76 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



Topics of Interest. 



TtitiDiler Storms ani tlie Honey Crop. 



JOSHUA BULL. 



The prospect is not very encouraging 

 for a good honey harvest in this locality, 

 the early part of the season having been 

 exceedingly dry. From April 11 to 

 June 15 we had only about three-fourths 

 of an inch of rainfall, and white clover 

 was very much dwarfed in its growth on 

 account of the dry weather ; neverthe- 

 less it commenced to bloom early in 

 June, and from June 10 to 15 yielded 

 nectar very freely. 



My bees, being in excellent condition, 

 and ready for the harvest, stored surplus 

 in the supers quite freely for a few days. 



From June 16 to 18 we had a series 

 of thunder storms, with heavy rains, 

 during which 5 or 6 inches of rain fell, 

 and the ground became thoroughly 

 soaked, and we have had occasional 

 showers since, in consequence of which 

 vegetation has taken a new start. 



White and alsike clovers are now 

 blooming profusely, but the bees do not 

 seem to store honey as fast since the 

 rain came as they did a few days before. 



We shall probably not get much, if 

 any, basswood honey this year, frost 

 having destroyed most of the buds. 

 Unless the clovers continue to yield 

 honey beyond their usual season, and 

 more freely than they have done for the 

 past two weeks, the white honey harvest 

 will be very light in this vicinity. 



If there is an abundant crop in some 

 places, as has been intimated by reports 

 in some of the papers, I hope that those 

 who are thus favored will not be in a 

 hurry to sell their honey at reduced 

 prices, thinking that there is going to be 

 an overplus on the market. 



Whatever there may be above an 

 average crop in some localities, may all 

 be needed to make up the shortage in 

 other parts ; so that, on the whole, 

 there will be only an average supply for 

 the general market. 



I hope that all bee-keepers who take 

 any interest in the matter, will make 

 careful observations this season, as to 

 the effect of thunder storms upon the 

 flow of nectar in the flowers ; and report 

 the result of such observations in the 

 Bee Journal. 



There is, of course, a vast difference 

 in the force of such storms, and it is but 

 reasonable to expect that the effect (if 



any) would be in proportion to the 

 violence of the storm. A passing cloud, 

 with a little rain, and a few claps of 

 thunder, can hardly be called a thunder 

 storm, but only a '"thunder shower," 

 and may not produce any discernable 

 effect upon the flow of nectar. 

 • In this State we sometimes have 

 thunder storms that continue for hours 

 together, and it is not unusual to see one 

 continuous blaze of lightning for several 

 seconds, as though the very clouds were 

 on fire. Occasionally a streak of chain 

 lightning will come so near that it will 

 thrill every nerve in one's body like a 

 shock from an electric battery, and 

 cause even the ends of your fingers to 

 tingle ; while successive peals of thunder 

 make the very earth tremble beneath 

 your feet. 



Such a storm presents a scene of 

 sublime grandeur beyond description to 

 every lover of nature who has nerve 

 enough to behold, with steadfast gaze, 

 the wonderful display of the elements. 



Whenever such a storm passes over 

 this locality, I feel quite safe in predict- 

 ing that the bees will not store very 

 much surplus honey the next six days 

 at least, and I should like to know if 

 similar storms do not produce similar 

 effects in other localities. Who will 

 make careful observations and report? 



Seymour, Wis., July 6, 1891. 



Bees and Honey— An AHepry. 



It is really a lovely garden. Never 

 were there whiter lilies, nor bluer 

 violets, nor more interesting pansies. 



But it needs something. I think it is 

 bees. 



For bees are so picturesque ! And 

 then the hives — the hives are as pictur- 

 esque as the bees themselves. Apple 

 trees without bee-hives under them are 

 as forlorn as lilies without bees over them. 



So we bought some beautiful hives, 

 and placed them in the orchard, just on 

 the edge of the garden. Soon they 

 began to be filled with delicious honey 

 in dear little white cells ; but the bees 

 were nowhere to be seen. Every morn- 

 ing they disappeared, flying far out of 

 sight, and the lilies and roses were as 

 forlorn as ever. We had the credit of 

 having bees, for every one could see the 

 hives and taste the honey ; but we did 

 not have the bees. . 



So one morning I went out and talked 

 to them about it. 



"Dear bees," I said, "what is it that 

 you miss in the garden ? Every morn- 



