268 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



The Month of August. 



CURTIS MAY 



The field lies parched in thirst. 



Hushed in languor and heat ; 

 The rough, wild hedge bears on its edge 



Its rose, pale-cheeked and sweet. 



The hills in their tents of cloud 

 Through the doorways lean and look. 



And under the bank where the weeds grow 

 rank 

 Hums low the narrow brook. 



The butterfly's soft wing 



Flits past hollow and hill ; 

 The shining bees like argosies 



Sail trough air-seas deep and still. 



The dragon-fly darts and dips 



Where the pool has scooped its urn, 

 And like coals of Are strewn in marsh and 

 mire 

 The red swamp-lilies burn. 



— N. T. Voice. 



Weeds and Grass in the Apiary, 



Query 833.— 1. What would be the best 

 material to keep the weeds and grass down in 

 the apiary? 2. Would the ordinary water- 

 lime or cement do, if put on pretty thick ?— 

 Iowa. 



I don't know. — J. M. Hambaugh. 



1. Salt. 2. Yes.— M. Mahin. 



I think common salt the best. — G. L. 

 Tinker. 



1. A lawn-mower. 2. Yes. — R. L. 

 Taylor. 



Yes ; or sand, or coal ashes, or flat 

 rocks. — Dadant & Son. 



A good scythe in the hands of a good 

 man. — G. M. Doolittle. 



1. Salt. 2. Yes, if well done, but it 

 is expensive. — H. D. Cutting. 



1. Pull them out. 2. No ; they will 

 come through it. — Mrs. J. N. Heater. 



1. Salt. Boiling water. A sickle. 

 Ashes. Other things. 2. I should think 

 so. — C. C. Miller. 



1. A scythe. Most of our bees are in 

 pastures — the stock keep down the 

 grass. — E. France. 



1. A very thick layer of sawdust will 

 do it ; or (2) the cement, if put on thick 

 enough. — J. P. H. Brown. 



1. A sharp scythe or lawn-mower. 2. 

 It will "do," but I would not advise it. 

 Too expensive. — Eugene Secor. 



I have never tried lime or cement. A 

 good, sharp scythe and lawn-mower are 

 the tools for me. — C. H. Dibbern. 



1. I don't know. 2. 1 would not want 

 a cemented yard. I prefer a grass yard, 

 kept down the best I can. — G. W. Dem- 

 aree. 



1. I use salt, and find it answers the 

 purpose well. I prefer a nicely-trimmed 

 lawn, but my yard is small. 2. I don't 

 know, having never tried it. — J.E.Pond. 



1. I use salt, or when that fails, mus- 

 cular power with a good pair of lawn- 

 shears, or a lawn-mower. 2. I do not 

 know, as I never tried it. — Mrs; Jennie 

 Atchley. 



Paving with brick would be preferable, 

 but by placing your hives in straight 

 rows, so that you can run a lawn mower, 

 grass is not very objectionable. — Mrs. 

 L. Harrison. 



1. In my small apiary a lawn-mower 

 and a sharp Bingham honey-knife work 

 like a charm. 2. Yes, if mixed with 

 sand and water. I use salt where I 

 don't want anything to grow. — A. B. 

 Mason. 



2. I think so. I kept grass down in 

 this way for some years. I now prefer 

 a closely-mown lawn. It is so beautiful, 

 and if kept closely mown in June and 

 July, is very nice and convenient. — A. 

 J. Cook. 



Pieces of boards (old bee-hives) in 

 front, and a short scythe, and plenty of 

 tramping as you work your colonies, 

 other places. Remember that green is 

 the best color for the ground-work of 

 your apiary, both for you and the bees. 

 — James Heddon. 



Yes, the water-lime or cement would 

 do, if put on thick enough, but it is too 

 expensive. Salt will kill vegetation. 

 Sand, sawdust, or coal-ashes will keep 

 down the grass or weeds, or you might 

 use bricks or plank for the same pur- 

 pose. But why go to such expense and 

 trouble ? Grass is very pleasant to the 

 eye, and far preferable to anything else 

 in the apiary. A lawn-mower will easily 

 keep it in order. Then humanity as well 

 as bees ought to be pleased. — Editors. 



