JUNE, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



shoulfl be, inside cubic incbes, at least tbi'e<> 

 times as large as the volume of the bees 

 when " jounced down " in a heap in the 

 bottom of (he cage. A larger volume will 

 be better. 



Where there are several packages in one 

 shipment they should be crated together 

 leaving about four inches of space between 

 the cages to provide for air. When a 

 single cage is shipped there should be 

 projecting cleats on each side of the cage 

 so that it can not be shoved up close to other 

 packages shutting ofif the ventilation. 



Another important and vital considera- 

 tion is the candy. This should be the same 

 thing that is used in ordinary queeu-mailing 

 cages. To prepare it, mix powdered sugar 

 and honey heated to 140° F. into a stiff 

 dough. But the honey, before using, should 

 be boiled for at least 30 minutes in a closed 

 container. The mixing should be done with 

 a big spoon in a pan. So far the direc- 

 tions seem very simple; but it is an art to 

 make candy and make it right. The lump 

 of candy should be allowed to stand for two 

 or three days in a warm room. If it be- 

 comes sticky, and " runs " (that is, softens 

 sufiicieutly to spread out) in a shallow pan, 

 more powdered sugar should be mixed in; 

 but be careful not to overdo it. Too much 

 honey or too much sugar will spoil the 

 dough and kill every bee in the package be- 

 fore arrival at destination. When the 

 candy is just right it will stand a tempera- 

 ture of 90° and^not " run." 



During extremely warm or hot weather it 

 is advisable to have a bottle of water mount- 

 ed in the top of the cage. This consists of 

 a little tin can turned upside down, with a 

 single perforation thru the cap of such a 

 size as will just admit a No. 30 wire. Do 

 not make it larger. 



When practical, bees in package form 

 should be moved in cool weather. When 

 the temperature ranges between 80 and 90 

 during the middle hours of the day, the 

 average shipper may expect some losses. 

 To prevent overheating, printed directions 

 on the outside of the package should tell the 

 expressman to keep the bees out of the 

 sun and not to put them in a close express 

 room over night. 



Just before starting the bees on their trip 

 it is advisable to feed them some thin syrup 

 made of sugar. Tliis may be applied on 

 the outside of the wire cloth by means of 

 a rag dampened in the syrup; or it may be 

 painted on the wire cloth. 



Bees should not be put up in their pack- 

 ages until within about two hours of train 

 time. They should not be allowed to stand 

 in cages out in the sun. This is very im- 

 portant. 



When the consignee receives the package 

 he should give the bees sweetened water 

 thru the wire cloth, as explained ; and he 

 should be careful not to overdo by daubing 

 (he bees. 



30^05= 



IN OUR ISSUE for April, page 252, in 

 our write-up of dandelions we stated that 

 while the plant " yield- 

 DANDELION ed little or no honey," 



AS A HONEY- it was useful mainly 

 TIELDER for the pollen it fur- 



nished. Since that 

 time numerous correspondents from all over 

 the United States where dandelion grows 

 assure us that the plant does yield some 

 honey — some years more than others. Mrs. 

 Floyd Markham, Ypsilanti, Mich., writes 

 that tlieir bees one season gathered enough 

 dandelion honey so they had quite a few 

 sections tilled and capped over. The flavor 

 is rank and color dark. The nose, she said, 

 could very easily tell what kind of honey it 

 was before tasting. 



The dandelion has never yielded any sur- 

 plus in our locality — probably because we 

 have too many bees for the territory; but 

 we have always regarded it as extremely 

 useful in starting bees in breeding; and in 

 view of the general testimony we shall have 

 to conclude that bees gather at least a 

 little honey as well as a large amount of 

 pollen from dandelion. 



PATRIOTISM 

 IN HONEY 

 PRODUCTION 



THESE ARE THE DAYS when the na- 

 tion expects every man to do his duty. 



These are tre- 

 mendously, a w- 

 f ully serious 

 days. We are at 

 war. Bloodshed 

 and suffering of our own American boys 

 will soon begin in the world's tight against 

 that mons(rous delusion of Prussianism and 

 Kaiserism (hat might makes right. The 

 great cause awaits America's strength and 

 bravery. We shall not fail that cause. 

 But this nation will be tried as never before. 

 A part in that great trial will be a test of 

 our resources and food supplies under the 

 strain of war. The war, indeed, seems now 

 likely to be won or lost by food conditions. 

 Just here is where every citizen, who has the 

 opportunity to produce any kind of food 

 stuff, can enlist in the world's great cause 

 as efficiently as can the soldier at the front-— 

 and here is where the beekeeper may enlist 

 now and at once. 



Let us repeat that all indications point 

 to the fact that it will be impossible to pro- 



