504 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 1. 



part of another. We look for great re.sults with 

 the one. What might wo look for with 6 or 7? 

 If this could be accomplished with artificial 

 heat, would it not be somewhat like gardening 

 under glass? Enough of theory, and to return 

 to the subject. 



Unlike Iowa and Wisconsin, the old bees 

 which go into winter quarters in the fall 

 are entirely gone in May if not in April, and 

 the colonies then consist of fewer and newly 

 reared bees which may live to rear brood 

 and assist in the honey harvest. These young 

 bees are more tenacious of life, and weak colo- 

 nies dwindle out very slowly compared with 

 the dwindling of colonies of old bees in Iowa. 

 The cold nights and cloudy days (which are 

 always cold) continue so late in the spring that 

 these weakened colonies can scarcely build up 

 before the alfalfa comes into bloom. This con- 

 stant brood-rearing takes a large amount of 

 honey — from 50 to 60 pounds to la'3t from one 

 honey harvest until the next; and by all this 

 labor and consumption of stores the colonies 

 through February, March, and April become a 

 trifle weaker, showing that it takes the life of a 

 little more than one old bee, besides the honey, 

 to produce a young bee; and that, if the old 

 bees can be made to live until settled warm 

 weather, without rearing brood, it is the most 

 economical plan by about 25 lbs. of honey. 



In April the colonies are so small that they 

 must be doubled twice to till the hive with bees. 

 This is easier done with young bees than old, I 

 have learned. 



In Iowa, when the colonies are set out of the 

 cellar, or when warm weather enough to start 

 brood-rearing comes, the hives are crowded 

 with old bees sufHcient in number to care for 

 large quantities of brood, and from 3 to G combs 

 are filled with brood at the start; and ere the 

 old bees die off there will be more than enough 

 young bees hatched out to take their places. 



Good locations for apiaries in Colorado are 

 very few. Four-fifths of the State would not 

 support bees at all. 



Alfalfa is practically the only honey-yielder, 

 though there is a small amount of sweet clover. 

 All crops depend upon irrigation with the snow 

 water which comes from the mountains, and 

 which (juantity can supply only a limited 

 amount of land situated nearby; and it is al- 

 most entirely along these irrigating ditches in 

 cer.ain favored spots where bees thrive — just 

 about like the location for basswood in Iowa; 

 but it does not compare with the basswood of 

 Wisconsin or the white clover of any of those 

 States. 



This apiary produced 9 tons last season — one- 

 half comb, and is equipped with Simplicity 

 hives and frames; Root mills, which turn the 

 wax into foundation of excellent quality; ex- 

 tractors, sections, smokers, supers, foundation- 

 fasteners, and section-folders, from the Home 

 of the Honey-bees; together with 100 new Hed- 

 don hives contribute to the pleasure and profit 

 of the apiarist. 



One of the great drawbacks to the business is 

 the long distance from market, as the honey 

 must be nearly all shipped to the eastern cities. 



Greeley, Col., June 1. C. W. Dayton. 



PTINIC (OK TUNISIAN) BEES. 



BENTON GIVES HIS OPINION OF THEM 

 AFTER TRYING THEM. 



the sooner bee-keepers in general know the 



facts in the case, the better it will be for them. 



Rochester, O., May 19. M. W. Shepherd. 



Many boe-keepers will want to buy queens of some 

 one of tlie Ijettei" races this spiiag' to improve their 

 stock. At the present time the clioice lies practi- 

 cally between tlie Italians and Carniolans. Tlie 

 former have been known for over 30 years in tliis 

 country, and are very generally recognized as su- 

 perior to tlie common brown bees. Tlie Carniolans 

 have grown in favor very rapidly since their intro- 

 duction, less tlian 10 years ago, largely on account 

 of their uniting, to tlie same general good qualities 

 of the Italians, far greater gentleness, enabling 

 timid bee-keepers, ladies, and young people to man- 

 age an apiary with much greater safety and pleas- 

 ure than formerly; also, they winter the best of 

 any race, and their combs rival in whiteness tliose 

 built by any otlier race. 



Another race of bees has recently been advei-tised 

 under the name of "Punic " bees, the queens hav- 

 ing been offered at from $1.50 to $50 each. The for- 

 mer price is for unfertilized queens; $5 is asked for 

 fertilized queens, $10 if purely mated, $40 if selected, 

 and $50 for such as are said to huve been imported 

 from the native land of this wonderful new race, 

 which, according to the claims of the advertiser, 

 unites all tlie virtues that one coukl possibly imag- 

 ine ;is bi'longing to bees, with none of their faults. 

 As tilt' writer iiappens to have been the first to call 

 general attention to this race of hves, under the far 

 more appropriate name of Tunisian l)ees (Tunis 

 being the native land of the I'ace), and as he lias 

 had considerable experience with them in Tunis, 

 and also in several other countries, he may be 

 allowed to express an opinion as to their merits and 

 demerits. The former are soon told, for the Tunis- 

 ians (or Funics) are industrious and prolitic, some- 

 what more so than any race of bees coming from 

 Europe, but rather less so than tlie eastern Medi- 

 terranean races (Cyprians, Syrians, and Palestines). 

 But their faults make a list! They are small and 

 very black; are spiteful stingers, as vindictive as 

 the woj'st race known; bite in addition to stinging; 

 are great propolizers, daubing hives, sections, and 

 combs lavishlj' with "bee-glue;" they swarm as 

 much as do Carniolans, and winter as poorly as do 

 Palcstiiifs. iSIost people will think tlie genuine 

 im])(iiti'd (iiUTiis area tritle extravagant at $50 each, 

 esi)erially those who remember that, in 1885 and 

 1880, just such queens were offered at from $4 to $10 

 each, direct from Tunis, northern Africa. Million- 

 aires who keep bees will, of course, buy " Punic " 

 queens at $.50 each for all of their hives, although 

 they wouldn't look at Tunisians a few years since 

 at ^4 to $10. But the rest of us will plod on with 

 bees wliose (jueeiis iMist us $1 to $5 each, and that 

 are chii'tly noted for Vi\ing us honey, money, and 

 pleusui-eiii liaiulling tliem. Fkank Benton. 



CALIFORNIA. 



representatives of the eastern and 



western bee-keepers sitting 



together. 



Inclosed you will find a clipping from the 

 American Farmer, Washington, L). C. Evi- 

 dently, such well-known authority as Frank 

 Benton knows what he is talking about; and 



We enjoyed the visit of Mr. and Mrs. Root 

 very much indeed, and only regret their stay 

 could not have been prolonged. At the late 

 reunion of the C. S. B. K. A. a photograph was 

 taken of our late guests and the officers of the 

 C. S. B. K. A. The photographer informed me 

 a few days ago he had forwarded one to Mr. 

 Root's address at Medina, so I will give you the 

 key to it. 



Mr. Mclntyre, president (No. 3), you will 

 recognize; also .1. H. Martin, secretary (No. 9). 

 At the left of Mr. A. I. (No. 4) is L. T. Rowley 

 (No. 5), vice-president. At the right of Prof. 

 Cook (No. 2) is T. II. Hunt, vice-president (No. 

 1). At the left of Mrs. Root (No. 10) is the 

 treasurer, the writer (No. 11). Mrs. Hunt's 

 wife (No. 6) stands at his back; the other lady 

 in the picture is her friend (No. 8); and the tall 

 gentleman between the two is a Mr. Young (No. 

 7), a member of the Association. 



Our honored guests are, I trust, distinguish- 

 able; and while the photo is not as good as we 



