740 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 15 



Prof. Cook has earnestly protested against 

 calling the larva of the wax-moth a worm, and 

 Burton N. Gates repeats the protest in the Amer- 

 ican Bee-keeper, p. 112. Whatever the entomol- 

 ogists may say, the dictionary supports the use of 

 the word "worm;" and so long as we are asked to 

 use in place of the one word five or six words — 

 "the larva of the bee-moth" — we are likely to fol- 

 low the dictionary rather than the entomologists. 

 Still, I have much respect for my good friends' 

 feelings, and also for exactness of language. I 

 have asked Prof. Cook to give us something short 

 and yet correct to take the place of "worm." As 

 yet he has not done so. In default of something 

 better I venture to suggest "wax-larva." Even 

 then it will be hard to give up the word "wormy. " 

 Instead of saying "That comb is infested with 

 the larvcT? of the wax-moth" it is ever so much 

 easier to say "That comb is wormy." 



Referring to footnote, p. 621, I hardly think 

 the position of the dead queen on the excluder is 

 any proof of a combat between queens. A queen 

 or drone killed above an excluder will always be 

 found on the excluder because the bees can not 

 drag them through. You've got to "show me" 

 before I'll believe that one queen can get a grip 

 on another queen so as to sting her through an 

 excluder. [We will admit that dead drones, and 

 occasionally a dead queen, will be found on the 

 perforated zinc, the same being brought there 

 by the bees in the effort to get them out of 

 the hive. But there have been reports where 

 mortal combats have taken place between two 

 queens through the perforations of perforated 

 zinc. The queen that happens to get the right 

 hold on her antagonist will deliver the sting 

 through the perforations. If some of those who 

 reported these occurrences will hold up their 

 hands we shall be glad to have them do so. — Ed.] 



The question as to the proportion of thin to 

 extra-thin surplus foundation having been raised, 

 I asked Dadant & Sons what was the proportion 

 in their sales, and received the following very full 

 reply: 



Our sales of foundation last year averaged as follows: 

 Medium brood — 42 per cent. Thin brood — 11 per cent. 



Thin surplus — 34 per cent. Extra thin — 13 per cent. 



From this it will be seen that the thin surplus 

 was 2.6 times as much as the extra thin. The 

 medium brood was 3.8 times as much as the thin 

 brood; the total brood, 13 per cent more than 

 the total surplus. Perhaps you might tell us how 

 these figures compare with figures at Medina. 

 [We do not keep an extended record of every 

 grade sold during the year; but we have asked 

 the foreman of our department to give a report of 

 it for the last month, and the figures are as fol- 

 lows: For more ready comparison we put the 

 Dadant figures alongside of ours. 



Root Co. Dadant. 



Medium — 34 

 Light— 20 

 Thin— 30 

 Extra thin — 15 



Medium — 42 

 Light— 11 

 Thin— 34 

 Extra thin — 13 



The difference in percentage here shown may 

 be due to the fact that we advise extra thin for 

 sections, not because the bees take to it better, 

 for they do not, but because we believe it makes 

 a finer grade of comb honey. — Ed.] 



Oswald Muck gives a full report of the eight 

 golden queens received at the Vienna station 



from America, Bienen Vater, 323. He concludes 

 by saying that the American goldens are great 

 beauties, but can by no means compete with the 

 natives. I don't question this verdict, but I do 

 question one objection made against them. He 

 says they are great wanderers, some of the golden 

 workers being found in every hive in the apiary. 

 How is it known that the natives were not scat- 

 tered in the same way.-^ If a few native colonies 

 were in an apiary of goldens, would not scattered 

 native workers be found in all the golden colo- 

 nies.? [Quite right you are. A few goldens 

 among the blacks would be very conspicuous. 

 The fact is, we suspect, from a lot of observation 

 on the point, that all races of bees wander to a 

 greater or less extent, especially in the case of 

 colonies having entrances similarly situated, and 

 with similar surroundings. The young bees in 

 their first flight are not always unerring in re- 

 turning to the same spot. When they miss it 

 they go back to one very much like it, pointing 

 in the same direction, or having the same exter- 

 nal surroundings. — Ed.] 



Editorial 



The early bird catches the worm; or, in other 

 words, the first new comb honey on the market 

 secures the best price. The trade is waiting for it, 

 and the bee-keeper who lands his crop first will 

 make a quick sale. 



There have been abundant rains in our local- 

 ity, and it is indeed surprising how fast weeds 

 shoot up, thus obstructing the entrances of the 

 hives right where we had used a sickle and cut 

 every thing down nice and clean three or four 

 days before. In the early part of June, when the 

 ground is soaked with water, it does not take 

 long to hinder greatly the flight of the bees at the 

 entrance. 



The last year's honey crop of California hav- 

 ing all been disposed of, the returns show that 

 the actual production was about 275 carloads. 

 This year's crop is beginning to appear, but no 

 one seems to be able to make even an approxi- 

 mate estimate of what the amount in carloads 

 will be, as there is a total failure in places and a 

 fair crop in others. w. K. M. 



Mr. J. E. Crane wisely calls attention to the 

 fact that honey is all the better for a little milk 

 with it when served by itself. Cream is even 

 better, to our taste, and such a combination 

 simply slides down. There is no better food un- 

 der the sun, and both ought to be within the 

 reach of most people. There are very good rea- 

 sons for supposing that such food will keep con- 

 sumptive germs at bay, and promote long life and 

 the happiness of health. w. k. m. 



We take great pleasure in printing elsewhere 

 in this issue the premium list for bees and honey 

 at the Minnesota State Fair. It is a model, and 

 ought to be emulated by every State in the Union. 



