286 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Mat, 1920 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



reported very heavy losses, even as large 

 as 50 per cent; while others reported good 

 results, the best record being less than two 

 per cent loss. Why was this difference? 

 The conclusions arrived at were that the 

 main cause of loss was due to poor stores, 

 and next in order was the lack of young bees 

 in the fall, due to little or no fall flow. 



The annual meeting of the Southern Min- 

 nesota and Western Wisconsin Beekeepers ' 

 Association was held at Winona, March 22 

 and 23. The meetings were well attended, 

 and the discussions were of considerable 

 interest. This is always true of the Winona 

 meetings. Prof. G. C. Matthews of the Bee 

 Culture Division of the University was pres- 

 ent and gave a stimulating address on the 

 things necessary for one to become a suc- 

 cessful beekeeper. If this plain, practical, 

 and comprehensive talk on the basic prin- 

 ciples of beekeeping could be given in the 

 various beekeeping sections of the State, I 

 believe it would do much toward helping 

 beekeepers to get more profit out of their 

 bees. Mr. Matthews not only understands 

 the theory of beekeeping, but he has also 

 had practical experience in managing large 

 apiaries. 



The classes in bee culture at the Univer- 

 sity Farm are larger than ever before, and 

 the interest is increasing. Just now voca- 

 tional classes, which will continue till Sept. 

 1, are being started for disabled soldiers. 

 Prof. Francis Jager, chief of the division, 

 has completed his arrangements for rearing 

 leather-colored Italian queens for Minnesota 

 beekeepers. He will begin making de- 

 liveries July 1st and all orders will be filled 

 in the order received. For information ad- 

 dress the Bee Culture Division, University 

 Farm, St. Paul. 



Those interested in the annual State Fair 

 exhibit will be pleased to know that C. B. 

 Stravs has been reappointed as superintend- 

 ent of the bee culture department. Bear in 

 mind that it is not too early to begin to 

 make plans for your exhibit. 



Minneapolis, Minn. Chas. D. Blaker. 



* * * 



In Ontario. ^^""^ ^''P^^t^ J;° '^''^*^; '^ 



appears that the winter- 

 ing of the bees has been fairly good. Wher- 

 ever stores were plenty and of good quali- 

 ty, and proper protection given to outdoor- 

 wintered colonies, results have been very 

 satisfactory and the loss small. A number 

 report that natural stores have granulated 

 solid in the combs, and the bees either starv- 

 ed outright or got uneasy, dysentery result- 

 ing. In our own case, so far as we have 

 examined our apiaries, our main loss is from 

 the above cause. Some 25 colonies in extra- 

 large hives at one yard were very heavy 

 last fall, and no sugar .syrup was fed to 

 them. Very few of these colonies amount 

 to much today altho only three or four are 



dead outright at date (April 7). Bees had 

 thoro flights on March 23 and 24, and some 

 cellar-winterers put their bees out on those 

 dates. On April 4 the weather turned cold 

 and stormy and has been that way since; so 

 perhaps bees might be better in the cellar 

 yet. 



Clover appears to be in fine condition, 

 and with normal weather from now on pros- 

 pects are good for a crop of honey. 



From what I can learn there is not much 

 old honey on hand in Canada, but what lit- 

 tle there is moves very slowly, even if sugar 

 and other commodities that are used in 

 most families are steadily climbing in price. 

 Buckwheat honey is especially weak, altho 

 the crop was light last year. 



Much has been said in reference to the 

 new aluminum combs recently placed on the 

 market, and most of the comments have 

 been of a commendatory nature. Thru the 

 courtesy of the manufacturers I had the use 

 of two combs last season, and, while that 

 number is not enough to work with to give 

 accurate data, still I naturally formed an 

 idea as to their future usefulness. The bees 

 accepted the combs all right, and brood- 

 rearing was carried on in a normal way, so 

 far as I could judge. Possibly three-quarters 

 of an inch of space near the end bars is 

 not utilized, as the cells are not perfectly 

 formed there owing to the manner of con- 

 struction where the metal is attached to the 

 end bars. But I was favorably impressed 

 with their possibilities and so expressed my- 

 self more than once — the high price being 

 the one thing against their general adoption. 

 But a recent observation makes me wonder 

 if, after all, metal has not some objections 

 as compared with beeswax, so far as the 

 bees are the judges. These two combs sent 

 us were placed in an 8-frame Langsti'oth 

 hive, and last fall the colony was feil solid 

 with sugar syrup, seven combs being in the 

 hive. By the way, this colony was on seven 

 combs as near being solid with honey as 

 possible when placed in the cellar about 

 Nov. 20. The bottom-board was fast to the 

 hive, and there was only a small bee-space 

 under the frames. The entrance was only 

 four inches in length and half an inch deej). 

 The colony was purposely left this way to 

 see if bees on solid combs of stores would 

 die if they had no room to cluster under tlie 

 combs. That such a colony would perish 

 was positively stated by one of our best 

 authorities some time ago, when the ques- 

 tion of the so-called "winter nests" was 

 being discussed. Needless to tell my read- 

 ers that this colony wintered in perfect 

 condition, my son saying it was the best 

 among the 60 when we carried the bees out. 

 I might say that often during the winter a 

 contented cluster as big as an orange was 

 noticed outside of the entrance of the hive. 



But to get back to my story. By mere 



