1907 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



569 



and the same is true of honey-knives, and, 

 in fact, any other tool offered to bee-keepers 

 in supply catalogs. 



It is our opinion that most of our Ameri- 

 can readers will take issue with Mr. Chrysler 

 on the shape of the blade of the honey-knife. 

 When Mr. D. A. Jones first introduced this 

 wide bevel, many years ago, the question re- 

 ceived some discussion. Mr. Bingham argu- 

 ed that the narrow bevel, such as he adopted 

 in his knife, caused less cohesion or suction 

 to the comb — less in proportion as his nar- 

 row bevel was narrower than the Jones wide 

 bevel, and in that proportion less of muscu- 

 lar strength. We, are aware of the fact that 

 many bee-keepers have tried the Jones knife, 

 and discai'ded it in favor of the Bingham. 

 It may be true that some users of the regular 

 Bingham, after trying the Jones, pi'eferred 

 the wide-bevel form. 



The buzz-saw argument need hardly apply, 

 it seems to us, for the reason that the chisel 

 edge of the Bingham should be held exactly 

 flat on the comb surface. If so, the heel will 

 not be higher than the rest of the bevel sur- 

 face. But this narrow surface may be more 

 difficult to hold in line than a knife with a 

 wider surface. We don't know. 



There, are, doubtless, a good many read- 

 ers who have tried the two styles of knives 

 and made a comparative test. It is these 

 people from whom we should like to hear. 

 Give us a brief note telling us of your expe- 

 rience, without fear or favor. Supply-man- 

 ufacturers can make the one form as cheaply 

 as the other, and they, as well as the general 

 bee-keeping public, would like to know which 

 is the better. — Ed.] 



AN ENTRANCE-CONTRACTOR; TAR PAPER FOR 

 AN ALIGHTING-BOARD. 



The drawing here given shows my entrance- 

 regulating cleat. This is notched as shown, 

 to give the two different sizes of entrances. 

 I simply lay this stick on the bottom-board, 

 close to the hive-body. The wind never 

 blows them away, and they are always easi- 

 ly adjusted. 



FIG. 1. 



Fig. 3 shows my paper alighting-board. 

 Spring clothespins are handy to fasten the 



paper to the bottom-board. I use 2-ply roof- 

 ing-paper, painted white on the upper side. 

 This will keep out the rain and keep the 

 alighting-board (or, rather, paper) trom get- 

 ting so hot by the sun's rays that it might 

 warp and get out of shape. 



FIG. 3. 



The hive-rest as illustrated makes a very 

 convenient place to set upper stories or su- 

 pers, when looking through a colony. The 

 sharp edges afford but a small amount of 

 contact, so the killing of bees is reduced to a 

 minimum. The supers maybe set down cor- 

 nerwise or straight, without danger. 



Wickliffe, O. W. C. Sorter. 



SWEET CLOVER ON CULTIVATED LAND. 



With your experience with honey-plants, 

 would it pay the time and expense to culti- 

 vate the Bokhara or sweet clover as a honey- 

 plant ? Where there are a few plants by the 

 roadside the bees are busy; but do they get 

 much nectar? or how long does it last? is the 

 point. Will you give us some light on the 

 subject ? John Sheffer. 



Auburn, Ind. 



[The Bokhara clover is not cultivated to 

 any extent in this country as yet, though it 

 deserves to be. As a bee-plant, few flowers 

 excel it. It is a very good plant for renew- 

 ing the fertility of worn-out misused fai'ming 

 land, for it will grow where other clovers 

 refuse to grow at all. It is good for plant- 

 ing along railway cuts and embankments to 

 prevent washing of the soil. It contains a 

 large amount of cumarin as a substitute 

 for vanilla. If the new pure-food law bars 

 the artificial vanilla, there is some chance of 

 the Bokhara clover being grown for cumarin 

 as a substitute for real vanilla, which is too 

 high in price except for rich folks. — W. K. M.] 



ants; petroleum to PREVENT THEM FROM 

 GETTING INTO HIVES. 



I often see in Gleanings accounts of trou- 

 blesome ants in some parts of the world — 

 so nuich so as to make bee-keeping a hard 

 job. My honey-house was visited by ants, 

 and I painted the stone underpinnings with 

 petroleum. The thickest and most worthless 

 is the best. For hives, paint the standards 

 or legs and let the alighting- boards be about 

 two inches from the ground — a jump that 

 the bees will make easily, but which will 

 prevent the ants from entering. They will 

 climb up weeds or any old thing to get in. 



