248 



THE MlMERICaif WMM J©WRKMlr. 



The apiary consisted of 234 colonies 

 — ^214 to be divided, and 20 to divide 

 themselves. The 214 increased my 

 apiaiy to 356 ; the 20 added one colony 

 to the number. The 214, with the in- 

 crease from them, averaged about 50 

 pounds of honey to the colony, and 

 built (I was too poor to buy founda- 

 tion) some 2,000 combs in Langstroth 

 frames ; the 20 did not average 15 

 pounds per colony, and of combs built 

 not one, as their hives were full. 



In a comparison of the two systems, 

 I find the following advantages in 

 favor of dividing colonies : 



By dividing, the queens, and even 

 the drones, are reared from selected 

 stock ; by swarming, the bad strains 

 with the good are equally propagated. 

 By dividing, our bees sally forth to sip 

 the nectar from two strong colonies, 

 where in the early spring was found 

 but one ; by swarming, our strong col- 

 onies of the early spring, become weak 

 ones just when we most need them 

 strong. By dividing, ye bee-man 

 walketh with solid footing on j-e terra 

 finna, where evolution intended him ; 

 by swarming, ye bee-man must needs 

 ofttimes, as ye little bird, roost high in 

 ye tree, and when he falleth there- 

 from, he findeth he is not made as ye 

 little bird. Aye, verily. 



Newhall, Calif. 



ALSIKE CLOVER. 



The Origin and Value of tiiis 

 Exeellent Honey-Plant. 



Written for the American Bee Journal 



BY S. J. YOUNGMAN. 



As the season is now at hand to sow 

 both for forage and bee-pasture, pei'- 

 haps a few hints from those having 

 had experience in that direction would 

 be both seasonable and profitable to 

 those having stock to feed and graze, 

 and bees ; of which there is no doubt 

 but what the sowing of certain plants 

 may help the yields of honey in locali- 

 ties where drouth is more or less 

 prevalent. 



Much has been said in favor of 

 Alsike clover, and my experience with 

 it, both as a forage and nectar-produc- 

 ing plant, will warrant all the praise 

 given in its favor ; but, at the same 

 time, all contemplating its propaga- 

 tion, should endeavor to do so intelli- 

 gently, as its success and large growth 

 depends largely upon the manner 

 sown, and soil planted on. Many mis- 

 takes and consequent disappointments 

 have been made by not knowing the 

 characteristic traits of this plant. 



I would advise, lirst, never to sow 

 Alsike clover alone except for seed, 

 but sow with red clover and timothy 

 for all purposes. Second, never sow 



on dry, sandy land ; but on clay loam, 

 bottom land, and reclaimed swamp 

 and marsh land it may be expected to 

 flourish luxuriautl)'. 



As so little is known of this valua- 

 ble plant, and its origin, I will, for the 

 benefit of the readers of the American 

 Bee Journal, give the report of the 

 Department of Agriculture for the year 

 1887, which may be found on page 304 

 of the Report, with a beautiful illustra- 

 tion of the plant : 



"Alsike Clover {Trifoliumhyhridurn). 

 — This differs from the common red 

 clover in being later, taller, more 

 slender, and succulent ; the flower- 

 heads are upon long pedicels, and are 

 intermediate in size and color between 

 those of white and red clover. Its 



ALSIKE CLOVER IN BLOOM. 



botanical name was so given from its 

 being supposed by Linnreus to be a 

 hybrid between those clovers ; but it 

 is now known to be a distinct species. 

 It is found native over a large part of 

 Europe, and was first cultivated in 

 Sweden, dei'iviug its common name 

 from the village of Syke, in that coun- 

 try. In 1834 it was taken to England, 

 and in 1854 to Germany, where it is 

 lai'gely grown, not only for its excel- 

 lent foi-age, but also for its seed, which 

 commands a high price. In France it 

 is little grown as yet, and is frequently 

 confounded with the less productive 

 Trifolmm elegens.^^ 



The following is condensed from 

 Les Prairies Artificalles, hy Ed. Vianne, 

 of Paris : 



" Alsike does not attain its full de- 

 velopment under two or three years, 

 and should, therefore, be mixed with 

 some other plant for permanent mead- 

 ows. It is best adapted to cool, damp, 

 calcareous soils, and gives good re- 

 sults upon reclaimed marshes. It is 



adapted neither to very dry soils, nor 

 to those where there is stagnant water. 

 Being of slender growth, rye-gi'ass, rye 

 or oats are often sown with it, when it 

 is to be mowed. In fertile ground, 

 weeds are apt to diminish the yield 

 after a few years, so that it requires to 

 be broken up. It is generally sown in 

 May, at the rate of 6 to 7 pounds of 

 clean seed to the acre ; sometimes it is 

 sown in pods, at the rate of 50 to 100 

 pounds to the acre, either in spring or 

 autumn, after the cereals are harvested. 



" Alsike sprouts but little after cut- 

 ting, and therefore produces but one 

 pasturage. The yield of seed is usually 

 170 to 180 pounds per acre. The seed 

 separates more easily from the pods 

 than that of ordinary clover, and as 

 the heads easily break off when dry, 

 care is required in harvesting. 



"It does not endure drouth as well as 

 the common red clover, but will grow 

 on more damp and heavy soils, and it 

 is said that it can be grown on land 

 which, through long cultivation of the 

 common clover, is clover-sick." 



Lakeview, Mich. 



FARMERS. 



The Adaptability of Bee-Keep- 

 ing to the Farmer. 



Read at the Fremont Farmer's Institute 



BY A. M. ALTON. 



This is a subject which is receiving 

 considerable attention at the present 

 time. One question is. will it properly 

 develop the intellectual and moral na- 

 ture, so that the worker will develop 

 all his faculties while striving to earn 

 a comfortable subsistence ? 



" It is not all of life to live, nor all of death to die.'* 



As to bee-keeping, there can hardly 

 be a question as to its moral and intel- 

 lectual tendency : for proof I have 

 only to cite you to shining examples 

 (both living and dead), who are, or 

 have been, engaged in the pursuit. 

 Who ever heard of a bee-master being 

 guilty of a crime ? Then it will be 

 congenial to those fitted by nature to 

 follow it, just as a natural mechanic 

 feels as home with thetools with which 

 he cheerfully earns his living. 



There is no use in saj-ing that eveiy 

 man will make a successful bee-keeper, 

 any more than to say that every man 

 is by nature an artist, or every woman 

 a musician. Unless a person possesses 

 certain qualifications, either natural or 

 acquired, he would very likely make a 

 failure of bee-keeping. Among the 

 necessary qualifications are persever- 

 ance, industry, the love of home more 

 than i-iches, a talent for looking after 

 details, promptness, and last, but not 

 least, reasonablj- good health. 



