1904 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



895 



business of putting up syrups, canned goods, 

 etc., there is quite a strong probability it 

 will be impure, especially if they handle va- 

 rious kinds of syrups labeled with all sorts 

 of fancy names. Try to get your grocer to 

 buy from the producer, or of some honey- 

 buyer or commission house whose reputa- 

 tion is beyond any possible taint of suspi- 

 cion. There are plenty of these men in the 

 country, and Gleanings will be glad to fur- 

 nish a list of them at any time it is called 

 for. I think we may safely conclude that 

 any honey sold by a commission house that 

 quotes for the bee-papers is pure, especiallij 

 so if the goods have not been repacked or 

 recanned, or put up in bottles. 



But there is no absolutely reliable way to 

 determine whether honey is pure except by 

 analysis; and even then, unless the chemist 

 has made a specialty of honey he is liable to 

 be misled, and call a pure article adulterat- 

 ed, when in fact it came direct from the 

 flowers to the hive. 



Chemists who have made a close study of 

 this question recognize that there are some 

 honeys of a peculiar character, concerning 

 which they dare not make a positive state- 

 ment as to purity. Again, a honey that is 

 not thoroughly ripe is liable to mislead, but 

 not a chemist who understands the nature of 

 such honey. 



Mr. W. A. Selser, No. 10 Vine St., Phil- 

 adelphia, makes a specialty of analyzing 

 honey at $2.00 a sample. More is generally 

 charged; but as Mr. S. has special facilities 

 for the purpose, and as he makes honey a 

 specialty, he is able to do it at this price. — 

 Ed.] 



todd's smoker with two hive-hooks. 



I wish to present to the readers of Glean- 

 ings what I consider the ideal smoker. 

 Wm. Muth-Rasmussen, of California, has 

 the hook on the right side, but it is long and 

 clumsy. By the drawing I send, you will 

 see that the same metal which attaches the 

 bellows to the fire-box extends on almost 

 half way around the fire-box on each side. 



where it is riveted; then it curves on itself, 

 and at the same time curves outward and 

 downward, forming two legs which hold the 

 fire-box off the hive while lying on top of or 

 hanging on the side. 



Now, Mr. Bingham, this is the kind of 

 smoker Mr. Somerford wants; and if you 

 don't put these attachments on that "Ban- 



ner" smoker you are going to make for him 

 it won't .suit, for he is sure to burn his pants 

 the first time he or his pants get in a tight 

 place. What he wants is a smoker that he can 

 set on top of his hives, and that will stay set, 

 and not be toppling over, and one that won't 

 burn his hives, and one that he can drop on 

 the side of the hive with the nozzle pointed 

 in the right direction; and when he can give 

 the bees smoke any moment without having 

 to pick up the smoker nor set it down, you 

 have my order for another provided you put 

 this attachment on. Dr. Levi J. Todd. 

 Mariel, Cuba. 



[The hooks can be attached in the manner 

 you show. I had a smoker fixed up about 

 two years ago, with two hooks like those you 

 show. I thought I was going to like it, but 

 it was not as nice in practice as in theory. 

 Still, if there are those who really want a 

 smoker with double hooks in front we can 

 furnish them, but, of course, at an addition- 

 al price. 



Incidentally it should be remarked that it 

 would be very expensive and difficult to make 

 a top with a curved snout like the one you 

 show. The angle at which the smoke is de- 

 flected is wrong too. —Ed.] 



growing alsike clover for seed, etc. 



I have raised alsike clover here for three 

 years. The first year it made three bushels 

 of seed per acre; second year it did no good, 

 on account of drouth in April. This year it 

 grew finely, and would have made a fine hay 

 crop if cut for that. I cut it for seed, and 

 was disappointed to get so little. Nearly 

 all shelled off" on to the ground while cutting. 

 When is the best time to cut, and how is it 

 cured for seed so as to get the hay also, as 

 a Michigan man once reported? Do you 

 think I had enough bees? I had 15 good colo- 

 nies and 8 acres of alsike clover. 



F. W. Morgan. 



De Land, Ills., Aug. 24. 



[We have not had sufficient experience in 

 growing alsike clover to answer the above 

 questions. Doubtless some of our readers 

 can do so. My impression is, the seed would 

 not have rattled out at time of cutting had 

 it been cut earlier. Fifteen good colonies of 

 bees I should suppose would be ample to 

 fertilize the eight acres so as to furnish a 

 crop of seed. —Ed.] 



WHICH WAY should HIVE-ENTRANCES FACE? 



should hives be shaded? 

 I should like to know what direction bee- 

 hives should face, and also if they should be 

 in the shade or sun, if it makes any differ- 

 ence. How do you make nine to ten colo- 

 nies out of one in one season? 



George E. Lowe. 

 Morocco, Ind., Aug. 17. 



[As a general thing, where there are only 

 a few colonies entrances should face the 

 east to get the benefit of the warm sun in 

 the morning and the shade in the afternoon 

 when heat is the greatest; but where there 



