584 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Government Aid for Bee-Culture. 



The Comniissionei' of Agriculture rec- 

 ognizes the importance of the honey and 

 wax production of the United States, 

 and it is now proposed to give more at- 

 tention to the industry than at any time 

 heretofore. It would be a very easy 

 matter to double the quantity of honey 

 and wax product of this country, and 

 that, too, without interfering with any 

 person now engaged in the business. 



Bee-pasturage, like any other pastur- 

 age, can be overstocked, and it shows a 

 lack of intelligence or business sense 

 where bee-keepers crowd a multitude of 

 bees on to a limited territory, though 

 that locality may abound with good 

 nectar - producing plants, shrubs and 

 trees. It would be just as reasonable to 

 jpxpect 5,000 sheep to thrive on 10 

 tecres of land, because when they were 

 Cfirned in upon the land it was covered 

 jr ith burr-clover two feet high. — Exch. 



Ringing of Tin Pans, Etc. 



Quite a discussion has been carried on 

 in the past, relative to bees having hear- 

 ing, most of which tends to prove that 

 bees are as "deaf as adders." This 

 being the case, the beating of pans, ring- 

 ing of bells, etc., which many resort to, 

 has no bearing upon restraining a de- 

 parting swarm. The throwing of the 

 sun's rays into the flying mass, by means 

 of a mirror, is generally effective in 

 stopping runaway swarms. — Exchange. 



Apiary in the Spring. 



With the approach of Spring, prepara- 

 tions for the new colonies of bees must 

 be planned and made. The bee-keeper 

 should increase the number of his bees 

 each season, and it may be that many of 

 those who never enter into the business 

 will undertake the work of increasing 

 their income bj this method. From 

 nearly all farmers who have kept bees 

 we hear that there is a larger percentage 

 of profit in bee-keeping than in raising 

 grains or garden crops. The chief capi- 

 tal in bee-keeping is brains, patience, 

 and perseverance. 



If colonies are started this Spring, be 

 sure to select a place for them behind 

 some garden fence or hedge where the 

 branches and leaves of the briers and 

 bushes will shield them from the raw 

 northerly winds. Bees in the woods 

 always select such a sheltered place for 

 their home, and in the Winter time they 

 often live there without any other pro- 



tection. Many an old farmer keeps his 

 bees successfully all through the Winter 

 by locating his hives in some sunny, 

 sheltered place, behind the wood-shed, 

 orchard, or tract of thick timber. In 

 fact, a few colonies of bees can be kept 

 better probably behind a bee-shed than 

 in any other place, and all through the 

 coldest weather they will live and 

 thrive. 



The raw, chilling winds from the 

 north and northwest are the most in- 

 jurious things that can threaten the 

 lives of the insects. Look out for the 

 Spring winds. It is often the most try- 

 ing time. The warm days give life and 

 restlessness to the bees, but they are 

 suddenly followed by raw, chilling winds, 

 which carry death with them. The col- 

 onies that are protected by some wind- 

 break during this time, will be the most 

 successful ones. — Helen Wharbubdon, 

 in the Farmers'' Weekly Home. 



Uniting Colonies in Spring. 



It often occurs that colonies come 

 through the Winter in such a weak state 

 that it is impossible for them to gather 

 strength to ever amount to anything ; 

 hence such colonies may be united until 

 there is strength enough to produce a 

 good colony. This method will prove 

 advantageous, as " in union there is 

 strength." But sometimes we do not 

 gain anything, as during some Winters 

 bees do not winter well, and come out in 

 a diseased condition. At such times 

 dwindling sets in, and such uniting is 

 not a success, as they will die off in such 

 numbers as to gain nothing. But if col- 

 onies are healthy, uniting is a success. 



It is better to unite until colonies are 

 reasonably strong, otherwise it will take 

 the entire honey season to put them in 

 condition. It is of importance to ascer- 

 tain the required strength necessary to 

 produce a profitable colony. Uniting 

 beyond a certain limit is very bad work. 

 It lessens the number, and gives more 

 strength than is necessary early in the 

 season. There is but little gained in 

 great strength long before the honey 

 season sets in ; hence a colony of bees 

 that occupy three or four frames is 

 strong enough, and perhaps anything 

 over two frames will do. — A. H. Duff, 

 in the Stockman. 



Xlie Amateur Bee-Keeper^ 



by J. W. Rouse ; 52 pages. Price, 25c. 

 For sale at this oflBce. 



