8i: 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Aug. 15 



of his question you did not answer — that is, 

 will the poison affect the honey? I am 

 greatly interested in this, and should like 

 to know if it is safe to use honey in locali- 

 ties where Paris green has been used on 



cotton. S. H. McCULLOUGH. 



Lacoste, Texas, July 5. 



[The honey gathered while cotton is 

 sprayed, if it did not kill your brood it 

 would probably do no damage to human be- 

 ings; but before eating it I would suggest 

 that it be placed in the hands of a chemist 

 to ascertain whether it have enough poison 

 to be dangerous. — Ed.] 



SWARMING TO BORROWING. 



I had to hive a swarm three times in June. 

 The third swarm I hived on empty combs 

 began to carry honey from the old hive to 

 theirs. This they did for two days, taking 

 no less than 5 lbs. The bees in the old 

 hive never bothered them at all. To-day I 

 had a ten-frame-hive swarm. I never had 

 them swarm as late as this before. As 

 soon as I hived them I transferred the old 

 colony to an eight-frame hive. I saw two 

 young queens on frames. Bee-men claim a 

 prime swarm issues about 8 days before 

 young queens halch. How do you account 

 for this? This is the first swarm. They 

 came out yesterday and went back to-day. 

 I saw a queen with them. 



Trenton, N. J., July 11. G. Grover. 



[In the matter of swarming, bees vary 

 greatly from the generally accepted rules. 

 They may begin swarming as early as May, 

 and continue on into September. The con- 

 ditions of the weather have every thing to 

 do with it. Sometimes swarming will be- 

 gin very early, and at others it will be 

 quite late. The colony that swarmed and 

 afterward went back and took honey from 

 the old hive was simply doing what we call 

 "borrowing," with no intention of return- 

 ing. It is a species of robbing; but because 

 these bees have the scent of the old colony, 

 the old colony does not put up any resis- 

 tance. — Ed.] 



gasoline vs. steam engines for light 



POWER. 



I have been thinking of purchasing a gas- 

 oline-engine, but don't know what kind to 

 buy. I have read Gleanings long enough 

 to know you are a practical man, and know 

 something about machinery. I take the 

 liberty of writing and asking you. I have 

 a catalog of the Olds, Alamo, and Weber. 

 I think the Alamo the best-looking machine. 



Is ithe gasoline-engine a durable ma- 

 chine? Are they safe? Does it cost much 

 to operate them? G. F. Turner. 



N. Palermo, Maine. 



[Gasoline-engines are a little more diffi- 

 cult to handle than an ordinary steam-en- 

 gine, but much more economical to operate, 

 and are ready for instant service at any 

 time— no need to wait to generate steam; no 



danger of burning out boiler, getting water 

 too low, and no danger from explosion pro- 

 viding a light or flame be kept away from 

 the gasoline- tank. Even then there is no 

 more hazard than in the use of gasoline- 

 stoves — indeed, not so much, because the 

 heat or fire is generated wholly within an 

 iron box, the cylinder. The gasoline-en- 

 gine is very durable, and will outwear with 

 less adjustment than a steam-engine, for 

 the simple reason that it is " single-acting " 

 and not double. Our experience has shown 

 that the boxes may be very loose and still 

 the engine will run very well. The rela- 

 tive cost between steam and gasoline for 

 the same amount of power per hour is about 

 50 per cent in favor of gasoline. Any of the 

 engines named in your letter are good. — 

 Ed.] 



BINGHAM smokers AND ROOT'S EXTRACT- 

 ORS criticised by a FRIENDLY CRITIC. 



As we in California have nothing to do 

 but get ready for next year we have much 

 time to think and tell the other fellows 

 what they should do. I will first tell you 

 what I have done, then tell you what the 

 Root Co. ought to do, also Mr. Bingham. 



I have produced 15 cases of extracted 

 honey with 250 colonies of bees. That is 

 something. Nov, Mr. Editor, I think your 

 invitations of well-meaning criticism are 

 along the right line; for if the manufactur- 

 ers are not criticised for the goods they 

 turn out it is natural for them to suppose 

 they are making things Jus i right; neither 

 do I believe in a fellow venting his spleen. 

 If we see or imagine we see defects (for we 

 may be honest in our opinion and still be 

 mistaken), let us call attention to them, 

 then offer suggestions to remedy the evil. 



I most heartily indorse the criticism of the 

 Bingham smoker — not the principle, but the 

 smoker. It is all right, " only needs fix- 

 in'." I have never had one yet (and I have 

 bought several) but I had to fix it. They 

 might be all right to manipulate three or 

 four colonies with, but three or four hundred 

 is different. Neither is it necessary for a 

 £-ood smoker to cost $5.00. My suggestion 

 is that Mr. Bingham take two pieces of 

 about No. 20 or 22 iron; cut them X inch 

 wide; bend them round so as to fit snugly 

 around the barrel of the smoker; then fas- 

 ten them to the bellows with two bolts in 

 each end of the straps; also metal around 

 the edges of the bellows to hold the leather; 

 also No. 18 54 -inch brads instead of the %- 

 inch tacks. A smoker made that way 

 would be serviceable without having to be 

 made over. 



As to price, it should not cost much more 

 than the present smoker. Let Mr. Bingham 

 put out the two smokers, sell each at a rea- 

 sonable profit, then there will be no " kick" 

 coming to any one. Mr. Bingham may take 

 his seat and Mr. Root stand up. 



The Cowan extractor No. 25 is a good 

 machine; but as the Root Co. makes it it 

 needs " fixin'." In extracting honey I al- 

 ways work from right to left. Hot water 



