136 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 1 



[There has been some objection made to this depart- 

 ment, to the eflect that it is misleading to pick out the 

 giiod reports. This may be to some extent true ; but 

 for all that it i-i light that every one who undertakes 

 bee culture, and fails for the time beinsj, has a right to 

 know atid ought lo know \\\^ possibilities of bee-keep- 

 ing ; and we all ought to know what is possilile for an 

 expert. Our old friend Di Miller has hid so many 

 discouraging seasons that, if I am not mistaken, he 

 has once or twice almost felt like giving it up that is, 

 taking one year with another. But now is it not 

 worth something lo every reader of Gle.anings to 

 know wht the doctor did during the pa^t year- see 

 page IS? Some of \ou may say it is accidental and 

 there is no particular credit due the doctor hut I dp 

 not believe it. I ihink there may be slipshod bee- 

 keepers in his own neighborhood iprrhip-i there aie 

 none, however), that may not have not'ced the sea.son 

 ■was any thing remarkable The great yield he se- 

 cured was largely the result of rare skill, and the 

 accumulation of years of experience Now let us gird 

 lip OUT loins and be able to do something like it when 

 Providence favors us with a bountiful yield of honey. 

 ]t would be funnv indeed if we old chaps have not ac- 

 cumitlattd just a little wisdom during the years a kind 

 Providence has permitted us to live and learn. Is not 

 that true, doctor? — A. I R.] 



FROM 1 TO 4, AND 250 LBS. OF HONEY. 



Here is my report for 1903 : I brought one 

 colony when I came from Colorado last 

 spring. June 5th I divided into four nuclei. 

 I received 250 lbs. of nice coinb honey, and 

 I now have four good strong colonies to ex- 

 periment on this year. T. J. Landrum. 



Roswell, N. M., Jan. 10. 



You ask for reports. My report, from 63 

 colonies, spring count, was 6415 lbs. of 

 comb honey sold ; considerable given away; 

 increased by nuclei to 72. 



DeKalb, ]ll.,Dec. 25. A. Y. Baldwin. 



From 32 colonies, spring count, I harvest- 

 ed this year 1004 lbs. extracted and 614 lbs. 

 comb honej', which is considered good for 

 this region. The season was cool and wet, 

 but not so disastrous as the summer of 1902. 



Bloomdale, O., Dec. 24. M. N. Simon. 



I transferred in spring ; increased from 

 59 to 83; got 1550 sections, all No. 1, and 

 325 lbs. of chunk honey. My average from 

 the old-fashioned gum has been 20 lbs. for 

 the last six years. J. J. Wilder. 



Cordelle, Ga. 



Spring, cold and wet; first swarm, June 

 28; excessive swarming throughout July, 

 August, and September. White clover and 

 heart's-ease were abundant. Average of 

 70 lbs. per colony. Y. M. Roseman. 



Marquette, Neb., Dec. 26. 



I send you my report this year, with 14 

 colonies, spring count; increased to 24; got 

 800 lbs. comb hone}'. I have owned and 

 kept becsfor 73 years. I can say this has 

 beat all years for swarming. 



Darlington, Wis., Dec. 30. John Cline. 



I started one year ago with two stands of 

 blacks, and sent to Moore for two of his 

 long-tongued Italians, and raised my own 

 queens. I have 14 stands, and I believe 

 they are pure Italians. The one stand 

 that I did not disturb stored 80 lbs. of comb 

 honey. M. M. Barron. 



University Park, Ore., Dec. 12. 



I started in the spring with 11 colonies; 

 increased by swarming 4 colonies; captured 

 runaway swarms, 4. Total, 19 colonies. I 

 got 4225 lbs. of hone}', all extracted except 

 about 300 lbs. of section honey, and got 19 

 lbs. of nice yellow wax from cappings. 

 Bees are all rich in winter stores. Pros- 

 pects are fine for a crop this year — white 

 clover everywhere. Wm. O. Heivly. 



Raymore, Mo., Jan. 9. 



My report for the year is 85 colonies, 

 spring count; increased to 146. I have ex- 

 tracted 24 000 lbs. of honey, and 253 lbs. of 

 wax. My average of 282 lbs. per colony is 

 pronounced marvelous, and many doubt my 

 statement. I can verify by indisputable 

 data. I have been in the business only two 

 years, and have made big money both years. 

 Thos. Worthington. 



Leota, Miss., Dec. 22. 



I have been a bee-keeper twelve years. I 

 started with one colony, and have kept in- 

 crease down as much as possible. Now I 

 have 40. Lowest average was 20 lbs.; 

 highest, 175 lbs. per colony ; general aver- 

 age, about 50 lbs. I sell all my honey in 

 the home market, at 15 cts. for comb (Danz. 

 sections); 12>^ for extracted ; main harvest, 

 white clover. I rarely have to feed. I win- 

 ter outdoors ; losses small. M. D. Andes. 



Bristol, Tenn., Dec. 23. 



Mr. A. I. Root: — I just received Glean- 

 ings, and will send you my report. About 

 this time in 1900 I didn't know any thing 

 about bees. I bought a colony in March, 



1901 ; bought more in fall ; started with 6 in 



1902 ; bad year — no honey, but increased to 

 15: bought more in fall ; started with 45 in 

 1903; increased to 60; made 4950 lbs. ex- 

 tracted ; sold it all at retail in San Antonio, 

 except about 150 lbs. which I keep for home 

 use. F. W. Sandan. 



San Antonio, Tex., Dec. 22. 



The past season has been a very poor one 

 for bees. From 125 colonies we extracted 

 about 500 lbs. But some locations only a 

 few miles away did much better. Year be- 

 fore last was also a poor season. 



Jas. D. Yancey. 



Angleton, Tex., Jan. 6. 



[Some of our reports seem to be a little 

 fl'wcouraging as well as ^wcouraging — the 

 above for instance ; but as we want the 

 truth of the matter, no difference what it is. 

 —A. I. R.] 



