396 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr'IS 



alike, and put tog^ether with rivets in the 

 form of a double-jawed tongs as shown in 

 the cut. In taking the frame out of the 

 hive the top-bar is grasped in the center 

 with the tongs with one hand, leaving the 

 other hand free to use the knife or other 

 tool to pry the frames apart; and if the 

 bees are to be brushed off, the frame is 

 easily held and turned from side to side 

 ■with one hand while the other is free to use 

 the brush to the best advantage. In shak- 

 ing bees for "shook" swarms, etc., two of 

 them could be used to advantage, one in 

 each hand at each end of the top bar. They 

 would afford such a strong grip that the 

 most vigorous shaking could be given with- 

 out fear of losing hold of the frame. I 

 think the use of this little device would 

 greatly lessen the number of stings received, 

 and would be especially desirable to begin- 

 ners on that account, as it would almost en- 

 tirely obviate the necessity of taking hold 

 of the top bar (which is often pretty well 

 covered with bees) directly with the fingers. 

 E. S. Webster. 

 Hutchinson, Kans., Feb. 16. 



[Something simih r was sold like this by 

 Thos. G. Newman, then of Chicago, many 

 years ago. Instead of two jaws there was 

 onl}' one. Personally I have never believed 

 these tongs were worth much to the practi- 

 cal bee keeper; but I can see how those you 

 describe might (I don't know) be very ser- 

 viceable in shaking swarms. I should like 

 to get reports. — Ed.] 



HONEY FROM PINE NEEDLES. 



In reading Prof. Cook's article on vege- 

 table physiology, p. 281, in which he speaks 

 of "great drops of delicious honey dew " 

 on the pine foliage in the Yosemite region, 

 I was reminded of a similar incident I once 

 witnessed in Northern Michigan. It was 

 in October, after severe frosts had killed 

 all the flowers, and bees had quit work for 

 the season. One pleasant morning I was 

 surprised to find my bees as busy, and 

 coming in as heavily laden as in the midst 

 of a rich basswood flow. Of course, I was 

 greatly surprised; but on reflection I said 

 to myself, "Some one has cut a bee-tree in 

 the woods near by, and the bees are gather- 

 ing the waste honey.'" For two days the 

 work went on, hundreds of bees dropping 

 in front of their hives from weariness, and 

 so heavily loaded it was difficult for them 

 to rise. 



The third morning they went to work as 

 vigorously as before. I was then satisfied 

 it was not waste honey they were gather- 

 ing, and started out to investigate. It was 

 easy to follow up their line, as they all 

 went in one direction, and kept up a con- 

 stant roar over my head. Going about a 

 fourth of a mile I came to a grove of young 

 white pines from five to twenty feet high, 

 and the mystery was solved. There on the 

 ends of numberless pine needles hung drops 

 of nectar, glistening in the sunlight, clear 

 as crystal, and sweet as honey. A bee had 



but to alight on one of the needles, fill^its 

 honey-sac, and depart, leaving enough;;,to 

 supply its successor. ■_II1; 



In taste the nectar was deliciously sweet 

 and pleasant. It seemed to be perfectly 

 transparent, and must have made excellent 

 honey. 



I kept bees for twenty years in the pine 

 regions, but this was the onlj' time I ever 

 knew honey to be gathered from pine |nee- 

 dles. D. C. Leach. 



Springfield, Mo. 



A DRAIN-TILE HIVF-STAND. 



The time will soon come when hive- stands 

 will be needed, and I want to tell about a 

 stand that is cheap, and will not rot — one 

 that will hold up your hive square and nice 

 — no place for mice or moles to work; one 

 that will not throw your hives out of level; 

 easy to mow around; takes little space, and 



will last for years, and keep always in 

 shape. It is nothing more nor less than a 

 good smooth 12 inch drain tile, set three or 

 four inches in the ground, leveled up, and 

 dirt well packed around the tile. An eight- 

 frame hive stands on it snugly and safely, 

 and you can easily turn your gum around 

 if you so desire. A thin board to lean up 

 in front for an alighting-board, and the 

 thing is complete. It is the cheapest, tidi- 

 est, and most durable hive-stand ever yet 

 introduced. J. W. C. Gray. 



Atwood, 111., Mar. 8. 



[Wouldn't bricks set on end in the ground 

 be just as good and cheaper? — Ed.] 



THE SALISBURY HOUSE APIARY NOT A FAIL- 

 URE AFTER ALL. 



On page 232 I notice you are going to 

 drop the Salisbury house-apiary from the 

 ABC book. Now, don't jou do it. The 

 house apiary was all right, or nearly so. 

 All it lacked was proper management; that 

 is, a system suited to it and the bees. Four 

 years ago I built a Salisbury house-apiary 

 at an out-yard for extracted honey, and it 

 was so much a success that two years later 

 I built another for comb honey, which has 

 been equally successful. I have a cellar 



