516 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 1. 



them in a recent issue of that journal. Allow 

 me to corroborate all Prof. Cook says about 

 the Belgian hare. Our common jack rabbits 

 are genuine racers, and would fit the descrip- 

 tion given by Mr. Reider. But the domesti- 

 cated Belgian is a plump and doughty-looking 

 animal. Perhaps our genial climate has some- 

 thing to do with this plumpness. 



I notice there is some conflict between the 

 hare and the bee-keeping industry. The bee- 

 keep' ng end is likely to be neglected or aban- 

 doned altogether. I know this to be the case 

 in some instances. There is hard work out 

 in the sun during the hottest portion of the 

 year, with bees, while with the Belgian hare 

 the work is light and mostly under sheds. 

 The work continues all the year, the interest 

 becomes centered on the hares, and the bees 

 are forgotten. The Belgian-hare business is 

 just booming in this State, and Los Angeles 

 is the head center ; and Mr. Reider is right 

 when he says there are hares here that can 

 not be purchased for $1000. Mr. Reider is a 

 New York man, but he seems to be better 

 posted on prices than on the shape of the 

 hare. 



About that Mr. Crowder and his 3000 colo- 

 nies of bees, the statement of which was pub- 

 lished in the America)! Bee Journal &n^ quot- 

 ed from a Tulare paper. I am informed by 

 parties who live near Mr. Crowder that he 

 has only about 800 colonies. The 3000 story- 

 was a sensational and gross exaggeration. 



King-birds are plentiful here in Central Cal- 

 ifornia. Mr. J. C. McCubbin in his queen- 

 rearing apiary near Reedley has secured 14 

 fertile queens out of 60 hatched. Wheiher it 

 is the sole criminal or not, the bird gets a 

 good share of the blame. 



Advices from H. E. Wilder, of Riverside 

 Co., and who is speculating in beeswax, and 

 is calling upon all of the bee men, reports 

 that the loss of bees in that and adjoining 

 counties is fully four-fifths. In the Orange 

 districts the loss has not been heavy. Late 

 rains will help out the honey-yield, and 

 bees that have lived up to date will be kept 

 alive. There may be some honey for ship- 

 ment from favored locations. The prospect 

 is fair for the usual honey-flow in Central Cal- 

 fornia. The weather is a trifle warm now, 

 102 in the shade. 'Our hot weather comes in 

 July and August. 



Like Bro. Doolittle's old Dutchman, I 

 should like to "arise and ask" what's the 

 matter with E. E. Hasty. Let me quote what 

 he says on page 343, American Bee Journal : 

 " Your best girl, if rescued from the ruins of 

 a house wrecked by a tornado." That's a 

 whole romance in a nutshell. When a staid 

 old bachelor like H ^sty gets to raving about 

 best girls and tornadoes, there's something 

 worse than a tornado behind it. Yes, sir; it 

 is a strong indication of matrimony. Didn't 

 think that of you, Bro. Hasty (tears, onions 

 in my handkerchief). 



Right now I wish to record the fact that 

 O. W. Stearns, a Selma bee-keeper owning 

 about 500 colonies, works them all himself ; 

 but he has now left the bees to care for them- 

 selves while he is rusticating for three weeks 



in the Yosemite Valley. That is all right and 

 proper in this country. Alfalfa does not yield 

 honey until the hot weather arrives. The 

 chief danger in May and June is from starva- 

 tion. 



THE ADVANTAGE OF STIMULATIVE BROOD- 

 REARING FOR THE HONEY-FLOW. 



Bottom-board Feeder: Some Interesting Facts and 

 Figures. 



BY W. O. VICTOR. 



The time will soon arrive when feeding bees 

 for various reasons will be in order, aud I have 

 decided to remove the bushel and let the little 

 ray of light that I may have shine forth and 

 help all I can to lead the tempest-tossed sea- 

 man on the ocean of apiculture to a haven of 

 success. 



In this locality I have found it best to feed 

 a little for two or three days about six or seven 

 weeks before we expect our first honey-flow, 

 which, with me, is about April 5 to 15, so you 

 see from the 15th to the 25th of Feburary will be 

 the proper time. This will start brood-rearing 

 in a rush ; but when the feeding is stopped, 

 the queen will most likely cease laying, to a 

 considerable extent. By this we get about as 

 much brood started as the bees will care for, and 

 near the same age ; and it hatches just at the 

 right time to be of vast benefit to raise the bees 

 that will bring in the honey in April. Should 

 we have pleasant weather in March, we shall 

 not be put to the necessity of stimulative feed- 

 ing, as we have plenty of honey and pollen 

 from the willow, ash, yeopon, and various 

 other forest-trees that yield more or less honey . 

 and pollen. 



Should the weather be cool and damp we 

 may have to feed again to get brood-rearing 

 to go on as rapidly as is best. Should there 

 be plenty of honey in the hives, and we are 

 not troubled by robbers, I know of no better 

 way to hurry up brood-rearing than to work 

 through the hives and shape things up nicely 

 ( however tempted you may be, do not spread 

 the brood until you have the hive well filled 

 with bees); this excites the bees, and causes 

 them to cut into their honey and bring about 

 the desired results. Should the weather con- 

 tinue unfavorable this should be repeated at 

 least once a week ; however, in large apiaries, 

 and especially when one has several to look 

 after, as in my case, we can not spare so much 

 time to each hive, and the necessity of quick 

 work has caused me to bring into use what has 

 proven to me to be the best feeder I have ever 

 used — the Dovetailed-hive bottom-board feeder 

 which I use in the manner shown in the illus- 

 tration. My hive stands on a level from side 

 to side, with the front Yz inch lower than the 

 back end. To use the bottom-board as a feed- 



