212 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 15. 



the sting is not much more severe than that of 

 a bee. See Mr. Somerford's letter in another 

 column. 



AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER. 

 A Pennsylvania writer says not a honey-bee 

 could be seen on a field of crimson clover of 

 his last year, but it was alive with bumble-bees. 



V)/ 



Seven views of comb built by Carniolan 

 bees are given, from the Ontario Agricultural 

 College, R. F. Holtermann experimentalist. 

 They are built, apparently, in brood-combs, 

 L. size, and are quite as irregular in outline as 

 an ordinary washing hanging on the line. 

 They resemble a lot of smaller combs joined 

 together in a jumbled-up mess. The editor 

 thinks the average Carniolan colony would be 

 ashamed of them. 



In regard to nectar secretion, Fr. Greiner 

 maintains, with every show of reason, that the 

 same honey-plants are differently affected by 

 different climates and localities. He says the 

 cherry blossoms as well in York State as any- 

 where, but his bees seldom if ever get any 

 honey from it, while in Virginia the same kind 

 of trees yield honey freely. In one of Ram- 

 bler's letters he speaks of the cherry-trees of 

 Oregon as being a great place for bee-men. I 

 am confident that around here they are of no 

 value for honey. Watch our Apr. loth issue. 



G. M. Doolittle goes over the subject of 

 fruit-bloom fertilization in a very thorough 

 manner. I think I have never before seen so 

 much on that theme, within the same compass. 

 It is a real mine of information. I have just 

 read an article in a French bee-journal, how- 

 ever, saying that bees have nothing to do with 

 fruit-fertilization. Perhaps not, at all times, 

 on the principle, as the little boy said, that 

 " salt is what makes potatoes taste bad when 

 you don't put any on." 



A fine view of the apiary of Mr. A. A. Goet- 

 ting, of El Casco, Cal., is given ; also a pic- 

 ture of Mr. G. himself. He tried Cyprians in 

 California, but had to give them up, as their 

 jokes were too pointed. To get rid of a laying 

 worker he tells us to " carry the hive a short 

 distance from the apiary. Place upon the 

 stand an empty hive, and in it put a frame of 

 brood and eggs from a good colony. Shake all 

 the bees off from the combs; replace the combs 

 in the new hive on the old stand, and it is 

 done." 



»*/ 



A. E. Manum continues his articles on the 

 size of hives. He concludes as follows: " In 

 a locality with a honey-flow of long duration, 

 and the bees run wholly for comb honey, and 

 by a person who can give them close attention 

 at all seasons, and also where an increase is 

 desired, I would favor the small hive. But if 

 no increase is wanted, and the location gives 

 but a short honey season, and the feeding is 

 to be avoided, I would by all means favor the 

 large hive." Mr. Manum's wide experience 

 gives weight to what he says. 



"HE." 



BY EUGENE SECOR. 

 [Note.— See Gleanings for Feb. 1, pages 80, 81.] 



We hear a good deal of talk nowadays 



Concerning the sex that gathers our honey ; 



One man of letters writes, and boldy says, 

 That she's a he (now, doesn't that sound 

 funny ? ) ; 



That he's the one that works, and always pays 

 Our little bills when we're in need of money. 



He cites a number of poets to show 



That insects are called males, and she must go. 



He says, and maintains, that if she's not he, 

 She ought to be it according to rules 



Evolved and explained so plainly that we, 

 The laity, who, though innocent fools, 



And Zaccheus-like (so curious to see), 



May learn about "functions" outside of 

 schools. 



But he failed to explain why the functionkss 

 steer 



Is known cs a male every day in the year. 



Of course, it's quite plain to most of us men 

 Why too much credit should never be given 



To female importance ; if it's she, why, then, 

 As sure as the stars adorn the blue heaven, 



The woman will claim again and again 



That she's the factotum, and not merely 

 leaven. 



It will never do to have it get out 



That females are 'workers and bring things 

 about. 



When Nature exhibits some wonderful feat 

 Performed by what we style the weaker sex, 



'Tis lucky to have an old bach to cheat 

 The dear woman out of th' possible reflex 



By fooling the same in poetry sweet, 

 By argument too, and logic complex. 



The masculine gender's the best every time, 



Because it is found quite often in rhyme. 



Of all the wild fads now running round loose, 

 The effort to make our speech very plain 



Is faddest of all. A gander's a goose ; 



But why admit that ? it's simply insane — 



'Tis running our necks in a feminine noose, 

 So gander's the word that ought to remain, 



Because, don't you see? some women will say, 



" A goose ain't a gander, by a long way." 



From this time on, then, it ought to be he 

 Whenever we speak of the miscalled neuter. 



Let's keep the old ruts, and not bend the knee 

 To modern improvements, though it does 

 seem cuter. 



Young folks are too smart in this land of the 

 free, 

 And get too far from the time-honored tutor. 



Let's teach this doctrine wherever we can : 



The old-time angel w r as always a man. 



