.iii.v, in'-'o 



n I. K A N T N n S T N BEE CULTURE 



ly tlio tables are tuniino;. In most eases 

 lieiiey is not only elieaper, l)\it superior to 

 sujjar for eanninjj-. linlk for hulk, honey 

 goes farther than sugar. 



For canning purposes a mild - flavored 

 honey is preferable. For example, one 

 would not like to eat peaches with the 

 strong flavor of buckwheat. He would pre- 

 fer the peaches for the peaches' flavor. It 

 is our opinion that honey from cotton, 

 mountain sage, star thistle, tupelo, gall- 

 berry, and clover would all be well adapted 

 for canning. Orange, alfalfa, and basswood 

 would be too pronounced for canning. 



Off or strong flavors of honey can be used 

 for cooking, for making cakes and pastries, 

 and for puddings. Formerly sugar was us- 

 ed as it was cheaper than honey, but here 

 again the tables turn. 



If beekeepers do not use the splenditl 

 opportunities ahead to introduce honey to 

 the housewives, it is their own fault. They 

 should play that kind of slogan to the 

 grocer and all of their local trade. 



In a word when sugar is scarce and high- 

 ])riced. honey is going to benefit, but the 

 beekeeper must not make the mistake of 

 charging too much for his product, or the 

 liousewife will choose sugar instead. If 

 we can once show the housewife that honey 

 can be used for canning and baking, we 

 shall have scored a big point for all time to 

 come. 



JUST AT this time bees are being moved in 

 carlots from localities in the South, where 

 the main fiow is 

 How to Sfiip over, to northern 



Bees in Refrig- localities where the 

 erator Cars. flow is about to 



begin. Some large 

 producers make a practice of shipping their 

 bees in carlots south in cattle-cars in the 

 fall when the weather is cool or cold, 

 buililing them up while in the South and 

 catching a crop, then moving them back 

 again to the North in iced cars during hot 

 weather. Shipping bees in the ordinary 

 way in cattle-cars during hot weather is 

 usually attended with considerable loss. 

 The editor in his travels over the country 

 has interviewed a number of producers who 

 ship in refrigerator cars, and the follow- 

 ing is the general plan that is used: 



First, a refrigerator car must be selected 

 tliat has ventilating coops or scoops on top 

 at each end. Some ventilation, even in iced 

 cars, is important. The bees are put into 

 the cars in much the same way that they 

 are packed in open cattle cars, with this 

 difference — that less of ventilation to the 

 individual colony is required. Every hive 

 should have a wire-cloth screen on top; and 

 between each two tiers of hives there should 

 be placed 2x4's; and these should be brac- 

 ed in the usual way so that the end shocks 

 as the result of stopping and starting may 

 not break loose the fasteners. 



During liot weather much stronger colo- 



nies can he shipped in refrigerator cars 

 than in open cattle-cars; hut one must be 

 careful not to overdo it. Some men think it 

 is necessary to have a half-depth super on 

 top to provide extra clustering room. Some 

 of them say the hives can be packed solid 

 like so much cordwood. This may be all 

 right for short distances, and where the car 

 is moving along on schedule time. But we 

 do not recommend it even then. It is ad- 

 visable rather to leave an alleyway thru 

 the middle of the car, so that an attendant 

 can note the condition of the bees. He 

 should see that the car is iced at intervals 

 of not more than two or three days. In any 

 case, should the car get out of ice the re- 

 sult will be disastrous. In the event of an 

 accident or delay, so that ice cannot be pro- 

 cured, the bees must be immediately un- 

 loaded, for they can not be confined in a 

 refrigerator car without ice. They should 

 then, after a flight, be reloaded into an or- 

 dinary cattle-car, provided a refrigerator 

 car fully iced can not be obtained. 



It is important that the attendant get on 

 top of the car himself when it is being iced, 

 and, if necessary, help fill the ice-compart- 

 ments. E.ailway employees sometimes do 

 not see the importance of fully icing the 

 car, with the result that the owner of the 

 bees may suffer heavy losses. 



Arrangements should be made in advance 

 to have the car iced often — the oftener the 

 better, because the bees will generate a 

 large amount of heat. If they can be kept 

 as cool as they are when in a cellar, and 

 the car be kept moving, except for icing, 

 they will go thru with the loss of hardly a 

 bee. 



Where colonies are very strong, or of hon- 

 ey-gathering strength, it is advisable to use 

 two stories. If they are fairly boiling over 

 with bees, it may be necessary to use top 

 and bottom screens in addition. The ship- 

 per will have to use his own judgment, al- 

 ways erring on the side of giving too much 

 ventilation or too much room. 



It goes without saying, that the attend- 

 ant does not ride in the car with the bees 

 where ice is used. He can have the "com- 

 forts" of the ordinary caboose, and, to see 

 hcv7 things are moving, he should open tiie 

 car only when the train stops. On enter- 

 ing, he should close the door immediately to 

 shut out the warm air and the light. 



The important factor in moving bees in 

 iced cars is the exclusion of heat and light. 

 If bees can be brought down to a cellar 

 temperature and kept in total darkness, 

 they will soon become accustomed to the 

 nimble and jolts of the train. 



W(- are not sure but that refrigerator 

 cars without ice would be better than com- 

 mon cars, even in cool or cold weather. 



Last, but not least; after loading the 

 becb, don 't close the car doors until half 

 an hour after the ice is put in. This will 

 give time for the car to begin to cool from 

 the ice. Better puD the ice in before load- 

 ing the car, if possible. 



