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GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 15. 



more. This, of course, will render it entirely 

 safe. The recent discussion regarding the 

 power of the spores of foul brood to resist pro- 

 longed extremes of heat goes to show that 

 even three hours of continuous boiling might 

 not kill them. 



I can not help thinking that it is very un- 

 wise certainly unsafe, for any one to render 

 up old foul-broody combs. Wax with a steam- 

 jet can not be heated much beyond 200° F., 

 and never more than 212° if surrounded by a 

 vat of boiling water ; and even if one can 

 thoroughly sterilize his wax, he runs a tre- 

 mendous risk while he is going through the 

 process of sterilization. 



We desire to say to our friends and patrons 

 that we prefer not to receive wax from foul- 

 broody combs ; and if any one has ever sent 

 us wax from such combs, without telling us 

 what this wax was rendered from in the first 

 place, there would be a possible danger of giv- 

 ing some innocent user of foundation foul 

 brood. I do not mean to raisa any scare, but 

 I do not think we can be any too careful when 

 dealing with this insidious enemy. 



SPRAYING FRUIT-TREES WHILE THEY ARE IN 

 FULL BLOOM. 



It would seem that it is not altogether the 

 whisky and rum power that is repealing good 

 and wise laws almost as fast as they are made. 

 Read the following : 



Inclosed please find a clipping from my county pa- 

 per, stating that a law has been passed in this State, 

 legalizing the spraying of fruit-trees while in blossom. 

 Please make a note of the above law in next issue of 

 Gleanings. It is perhaps, needless for me to say 

 that I am not in favor of said law. I am very sorry 

 indeed that the Empire State, having as a motto "Ex- 

 celsior," has made such a sorry mess of it. 



Ransomville, N. Y., Apr. 27. C. E. Palmer. 



Another dispatch from Assemblyman Darrison says: "The 

 bill to permit spraying of fruit-trees when in blossom passed 

 the Assembly this morning." 



Thisiepeais the old law against spraying while fruit-trees 

 are in blossom The old law was advocated by those who 

 claimed that spraying while in blossom killed the honey-bees, 

 and who also urged the claim that certain kinds of blossoms 

 could not be fei tiliz d except by the assistance of bees travel- 

 ing from one blossom to another. The advocates of spraying 

 in blossom time have carried their point in the Assembly. 



This whole shameful piece of business comes 

 either from ignorance or misconception, or else 

 it is spite work. Years ago there was some- 

 thing of a feeling between fruit-growers and 

 bee-keepers; but not only scientific men but 

 practical gardeners and fruit-growers came 

 forward with such testimony that for some 

 time back it has been generally recognized 

 that honey-producers and fruit-growers actual- 

 ly need each other ; and when our experiment 

 stations throughout the land declared there 

 was nothing gained whatever by spraying 

 fruit-trees at a time when it might kill the 

 bees, we supposed everybody understood it, 

 and many of the States passed laws to prevent 

 people who were contrary, and who were vi- 

 cious enough to poison the bees purposely, by 

 using their spraying apparatus while the bees 

 were working on the blossoms. I notice by 

 the May number of Vicks Magazine that Prof. 

 Slingerland, who is, perhaps, our best author- 

 ity, decides there is absolutely nothing to be 

 gained by spraying trees while the}' are in full 

 bloom. See the following : 



Is there a law forbidding spraying apple-trees when 

 in full bloom ? 



Vice-pres. Willard. — There is : you have no business 

 to kill your neighbor's honey-bees. 



Prof. Slingerland. — Last year I said I did not think 

 there was need of a law in this State to prevent men 

 from spraying trees in bloom. I now think the bee- 

 men are right. There is no earthly reason why you 

 can not kill as many fungous and insect enemies just 

 before and just after the tree blooms, as when the 

 trees are in blossom, because the enemies are out be- 

 fore the blossoms open. You can not gtt the spray in 

 the blossoms bef< re the petals fall. There is no ques- 

 tion about the killing of the bees. Chemists have an- 

 alyzed them. They carry the poison home and kill 

 the brood. — From \'icks Magazine for May. 



THE REPEAL NIPPED IN THE BUD BY SENA- 

 TOR RAINES. 



One of the clippings given above says the 

 bill passed the Assembly, and this led me to 

 believe that perhaps it had not gone through 

 the Senate vet. Knowing that W. F. Marks, 

 President of the New York State Association 

 of Bee-keepers' Societies, the man who secured 

 the passage of this excellent anti spraying 

 measure, would know the real facts in the 

 case, I immediately wrote him, asking for 

 particulars. This is his reply : 



Mr. E. R. Root: — Replying to your favor of the 4th 

 inst., I will say an attempt was made to repeal the law 

 " to prevent the application of poison to fruit-trees 

 while in bloom," but it failed. The opposition stole a 

 march on us, and got practically through the Assem- 

 bly before we knew it : but when their bill reached 

 the Senate, thanks to Senator Raines, who was watch- 

 ing for it, it via.fi promptly killed. 



It stands the New York bee-keepers, and friends of 

 the law, in hand to be on the alert, and no time should 

 be lost in strengthening our position and in disarm- 

 ing the opposition. The attempt is liable to be repeat- 

 ed at any future session; and the way to defeat it is to 

 be ever ready to meet the issue. It is the best law on 

 the statutes — short, but every word is to the point, and, 

 backed by public sentiment, it is the only thing that 

 will prevent the practical extermination of the honey- 

 bee in large portions of this State. 



In order to create a sentiment against spraying 

 fruit-tiees while in blossom, and in favor of the law, 

 we are circu ating a pamphlet (copy inclosed) consist- 

 ing of abstracts from various articles on cross-fertiliza- 

 tion, and extracts from bulletins on spraying. The 

 matter is in a condensed but convenient form, and 

 is worth preserving, as many of the bulletins quoted 

 are "out of print." As many farmers might think 

 the matter was prejudiced if they knew some of the 

 articles were written for the bee-periodicals, it was 

 thought best to omit giving credit for the articles — an 

 omission which, in view of the above-mentioned fact, 

 will, we tiust, be forgiven. 



The principal hostility to the law appears to be in 

 Niagara, Orleans, and Genesee Counties. Bee-keep- 

 ers in those counties should organize at once. Please 

 urge them to do so; and urge every bee keeper in 

 New York to do his best in upholding the law, and in 

 creating a sentiment in its favor. The intelligent 

 fruit-growers are heartily in accord with the bee- 

 keepers. W. F. Marks. 



Chapinville, N. Y., May 8. 



Senator Raines, if I mistake not, is the one 

 who introduced the celebrated Raines anti- 

 liquor measure. This law, I believe, has been 

 the means of closing up hundreds of saloons, 

 and making it very unhealthy for a lot more 

 that are still in existence. It is no little 

 pleasure to us to feel that we have so distin- 

 guished a champion on our side, both in 

 morals and in the cause of the little bee. 



As Mr. Marks well says, the bee-keepers of 

 New York need to be on the alert, for they 

 were nearly caught napping. Nothing but 

 consummate ignorance and prejudice would 

 be at the bottom of the repeal of so good a law. 



