200 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



JUN'E 



buyinsf a right. I have showed the copy of the lot- 

 tei-s patent to some of my neig-hbors, and that stops 

 the sale of some farm rig-hts; but he is making- 

 some wonderful threats. I am not scared yet, how- 

 ever, for doins as I would wish others to do; viz., 

 eiilitfhten the people. G. W. Shinki.e. 



Hamersville, O., April 24th, 1878. 



DO SWALLOWS EAT BEKS? 



Please inform me throug-h Gleanings whether 

 ea/ces or bank swallows will catch bees. 



En. Tucker. 

 Mareng-o, Iowa Co., Iowa, April 32iid, ISTS. 



I think not generally, but they may, like 

 some other birds and reptiles, occasionally 

 learn the trick. 



TRANSFERRING BY A BEGINNER. 



The deed is done; I have transferred ^ swarms, 

 without g-loves or vail, and received but 4 sting-s, 

 and those throug-h carelessness. I must confess my 

 heart was in my mouth, when 1 tried the first one. 

 1 had 5 more to transfer, but concluded to leave 

 the balance until after swarming'. 1 have 8 colo- 

 nies; rather more than Ilntended to try the first 

 jenr, but [ was offered 5 stron-,' swai-ms. In barrels, 

 at $1.(X) per swarm, and could not resist, the price 

 being- so low. 



I have had the greatest difBculty in keeping- your 

 pamphlets and xV B C f 'om being- carried off by my 

 visitors, and finally had to g-ivc them up. Please 

 send me some more, and some sample copies of 

 Gleanings, and I will take pleasure in distributing 

 them. Enclosed find ^'Sc for A B C, as that has been 

 carried off too. Where is part second? Can't you 

 hurr.y It up? 



The smoker is quite a success, but I would g-ive 

 more flare to the top, so that it will g-o on more 

 easily. Henry B. Shaw. 



Concordia Parish, La., April 31st, 1878. 



Part second of the A B C is now under 

 way, and will be ready about as soon as this 

 meets your eye. If you will leave the smo- 

 ker to]) not pushed down quite so far, you 

 will have less trouble in getting it off. 



I received a call from one of Mitchell's "patent 

 hive and division board" men. He says, the reason 

 of your calling- Mitchell a "swindle" is that you wore 

 once ill partnership with him, Mitnhell, anil g-ot into 

 some trouble, and eve;- since then you have said 

 every thin^ ag-ainst him you could. He also said he 

 had a book of 40 payos which told all about it; but I 

 did not see it. C. G. Faxon. 



Piano, Ills. Apr. 30th, 1878. 



I have never been in company with Mr. 

 Mitchell, have never seen him but twice, 

 and have never had any trouble with him. 

 I have made trouble with his business of ob- 

 taining money by false ])vetenses, no doubt, 

 but I liave no unfriendliness towards him 

 at <dl, and would be very glad indeed to 

 make his acquaintance. 



ARTIFICIAL SWARMING. A GOOD WAY. 



I have 70 stands of bees all in fine shape, bringring- 

 in honey by the quantity. 1 have taken new honey 

 to market twice this spring-, and have some out to 

 take to-flay. Honey is in g-ood demand at 30c per lb. 

 Bees are beg-inning- to swarm naturally. I will tell 

 jou my way of artificial swarming-. I raise my 

 queens, and as soon as my bees commence to cluster 

 outsido tho hive, I prepare a new hive with a sheet 

 or two of comb, the more the better; put In my 

 queen, and tvike at least 3 gallons of bees that are 

 clustered on the outside of the hive, if I have to 

 take fi-om a half a dozen to get a swarm large 

 enough; give them a little smoke when put in, and 

 closq tlie entrance till morning, but open the vent- 

 ilation to give th?m air while the entrance is closed. 

 I tlius give the old stand plenty of surplus room and 

 if they still persist in swarming, 1 put them back 

 and cut out the queen colls if they have a yuDcl lay- 

 iivr queen; if not, give them one. 



