802 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 1 



STARTING STUBBORN COLONIES UP INTO THE SU- 

 PERS. 



We advocate (and always have), giving a 

 shallow extracting super to a colony backward 

 in going into the sections. After it begins on 

 this a little, we take it away and give it sections. 

 In the case of a particularly stubborn colony we 

 practice giving an extracting-super from another 

 hive in which the bees are nicely started in build- 

 ing comb and storing honey. This is kept on 

 for three or four days, after which we give it to 

 another stubborn colony. 



These shallow extracting-supers that the bees 

 have begun to work in are splendid to coax the 

 bees upward. When the honey crop has been se- 

 cured, one will have both comb and extracted 

 honey. The proportion of either can be regulat- 

 ed to suit the local demand. 



A PAINLESS STING. 



We had a strange experience yesterday, June 

 23, and we desire to know whether anybody else 

 has ever had any thing like it. We were stung 

 on the wrist about one inch above the palm 

 of the hand, at a point where, ordinarily, it 

 would be very painful; but, strange to relate, 

 there was absolutely no pain. The bee had 

 lodged its sting so well that it had difficulty in 

 freeing itself. As a matter of fact, we did not 

 discover that we had been stung until we saw 

 the bee whirling around and around in the 

 effort to free itself. We removed the sting, lo- 

 cated the small puncture, but there was no blister 

 or swelling, and no pain. It would look as if 

 one bee, at least, had been possessed of all the 

 parts of the sting save the poison. Has anybody 

 else had the pleasure of receiving a painless sting 

 in a tender spot where the skin is thin.' We have 

 had dozens and dozens of stings where the skin 

 was thick and calloused, without feeling it, but 

 never before at a tender spot. 



PRICES OF HONEY THIS SEASON. 



The situation so far as California, Texas, and 

 som.e other portions of our country are concern- 

 ed, remains practically unchanged. In spite of 

 premature reports to the contrary, we are satis- 

 fied that those sections will not yield a large 

 amount of honey. California will have but very 

 little, and the same is practically true of Texas. 

 The market was demoralized in some sections by 

 a good many left-over lots of Western comb hon- 

 ey which have now candied. If these had been 

 sold before the holidays, when there was a crying 

 demand for it, and when it could not be obtain- 

 ed for love nor money, the market would now be 

 in a much better condition. 



The indications for a fine flow in some of the 

 Eastern States will have a tendency to lower prices 

 a little from last year; but if the times pick up 

 (as we confidently hope and expect them to do) 

 the market will be nearly able to hold its own. 



AN ALSIKE Y'EAR. 



The flow from clover in many sections of the 

 rain belt seems to be exceptionally heavy; in 

 fact, it appears to be' one of the old-fashioned 

 clover years of ye olden time. Some untoward 

 weather conditions might cause it to stop short 

 off; but this hardly seems probable at this date. 



The high price of red-clover seed early this 

 spring induced farmers to try alsike, which is an 

 easy grower, and in connection with timothy it 

 makes a verj' fine quality of hay. The experiment 

 stations as well as farmers have been recommend- 

 it for dairy purposes. This fact, with the high 

 price of red-clover seed, has resulted in a vast 

 acreage of alsike this year. If the farmers would 

 only test it carefully from the standpoint of milk 

 and butter, and not from the standpoint of the 

 tonnage of hay, they would probably be induced 

 to grow it more largely in the future. If they do, 

 localities ordinarily poor or fair will be made 

 good for the bee-keeper. 



Alsike comes on a little ahead of white clover, 

 or at least it did so this season. As the former 

 begins to wane, the latter fills up the gap and 

 thus keeps up an uninterrupted flow; and then 

 basswood, wherever there is any, nicely joins 

 hands, so that this year especially many bee- 

 keepers will have a continuous flovT of from one 

 month to six weeks. 



But the clovers have not yielded as finely in 

 every section. In parts of Minnesota, Iowa, 

 Michigan, and New York, there has been too 

 much cool weather and rain; but the recent hot 

 spells must inevitably have changed the situation 

 for the'better. 



CAP-MELTING APPARATUS AND ITS PATENTABILITY. 



In our issue for May 15, page 626, and also 

 for May 1, page 560, we gave an opinion to the 

 effect that the Beuhne patent, issued January ?, 

 while narrow in its general claims, was broad 

 enough to prevent any one else from covering the 

 same principle. Since that time we have had a 

 call from Mr. Beuhne, of Tooberac, Australia, 

 and during the course of our interview with him 

 we called attention to the weakness of his patent. 

 As he appeared to be prior to any one else in the 

 use of any and all methods for melting cappings 

 as fast as they leave the knife, we suggested to 

 him the possibility of securing a reissue of his 

 patent, with broader claims. He consulted his 

 patent attorney, and the latter has since informed 

 us that he thinks it is entirely feasible; and then, 

 moreover, he is of the opinion that his client can 

 secure a broad patent on the method or process. 

 For this Mr. Beuhne has filed his application. If 

 this latter is granted it would bar any one else 

 from securing a patent if he is not already barred 

 by the patent of Jan. 8th last, and at the same 

 time prevent any one from using the principle in 

 any manner whatever, providing that such a one 

 is unable to show that he used the method or 

 process prior to July 10, 1907, the time that Mr. 

 Beuhne filed his application. But Mr. Beuhne 

 will not be disposed to be unjust or unfair to any 

 inventor, providing any such inventor can give 

 satisfactory proof of his use of the principle. 



In this connection we may say that we have 

 examined the Beuhne apparatus, and feel satisfied 

 that it is a long way ahead of any thing else that 

 has so far been presented to the public. As he 

 is a pioneer in the melting of cappings as fast as 

 they leave the knife, he has tested almost every 

 method that has thus far been presented, either 

 in this country or abroad, and is prepared to show 

 why the special construction that he uses is su- 

 perior to any other design. Later on we hope to 

 show drawings of his machine. 



