GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Published by The A. I. Root Co., Medina, Ohio 



E. R. Root, Editor 



A. I. Root, Editor Home Department 



Entered at the Postoffice, Medina 



H. H. Root, Managing Editor 

 J. T. Calvert, Business Manager 

 Ohio, as second-class matter. 



VOL. XLIV. 



JULY 1, 1916 



NO. 13 



EDITORIAL 



The Demand for Bees and Queens 



The demand for queens this year has been 

 the greatest ever knoAvn. Large numbers 

 of queen-breeders — more so than usual — 

 are swamped with orders. The demand for 

 bees also, especially in oombless joackages, 

 has been very great ; and the bee-supply 

 manufacturers, so far as we know, have had 

 a hax'vest of orders. The idea of prepared- 

 ness seems to be in the minds of beekeep- 

 ers everywhere, because there never was a 

 year when there was a prospect of a larger 

 yield of honey. Notwithstanding all this, 

 there may yet be an entire failure of clover. 



Stings that Leave no Sore Spots 



The sage of Marengo is always bright 

 and breezy; and he has a way of differing 

 sharply with an opponent that does not 

 leave a sting nor a sore spot. Witness, for 

 example, his rejoiner to R. F. Holtermann 

 in Straws for this issue. 



The editor of Gleanings has had a good 

 many " scraps " with Dr. Miller, both in 

 private and in public. Some of his private 

 letters are as good as a circus. We rather 

 enjoy drawing his fire; because (to change 

 the figure) his is the kind of fire that doesn't 

 scorch. We hope, therefore, that Mr. Hol- 

 termann will draw some more fire. Go 

 after him, Mr. H. ; but look out that you do 

 not get the worst of it, even if he is 86. 



Getting Free Advertising in Local 

 Newspapers 



Dr. a. J. Bonnet, in this issue, has an 

 article which will well bear careful reading. 

 The newspapeis are looking for good 

 " dope " to publish. Dr. Bonney has pre- 

 pared a r-eries of striking paragraphs that 

 tell the truth about bees and honey. If the 

 beekeeper will seek to give his local news- 

 papers paragraphs like these he will bring 

 his business before the public in a way that 

 will not cost him a single penny. This is 

 the year to advertise I oney if thei'e ever 

 was such a year. If t';.' clover crop is go- 



ing to be large, advertise; if it is going to 

 be shoi't, advertise anyway, and make the 

 price in keeping with other food products. 

 Everything is going to be up because it is 

 war times if there ever were Avar times. All 

 the great nations of the world are now hav- 

 ing big and little wars, and at this writing 

 it looks as if our dear Uncle Samuel would 

 get involved with his neighbor on the south. 



The Meanest Colony to Introduce a 

 Laying Queen to 



A COLONY that has been queenless for a 

 week or ten days, has built cells, and possi- 

 bly hatched a virgin, is about the meanest 

 proposition to introduce a queen to that we 

 have. If the virgin is not lost in mating, 

 the fact cannot be known definitely until a 

 frame of brood is put in the hive, and cells 

 started. An expert can tell by the behavior 

 of the bees. If a laying queen is to be in- 

 troduced to a colony that may or may not 

 have a virgin, she will not stand much show 

 if the virgin is present ; and if the virgin is 

 a young one, or inside of a cell, the bees 

 may take things into their own hands, and 

 kill the laying queen. About all one can 

 do is to give such colony a cell, if they do 

 not already have one, and always a frame 

 of brood if it can be spared from some oth- 

 er colony. The beginner should understand 

 there is a large amount of risk in trying to 

 introduce a laying queen to a colony that 

 has been queenless for a week or ten days. 



Beekeeper-Berry grower, Here is Your 

 Chance 



There are many inexpensive ways of 

 calling attention to honey. A number of 

 very good suggestions are given in this 

 special number on the subject. Here is 

 another plan which we feel sure is practical 

 and well Avorth trying. Mr. Frank Raueh- 

 fuss, of Denver, gives the details in the 

 folloAving letter: 



We are hercA^ith sending you a little slip, 

 2% X 6 inches. The plan for using this is to 



