486 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURl! 



801, Nov. 15, for last year. The hot iron 

 really does very nice work; but on account 

 of the greater danger of missing the wire 

 or running off and melting a hole in the 

 foundation, and also because of the neces- 

 sity for having all conditions just about 

 perfect for good results, we still prefer the 

 wide-toothed imbedding-wheel. This tool, 

 as explained, is altogether different from 

 the old tracing-wheel imbedder. It may be 

 used hot or cold; but when hot it leaves a 

 little bridge of melted wax across the wire 

 at each point where a tooth strikes, which 

 bridge is about ^ inch long, or as long as 

 the tooth is wide. The wire is not heated, 

 and the imbedding is done by pressure in 

 the usual way, although the tiny " bridge " 

 of surplus wax from each tooth as it strikes 

 holds it securely so that it can not move. 



We are not particularly in love with the 

 groove - and - wedge plan of fastening the 

 foundation to the top-bar. However, since 

 we hajopened to be fitting up a lot of frames 

 we took occasion to time the operation. 

 Time after time, we picked up a frame, 

 dropped the foundation in the groove, put 

 the wedge in the other groove, and sank it 

 down below the surface, and imbedded the 

 wires with the hot gear imbedder all in 30 

 seconds. We cannot average two frames a 

 minute, however, and we judge that Mr. 

 Miller does not intend to convey the idea 

 that that is his average speed. 



at; 



In addition to what was said in our last 

 issue concerning the field day at Medina 

 July 9, 10, under the auspices of the Ohio 

 State Beekeepers' Association, we may add 

 that plans are well under way for a good 

 meet here. President Matheny sends the 

 following provisional program for the eve- 

 ning of the 9tli : 



Report of Chief Inspector of Apiaries. .N. E. Shaw 



Beekeeping in the early days A. I. Root 



The Inspector's point of view E. R. King 



Fads and Fancies E. R. Root 



The honey crop Fred Leininger 



During the afternoon of the 9th and the 

 forenoon and afternoon of the 10th, there 

 will be field-day demonstrations. On the 10th 

 we shall make a demonstration with power 

 extracting machinery, all of the latest pat- 

 tern. AmjDle facilities will be afforded see- 

 ing each step in the whole jiroccss. 



Our men who devote their time to queen- 

 rearing will give demonstrations in grafting 

 cells, and, in general, the entire process of 

 rearing queens from start to finish; and in 

 order that all may see, we will have differ- 

 ent demonstrators in the field. 



We regi'et that it will be impossible for 

 either Dr. Miller or Mr. Doolittle to be here. 



Sickness in Mr. Doolittle's family, and the 

 extreme age (83) of Dr. Miller, render it 

 practically impossible for eitlier of them to 

 be with us; but fortunately one of the 

 Dadants of Dadant & Sons will be here. 



A. I. Root will relate some of his early 

 experiences in beekeeping, about his ups 

 and downs, of his acquaintance with Rev. 

 L. L. Langstroth and other prominent bee- 

 keepers of the early days. 



LODGING AND BOARD. 



As Medina is not a large town, our hotels 

 and restaurants will be taxed to their utmost 

 limits to take care of the crowd. It is ab- 

 solutely necessary, in order to secure lodg- 

 ing and meals, that those who expect to 

 attend send in their names in order to se- 

 cure accommodations. We may have to put 

 up cots in our warehouse; and the proba- 

 bilities are we shall have to get some church 

 organization to feed the overflow who can 

 not be accommodated at the hotels and res- 

 taurants. Meals at the American House 

 will be 50 cents; at restaurants, 35 cents; 

 and the ladies of the church will probably 

 charge the same amount. The probabilities 

 are that any ladies who come can be accom- 

 modated in our homes on the nights of the 

 9th and 10th. 



Unless each one of you who expects to 

 attend this field meet sends in his name in 

 advance he may not be able to secure lodg- 

 ings and meals. If you are not sure you 

 can come, but yet expect to, send in your 

 name anyhow. All such letters should be 

 sent to E. R. Root, at Medina, who is look- 

 ing after accommodations. 



Honey Prospects ; Clover Crop 



The prospects for a clover crop are not 

 promising. The excessively hot and dry 

 weather during the fore part of June, fol- 

 lowed by cold weather and no rain in many 

 localities put a decided check on clover. In 

 some eases it seemed to be parched out and 

 gone to seed; but recent rains (which have 

 been general over the north-central portions 

 of the United States) may change the sit- 

 uation where they were not too late. 



To be more specific, the clover crop is not 

 going to be a failure by any means. While 

 it will probably be just that in some local- 

 ities, there will be from fair to good yields 

 in others; the reports from Michigan are 

 from good to bad; but most of the reports 

 we have read thus far indicate either a 

 short crop or an entire failure. Two of the 

 largest i^roducers of Ontario expect a short 

 crop. 



