GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 1. 



WOOD VS. WIRE. 



WOOD STAYS NOT SATISFACTORY IN BEOOD- 

 COMBS. 



By R. M. Reynolds. 



When bee-keepers, a number of years ago, be- 

 gan to use full-sized shei^ts of foundation in 

 brood -frames they learned that fastening such 

 sheets to the top-bar only was not a real good 

 plan. The foundation, during the manipula- 

 tions of the bees in the process of building out 

 into comb, was pretty certain to stretch and 

 take on undesirable kinks, twists, and bulges — 

 breaking down sometimes and making a bad 

 muss. To prevent the foundation from stretch- 

 ing and sagging, various devices have been 

 tried; but 1 believe that wire in the frames has 

 proven, in time, the most efficient, practical, 

 and satisfactory. I have found three perpen- 

 dicular wires sufficient for a Langstroth frame, 

 if the sheet of foundation is fastened securely 

 to top and ends of the frame. The small tin- 

 ned wires do not interfere at all with brood- 

 rearing; and while three wires properly spaced 

 will hold the foundation in line and secure nice 

 straight combs, a greater number of wires will 

 obviate the necessity of fastening the founda- 

 tion to the ends of the frame, and will also en- 

 able the combs to stand rougher handling with- 

 out damage. 



The small tinned wires are preferable to larg- 

 er wires, for the reason that they can be 

 stretched tight without springing the thin bot- 

 tom-bars of frames much out of line. Now, 

 while wires are to be preferred for brood- 

 frames, wood stays do very well for frames 

 which are to be used exclusively for the ex- 

 tractor. The wood stays which I have used 

 were sawed 3^ square. Holes were drilled in top 

 and bottom bars with a }-^ bit, and the stays 

 pushed up through the bottom-bars, and nailed 

 in both top and bottom bars of frames. Three 

 of these perpendicular wood-stays were used in 

 frames the length of the Langstroth; and 

 about 300 such frames which have been in use 

 during the last 15 years have proven entirely 

 satisfactory. When wood stays are put in and 

 nailed, the thin bottom-bars are held perfectly 

 Straight and true; and after the comb is built 

 down and attached to the bottom-bars there is 

 little or no danger of the comb filled with honey 

 bulging out of place if the frame should be 

 turned oversidewise. 



But wood stays, with me, have proven en- 

 tirely and invariably unsatisfactory when used 

 in brood-frames. The trouble seems to be that 

 • my bees entertain decided views on the matter. 

 If a frame of foundation with wood stays were 

 placed in the brood-chamber when honey was 

 plentiful, the foundation would probably <be 

 built out into a nice even comb; but so soon as 

 the bees were at leisure they were pretty cer- 

 tain to cut more or less of the comb away from 



the wood stays and then cut away more or less 

 of the wood stays. Of probably 50 frames of 

 that kind which I tried as an experiment, I 

 think that not one comb remained in good con- 

 dition in two years. Better not invest in a 

 large number of wood stays for the brood- 

 chamber until you consult your bees and learn 

 their views on the matter. 

 East Springfield, O. 



BEE-KEEPING IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



60-CENT COMB HONEY DROPPING TO 36 CTS. ; 



AN INTERESTING LETTER IN REGARD TO 



HIGH-PRICED HONEY IN AFRICA. 



By Francois J. Haarfwff. 



Some time ago I sent you a short article on 

 bee-keeping in South Africa, in which I stated 

 that we sell honey here at 60 cents per 1-lb. 

 section. Although I spoke the truth at the 

 time, I am sorry now that I did it, as I am 

 afraid I have unwittingly given a wrong im- 

 pression, as appears from some half-dozen let- 

 ters which I have since received from your 

 country inquiring for particulars and prospects 

 of success for intending immigrant bee-farmers. 



The case is this way: Last season the compe- 

 tition was between myself and one or two other 

 small bee-keepers who did not own fifty colo- 

 nies between us; consequently there was no 

 fear of a glutted market. And, moreover, hon- 

 ey in sections was something new to most peo- 

 ple, and was bought by many as a curiosity, or 

 as something to be looked at for its beauty 

 rather than tasted for its sweets. This season 

 several new competitors have already appeared 

 in the Held; and, our market being limited to 

 Pretoria and Johannesburg, the result is that 

 the price of 1-lb. sections took a straight drop 

 from 60 cents to 36; and I expect before the sea- 

 son is over to see it down to 24 cts. or under; 

 and any oversupply would soon make the arti- 

 cle a drug in the market. Then, again, for the 

 information of intending immigrants I must 

 state that the cost of production is abnormally 

 high, as every article used in the industry is 

 imported from America. I may state that ev- 

 ery hive, section, or sheet of foundation, or any 

 thing else I use in my small apiary, has been 

 ordered for me by Messrs. T. W. Beckett & Co., 

 from the A. I. Hoot Co. 



Then, again, as to pasture. We have a long 

 summer and short winter. But it must be 

 borne in mind that nature supplies little or no 

 pasture for bees, as our pastures are all pure 

 grass — no clover, basswood, or honey-producing 

 wild flowers, all our honey being mostly ob- 

 tained from cultivated gardens, thus precluding 

 the bee-farmer from keeping too many colonies. 

 The only honey-producing wild flowers are a 

 variety of milk-bu sh, which g rows only_on_old 

 and deserted land or gardens. These are being 

 fast exterminated. ZI'' 



