GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



in many cases been brought on the bee 

 business when fruit-growers are so ignorant 

 of their own interests as to spray while the 

 trees are in bloom. This matter should 

 come before our State and national asso- 

 ciations of beekeepers, to the end that 

 the needed legislation may be secured to 

 protect beekeepers against their ignorant 

 neighbors the fruit-growers. There should 

 be little or no opposition, as our leading 

 horticulturists admit that it is a positive 

 damage to spray while trees are in bloom. 



HONEY-CROP CONDITIONS. 



There is not much to add to what we 

 have already given on pages 509 to 512 in 

 our last issue; but the spell of cold rainy 

 weather that has prevailed over the United 

 States during the last two weeks would 

 have a tendency to cut down the yield 

 where belated clover was still in bloom, for 

 it should be understood that clover came 

 into bearing this year much later than 

 usual, and continued over a longer period. 

 The effect of chilly weather of late will 

 have a tendency to make the general clover 

 crop in the East somewhat lighter than the 

 earlier indications showed. 



PRICES. 



By consulting the Honey Column in this 

 issue it will be seen that the market is a 

 little unsettled with a tendency to maintain 

 last year's j^riees. There should not be a 

 slump in prices, because California and 

 some other parts of the West Avill not have 

 as large a crop as usual. The shortage in 

 bees in the East will have a tendency to 

 hold prices level. If there comes a general 

 reduction by reason of a big crop of white- 

 clover honey that is still in the hands of 

 the beekeepers, it will be when this honey 

 is unloaded and reaches the general market. 

 The opinion seems to prevail that there is 

 a large amount of clover honey still held 

 back, and that prices are now as high as 

 they will be this season ; that those who have 

 a crop ready to market would do well to 

 sell at once. 



Later. — Late reports indicate that the 

 clover and basswood crops in Illinois and 

 Wisconsin are going to be light. The cool 

 weather coming on just when the season 

 should have been at its best, checked the 

 flow of honey. As Illinois and Wisconsin 

 are two of the principal States for the 

 production of clover honey, it will reduce 

 the general aggregate of clover. 



Reports from other sections of the coun- 

 try in the East are very favorable. The 

 State of Maine has had aio^jarently a good 

 crop. See the following: 



From all reports, so far as I can tell, we have 

 had in this State one of the best seasons for honey 

 in many years. Nearly every one who comes here 

 for supplies tells of the wonderful yields they have 

 had. Not one, but many, have reported that they 

 have taken off two and three complete supers, and 

 the bees were at work in the third and fourth 

 supers. This is extra good for this State, although 

 it would indicate by reports that the yield had not 

 been quite as good in the eastern part of the 

 State as in the western. 



Mechanic Falls, Me., Aug. 15. J. B. Mason. 



Here is also a report from Mr. Crane, of 

 Vermont, just as we go to press : 



Bees have done fairly well here; but the drouth 

 in July cut short the crop — an average crop, I 

 think. 



Middlebury, Vt., Aug. 21. J. E. Crane. 



THE LAST OF THE SPECIAL NUMBERS FOR 

 1912. 



Thls s^jecial number on wintering com- 

 pletes the six special numbers that we 

 advertised for the year 1912. We believe 

 that most of our readers have apiDreciated 

 the effort that we have made in placing 

 before them practically a whole number of 

 Gleanings containing the information that 

 they needed most at the time. We are 

 well 'aware that we can not please all of 

 our readers all of the time. This special 

 number, for instance, will have little in- 

 terest for our subscribers in California 

 and in the South; and the seasons are so 

 different in many of the foreign countries 

 that discussions on wintering would be 

 more timely if they came in February or 

 March; but it has been our aim, as we said 

 before, to please the largest number pos- 

 sible. 



There have been two who have objected 

 to our special numbers. One- of our friends, 

 after reading the February 15th issue, 

 wrote us that, if we were going to turn 

 Gleanings into a poultry pajDer, he would 

 quit then and there. He had not noticed 

 the announcement of our special numbers, 

 and did not know that we were having 

 more to say about the combination of bees 

 and poultry than usual in that number. An- 

 other thought that we were hardly giving 

 full value for his money when we devoted 

 so much space in the April 1st issue to 

 automobiles. We have had hundreds of let- 

 ters of appreciation, especially of our hor- 

 ticultural number, and also of the one on 

 swarming and increase. 



We should like to know whether there 

 are other subjects on which it would be 

 worth while to devote a whole number of 

 Gleanings. If you have any ideas on 

 the subject, let us have them on a postal 

 card. Already several have suggested that 

 we have a special number on beekeeping 

 for women. It is probable that we shall 



