1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



689 



SHOULD THE QUEEN BE ALLOWED TO GO INTO THE 

 UPPER STORY WHEN WORKING FOR EXTRACT- 

 ED HONEY? SEE PAGE 617, AUG. 1. 



To say that I was surprised at the answer to 

 question No. 67 would be putting it very lightly. 

 I have used all-zinc honey-boards on 50 hives for 

 three yeat-s, and it would take a very serious ar- 

 gument to make me give them up. Perhaps more 

 for this reason than any other, that, if the inven- 

 tion of J. S. Reese is to be used, there must not be 

 any brood in the upper stories, or the bees will not 

 leave them. I am highly delighted with the way 

 the thing works, as it enables me to "handle hives 

 instead of frames, " with 710 bees to shake off. I use 

 it in a half-depth upper story under a full one. I 

 think Mr. Reese should have a vote of thanks for 

 making it public. My report is, increase, 100 per 

 cent; honey, half a crop. H. P. Langdon. 



East Constable, N. Y., Aug. 24, 1888. 



BEES ATTACKING FRUIT. 



We have a heavy peach crop, and honey is com- 

 ing in (bees on the fruit all the time); the honey is 

 dark, but thick, of a fruity flavor. About 75 lbs. 

 was taken last week that had a decided grape fla- 

 vor. This fruit also is plentiful. Is much honey 

 made from fruit? I am inclined to think not. 

 bitterweed honey. 



We have a weed called bitterweed, that spoils 

 milk when cows eat it, as well as honey when bees 

 gather from it. It grows on all commons like dog- 

 fennel; has a yellow bloom, and flourishes in dry 

 times when all else fails. Bees last year filled 

 their hives solid with a beautiful honey from it, 

 from August till frost. So far, the honey does not 

 indicate its use. The honey is about as bitter as 

 hoarhound candy. C. P. Coffin. 



Pontotoc, Miss., Aug. 15, 1888. 



See our remarks in regard to bees and 

 peaches, on page 682, last issue. In regard 

 to bitterweed, can't you use it for coughs 

 and colds, exactly as you do hoarhound hon- 

 ey? Who knows but it may possess wonder- 

 ful virtues, like mineral springs and other 

 things? You see, friend C, I feel like 

 demanding proof at every step we take in 

 this matter of remedial agents. 



PERSISTENT ANTS, AND HOW TO GET RID OF 

 THEM. 



I have been reading and studying your ABC 

 book for two years, and still have trouble with my 

 bees occasionally, and am now having trouble 

 with very small ants and others still smaller. They 

 carry out the eggs, discourage the queen, and re- 

 duce the colony seriously about this time of year. 

 One clipped queen made two- attempts to leave, 

 and the last time succeeded. Will you or some one 

 else give us a remedy? I put one hive on legs, 

 standing in 4 one-quart tin cans filled with coal oil, 

 and they walked right over the oil on a thin scum 

 that formed on it. ABC also says no danger of 

 bee moth or web worms in winter, but this will not 

 do for Texas either, as we find them here all win- 

 ter. R. A. Hardy. 



Lampasas, Tex., July 17, 1888. 



Friend H., the ants you mention seem 

 very persistent. As you have just subscrib- 

 ed for our journal, you have doubtless re- 

 ceived the July 1.5th issue. On page 564 of 

 that number, Prof. Cook gives two methods 



of destroying them. Either one. we think, 

 will rid you of the nuisance. As to the 

 moth worms, we would say that the. state- 

 ment in the A B C book refers to Xorthern 

 localities. Perhaps we had better make it 

 more exclusive, and at your suggestion we 

 will so change the next edition. You need 

 not be troubled with moth worms to any 

 extent among your bees, if you introduce 

 Italians. If the worms have gotten into 

 the combs stored away, you want to fumi- 

 gate them with sulphur in a tight room, as 

 per directions in the ABC book. After 

 that they can be kept in a close box when 

 not in use, and you will have no further 

 trouble with moth worms. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEE-PLANT SEED FOR EXPERI- 

 MENTAL PURPOSES BY PROF. COOK. 



Prof Cook has just written us the follow- 

 ing card : 



Deal' Mr. Root:— I wish, for my experiments next 

 year, to have a bushel or two of Rocky Mountain 

 bee-plant seed, Cleome inteorifolia. Can you aid me 

 in procuring it? A. J. Cook. 



As we have only a small quantity on hand, 

 we should be glad to have some of our sub- 

 scribers in California or elsewhere, who 

 may be able to furnish the professor with 

 seed, to write him at once, stating quantity 

 and prices. We suggest that, as the seed is 

 to be used for experimental purposes, and 

 for the benefit of bee-keepers, it be furnish- 

 ed as cheaply as possible. Perhaps a num- 

 ber would feel as though they could con- 

 tribute a small quantity free of charge. 



SHUTTING BEES UP IN THE HIVES TO PREVENT 

 POISONING, AND HOW TO DO IT. 



Could I shut my bees up with an extra top box, 

 with wire top, for three or four days, without wa- 

 ter, this summer weather, and not injure them? I 

 lost all my apiary, nearly, last summer, by the bees 

 being poisoned during the time when the planters 

 in this section sprinkle the cotton with Paris green, 

 to kill the worms. I thought that, by shutting them 

 up till the first rain after the sprinkling, or until 

 the flower drops, which some aflirm is in three days, 

 I might save them. You may understand how 

 worried I am, as I lost about 90 colonies last year 

 from this cause. Mrs. Elie Ganier. 



Milliken's Bend, La., July 24, 1888. 



Mrs. G., you can shut your bees up in the 

 manner you suggest, and we believe it would 

 be by far the best plan for preventing anoth- 

 er mishap. You can keep the bees shut up 

 for a week, but you want to be sure they 

 have plenty of ventilation. I would tack 

 wire cloth on top of the hive where it is cov- 

 ered with a quilt. In any case, the hive 

 should be in the shade. If you do not have 

 natural shade, give them artificial shade by 

 putting up a shade-board or something of 

 that sort. These remarks may be timely for 

 those whose bees trouble the candy-men at 

 the fairs. If they have honey, they don't 

 need water. 



THE VALUE OF LANDMARKS IN QUEEN-REARING. 



I am in a predicament. I have lost nearly all my 

 young queens. I wish you would tell me the cause 

 of it. In the first place, when a colony swarmed, 

 instead of giving them a new hive I put them back 



