March 1, 1906 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL 



185 



too far from timber or rocks to form convenient shelter, I 

 have even known them to stay in a large weed where the 

 sun beats direct on them, and build combs and rear brood, if 

 located close to the coast where the sun does not melt the 

 combs from excessive heat. 



Why Bees Don't Store Honey. 



I notice a good many questions as to why bees do not 

 store honey. I am of the opinion that there are generally 

 two factors to blame in most cases, though not acting simul- 

 taneously in all cases. To begin with, I think in many 

 cases the bees have a slight trace of paralysis, though per- 

 haps not perceptible to most men. And, in connection with 

 this, I wish to ask. Would it not be wisdom to keep a supply 

 of sulphur about the entrance, and throw it in at the en- 

 trance on the bottom-board ? It invigorates healthy colo- 

 nies, and is a sure "quietus" to paralysis. Next to this 

 comes weather conditions, and I will explain some observa- 

 tions I have made in this regard in my next. 



Oxnard, Calif. 



Bee-Stings as a Remedy— Other Comments 



BY L. H. SODDITH 



WHILE I take and read with profit, as well as pleasure, 

 every article in the American Bee Journal, yet on 

 page 806 (1905) was one on the subject of "Bee-Sting 

 Remedy " which was of most interest to me, because of the 

 following experience : 



For over 10 years I was a great sufferer from stomach 

 trouble and lumbago, until I was completely unable to attend 

 to my duties, having been for 20 years in the pastorate of 

 Baptist churches. All my life I have had a dread of bees, 

 and that because of their stinging propensities always giv- 

 ing them a wide birth. 



Some two years ago an old Baptist preacher moved into 

 our city, and with him came his bees. Hearing much said 

 about them and the modern manner in which he handled 

 them, I was impressed to go over and talk bees, with no in- 

 tention of going near the hives. When I called, he and 

 another gentleman were working with them. I ventured 

 out some distance from where they were working, and asked 

 if he thought I was in any danger, and he answered, " No." 

 I soon became so much interested that I ventured up, and 

 escaped without a single bee-sting. In short, I became so 

 interested that I began to help him. I soon began to love 

 the bee to that extent that I secured from him several col- 

 onies and took them home, and in a few days I secured a 

 severe sting. The pain was not so bad as I had expected, 

 but it caused such an itching that it seemed almost unendur- 

 able — in fact, it was so severe that I felt that I would have 

 to give up the bee-business. However, I persisted until the 

 itching sensation entirely disappeared, and with it went my 

 lumbago. This so encouraged me that I returned to my first 

 love for bees, and, as soon as I could secure them, I increased 

 my stock to 12 instead of 2 colonies. 



It was not long before I found my stomach trouble was 

 gone with the lumbago. For many years I had taken many 

 purgatives prescribed by my physician, besides many patent 

 remedies, but not one that I had ever taken had had the 

 effect upon me that the sting of a bee had. It acted quickly 

 and painlessly. Some may say, "Well, it is nothing more 

 than a mental delusion," but, to me, it has been of all others 

 the real thing. 



I do not intend by ttgis to advise those who have rheu- 

 matism, lumbago, or stomach trouble, to rush away and get 

 stung by bees, but I am of the opinion that it would be 

 much cheaper to have a few colonies of bees, and get a few 

 stings, and some of the sweets, than to buy patent medicines 

 or to rush away to many of the springs that claim to be an 

 infallible remedy for the above diseases. 



I am at present taking the American Bee Journal and 

 another bee-paper, and feel that I have missed much of the 

 good reading matter by not having taken them sooner. 

 Both are excellent periodicals, but I must say I am partial 

 to the American Bee Journal. My main reason for this 

 claim is its weekly visits to my home. I look forward with 

 much anxiety for its coming ; I read and re-read it, and wish 

 for Friday to come, for on that day each week I have a visit 

 from the American Bee Journal. If I had no bees, and had 

 the price of the Journal, I would not be without it. In fact, 

 I don't see how any preacher can be without it on his study- 

 table, for from it he can gather many of the best of illus- 

 trations from the most active and industrious families in 

 animated creation, to be used in sermon-making. 



