The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-17
FARM, FIELD, GARDEN
rhe Proper Treatment Of Bees
in Early Spring.
AIRING THE SHEEP ON GRASS.
sS.nse q Green Manure-Proper Distance
So 1sr Corn Rows--March Agrical-
tural Notes.

me warmth Of the spring weather will
- make the bees 80 restless in their VIM
- nnarters that it will be necessary to
sIfch them carefully. As the spring APP
,T,oaches there is increased danger from
SIturbing them. 1t may be well to let
lIIsm ont il they become very restless, and
80 them good flight in the middle of
"a day when they will return to their
rinter quarters better satisfied with their
Son6nement. The bee-keeper will now on
md find his time fully occupied in pre-.
|,erine for the summers work of honey
ss1nkinx. Last year many bee-keepers CON-
s1nincd that buckwheat honey does not
-. II Is 80 dark and unattractive in ap-
srance that it is not q favorite in the
1arket. The only first-class honey an
Sunsed to be that made from Eastwood and
liver. Probably when all things are con-
s1ldered there is no plant that can be raised
vifh better prospects of receiving q good
esup Of honey as a free gift than
slsike clover. The honey made from this
eI6yer Il US pure and transparent as that
n1de from pure Eastwood, and it immedi-
sioly becomes the favorite in the city mar
-. In soils adapted to the growth of
sfkike clover, such as moist land or gravelly
I'm. Il Is profitable crop in other ways
- Iismers to grow. In many parts of
~ oountry alsike is preferred to red
eIuge, md the latter has gradually been
0oS1& out of existence by the former.
O. t1rntage that alsike has over red
49, = that it is not ssheaved' by the
II = the spring, and it becomes very
.--s5f51 - x,asfuraa
1ehout the whole season there is
INCLUSION of blossoms on the alsike
~ and in wet seasons it has an after
n6lk which makes it doubiy profitable.
4 buckwheat makes honey of dark color
n economy for farmers to discard it if
~ crop Is raised for the double purpose of
rdCincing honey and for the grain
oon The wishes and caprices of the pur-
166sers must be observed and respected.
II 4 doubtful If the buckwhcat crop yields
honey In paying quantities oftener than
eace In four or ilve years: All things con-
cop Tor the farmers, who unite the work
Il beekeeping with general farming. The
e)oSer il equal to timothy for hay when
leoperly cured. and the farmer may look
y this for his profit. The question of
llAuting solely for honey cannot be con-
lldsred long after one has experimental.
Tlllable land can rarely be devoted ex-
elnsively to this work, and be made to pay.
rour-hfths of the cost of honey is repre-
Dsnted by interest on bees and fixtures,
mt on land, and by labor, leaving
ths other one-hfth as clear profit. This
profit is not large, but it is
Increased a little by planting for honey.
Al the increase is not profit, however, for
he increase of work, rent and seed must
n considered. If the profit from the hay
viii more than cover this increase of rent
md expenditure, then there is more clear
surplus. Cultivated plants on rich land
always yield more honey than those grow
rs wild, or upon poor soil. But the diff
erence is not sufficient to warrant one to
10 to the expense of blowing, seeding and
cuitivating the land for this profit alone.
There must be additional profit from the
lale of the hay to make the increased ex-
penditure successful. To do this the al
like clover is the best.
ANNIE G. WEBSTER