BEE-spoke-data/bees-v0 huggingface dataset:
As to whether the honey-dew is a benefit to the bee-keeper depends upon how he winters his bees, and upon locality. If the bees can be wintered on their summer stands, or where they have flight as frequently as they need it, and the locality and season are such that they can fly frequently, say once every two or three weeks, they will winter all right on honey-dew; but if they are to be put into a cellar, or otherwise kept from flying for six weeks or two months, they will doubtless perish with dysemery. Honey-dew makes far more waste material to be voided from the system than any other food that the bees can take, and it is known that this voiding is done only when in flight. This explains why bees must be given an opportunity for light if they are forced to feed on honey-dew. If such opportunity be not given, it is better to feed the bees abundantly as soon as possible with sugar syrup, after having removed the honey-dew, and save this for stimulative feeding next spring.
## Honey on commission.
The unprecedentedly heavy yield of honey-dew during the summer of 1909.
The year 1909 was remarkable for the immense quantities of honey-dew produced in almost every section of the country outside of the irrigated region where alfalfa and sweet clover are grown. In the eastern portions of the United States there was almost a failure of clear white clover or basswood. What little there was produced was so mixed with honey-dew that maph of it was not suitable for table use.
Most of the honey-dew for 1909 came from the leaves of the hiekory and oak. Contrary to what many have supposed, this saccharinate matter found on the leaves came from aphids located higher up on the trees. But the ordinary observer not finding the insects, even after a search, might naturally conclude that they were not present, and that the sweet, sticky, gummy stuff on the leaves was an actual exudation from the leaves themselves; but in every case a more careful and scientific search has shown somewhere the aphides.
Oddly enough, the honey-dew of 1909 made the bees unusually cross. They worked heavily on the dew during the early morning hours, and as soon as the sun dried the gummy substance down toward noon, so they could get no more of it, they became furious; in fact, they would act very much as if they had been robbing, and the supply of stolen sweets had suddenly given out. For further particulars regarding this, see ANger of Bees.
## Quality of honey-dew.
Prof. A. J. Cook says that much of the honey - dew is "deliciously wholesome." While there are samples that are fairly palatable, the great majority of them, according to our experience, are dark and of very poor flavor, and in some cases positively nauseating. There is almost no market for them. Even the large baking concerns will not have them, for, as a matter of fact, they require good table honey, even though it be of very strong flavor.
We do not know what to do with honey-dew of poor quality but to hold it over and feed it out to the bees in the spring for stimulating brood-rearing--see Feeding. It is positively unfit to use as a winter food; but for raising bees it is as good as the best honey known.
## Honey Exhibits.
See Exhibits.
**HONEY ON COMMISSION.** See Comi Honey.
Honey-Peddlling.
Under Extended Honey,which see, we have already told something about selling direct to consumers. But there are many who say they " haven't the gall or cheek to go around and ask folks to buy," and prefer to be exensed from any such disagreeable experience. But there are ways in which one does not need to lose either his dignity or self-respect. A pedeller may, it is true, call at unseasonable hours, or steal valuable time from a prospective customer in trying to force a sale. In such ways one may make himself very unconscious, and render a second visit utterly useless. Dan White, of New London, Ohio, a progressive and practical bee-keeper, has hit upon a novel plan that entirely eliminates all objectionable features. As he has succeeded so well we will let him tell his plan in his own way :
I picked my grip and took two 12-point cans of honey and started out. About all I had in my grip was a good supply of those leaflets published by The A. I. Root Co; also 50 postals addressed to myself.
I got into the town just before dinner time ; and after eating a good meal at a bourding-house I filled my pockets with leaflets and took one honey-can and commenced businesses. I started down a street and did not miss calling at every house. After ringing the belt, or repiring, it may would open the door and look at me with more or less suspicion. I would say, "I made the call to ask you if your family were fond of honey."
They generally answered yes, but believed they would not buy any.
"Well," I would answer, "but I am not selling honey to-day. I am giving it away, and should be glad to give you some in a succ-dish."
