298 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 



Behold the cluster form 



Upon the tree-branch there. 

 Set the new hive in place. 



Gather the pendent mass, 

 Presto! with rapid pace, 

 Into their home they pass! 

 Chorus. 



Come, Come, Come! 

 And see the merry swarm 



Rising- in the air; 

 Behold the cluster form 

 Upon the tree-branch there. 

 5. 

 Come, Come, Come! 

 Winter is here at last! 



Over the dreary scene 

 A fleecy robe is cast. 



White with its glistening sheen. 

 The bees are fast asleep, 



CliiSped in each other's arms; 

 And their long vigil keep, 

 Secure from all alarms. 

 Choius. 



Come, Come, Come! 

 Behold the bees asleep. 



Clasped in each other's arms. 

 And calm their vigil keep, ' 



Secure from all alarms! 



The second song is not set to any particular tune, 

 though I think there is one with the title, "Cheer, 

 Boys, Cheer! " But I do not know the words of it, 

 and doubt if my ditty would fit. Perhaps Mrs. 

 Axtell, Dr. Miller, or some other member of the 

 fraternity or sisterhood of bee-keepers can find or 

 make a tune for it, if it is thought worthy of being 

 wedded to music. 



A SONG FOR THE HONEY-HARVEST. 

 1. 



Cheer, boys, cheer! the bright honey rolls in; 

 Idleness now were a shame and a sin; 

 The bees are doing their " level best," 

 And working without a moment's rest. 



3. 

 The fields are pui-pled with clover bloom; 

 Give every hive lots of storage room; 

 The linden-blossoms will soon be here- 

 Honey is blooming— so, cheer, boys, cheer! 



3. 

 Early and late do the workers fly. 

 So help them along, and " mind your eye; " 

 Never heed a painful sting or two. 

 But do whatever there is to do. 



4. 

 Hive the big swarms and set them to work. 

 For never a bee will strike or shirk; 

 The brief honey-harvest now is here. 

 So, "work with a will," and cheer, boys, cheer! 



The third song or hymn, intended for use at con- 

 ventions, will go to " Old Hundred " or any long- 

 meter tune that may be thought most appi-opriate, 

 and closes with the familiar doxology, which was 

 joined in right heartily at the close of the Cleve- 

 land bee-keepers' convention some years ago. 



A SONO OR HYMN FOR BEE-KEEPERS* CONVENTIONS. 

 1. 



Once more we in convention meet 

 And cheerfully each other greet, 

 Thankful to that almighty Power 

 Which has preserved us to this hour. 



We worship at the lofty shrine 

 Where Wisdom dwells, and Love divine. 

 Whose wondrous traces plain we see 

 When working with the busy bee. 



3. 

 Like bees, may we our part fulfill. 

 Obedient to the perfect Will; 

 Wisely spend life's little day. 

 And then, contented, pass away. 



4. 

 We would some hoard of sweetness store, 

 Of value when our life is o'er, 

 That those whom we may leave behind 

 May cause to bless our memories find. 



5. 

 Love and good fellowship be here, 

 Our weary, wistful hearts to cheer. 

 With wisdom, which shall help us on, 

 When we back to our homes are gone. 



6. 

 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. 

 Praise him, all creatures here below; 

 Praise him above, ye heavenly host; 

 Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! 



Wm. F. Clarke. 

 St. Thomas, Ont., March 13, 1888. 



FOUL BROOD. 



SALT FOR ENTRANCES i'OR KEEPING DOWN VEGE- 

 TATION. 



AM sorry to say, I am badly discouraged. The 

 first of the winter I had 26 colonies; 31 were in 

 good condition. I have lost 15 up to date, all by 

 foul brood, and I may lose 3 more. I have 

 sprayed them with a solution of carbolic acid. 

 I believe it prevents its spread, but does not cure. 

 I fear I shall lose all. I have become so discourag- 

 ed that sometimes I think of packing all the hives, 

 bees, and honey together, and put plenty of wood 

 around them and burn them up and start anew; 

 but, on the other hand, I hate to do it. Could I put 

 salt on the ground around the hives and prevent 

 grass and weeds from growing around the hives? 

 About how much salt would it take and not kill the 

 soil? J. J. Keith. 



Louisville, Ga., Mar. 36, 1888. 



Carbolic acid alone will not cure foul 

 brood, according to our experience, and we 

 have tested it pretty thoroughly. As you 

 say, it does prevent its spread, and should 

 be used in connection with the starvation 

 plan. We don't think any thing will do 

 but to scald the hives, l)urn up the combs, 

 and allow the bees to remain without food 

 for 48 hours or such a matter. We have 

 felt tempted sometimes to burn all the in- 

 fected colonies. The starvation plan, how- 

 ever, will answer, and save considerable ex- 

 pense besides.— Salt will keep the weeds 

 down in front of the entrances, and around 

 the edges of the hives. About half a hand- 

 ful in front of the entrance will be suffi- 

 cient, and the rest can be sprinkled around 

 the hive if you desire to keep the weeds 

 from it entirely. Soon after the first rain 

 you will find the grass turning brown. In 

 a few days more, scarcely any vestige of 

 vegetation will be left wliere the salt was 

 sprinkled. 



