120 FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 



the scissors hanging open with its two sharp points, a common 

 rubber band is so fastened on the handles as to hold them to- 

 gether. While the band holds the scissors together when not 

 in use, its elasticity allows their free use when needed. 



KILLING GRASS. 



This is a good time to salt the ground at and about the 

 entrances of the hives, to kill the grass, although too often I 

 leave it, till it Jias to be cut with a sickle. „ Grass growing in 

 front of the hive annoys the bees^ and that growing Mthe side 

 annoys the operator, especially if the operator is of the female 

 persuasion, and the grass is wet with dew or rain. 



HARBINGERS OP HARVEST. 



There are certain things always noticed by a beekeeper, 

 with much interest, as heralding the beginning of spring or of 

 the honey harx'est. Among these are the singing of frogs, the 

 advent of bluebirds, and the opening of various blossoms. With 

 me the highest" interest centers in white clover. As I go back 

 and forth to the out-apiaries, I am always watching the patches 

 of white clover along the roadside. If your attention has never 

 been called to it, you will be surprised to find how long it is 

 from the time the first blossom may be seen, till clover opens 

 out so "bees will work upon it. I usually see a stray blossom 

 days before it seems to have any company. In my location I do 

 not count upon anything usually besides white clover for sur- 

 plus, so no wonder I am interested in it. 



VARIOUS HONEY PLANTS. 



Yet there are a good many other plants whose help, all 

 taken together, is not to be despised. If "I kept only a few 

 colonies, it is quite possible that I might secure some surplus 

 from more than one of them. 



Dandelions help no little in brood-rearing. 



Raspberries are eagerly visited by the bees, but there are 

 not enough of them, to give a noticeable amount of raspberry 

 honey. Tt is a very pleasant sight to see the bees thickly cover- 

 ing a field of raspberries in full bloom (Fig. 45). 



