1909 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



85 



been compelled to move apiaiies from sections 

 where the land was of a clay nature to sandy 

 sections, because scarcely any clover had survi\ ed 

 in the clay, and there was still a goodly quantity 

 in the latter. 



If freezing takes place, and the ground and 

 plants are well protected with snow, the frost may 

 not penetrate the soil at all. If it was frozen, 

 and if it remains frozen until the season of growth, 

 one freeze does practically no harm. 



It is well known that, in sections of country 

 where the snow falls early in the winter, and re- 

 mains until the season of growth, covering it es- 

 pecially during March, when the sun is strong 

 during the day, and it freezes hard at night, thaw- 

 ing out the ground, especially on southerly ex- 

 posures during the day, and again freezing it at 

 night, the winter-killing of clover is practically 

 unknown. 



The clover-plant has main roots, smaller roots, 

 and fibrous roots. The smaller roots contain 

 what might be called the mouths through which 

 moisture and food are taken from the soil and 

 transmitted through channels to the various por- 

 tions of the plant. 



Let us now suppose that the soil freezes to the 

 depth of three inches. This three inches of soil, 

 through freezing, expands; and the greater the 

 percentage of moisture, the greater the expansion. 



Owing to the solid nature of the soil under- 

 neath, and owing to the fact that there is little if 

 any room for lateral expansion, the frozen mass of 

 soil must move upward. The effort at lateral ex- 

 pansion also tightens the hold of the soil on the 

 clover roots; and as it is forced upward it draws 

 the plant with it. The stronger roots below are 

 likely to be drawn upward also. But those not 



having sufficient powers of adhesion to resist the 

 hold the soil has on them, like the sting of the 

 bee remain in their place and are broken away 

 from the remainder of the plant. The first roots 

 to break off are, of course, the fibrous ones which 

 take up the material needed to sustain and build 

 up the plant. As soon as the soil thaws it falls 

 apart and loses its power to draw the plant back 

 to its former position. At the next freezing the 

 operation is repeated, and the plant gets another 

 heave upward, and so on. I have frequently seen 

 in a field the clover-plants with the roots sticking 

 several inches above the ground. Rains are of 

 some assistance in compacting the soil. The in- 

 telligent farmer also attempts t® save the field by 

 running a roller over it as soon as the ground 

 will permit. In part he forces the plants back 

 into the soil in this way. The main benefit from 

 the rain, however, is to keep the injured plant 

 from drying out. The plant generally has some 

 feeder-roots left, and in a moist condition throws 

 out others and recuperates. If, however, drying 

 winds prevail, many more die, and we say the 

 clover has been winter-killed. The more vigor- 

 ous the growth, and the more favorable the con- 

 dition for plant vigor, the greater the yield of 

 honey; and such a condition is not likely to ob- 

 tain with so many roots broken. 



Where the soil is fro:zen, and owing to the 

 snow thawing, or rain, water lies on the surface 

 in depressions, and the water freezes, the clover- 

 plant is liable to smother if this condition con- 

 tinues for any considerable length of time. Some 

 say the sun shines through the bright ice and the 

 plant is burned or scalded; but this latter theory 

 is not very generaWy accepted. 



Brantford, Can. 



JACOB Wagner's apiary, amana. iowa. 



Altboosb this apiary adjoins the street, there has never been a complaint aeainst the bees. 



