GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



We have determined one fact ; and that 

 is, that a comparatively dry candy may be 

 used providing the bees can have access to 

 water. When no water is supplied it is im- 

 perative that the candy be soft and moist. 

 If too moist it will dissolve and daub the 

 bees; if too dry they will starve witliin a 

 few hours. To make a candy just right is 

 a fine art. If we can arrange to give the 

 bees water while en route by mail, the soft- 

 ness or hardness of the candy would be of 

 no material consequence. Indeed, we now 

 believe we can use a diy hard candy. De- 

 tails and engi-avings will be given later. 



The question may be raised, " If the use 

 of water proved to be so successful with 

 A. I. Root thirty years ago, why did he 

 abandon it ? " First, his scheme of giving 

 water was imperfect. Sometimes the water 

 would be fed too fast, wet the candy, and 

 kill the bees. Later on, Mr. I. R. Good 

 solved the problem of bee food for mailing- 

 cages, as he thought, by making a soft can- 

 dy, mixing sugar and honey into a stiff 

 dough. This looked so good that A. I. 

 Root dropped his water-bottle scheme and 

 adopted the candy. This food proved to be 

 so satisfactory that its use has continued 

 up even to the present time; and the only 

 substitute that has been offered is a " fond- 

 ant," such as candy-makers use in some 

 kinds of candy. But with many of these 

 candies, it is well known that a larg^e per- 

 centage of bees and queens by mail will 

 die if confined more than ten days; so it is 

 apparent that something is to be gained if 

 we can devise some scheme that will supply 

 bees water in the mails, not too fast, but 

 just fast enough to give them food and 

 drink. In the mean time, A. I. Root's article 

 in the Home papers in this issue, written 35 

 years ago, will be read with interest. More 

 anon. 



THE HONEY-CROP REPORTS. 



There is but very little to add to our 

 honey-crop report as given on page 560, 

 last issue, except to say that the drouth has 

 been excessive in certain portions of the 

 country. This may kill out the clover for 

 next year; if so it will have a tendency to 

 steady prices for this year. See what our 

 Canadian correspondent has to say in this 

 issue. In some parts of the West the news- 

 papers have reported excessive drouth, but 

 late rains have relieved the situation. Mr. 

 Wesley Foster writes : 



Colorado was very generally visited with rain din- 

 ing the third week of July. At Boulder we had al- 

 most too much rain. Delta, Montrose, and Monte- 

 zuma counties in the western part of the State were 

 not so blessed with moisture, and their August flow 

 would have been better had they had several rains 



or one real good one, but the bees were working 

 quite satisfactorily Aug. 1st. Aug. 6th one of my 

 colonies in Montezuma County was building comb in 

 the cover up through four supers. August and part 

 of September, if not all, can be counted upon to fur- 

 nish honey in the Montezuma valley while we can 

 expect little after Aug. 15th in Northern Colorado. 

 Aug. 1st my bees in the Montezuma valley were 

 supered, on the average, two supers to the hive, so 

 that I expect a fair crop from them. 



Frank Rauchfuss, of the Colorado Hon- 

 ey-producers' Association, sends a night- 

 letter telegram as follows : 



Since our last report weather conditions and hon- 

 ey-flow have' been "ood in most of the producing 

 sections of the State. Season about over now. Crop 

 as a whole is better in quality and quantity than last 

 year. 



The Colorado Honky-Producees' Association, 

 Denver, Colo., Aug. 24. P. Rauchfuss, Mgr. 



Thei'e has been no severe drouth in this 

 section of Ohio, and we may say this for 

 the whole State. It was beginning to be a 

 little dry when we had a copious rain on the 

 21st, and this morning, the 22d. The ground 

 is soaked, and the roads are muddy. 



We have received a great many honey 

 reports, but are unable to publish all of 

 them; but here aie a few of them that have 

 been taken at random — good, bad, and in- 

 different Most of them, however, are good. 

 These reports may enable some of the bee- 

 keepers of the country to dispose of their 

 crops. 



Things were looking pretty good until the rains 

 ceased, though we are yet hopeful of the cotton flow 

 and what comes from late bloom. 



J. H. AND J. T. Clark. 



Munford, Ala., C, July 21. 



No honey this season in this part of the county. 

 Escondido, Cal., S. W., July 9. J. A. Nelson. 



This locality is a total failure — no surplus. Many 

 beekeepers will have to feed to carry them over to 

 another season. We had only five inches of rainfall 

 last winter in the southwest part of San Diego Co. 



Otay, Cal., S. "W., July 12. W. A. Bales. 



This county (Tuolumne) will have less than half 

 a crop of honey ; 60 lbs. per colony for bees well 

 cared for in 12-frame hives is about what I am get- 

 ting in a good season. It is close to 20 gallons for 

 like colonies. P. D. Herold. 



Lonora, Cal., C, July 4. 



My apiaries are enjoying a fine flow of nectar. 

 Thos. J. Stanley. 

 Manzanola, Colo., S. E., June 19. 



The indications are that we shall have a fair crop 

 of honey. Harvey Said. 



Pueblo, Colo., C, July 29. 



This is one of the best years we have had for 

 honey since I have been in the business — something 

 unusual for this section on white clover. 



Henry Harrison. 



Torrington, Conn., N. W., .July 3. 



Prospects are good at present for a fine crop in 

 tliis vicinity. The flow is just commencing, June 20. 

 Bees are weak on account of light stores, long win 

 ter, and cold spring. H. L. Braty. 



Heyburn, Ida., S. C, June 22. 



