GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Peach tree that blossomed in cold -vveathei' and bore a good crop because it stood so close to the Lees. 



run new extraeting-combs gently through 

 the extractor the first season used; for when 

 new they are very fragile. After the first 

 season they will get tougher each year. It 

 is strange that, Avhile the bees will always 



store honey first in the old combs, they will 

 start queen-cells in the nice new combs in 

 l^reference, even if they have to move eggs 

 from the old combs to the new. 

 Letohatchee, Ala. 



PEACH TREES NEAREST THE BEES PRODUCED THE BEST CROP 



BY S. II. BURTON 



Dr. C. C. Miller, page 517, Aug. 1, says 

 he has always had just a little doubt as to 

 the statement that bees are of more value as 

 fertilizers than as honey-gatherers; but the 

 cranberry business, p. 479, July 15, may yet 

 remove all doubts. I herewith submit some 

 photographs of our peach orchard which 

 may help to dispel any doubts. Dr. Miller 

 may be from Missouri, and have to be 

 " shown." 



We have eight colonies of bees located in 

 our packing-shecl, with the entrances facing 

 east. These stands are set on a bench, and 

 the alighting-boards extend through an 

 opening in the wall. When the peach trees 

 commenced to bloom it was nice balmy 

 weather, and the bees were flying finely ; 

 but by the time two-thirds of the blossoms 

 were out the weather turned very cool with 

 a cold rain following. For a pei'iod of ten 

 days we had damp, cool, muggy weather, 

 and the bees did not venture far from home. 

 However, as our packing-shed and the bees 

 are located right in the midst of the peacli- 



f-rchard the first row of peach trees directly 

 in front of the shed, and about 30 feet fi'om 

 the alighting-boards, were loaded with 

 jeaches, while the second row of trees from 

 (he bees showed more fruit on the side next 

 to the colonies than on the off side. At the 

 rear of the farm, across a five-acre lot, the 

 peach trees averaged about two dozen 

 jieaches to the tree, all the same variety, 

 ( armans; all trees had equally good care 

 as to spraying, pruning, and cultivation. 

 Now, I don't say that the bees are entirely 

 accountable for the great shomng of fruit 

 on the td-ees next to the luves, but it does 

 look as if the weight of evidence was in their 

 favor. Of course, some one will say that 

 the shed had something to do with it; but 

 one tree at the corner of the shed, and not 

 protected by it from the prevailing cold 

 winds, had more peaches than any of the 

 rest. This tree stands within five feet of 

 the hive, and just at the side of the line of 

 flight. During the cool spell referred "to 

 above T noticed that very few bees were 