The past season has been the poorest for many years in 

 this section, say many of the old bee-keepers. It was caused 

 by too much rain. The honey secured in the spring was 

 from poplar and milkweed, the latter being very destructive 

 to bees, as its pollen accumulates on their feet. The older 

 bees are often found fastened to the flower, but the younger 

 bees do not seem so seriously hindered by it. I have noticed 

 strings of this pollen % of an inch long on their feet. No 

 sooner do they come in with their load and deposit it than 

 several bees meet them at the entrance and work like 

 jockeys after a horse has run a race, and remove it. I have 

 noticed in the morning that the alighting-board was com- 

 pletely covered with it. 



The fall honey was secured from the goldenrod and 

 stickweed, which, I suppose, is of the aster family. The two 

 flowers would have given us an abundant crop had it not 

 been that our nights were too cool for comb-making. How- 

 ever, the bees gathered enough to go into winter quarters in 

 good shape. For two years past we have had an abun- 

 dance of white clover bloom, but it was a rare thing to see 

 a bee on it. Does this often happen ? 



Sweet clover is making its appearance in this section — - 

 quite a sprinkling in this neighborhood for the first time. 

 It is found along the railroad, principally. I suppose the 

 trains have brought the seed from other sections. Some 15 

 years ago this portion of the State had much linden, but it 

 has nearly all been cut out. However, many young trees 

 are growing, and we hope by interesting the farmers in bee- 

 culture that they will spare the young growth, and in a few 

 more years there will be good pasturage for bees. 



Most of the bees in this section that are kept are in box- 

 hives, the same as were in use a hundred years ago. Those 

 of us who have adopted the new method are awakening 

 some interest along the line. Taking West Virginia as a 

 whole, I am of the opinion it would be a good honey-produc- 

 ing State, especially in the interior, if we could teach the 

 farmer that he would succeed if he would study the modern 

 methods and apply them. Some of us would like to have a 

 State bee-keepers' convention, and shall work to that end. 

 I am trying to induce some of my former friends to take the 

 American Bee Journal — those who have a few bees. How- 

 ever, it is no easy matter to get many of the West Virginians 

 out of the same old rut that their fathers ran in. 



I just noticed the question has been asked, " Does it pay 

 to take more than one good bee-periodical?" My answer 

 is, Yes, as many as one is able to pay for; for outside of 

 bee-culture they are educators, and that is what we need. 

 We go this way but once, and let us get all the good we can 

 out of it. Those of us who expect it, and are urging others 

 to the same expectancy of joy in the future life, should get 

 all the joy and sweets of this life that do not require com- 

 promise with evil. So, then, let us take, read, and pay for 

 all the papers we can that tell us of the sweet family. 



Huntington, W. Va. 



Shaken Swarms and Non-Swarming Methods 



BY C. DAVENPORT. 



SOME 10 or 12 years ago I introduced, as you might say, 

 brushed or shaken swarming to modern bee-keeping. 

 1 had practiced it for years before I wrote anything in 

 regard to it. This method of artificial swarming, by 

 which all the brood is removed, was original with me, 

 but after I described it many others claimed to have 

 practiced it, and I believe it was even traced back to the 

 dim past. 



Ever since I first commenced bee-keeping — many 

 more years ago than 1 like to remember — artificial swarm- 

 ing, or the prevention of swarming, has been one of the 

 problems to which I believe I have given more thought 

 and study than has any other person now living, or that 

 ever lived, and I have finally solved it in a way that I 

 never thought or even dreamed possible. I expect few 

 will believe the facts I shall state in regard to this matter. 

 I. who have spent practically all my life among bees, 

 could not believe it if 1 had not practised it. 



A description of the different ways I have treated or 

 artificially swarmed colonies, and the devices, non-swarm- 

 ing hives, self-hivers, swarm-controllers and the like, 

 would make a large book; but the shaken-swarm method 

 was, up to 3 years ago the past season, the most practical 

 method I had discovered, hough I was very far from 

 being satisfied with it. for in this locality it does not work 

 as well in all cases as it dues in others, as described by 

 some. 



