382 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



May, 1917 



later, and continues till September. It 

 prefers clamp soil, tho it grows fairly well 

 thru the low pine woods or flatwoods. Bees 

 work on it all day long. The honey is 

 said by those who have it to have a rather 

 acrid and decidedly unpleasant taste. One 

 beekeeper reports that he thinks, but 

 does not really know, that it was this source 

 that spoiled the flavor of his cabbage- 

 palmetto honey. See also the report in 

 the Oct. 15th issue, of a beeman who re- 

 ported that his cabbage-palmetto honey was 

 poor in flavor. It may be that it was this 

 redroot that did the damage. The flower 

 takes its name from the dark red root, 

 which colors the flesh of swine pink when 

 used as forage. 



* * * 



Many of Gleanings' readers will doubt- 

 less remember Mr. W. J. Young, formerly 

 with the Chemical Staff at Washington, D. 

 C, whose name appears on the excellent 

 government bulletin containing two valuable 

 publications, the one entitled " The C'hem- 

 ical Analysis of Honeys," and the other 

 " The Identification of Honeys by Micro- 

 scopical Examination of Pollen Grains." 

 The latter is by Mr. Young. While no longer 

 connected with the federal office, he is still 

 doing good work in other fields. A recent 

 letter from him seems to have some points 

 worthy of being reprinted here. With his 

 pei^mission portions are here given. He 

 says: "I am referring your letter to Mr. 

 B. J. Howard, the Chief of the Micro-chem- 

 ical laboratory. He will, I think, make the 

 examination for you. Blossoms for exam- 

 ination should be gathered as soon as open, 

 and dried as for the herbarium. Usually 

 an ounce of honey is plenty for microscopic 



examination." 



* * * 



About November last, two young men of 

 the inspection squad of the Florida Stale 

 Plant Board, Gainesville, Fla., apiJeared at 

 our abode and announced that they wished 

 to examine critically the leaves of all 

 orange-trees on the place. Their aim was 

 to ascertain whether or not any signs might 

 be api^earing, to indicate the presence of 

 the dreaded citrus canker. After they had 

 made the examination, and found that no 

 disease was present here, and while they 

 were at the hydrant, cleaning up a little be- 

 fore taking their auto again, I engaged 

 them in conversation. I had noted the 

 special suits they used for all inspection 

 work, and at once the idea came to me, 

 " What a dandy bee-suit!" I spoke about it 

 to the young men, who told me that the 

 suits could be obtained of the Plant Board 

 at Gainesxillc, and cost only $1.25 each. 



Well, the upshot of the whole matter was 

 that I wrote to the Board and ordered a 

 suit as a trial dress for the beeyard. When 

 it came I donned it and sallied forth, look- 

 ing like an inspector sure enough. But, 

 altho I appeared like an animated Santa 

 Claus in summer time, I was pleased with 

 the effects, and the more I have used the 

 suit the better I am pleased. 



The suit in question is made of white 

 cotton cloth, like a heavy cambric cloth; 

 opens down the front, buttoning up close 

 all around the neck, and is made in one 

 piece from top to toe. When the leggins 

 are put on over it, and the veil tucked down 

 under the neck-band, and that buttoned, I 

 defy any bee, even the most savage and the 

 most i^ersistent, to gain admittance to the 

 operator. The special merit of this suit, 

 as I see it, is its lightness and color. White 

 is less offensive to bees than darker hues ; 

 there is no doubt about that; and with a 

 light i^air of overalls, and a light jumper or 

 blouse under this suit, it is not uncomfort- 

 able even in warm weather. It has a pocket 

 in the front, handy for the hive-tool, and one 

 in rear for handkerchief, etc. Plenty of room 

 is one of the chief merits in a bee-suit ; and 

 I made a point of getting this one large 

 enough and to spare. I do not regret it. 

 Not long ago I was surj^rised to receive the 

 following letter from Mr. Wilmon Newell, 

 Plant Commissioner, of Gaines\'ille, which 

 is interesting enough to deserve a place in 

 Gleanings for Florida readers: 



Dear Sir: — I have noticed your letter of January 

 31, with which you sent a check for $1.25 for an 

 inspection suit to be used in conneclion with your 

 beekeeping work. I have had considerable experi- 

 ence in the past with bees myself; but the possibility 

 of the inspection suit being adapted to beekeeping 

 work did not occur to me until I noticed your letter. 

 From a theoretical standpoint, at least, it looks as 

 tho the suit should be well adapted for this purpose. 



After you have tried it out thoroly I should be 

 glad to hear from you as to how well it answers the 

 purpose. Wilmon Newell, 



Gainesville, Fla. Plant Commissioner. 



* « * 



METAL COVERS^ AGAIN. 



A correspondent from faraway Seattle 

 writes to ask for more detailed description 

 of tlie metal covers described and advocated 

 in Gleanings. June 15, p. 472. Further in- 

 formation on the construction, especially of 

 the wooden part, is requested. We have re- 

 ferred him to any of the standard dealers 

 in bee supplies, advising him to purchase 

 one cover complete in the flat, and use that 

 as a guide in case he desires to make his own 

 covers. He adds: "Our winters are as 

 wet a.=5 your summers, and I have found all 

 the trouble j'ou have with ordinary covers." 

 Friend Carr, of New Jersey, has also writ- 

 ten, advof'ating canvas, heavily painted, in 

 place of tin or galvanized iron (the latter 