None would look astonished, others would smile, and say, "That's funny," but in _every_ instance I was invited in. I would pour out the honey, then hand out a leaflet, telling them to read every word of it. "You will find it very interesting ; it will tell you all about honey - how and why we extract it, etc. Then here is a postal addressed to me ; and should you decide to want a 12-round eno, put your nanorescet, and number, on the card; drought in the office; and when I deliver in about ten days you will get a can of honey."
Well, there were enough cards put in the mail within five days to take thirty cans of honey. I promptly made the delivery on time, taking along twenty extra cans that sold about as fast as I could hand them out ; and since then I have received orders for 500 more cans from the same town. I tell you, it has got all over town that a honey-man had been there selling _real_ honey, I2 pounds for one dollar. I am certain that this one place will take over 200 pounds, all in one-gallon cans. Now, then, I's pounds of honey given away from house to house.
50 personal cards, 200 leletts left at houses and landed to people on the street, and one day walking over a very small portion of the town, has found a place for at _least_ 200 pounds of honey. Then think what I can do next season should 1 secure a good crop.
All I shall have to do is to take a big load and go up there and hand if out. By the way, the honey sold there was thrown out of clean white combs, over every heot of whose surface the nencapping-knife had to go. It weighed strong I2 pounds to the gal-box--just as good as the best comb honey,only it was out of the combs. Of _course_, I can go back just as often as I choose ; yes, and the people will be glad to see me.
New London, Ohio.
It would appear that one of the prime requisites is a first-class article of well-ripened extracted honey. Very many make a mistake right here, and, of course, if the honey is poor, one is not likely to make a second sale. Mr. White's scheme is to have the honey taste _so good_ that, when it is gone, the good people will drop that postal for more, and not haggle over the price, even if the "store stuff " does cost less.
In a similar way Mr. Herman F. Moore, then of Cleveland, O., now of Chicago, retailed large amounts of honey. His plan, like that of Mr. White, was to go around and solicit orders. In the cities of Cleveland and Toledo, or even those of smaller size, he would start out on foot, exhibiting a sample of his honey in a quart Mason fruit-jar. His reason for using this package was that almost any family would be willing to take a household article of this kind, for the simple reason that it would not have to be thrown away when it had served the purpose of holding the honey.
With this jar of honey Mr. Moore would call at private houses, one after another, and ask for a dish and spoon, saying that he had some very nice honey, and that he would like to give the women-folks a sample to taste. He then held up the beautiful transparent goods to the light, told them he was a bee-keeper, and dealt only in pure honey : explained how it was produced, and finally named the price. If the lady of the house eared to take any he would take her order and deliver the next day. As a rule he took an order.
In this way he would make the rounds of a certain section of the city. When he first began he would take the orders one day and deliver the next ; but his business grew so rapidly that he was finally obliged to take on a helper, his brother, and, a little later on, two more men and a man and his wife. The two last named would wash the jars and fill them. Two of the men would deliver while he and his brother took orders. In this way they sold enormous quantities of honey; and as it was always of the finest quality, and guaranteed to be pure, they built up a large trade. Mr. Moore has since removed from Cleveland ; andalthough now I had quite a crowd around the. To cut the "01y" about, for quite a few minutes I handed out cans, mostly quarts, as fast as I could make the change, many of the purchases promising to buy more the next time I attended the market, if the honey proved to be what I had recommended it to be.
When the market closed, at II A.M., I had a few cans left. With these I drove to Main Street and tled my horse in front of one of the stores, where I had a little business to trasasact. A few minutes later, while I was conversing with the storekeeper inside, some one opened the door and inquired: "Hello I where is this honey-man?" After introducing myself he requested me to him what I had to sell. It did not take very long to convince him that I carried the genuine article; and what pleased me still move was the fact that he order!
ed two cans to be left at the corner drugstore across the street.
When I delivered the cans they were closely scrutinized by the clerks and some other parties who happened to be present, and one of the clerks asked:
" What guarantee have we that this is pure honey?" Here another lecture-like conversation, too long to be repeated, took place, the substance of which may be concentrated in my reply :
" First, pure honey and my name and address are on every package; and, second, back of this is the New York State law that prohibits all honey adulteration." Before I left the place I sold two more cans to those other parties.
