1074 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



afford to put up a show. If Topeka will 

 pay better prizes they will have better 

 shows. This organization is to work in 

 harmony with the Kansas Beekeepers' Asso- 

 ciation. Dr. A. D. Roffington, of Hutchin- 

 son, was chosen president ; J. A. Nenninger, 

 of Nickerson, secretary, and J. L. Pelham, 

 of Hutchinson, treasurer. 



The Hutchinson Daily Gazette says : 

 Fruit canned with honey exhibited by J. 



P. Lucas, of Topeka, is well worth the time 

 of every housewife to visit. He has on ex- 

 hibit a number of fruits canned with honey. 

 He has kept some of these jars since 1910, 

 and has shown them every year since. All 

 are in good condition. Among the canned 

 dainties are corn, peaches, pears, cherries, 

 red raspberries, plums, plum butter, and 

 strawberries. Mr. Lucas also has samples of 

 honey made from 28 different flowers. 

 Topeka, Kas. 



IS THIS FAILURE? 



BY ( LOSSON SCOTT 



For six or seven years I have been an en- 

 thusiastic beekeeper. I have bought most 

 of the textbooks, read most of the journals, 

 spent two years with a professional, and 

 even traveled nearly a thousand miles look- 

 ing for a new location. But lately I have 

 had my doubts about continuing in the busi- 

 ness. In this article I expect to give a little 



Exhibit of J. P. Lucas, of Topeka. Mr. Lucas was handicapped by 

 reason of living so far away. As usual, his fruit canned with honey was a 

 great surprise to the ladies. He had some put up six years ago. He 

 also had 28 kinds of honey made from different honey-plants. 



advice to beginners, and hope to get some 

 more from the real experts. 



I started beekeeping in the usual way. I 

 hived a swarm, got curious about the myri- 

 ads of little insects, bought a book, then an- 

 other, subscribed for Gleanings, used pat- 

 ent hives and then scrapped them, worked 



for more bees, and then still more, and now 

 am somewhat in doubt as to whether I have 

 made enough of a failure to quit or not. 

 The " some more " bees amount to only 

 about sixty colonies; but as there has been 

 no iDrofit, and as I can't afford to keep 

 bees for pleasure, they must be sold or given 

 away or moved to a better location. 



The first two years 

 I had from four to 

 nine colonies. Then 

 winter cut the number 

 to one. I spent that 

 season with a large 

 producer, and learned 

 much about winter- 

 ing and other subjects 

 of value to me. The 

 next year I went back 

 as one of the assist- 

 ants, instead of being 

 a mere student, at an 

 increase in salary. The 

 next year I thought I 

 knew enough to start 

 for myself, as I had 

 helped handle 125,000 

 lbs. of honey besides 

 seeing a few other bee- 

 keepers, and picking 

 up quite a few ideas. 

 Accordingly I pur- 

 chased about thirty- 

 five colonies and start- 

 ed on the home farm. 

 We were living in 

 town at the time ; but 

 I rode out on a bicyle 

 to tend the bees. The 

 season was almost a complete failure, and 

 I fed for winter with the thought that I 

 would make it all back next year. But next 

 year came ; and when the winter stores were 

 gone I had to get out the feeders and keep 

 them going till fall. About that time our 

 inspector came to look over the bees. They 



