GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



November, 1922 



FROM NORTH, EAST, WEST AND SOUTH 



We expect some loss from such colonies. We 

 meet such possible losses with our re- 

 serves, as w^e call them; that is, extra in- 

 crease in the fall with young queens and 

 enough bees to winter in the cellar. These 

 we expect to use in the spring where 

 queens are missing or failing. 



Greenville, Wis. Edw. Hassinger, Jr. 



* * * 



In. Montana Montana lias had the poor- 

 est lioney crop in its his- 

 tory. Final reports from the different dis- 

 tricts in the state indicate that not over a 

 third of a crop will be harvested this year. 

 Numerous reasons are given for the failure, 

 a very small growth of sweet clover, as 

 compared with the usual, probably being one 

 of the largest factors. The thrip, a small in- 

 sect found in the blossoms of both alfalfa 

 and sweet clover, as well as a very late 

 spring, probably had some effect. Prac- 

 tically the only honey flow which Montana 

 producers had was one in the early part of 

 July when some surplus was gathered. The 

 honey produced is up to the Montana stand- 

 ard of quality. 



The beekeeping industry of the state was 

 well represented at both the Billings and 

 Helena fairs by large exhibits of bee prod- 

 ucts and supplies. Free honey recipe leaf- 

 lets were distributed by B. F. Smith, Jr., of 

 Fromberg and R. A. Bray of Big Timber. 

 Doubtless a great deal of good was accom- 

 plished. 



The beekeeping course instituted last year 

 at the Montana State College of Agricul- 

 ture, with Professor O. A. Sipple in charge, 

 is well under way, and a great deal of in- 

 terest is being taken in the work. It is 

 planned to hold a large state beekeepers' 

 meeting at the college some time during the 

 winter months. 



Judging from the large first-year growth 

 of sweet clover, Montana beekeepers can 

 look forward to a banner season next year. 



Big Timber, Mont. R. A. Bray. 



* * * 



In IdaKo After a recent trip, covering 



about 200 miles, among the 

 beekeepers of western Idaho and eastern 

 Oregon, I encountered no one who had taken 

 a large crop. In a few districts, the alfalfa 

 weevil reduced the crop 50, 75 to perhaps 

 90 per cent; while in other districts, though 

 the weevil prevented the first crop of al 

 falfa from producing nectar, tlie second 

 flow was fairly good. In some places where 

 last year tlie crop was nearly a failure from 

 weevil deprcilations, this year a fair crop 

 was taken. Where spraying is resorted to, 

 for weevil control, there seems to be such 

 a destruction of minor parasites, such as the 

 thrips, that not only is more hay harvested, 

 but the bloom appears better and probably 

 produces more nectar. In addition to this, 



the best control methods include the early 

 cutting of the first crop of alfalfa, which 

 brings the later crops on somewhat earlier. 



There has been quite a general tendency 

 to try more or less migratory beekeeping, 

 and some have made it pay; but in some 

 cases, the weevil districts from which bees 

 have been moved, have later yielded quite 

 a honey flow. 



A few in orchard districts have suffered 

 loss from spray poison. There has been but 

 little increase made, and over much of the 

 territory there was but little swarming. One 

 producer is testing out Carniolan and Cau- 

 casian blood, in an effort to secure more in 

 crease, his range being understocked, but to 

 little avail. 



Regardless of prices quoted to buyers, 

 nearly all reply that we are one or two 

 cents too high, but there seems to be a 

 general feeling of confidence that, a little 

 later, honey will sell at something like a 

 fair price, though, with the higli cost of pro- 

 duction prevailing since the war, we are 

 not at all sure that that price will yield a 

 profit to the producer. 



All the extensive producers visited, so far 

 as I remember, now use central extracting- 

 plants, equipped with power extractors and 

 steam-heated uncapping knives. 



The crop this season consists almost en- 

 tirely of extracted honey, there being but 

 a very few producers shipping a carload or 

 more of comb honey. The quality is general- 

 ly excellent, probably being fully equal to 

 the best that has been shipped from this 

 region. E. F. Atwater. 



Meridian, Ida. 



In Pennsylvania.— Tii<^f^iii i^oney flow 



' m Pennsylvania has 



been as disa[)pointiiig as the early flows 

 were. A record-breaking drouth dried up 

 vegetation. In some favored spots golden- 

 rod and asters provided sufficient winter 

 stores of poor quality. In central and soutli- 

 ern counties most beekeepers have harvested 

 no surplus and are now feeding sugar to 

 provide winter food. 



A great lack of young bees for the win- 

 ter cluster has resulted because of poor 

 breeding conditions. In this respect young 

 queens of midsummer rearing have shown 

 up decidedly better, by laying more eggs 

 and keeping it up later and under bad con- 

 ditions, than have older queens. Italian 

 queens surpass black or mixed queens in 

 this respect. At this writing (October 6) 

 many young Italian queens are still laying 

 some eggs, while even young mixed queens 

 ceased egg-production some time ago. 



The control of American foul brood is the 

 problem most important in many locations. 

 Rome of the county beekeepers' associations 

 are making this the subject for special at- 



