1906 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



935 



da. Mr. Phillips furthermore says that the bees do not 

 work It like the white species; that, while the yellow is 

 about through blooming, the white will continue to 

 bloom until fall, provided there is sufficient rain. These 

 clovers are valuable for late winter and early spring 

 grazing. The plant prefers lime soils. However plea- 

 sant the odor to people, stock must become accustomed 

 to it before the plant is relished for forage. 



We shall gladly welcome The Apiarist 

 among our exchanges. 



SUCCESS IN BEE-KEEPING. 



Some General Considerations that Conduce to 

 that End Covering the whole Season. 



BY E, W. ALEXANDER. 



How that word "success" seems to fire 

 our very souls with ambition ! and we again 

 and again think our business over, each time 

 trying to solve some new problem whereby 

 we can add still more to our income and at 

 the same time reduce our expenses. There 

 are two things that always bring success— 

 that is, good seed sown in fertile soil; and 

 that law of cause and eif ect which predomi- 

 nates in all things, affects our business all 

 the way through. There is no question that 

 bee-keeping, if rightly done, is fertile soil; 

 and it rests with you, my friend, to inform 

 your mind and adopt methods whereby you 

 will become good seed to develop in that 

 soil. 



You undoubtedly have had experience 

 enough to know whether you like bee-keep- 

 ing or not. If not, then sell out and take up 

 something else; but if you like the business, 

 then ' ' Stand not upon the act of your going, 

 but go at once" with a determination to 

 succeed. Work at it by day, and think of it 

 by night. Aim high, and use all the skill 

 you can command to make it a success; get 

 bees of the best honey-gathering strain you 

 can find, for honey is what you are working 

 for; let all other things be secondary to that. 

 If they sting, make the best of it. If they 

 swarm too much, try to curtail it; but get 

 the bees that will gather honey by the ton; 

 then you will be on the main road to success. 



THE DIFFERENCE IN COLONIES. 



There is as much difference in the amount 

 of honey that different colonies will produce 

 as there is in the amount of butter that dif- 

 ferent cows will make; so don't waste your 

 time on any poor stock. When you have the 

 best, give them good care and you will be 

 surprised at the results. Look upon every 

 colony as you would an individual whom you 

 had hired ; then see that each one contributes 

 its part toward producing a fine surplus. 



After you once get your colonies strong in 

 bees, keep them so during the whole year. 

 This can be accomplished to a great extent 

 by keeping only good young well- developed 

 queens. See to it that they continue to 

 breed well into the fall. This can be done 

 by a little feeding. 



WHEN TO PUT IN AND WHEN TO TAKE OUT 

 OF WINTER QUARTERS. 



In this cold climate I would advise putting 

 them in their winter-quarters about the first 

 of November before they have lost many 

 bees by hard freezing weather. As a gen- 

 eral thing I think waiting for a chance to fly 

 in November is a bad practice. If you win- 

 ter in a cellar, and can keep the temperature 

 about 45, it makes but little difference how 

 damp the cellar is. providing you have a 

 good mat on top of every hive; or a good 

 piece of heavy duck will answer if you have 

 not the mats, and then raise them about an 

 inch off the bottom-boards all around. 



Don't take them out in the spring until 

 there is something for them to work on. We 

 have noticed for several years that the first 

 colonies we put into the cellar are the last 

 to be taken out, and they are our best cslo- 

 nies nearly all summer. Heretofore there 

 has been about ten days' difference in the 

 time of putting in the first and the last, and 

 about the same length of time in taking 

 them out. Now we have a new cellar in 

 our bee-yard so handy that two men can 

 put away nearly 800 colonies in a day, and 

 disturb them but very little. 



In regard to this wintering problem, in 

 order to be successful there are a few things 

 that must work in harmony together. First, 

 good stores; total darkness; perfect quiet, 

 and an even temperature of about 45. If 

 any of these are lacking it may be necessary 

 to give them a chance to fly earlier than we 

 otherwise should, in order to save them 

 from wasting away badly in the cellar; then 

 when spring comes, do all you can to keep 

 them warm and promote early breeding. 



At this time they require man's help more 

 than at any other time of the year; and if 

 you expect to be successful, there must be 

 no let-up until every hive is crowded full of 

 bees and maturing brood. Yes, I mean all 

 that that implies, and a great deal more; for 

 you should now have a fine lot of young 

 queens ready to make whatever increase you 

 may desire; but if you do not understand 

 rearing good queens then you had better buy 

 what you need from some party that can be 

 relied on to furnish you good stock. 



don't BARREL HONEY DIRECT FROM THE 

 EXTRACTOR. 



Now as to barreling up extracted honey, 

 as some advise, right from the extractor. 

 This is something I can not endorse. If 

 you are very careful it might do; but with 

 some careless honey- producers it is liable to 

 do much harm. Even if of good quality 

 when extracted there will be a little scum 

 rising to the top after a few days. This, if 

 left in the barrels, gives it a bad appearance, 

 and many times hurts its sale. Then if there 



