792 



GLEAKINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Oct. 



ter, and their queen " hibernates, " they gather only 

 enoiig-li to supply present needs. 



IGNITING FUEL IN SMOKEKS. 



On page 72.S oiif friend J. A. Green tells how to 

 light the fuel in smokers by means of a common 

 oiler tilled with kerosene. Of course, I knew it 

 would work, but I always like to try a thing, never- 

 theless. I took one of our oilers from the ten- 

 cent counter and filled it as directed. I then pre- 

 pared my Clark smoker, as described in (his de- 

 partment of the previous issue. This done I sent a 

 couple of squirts from the oiler on the fuel, and 

 dropped in a lighted match. I hardly need tell you 

 that I had some hot coals in a twinkling; and what 

 a smudge when I filled the fire-bo.x level full with 

 sawdust! How simple! and why did we never think 

 of it before? No, brother bee-keepers, if you once 

 light your smoker in this way 1 think you will nev- 

 er have occasion again to fuss with your wife's 

 kitchen stove for a " few coals." Although T have 

 had good success igniting the fuel in my smoker 

 with a match and fine fuel as I have before describ- 

 ed, I think I shall hereafter use the oiler. Why? 

 Because it is much the quickest way I know of; 

 and, second, it is a matter of little consequence 

 whether the rotten wood be dry, finelj' pulverized, 

 or coarse, the oil will quickly convert them into hot 

 coals. The sawdust or shavings can then be dump- 

 ed in without fear of putting out the fire. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING YOUR OWN PERSON- 

 AL ATTENTION TO YOUR APIARY. 



1 have been waiting for two or three days for an 

 opportunity of carefully examining personally the 

 colonies in the apiary, but it has rained and still 

 rains (the equinox is at hand). In regard to per- 

 sonally examing the hives, I would say that you 

 may have an apiarist ever so careful, yet, as I have 

 learned from experience, it is well to review his 

 work. One or two instances will illustrate: 



The last time going through the apiary I discover- 

 ed that the frames were spaced too far apart in an- 

 ticipation of winter; but at this particular time red- 

 clover honey was coming in quite freely. The con- 

 sequence was, many of the combs were bulged out 

 of proportion; brace-combs were built in between, 

 and in one or two instances there were newly built 

 pieces of comb with brood in. As the apiarist had 

 not anticipated such a heavy liow of honey at that 

 time (about Sept. 12th), he had so spaced the combs. 

 He should have waited until he was ready to pack 

 the colonies in chaff. Again, in going about half 

 way through the apiary I had found five or six 

 cases of foul brood, when the apiarist had, only a 

 day or so before, discovered but one in the whole 

 apiary. I do not attribute this difference to any 

 skill of my own, but I did feel as if the whole trade 

 in bees and queens during the next and following 

 seasons depended upon how thoroxiyhly I did my 

 work, and that if a single case of foul brood escaped 

 my notice there would be no use trying. Realizing 

 this I not only examined one frame but every frame. 

 If T could not detect the familiar odor cf foul brood 

 I did not then feel salisflcd of its absence, but open- 

 ed any cells of doubtful api^earancc, and in this way 

 in two or three instances I found diseased cells. 

 Had I depended upon the odor or the general ap- 

 pearance of the combs, I should have pronounced a 

 few colonics perfectly healthy when they were in 

 reality actually diseased. 



I do not wish it understood, in going thus into de- 

 tails, that I take this opportunity to criticise the 



manner in which our apiarist has done his work, 

 for in many things he has shown himself very care- 

 ful, but to illustrate the importance of going over 

 the work yourself. The trouble was, the apiarist 

 did not realize, and. indeed, perhaps could not feel, 

 the supreme importance oC handling foul bi-ood 

 thoroughly, as I did. I well recollect, when I first 

 began handling bees, some eight or ten years ago, 

 how father used to " lecture" me on doing things 

 in the apiarj' just, so. He would review my work, 

 and, if carelessly done, I hcird from him. Although 

 I sometimes felt discouraged, that sort of rigid tu- 

 torship did me good, and made me to feel that han- 

 dling bees is not i)lay, but that it is a trade, and as 

 such it should be thoroughly learned. Eknest. 



Gleanincs in Bee Cdlture, 



J'ubllslwd St'tni-^foiitlilt/. 



JL.. X. I^OOT, 



EDITOB AND PUBLISHER, 



MEDINA, O. 



TERMS: $1.00 PER YEAR, POSTPAID. 



For Clulibisg Eates, See First Page cf Beidicj Matter. 



iL^EnDinsr^?^^, oct. i, lese. 



Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.— Ps. 119: 117. 



Wk are pleased to inform our friends that our 

 subscription-list is still running up. Up to date we 

 have .wot, nearly GOOO. Many thanks for your pa- 

 tronage. 



new garden seeds. 

 Several of the friends have been wanting to 

 know when we should have new seeds to send out. 

 Well, we have already new seed of Boston market 

 lettuce from selected head.s, and Chartier radish. 



FOUL RKOOD AND CANADA THISTLES. 



Both are killed out, so far as we can discover at 

 the present wi-iting. We are, however, on the alert; 

 and just the minute we can detect the presence of 

 either we are going to stamp every trace of it out 

 of existence. 



CU [{TAILING CONTRIBUTIONS. 



As a rule, we prefer to put in every article aS it 

 is received, entire; but where a contributor gets 

 into a habit of being too lengthj-, or, in fact, where 

 he seems to threaten to take so much space that 

 other good men can not be heard from, we have 

 no other way to do than to cut his article down; 

 and we shall do this, even if he be the best writer 

 we have. 



TO I'RrSF.RVE GRAPHS WITH HONEY. 



Our friend Mrs. Axtell, of Roseville, Ills., sends 

 us the following clipping from the Iowa Ilomrntead 

 in regard to the subject: 



Take seven pounds of snuiid grapes on the stems, the branch- 

 es as perfect ns possible, and pack them snugly, without break- 

 ing, in n stone jar. Make a syrup of four pounds of honey and 

 one pint of vinegar, with cloves and cinnamon to suit (about 3 

 oimces of each is the rule). Boil them well together for twen- 

 ty minutes; skim well, then turn, l)oiling hut, over the grapes, 

 and seal immediately. They will keep for years, if j'ou wish, 

 and are exeeedinprly nice. Apples, peaches, and plums maj' btr 

 dune in this way. 