Strong colonies are the best moth trap in exis- 

 tence. I work entirely for comb honey. 



G. W. Holt. 



Pleasanton, Kan., April 30th 1878. 



WILD RICE. 



Those flat three cornered files you sent, are the 

 BOSS. With them, I i5ut my circular saws in order 

 as I have never done before. Many thanks. Keep 

 us posted. 



What is the value of wild rice as a honey plant? 

 Will the bee-keepers tell us what they know about 

 it? A floating apiary may do well here, who knows? 

 Will C. O. Perriiie keep his eye on the wild rice 

 fields along the river? It follows basswood but I 

 think it comes before the aster. 



Dr. C. M. Joslin. 



St. Charles, Mich., April 28th, 1878. 



Who can tell about wild riceV 



Enclosed find one dollar, for which you will please 

 send mf} another Simplicity smoker. I have given 

 the one you sent me a thoroueh test, and I think 

 thnt it is everything that you claim for it. I would 

 not pirt with mine for ten dollars. If I could not get 

 another. I want this one for a friend of mine, and 

 I think there will be several others wanted. 



W. B. Massey. 



Searcy, Arkansas, April 20th, 1878. 



I commenced the season with 7 swarms, increased 

 to 33, and took 900 lbs. of honey. From the 7 colo- 

 nies, I have sold SI 73.00 worth of bees, and have 11 

 strong- colonies left. My honey averaged me 15 cts. 

 per lb. My receipts are, therefore, as follows: 



Honey. 900 lbs.@15c $135 00 



Bees 173 00 



Total $307 00 



From the 10th to the 25th of July, I extracted 443 

 lbs. of basswood honey. My bees are Italians and 

 hvbrids. I winter in a collar. Have kept bees 

 many years, and never lost a swarm in wintering. 

 With me the Italians are just as hardy as the blacks, 

 a great deal better honey gatherers, and not half so 

 cross. E. J. RussEL. 



P. S.— Bees are doing splendidly in this vicinity 

 this spring; mine brought in pollen March 11th, 

 the earliest I ever knew them to do it in this coun- 

 try. To-day, April 30th, I have drones out, and 

 queen cells started. My first natural swarm last 

 year was June 2d. Perhaps it would have been 

 well to have stated that, in accomplishing the above 

 result, my success was, in a great part, due to the 

 assist! nee of my better half, who is quite an expert 

 in the science of apiculture. E. J. R. 



Hersey, Mich., April 30th, 1878. 



HOW mistakes come. 



The hive has come; it came in good condition. 

 It is better than we expected and is really quite a 

 curiosity to peojfle al)out here. It had been at the 

 depot over a week. It was directed to W. G. Badj', 

 and the name is Cady. My husband found there 

 was a bee hive there and convinced them it was for 

 him, and s ) got it; he had to pay 10 cents more on 

 the f re ght. I have decided that I make a pretty 

 poor C, for we have received both of your postals 

 t--day, one dated April 3d, and one the 37th, both 

 directed Bady. Mrs. W. G. C.a.dy. 



Windsor, Vt., April 3d, 1878. 



You have all heard editors repeat and re- 

 iterate, ••write your name plainly," until I 

 su])pose it falls on your ears almost without 

 meaning ; but could you know how we puz- 

 zle and study over people's names, some- 

 times passing it around from one expert to 

 anotlier, I tliink you woidd, all of you, be 

 more careful. Write the letter, hurriedly, 

 if you must, but when you come to the name 

 and address please take time and write it 

 well. 



I will mention your $6.00 queen, as I like her very 

 much. She is the largest and lightest colored and 

 produces the yellowest bees I have ever had, and 

 she is the most prolific layer. John W. Harlon. 



Salisbury, Mo., Jan., 5th, 1878. 



I am very glad, my friend, that your queen 



pleases you. I presume you got one of the 



tinest, for I would fear to promise that all, 



even of the S6.00 ones, would turn out as 



1 well. 



