56 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



the bees. In very warm weather the foun- 

 dation would sag and bulge, so as to make 

 the cells anything but an improvement 

 upon the "mathematical accuracy of the 

 bees," unless it was of extra thickness; 

 while in every instance the cjueen would 

 not deposit even a single egg in such 

 combs; nor did we succeed in having such 

 comb occupied by the queen unless the 

 foundation was so thin that a temperature 

 of yo deg. would render it almost worthless. 

 In the article already referred to, by Mr. 

 Moore, he brands the foundation as a hum- 

 bug of the first water, when employed for 

 the purpose of obtaining surplus comb 

 honey, and in our experience this applies 

 with double force when used in the orood 

 chamber. 



The next thought that occurs to us brings 

 to mind the "house apiary," which involves 

 many topics of vital interest to apiculturists 

 everywhere. You will doubtless recall the 

 fact that at our last semi-annual session 

 that subject was canvassed with the con- 

 clusion that it had but little to recommend 

 it. Circumstances were such with us last 

 spring that we were compelled to give it 

 serious attention, and the result was the 

 erection of two houses, each 12x25 ft., and a 

 capacity of 104 colonies for the two. While 

 we had"^ anticipated many advantages from 

 their use, the season's experience has more 

 than iustified our expectations. Disadvan- 

 tages" incurred by their use were anticipated 

 and overcome, and to-day we really feel as 

 though we never cared to kee]> another 

 colony of bees on the old, out-of-doors sys- 

 tem. We will chiefly consider the one 

 point that is of greatest interest to apicul- 

 turists generally— its relation to the produc- 

 tion of surplus honey. 



The past season has, with us, been an un- 

 usually poor one for honey, and was there- 

 fore especially favorable for testing the 

 value of the house ; for it is an easy matter 

 to obtain honey in a good season, but to 

 succeed in a very poor or even moderately 

 good one, requires skill and a thorough 

 knowledge of the business. Any method 

 therefore, that will enhance the certainty 

 of results must be valuable. 



When the linden blossoms began to un- 

 fold themselves, our stocks were about 

 equally divided between the houses and the 

 old method of summer stands. We were 

 not long in discovering that the housed bees 

 commenced more readily in the boxes, and 

 stored honey more rapidly. The cool 

 nights would generally suspend operations 

 out-of-doors, while in the house the combs 

 each morning presented a marked increase 

 in size. This state of things continued 

 until the honey harvest closed; when we 

 found that we had some marketable surplus 

 inside and but very little out. Our three 

 best colonies in the house had stored more 

 honey than 60 had out-of-doors; the brood 

 chambers were better filled for winter, and 

 as for bees— well, we never had such popu- 

 lous colonies before, under any circum- 

 stances. 



The only serious objection that we had 

 anticipated was in manipulating stocks in 

 the house; but after a little experience we 

 found no difficulty in that direction. As 

 for stings, we scarcely ever were reminded 

 of the pessession of that implement of war- 

 fare by the yellow workers. During th(! 

 basswood harvest we used no protection 

 while working in the house, often dispens- 



ing with coat and hat, and seldom i-eceiving 

 a sting; while out-of-doors we were com- 

 pelled to wear a veil and then was stung 

 times almost without number. 



Now we don't wish it understood by ahy- 

 one that we recommend the house apiary 

 for general use. It is adapted only to the 

 wants of the specialist, and even then 

 might not prove a success in all cases. But 

 with us it has been all that we could reason- 

 ably ask, while in wintering and springing 

 bees we anticipate its greatest value ; and 

 the indications are that we shall not be dis- 

 appointed in the result 



Really we started out with the intention 

 of canvassing several other subjects, but 

 this paper is already too long, so we for- 

 bear. Herbert A. Burch. 



South Haven, Mich., Dec. 20, 1876. 



Bee Culture in the South. 



READ BEFORE THE MICH. B. K. ASSOCI- 

 ATION, DEC. 21, 1876. 



Since the winters have been making such 

 sad havoc with Northern apiaries, many of 

 our bee-keepers have turned their eyes 

 Southward. The accounts given of the 

 "Sunny South" and the certainty of mild 

 weather during the winter months, induced 

 many a Northerner to wend his way thence. 

 So great has been this emigration to the 

 South that some one has tiu'ued Horace 

 Greeley's advice: "Go West etc.," into "Go 

 South young man, go south." Since there 

 were among all tnese "carpet-baggers," 

 many bee-keepers who were in search of a 

 climate more favorable to their pursuits, it 

 may be of interest to glance at the facts 

 connected with bee-culture as it exists in 

 the South, and also at the advantages and 

 disadvantages which that portion of our 

 country offers to those who engage in this 

 pursuit. 



Early in the spring of 1874 I found myself 

 en route for this far-famed "Sunny South." 

 I must not forget to mention the pleasant 

 little visit I had with one of Michigan's en- 

 thusiastic bee-culturist— Prof. A. J. Cook — 

 as well as with his pleasant lady, before 

 finally starting out. 



As the train bore me from the "Citjr of 

 the Straits" the air was filled with myriad 

 flakes of beautiful snow, falling as com- 

 placently upon their brethren— already a 

 foot deep— as though Michigan were theirs 

 for a century. At Cincinnati the delicate 

 pink blossoms of the peach could be seen. 

 Rattling over the ridges and bridges, and 

 thundering through the tunnels and arch- 

 ways that lie on the way of the Great South- 

 ei'n Railroad as it crosses Old Kentucky, we 

 found ourselves nearing the city of Nash- 

 vilte. Here the passenger— so suddenly 

 transported from dreary regions to those 

 whei'e verdant spring was smiling— could 

 not help but be delighted. The meadows 

 were bright and green, while here and there 

 an apple orchard gave forth sweet perfume. 

 Everywhere bright yellow flowers were 



Eeeping forth and the hum of thousands of 

 usy workers among them, betokened that 

 they were rich in sweets as well as color. I 

 afterwards found this plant to be the Visi- 

 caria lesecuria, of the order Cruciferce, 

 related to our common mustards, water- 

 cresses, etc. It is a harmless little plant 

 gi'owlng only in that locality, blossoming 



