]1(i GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



A CONTRACT BETWEEN FRUIT-GROWER AND BEEKEEPER 



BY GEORGE H. WEST 



Here is my form of contract for placing 

 and keeping bees in an apple-orclaard for 

 pollination purposes. I think it may inter- 

 est many of your readers. 



TlAs agreement, made in duplicate, and 

 entered into this 21st day of July, A.D. 

 1913, by and between George H. West and 

 Wm. H. Bartleson, both of El Paso County, 

 Colorado, witnessetli , 



That said West is (he owner of the SE 

 quarter of the NW quarter of Sec. 32, town 

 21 south, range 58 west, being 40 acres of 

 land in Crowley County, Colorado, planted 

 mainly to apple orchard, now in bearing, 

 but some 10 acres being in alfalfa, and is 

 desirous of having his fruit-blossoms prop- 

 erly pollinated each year; and that said 

 Bartleson owns some 90 hives of honeybees, 

 and desires to secure a location for them 

 where they may have proper range for 

 pollen and honey : 



Now tJiis agreement is hereby entered in- 

 to by and between the said parties for their 

 mutual benefit to wit: Said West agrees to 

 lease to said Bartleson for the term of ten 

 (10) years, unless sooner terminated, as 



liercafter stated, a tract of land about 78 

 feet by 142 feet, located on said 40 acres, 

 and near the southeast corner thereof, for 

 the annual rental of one dollar ($1.00) per 

 year, where said Bartleson agrees to locate 

 and keep his bees, with the privilege of 

 erecting such buildings as he may require 

 for his uses in said business, with the right 

 to remove his said bees, buildings, and im- 

 provement from said tract at the termina- 

 tion of this lease. The number of hives of 

 bees on said tract shall not be restricted, 

 except there must not be at any time less 

 than eighty (80) hives of bees during the 

 blooming period each season. And said 

 Bartleson agrees to the above terms, and is 

 to move all said hives of bees to this spec- 

 ified tract, and is to keep them there dui-ing 

 his lease, and to pay said rental annually. 

 It is further mutally agreed between the 

 parties hereto, that if said West should sell 

 this land, or if said Bartleson should sell 

 all his bees, such action will tei-minate this 

 lease; otherwise it may be renewed, upon 

 the same terms, upon its expiration. 



George H. West, 

 Wm. H. Bartleson. 



PUZZLES ; THE CURSE OF GOLDENS 



BY ARTHUR C. MILLER 



Bees are contrary little cusses, with 

 aiDologies to Mr. Crane. They persistently 

 prove that what we know we know about 

 them isn't so. 



On August 8, to a nucleus from which I 

 had a few moments before removed the 

 queen and all brood, I gave a frame of 

 brood of all ages from the egg to six days 

 sealed. That was at 11 A. m. At 4 p. M. on 

 August 10 there were two sealed queen-cells 

 on that comb. There were no queen-cells 

 or cups on the comb when it was given. On 

 opening those cells the grubs were found 

 spinning their ecoons, and had them per- 

 haps one-eighth done. Do or do not bees 

 select gTubs ton old to make good queens? 



Perhaps Dr. Miller can tell. To make 

 more clear the foregoing case I will explain 

 that the brood came from a thrifty colony 

 with a fine young queen which had been 

 laying less than a month, and it was given 

 to the nucleus with the bees adhering to it. 

 Why such proceedings on my part ? Well, 

 the queen and brood was given to a colony 

 I was making up. And the bees were left 

 on the brood given to the nucleus because it 

 was easier than shaking them off, and also 



I was willing to strengthen the nucleus a 

 little, as I was to give it a cell in a few 

 days. 



Case 2. Comb of bees and brood with 

 two unsealed queen-cells Avas given to a 

 nucleus which had a virgin four days old. 

 The queen-cells were completed, four others 

 well under way, and the virgin very much 

 alive, when the matter was discovered three 

 days after the combination had been made. 

 Failure to notice the record was the cause 

 of the combination. What is the explan- 

 ation? 



Case 3. A fair colony with a fine thrifty 

 queen four weeks in it. First two comb.s, 

 at back, honey ; second two, beautiful work- 

 ei' combs almost full of sealed drone brood, 

 a few cells with larvae, and some with a 

 single egg each. Next comb about half 

 worker and half drone brood all in worker 

 comb. (Just there a veteran inspector said, 

 " Drone-laying queen.") Next comb, a 

 perfect sheet of worker brood with workers 

 emerging. Then he changed his mind. Rest 

 of combs, beautiful worker brood; jolly 

 nice mess that would be for a novice to 

 bump into and try to have explained. 



