1883 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



17o 



DOOL.ITTL1i:'S NEIGHBORHOOD IN AN- 

 OTHER LIGHT. 



BV ANOTHEU NEIGKKOR. 



f|0-NIGHT I received Jan. and Feb. n\imbers of 

 Gleanings, and on page 20 I find an article 

 ' from Henry Wirth. In regard to the honey 

 crop of 1S83, I think friend Wirth is mistaken, as I 

 have kept bees since ISVti, and the last season was 

 the poorest I ever had. The year 1876 was a poor 

 one; but I can't say how poor, as I did not know 

 much about the business at that time. 



My bees came through the winter of 1883 the best, 

 and bred up well, and wanted to swarm on fruit- 

 blossoms, and gathered the least surplus hon^y I ev- 

 er had gathered per colony, and I have had as good 

 success in getting surplus honey as the most of 

 them from the number of stocks I have had in the 

 spring of each year. 



The season of 1881, ray bees averaged me Ifiori lbs. 

 box honey, spring count. The season of 1882 they 

 they did not average me more than one-fourfh that 

 amount. My worst drawback has been in wintering 

 ray bees. I have wintered outdoors until this win- 

 ter, and have got them in a cellar under my house, 

 which I prepared expressly for them. I put into the 

 cellir 38 cnionies Nov. 16, in good condition, and 

 they seem to be doing well; but T have to guess 

 how they will come out in the spring. 



Now in regard to the time basswood opened: I 

 think friend Wirth is mistaken about its opening 

 Julv 18, as it did not open at my place until July 2."); 

 and I watched it very closelj'; but T am about si.x 

 miles from friends Doolittle and Wirth, but lower 

 down, and a little earlier. I think friend Doolittle 

 is not a man who wants us to believe him to be a 

 "bigman" in the ranks, even if he is a big man in 

 flesh; and I think we can depend on what he tells 

 us. every time, as I have always taken him for my 

 guide, and he has not misled me yet; and as I call 

 on him at his place I always find him ready to do for 

 me any thing that is in bis power; and in regard to 

 keeping correct dates of bee forage, I think friend 

 Wirth and myself a number of degrees below friend 

 Doolittle. as he is a very careful man. A friend of 

 mine said to me last fall, after being at his pliice, 

 "Every thing was in such perfect order that the 

 grass was not allowed to grow crooked about his 

 place; and in regard to his strain of bees, I think we 

 shall have to look around tor some time before we 

 can bpat them; and if we had a few more Doolittles 

 to rear our queens for us, I think our honey crops 

 would come in more favorably." 



In regird to friend Wirth's honey crop for last 

 year, it ivan good for the year. I mot friend Doo- 

 little in August last, and he told me about Wirth's 

 honey crop of the season, and could not account for 

 it; but his place is about 2',» miles from friend Doo- 

 llUle's, and in a hollow, and nearer the lake, and his 

 bees must have reached some place where friend 

 Dnolittle's did not. You will always find friend Doo- 

 little's hives that he is running for surplus honey, 

 boiling over with bees when there is any honey to be 

 gathered. If he has only enough to fill one hive, 

 they will be together. 



I am no practical writer for bee papers, but this I 

 could not pass by. If they have any better bee-mas- 

 ters on Spafford Hills than friend Doolittle, I should 

 like to have them "trot them out; " and for one, I 

 should like to get acquainted with them. 



Navarino, N. Y., Feb. 12, 1883. Byron Case. 



\%fIiO SHOTIIiD KEEP BEES » 



FUtEND HEDDON "RESUMES." 



IX^OW, friend Root, in regard to this matter of 

 Jp] overstocking as I left it last month. Will not 

 a great many look on this subject as I have 

 portrayed it? I)> they not already? In fact, how 

 many old successful honey-producers (not connect- 

 ed with supplies at all) arc there who do not? I 

 dim't know of one. 



Bro. Root, the time has gone by when I can be ac- 

 cused of any selfish motives in holding and penning 

 such doctrines. First, while I am a producer on tho 

 scale of 500 colonics, and in fields clear of opposi- 

 tion, I am also, as you well know, a supply dealer; 

 but though a growing one, my heart and sympathies 

 are with justice and the pro<]ucer in this matter. 

 Justice, as I see it. 



Second. I think I am now where my financial cir- 

 cumifances are sound enough to give me,duringmy 

 remaining days, all that I have a right to demand 

 from Nature. 



Third. I should dread to think that I wanted to 

 prevent any invalid, or otherwise partially helpless 

 person, Irora taking to himself any success that 

 might accrue from his adoption of our business; 

 but you know I have a legitimate right to think I 

 know something of what has to be understood and 

 dime, to raakc this pursuit a real life success; and I 

 think I see clearly, that just ahead only those who 

 are best adapted to it will succeed; and to urge 

 others in, is greath' to damage thera, and also those 

 already in, who might succeed were it not for that 

 worst of all opposition, /ai!ni(7 opp"Sition. Before 

 closing, I wish to say a few words about 



BEE-KEEPING FOR WOMEN. 



While I do not, and never have believed this busi- 

 ness specially adap;ed to the weaker sex, I am con- 

 fident that there are women, some of whom I have 

 seen, that possess both the mental and physical re- 

 quirements of successful apiculture. Many are the 

 feminine brains, but vastly fewer the muscles, 

 adapted to it. Much more may be and should have 

 been said and written regarding the best methods 

 of assisting the muscles of such clear-minded and 

 enthusiastic bee-keepers as our old acquaintance 

 Cyula Linswik (see page 73). It gives us a lonely 

 feeling, to think of losing these sisters from our 

 fraternity, believing that they like and understand 

 the business, and supposing that they are in a field 

 not overstocked, or otherwise specially unfavorable, 

 and that their great want is light, practical, and 

 easily manipulated hives and fixtures, together 

 with competent help at the right time. I feel as 

 though these wants can be very easily supplied, and 

 we retain the ladles while they retain the business 

 at a good profit. I am not a large nor strong man, 

 and should not be surprised if Mrs. Harrison, unin- 

 cumbered by swaddling-clothing, would carry larger 

 hives and more of them, in a day, than I could; and 

 consequently I have always been working toward 

 easily manipulated fixtures and methods. If Cyula 

 will send hf r sister down to Dowagiac, we will show 

 her fixtures and methods that we feel sure will in- 

 spire her with new enthusiasm, and Mrs. H. will 

 make her visit pleasant, and entertain her on other 

 subjects. 



The prime object in my Student school is to yearly- 

 put into the field young men (and women too, if 

 they apply) possessing not only theoretical but 

 practical knowledge of the ways and means to the 



