1881 



GLEANINGS m BEE CULTURE. 



349 



were dead but two, and they had only a handful left. 

 I took them into the house, set them behind the 

 stove, and they warmed up and got dry. In three 

 days the queens were layiufi-. I kept them in a 

 warm room, and in less than ten days they were 

 hatching young bees, " you liet." I took good care 

 of them, and they are now filling their hives full of 

 white-clover honey. A. Bixby. 



Foristell, St. Charles Co., Mo., June 14, 1881. 



The following little circumstance is not without in- 

 terest to the ABC class: 



BKE-STIXG IX THE EYELID. 



On the 6th day of the present month my neighbor 

 Fantcher was hiving a swarm of bees, when ho re- 

 ceived a sting on the right ejelid, about a sixth of an 

 inch above its lower margin. He scratched the sting 

 oil, as he thought, and continued his work, thinking 

 no nioro pf the accident until the 8th inst., when he 

 began to perceive a very unpleasant sensation of 

 scratching on the surface of the eye whenever the 

 lid passed over the copnea (or colored part.) This 

 soon became so intolerably painful that he came to 

 me for relief. By the aid of a powerful magnifier I 

 could see a minute dark point projecting from the 

 inner surface of the lid. "With a sharp knife I shaved 

 off a film of the mucous surface, having the point of 

 the sting sutficiently exposed to be seized by a pair 

 of forceps, with which I drew it out, thus complet- 

 ing its passage through the eyelid. He has had no 

 further trouble, but will hereafter follow my exam- 

 ple, and wear a veil when he handles bees. 



H. A. MOODV, M.D. 



Lorgtown, Panola Co., Miss., June 14, 1881. 



NEW SWAKMS ABSCONDING. 



I will tell you how I cared for swarms that wished 

 to leave for parts unknown. I put them in a secure 

 place sheltered from wind and sun, and covered 

 them with a wet sheet, and kept it wet and well 

 tucked in, so they could not get out for three days, 

 and kept them several times from leaving. When 

 they wish to leave they are generally uneasy— don't 

 act quite right. Sometimes it is too warm or windy, 

 and combs break down. Mary. 



Independence, Cuy. Co., O., June lit, 1881. 



Why. friend Mary, would you keep the 

 poor fellows idle three days, with the clover 

 '• booming " V If I had them, I would expect 

 them to earn almost as many dollars in that 

 time ; and if they would not stay and go to 

 work otherwise, I would divide them, giv- 

 ing each part a comb of unsealed brood. 

 This will surely hold any new swarm, no 

 matter how crazy and excited they are. 



BEES COMING TO A WELD-KEPT APIARY. 



The 2 lbs. of bees came all right in good condition, 

 and are doing well. You gave me good weight. 

 Many thanks. Yesterday a large swarm of Italian 

 bees came from your direction, and settled on a tree 

 in my yard. Did you send them? I like that way of 

 sending bees, as it not only saves the original cost, 

 but express charges too. They must have come a 

 good distance, as I know of no Italian bees in that 

 direction in this countj'. I was in Rev. Mr. Ballen- 

 tine's apiary last week. He wintered all his stocks, 

 and is making a good thing of it this summer. I 

 shall let you know by and by how my bees are doing. 



North Salem, O., June 17, 1881. J. W. Martin. 



I didn't send the bees, friend JM., but I am 

 glad they went there, especially as they are 



good Italians. Is it not queer how they some- 

 times come to a body in that way V and, if I 

 am not mistaken, you think more of that 

 colony, that seems to be a sort of present 

 that God sent you, than any other in your 

 yard. Is it not so V We get several runaway 

 swarms in that way almost every year. I 

 tell the boys it is because they think this is 

 a good place to stay. 



WITH THE BIGGEST CROWD. 



Referring to your Postscript No. 2, in your May 

 No., I wish to say I shall try, with God's help, not to 

 be in a like position next spring; but,alasl we know 

 not what a day may bring forth; and although not 

 (juite so badly off as friend Rodney, of Dayton, Ohio, 

 still I feel badly enough at my success thus far. In 

 the spring of 1878 I invested in 20 swarms of bees, 

 and Italians at that; they increased to 41; losses dur- 

 ing the winter, 27; last winter I lost only one swarm 

 out of 44; then " the goose hung high.' ' Sold during 

 the year, bees, $^24.00; honey, $6.00. 



Went into winter-quarters last Nov. with 59, good, 

 bad, and indifferent; this spring, hearing from all 

 sides discouraging reports, it was with fear and 

 trembling that I approached my bee-house to open 

 up. Out of 59 I found 10 alive and well. Nearly all 

 my neighbors' are in a like condition. I have no 

 objection to being placed in Blasted Hopes when 

 such men as Townley and yourself are there, and 

 from reports, I think the largest crowd is there also. 



A. W. WiLLMABTH. 



Embarrass, Wis., June 5, 1881. 



$d^ and §mvks. 



fHE swarming season is over here, and I think 

 that not more than one-tenth of the bees of 

 — ' Southern California have swarmed. Bloom is 

 abundant, yet there is almost no surplus coming in 

 yet. ]Many think we are going to get no honey, and 

 it seems the general feeling is, we will not have 

 more than half a crop at most. R. Wilkin. 



Ventura, Cal., May 15, 1881. 



THE CALL FOR BEES. 



Bees are doing well. After selling 247 of the best 

 colonies that have ever left my apiary, I have al- 

 ready increased the remainder to about 325, and still 

 3 weeks before basswood blossoms. Bee-keepers 

 are alive, anyway, even if bees are all dead; fori 

 am besieged with orders dail}-, but must positively 

 refuse to fill them. Geo. Ghim.m. 



Jelferson, Wis., June 17, 1881. 



I caged in a very hurried manner, and shipped 10 

 one-dollar queens yesterday; hope they will reach 

 you safely. Please report immediately. I have 

 adopted a rapid way of capturing the queens and 

 attendants by placing the cages over them as they 

 rest on the comb, then cautiously sliding the lid on. 

 I get them in faster, and there is no danger of 

 crushing them. Mrs. B. H. Loave. 



Hawkinsville, Ga., June 16, 1881. 



[Every queen was in prime order, my friend, like 

 almost all you have sent, and I would say, for the 

 encouragement of the ladies, that Mrs. Lowe has 

 sent us the most early queens of any of our queen- 

 breeders, North or South, and no one, unless it is 

 our friend Viallon, has had such invariable success 

 in getting them through alive.] 



