GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



with preconceived notions, and could listen 

 to the pro and eon of argument. 



The best results in a practical way are 

 obtained from methods which have been 

 put into practice bj' the individual beekeep- 

 er himself, and with which he has gained 

 experience, spelled with a rather large ex 

 too. 



The first thought in returning springtime 

 is, " How are the bees ? " Well, we must 

 «ee. No, don't. In taking this first walk 

 among the bees we will imagine a large 

 sign ever hanging in front of us on which 

 we see the words, " Bee Careful." The first 

 visit maj' well be confined to changing bot- 

 toms for clean ones, and leveling up all the 

 hives to a true level sidewise, and an exam- 

 ination of a few hives throughout the apiary 

 only. An axiom comes in to explain this, 

 and it is handy all the year — " Never dis- 

 turb bees without brood." Bees without 

 brood sometimes leave their hive ; and in one 

 case bees in an upper brood-chamber left 

 their hive while it was set aside a few mo- 

 ments, and attempted to return to their 

 regular entrance below, and were killed 

 (some reason to be a wee bit careful). I 

 believe the bees need to be stirred up to 

 their work, but it is to be done gently. One 

 season I found a hive being robbed. The 

 robbers were trapped, and I thought it Avas 

 just the thing; but, alas! I found later I 

 had ruined another colony as well as the 

 ore robbed. Be sure you know the whole 

 trick before going too far. 



In a day or two we go to the yard again, 

 and with more confidence if fair weather 

 has intervened. Hives are now opened and 

 brood-nests hastily examined and contract- 

 ed wherever necessary, and the hives closed. 

 The condition in which the bees are found 

 is left penciled on the side of the hive. The 

 season's work now swings out in full view 

 before us, and the notes left on the hive 

 become our chart to study and ponder over. 

 Wliat method shall be pursued, and what 

 harvest is to be sought? Market conditions 

 and flora both are to be considered. Early 

 ■queens are to be raised or bought, and the 

 extent of increase fixed. 



Swarming is to be provided against by 

 proper management, and bees must be 

 walched closely to prevent heavy injury 

 from orchard spraying. The National Bee- 

 keepers' Association should test out a case 

 of intentional poisoning under our present 

 laws against some blossom-sprayer, so as to 

 cefine clearly the right to put out poison 

 on blossoms, whether bees are known to be 

 kept within a reasonable distance or not. 

 No new law is needed to cover such cases, 

 but a precedent ought to be established. I 

 .uuubt if it is necessary even to prove that 



any bees were killed. Proof of the spray- 

 ing and its poison on the blossoms is usually 

 sufficient. That is, prove that honej'bees 

 visit apple-blossoms, and that such blossoms 

 were intentionally poisoned. How would 

 a very small entrance do for the week of 

 apple-spraying, to save brood? 



Beginners should not treat their bees as 

 so many treat their horses — turning them 

 into a field but never looking over the fence 

 to see if any grass is there. Examine your 

 flora. Know it. Fill in the gaps as best you 

 can. Even a very small flow is then of in- 

 creased value. Raise any thing, or see that 

 some one else raises it near you. Alsike 

 clover, sweet clover, buckwheat, are stand- 

 ard. A small patch of sweet clover is of 

 great worth to a whole apiary for a fall 

 flow. 



Bladen, Ohio. 



ANOTHER UNSATISFACTORY EXPERIENCE AS 

 A HELPER IN AN APIARY 



BY B. H. VAN TRESS 



On p. 58, Jan. 15, the editor thinks " Sub- 

 scriber " was a little hard on the California 

 beekeepers. I know that there are many 

 perfect gentlemen among the beemen of Cal- 

 ifornia; but I also know that there are 

 others just the reverse. I had an experi- 

 ence very much like the one described, and, 

 in addition, I had a sick spell of two weeks 

 caused by eating food not fit for human 

 consumption. My employer then refused 

 to pay me full wages for the little time I 

 was able to work; and as I was among 

 strangers I was obliged to take what he 

 offered or nothing. 



My advice to those looking for work of 

 this kind is to make diligent inquii-y first ; 

 and if the one looking for help does not 

 answer fully it is better not to make the 

 experiment at all. In the future I shall 

 stipulate $5.00 more, and traveling expenses 

 one way, if the bargain is not lived up to 

 strictly. 



Greenleaf, Idaho. 



[Undoubtedly there are unscrupulous 

 beekeepers who will take advantage in every 

 way of a helper; but there are plenty of 

 good men who are anxious to get good help, 

 and are willing to pay reasonably for it. 

 It is a great education to a young man de- 

 siring to learn the bee business to work a 

 season with different producers. 



As a matter of business we advise having 

 a full contract drawn up in writing, which 

 should be signed by both parties. A lot of 

 trouble? Yes, to be sure; but such a pre- 

 caution might save ten times more trouble 

 later on. 



