The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-27
DR.. SIMMONS BEES.

very easily answered by visit to the
apiary of DR.. l.. A. Simmons on Lake
avenue. who is the fortunate owner
of the finest bee farm in this vicin-
ity.
A native of Indiana. the doctor
until a few years ago was one OF
Kokomo's leading physicians. Fol-
lowing a long seige of illness he was
obliged to seek milder climate and
spent a number of winters in Au-
burndale. The climate agreed with
him so we'll that he invested heavily
in and around Auburndale and with
his family moved here four years
ago. The doctor is president OF the
local citrus exchange and although
much interested in citrus culture,
bees are his hobby, not alone for the
handsome returns they make him
but because he finds pleasure as we'll
in studying their works and ways.
Thirty-eight hives are the doctors
number at present. From eight
hives he extrarts one barrel Of
strained honey each year.
! DR.. Simmons orange bloom and
palmetto honey has reputation
second to none and finds a ready sale
everywhere. In the local markets
it sells for % cents in the comb; 20
cents per pound for first quality
strained honey and IL cents per
pound for second quality while the
beeswax brings 80 cents per pound.
The doctor has shipped orders, and
is now shipping through the Jones
grocery to different points in Flor
ida and as far north as Atlanta, Ga.
In next months "Gleanings in Bee
Culture" by Root & Co., Victoria.
| O., will be found an article on
queen breeding and increase by DR..
Simmons who is regular contribu-
tor to different magazines. The fol-
lowing article hurriedly penned by
him will convince the reader that the
doctor derives pleasure as we'll us
profit from his busy little bees:
Bee keeping is the most fascinat-
ing of outdoor pursuits. There is
just enough activity in handling
bees to give the required exercise for
health, and the mysterious intelli-
gence of the little folk is nature
study of charming intricacies. The
orange bloom is the chief source Of
food. Then comes palmetto, which
was the best we have had for several
years on account of the frequent
carly rains. This bloom comes early
in May and lasts until the first week
| in June. Since then there is no spc
cial bloom to produce q honey flow
in this locality -Promiscuous wild
flowers secrete very little nectar and
| the chief work of the bees now is
gathering pollen. These wild flow
! ers afford an abundance of pollen,
and the bees fairly pack the outside
frames with pollen at such times.
Pollen, called by the old bee keepers
bee Bread is very essential in the
economy of the hive. 1t is used mixed
with honey as food for the larva
or young bees in the grub state.
The queen lays all the eggs in the
hive and it requires only three days
for them to hatch. They grow very
rapidly; at first tiny worm, in
six days they fill the cells. straight
en- out and are ready to cap over.
They remain under the cap twclvn
days, when they gnaw their way
out. At first they are light colored
with Grumpy wings and perfectly
| innocent You could not provoke a
| Young bee Just Matched 10 sting
They crawl about until they find
some honey. when they very de
libcrately take their first meal When
they are two days old they are ready
for business. Their first duty is II
act as nurses for the larva They
eat honey and pollen and digest it.
then they so to Il cell that contain.
a laryo. regurgitate this digcste,l
food into the cell, fairly flooding the
young fellow with prcdigested food.
which in its appearance looks Xix
cooked starch. but which is in reality
a species of chyme This Worh i,
continued until Miss Bee TOE ali
workers are undeyelored femalesl i,
about fourteen days old. when she
quits the hive for the fields Thus
! the labors and economies OF Thu hive
are Systematically regulated anl
governed by certain wise. just snd
| infrxiblo laws.
"DR. l.. 4. SUMMON.
| .Auhurndale. Fla
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.