470 AMERICAN BEE JOURMAI-. 



for a man to settle down close beside an established bee-keeper who has one or more 

 out-apiaries. For if there is room for the bees of a new-comer, the man is a fool not 

 to occupy it with his own bees instead of taking them to an out-apiary. 



Planting FOR Honey. — The replies on page 399 are not very encouraging to 

 any one who thinks of planting for honey alone. Hope in that direction has, I 

 think, pretty much died out. And there was at one time a good deal of it. I well 

 remember some years ago Prof. Cook's mildly reproachful protest against my saying 

 anything to discourage attempts in that direction, and it is well known that he ex- 

 perimented quite largely. Now his brief reply, " Not any," shows that he has gone 

 over to the majority. 



It is true, white clover and alfalfa are each mentioned once as proper to sow 

 for honey alone, but it seems to me .there are few places where it would pay to sow 

 white clover and let it stand year after year without cutting or pasturing with any 

 thing but bees. 



Four of the repliers show still a lingering belief in sweet clover as a profitable 

 thing to plant for honey alone. In some places, and on some kinds of soils, it may 

 be. But if there is any future for sweet clover — and it is quite possible there may 

 be — it is because of the fact that it is useful aside from its use as a honey-plant.- On 

 this account I'm glad to see the article from M. M. Baldridge, page 401. 



In addition to what he has said, I think it worth while to mention another 

 point. It is very desirable to cut sweet clover early. This for more than one rea- 

 soh. If left until in bloom, or even if only budded for bloom, there will be too large 

 a quantity of coarse, heavy stalks that will not be eaten. Another reason for early 

 cutting is, that after early cutting it will branch out and give a lot of splendid pas- 

 turage for the bees after white clover is out of the way. I think it would be better 

 to cut it before it attains its full height, when there is no sign of blossom buds. 



Friend Baldridge has had probably more experience with sweet clover than I, 

 yet on one point I'm a little skeptical. He says, " I should prefer to cover the seed 

 by harrowing lightly." One spring I had some covered that way— sowed with oats. 

 It made a good stand, but the following winter killed every plant. I don't know 

 how deep it could be covered without hindering its coming up at all, but if that seed 

 had been covered, six inches — providing it had come at all — I don't believe it would 

 have heaved the following winter. Or, if the ground had been hard, the result 

 might have been different. But shallow sowing on mellow ground was certainly a 

 failure that time. 



Spreading of Brood. — Dr. Brown's words, on page 401, suggest the idea that 

 It would be well to have a standing rule, " No one should spread brood till he has 

 had a long experience." And after he has had an extended experience he'll not do 

 such a great deal at spreading brood. 



A "Kinky" Fraud. — That man F. L. Thompson, that writes on page 402, is 

 a fraud. Yes, a fraud of the first water. Any man who can handle a subject as he 

 has done, and give it in such style that one reads it with pleasure even if not inter- 

 ested in the topic, and then keeps back from view the " kinks " that are rattling 

 around in his brain — I say a man who *,hus keeps back his fair share of contribu- 

 tions is defrauding us out of our just rights. But if he's ready t(5 "shell ouf'in 

 reasonable season, I'll take it all back and apologize* for calling names. 



Cellars and Cisterns. — Look here, Dr. Peiro, I'm quite willing to make my 

 cellar blue with burning brimstone, but I just won't build any root-house. I'll 



