548 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Aug. 27, 



back in Old Georgia, and was the first match I had ever seen. 

 I was all curiosity to find out the whys and wherefores of 

 things. I couldn't see how in the world it was that a little 

 square stick not larger than a broom-stem with a little some- 

 thing on the end of it could have fire in it and not burn with- 

 out being struck against something. And then the scent — I 

 had a great desire to smell of one. I assure you it only took 

 one to satisfy me. The funny part of it is that in telling it a 

 few years ago I found that my sister tried exactly the same 

 experiment at the same place with the same results. 



The whole winter through, when I went anywhere near 

 those combs, I could smell the sulphur. I next tried to keep 

 the combs free from the moth-worms by the use of spiders. I 

 got large spiders and put them into the hive-caps in which I 

 had the empty frames of comb. This succeeded fairly well, 

 but was too much worry and trouble looking after them, so 

 my next and last trial proved not only to be much the best, 

 but was also the least trouble. I just let the bees take care of 

 them, even though I had to tier the hives up three stories. 

 This, of course, could not be done up North so successfully as 

 here, where we have such mild winters. The winter problem 

 is an unknown quantity here in this sunny clime. 



A sight that was always intensely interesting to me was 

 to watch the bees just before a shower of rain during the 

 working season. Oh ! how they would come in, helter-skelter, 

 pell-mell, tumbling, as it were, over one another in their haste 

 to get home with their gathered sweetness. When they come 

 in thus is the best sign that I know of that rain will follow 

 very soon. 



Kerosene oil is decidedly the best thing that I ever used 

 to loosen and clean both propolis and wax, either from the 

 hands or any vessel to which it is adhering. Of course, both 

 soap and water must be freely used in finishing up the job. 



Just how far bees can work successfully I do not pretend 

 to say, but mine have been known to go three miles in a direct 

 line. It was when I had the only Italians in this part of the 

 country that a gentleman found them at work three miles east 

 of my apiary. They were working in such force that he 

 thought there certainly must be a bee-tree close by, so he 

 baited, lined and traced them to my apiary on three different 

 occasions. This satisfied me thatthey could work successfully 

 that distance. How much further than this they could work 

 profitably, I am sure I do not know. 



On two different occasions I had fine Italian queens to 

 take wing and fly from the hive several days after successful 

 introduction. The first one never returned, though I sat near 

 the hive and watched impatiently for her until it was too dark 

 to see a bee on the wing. Oh ! how blank and badly I felt 

 can only be realized by those who have had a like experience. 

 The second one I actually caught in my hands after she 

 had gotten several feet from the hive. I put her back and 

 closed the hive so that not a bee could leave. I let it remain 

 closed until dark, then opened the entrance. After this she 

 remained satisfied, and proved to be a very prolific and fine 

 queen. 



Along about this time I came to the conclusion that I lost 

 rather than gained by opening the hive so often. I also 

 learned from outside appearances to tell pretty well what was 

 on the inside without so much manipulation. I soon learned 

 from the peculiar movement of the bee to know when they 

 had lost their queen, without opening their hive. I think that 

 the novice loses a great deal by opening the hive too often, 

 yet, it seems that they can learn their habits and peculiarities 

 in no other way. Experience, after all, is the best teacher. 



I had a good-sized bee-proof tent in which to do all neces- 

 sary work, with a large wire-cloth window in the south side, 

 through which I could notonly get plenty of air, but could also 

 see every colony in the yard, together with four gates, so I 

 could see if any one was coming, which was at least a relief 



to me. Were I again going to establish an apiary here, I 

 should most certainly pattern after the one I had, in almost 

 if not quite every detail. I had things, to my way of thinking, 

 at least, so very conveniently arranged. The only change 

 of any importance that I would make, would be that I would 

 have my honey-room floor on the ground, so that I would not 

 have to carry the honey up so many steps as I had to do. 



When I saw that rubber gloves were advertised and rec- 

 ommended, I, of course, wanted a pair. The amusing part of 

 it was the directions said that they were not numbered as 

 other gloves, but just open the hand out and mark around it, 

 and send the measure this way. Well, out I spread my hand, 

 and took an ordinary lead pencil and marked around each 

 finger and thumb thus spread out. Well, I guess you would 

 have laughed to have seen those gloves. The measure was 

 returned with the words, '' Small hand," on it. I was morti- 

 fied and ashamed of my stupidity ; so much so that I never re- 

 turned them to have them exhanged for a smaller pair. I 

 could put both hands into one glove with quite a lot of spare 

 room. Of course, they did me no good on account of their im- 

 mense size. 



The kind of gloves that I liked best and used most (when 

 I used any at all), were made of a pair of thin cotton-socks, 

 with a nick at the heel through which to put my thumb, with 

 the toes cut off convex for the back of my hand, so as to cover 

 the whole hand and fingers ; concave on the inside, so that I 

 could have free use of my whole hand. See ? 



By far the best fuel I have ever used was not " dead live- 

 oak," but rotten elm. It is white, and breaks off in great 

 layers— is easily broken into small enough pieces to fill into 

 the smoker. Just put a live coal in first, and then the rotten 

 elm, give a few puffs, set the smoker nozzle up, and it will 

 continue to burn for hours, or as long as the fuel lasts, and 

 oh ! such a smoke as you will have ! When I would be riding 

 out for any purpose I was on the lookout for rotten elm, or 

 cotton-wood, which was about as good as the elm. 



Salado, Bell Co., Tex. 

 (Concluded next week.) 



^ 



Supplying the Home Honey Market. 



BY F. A. SNELL. 



In about five weeks after my first visit is made to town 

 No. 1, I again take a trip to the same place, with a supply of 

 honey. On arrival I first call at the grocery where I left my 

 honey to be sold on commission. The grocer informs me that 

 he has sold quite a large part of my honey, and would like to 

 have a new supply. This time he is ready to buy, and I sell 

 him quite a lot of the comb, and also some of the extracted. 

 After this time I sold him hundreds of pounds each year so 

 long as he remained in the business, and, later, to his suc- 

 cessor. 



The others with whom I dealt on my first trip were next 

 seen, and found ready for a new supply. When room would 

 permit, and a number of cases of honey were taken, I would 

 place the cases three or four deep, the small at the top, which 

 we all know presents a very neat view of the honey-combs 

 through the glass in the side of the case. One case was set to 

 one side, from which to retail. 



The grocers have, without exception, been pleased with 

 my arrangement of the honey when so placed. Pails or cans 

 are also placed where they may attract attention, the label 

 being always placed in full view of those entering the stores. 



I have found it very useful to give each grocer some hints 

 as to where the honey should be kept during cool weather in 

 fall and winter, so that it may uot deteriorate. I have found 

 that, nine times out of ten, if I say nothing about the matter, 

 the honey will be put in the coldest part of the store, or in a 

 back room, except the one case from which to retail ; and in 



