480 



GLEANIKGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



June 



SOMETHING FURTHER IN REGARD 

 TO THE STRANGE FACT GIV- 

 EN ON PAGE 422. 



A SUGGESTION IN REGARD TO GETTING SWARMS TO 

 LOCATE IN A PARTICULAR LOCALITY. 



T RECEIVED your letter, but did not understand 

 j^p it exactly. In consequence of sickness and 

 ijti other troubles I have not been able to write 



"*■ sooner to ask if you ever published an answer 

 to my request. In the meantime, more bees 

 have arrived to reinforce those already here, and I 

 am in sore distress. I don't know any one who will 

 take out the bees now, and, unless 1 know what to do 

 to prevent the return of the bees, the expense is too 

 great for me to undertake it. 



Be so kind, if you ever publish any thing- that will 

 help me at all, as to send me the copy of Gleanings 

 containing it ? I shall be glad to know the scien- 

 tific fact I furnished you. C. T. Fenwick. 

 West River, Md., June 1, 188G. 



It seems from the above that still more 

 bees have anived to reinforce those having 

 already taken up their abode in our friend's 

 house. Now, is there not some bee-keeper 

 near West Kiver who can look into this mat- 

 ter and tell us more about it? It is ratlier far 

 away to send one of the editorial staff of 

 Gleanings to look up the matter, but I ;ini 

 afraid we sliall have to do it, if no one else 

 volunteers, somewhere in that vicinity. Be 

 of good cheer, my friend, and let the bees 

 come— the more the better, and we will i)ay 

 all expense and trouble they make. 



PUMBa^g njiJ) gWIJMDIiEg 



PERTAINING TO BEE CULTURE. 



We respectfully solicit the aid of cmr fiiL-iuls in coiuhictins- 

 this department, and would c■on^id^•l■ it a favor to luivc tlu'ni 

 send us all circulars that have a dfecptivc appuarajicc. The 

 greatest care will be at all times maintained to prevent injus- 

 tice being done any onp. 



THE GOLDEN BEE-HIVE, AGAIN. 



fHE "Golden" beehive agents are canvass- 

 ing- Breckenridge and adjoining counties, 

 selling rights for districts and counties at 

 terrible rates. One Charles Hai-daway, of 

 Breckenridge, gave $300 for a right for a 

 very small district. I do not know the traveling- 

 agent's name, but will find out. I understand that 

 there is one A. J. Carman, of Connecticut, with 

 them. Said Carman is paid a salary of $3.00 per 

 day to canvass the county. Will you please post 

 me in regard to the hives and patents? If you 

 have had any deal with A. J. Carman, please re- 

 port to me. I think we had better have some ad- 

 vertisements struck off in larg-e letters, to post uj), 

 in order to guard honest bee-keepers against such 

 swindlers. H. W. Carman. 



Custer, Beckenridge Co., Ky., May 11, 1886. 

 Friend C, we know notliing of the parties 

 you mention. The Golden bee-hive has lieeii 

 tor years used as a medium for frauds. I do 

 not think it worth while to inquire wliether 

 there is a valid patent on it or not, for it is 

 quite certain that no intelligent bee-keeper 

 wants any such arrangement. I would ad- 

 vise bee-keepers to have notliing to do with 

 any man who comes along wanting to sell 

 rights for a bee-hive or any thing else ; and 



in most localities the whole business has 

 been recognized as behind the times, and 

 lieneath the notice of any intelligent man 

 who reads the papers. 



FRIEND PORTER'S REPORT. 



CAPPING COMB HONEY WITH YELLOW WAX; 

 QUEENS DEAD IN THEIR CELLS, ETC. 



^^\ EPORTS from Virginia as to honej^ are not 

 r/ encouraging. AVith a very fine growing sea- 

 |\ son, there is not the usual secretion of nectar, 

 "*■ ^ and the honey-crop will be light. Fruit- 

 bloom and locust were very abundant, the 

 latter always indicating a fruitful year. Fruit of 

 all kinds promises to be abundant, and we are now 

 shipping cherries to New York. 



Last year I was annoyed to -find some of my best 

 colonies capping all their section-honey with yellow 

 wax, as bright as new foundation. What is the 

 cause ? It was not pollen-stain, and as others at the 

 same time were capping with white wax, it could 

 not be the quality of nectar that developed the yel- 

 low wax. I should like to ask if any others have 

 had such experience. I conclude it is a trait that 

 certain bees may possess, .iust as some do that of 

 scaling- withovit an air-chamber under cap, which 

 causes the dark appearance of some combs. 



A peculiarity of this season here, is the failure of 

 queen-cells. Never before have I seen so many 

 dead in their cells. Scores of full-grown larvte in 

 capped cells have been found dead, and all were de- 

 veloped under the swarming impulse. I have exam- 

 ined many hives after first swarms have issued, 

 and found perfect cells with lifeless queens. Can 

 any one give a reasonable hypothesis ? I know of 

 no unusual electrical conditions. The colonies were 

 very strong. Two young- swarms, after hiving, 

 have been found quecnlcss. This may have been ac- 

 cidental; but the same causes that destroyed life, 

 may have weakened the vitality of the hatched 

 queenf. 



Blue thistle is now coming into bloom, and is a 

 valuable honey-resource here. Red clover is always 

 very abundant, and we await the development of 

 the " clover apis " with much interest. 



J. W. Porter. 

 Charlottesville, Va., .June 3, 1886. 



Friend P.. I do not know that I ever be- 

 fore heard of a yellow capping to comb hon- 

 ey. I am inclined to think the trouble with 

 your (pieens is only accidental, and that it 

 will right itself very soon. If it should be 

 some malady it would be a rather sad case ; 

 but we trust not, however. 



CARD OF THANKS FROM MR. HEDDON. 



FRIEND H. TELLS US HOW IT AFFECTED HIM WHEN 

 HE FOUND HIMSELF PICTORIALLY EXHIBITED. 



V surprise on opening the June 1st number 

 of Gleanings can be better imagined than 

 told. 1 little expected to find myself so 

 conspicuously and pictorially exhibited, or 

 to read the kind and too flattering things 

 written al)out me by my biographer. Prof. Cook. It 

 would be the worst kind of afl'ectation to pretend 

 that I am indifferent to the honor done me by friend 

 Root, or untouched by the generous things said of 

 me and mine liy friend (^ook. I most sincerely 



