1883 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



259 



the bees, when, lo! out of my 11 good swarms I had 

 not a live bee left. 1 felt all broke up in the busi- 

 ness, and did not know which way to turn. Then I 

 happened to think of friend Root as the man to help 

 me out, and so I inclose you the subscription in this 

 letter, and want you to sit down and write mc a long 

 letter to tell me how to start again, and to encourage 

 me before I declare bee-keeping a fraud. We have 

 25 empty hives, 13 of them filled with old comb, con- 

 taining irregularly about 203 lbs. of honey, for do 

 not tbink my bees starved. I have also an extractor, 

 smoker, sections, etc., purchased of friend Root, 

 and every thing nfccssary to bee-keeping, but no 

 bees. Now tell me how you can give us a start, and 

 with what stock you would advise us to start with; 

 for we are thinking of buying of you. You see 

 there is no use in buying bees in hives, as we have 

 plenty of hives now; but what we want is hees. Give 

 us your advice. Bert E. Rice. 



Attica, Seneca Co., O., April 10, 1883. ' 



Is it really a fact, friend Rice, that your hopes are 

 blasted? Is your courdge and energy all gone too? 

 and do you still feel all kind o' broke up like? I can 

 hardly think you are so badly off as you suppose. Is 

 It not a hallucination that you are laboring under? 

 Charles Buxton one said, and I think, too, he must 

 have been talking to some poor fellow who almost 

 thought his hopes were blasted, "The longer I live, 

 the more deeply am I convinced that that which 

 makes the difference between one man and another, 

 between the weak and the powerful, the great and 

 the insignificant, is cnenjy, invincible determination; 

 a purpose once formed, and then death or victory. 

 This quality will do any thing that is to be done in 

 the world ; and no two-legged creature can become 

 a man without it!" There! doesn't that make you 

 feel a little less "broke up"? Here is Moody's fa- 

 vorite verse that will certainly help to dispose of 

 blasted or blighted hopes. 



For the Lord Ood will help me, thei'cfore shall I not be con- 

 founded; theretore have I wet my lace like a Hint, and I know- 

 that I shall not be ashamed.— ISA. 50 : 7. 



Hasn't that got the true ring of manliness, as well 

 as of godliness, friend R.? and then, you know, 

 Paul said he had learned, in whatsoever state he was 

 •therewith to be content. But do you think this is 

 too etherial or theoretical? Then let me give you 

 something else for your encouragement that is per- 

 haps of a more earthly nature. 



By my side sits one of our good bee-keeping 

 friends who is spending a day or two looking about 

 our institution, making it pleasant for us, and per- 

 haps for himself too. It is Mr. McGee, the light- 

 house keeper at Point Marblehead, O. Now, 7ic can 

 sympathize with you. He says that two years ago 

 he lost all of his bees except one queen and a half- 

 pint of bees in one hive, and one queen with a pint 

 of bees in another. He had 106 frames of comb — 

 about the same as you have. He bough*; no bees 

 nor queens, but by careful management of what he 

 had, he increased to 11 strong swarms, all of which 

 were wintered, and took 369 lbs. of honey besides, 25 

 lbs. of which was nice comb honey. There, now, 

 isn't that encouraging? and is it not the more en- 

 couraging from the fact of its not being an item 

 that I have selected from all the back volumes of 

 Gleanings, but that it is the first one that comes to 

 hand? 



And now for advice — taking it for granted that 

 your feelings are entirely healed. If you haven't 

 very much cash to spare, just get two or three 

 queens with ha:f-pouad or pound of bees with each. 



and start as friend McGee did. Your combs with 

 some honey in them are exactly what they want for 

 a start in house-keeping. Pack your combs where 

 neither bees ncr mice can get at them. They should 

 be hung at least 2 in. apart, and watched, that the 

 moths do not get in and make havoc; and I am sure 

 that, with a little ingenuity, and perhaps some strate- 

 gy, you will have quite an apiary in the fall. We shall 

 want to hear of what success you do have, any 

 way. Would advise you to get untested queens and 

 a pound of bees with each in May; these will cost 

 you $1.50 each for queens, and |3 00 per lb. for bees. 

 Since you live in Ohio it will do very well for you to 

 order of us; but if you were further away, I wou'.d 

 advise you to buy near home, if you can handily, so 

 as to save express charges. Still, If you can get 

 good swarms near home, and buy Italian queens of 

 some dealer, it would be a saving. Many of our re- 

 ports show great success from 1 lb. of bees and 

 queen in May. Not only will they make a good 

 heavy swarm, but will generally yield a considerable 

 quantity of honey, if they are not used for increase. 

 I see you sign yourself " in need of sympathy." Now 

 just turn to my spring's report on page 203 of April 

 Gleanings, and I am sure you will allow me to say 

 that I am yours in sympathy. 

 Medina, O.. Apr. 18, 1883. Walter B. House. 



FROM IT TO 44, AND 1600 LBS. OF HONEY. 



fi STARTED in the spring of 1883 with 11 colonies; 

 2 lost their queens, and 3 were weak, and iu- 

 — ^ creased to 44; I got 1600 lbs. of extracted honey 

 from 14 colonies, and 500 lbs. comb honey from the 

 rest. I put 44 In cellar the 28th of November; took 

 38 out this spring; 31 are strong; the rest are weak 

 from dysentery; 6 died by the same disease. 



August L. Lehman. 

 HustisforJ, Wis., March 28,1883. 



The first year that I received my bees we took 160 

 lbs. of honey from each hive (chaff), and they have 

 done well ever since. AV. A. Smith. 



Denver. Col., Feb. 27, 1883. 



The spider plant and Simpson honey-plant both 

 did extremely well with me last year. I, too, gath- 

 ered honey from the spider-plant with a spoon. 



Kossuth, Miss., Mar. T, 1883. W. C. H.4RWOOD. 



FROM 14 TO 30, AND 1800 LBS. COMB HONEY. 



I Started with 14 colonies, and increased to 30; ob- 

 tained 180O lbs. of honey, all in sections, 1 andVA 

 lbs. A. Reuch. 



Chariton, Lucas Co., Iowa, Feb. 24, 1883. 



FROM 1 TO 8, AND 



It has been a hard winter for beeS. I started with 

 one swarm last spring and increased to eight. Last 

 fall I united 4, and have good ones now. Bees 

 brought in pollen the 16th. A. R. Whitman. 



Norway, Me., April 18, 1883. 



Results of one year with one swarm: 64 lbs. of box 

 honey; sold some at 20 and some at 18 cts.; worth in 

 all about $37.30; cost me about $18.00. Profit, $9.00, 

 and one swarm. lam satisfied. I have tried bees 

 before in gums and board hives, but failed every 

 time. I think Gleanings is worth more than it 

 costs, so it is a well-spent dollar It is good in every 

 department— certainly on tobacco. 



Cuba, 111., Mar. 20, 1883. M. W. Murphey. 