A great help in selling honey on the road is a proper traveling-ouft, which enables us to present our products in clean, neat, and inviting appearance. I know from experience that at least one-fourth of my sales of honey can be traced back directly to this feature.
Perdding honey at groceries and other retail stores.
The secret of his success in selling and in getting good prices is in putting up always a first-class article in a neat and attractive form. He advertises liberally, and every one knows him about Philadelphia as "the honey-man." In connection with his apiary he has a bottling-shop shown in the top view of the engraving. In a room in this building (see view at the right) he puts up all of his extracted honey in Muth jars. See Extracted Honey. In this room is a large steam-calton that will hold perhaps two or three barrels of honey at a time. Into this he pours several choice grades of extracted whether candidied or not. A gentle heat is applied until it is all brought to a liquid condition. It is then heated to about 150 or 160 degrees Fahr., after which it is bottled and sealed while hot. This, as is well
HONEY-PLANTS.
Horse-chestnut (_Euclus hippoacatemium_), European species.
An species.
Horsemmit, which see (_Monoorda fstulul_).
_Hosp carrosso_, or wax-plant\(-\)see Nectar.
Huajilla (_Zyuli bree(folio)_, Texas and adjacent countries.
Huajche, Mexican name for _Acacia Parnesiana_, a beautiful tree of the Southwest, similar to catelaw.
Indian curraru, coral-berry, buckbush, which sec (_Samplingterapus vulgaris_).
Ironwood, or hornbeam (_Carlinna Americana_),
Japanese buckb wheat\(-\)see Buckb wheat.
Japan plum; south \(-\)same as "loquat."
Japan privet (_Lightning Jayaniumiumiumiumiumiumium_), all Southern States and California: hedge-plant of the best.
Judas-tree, redund (_Coreis Condensis_),
June-berry, service-berry, shad-berry (_Anclanelent-er Canadiensis_).
Knotved, or heartsease, which sec (_Persicaria mitc_).
Lantuna (_L. ulrea_ and _L. ulrich_), Florida, Bhannas, and Hernuda.
Lemon (_Ctrus Imommum_), Florida and California.
Lentil (_Ctrus Imomm_), or pulse of the East; much used in Europe to make soup. Italians grow it in this country.
Lime (_Tilia Europora_), English name for linden or bassewoti; now much printed as an avenue tree in the United States.
Lime (_Ctrus Imcito_); Florida, California, and the West Indies.
_Limentntes Douglasit_, or marsh-flower; native of California; cultivated in England forbes.
Linden (_Tilia Europa_), or European basswood; famous in Berlin and other places as a street tree; now popular in the United States.
_Liquid amher Streptavidin_, sweet gum; very important, particularly south.
Looust, which see (_Robinia pseudacata_); now being planted for its timber in Ohio and other States; see Loust.
Logwood (_Hematagion Compechiennia_); the various states interfering on the way of Cappeche: interslucted into Florida, Jamica, West Indies, and South America. See LoGwoob,
Lopunt (_Erichbary Janeiro_); sometimes wrongly named Japan plum; south; Yulululable because it lowers very late.
Laceres (_Mocleus sution_); the English name for the Spanish _alfalfa_.
Lupine (_Lupine senta_),
Matrona (_Arbitus Kupensis_), southwest.
Magnolia (_M. grandiflora_ and others); south,
Malva (_M. alecal_).
Mannoth red or pavaine clover--see Clover.
Manasinita (_Arteola(alexida)blblos_), California.
Angles (_Aceri_), -- species. The different species are of much value, yielding well for early broad-rearing.
Marigold, which sec (_Gallarcita p lelecha_).
Marjoram (_Origennia capture_).
Marish sunflower (_Hematas strumasas_),
Matrinos-vine (_Llelema vuglore_).
Mendow-sweet, or spirren (_Spircea sullefit_).
Mellot (_Mellotus ulta_), or honey lotus--see Sweet,
Clauref, white and yellow.
Molens (_Courific melis_). Melons of all kinds are valuable to aplrists.
Mesquite, which sec (_Prosupis pluses and jaltron_); southwest and New Mexico.
Mignonnette (_Rosada edborata_).
Miltweed (_Ascelpias court_).
