630 



GLEAKINGS m BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 



times 3-ou can find a drop as large as a drop ol' tur- 

 pentine hanging- at tlie bottom of the ball. Some 

 times 3-ou will see it in fine particles, where it ex- 

 udes from the sides. Yon never see honey on them 

 at all until Ihey conimencc to dr.y up. It is a fine 

 article of honey, and sells well. I oflcn sell it at 

 ^5 cents per lb. J. A. Isaacks. 



Broomwood, Texas, July V,i, 188(i. 



Qn^ 0WN ^Pij^i^Y. 



SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF DEAD BROOD AS FOUND 

 AT THE HOME OF THE HONEY-UEES. 



l^T has been somewhat of a question with us 

 whether the foul brood, mentioned on p. 010, is 

 the real virulent form, or a milder typo of it. 

 At an5' rate, the symptoms as we find it arc 

 about as follows: The affected brood in some 

 cases is shriveled up, and of a brown color; in oth- 

 ers, a maturated, thickened, milky mass in the cells, 

 and in color a grayish black. In some combs the 

 brood is all affected, and in others only an occasion- 

 al cell appears. It has been said of foul brood, that 

 the cells are sunken; but we do not find this to be 

 the case with our diseased brood-combs; but wo do 

 find that the cappings are punctured. 



THE ODOU OF THE UKOOD. 



Well, as nearly as I can describe it, it is not un- 

 like the smell from an old g-lue-pot— a g-ummy, rank 

 odor. To me it is not " foul " or sickening, strictly 

 speaking; l)ut it certainli' has an unmistakable 

 flavor of blasted hopes. 



After reading the foregoing description, perhaps 

 some one who has had some experience with foul 

 brood can inform us whether we have the real viru- 

 lent form of the disease. 



Up to the present time we have burned cirihty- 

 ihrcc combs. To treat them thus, and replace with 

 new frames of foundation, we consider much cheap- 

 er than to try out the combs and boil the old frames 

 in water. The old frames, and the paltry amount of 

 wa.x so saved, would be almost inslgniflcant, and 

 the ])rocess of trying out the wax, it seems to me, 

 would be attended with more or less risk. If a few 

 robbers should get into the i-oom where the combs 

 were, and gain access to some of the diseased cells, 

 and make their escape, well, I should not be sur- 

 prised if you had " to tight it out on that line" all 

 summer. No, sir! where 400 colonies and over are 

 at stake, it doesn't pay to have diseased combs 

 about, even for a minute. If you want to know our 

 advice we would say. If you have reason to suspect 

 that a colony is affected witli foul brood, don't ex- 

 amine it when the bees are flying— at any rate, 

 when there is anj' possible chance for a robber to 

 get at the combs. 



Now, I suppose when this issue is out a few will 

 begin to declare that they have foul brood. Let me 

 tell you beforehand, that the probabilities are— well, 

 I might say a thousand to one that you do not have 

 it. Do not be In haste to declare that your bees have 

 the disease, until you liavc visible signs of its 

 spreading to other colonies. If the disease, as we 

 have it, were not seen to be contagious, we might 

 question whether we had it. 



THE 50 CHAPMAN HONEY-PDANTS AS SEEN ON OUR 

 HONEY-l'ARM. 



These plants have been in bloom for a week back, 

 and from present indications they promise much. 



They are thistle-like, about two feet in height. Each 

 plant is surmounted upon one or more of its stalks by 

 balls, or what botanists term heads. These are from 

 i;4 in. to 214 in. in diameter, and vary in number on 

 each plant from 6 to 10 heads. The heads, when in 

 bloom, are covered with small star-like white flowers, 

 in the center of which the anthers, blue in color, 

 surround the pistil. The plants with their white 

 balls present a very pretty appearance. We were 

 surprised to see how the bees took to these balls. 

 Sometimes as many as eight or ten bees can be 

 found upon each head, sipping at the nectar in a 

 very leisurely manner. After the bees have been 

 upon the blossoms for a little while they will tuck 

 their tongues under their chins and remain (juiet 

 without any visible motion. If we bi-ush them off 

 they will in some eases drop to the ground, as if so 

 gorged as to be unable to fly. On remaining upon 

 the ground a moment or so they will take wing as if 

 nothing had happened. I then concluded that they 

 were not actually gorged, but apparently stupefied; 

 that is, the plant seemed to have something of a 

 narcotic effect upon the bees. I have sometimes 

 noticed a similar effect when beps were woi-king on 

 sweet clover, and I believe others have reported 

 something of the kind. 



To-day, July SVth, on going over to our patch 

 where the Chapman honey-plants are, I found that 

 the bets visited the heads, and returned without 

 showing any signs of the narcotic effect mentioned 

 above. In fact, their actions wei-e lively, and I 

 could not find that any of the bees would drop to 

 the ground when I brushed them off. Perhaps the 

 day has something to do with it. 



The boss printer saj'S, "No more room," so I'll 

 have to stop right here. E. K. ItooT. 



Gleanings in Bee Culture, 



Published Scnii-Monthl ij . 



j^. I. I^ooT, 



EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, 

 MEDINA, O. 



TERMS: $1.00 PER YEAR, POSTPAID. 



For Cluttine Eates, See First Pago of EeidinE; Matter. 



Wc li.ave treasures in the tiel<l, of wheat, ami of bailey, and 

 of oil, and of honey.— JKli. 41:8. 



Ouu subscribers now number 5814, again of 191. 



THE EDITOM OF OLEANINGR OFF ON A WEEK'S 

 VACATION AMONG ItEE-MEN AND OTHEHS. 



About the time this issue is out I shall probably 

 be at the honey-farm of H. Chapman, Versailles, 

 N. Y. Hero I expect to meet other bee-men, and 

 In committee examine into the merits of the 

 Chapman honey-plant, which will then be in full 

 bloom. Leaving there, I hope to visit friend Cole, 

 distinguished as the originator of the so called 

 "New Agriculture;" and, time permitting, take in 

 one or two other points. 



FIIjI.ING ORDERS FROM NETOHBOlt H.'S APIARY. 



As stated in another column, on account of foul 

 brood being found in our apiary we shall All all 



