1878 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 



829 



The other insects sent, are true bugs. The scien- 

 tific name is Phymata Erosa. It is % of an inch long, 

 of a greenish yellow color, while across the flattened 

 and expanded" abdomen, on the back, is adarlc brown 

 band. The colors vary vei-y much. 



This insect seems to be getting quite a notoriety 

 as a bee-killer. I have received it from Maryland, 

 Iowa, and now from Minnesota, with the same com- 

 plaint. I have long known it here as one of our val- 

 ued insect destroyers. It preys on plant lice, cater- 

 pillars, etc. 



I am preparing a full description of the insect, 

 with a portrait, which will soon appear in one of the 

 bee papers. . A. J. Cook. 



Mich. Ag. College, Lansing, Sept. 5, 1878. 



I send yon a package of flowers that grow in 

 our garden. The bees work on them much. Can 

 you tell me what they are, and whether they are 

 worth cultivating for bees to work on? 



Lewis T. Colby. 



Enfield Center, New Hampshire, Aug. 5, 1878. 



The specimen sent is FeronicaSjJicato, a tall peren- 

 nial from Europe. It is one sort of Speedwell, of 

 which we have about a dozen species. Bees like the 

 flowers of all. 



At Lansing, we have a good deal of Veronica Vir- 

 ginica, or Culver's Physic. 



The plant sent is sometimes raised for ornament. 



W. J. Beal. 



Agricultural College, Lansing, Mich. 



MINTS. 



Enclosed I send the blossom of a plant; can you 

 give its true name, and inform me whether bees 

 gather large quantities of honey from it? My bees 

 go about 1!4 miles for it, and seems extremely busy 

 on it from 10 A. m. until sundown. 



This year is my first with the fdn. comb. I would 

 not be without it. The comb machine I got of you 

 has more than paid for itself in making up wax for 

 others in this section. W. H. Stewart. 



Orion, Wis., Aug. 33d, 1878. 



P. S. This plant thrives only on the poorest san- 

 dy barrens. S. 



Answer, by Prof. W. J. Bcal, Mich. AgricuJ. College. 



This is Monarda Bradhnnana, one of the horse 

 mints or bergamonts, all of which, I have no reason 

 to doubt, are good for honey. I have never known 

 a plant of the mint family which bees did not like. 

 We have about eighty species of mints in the region 

 to the north and east of Kentucky and the Missis- 

 sippi and many more to the west. Among those of- 

 ten sent me are Teuerium Canadenac, Germander, 

 I/f/copi/s, (two species), Pj/c«an;7(rtHi»»i (2 or 3 species). 

 Thyme, Summer Savory, Calamintha, Balm, CoUin- 

 sonia or horse balm, Sago, three species of Monarda, 

 Catnip, Scutellaria (2 or more species), Stachys or 

 hedge-nettle, and Motherwort. 



As to the quantity of honey made by any of these, 

 I know nothing. 



asters. 



J. Chapman, Home, Mich., sends a piece of one of 

 our common asters. There are, east of the Missis- 

 sippi, in the Unted Sates, about 60 species of asters, 

 all good for bees. They look a good deal alike- 

 There are several species which closely resemble 

 this one sent me now. It is prohablv Aster miser, a 

 very common species and one extensively variable ; 

 I have not a complete specimen now. Asters and 

 golden rods are two leading genera of our autum 

 wild plants. W. J. Beal. 



Lansing, Mich., Aug. 13th, 1878. 



CLEOME OB BOCKT MOUNTAIN BBE-PLANT. 



J. A. Simpson, of Warren Co., Ills., sends me 

 Cleome integrifolia, which is sometimes also called 

 Rocky Mountain Bee-Plant. Cleome is the best 

 name for it ; this is short and easy. He requests an 

 answer in Gleanings. W. J. Beal 



Lansing, Mich., Sep,, 230, 1878. 



THE spider PLANT AGAIN. 



Our experience with the spider plant, this season, 

 IS this; it commenced to bloom about the 25th of 

 June, and the bees have worked on It every day (fit 

 day) since. They commence about .5 o'clock p. m., 

 and work until dark. I used to think that bees 

 went home with the sun, but I have heard them on 

 this plant when too dark to see them any distance; 

 and found them again in the morning as soon as it 



is light, and for a while after sunrise. If you tie a 

 piece of musquito bar over a bunch of the flowers, 

 in the afternoon, and examine it about sun-down, 

 you can see the honey for yourself. We have about 

 1-10 of an acre this year, but expect, next season, to 

 plant several acres, as we consider it ahead of any- 

 thing that we have tried for honey. If any of your 

 bee friends would like to try it, I will send them a 

 small package for ten cents. Friend Novice, just 

 try it, and 1 think you will agree wiih me that we 

 had better ignore b<:tnny this once, find have a 

 christening of this spidei; and call it Honey-plant, or 

 what? MoLLiE O. Large. 



Pine Hill Apiary, M illersville, Pa., Sept. 11th, 1878. 



Why, MoUie, you are a genius. I have 

 just looked at oiie of the spider plant blos- 

 soms that had some lace tied over it. accord- 

 ing to your suggestion, to keep the bees 

 away, and the drop of honey that had col- 

 lected on it was so large that I had a real 

 good taste of it. There was not enough of 

 it to make me sick, it is true, but sufficient 

 to see how very pure and white it is, al- 

 though it had a slightly raw unripened taste, 

 which I presume the bees will know how to 

 remedy. If I should ever get so far away 

 from home as Pine Hill Apiary. I will come 

 and see your flower garden, and I expect we 

 shall have one of the biggest kind of visits. 



A BEE EASEIi. 



S' SEND you a description of a bee easel, made by 

 my friend, Mr. F. O. Peet, my nearest neighbor 

 _ J bee-keeper. In your July No., j'ou speak of a 

 place to put the first frame removed. This easel 

 meets that difficulty and more; as you can load it 

 up.with frames. Mr. P. was led to make this from 

 his experience in hunting for the queen, it being a 

 tiresome job to hold up before the eyes a frame 

 heavy with bees and honey. 



AN EASEL TO HOLD COMBS. 



The stand is made as follows: take a cubic block, 

 A, measuring four inches each way, and four strips 

 of wood, B, I'i inches square by 3 or 4 feet long; 

 nail these strips one at each corner of the block for 

 legs; spread the lower ends about 18 inches apart, 

 and secure them by nailing cross pieces about half 

 way down. In the middle of the top, or block, put 

 a round nail letting it project upward about I'i in- 

 ches. This is for a pivot. Take three pieces of 

 board, C, 4 inches wide; let the one for the bottom 

 have the same length as the inside of your hive, and 

 the other two for the sides have the same length as 

 the height of the hive; nail the two side pieces on 

 the ends of the bottom piece, and bore a hole in the 

 center of the bottom piece, -large enough to fit the 

 pivot in A; place this, C, on the stand. A, and jou 

 have a swivel; hang your frame in it, and you can 

 hunt for your queen at leisure, turning C as you 



