1908 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1263 



tegrifolia), but the spider plant (Clcotne pungens). 

 We have seen the Rocky Mountain bee-plant in 

 the Rockies; and while it very closely resembles 

 the spider plant, being a very near relative, yet it 

 is distinctly different. Moreover, we question 

 whether a plant adapted to altitudes 10,000 to 

 12,000 feet above sea-level, and on a rocky soil, 

 would be adapted to grow on rich prairieland such 

 as may be found in Illinois of comparatively mild 

 climate. Your description of how the bees 

 gathered the honey, and of the size of the plant, 

 tallies very closely with the spider plant. 



In 1876 Mr. A. I. Root was very enthusiastic 

 over this plant. He had quite a flower-garden of 

 it, and at one time had as much as half an acre. 

 It yields profusely, even late in fall, but it must 

 have rich soil. When conditions are good it is 

 one of the most remarkable honey-plants in the 

 world. A single bee can not gather all the nec- 

 tar there is in one blossom. Indeed, it is secret- 

 ed so rapidly that a human being can gather it 

 with a teaspoon. A. I. Root actually did this, 

 gathering a sufficient quantity so that he was able 

 to judge of the flavor of the nectar. 



The spider plant is indeed a very ornamental 

 plant, and is sold to decorate our flower-gardens 

 someti mes. — Ed. ] 



WHEN BEE-KEEPING PAYS. 



No Encouragement for the Bee-keeper 

 who does Not Look Ahead. 



BY G. W. HAINES. 



The man who is afraid of the bees, and never 

 gives them any thought or care, but puts his 

 whole time at something else, is not making bee- 

 keeping pay. Some whom I visit allow the grass 

 to grow up all around the hives. They have no 

 sections or extracting-supers on, although in most 

 places they talk about ordering some, and want 

 to know where to get them quickly. Their bees 

 are swarming, and no hives are ready. If I ask 

 them if they take some bee-journal they usually 

 say they get a sample copy once or twice a year, 

 but they can not afford to take it. When I tell 

 them that one colony of bees, if properly taken 

 care of, will pay for a bee-journal and a book on 

 bee-keeping the first year, many times, they say 

 if they were a supply-dealer, or an editor of a bee- 

 journal, or a State bee-inspector, they could do 

 big things too; but the bees alone do not pay. 



In looking over their hives it makes me want 

 to talk to them on hive-making; but there is no 

 use so long as they are sure that the business 

 does not pay. 



On the other hand, I sometimes call on a bee- 

 keeper and find him at work with the bees, get- 

 ting every thing ready ahead of time. He will 

 have a lot of hives piled up nice and straight to 

 keep them from warping all out of shape, and 

 enough supers and .sections on hand for the harvest. 

 Besides the extracting-combs well taken care of, 

 he will have a good supply of new frames nailed 

 and ready for use, as well as plenty of founda- 

 tion. Every thing about the bee-house will be 

 in order, and on a shelf I will find three or four 

 of the best bee-journals and half a dozen up-to- 

 date books on bee-keeping. As we sit and talk 

 about the bees ind different honey crops of years 



gone by I do not have to ask him whether bee- 

 keeping pays. 



Mr. E. W. Alexander often told us wonder- 

 ful stories at the conventions, so one morning I 

 boarded the train for Delanson, N. Y. I found 

 him in the honey-house, and we walked out 

 through the apiary of those 750 nicely painted 

 hives, all set in straight rows, while clouds of 

 bees were bringing in the nectar from up and 

 down that beautiful valley. He showed me that 

 large honey-house and bee-cellar, and his way of 

 extractmg and managing bees. When we went 

 into the honey-room I stood and looked at the 

 thirty tons of honey, all from one yard. 



The more honey a man has, the more he looks 

 to the marketing of his crop, because a cent or 

 two more per pound amounts to something. A 

 man with only a few colonies, on the other hand, 

 thinks it does not make much difference with 

 him, just so he cuts the price and closes it out 

 because the business does not pay. 



I have heard people say that, when the bees are 

 ready for winter, there is nothing more to do! 

 However, the fall is just the time to commence 

 for a big crop of honey, and it takes all winter 

 to get the hives and every thing else ready, and 

 all the evenings to read the bee papers and books. 



Some one may want to know what journals to 

 take. Take them all; and as for books, com- 

 mence with Quinby, Langstroth, and all the 

 rest down to the present date, as the bees pay for 

 them if the owner does his part. 



It was a pleasure for me to take the first pre- 

 mium at the county fair for the best exhibit of 

 bee-kef ping books and journals. 



When one can stand the stings, lots of hard 

 work, and occasionally a poor year, and if he is 

 a good salesman at wholesale or retail, then 

 there is money in bees. 



Mayfield, N. Y. 



RETAINING THE AROMA OF NEW, 

 WELL-RIPENED HONEY. 



BY G. A. LUNDE. 



I have noticed in Gleanings, off and on, that 

 you lay great stress on having extracted honey 

 well ripened before extracting. I have been in- 

 terested in this question for over 20 years, and 

 read with interest what Mr. Burnett, of Chicago, 

 and others have written on the subject; but i have 

 failed yet to find any positive information as to 

 the modus operandi of how a person can, after ex- 

 tracting, retain this aroma or the fine flavor well- 

 ripened honey has just when extracted. 1 doubt 

 if any bee-master can give any solution to the 

 problem. I have no bees here. My son is run- 

 ning our yards at Wausau, Wis., but I may also 

 keep bees here next year, if I stay. We have of 

 late years been in the practice of putting up our 

 honey in Aikin paraffined paper bags. But I am 

 inclined to think it is more difficult to arrest the 

 flavor this way than when put up in tin cans or 

 glass jars. When extracting we do it this way: 



We put the honey in open barrels, as fast as 

 extracted, with a cheese-cloth cover over the top 

 of the barrel when not working. Then when 

 honey, say in September, commences to stiffen, 

 we fill the paper bags from the faucet. 



