956 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



have put as many frames with starters only; but 

 in building the new combs the bees would fill the 

 upper half with honey so that the brood-chamber 

 was no larger than at first, showing that this small 

 brood-chamber was as large as the season and 

 nature required. 



Yaeolt, Wash. H. E. Harrington. 



Sending Honey by Express in Glass-front 

 Shipping-cases 



Speaking of express companies and the manner in 

 which they handle packages, I have this much to 

 bay : 



About the first of .Tune I sent by express to a 

 friend at Pass Christian, Miss., a 12-lb. regular ship- 

 ping-case of comb honey. The distance from here is 

 about 625 miles, and the lioney changed cars about 

 four times before it reached its destination. My 

 friend informed ine that the honey reached him in 

 perfect condition — not a cell broken. How was this 

 for care in handling ? Of course this honey was 

 well packed; and with glassed front the fragility of 

 the contents was exposed to view. 



I have done quite a little shipping by express, and 

 I always use the greatest care in putting up my 

 honey. As yet I have no first breakdown to hear of; 

 and as this particular shipment went through in 

 such perfect order, I have come to the conclusion 

 that if the beemen do their part the expressmen will 

 do theirs. 



I advocate the use of glassed section-cases for the 

 shipping of honey ; and where they are used, the 

 honey commands more care in handling than it 

 would if it were in a case without the glass. 



A precaution I take in shipping honey by express 

 is to wax every crack and crevice of the shipping- 

 case. Paraffin wax may be used for this operation. 

 In case the combs become leaky the honey cannot 

 get out to make sticky hands. Any package, such as 

 honey, mO'lasses, candy, etc., that becomes sticky in 

 transit will be handled roughly, I assure you. It 

 will get more kicking than it will handling. It pays 

 to pack honey in the best possible way. 



S. W. BoswELL, Jr. 



Cornerstone, Ark., July 16. 



Colonies of Bees not Insurable 



Could you give information as to the insurance 

 company that you insure your bees in? Does any 

 company operate in Michigan? Most companies do 

 not care to insure them. 



Bellaire, Mich., Oct. 26. P. W. Sowinski. 



[We do not carry any insurance on our bees. A 

 year ago we tried to get several companies to insure 

 the bees at Randlett's Lauding, near Apalaehicola, 

 Fla., but no company that we could get hold of 

 would take the business. We have been informed 

 that no insurance company will insure bees against 

 loss by fire. One company with wliom we took up 

 the matter seemed to have the impression that there 

 would be a large salvage, because the bees, the mo- 

 ment that fire broke out in the apiary, would fly 

 out and then could be saved. The comi^any did not 

 realize that the bees would rush right into the fire 

 and be burned of course, like a horse that would 

 rush into his stable when it was on fire. — Ed.] 



Plum-trees for Shade, Profit, and Wind- 

 breaks 



My apiary of 100 colonies is located on an area 

 of 48 square rods of land. On this plot of ground 

 I have 55 plum-trees, 4 apple-trees, and 3 pear- 

 trees. I find the plum-trees extremely well adapted 

 for shade, and each occupies only a small space. I 

 find also that they are very profitable, as the net 

 income from my plums last season was $80. 



The trees afford a much better windbreak than a 

 board fence. I have tried both. 



The returns from my apiary last season were 7000 

 lbs. of fine comb honey, which sold at 17 cents a 

 pound. 



My bees are a cross between the leather-colored 

 Italians and the blacks. I use the old Manum hive. 

 I have five colonies in Langstroth frarpes, but have 

 never been able to get the amount of honey from 

 them that I have gotten from the Manum hives. 

 ;Vfter all, it is not so much the kind of hives or 

 frames as it is the kind of man behind them. 



Pair Haven, Vt. I. N. Howard. 



Freight Rate on Comb and Extracted Honey 

 the Same in New South Wales 



Some time ago the editor asked a question with 

 reference to our freight rates on honey. I over- 

 looked making a reply at that time. 



There is no distinction between comb and extract- 

 ed honey on our merchandise-rates book. I do not 

 think there is sufficient comb honey sent by rail in 

 this state to make it worth a special rate. 



Smaller lots than 2 tons go by A rate, which is 

 about 50 per cent higher; still smaller go by '"Small 

 Consignments by single-package rates." 



60 90 112 140 



lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. 



Up to 50 miles 1-0 To To 1-0 



Up to 100 milea 1-0 1-0 1-3 1-6 



Up to 200 miles 1-3 1-9 2-3 2-6 



Up to 300 miles 1-6 2-3 2-9 3-3 



Up to 400 miles 1-9 2-6 3-3 3-9 



Up to 500 miles 2-3 3-0 3-9 4-6 



Additional 100 miles.... 3 3 3 3 



Honey also goes at half rates by passenger train 

 (stamped parcels). 



Herbert J. Rumsey. 



Dundas, N. S. W., Australia, June 5. 



Paper Hive-numbers. 



A good way to number liives is to cut out large 

 figures from calendars and smear a little linseed oil 

 on them. Also put some oil on the hive where you 

 want the number to stay. Put the number on ; and 

 after it dries a little put more oil over both, and let 

 it dry. Numbers so applied will neither wash off 

 nor discolor. 



Pacific, Mo., April 23. Ralph A. Smith. 



Only One Queen Lost by the Smoke Plan. 



I have read your editorial of Sept. 1 on introduc- 

 ing queens by the smoke method. I gave it a trial 

 this spring on two dozen queens, and lost but one. 

 I think the smoke method is good. 



Antioch, Cal., Sept. 14. Geo. W. Mooee. 



i!iiii;iiiiiiiii:i!ii:iiiiiiiii:iiii!iiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiii:iiiiiiiHiiiiiiiii!;iiii:ii!i!iii:iii!iiiiii!iiii:iii!:ii<iiiiiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 

 The Winter of War-time 



BY GRACE ALLEN 



The winter of war-time has blackened our blossoms; 



"Brotherhood," "Love," their fragrance has fled; 

 "Friendship of Nations" gone; and our beautiful 



"Peace upon Earth" is now ruined and dead. 



How hopefully, joyously, we had been gleaning 

 The heavenly sweet of these spirit-sown flowers I 



Now hoarse with our terror, bewildered and beaten, 

 We moan at the tragic, embittering hours. 



Wliile out in the desolate grip of a winter 



That rushes and reels like a storm-driven thing. 



The undismayed bees, clustered close in the darkness, 

 Are waiting the thrill of a radiant spring. 



Nothing they know of the forces eternal; 



Never they ask why the summer has passed; 

 True to a light they have known and still dream of. 



They hope through the dark and keep faith to the 

 last. 



