414 



GLEANING8 IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 15. 



such an overabundance of honey, I should prefer 

 to err on that side rather than to have a condi- 

 tion of short rations; for what is there more en- 

 couraging for early brood-rearing than several 

 frames of sealed honey in the hive ? 



A condition of a good supply of pollen is also 

 necessary; and I condemn the practice of cut- 

 ting out pollen-laden combs in any locality, as 

 some do. for that pollen is just what the bees 

 want for early brood -rearing. With the fore- 

 going conditions in this climate, I think there 

 would be but little necessity for the spreading 

 of brood; for by the time honey is secreted 

 in quantities enough to gather, there would be 

 bees enough reared to secure it. If, however, 

 the condition^ above are not complied with, or 

 in cold climates the colony becomes reduced in 

 numbers, the spreading of brood will greatly 

 hasten the accumulation of bees. 



You say, in reply to Mr. C. that " it is impos- 

 sible to give a rule that will hold good in all 

 cases." I think my plan will cover nearly if 

 not quite all the cases that are ordinarily met. 



Mr. C. says he wants to spread his brood Apr. 

 1st, or as soon as they have two frames of brood. 

 If said two frames of brood are only larvte, and 

 just sealed, the spreading of them, in a majori- 

 ty of cases, would result disastrously, even here 

 in California, not saying any thing about colder 

 Michigan. The spreading of three frames, and 

 inserting two empty ones, would also be hasten- 

 ing things too fast, and also result disastrously. 



The surest way is, to make haste slowly. If 

 the brood at any time does not fill out to one end 

 of the frames, the reversal of one or two will do 

 away with that evil. When the frames are fill- 

 ed from end to end, and have quite an amount 

 of hatching brood, it is then safe to commence 

 to insert empty combs between the brood. It is 

 quite safe to wait until there are two frames of 

 hatching brood and a frame of eggs and larv«?. 

 If Mr. C. spreads his brood as he states it, there 

 are several chances that he will ruin several 

 colonies. It would certainly be an exceptional 

 season, and the colonies extra strong in bees, to 

 allow it. The learner will heed the lesson all 

 the better, though, by losing a few colonies. 

 That is the way the go-slow plan was learned 

 by the Ramulek. 

 1^ I ^ 



A CARD FROM MR. COWAN. 



I see in Gleanings, page 195, you allude to 

 my letter. I think I can explain to you the 

 apparent discrepancy in the volumes, and why 

 the names I mention do not appear. There is 

 no doubt in my mind that it is the same work, 

 and that yours is a later edition. The work 

 was brought about in this way: Sir W. Jardine, 

 who was a naturalist, decided to compile a series 

 of volumes dealing with different animals. 

 With this object in view he engaged the best 

 men in the did'fivnt branches. The subject of 

 Entomology was taken up by a Mr. Duncan. 



The special subject of bees, of which Mr. Dun- 

 can knew very little, was put into the hands of 

 the Rev. Mr. Dunbar, who was a practical 

 bee-keeper, and wrote the book anonymously. 

 He is referred to as the clergyman, in the pref- 

 ace of the first edition, without his name being 

 mentioned. This edition was issued in 1840, and 

 formed Vol. VI. of the " Naturalist's Library." 

 It was printed in Edinburgh, and published by 

 W. H. Lizars, and in London by S. Highly and 

 by W. Curry, Jr. In 1850 the Library was re- 

 arranged, and the London publishers changed 

 to Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden, 

 the Edinburgh publishers being the same as be- 

 fore — namely, Lizars. In this edition the ad- 

 vertisement of the publishers is omitted, and 

 that is why even Mr. Duncan's name is not 

 found in your book. The re-arranging of the 

 Library necessitated a change of volume, and 

 this volume on bees became Vol. VII., Insects, 

 reprinted in 1852 and in 18.59. It also became 

 Vol. XXXIV. of the whole series. Since that 

 time the book has been reprinted, without date 

 or number of the volume. 



I hope this explanation will clear up any 

 difficulty there may have been. I have, as I 

 stated, several editions of this work, and, hav- 

 ing known the Jardine family, I happen to 

 know more about the book than most people. 



London, March 28. Thos. Wm. Cowan. 



CALIFORNIA ECHOES 



7?!/ Ramhkr. 



Mr. Pryal. in A. B. J., upon the California 

 poppy, and ray Echo on the same subject, show 

 that there is nothing too small for great minds 

 to consider. 



Sheep are quite destructive to honey-pastur-r 

 age; but goats will utterly ruin it. They eat 

 down the sages; and what they can not eat, 

 they trample down. Goats and the bee-business 

 can not work harmoniously together. 



Dr. Mason, when you have another World's 

 Fair on your hands, and a band of those stal- 

 wart Canucks after you, just send to California 

 for our improved Canadians. We've got 'em 

 here that will make those old Dominion fellows' 

 heads swim with their stories. 



It has always been a mystery to me why 

 goats were used in Bible lore to represent evil, 

 and placed over perdition. The mystery is now 

 solved. I passed a goat-corral on a rainy day, 

 where several hundred were huddled together; 

 and, to make a long story short, they stink. 



There is a prospect for our State Association 

 to hold a special meeting in San Francisco dur- 

 ing the midwinter fair. It will probably be 

 held in the latter i)art of June. Bee-keepers 

 intending to visit the fair will govern them- 

 selves accordingly. We shall have more to say 

 about it later. 



