1 88 



THE CANABIAN HORTICULTURIST September, 1909 



days of the Fameuse were probably num- 

 bered ; that fewer trees were being plant- 

 ed in this province ; that growers were 

 planting Mcintosh Red in place of Fam- 

 euse ; and that, therefor', in a few years 

 the Fameuse would be a scarce apple and 

 high priced. I am still of the same opin- 

 ion. Mcintosh will become cheaper every 



year, because more apples of that variety 

 will come on the market. 



At present, Mcintosh commands as 

 high price here as Fameuse, but in a 

 short time it will not be so. Fameuse is 

 our best dessert apple and has no com- 

 petitors, in that respect, of its season. 

 Mcintosh is a fine apple but it has not 



the high, delicious flavor of Fameu.se. The 

 English gentry always prefer the latter. 

 They find the Mcintosh too large for des- 

 sert and not of as high a quality. Where 

 Fameuse of first quality has been intro- 

 duced into England, they will not take 

 Mcintosh instead. I speak from experi- 

 ence. 



Keeping Bees in the Orchard 



IF the question were asked, "How many 

 people dislike honey?" there would be 

 very few say that they are among the 

 number. Then why should not we keep 

 our own source of supply? 



Most agriculturists keep their own or- 

 chards and berry bushes and few ever 

 want for fresh fruit, while many are even 

 specializing in that line. Then, why not 

 combine bee-keeping with fruit-growing, 

 even if for home consumption only, and 

 have some of the busy workers to help 

 gather the nectar, which is going to 

 waste all through the country for lack of 

 nature's workmen? 



A beginner will find it interesting, as 

 well as profitable, to work a few hives of 

 bees, but, as in any other businesses, 

 things should be studied carefully and, if 

 possible, with a few suggestions from a 

 practical bee-keeper or from a reliable 

 book on the subject. 



HOW TO START 



A wise plan to start would be to secure 

 a first swarm in a standard Hive ; if pos- 

 sible, a Langstroth, or Richardson, or 

 any of the many hives parts of which are 

 held in stock by any firm dealing in sup- 

 plies. If an odd-sized hive is used trou- 

 ble will be found in securing extra 

 frames, sections, etc. The Langstroth is 



W. I. Holtermann, Brantford, Ontario 



used perhaps more than any other size in 

 Canada. 



Italians are very suitable bees to start 

 with, as they are good workers, general- 

 ly free from moths and black brood, are 

 large gentle bees and beautiful to look 

 at. A great many bee-keepers prefer the 

 hybrid and black bees, when running for 

 comb-honey because they finish up the 

 cappings much whiter, leaving a small 

 air space between the honey in the cell 

 and the capping, while the Italians cap 

 close and have the section watery in ap- 

 pearance. But, as a rule, hybrids and 

 blacks are small, hot-tempered insects, 

 not quite suitable for a beginner, who is 

 perhaps a little doubtful of his own safety. 



When handling them first prepare 

 yourself with a veil of some variety, one 

 with a black front is preferable as things 

 are more easily observed through black 

 veiling. Gloves or mittens of any kind 

 are very unhandy and make many cross 

 bees through awkwardly manipulating 

 the combs. The operator will soon find 

 that if he uses his smoker at the proper 

 time he will have few really cross bees 

 that are angry enough to sting the hands, 



USE OF SMOKEE 



Before opening the hive, give one or 

 two puffs at the entrance, and gently 

 smoke over the top of the frames as the 



cloth is drawn off the top ; be sure and 

 smoke all the top over or there may be 

 a surprise from a corner that has not been 

 smoked at all. Smoking drives the bees 

 to their stores and they soon fill them- 



Roofh and RMdjr Yard of Movablt LaBf*tivtk HItm 



Apiary of Mr, R. F. Holterman, Brantford, Ont., in Orchard of Mr. A. Lambkin, St. etnge, Ont. 



A Good Type of Hive 



In Apiary of Dr. Burt, Lynn Valley, Ont., locatrd in 

 Orchard of Mr. A. Austin, of tlie same place. 



selves with honey and are too distended 

 to wish to sting at a slight slip on the 

 handler's part. Then loosen both ends of 

 a comb with a small screw driver or simi- 

 lar tool and after spreading the frames 

 away from the one you wish to examine, 

 it may be carefully removed. Thus the 

 whole hive may be examined. 



Do not allow the bees to sulk and hang 

 about the entrance of a hive. Give them 

 room by putting on a top surplus box, 

 unless you wish increa.se by natural 

 swarming. 



When putting on a surplus box of any 

 kind, always place a queen excluder of 

 perforated zinc over the brood chamber, 

 between it and the top super — thus shut- 

 ting down the queen and leaving the top 

 for storing honey only. Full sheets of 

 foundation should be used when prepar- 

 paring frames for the hives, because there 

 is no trouble in securing enough drone 

 comb naturally without allowing them to 

 build the combs that way intentionally. 

 Drone combs are not objectionable for 

 storing surplus honey, but combs are 



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