GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



There is no other great objection, provided 

 there are suitable openings in the side which 

 will give sufificient light for finding queens, 

 bay, and for permitting any bees that have 

 the combs, when they are being looked over, 

 to get outdoors at once. 



In our opinion, scooping up bees that 



cluster outside because of the heat or over- 

 crowded condition of the hive, and forming 

 a new colony with them, would give rather 

 uncertain results. We think it Avould be 

 much better to make the increase in some 

 other way, for the cluster outside may be 

 eomposecl of field bees largely. — Ed.] 



A DRUGGIST'S EXPERIENCE WITH BEES IN INDIANAPOLIS 



BY H. D. HOPKINS 



I am one of the many who have the bee 

 fever, and I have had it for about 18 years. 

 I keep my bees in the central part of the 

 city in a thickly settled district within half 

 a block of a schoolhouse. Occasionally I 

 loan the teachers my observation hive to 

 teach the children the habits and industry 

 of the bee. 



I ii,lways winter about five colonies on 

 their summer stands well covered with 

 leaves, and piotected by a slied. I have 



H. D. Hopkins' ornamental 

 hive for a city lot. 



never had a winter loss. 

 I am a druggist, and 

 have little time to look 

 after the bees; but I 

 enjoy keeping' them 

 for the recreation. 1 

 have a neighbor three 

 doors below whom they 

 bother a little by mak- 

 ing use of her well- 

 spout for a drinking- 

 fountain. They have 

 to pump out the bees 

 before they get water. 

 I make my peace with 

 them when T take off 

 the honey. 



The bees also object to the lawn-mower 

 next door, and sting the man or lady behind 

 it, so that requires more honey to keep i^eace 

 with my neighbors. 



Last year I sold the increase, which was 

 six colonies. I took off 120 lbs. of No. 1 

 white-clover honey. I have no trouble in 

 disposing of it among my neighbors at 20 

 cts. I should like to keep more bees; but 

 there is not enough pasturage in the city for 

 them. I have tried chickens and pigeons; 

 but for real pleasure, profit, and little work, 

 give me bees. 



AN OLD-FASHIONED BEE-GUM REMODELED. 



While visiting my brother's apiary this 

 summer in Putnam County I found an old 

 abandoned bee-gum. 1 requested him to 

 send it to me, for I thought it would be a 

 curiosity. After it reached me I decided to 

 modernize it, so I made six brood-frames to 

 fit and hang on tin brackets. I cut' down an 

 eight-frame super to hold three of the D 

 section cases. The frames and sections can 

 be removed and replaced at any time. 1 

 covered the log with bark and gave it a roof 

 (if bark, so I think I have quite an orna- 

 mental as well as a useful" hive. It stands 



^ai^m^^f'r^ 



Cover and super removed, showing- the cumbs in the brood chumbur. 



