1320 



(tLKAM.nGS in BhE CULTL'KK. 



Oct. 15 



are hees. They are cruel stingers, but are 

 not likely to sting if not molested. I had a 

 line nest of the big white-faced hornet, Tespa 

 7n((culata, one year close by my door, and 

 used to go repeatedly close to the opening 

 and watch the wasps, and never was 1 dis- 

 turbed. I could have Ijrought on war speed- 

 ily by a jar or a quick motion. 1 was very 

 careful not to do so. 



These wasps not only feed on insects, but 

 like fresh meat and blood, and so are often 

 seen about meat-sho])s. They also like nec- 

 tar and the juice of fruits, and so are wont 

 to pierce grapes, apples, pears, etc., and so 

 do harm that is often laid to bees, as the lat- 

 ter do not attack the fruit till wasp or bird 

 has made the wound and caused the juice to 

 flow. In this way wasps are often annoying; 

 but we must remember that they do untold 

 good in destroying our insect enemies, and 

 in pollinating fruit and other bloom, and 

 must not charge their evils against them with 

 no account of the much greater benefits. 



There is one thing more that shows that 

 these earliest manufacturers are brainy fel- 

 lows. We may tear the roof off their nests 

 by raising the board that holds it, and they 

 w'ill commence at once to reroof it, though 

 this is altogether different from their common 

 work. They seem to show some power to 

 think and to plan in a way that is not their 

 wont. 



Claremont, Cal. 



ed the knack of the business. She expects 

 to try ([ueen-rearing. 



King's Creek, N. C , July 18. 



A YOUNG HELPER IN THE APIARY 



BY G. W KKLLElt. 



I am sending you a photo of my apiary, 

 showing yuu a iiee helper, a girl ten years 

 old. She can cat«h and cage queens and 

 bees as fast as any man, and she does it 

 without veil or gloves. She is holding a 

 frame now. She has been with me ever 

 since she was three years old, and has learn- 



LIQUEFYING HONEY IN fiO-LB. CANS. 



No Vent Necessary if the Honey is not 

 Overheated. 



Ai'lAiiV AND FAMILY OF GEO. W. KKLLEK, KING S CHEEK, N. C 



BY G. C. GREINER. 



Mr. Atwater's utterances on the above sub- 

 ject, pages 384, '5, are not entirely in har- 

 mony with my views and experiences. I al- 

 ways enjoy Mr. A."s writings, coming, as 

 they do, from the pen of an experienced bee- 

 expert; but, like the rest of mankind, he is 

 not infallible; his article above mentioned is 

 open to a gentle criticism on several points. 

 The trouble he speaks of, in the line of 

 wasting, running over, exploding, burning, 

 etc., is all caused by overheating. If the 

 liquefying process is not hurried too much, 

 if as little heat as possible is applied, no 

 trouble of this kind need be encountered, and 

 the honey will be all the better for it. If any 

 of my honey had been subjected to a temper- 

 ature that would burn a person I should con- 

 sider it a spoiled and wasted lot for my trade. 

 I wovild not offer it to my customers. Oe- 

 cisionally I have, by neglect, overheated 

 honey, allowing it to come near or quite to 

 the boiling-point. Then it has that flat, in- 

 ferior taste. The best part of it, its tine fla- 

 vor, is gone. 



A GO-lb. can of honey can be liquefied with 

 the top left on tight, the same as a glass bot- 

 tle, without the cork being drawn, providing 

 it is done very gradually. I have done both 

 successfully with moderate heat. The cubic- 

 al contents of a square straight-sided recep- 

 tacle will increase sufficiently to allow its con- 

 tents to expand slightly by its sides and ends 

 bulging out. An explosion can occur only 

 when the temperature 

 is getting too near the 

 steam-generating point. 

 But, to be on the safe 

 side, Mr A.'s sugges- 

 tion, not to open the 

 can until cool, should 

 be heeded. 



Mr. Atwater's lifting- 

 arrangement is un- 

 doubtedly a great help 

 in handling cans; but it 

 pi'oves that the com- 

 plaints and suggestions 

 of "common sense bee- 

 keeping" are not en- 

 tirely without founda- 

 tion. In my estimation 

 a piece of clothes-line, 

 long enough to reach 

 several times around 

 the can, and tie, will 

 do just as well, and be 

 much simpler and fully 

 as handy. 

 Some of Mr. A.'s sug- 



