1896. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



803 



ment for doubtful though expensive favors. I do not nov? re- 

 member what the Agricultural Department paid for the Steele 

 of this seed, but, with the expense of distributing, it amounted 

 to a considerable sum, which, I believe, to have been wholly 

 wasted. Who is there, now, that raises the Chapman plant for 

 honey ? Yet a committee of our own selection investigated 

 this and supposed it to be valuable. 



What do we know about Apis dorsata that should make 

 us anxious to have it brought to this country 1 The sole thing 

 in its favor seems to be that it is a larger bee. It is hoped 

 that because of this it would be able to get the honey from 

 red clover. This one point — and that a problematical one — is 

 really the only thing in its favor. Of course, there might be 

 some other flowers from which it could get honey not accessi- 

 ble to the ordinary hive-bee, but it is improbable that such 

 exist in sufficient quantity to amount to anything. Any such 

 advantage would doubtless be counterbalanced by a failure to 

 work on flowers that are made use of by the smaller bee. 



We are told in many localities the culture of red clover is 

 being given up, owing to insect enemies. In some other places 

 Alsike and crimson clover are being found more profitable, 

 while, wherever it will thrive, alfalfa seems to yield much 

 better returns. All these yield their honey freely to the hive- 

 bee, so that the amount of honey going to waste in red clover 

 need not cause any great regret. 



We may dismiss with a word any supposed advantage 

 from greater strength and increased power of flight. There 

 is no analogy throughout Nature for supposing that there 

 could be any ultimate gain through these qualities. It is more 

 than probable that any gaiu in these respects would be more 

 than counterbalanced by the greater cousumption of stores. 



One of the things most to be dreaded lies in their increased 

 size. It is probable that, as in the case of some of the hornets, 

 an increase of size means an increase of stinging power. If 

 this should happen to be joined to a choleric disposition, we 

 might have great reason to regret the day that brought this 

 savage to our shores. Travelers tell some terrific stories of 

 the temper and stinging powers of some of the tropical bees. 



Apis dorsata builds a single comb, in the open air. It has 

 uever been domesticated, and I believe there is no evidence to 

 show that it has ever been found in hollow trees or rocks. It 

 is migratory in its habits, deserting its habitation entirely at 

 certain seasons and going elsewhere. Manifestly it is im- 

 probable that such an insect is fit for domestication, or cau be 

 made of any value in a property sense. It might possibly 

 maintain an existence in a wild state in some parts of the 

 South, but it would seem that the benefit arising from this, 

 under the most favorable circumstances, would hardly pay 

 the cost. 



In my opinion, there are other varieties of bees in India 

 »nd China more deserving of investigation and importation 

 than Apis dorsata. It also seems to me that the most practi- 

 cal way to investigate the subject, and learn if any of these 

 bees would be likely to be of any value, would be to enlist the 

 services of some of the missionaries of those countries. Doubt- 

 less amotg them could be found those who would take an in- 

 terest in the subject, and, being on the ground, would be 

 capable of determining at comparatively small expense 

 whether these bees would be worth introducing into our 

 country. 



We could much better afford to subsidize to any necessary 

 extent than to send an expedition there for that purpose. A 

 special expedition would be expensive, and until I can see 

 more definite results to be gained, I shall not ask the Govern- 

 ment to send one — unless I could be sure that I would be the 

 one selected to go ! La Salle Co., III. 



Spreading the Wonderful Sweet Clover. 



MRS. A. L. AMOS. 



I do not write of this wonderful honey-plant just to be 

 " in the swim," as they say, but because I was impressed, 

 while at the Lincoln convention, with the thought that there 

 was no other subject in which more interest was manifested. 

 It seems to me then that two classes included most of us, 

 namely, those who had sweet clover and recognized in it a 

 honey-plant without a peer — at least for the West — and those 

 who ?iad not, but were awaking to its importance, and were 

 eager to know how to get a start in growing It. It is to this 

 latter class that I would like to be permitted to say a few 

 words, for I have been spreading sweet clover very success- 

 fully, and at no great outlay in cash — that article being rather 

 scarce, I gave as a substitute time and energy. 



