160 



AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL, 



that grows on wet land, and has always 

 been such a treat for the bees, is giving 

 them nothing so far, although the crop 

 is good. Blue vervain is a total failure 

 — none growing. My 78 colonies have 

 cast only 3 small swarms. If there is 

 no improvement, we bid adieu to our 

 pets. P. P. Collier. 



Rush Hill, Mo., July 12, 1891. 



Brighter Prospects. 



Bees are doing well since the rain, 

 about ten days ago. I had 20 colonies. 

 Spring count, and up to date have had 

 but 2 swarms. Henry Zollner. 



Waupun, Wis., July 13, 1891. 



Thunder Storms and the Honey-Flow. 



The honey season is now over in this 

 part of the State. A few apiaries, in 

 favored localities, have yielded fair 

 crops, mainly of amber honey, some of 

 it quite dark, and none water white. 

 The usually accepted theory that largest 

 yields are secured 30 or 40 miles from 

 the coast, has been reversed this season, 

 and the best crops have been secured 

 near the coast. Several carloads of bees 

 were shipped from here last Winter to 

 the upper Santa Clara Valley, the owners 

 losing this year's yield. An experience 

 of some years in Northern Missouri, 

 where the main part of the forage is 

 white clover, convinces me that Mr. 

 Bull (page 76) mistakes a coincidence 

 for the cause. It is not the electricity 

 of these storms that checks the honey- 

 flow, but the excessive rainfall that 

 usually accompanies them. An electri- 

 cal storm and moderate rainfall in dry 

 weather increases rather than diminishes 

 the honey-flow. White clover, on account 

 of its shallow rooting and proximity to 

 the ground, is effected more than other 

 plants by an excess of moisture. 



B. A. Rapp. 



Ventura, Calif., July 20, 1891. 



Almost a Total Loss. 



Last Fall I had 16 colonies of bees, 

 but lost all of them excepting one colony 

 during the Winter. I have built them 

 up until I now have 4 colonies, and hope 

 I shall have no more bad luck with them, 

 as they are doing well, at present, on 

 white clover.* John Boerstler. 



Vashon, Wash., July 20, 1891. 



Wavelets of News. 



Heading- Off the Robbers. 



If it be necessary to feed some weak 

 colony of bees in the Spring, and other 

 swarms begin to rob them, remember 

 the old and Simple remedy : Place straw 

 loosely against the hive entrance and 

 wet it. The robbers in crawling through 

 get wet and lose their grit, stopping the 

 robbing at once. 



Except during a honey-flow, bees from 

 other hives will pounce upon any honey 

 left exposed. If one bee that may be 

 hovering about, searching for such a 

 chance, discovers it and secures a load, it 

 quickly returns with a score of compan- 

 ions, and they in turn, if successful, will 

 each bring as many more, and a large 

 quantity of honey will be carried away 

 in a short time, as well as a great uproar 

 caused, during which there is danger 

 that every person or animal, anywhere 

 near, will be severely stung. So look 

 out and do not give one robber a chance. 

 — Exchange. 



Making Increase. 



A simple and safe method of forming 

 new colonies is to go to a strong one and 

 take from it two frames of capped 

 brood and place them, bees and all, in a 

 new hive. From another colony fully 

 as strong, borrow two frames of hatch- 

 ing brood, and place one on each side of 

 those in the new hive. In both cases be 

 careful not to take the old queen. — 

 Excliange. 



Clubs of 5 New Subscriptions for $4.00, 

 to any addresses. Ten foriP7.50. 



Skunks as Bee-Eaters. 



Skunks not only make raids upon the 

 poultry, but they find it very profitable 

 to attack the bees' stores of honey. 

 They are unable /to get into the hives, 

 not having the gnawing powers of some 

 of the other rodents, but they succeed 

 very well in killing the bees. Their mode 

 of procedure is to scratch on the outside 

 of the hive until the attention of the 

 bees is attracted, and they come outside 

 to ascertain the cause. Then they catch 

 the bees as they emerge from the narrow 

 doorway and proceed to eat them. They 

 prefer those bees with honey in their 

 sacs, and the dead drones in front of the 

 hives are not touched. 



The skunks would be a greater nui- 

 sance if they could get in at the honey, 

 for they would then be in their glory. 

 However, one or two of these creatures 



