220 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Mar. 15, 



desires, honey or no honey. Bees will do fool- 

 ish things as well as human beings.— Ed.] 



the sense that it may bring about a favoring 

 condition. — Ed.] 



JAPANESE BUCKWHEAT ; REPORT IN PROSE 

 AND POETRY. 



You know I bought some Japanese seed of 

 you last year. I sowed a part of it in the 

 spring, and the rest in July. Both crops did re- 

 markably well, but I think the late crop made 

 the best growth and yield, for I never saw such 

 a crop of buckwheat grow. It was over 4 feet 

 high, and the largest straw I ever saw. It 

 filled remarkably well, for it could not have 

 had any more grain on it, and it went flat to 

 the ground after it was ripe with the weight of 

 grain it bore. Well, where do you suppose 

 I got my profits? I will tell you. 



The bees got the honey. 

 The chickens got the wheat, 

 And I got the straw, 

 And lots of eggs to eat. 



I believe it would have yielded 50 bushels to 

 the acre if it had stood up and been harvested ; 

 but I had only a fraction of an acre. 



Summertown, Ttnn. F. A. Finch. 



SMOKER FUEL ; HOW TO AVOID SMOKER 

 DRIPPINGS. 



I want to say just a word in regard to the 

 drippings from the smoker. I believe the 

 manufacturers and most of the dealers have 

 told us to use dry sound hard wood. I have 

 always used dry punk wood, sawed up about 

 half an inch square, and three or four inches 

 long. I get a log every year, usually poplar 

 or maple ; take it when it is while, and soft 

 enough to break, and keep it where it is dry. 

 It can be easily lighted with a match, never 

 goes out, and I usually get through the season 

 with about a barrelful of the punk, and I have 

 never had a drop from my smoker in all the 

 years I have used it. I have sometimes used 

 sound wood when I got all out of punk, and 

 had noticed the drippings. I am well aware 

 that all bee-keepers can not get this most ex- 

 cellent fuel readily ; but all who can should 

 try a little ; and I venture to ,=ay they will 

 never use sound wood if they can get the punk. 

 Another advantage, it makes a much better 

 smoke, and more of it, and the smoker does 

 not get nearly as hot. James Wood. 



North Dana, Mass., Jan. 12. 



NECTAR of vegetable ORIGIN. 



Is nectar a vegetable or an atmospheric pro- 

 duction or both ? 1. If vegetable, why do we 

 often find the bees starving when the fields 

 are white vpith clover bloom ? 2. If atmos- 

 pheric, why would it not form on the house or 

 fence as readily as in the flowers ? 3. If both, 

 what are the essential conditions of the two to 

 cause secretion in the flowers ? 



W. B. Ranson. 



New River, Va., Feb. 12. 



[Nectar is of vegetable origin. It could no 

 more come from the air than could corn that 

 depends equally on the atmosphere for its 

 growth. But atmosphere does have something 

 to do with the secretion of nectar, but only in 



THE PEAR-TREE PLANT-LICE. 



In reply to Mr. Greiner's questions, Dec. 1, 

 p. 881, I will say that the insect is undoubted- 

 ly the pear-tree Psylla ( Psylla pyricola ) . The 

 psyllids are sometimes called jumping plant- 

 lice because of their habit of jumping when 

 disturbed, and at the same time taking wing; 

 the specimen from which Mr. Greiner made 

 his drawing was immature. In a few days it 

 would have cast its skin, and come forth fully 

 fledged. 



This insect excretes from its body a large 

 amount of sweet liquid which is as truly hon- 

 ey-dew as the secretion from a plant-louse. 

 When these psyllids are abundant on the pear- 

 tree they do much harm, sapping the strength 

 of the tree. The foliage, vegetation, or other 

 objects beneath such trees become completely 

 covered with the honey-dew which bees, ants, 

 wasps, and flies seek as food. 



C. P. Gillette. 



Fort Collins, Col., Feb. 5. 



HOW TO BLEACH TRAVEL-STAINED COMB 

 HONEV. 



It may interest yott to know that, since 

 opening my honey business for the season at 

 this locaiion, I am again making practical use 

 of my plan for bleaching discob red combs. 

 There is no question as to the feasibility of the 

 scheme, and I hope (if the time ever comes 

 when I have an hour of respite from business 

 cares) I shall find time to give at least a brief 

 description of the same for the benefit of your 

 readers. B Walker. 



Chicago, Jan. 7. 



[Mr. Walker is a very busy man, and pen- 

 ned the above at the end of a business letter. 

 This gives enough so any one who is interest- 

 ed can experiment for himself. In the mean- 

 time we hope our friend will have time enough 

 to go into the methods of bleaching a little 

 more elaborately. — Ed.] 



CEDAR FOR HIVES. 



Will you please let me know whether or not 

 cedar is offensive to bees inside of the hives? 

 Will it drive them out of the hive ? 



Ft. Jones, Cal. E. G. Gerbrich. 



[So far as the slight odor of cedar is con- 

 cerned, it would be just as good for bee-hives 

 as white pine. While, of course, it is not as 

 good timber, no fear need be entertained that 

 it will drive bees out of a hive made of such 

 lumber. — Ed.] 



COLORADO AS A PLACE FOR HOME-SEEKERS. 



On page 90, Feb. 1, you give very good ad- 

 vice to J. S. W. ; but I should like to add a 

 little. Many sections of Colorado I find are 

 better adapted for residence of consumptives 

 than Denver and Colorado Springs — too much 

 smoke and wind in those places. Afler seven 

 years' residence in Colorado Springs I am now 

 at Ignacio, a much more delightful climate 



