1881 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



185 



Jan. 1, 1881. They are beginniug to work quite 

 briskly. The West India pea-tree, called the pigeon 

 pea {Cajaniis indicus\ blooms all winter and affords 

 good bee pasture. Of these we have a few. A few 

 citron {Cilnis mcdica) blooms begin to appear, and 

 these atford both pollen and honey. So also the 

 lime iCitius limetta), and the lemon {Citrus limon- 

 um), furnish both pollen and honey and are begin- 

 ning to bloom. A few blossoms of the Spider plant 

 (Cleome pungcns) have made their appearance. In 

 the West Indies, its native habitat, this plant is 

 called " wild massambee," where it blooms the 

 whole year. Beyond these and a few other flowers 

 in the yard, I do not know where they obtain their 

 supplies. No more feeding is necessary. 



Jan. 15. Found brood in all the hives. In one, 

 three frames of brood in all stages, and quantities of 

 young bees. 



Feb. 1. The saw palmetto is beginning to bloom 

 quite freely, and the bees are having a grand time. 

 They are at it early, and hurry as if it were harvest 

 time. Bright sunny weather, ranging from 65° in 

 the morning to 75= at noon in the shade. 



It is noon, Feb. 2oth, and orange-trees are bloom- 

 ing, and the bees are happy. Present indications 

 are that they will now have a continuous harvest 

 until the middle of June. And were it not for the 

 uncertainty of counting chickens before the eggs 

 are laid, I would tell you how much honey they will 

 gather. It is safe to say we shall have all we can 

 eat. J.4S. H. White. 



Island Home, Brevard Co., Fla. 



FRIEND JACKSOK'S TALK TO THE ABC 

 AND OTHER CL.^SSES. 



WHICH IS THE BEST SMOKER? 



EN regard to the best smoker (see E. Cadwell,p. 81, 

 Feb. No.) I would say I have used the Simplicity 

 cold-blast for the past two seasons; it has giv- 

 en entire satisfaction. I have gone one mile without 

 its going out when I was out transferring bees. It 

 has never been out of order. I find all work best 

 with good fuel. Rotten wood is best. 



HOW TO GET RID OF A FERTILE WORKER. 



To remove a fertile worker, take a strong colony, 

 cage the queen, and exchange places with the one 

 that has the fertile worker. In 2-t hours release the 

 queen with the same care as when introducing. 

 The one with the fertile worker should be given a 

 frame of young brood and eggs, and placed on the 

 stand where the strong colony was removed from. 

 The old bees coming in will destroy the fertile work- 

 er. In the evening, place a caged queen in the hive, 

 and introduce in theusualway. I have never known 

 this plan to fail. 



LEARNING THE TRADE. 



I fear two many of our young bee-keepers do not 

 realize what it is to learn bee-keeping. I have work- 

 ed at the watch-maker's trade for over 20 years, and 

 do not know it all yet. I have taught several young 

 men the trade, and the most of them think they 

 know more in six months than they do in ten years. 

 They soon think they should be allowed to set the 

 jewels and put the new staffs in the balance-wheels. 

 While watch-making is a very fine trade, I think it 

 more easily learned than bee-keeping. I do not say 

 this to discourage any one, but that they may be 

 more careful, and go slowly. I have been watching 



the new beginners very closely through Gleanings, 

 and have learned many valuable lessons through the 

 failures of others. I have kept run of many, and 

 can see the cause of their failures. I think one or 

 two colonies are far better for any one to begin with 

 than ten or twenty. Then be in no hurry to increase : 

 if you double your number each year, the bees will 

 increase as fast as your knowledge. If we could 

 spend two years with some good apiarist, I think we 

 might be safe in starting an apiary of our own with 

 25 or ;)0 colonies, provided wo take and study the 

 journals. We could then see tke cause of success 

 and failure, and, with the good advice of the editors 

 from time to time, we need have no fears of blasted 

 hopes. 



BOX HIVES TO START WITH. 



Now, friend Root, T do not think your advice to L. 

 S. Smith pp. 135, 136, of March No., very good. I will 

 admit that, when he can manage bees in the box 

 hive he can in any other; but how is he ever to learn 

 how to manage them in the box hives? It is like 

 learning to swim before going into the water. 



This being a very severe winter on bees, I think It 

 a good time to notice something about what kind of 

 aframe is the most successful in wintering. I have 

 worked on the plan of testing all things before adopt- 

 ing. I have used frames from 16 inches deep down 

 to the L. frame, and have adopted the Gallup frame 

 as the most practical. It is easier handled than the 

 L. frame, and for wintering, the bees are far more 

 compact. 1 packed 19 colonies In chaff on their sum- 

 mer stands, and in the Gallup frame, about Oct. 20, 

 and did not get to examine them till Feb. 26; then I 

 found 17 as strong as they were in October; 2 had 

 lost about a of their bees, and one queen was lost. 

 They all had brood in all stages, except the queen- 

 less colony; but none have enough to hurt them 

 much. I would rather my bees would not rear much 

 brood before April. 



I like the new cover on Gleanings much better 

 than the old one. It looks cleaner and neater. 



THE JUVENILE DEFJiRTMENT. 



I do not think you can give the juvenile class too 

 much encouragement. Once get our childeren in- 

 terested in the study of bee culture, and we are on a 

 "specie basis." I like your idea of giving them book 

 presents for their letters. It gets them more inter- 

 ested in the works of God. Once get them thoroughly 

 interested in such studies, and we need have but lit- 

 tle fear of the haunts of the bar-room and gaming- 

 dens. 



LADIES' DEPARTMENT. 



My wife thinks the Ladies' Department should re- 

 ceive more attention. Many of the ladies could write 

 as good letters as the men; and it would be more en- 

 couragement for the ladies to study bee culture if 

 they knew what others are doing. Many of them 

 could make a far better living for themselves than 

 they do at much harder labor. 



My wife has two colonies that she is learning to 

 manage. She thinks your Homes is one of the best 

 departments you have. My daughter can beat any 

 of us catching the queen when the bees swarm. 



Fairland, Ind., March 7, 1881. L. R. Jackson. 



You misapprehend my remarks in regard 

 to box hives, friend .J. I expected, of course, 

 the beginner would transfer them, and it 

 was that he might go through with this op- 

 eration, and thus gain experience while he 

 saved expense, that I gave such advice. 



