Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-07-09
BEES WORKING OVERTIME sToR.
ING WINTER SUPPLIES.
SWARM SETTLES ON TROLLEY WIRE
Immense Yield Of White Clover Ac.
countabIe for Unusual Activity -
Prospects for Great Crop of Honey
Over the State Are Excellent.

On Friday afternoon large
swarm of bees located on the top of
telephone pole at the intersection of
main and Market streets on the corner
occupied by the Ennis building. Yes
terday afternoon another swarm of
OF the busy insects located on the troll
ley wire of the street railway COM
pany in front of the Courier office.
The swarm on the telephone pole
Friday was secured by John Knight
local bee fancier, but the one on the
trolley wire yesterday being disturbed
every few minutes by the passing of
the street cars gave up their coming
out party and made bee line for parts
unknown.
The honey crop this year promises
to be one for the state of Iowa to boast
ever. Honey is not produced on every
fern but taken the whole state over,
the total production amounts to some
thing enormous in the aggregate. Wap-
clio county while having no one who
devotes his time wholly to be culture
yet has many bee fanciers who make
o1editable showing for the county
in the total output of the state.
A Big Crop.
Lovers of honey will be pleased to
know that indications point to the
largest output of this favorite food
ever seen in the state The season
has been particularly advantageous for
the making of honey and the busy lit
tie bees have lived up to their reputa-
ton OF Industrious insects. There have
been no particularly hard storms to
destroy the feeding places of the bees
and the only thing that has wor'I ,
their disadvantage rnd chat bat tenn
porarily was the A.g waters of the
streams, wb'e'l destroyed the various
sources OF loUl supplies in the locali-
ty OF t-a foods.
Clover Crop Very Heavy.
All over the state come the reports
that the crop of clover and particular
ly that of white clover has never been
SO heavy. Travellers remark on the i'm
mense amount of the white blossoms
seen in every portion of the state In
some places the pastures resemble i'm
mense fields of blooming buckwheat
and the lawns of the city are thickly
studded with the blossoms of this
same honey-producing vegetation.
Those competent to know, state that
this particular kind of, clover will pro-
duce the clearest and purest kind of
honey, yet the quality might be lack
ing just percentage in richness. The
other quality Of clover, the red top, is
OF immense growth also, but the many
mowers OF the farmers are laying this
form of grass low with, the ground.
The white clover, however, will remain
for some time and the work of stor-
ing more OF the cellular sweetness will
no doubt go on for some time to come.
Cannot Supply Orders.
In talking with a well-known bee
supply firm in this city the reporter
/ learned that business in this line has
been remarkably rushed during the
whole season and it might be safely
said to be the busiest season on rec
ord This firm cannot possibly keep
up with its orders for supplies A car
| load, which will arrive the first of next
week, is all spoken for and the work
men are unable to turn out the sup
plies fast enough Bees are not at all
particular as to where they make their
seasons home and reports OF swarms
| alighting about the premises of farm
ers and others are often interesting to
hear One lady says a large inverted
slop can which has stood in a fence
corner for some time was found full
of honey and the home OF a large
swarm Of bees, the little workers hav.
ing entered through an aperture in the
side of the can
An expert in the care of bees says
that there will also be large amount
of fall honey, for the reason that the
high water several weeks ago has
caused a big growth of heartsease,
smartweed and besides this nocturnal
growth hundreds OF acres OF buck
| wheat will be planted in places too wet
for other crops This vegetation, added
| to the rank growth of fall flowers
which everywhere are apparent, will
| insure the bees an all-season's occu-
patton The fall honey, will of course,
be dark in color. not SO nice to look at
as the white clover variety but it's taste
will be equally as good