AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



45 



out, the elder brother killed, and the 

 father made a " refugee." 



So, in his want, the old man said, " I 

 will seek my son, and I will say unto 

 him, 'Son, thou knowest that if it was 

 to do over again, 1 would do a better 

 part by thee ; so, go to now, give me a 

 place in thy home that I may dwell 

 there.' " And he arose and came to his 

 son. 



But the son saw him at the gate, and 

 set the dog upon him, for he thought he 

 was a tramp, there being many of that 

 sort in those days. But when he wist 

 that it was his father, he ran to him and 

 took him in his arms. 



So he took him in and cared for him 

 all his days, and the old man did naught 

 but light the smoker in bee-time, and 

 nurse his grand-children. 



So his last days were the best, and he 

 slept, and was buried over against 

 Paducah, in the land aforesaid. 



And the young man prospered greatly, 

 for he was good, and remembered the 

 counsels of his father, and did well to 

 all his fellows. 



So shall it be to all young bee-keepers 

 if they take heed to the right way to 

 walk therein. And the Lord will bless 

 them, and make His face to shine upon 

 them. Selah ! 



Milton, W. Va. 



California Bee and Honey Cliat. 



S. L. AVATKINS. 



Bees have done remarkably well so 

 far this season. The honey obtained 

 has been lighter in color, and better in 

 quality than is generally gathered at 

 this season of the year ; this is no doubt 

 owing to the moderately cool weather 

 we had in the Spring. 



All bloom has been considerably later 

 than usual, and, as a natural conse- 

 quence, bees have had more of a chance 

 to work on it. 



It is too early yet to give any definite 

 answer as to what sort of a crop we shall 

 have ; but all indications are exceedingly 

 favorable for a large crop, especially in 

 this part of California, Early in the 

 season the manzanitas furnished quite 

 an amount of nectar, and all colonies 

 built up rapidly, and several entered the 

 surplus boxes. 



The fruit bloom was also very heavy ; 

 but as we had a rain storm for a week 

 in the height of the fruit bloom, the bees 

 did not gather as much as usual from 

 this source. In certain seasons the 



apple tree is a great yielder of honey ; 

 but the honey is not extra light in color, 

 although it makes it up in flavor, as it 

 retains that exquisite apple blooni 

 aroma. Apple honey, after once tried, 

 I do not think will go begging for a 

 market. 



At present, bees are working on Cali- 

 fornian lilac, white clover, locust, and 

 numerous wild flowers. 



I noticed early in the season that the 

 bees worked well on the bloom of the 

 black oaks in our vicinity ; but whether 

 they obtained much honey from this 

 source, I am unable to state. 



Our swarming season is about over 

 here, and bees have settled down to 

 business in the surplus boxes. 



One day here, after a continued rain 

 storm, five first swarms came out, and 

 all settled together, making a mass of 

 bees as large as a good-sized barrel. I 

 divided them up into equal swarms, as 

 near as possible, and hived them, giving 

 each swarm a frame of unsealed brood. 

 They all stayed in until the next fore- 

 noon, when they all swarmed out and 

 united again. I tiered three ordinary 

 hives up, and placed them in it, and left 

 them alone. A few days ago I examined 

 them and found that they had all avail- 

 able space filled with brood, bees, honey 

 and comb. Such immense colonies as 

 this work very well for a time, but in a 

 few months they will dwindle down to 

 the size of an ordinary colony. 



Unsealed brood will not always hold a 

 colony in a hive ; of this I have had 

 abundant proof. I have even known 

 young swarms to stay until they had the 

 hive two-thirds filled with comb and 

 honey, and then leave, every solitary 

 bee in the hive going off. 



Some persons may perhaps exclaim : 

 "Well, your hives were not properly 

 ventilated and shaded, and that accounts 

 for it." 



Yes, my hives are well shaded, and 

 sufficient ventilation is given, but when 

 a colony becomes dissatisfied, it is almost 

 impossible to make them stay, unless 

 you cage the queen, and then, perchance, 

 three-fourths of the bees will leave and 

 go to the parent colony. 



It does not do to leave bees hang out 

 very long after swarming in a location 

 like mine, as hollow trees and other 

 available homes are too abundant. The 

 sooner they are hived the better, and 

 after you have most of them in, they 

 should be moved quite a distance from 

 where they clustered, because the scouts 

 that have gone abroad to seek a home, 

 would soon return and lead them away 



It frequently happens in a large 



