190G 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTIKK. 



would only add to the work — not help it. 

 The l)ees may he assisted in various ways. 

 One is. to se-reen (.-arefully the hives ti-oui the 

 sun. I prefer a long narrow shed every 

 time, with the hives raised just a nice height 

 for easy work. The shed should always run 

 north and south so the Ijees will not feel the 

 midday heat, but the morning sun will shine 

 right on the front of the hives on one side — 

 the eastern; and the westei'n sun will slant 

 its rays on the western side. By attending 

 to this you will have a non-swarming apiai'y 

 — something we have long desired. 



A bee-keeper like the Arizona subscriber 

 will have to get around very lively indeed to 

 avoid getting honey, snatching out the nice 

 white combs as fast as made. And here let 

 me state you will get about three-fourths less 

 stings if you use a shed. As a matter of fact. 

 the bees seldom get into the aisle between 

 the rows. Use very little smoke, and don't 

 use a brush. In this way the bees will not 

 resent your frequent visits. The best way is 

 to "steal" the combs out, shaking the bees 

 off with a good jolt. You will soon learn 

 the kink. If you think the nights are too 

 cold, use something to cover the hive, as a 

 high temperature is necessary to effective 

 wax-production. I think an incubator set at 

 85° F. would be a grand place for a hive of 

 bees being run for wax. This is why the 

 tropical bee-master can succeed so well in 

 wax-production. In some parts of the West 

 Indies the thermometer varies only a few de- 

 grees from day to day, say 87 at noon and 

 82 at night, and this practically all the year 

 round. Arizona in some sections can do 

 very well, hoAvever, as the bees are not in- 

 commoded by rainy weather. 



When it comes to melting the wax, a solar 

 extractor is probably all that is necessary in 

 Arizona; if not, a tin mold set in hot water 

 will answer very well. 



If honey is desired, let the bees seal the 

 combs nicely over, and. taking them off the 

 hive, cut them out, letting them drop into a 

 bag. Let the bag drain awhile, and then 

 squeeze it down in a German wax-press. 

 Anybody can see this does away with lal)ori- 

 ous work. I know some do not consider 

 they are getting along if they are not work- 

 ing " like a house afire." This is not the 

 way tx'opical people live. They have adopt- 

 ed the simple life. This is the plan of plans 

 for out-apiaries, since there is absolutely no 

 swarming if one keeps the upper chamber 

 reasonably clear of combs. 



It seems to me this is the plan for the Gulf 

 States and California, as well as the West 

 Indies or wherever the seasons are good and 

 the markets far away. I am of the opinion, 

 too, that it tends to produce better honey, as 

 there is less handling and less encourage- 

 ment to extract before the combs are fully 

 sealed over. 



If it is so the honey can not be sold to ad- 

 vantage, it may l)e fed laack and converted 

 into wax. For successful work in feeding 

 back, a shallow hive and entrance feeder are 

 I'equired, otherwise there is too much waste. 

 In feeding back dilute the honey with water. 



THE 



YOUNGEST r.EE-KEEPKK IN 

 PENNSYLVANIA. 



A Composition Written by a Nine y. ar old 

 Bee-keeper after Two \ ears' Experienci-. 

 AVho has been a Member of the National 

 Bee-keepers' Association for a Year. 



In a recent number of Gleanings I noticed an ac- 

 count of the youngest bee-keeper in Indiana. I am 

 sending you to-day a piclure of the youngest bee- 

 keeper in Pennsylvania. He was nine years old last 

 August, but he has been a member of the National Bee- 

 keepers' Association for a year, and has been raising 

 bees for two years. I inclose also a recent composi- 

 tion of his on bees. L. L. \V. Wilson. 



Hoyt, Pa. 



BEES IN THE HIVE. 



In the hive there are always more than 

 3000 l:)ees. although I have a colony that has 

 about 40,000 bees in it. 



THE QUEEX. 



The queen's business is to lay eggs. 



She 



D. H. WILSON, A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL 



BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION, W'lTH TWO 



years' experience W^ITH BEES. 



examines every cell that she wants to lay 

 eggs in. She is very particular. 



THE WORKER. 



The worker's business is to feed the 

 drones and the babies, build combs, and 

 gather nectar from the flowers. The worker 

 also feeds the queen. The worker is par- 

 ticular too. The bees will not stay in a 

 hive that smells badly. In the fall the work- 

 ers kill the drones. 



THE DRONE. 



The drone's business is to walk around in 



