GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



645 



Gleanings in Bee Culture. 



I'ublisJied Scml-Montltli/. 



.^.. X. I^OOT, 



EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, 



MEDINA, O. 



TERMS. $1.00 PER YEAR, POSTPAID. 



For Clutbize Kates, Ceo First PagD of Eoidla^ Matter. 



Ami Mwl.o'd answertM 

 iiakc it pliiiii upon table 

 -Habakkuk 2: 2. 



With iis, the dry weather is over, for we have had 

 bountiful rains within the past nine days. It is 

 true, that the bees are not booming-, but the straw- 

 berries are. So you see the advantage of liaviug- a 

 little variety in our pursuits in life. 



KEEPING APIARIES TIDY IN THE FALL. 



OuK apiary is now looking- nicer, perhaps, than it 

 ever did before. The recent rains have stai-ted the 

 grass, and the boys have filled the walks with cin- 

 ders from the foundry near by. These cinders seem 

 to be proof against grass and weeds; and were they 

 not black instead of white, it seems to me we could 

 hardly get any thing- better to spread among- the 

 hives to keep down g-i-ass and weeds. The iron it 

 contains seems to be death on vegetation. 



ENGRAVINGS OF APIARIES. 



Dear fiuends, it costs about $.50 to get up a good 

 ])icture of an apiary for the pages of Gleanings. 

 Now, I am glad to see the pictures of your apiaries; 

 but, pardon me when I say that it is hardly worth 

 while to go to the expense of making an engraving, 

 unless your apiary shows marked features in neat- 

 ness or order, system, or something of that sort, 

 that makes a look at it instructive ; and even though 

 it should contain all the above essentials, if it is not 

 materially (litferent from the pictures of apiaries 

 we ha\-e already had, it will hardly pay me (or our 

 readers) to go to the expense of an engraving. 



the honey-yield generally for 1884. 

 While many localities report only half a crop or 

 less, I believe that, as a rule, the yield has been 

 large; at least, nice honey is offered at a lower fig- 

 ure than it has been for many years. We have pur- 

 chased- sevei-al large lots of honey, both clover and 

 basswood, for only 7 cents, delivered at that, and I 

 presume we could get much more if we could use it. 

 The large yield of California has probably some- 

 thing to do with it. Even though our profits may be 

 small, there is something of a satisfaction in seeing 

 honey go on to many tables where it has been here- 

 tofore too much of a luxury. Very likely, many 

 will give up the business in disgust, on account of 

 low prices. 1 do not know that this can be avoided, 

 as it occurs in all kinds of business. The shrewd 

 bee-keeper will endeavor to securea faircrop when 

 people generally get little or nothing, and then he is 

 sure of a good figure for his own crop. Under the 

 circumstances, many times the whole may be sold 

 at from 15 to 30 cents, and at a home market at that. 

 It seems easier to find nice extracted honey at 7 

 cents, than to get equally good comb honey atabout 



twice that figure. One reason is, I presume, the 

 difficulty of shipping comb honey, compared with 



extracted. 



portulaca as a honey-plant. 

 The children planted a single 5-cent paper of por- 

 tulaca seed last spring, and from the paper they ob- 

 tained perhaps 100 plants. I'he paper was labeled, 

 " Portulaca, double and single, flue mixed." When 

 they got into full bloom I think I never saw a more 

 beautiful and dazzling display of floral beauty than 

 these plants furnished. As they made the ground 

 very rich, 1 took good care that each plant co\er 

 i^uite a large surface by branching out in every di- 

 rection. The colors were almost infinite, for scarcely 

 any two wore shaded alike. Pei-haps portulaeas 

 are as beautiful every year, and in other places, as 

 they have been with us; but if so, I have never 

 noticed it before. Well, now, the crowning glory 

 of it is, that during the drought of August and Sep- 

 tember, these blossoms were fairly teeming with 

 yellow Italians. The hive was one roar of bees be- 

 fore the blossoms opened in the morning, waiting 

 for the coveted sweets; and after they got out, the 

 bees squeezed and crowded each other to see which 

 should get it. Now, while it may not be worth while 

 to raise enough of the plants to get honey in any 

 appi-eciable quantities, it seems to me it is well 

 worth while for any one who loves bees, to enjoy 

 such a treat as our portulaca flower-gai-den furnish- 

 es daily, where the first cost of the seeds is so iusig- 

 niflcant. If I remember correctly, by sheltering 

 the plants from the prevailing winds they will blos- 

 som clear into November, and the bees are on hand 

 as long as the blossoms last. Perhaps the seed we 

 have is notditPerent from any other; but if you care 

 to try it we can furnish it to you by mail postpaid 

 for five cents a package. 



DIED. 



death of d. s. given. 



Did you know that our old friend, D. S. Given, had 

 gone to " the home beyond the skies"? If I mistake 

 not, he was laid away to rest on the 12th of July. 

 He leaves a wife, and, I believe, two children, who 

 mourn his loss. May God comfort them in their af- 

 fliction ! The last few months of his life were fllled 

 with sorrow and guttering. How sad it must be for 

 one to know that he has received his death-warrant, 

 and that he has, at the most, only a few months to 

 live, and is so soon to leave all his dear ones on 

 earth! W.W. Bliss. 



Duarte, Los Angeles Co., Cal., Aug. 28, 1884. 



Thus passes away another one of our veter- 

 ans. Many of our subscribers will remem- 

 ber friend Giveu's articles ; and bee-keepers 

 generally will remember him by the Given 

 press, which has been adopted and is in use 

 by many of our foremost bee-keepers. 

 While we mourn his loss, we can yet thank 

 God that he died in full trust of a loving 

 Savior. 



DADANT'S FOUNDATION FACTOEY, WHOLESALE andEETAIL. 

 See advcrtisenieiit in auother c-olunui. abtfd 



L sale at .* 1.(10. MissNkm.ii 



1{<).\ 17. Marietta, On.i 



;t month, for 



XIIISPEED, 



luaCo., N. Y. 



DA1> ANT'S FOUNDATION FACTORY, Whole- 

 sale and retail. See advertisement in another 

 column. 3btfd 



