838 



We have seen this name pei-fdiinance dozens 

 of times among our own bees after the main 

 honey-flow was over. We have been asked 

 time and time again what it meant or what 

 the bees Avere doing, but have never been 

 able to explain it. Does any one knov/f 



Honey-crop Conditions and Prices 



There is nothing new to report since our 

 last issue, page 774. As soon as the crop 

 begins to pour into the market we shall be 

 able to get more definite information. Ap- 

 parently many beekeepei-s are making the 

 mistake of waiting too long. A little later, 

 when every one begins to unload, there is 

 danger that prices will sag. The market is 

 probably as good now as it will be later in 

 the season. 



Old comb honey of last year is pretty 

 well cleaned up; but some of it after it 

 granulated sold at a sacrifice. 



Our Cover Picture 



There are many different schemes for 

 locating a hive in an apiary to 'avoid long 

 straight rows and yet to have a system 

 making it easy to locate any hive in the 

 yard by its position in any certain group. 

 The apiary seen on our cover for this num- 

 ber shows a very unique plan used by R. 

 A. Harrison, of Cataraqui, Ont., Can. Mr. 

 Harrison, as the picture indicates, locates 

 his hives in groups of twenty-seven. There 

 are three rows forming the sides of a tri- 

 angle, nine colonies in each row, all facing 

 the center. 



The yard is surrounded by two rows of 

 trees, including apple, plum, cherry, pear, 

 mulberry, black-walnut, and butternut. The 

 picture was taken from the roof of the 

 dwellinghouse, and shows only a part of 

 the yard. In all, there were 204 colonies 

 at the time the picture was taken. 



Packing Hives in Newspapers for Win- 

 ter 



Mr. Bond, in this issue, page 854, has 

 had success in wintering bees in newspaper- 

 wrapped hives with a winter case over all. 

 Where one has hives screened by buildings 

 and fence as shown in the picture of his 

 apiary, the plan will p,'ive excellent results, 

 but it will hardly be adequate where the 

 hives are out in the open exposed to a 

 strong wind-sweep. 



W(^ have come to Ijelieve lliat windbreaks 

 for out.side wintering are very important 

 factors. If we had to choose between wind- 

 breaks niid packing we would acce])t, the 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



former; but both are very im]Kirtant. Mr. 

 Bond's little apiary is surrounded on one 

 side by a picket fence. Such a fence, more 

 or less surrounded by buildings, affords an 

 excellent windbreak. 



Sugar-fed Comb Honey Not a Commer- 

 cial Possibility 



Mr. William Cox, in last issue, page 

 805, goes on to show how sugar-fed comb 

 honey is not possible, even if the business 

 Vv'ere legitimate. Years ago many attempts 

 were made to produce the product. But in 

 almost every case sugar feeding to fill out 

 sections was given up. The nectar from 

 the fields costs nothing; but when one has 

 to pay for the sugar, and add its cost to 

 that of the labor, and the cost of materials 

 and equipment, he will find that he cannot 

 compete with the other fellow who uses 

 only the nectar of flowers that costs nothing. 



While there is an art in feeding back or 

 in feeding sugar syrup, the amount of loss 

 under most conditions between the amount 

 actually fed and the amount actually stored 

 is considerable. 



Proper Temperature to Heat Honey 

 for Bottling 



Mr. Shiber, in this issue, page 853, 

 brings up this question. A temperature of 

 160 degrees F. will keep honej' liquid — that 

 is, from granulation, for a longer period 

 than honey heated to 130 and then sealed. 

 But the latter honey will have a little better 

 flavor to the connoisseur and to the bee- 

 kee]5er who knows the quality of honey just 

 as it comes from the combs. But the aver- 

 age consumer — yes, the great mass of them 

 — will detect no difference between the hon- 

 ey heated to 160 and the other to 130. But 

 if a bottle of honey shows granulation, even 

 the slightest trace of it (and it will show up 

 at 130), that same average consumer be- 

 comes suspicious and does not buy. 



Tf the bottler could be sure his goods will 

 be sold in six or even nine months, in a 

 warm room the 130 temperature would be 

 better than 160; but the average jobber and 

 dealer puts his honey in cold storage. Such 

 Iioney will granulate in less than a year. 

 For this reason tlie bottler raises his honey 

 lo 160 before l)ottling. 



Honey in the Trenches of Europe 



Wk have now information from a source 

 which we mv nof now at liberty. to reveal, 

 that honey is being used in the European 

 trenches along with sugar. Both of these 



