March, 1921 



G r. E A N r N G S IN BEE C U T. T U R E 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



Biediger, LaCoste; Wm. Zimmermann, San 

 Antonio; Ambrose Johnson, Laredo; E. A. 

 MeKee, Volasco, and E. G. LeStonrgeon, San 

 Antonio, manager. 



The annual Mexican supper was attended 

 by about 100 members and friends, and only 

 those who have been at one of these ban- 

 quets can picture the amount of bee-fur 

 that was pulled. The new packing plant was 

 inspected by the members. The heating and 

 blending tanks, the net weight fillers and 

 can-plugging machines were of great inter- 

 est to the visitors. 



The members voted that the Association 

 become a member of the American Honey 

 Producers' League and pay the adver- 

 tising assessment levied by that body. The 

 resolution committee in its report included 

 a memorial to Dr. Miller, a section pledg- 

 ing the members to support the movement 

 for the establishment of a memorial schol- 

 arship, and one thanking the gentlemen 

 who are in charge of this work for an op- 

 portunity to help. 



The members were much in favor of ad- 

 vertising honey nationally and Texas honey 

 locally. In addition to their assessment to 

 the League, the Association voted to pay 

 one cent per colony for further advertis- 

 ing. 



As has been reported before, the beekeep- 

 ers of Texas, in spite of the very large 

 crop of 1920 and the slump in market, have 

 disposed of their crop, most of it having 

 been sold before the break came. One rea- 

 son for this is the fact that most of the 

 crop was on the market by July 1. 



H. B. Parks. 



College Station, Tex, 

 » * * 



In Ontario.— y^^ther conditions up to 

 date (ieb. 9) Irave con- 

 tinued milder than usual, and we have had 

 but three days when the mercury has 

 touched zero mark. While bees appear to be 

 wintering well outdoors, some beekeepers 

 have reported that they have had diffieulty 

 in keeping temperatures low enough in cel- 

 lars and other repositories. Out near Kings- 

 ton our bees are wintering in a repository 

 built entirely above ground; and, while this 

 particular building generally gives good re- 

 sults, yet it means constant attention to 

 keep it cool enough in a winter like this. 

 With over 250 colonies in the building, nat- 

 urally a lot of heat is generated from so 

 many bees. 



While the moderate weather is good for 

 the bees, clover is suffering more than usual 

 from the effects of alternate freezing and 

 thawing. There is no snow here at all, and 

 this condition applies to most of old Ontario 

 south of the Parry Sound district and west 

 of tlio eastern fi-ingo of counties. There may 

 be some exceptions to this statement; but, 

 in the main, judging by reports I have re- 



ceived, it is correct. Naturally prospects 

 look none too good for clover", but it is 

 too early to make any authentic statement 

 as to what we are likely to have by May 1. 

 Honey markets show no improvement 

 since last writing, and the wholesalers have 

 very little in stock, the bulk of supplies on 

 hand, contrary to usual conditions, being 

 mostly in the hands of producers, so far as 

 I can learn. It looks as tho concessions will 

 have to be made to move the crop before 

 another season. On the other hand, with pros- 

 pects poor for clover in 1921, some may pre- 

 fer to take a chance and hold their honey 

 over. 



The different schemes, given on page 82 

 of February Gleanings, relative to different 

 methods of wiring frames, should be well 

 worth the price of a year's subscription to 

 any beginners and many an old-time bee- 

 keeper as well, since sagged foundation 

 with resultant drone-cells is all too common 

 in most apiaries. A number of Ontario bee- 

 keepers use a method not described in the 

 article at all, namely, simple vertical wiring 

 without any crossing of wires in any place. 

 The late Mr. McEvoy was enthusiastic as to 

 this method, and all his frames were wired 

 that way. We have wired hundreds that way 

 and much prefer the vertical method to any 

 other. Of course, the objections are that a 

 heavier bottom-bar is needed, and it is diffi- 

 cult to pierce holes thru the thick top-bars. 

 Mr. McEvoy used small staples driven in 

 under the side of the top-bar to put wires 

 thru, but we have always pierced the top- 

 bars, believing that it is more rapid and 

 makes a better job. Aside from bottom-bars 

 being sprung up a bit sometimes, I still think 

 the vertical plan is at least as good as many 

 other plans given — indeed, much better 

 than some of them. 



I have recently been in correspondence 

 with some southern breeders regarding the 

 matter of getting some package bees sent in 

 by mail, as some friends of mine wished me 

 to get them a few. I find that the two-pound 

 package when ready for mailing weighs 

 about six pounds. While that weight is all 

 right for the United States mails, it seems 

 that four pounds is the limit for Canadian 

 mails, hence the two-pound packages are 

 not admissible to our post-office. I wonder 

 if this is generally known. It seems too bad 

 that there is no uniformity in the mailing 

 system between the two countries, since 

 daily interchange of mails on a large scale 

 is in progress all the time. 



Owing to exchange rates, express com- 

 panies ask shippers to prepay express - 

 charges in United States money, and this 

 factor, together with alleged poor service 

 and high rates, has caused many shippers 

 to send bees by express. J. L. Byer. 



Markham, Ontario. 