Milk-vetch (_Astriyabias Cundensis_).
Motnrowert (_Louurus cardiaca_).
Mountain laurel, sheep laurel, rhododend (_Eulmit lottoid_), famous for producing honey which has skelength properties--see Polssones H.P.
Mustard (_Brussieu arrensis_), charlock of England.
Oxra, or gambo (_Hobius esculentus_).
Oation (_Altium cepa_): There are reports of yields of honey from fields of onions cultivated for neck, having very strongly the peculiar onion odor, which, however, disappears after a time.
Orange (_Ctrus amoritain_); considered valuable in some places.
Oxeye dulys (_Bellis interifolia_); Kentucky and southwest.
Palmetto,
Parsing (_Pustinaca sutiona_), from the common surgery run wild.
Parridge lea (_Cassia chamerita_),
Pencil (_Proibus Frxie_)--see Frxie-ribosos.
Peavine, or mammoth red clover (_Trifolium pras-_)-see Cla.
Pecanis (_Hicoria Peran_). Good South.
Pepeparille--seeTeipolo.
Pepepeprmit (_Meatha vulgaris_).
Pepeprmit (_Meatha vulgaris_).
Pepepr-tree (_Schwina mulle_), California and Florida; the shade-tree; excellent for honey.
Peprmit (_Dispus Virghtmann_ and _Terranu_); known as "lotus" in Europe.
_Pucleic francaite/little_, a beautiful gando plant (rom California.
_Polaronia temax_, New Zealand flax: sometimes grown south; good jikr; may become very important commercially.
Pim-elver, or millartia (_Erdolum Civatorium Geometriose_).
Plane-tree (_Patanus orientalis_), also known as cyclone or brittenwood; good in Europe, and introduced here; similar to our spearame; a fine slide-tree.
Plantain, or rib-grass (_Pantea o magic_), has while pollen.
Plantain fruit (_Mass porodastica_), similar to the banana, but extensively used as a v vecteble in all tropic latitudes, Florida, and Porto Rico.
Pepurley-root (_Ascelpias tuberno_); highly praised (_James_ Hedlon.
Plums. All kinds of wild plums yield honey,
_Poinication legin_, Florida.
Poplar, or whitewood, which sec (_Lirfolendron tuliprru_).
Poplar (_Pyplus_), south.
Prinirie clover (_Petul
## IV Hybrids
are a cross between the Italians and the common bee.* If one buys an Italian queen that is pure, he can at once set about rearing queens if he chooses, for it matters not how many common bees there are around him; and if he rears all his queens as we direct under Nuclei and Queen-realing, he may have the full benefit of the Italians so far as honey-gathering is concerned, just as well as if there were no other bees within miles of him. This seems a paradox to most beginners, for we have letters almost daily, asking if it will be of any use to purchase Italians when other bees are kept all around them. If you are keeping hees for the honey they produce, and for nothing else, we do not know but that you are better off with other bees in the neighborhood.. The queens that you rear will be full-blocks like their mother; but after meeting the common drones, their worker progeny will of course be half common and half Italian, generally speaking. These are what we call hybrid bees. In looks they are much like the Italians, only a little darker, Sometimes a queen will produce bees all about alike; that is, they will have one or two of the yellow hands, the second and broadest being about as plain and distinct as in the full-blocks. Other queens will produce bees variously striped, from a pure black bee to the finest three-banded Italian. We have had black queens fertilized by Italian drones, and these seem to be hybrids just the same as the others. We have not been able to distinguish any particular difference.
Footnote *: For test as to what constitutes a hybrid, see Italianbees.
As honey-gatherers, these bees that have the blood of the two races are, we believe, taking all things into consideration, fully equal to the pure Italians. There are times, it is true, when the full-blocks seem to be ahead; but we think there are other times and circumstances when the taint of black blood gives an advantage, in respect to the amount of honey gathered, that fully makes up the difference; and we would therefore say, if honey is your object, and nothing else, you are just as well off to let your queens meet such drones as they may happen to find. Why, then, do hybrid queens find slow sale at about one-fourth of the price of pure Italians? It is because of their excitability and vindicative temper.
