926 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Decembee, 1917 



efforts in presenting their exhibit. More 

 beekeepers shoukl avail themselves of this 

 oy:)portunity of presenting their industry to 



the public. 



* * * 



There are those who can see some good 

 resulting from eveiy disaster, and this is 

 particularly tnie among tlie. beekeepers. 

 The extremely severe season just passed will 

 oertainlj' result in the death of the colonies 

 which are in any way affected with Ameri- 

 can foul brood. The diseased colonies of 

 last summer died vei-y early, and what stores 

 might have been left in such hives could not 

 have served long in the robber colony before 

 it in turn died out; also any colonies that 

 robbed weak diseased colonies in the fall 

 will certainly have a poor chance to go 

 thru the winter. 



It is said that but few or no colonies of 

 bees are now to be found in trees thruout 

 the southwest section, where the season has 

 been so severe. The absence of such bees 

 will be a great help to the queen-breeder in 

 particular and to all progressive beekeepers 

 in general. Tf it is true that bees in trees 

 harbor American foul brood, such a menace 



will be removed. 



* * * 



In the early fall it was discovered by the 

 beekeepers in one of the southwestern coun- 

 ties that their bees were dying, and examin- 

 ation disclosed the fact that there were no 

 stores in the liives. Many began at once to 

 feed sugar syrup and artificial pollen. The 

 results of this artificial feeding were very 

 satisfactory. In many instances such ac- 

 tion will mean the saving of an apiary. 



NOTES FROM CANADA 



]. L. Byer, Markham, Ont. 



OUR thanks 

 are due the 

 author for 

 a copy of the re- 

 port of the state bee inspector, as well as 

 the report of the Iowa State Beekeepers' 

 Association, which together comprise a 

 very neat and nicely bound little volume. 

 Mr. Pellett is not only a capable and en- 

 thusiastic naturalist and beekeeper, but in 

 addition is a sj^lendid writer with tlie ability 

 of putting his thoughts on paper in a man- 

 ner that is interesting and instruictive to all 

 who have the privilege to i^ead them. The 

 report is well worth a place on any bee- 

 keeper's table; and, while especially fitted 

 for latitudes similar to that of Iowa, it has 

 much of interest to beekeepers in other 

 places as well. 



* * * 



The question of talcing all the honey 

 away from the bees in the fall and buying 

 bees from the South in the spring has been 

 suggested in the past, yet very feAv have 

 seriously considered the proposition, as it 

 looked too risky from a financial standpoint. 

 Also to allow so many bees to perish does 

 not look like good business, to say nothing 

 of the humane aspect of the matter. I have 

 never had any idea that it would pay, be- 

 cause of the great number of risks that 

 would have to be taken into account, such 

 as being able to get the bees when wanted, 

 etc. But if there ever was a time when the 

 plan looked at all feasible from a financial 

 standpoint, that time is right now, provided, 

 of course, that the bees can be bought in 

 the spring at last season's prices (another 

 chance). Talk about the cost of wintering 



stock on the 

 f arin ! Wliy, a 

 little calculation 

 will show that 

 the beekeeper will sj^end more in winter- 

 ing his bees than many farmers ever thought 

 of spending on tlieir live stock. Take our 

 own case, whicli is only typical of hundreds 

 of others. With over 700 colonies in win- 

 ter quarters, and colonies averaging at least 

 35 pounds of stores each, quite a nice sum 

 could be put in the bank if all that honey 

 were extracted and sold at present prices — 

 a sum, by the way, which a few years ago 

 (befoi-e the buying power of the dollar de- 

 creased 50 per cent) would have looked al- 

 most large enough for humble mortals like 

 yours truly to retire on. 

 » * * 



OL'TDOORS vs. INDOORS. 



So the editor of Gleanings is inclined to 

 think that it is colder in Illinois than here 

 in Ontario, page 854, November. Well, all 

 that I can say is that if he will come here in 

 the very coldest time, ir^stead of coming as 

 lie did last in the very wettest time, perhaps 

 he will change liis opinions. I don't know 

 how much wind they have around Borodino. 

 N. Y., nor yet around Marengo, 111. ; but I 

 do know that since the bush has about all 

 been cut down in our locality we get enough 

 wind to suit us, both as to continuity and 

 also velocity. As to the New York locality 

 with ils many hills, one would naturally 

 think that the wind would be less notice- 

 able than on level stretches. In regard to 

 the Illinois location, I have little idea what 

 it is, except that it is a wonderful place for 

 big croi)s of honey when the bees are man- 



