846 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURR 



Oct. 1 



FORMIC ACID IN HONEY. 



I have read somewhere that formic acid 

 is injected into the honey uy the bees, and 

 that it is the same acid that causes the 

 pain when stung' by the bees. In Glean- 

 ings, pag-e 638, I read that it is assumed 

 that formic exists in honey. If so, what is 

 the name of the poison that causes the pain 

 when stung-? 



How long should the same combs remain 

 in the brood chamber, as every generation 

 of bees leaves the cells smaller? 



Calabasas, Cal. John Bowen. 



[I am not sure whether scientific authority 

 has positively stated that there is formic 

 acid in ho?iey, although it has been surmis- 

 ed or assumed that it was there present be- 

 cause the acid is a preservative. The poi- 

 son of the bee-siingha^heeu definitely shown 

 to be formic acid; but whether the bees in- 

 ject it from the end of the sting into the hon- 

 ey is doubtful; indeed, many think it too ri- 

 diculous to be entertained even for one mo- 

 ment — Ed.] 



sainfoin CLOVER FOR BEES AT THE OTTA- 

 WA EXPERIMENT STATION, CANADA. 



Have any of your correspondents had any 

 experience with sainfoin clover? If so, I 

 think it would be helpful to many if they 

 would relate it. In this part of Canada 



sainfoin does exceedingly well, yielding- 

 from two to three tons per acre of excellent 

 fodder, similar to that of alfalfa. We have 

 already cut it twice this season, and expect 

 a third crop. This plant blooms from three 

 weeks to a month each time, and the bees 

 cluster on it more than on Bokhara clover. 

 Sainfoin is well thought of by farmers, as 

 it makes good fodder, and is a grand nitro- 

 gen-gathering plant to be plowed under as 

 a fertilizer. John Fixter. 



Ottawa, Canada, Aug. 12. 



[Sainfoin is a well-known honej^-plant, 

 and has been referred to at various times in 

 these columns; but for some reason it has 

 not received much prominence — just why, I 

 can not say. I shall be very glad to hear 

 from any of our subscribers who have had 

 any experience with it. — Ed.] 



THE honey crop IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. 



The honey crop is light in weight and 

 dark in color up to date. But this valley 

 (San Joaquin) may get a good crop. An 

 old copy of Gleanings shows that most of 

 Rambler's last crop at Reedley was made 

 well along in September and October; so it 

 is all fol-de-rol about any one knowing 

 about our honey crop yet. 



W. A. H. GiLSTRAP. 



Modesto, Cal., Aug. 17. 



THE GRAND CANYON OF ARIZONA, ON 



THE SANTA FE. — SEE NOTES OK TRAVEL. 

 — Courtesy of Santa Fe Railway. 