My attention was first directed to sweet clover as it grew 

 in my father-in-law's garden, the first summer I kept bees — 

 four years ago. The bees revelled in it, and I greatly ad- 



mired its magnificent growth and thrifty appearance, but I 

 was far from realizing its full value or the possibilities it 

 opened up to me. It had beeu brought there originally as a 

 sweet-smelling garden-flower, by one of the daughters of the 

 house some years before, and, as is the way with sweet clover, 

 it had over-stepped the bounds allotted to it. On that account 

 the folks had been fighting it for several years, but, fortu- 

 nately for me, without a knowledge of its nature or how best 

 to cope with it. It is still there, and they no longer talk of 

 extermination, but actually think of planting a field or two 

 since it has established its merit as a forage plant. 



Three years ago I bought a few pounds of seed from an 

 Illinois bee-keeper. It bloomed this summer for the first time, 

 but I believe Mr. Amos has nearly ruined it. There were 

 some sunflowers in the field, and he cut it to kill them just as 

 the earliest of the seed was beginning to ripen. He cut so 

 low that it never branched again. I will scatter more seed 

 there to make sure of a stand next year. 



The woody stalk that people complain of when it is cut for 

 hay, is the plant's only protection. While our cattle eat it 

 greedily wherever they get a chance, they seldom take it so 

 close as to prevent its branching out again. Its woody stalk 

 saves it from utter destruction. They crop it repeatedly, and 

 as often it comes again. Cut close, and it is gone. So much 

 for my field of sweet clover. 



What I have started in nooks and corners, being left in 

 Nature's hands, has not suffered save where the stock had 

 access to it. There it has benefitted the cattle and horses at 

 the expense of the bees. For bee-forage there is no use of 

 putting it on land to be used for early pasturage. The beauti- 

 ful, vivid green in sharp contrast with surroundings entices 

 stock, and, from rabbits to horses, the animals find in it tooth- 

 some bites at a time when such are scarce. 



But I was going to tell the fraternity how I spread it, for, 

 unfortunately, we don't all have " gravel beds" patronized for 

 the public highways ! 



I have seen nothing in regard to transplanting sweet 

 clover, but I have done considerable of that for two seasons 

 now, and with excellent results. I regard it as a surer and 

 quicker way of starting the clover in little out-of-the-way 

 spots, than simply scattering the seed. Of course, for a field 

 it would be too large a job. 



I take the plants in the spring, as soon as the ground is 

 thawed enough to spade them out. I get them where they are 

 growing altogether too thickly for the best development of 

 which they are capable, and put them where they have room 

 to grow. Starting out with my basket of plants, along a 

 chosen route, I keep sticking one in here and there as I go. I 

 find that they never disappoint me, but bloom and scatter 

 their seeds. The plants left behind also do better than if none 

 had been taken, as they have more room. 



I have also a way of my own of gathering seed in the 

 spring. Of course, what was not secured in the fall is down 

 on the ground arouud the old plants, and may be scooped up 

 with spade or shovel and scattered elsewhere. 



These methods grew originally out of hard times and 

 slender resources, but the transplanting, at least, I would 

 practice in any case, because of the excellent results obtained 

 from a few hours' work. 



I was looking, the other day, where some of my spring- 

 set plants had bloomed, and I see they have self-appointed 

 successors. I can usually find two or three plants where the 

 seed that was first to fall has sprouted, though the great mass 

 of it will not start uutil it has had the winter frost and snow, 

 and the spring sunshine. 



I feel very hopeful of this as a honey region since I have 

 made acquaintance with " sweet clover." Like the "Star- 

 spangled banner "— " Long may it wave !" 

 Custer Co., Nebr., Oct. 29. 



Rearing Drones with No Drone-Comb. 



BY E. K. .JONES. 



"Without drone-comb no drones can be reared."— Dr. 

 Miller, on page 713. 



As I seldom write an article for publication, I feel a 

 timidity in bringing in question the truthfulness of the 

 above statement, as it is likely to make me appear before the 

 bee-keeping fraternity as a worthless dog baying at a lofty 

 mastiff. But Judge E. Y. Terrell said at the meeting of 

 the Central Texas Bee-Keepers' Association, "Bee-keepers are 

 the worst critics on earth, and the bee-keeper who puts him- 

 self on record as saying thus or so had better know that he is 

 not mistaken, or some one will 'take him up' as soon as he 

 ' shoots off his mouth.' " 



