Jl-LY, 1917 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



547 



the plume - like racemes, (Cieamy whitei. 

 They are appearing rather earlier and more 

 profusely than usual. Here's hoping for 

 a. good flow from it when it does bloom. 

 "We need it. Saw palmetto does not ap- 

 pear to be yielding overly well thus far. It 

 l:as been too dr>' up to the present time, 

 and buds are blighting in many plac3s. 

 We are glad to note that the mangrove on 

 the west coast, below Tampa, is also show- 

 ing buds, not being killed by the cold 

 wave in February. Florida may have a 

 crop of honey yet. 



The partridge pea {Cassia chamaecrista) 

 is showing up well, and in July it ought to 

 be yielding nectar. Wliile the honey is 

 very dark-red, and strong in flavor, this 

 year anj'thing that is honey will be wel- 

 come. It will cut down the sugar bill, or 

 will bring a good price with the baking 

 trade. Let us keep our bees strong ready 

 to take advantage of any sudden or unex- 

 pected flow. Honey is honey this year. 



CROP PROSPECTS. 



The outlook for Florida is not as rosy 

 as it might be, but it is still too early to 

 state definitely. A fair crop of saw-pal- 

 metto honey has been taken in the middle 

 and southern parts of Florida, and bees are 

 building up and beginning to store some 

 surplus, even in the inland portions. On 

 tlie river and coastal lands bees are storing 

 well now, from gallberry and palmetto, in 

 the middle and northern parts of the state. 

 But with orange cut out, the mangrove 

 somewhat hurt, and the drouth that is 

 rather trying just now, the outlook is none 

 too reassuring. However, brothers, bee- 

 men, fellow-citizens, let us keep our di§h 

 right side up, and be ready for any bless- 

 ing that comes our way. 

 * * * 



A slight touch of foul brood (American) 

 has made its appearance on the East Coast. 

 Prompt measures have been started to 

 stamjD it out. Reports later. 



I HAVE just 

 succeeded i n 

 completing an 

 electric imbedder 

 by the use of the family toaster as a re- 

 ducing tiarsformer. It was so easily and 

 quickly made that I was surprised by my 

 success. Three to five seconds are sufficient 

 to melt the wires in. 



* * * 



I use a %-inch entrance across the front 

 of my hives, and find that a piece of red- 

 wood shake makes a good entrance-guard. 

 Break it any length you choose and slip it 

 into the part you wish closed, and that is all 



there is to it. 



* * ^ 



Dr. Miller says, page 189, March. " every 

 lajdng queen ends her career by being 

 superseded by the bees." . I wish that were 

 true in all events; but som.e of my queens 

 have a habit of playing out during the win- 

 ter when there is no chance of being super- 

 seded. 



]\Ir. Porter, of Fresno, in describing tlie 

 texture of granulated bluecurl honey, says 

 the grain is very fine. I find it quite the 

 opposite here, as it becomes coarse, and so 

 hard in the combs that the bees often re- 

 move it from the cells and out of the hive 

 without making use cf it. 



* * * 



I have abandoned my record-book of 

 colonies as being too much trouble and too 



IN CALIFORNIA 



P. C. Chadwick, Redlands, Cal. 



great a time- 

 e n sumer. A 

 leadpencil for 

 records o n the 

 hive answers very well for history, wliile a 

 few small stones on the lids show the im- 

 mediate needs of the colony. If there is 

 an exceptionally fine colony' it will not be 

 forgotten. 



* * * 



I have always been opposed to the Hoff- 

 man frame, but am now convinced that its 

 advantages far offset its disadvantages, and 

 hereafter I expect to buy no other make. 

 Tlie advantage of always being ready to 

 move is in itself one of the strongest points; 

 and the self-spaeing, which cf necessity 

 means uniform spacing, is a very desirable 

 feature. 



» * * 



It is poor economy to spend valuable time 

 and much feed trying to nurse a weak colo- 

 ny to a prosperous condition. It always re- 

 minds me of tlie Irishman who purchased 

 a pig from his neighbor. The neighbor, af- 

 ter a few weeks, asked the Irishman how 

 the pig was doing. " Well," said the Irish- 

 man, " he is the greatest glutton I ever saw. 

 He drank a whole pail of swill; and when I 

 put him in the pail he did not half fill it up." 



* * (E- 



My bee-rancli neighbor called to me as I 

 was driving past his house to see if I could 

 tell him what my bees were doing in his 

 chicken-yard. I went over, and was not 