Italians, as they generally run, are dissolved to be quiet and still when their hive is opened, and to remain quietly on their combs while they are being handled, showing neither vindictiveness nor alarm. Black or common bees, on the contrary, are likely to become frightened, and either make a general stampede, or buzz about one's head and eyes in a way quite unlike the Italians. Italians do not stand still because they are afraid to make an attack, for, let a robber approach, and they will sting it to death in a way so cool as to astonish one who has seen only common bees under similar circumstances. A race of bees so prompt to repel intruders of their own kind, it would seem, would also be prompt to repel interference from man; but such is not the case. They do not seem to be at all suspicions when their hive is opened and a frame lifted out. Well, these half-blocks inherit the boldness of the Italians, and, at the same time, the vindictiveness of the blocks; and to raise the cover from a hive of hybrids, without smoke, during cool or chilly weather, is a bold operation for even a veteran. Without any buzz or note of alarm, one of these daughters of war will quietly dart forth and inflict her sting before you hardly know where it comes from; then another, and another, until, almost erazed with pain, you drop the cover, and find that they are bound to stick to you, not only out into the street, but into the house or wherever you may go, in a way very unlike either pure race of bees. Sometimes, when a hive is opened, they will fix on the leg of one's trousers so quietly that you hardly dream they are there until you feel then stinging with a vehemence that indicates a willingness to throw away a score of lives if they had so many. This bad temper and stinging is not all, If you should desire to introduce a queen or queen-cell to these bees they would be very likely to destroy all you could bring; while a stock of either pure race would accept them without trouble. During extracting time, when taking off surplus honey, you will find little trouble, providing you work while honey is still coming in; but wee bettle you if you should leave it on the hives until the honey-flow is past.
In preparing hybrid stocks for wintering, we have seen them so cross that it was almost impossible to get in sight of the hive after they had once been roused up; and when we attacked them suddenly with smoker in excellent trim, they charged on us as suddenly, took possession of the smoker, buzzed down into the tube in their frantic maddness, and made us glad to beat a retreat, leaving them in full possession of not only the "field," but the "artillery" as well. This was a very
## 1.1. Whyids
powerful colony, and had been unusually confused up. Although it was then quite cool weather, they hung on the outside of the hive watching for us, we suppose, until next morning. We then came up behind them with a great volley of smoke, and got them under and kept them so until we could give them ehaff eushions and put them in proper wintering triu. The queen was extremely prolific, and we do not know that we ever had one single queen that was the mother of a larger family of bees. Many of these hybrid que are extraordinarily prolific.
Hybrids are more disposed to rob than Italians, but not as much so as the common bees. We decide thus, because, when at work among them, the bees that buzz about the hives, trying to grab a load of phunder if chance offers, are almost invariably full-blood blacks. They may have a dash of hybrid blood, but we judge not, because hybrids and Italians will often be at work when the blacks are bumping about trying to rob, or doing nothing. We have known a strong hybrid stock to be slowly accumulating stores in the fall when full-blood, in the same apiary, were losing day by day. See Italian Bees.
hybrids of carisolans and cyprans with Italians.
In this country, at least, we have as yet done very little to determine with accuracy the value of different crosses which can be made very easily. The Italian-Caruilan has been highly praised by some bee-keepers as being very tame, and capable of great results in honey-gathering. A cross between Italians and Caucasians is well spoken of, \(\Lambda\) hybrid of Cyprian and Italian is very good. Though not as vindictive as pure Cyprius, yet they are quite cross.
It may be well to observe there are two ways of making all bee-crosses; for example, in the cross just mentioned the mother may be Cyprian mated with an Italian drone, or an Italian mated with a Cyprian drone. It must undoubtedly make a difference which way the cross is effected.
Other hybrids may be considered by the bee-keeper who has in mind to produce a superior strain of bees for some particular purpose. We know that crossing, as a general rule, increases the size, courage, and stannin of our domestic animals; and it is probably so in bees, yet we have made but little progress along this line, because it is so difficult to distinguish between the crosses and pure breeds in many cases.
We have an imperfect control over bees when mating, hence it is very difficult to effect mating just as we desire to have it. In this connection there is a grand field for practical experiments, such as would prove useful to bee-keepers.