 



Reports from other portions of the South 

 are favorable. It is too early to predict any 

 results in the central and northern States. 



SPRING OR FALL FEEDING; FURTflER RE- 

 PORTS. 



In answer to our request, as given on page 

 337, March loth issue, for brief reports, quite 

 a sprinkling of responses have come in. The 

 consensus of opinion summarized is about as 

 follows: 



1. Don't feed in the'spring. 



3. Give combs of sealed stores to hives 

 short of stores. 



3. If these are not available, and colonies 

 are likely to starve, give liquid syrup; or 

 better 



4. Feed the strong colonies, and give their 

 sealed combs to the weak ones short of stores. 

 We consider this suggestion excellent. 



To stimulate brood-rearing in the spring 

 it is advised to scratch the surface of the 

 sealed combs of honey next to the brood 

 rather than to feed thin syrup. This is also 

 good. 



WHAT an AUTHORITY ON AGRICULTURE HAS 

 TO SAY OF ALSIKE. 



It is seldom that we read any thing more 

 to the point than which Mr. Alva Agee has 

 to say of alsike, in The National Stockman- 

 and Farmer, as a forage-plant for farmers. 

 He certainly can not be accused of booming 

 the plant in order to help the bees. In ans- 

 wer to a correspondent he says: 



Alsike clover is sown with wheat or rye, or is seed- 

 ed alone, like medium red clover. The seeds are 

 about half as large as those of red clover, and there- 

 fore half the quantity per acre is sufficient. How- 

 ever. I doubt whether you want to seed to alsike un- 

 mixed, as it inclines to lie close to the ground, having 

 more of the creeping habit than the common red. 

 Moreover, its roots do not penetrate the soil as deeply 

 as is desirable in a fertilizing plant. These are its 

 two weak points. On the other hand, it is surer to 

 make a stand than the red ; it lasts longer in pasture 

 and meadow, and it ripens more nearly with timothy. 

 For many years our paper has urged the mixing of 

 alsike with medium red for all land inclined to be un- 

 friendly to clover. Alsike is pretty sure and depend- 

 able on any kind of land; and especially is it superior 

 to the red on wet land. It makes a line hay, but it 

 yields less than the medium red. For pasture it is 

 our most valuable clover. Alva Agee. 



Bee-keepers would do well to help spread 

 the doctrine among the farmers. They should 

 get their local papers to publish it. It is 

 good stuff. 



DR. WILEY STILL HAMMERING. 



In spite of the adverse glucose decision. 

 Dr. Wiley is still on deck losing no opportu- 

 nity to hammer the adulterators. At the 

 International Congress of Mothers he had 

 this to say, which we clip from the American 

 Grocer: 



"If every mistress of a household in this country 

 should demand pure foods," he declared, "there 

 would be little dlfliculty in the courts, and manufac- 

 turers would soon cease making things which the 

 mothers of this country would refuse to buy for use in 

 their families." 



He added that there would be a cry against the mix- 

 ing of certain substances with foods to make them 

 palatable. Dr. Wiley called attention to the great 

 importance of purity in such articles as butter, maple 

 syrup, honey, and particularly of all dairy supplies. 



" My plea is," he said, " in order to secure pure food 

 in the household that this and similar organizations 

 unite to compel the manufacturers and dealers in 

 food stufls to stop all adulterations, to stop all mis- 

 branding, to stop all coloring, all deception, and fur- 

 nish the pure, unadulterated, and palatable article." 



That is the right kind of doctrine, and bee- 

 keepers will be delighted to support Dr. Wi- 

 ley in his efforts to have this state of affairs 

 come to pass. When it does come, bee- 

 keeping will be one of the best callings in 

 this country. w. k. m. 



THE NEW POSTAL LAW. 



It is just as we thought. Many of our 

 subscribers who were in arrears with their 

 subsci'iption to this journal were so simply 

 by lapse of memory or from inadvertence. 

 Since the Postoffice Department has issued 

 its new ruling many have promptly replied 

 by paying up all past dues, and, besides 

 that, paying for a considerable period ahead. 

 Many have accompanied their remittance 

 with complimentary words for Gleanings 

 and its management. These are always ac 

 ceptable, and the sentiments expressed are 



