718 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



that had departed or merely died. The cells 

 are so bunched that several of them must be 

 destroyed in saving the others. Hunt up 

 some old cells; those that have hatched are 

 all right. Lay them in the sun to warm up 

 a bit, then cut them nearly in two squarely 

 across and near the base where there is no 

 cocoon. Now carefully open one of the cells, 

 which must be destroyed; gently spill the 

 white inert queen into the palm of your 

 hand ; hold the old cell against your palm so 

 the opened butt will be in front of the 

 queen, and let her slide in gently. Close the 

 cell; wrap it in foundation, letting the lat- 

 ter cover the tip — it is better if the old cap 

 is adhering — tuck it into a nucleus, and in 

 due time you will have your queen. Never 

 mind watering after transplanting; they 



won't wilt. 



^ ^ ^ 



Wesley Foster will be getting himself 

 disloved 'long with some others if he does 

 not quit talking home-made supplies. It is 

 a good deal of an art to knoAV what not to 

 have made at the planing-mill and box- 

 shop, and at the carpenter's down the lane, 

 and out in the woodshed. But at the risk 

 of getting into an awful mess I should like 

 to ask Wesley how the manufacturers using 

 automatic machines which turn out thou- 

 sands of frames a day can figure a charge 

 of $35.00 for a thousand of them when there 

 is less than 220 feet of " scrap stock " in 

 them. Yep, scrap stock — all made from 

 short leng-ths and edgings. 



* « * 



The March American Bee Journal has a 

 picture of a man scorching out a hive while 

 the inspector watches him. Looks like a 

 Rhode Island coat of arms, only here 'tis 

 one man at work and three looking on. But 

 just remember that paint or common thin 

 machine oil is an equally good sterilizer. 

 Scrape off the lumps of wax and propolis 

 — as you should do before using the torch-— 

 and then apply your paint or oil. Plain 

 kerosene (coal oil) is all right, only it takes 

 it a long time to " unsmell." 



* * * 



When the doctors disagree, there is apt to 

 be trouble somewhere. Dr. Miller gets a 

 crop which breaks all records. Mr. Greiner 

 wants to " double the yield," and Mr. Hol- 

 termann is bemoaning the fact that he can't 

 sell what he has. Guess I won't meddle. 



* * * 



Did you see the front cover of the Marrli 

 American Bee Jonrtialf Fine picture of 

 doll-houses and dog-kennels and washing- 

 machines and bird-cages. It is labeled an 

 "Exhibition of Hives at Chalon-sur-Saone." 



But what is in a name? Guess I know a 

 dog-house when I see it. No wonder the 

 " furriners " cannot compete with us at bee- 

 keeiiing if they keep bees in such things — 

 should not think any self-respecting bee 



would stay. 



* * * 



A friend (oh, ye?! I have some) sent me 



the following. He did not say what paper 



he got it from, so I cannot give credit, but 



it is worth presei"ving. 



HOW DOTH THE LITTLE BUSY BEE ? 



(A bee culturist tells us that five dollars' worth 

 of bees kept in a city flat will manufacture a hun- 

 dred dollars' worth of honey in a year.) 



On learning that a herd of bees 



Could be sent forth to loot 

 The florists' shops and grocery stores 



That deal in fancy fruit, 

 I bought a swarm and housed them 



On my kitchen window-sill, 

 That they might journey out 



And ply their piracy at will. 



" Go, little bees," I said to them, 



" I care not where you roam, 

 Just so you prove industrious, 



And bring the honey home." 

 A while they labored joyously — 



A real delight to see ; 

 'Twas very pleasant to observe 



How hard they worked for me. 



But soon the gladsome spring-time came, 



And shortly after that 

 Queer things began to happen 



In our one-time tranquil flat. 

 For when we put the windows up 



We found, to our surprise. 

 Instead of going out to work 



They grafted our supplies ! 



We found them in the sugar-bowl. 



And in the currant jam; 

 They buzzed about the champagne sauce 



We poured upon the ham. 

 Our cat was much annoyed at this. 



And sought to interfere. 

 But after he'd attacked one bee 



He went away from here. 



That evening I discovered 



What had happened to the cat. 

 And subsequent tu this event 



Was careful where I sat. 

 At lunch, when Uncle Ephraim 



Went to get a hasty snack, 

 He innocently bit a bee. 



Which viciously bit back. 



" They're trying to get rid of me," 



I heard him sadly mutter ; 

 " They're puttin' poisoned needles 



In their uncle's bread and butter! " 

 The injured way he looks at me 



Now haunts me in my sleep. 

 And if you want a fleet of bees 



I'll let you have them cheap! 



Dr. Miller says that bees do not put 

 differently colored pollen in the same cell or 

 different grades of honey in the same cell — 

 Straws, March 15. Phew, doctor! Do you 

 have but one color of pollen in your locality, 

 or one color of honey? Hereabouts a cell 



