400 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



These bees are located in the center of Morgantown, N. C. 

 2 % to 5 miles to the sourwood. 



a town of 5000 inhabitants. They fly from 



anywhere — in your study, in your attic, in 

 your church-tower, on your shed roof, in 

 the corner of your back yard, anywhere, so 

 long as they can get out; they are clean, and 

 need not be fed except on rare occasions. 

 They can be left to care for themselves dur- 

 ing your summer vacation, and they will 

 work for you even while you are preaching. 

 Therefore, brethren, by all means look into 

 the bee business." 



It was by accident that I became a bee- 

 keeper. It is not my profession but my 

 hobby, my recreation, my pleasure. Since 

 everybody ought to have a hobby he might 

 as well have a good one, and I know of 

 none better than bee culture. My deacon's 

 wife ottered me a swarm which had clus- 

 tered on a low bush in her garden. They 

 looked very inviting — a handsome, quiver- 

 ing bunch of large Italians. But my igno- 

 rance prevented me from getting them, 

 altho I held a hastily constructed box, well 

 besmeared with molasses, close to their 

 noses for more than an hour. That tempt- 

 ing bait had no attraction for them, and I 

 saw them sail away in a gi-eat cloud of joy. 

 But my interest was aroused, and I pur- 

 chased a colony. These soon multiplied, 

 and with the increase came experience and 



knowledge and honey and money. This was 

 about ten years ago, and these have been 

 years of genuine pleasure and profit. Half 

 a ton of honey is my usual annual crop 

 from about a dozen or fifteen hives. What 

 does not go to sweeten myself, family, and 

 friends, is sold, and the profit helps to pay 

 taxes on a summer cottage and for the gas- 

 oline of an auto. 



But the money profit is not the only 

 consideration for the ministerial beekeeper. 

 There is the vast field of biological knowl- 

 edge to which the honeybee introduces him; 

 and not only biology but botany, too, in- 

 vites his renewed investigation. Every flow- 

 ering shrub is alive with interest; and a 

 walk thru the fields on a summer's day has 

 added charms. Illustrations from nature 

 are always interesting, and these multiply 

 as the preacher makes first-hand investiga- 

 tions. 



Yes, brother minister, try the honeybee 

 for an experiment. Do not begin on a large 

 scale. Get a colony of very gentle bees 

 first. Timidity will soon vanish, and a few 

 stings are quite exhilarating and healthful. 

 Soon you will be immune to all discomfort, 

 and then the real pleasure begins. 



Warren, R. I. 



CIRCUMSTANCES ALTER CASES -AND THE DISTANCE BEES FLY 



BY L. E. WEBB 



I am sending you a picture of my apiary 

 of 13 colonies (three not showing) which 

 have built up in two years from one colony, 

 increasing the first year to 4 and last year 

 to 13, with all but two headed with pure 



Italian queens, altho I got stuck on several 

 occasions by having impure queens sent 

 me which gave considerable trouble in re- 

 queening; yet with my increase from 4 to 

 13 I secured for market about 300 sections 



