462 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



December, 621 gr. 



In April the brood was measured in 14 

 colonies, showing an p.verage of 34 dm., or 

 about 544 square inches per colony. 



SMOKERS. 



We have a smoker with a clock and a fan 

 that will blow smoke for about ten minutes. 

 It can be made to smoke just a little or stop 

 entirely, depending on the tension of the 

 brake, which can be readily adjusted as 

 wanted. I expect to use one this summer. 

 I have been using a smoke-blower which is 

 held in the mouth, leaving the hands free. 



We have a water-pipe also. It is an 

 atomizer, neat in appearance, and held in 

 the mouth. By blowing instead of squeez- 

 ing a rubber bulb, it makes a fine spray of 

 water. I have not used one, but have I'ead 

 the praises of others. Whether it is because 

 it is cheaply operated only, or because it 

 subdues the bees, I can not say. 



A regular brier tobacco-pipe made espe- 

 cially for the use of beekeepers is extensive- 

 ly used. For one that is a tobacco-user it is 

 quite convenient, and will do very well for 

 an hour or two. 



Markt Oberdorf, Bavaria, Germany. 



SOME DIFFICULTY IN OVERCOMING PREJUDICE IN EEGAMD TO 



SWEET CLOVER 



BY WILLIAM BEUCUS 



Several years ago I brought from Madi- 

 son, where sweet clover grows along the 

 roadsides, a quantity 

 of sweet-clover seed. 

 Part of the seed was 

 planted in some soil 

 which I had shipped 

 for inoculation, and 

 the remainder of the 

 seed was scattered 

 about the yard. The 

 plants which grew in 

 the box of soil I trans- 

 planted when they 

 were a few inches tall, 

 and these in every case 

 flourished until it was 

 necessary to lengthen 

 my reach with a stick, 

 as sboAvn in the photo- 

 graph, in order to 

 touch the tips. 



In the fall of 1909 a 

 new road was opened 

 to the south of our 

 property; and when it 

 was finished, I scatter- 

 ed upon it some sweet- 

 clover seed. The fol- 

 lowing year, 1910, was 

 the driest on record 

 for this part of the 

 country. The hay crop 

 was a complete failure, 

 and many farmers sold 

 almost all of their cat- 

 tle to avoid the ex- 

 pense of keeping them 

 over winter; and yet 

 during all of this time, 

 when timothy and al- 



sike and red" clover were drying 

 sweet clover I had planted along 



up, the 

 the road 



An pxceptionally rank growth of sweet clover on Wm. Beucus' farm, 

 Cadott, Wisconsin. 



