GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTuRE 



the other bees and swept part in each hive, 

 paying no attention to the queen, suppos- 

 ing there would, of course, be a fight in the 

 hive containing two queens until one was 

 killed. I now had three frames from each 

 of these after-swarms, with small patches 

 of brood and a trifle of honey. I put these 

 and one empty frame into an eight-frame 

 hive and set it on top of a weak colony that 

 had issued as a second swarm from the box 

 hive o-f Italians. This colony was now put 

 in a shed open to the south. This proved 

 to be no mistake, as the following spring 

 it was a strong colony. 



The three colonies which had been united 

 were a total loss. The hives were empty of 

 honey in the spring. All the bees were dead 

 in one hive, and there was little more than a 

 handful in the other. I gave them two 

 frames of brood and two frames of honey; 

 but they were soon all dead, and the two 

 frames of brood were lost also. I suppose 

 they died out because I had taken from 

 them their own larvae; and the larva? in the 

 hives I put them in had been killed by the 

 sulphur. 



I wonder if there are many who have 

 made so many mistakes in one year. 



West Point" Pleasant, N. J., Feb. 1. 



A WOMAN WHO CAN DO ANY KIND OF 

 WORK ABOUT THE APIARY 



BY MRS. C. DISHMAN 



There are many w'omen, widows and mar- 

 ried, in Texas, who have good locations on 

 their farms and ranches for bees, who would 

 be glad to keep bees if they understood tlie 

 business ; and to such women I would sug- 

 gest that they get some literature on bee- 

 keeping, and a few colonies of bees, and 

 read and practice with a few at first. Many 

 will not have a location for very many colo- 

 nies; but even a few colonies properly tak- 

 en care of will furnish honey for family 

 use (and some to spare now and then) ; 

 and those who have good locations, and 

 money to invest in the business quite ex- 

 tensively might employ an experienced bee- 

 keeper for one or two seasons; and by 

 working with liim, and reading up on bee- 

 keeping, they could soon be making their 

 own spending money, or possibly making 

 much or all of a family's support. Women 

 who are situated so that thej' can keep a 

 good apiary can give profitable employment 

 to their children as they become lai'ge 

 enough to work; and by so doing interest 

 them in Avork at home. At the same time 

 their help would save the expense of liired 

 help. 



I know the first thing a woman thinks of 

 when she considers working with bees is 

 that di-eadful sting; but a good veil and 

 gloves will i:)rotect her from that annoy- 

 ance. 



I always carry a smoker when I go to 

 work with bees. I can hive a swann, wire 

 frames, i^ut in foundatidn, assort the combs, 

 and do every thing I have tried to do about 

 the work. I am not sure that I am handy 

 enough with hammer and nails to put 

 frames together as they should be; but my 

 step-daughter can put thera together nicely. 

 Other women can do the same if necessai'y. 



I can see no reason why women can not 

 keep bees as successfully as men in many 

 places in this west Texas country. If they 

 will just go into it and stick to it they will 

 be apt to find it pleasant and interesting, 

 and in a few years they will have a very 

 profitable business that will not necessarily 

 interfere with housekeeping or poultry-rais- 

 ing, and such work as is usually carried on 

 on ranches in this country. There is no 

 extra expense in wintering bees in this 

 country. We leave them on the same stands, 

 winter and summer. This is very much in 

 favor of women beekeepers on account of 

 less lifting. 



Del Rio, Tex. 



How One Woman Extracted Honey Without an 

 Extractor 



I was ten years old when my father started my 

 interest in bees. There was a swarm, and after it 

 had settled he told me if I could hive it I might have 

 it ; and if I prospered in the bee business I was to 

 call on him for a hive whenever I needed one. Well, 

 I prospered, as we usually do in a work we love. 

 Experience taught me that the bee in many ways is 

 almost akin to man, inasmuch as it wants its own 

 home, and wants to manage it itself. I also learned 

 to work with the bee, and let it have its own way, 

 always when possible and consistent. 



I did not have the unique appliances that are now 

 within the reach of beekeepers ; and as I read and 

 study about modern conveniences I wonder that, in 

 my rude way, I prospered as well as I did. I never 

 clipped the wings of my queens, nor did I meddle 

 with them in any way ; and I never needed to do it. 

 So as far as I could see she was always at her post 

 and capable. I never lost a swarm that I knew of, 

 for I was a most vigilant observer in my apiary. 



I had no honey-extractor, but extracted my honey 

 and made my wax at once by setting comb honey in 

 the oven, just hot enough to do the work, taking it 

 out as soon as done, and, when cool, I had both 

 extracted honey and beeswax in one vessel. I took 

 off the wax in a solid cake, and put it into a pan 

 of water, boiled it, and let it cool; then it was ready 

 for use or for sale. The honey I passed through a 

 sieve, and canned it ready for sale or use, fully 12 

 lbs. of pure honey to the gallon. 



I have found in my experience that " eternal vig- 

 ilance " pays in the bee bsiness fully as well as in 

 any other, and I can not see why the business will 

 not become a success in the hands of any intelligent 

 man or woman. 



Ellwood City, Pa. Mrs. J. S. Ramsey. 



