The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-01
PAUL GARDNER
"'' WRITES WRITES OF BEES
AND FLOWERS

1TOWeT dpQ6dTeu tuo lOlIOWluS CA
cellent article of bees and flowers,
written by one of the greatest lover
of Nature and the beautiful in this
section, Mr.. Paul A. Gardner, of
Gardners' Gardens on Banana Lake.
For the information it contains, we
pass it on to our readers. Mr.. Gardner
says:
Z IL the last issue of the Grower,
under the heading, June Bloom and
Bees," appears an article that to my
point of view, should be encouraged
more and more-viZ., bees and bet
ter understanding of nature and her
many gifts to mankind. By all means
have bees on your place, not only
for their pollenizing benefit to the
fruits, flowers, etc, but also for their
commercial worth, and they are just
now big factor in reducing the
high cost of living, and, thinking,
perhaps, an article on this subject
may be of interest to some shall give
a little of my experience in this
line.
In the first place, | would not be
without bees even if l did not get a
pound Of honey, but would keep
them for the untold good they 40 in
Ifertilizing barren bloom, but one
can just as well derive coed in
vestment from them in the honey.
On my place at this writing I have
two extra large swarms of the black
Or wild bees, and from these two
swarms since March /, 1917, have
taken $50 pounds of as fine honey
as can be produced in any section
of the country, and in some cases
far uperior-namely, honey from
the citrus bloom, and this year will
get two crops, owing to the extra
heavy June and July bloom. In a
few days, Or before this article is
read. l shall rob the hives again
two supers, twenty-four sections, Of
one pound each and some 60 two
ounces over,making in all to date
not five months, 1913 pounds. do
not let my bees have rest as long
as there is honey-flow, but AS soon
as super is filled new one is pu:
in place, the full one taken entirely
away; use large frames and the "a
section super alternately. Have a
ready market for both the strained
land comb honey, but always keep on
hand a good supply for the house
hold. Also, dispose of some wax, but
use considerable for budding tape,
grating, etc. OF course will admit
that this has been an exceptionally
good year for bees, barring the dry
period Of May, especially in my loca-
tion and again some years are just
the opposite, but, all in all they
more than pay for themselves. Have
had the Italian bees, but never got
the results from this strain as I have
from the black bees, and had just
as soon work with the black bee as
the Italian as regards the business
end when they mean business, but
would advise you to put on an extra
1r ollie fxxyn ond ohnv1H
there be weak spot you will soon be
made aware of the fact. If you do
not like bees and are afraid of them
by all means do not have them
Rees, just the same as birds. the
flowers and the orange tree, to say
nothing of the human being, respond
to gentle and kind treatment
In regard to the flowers, etc, the
bee is of untold worth, and being a
great lover of flowers, I should like
to emphasize the fadt that Florida,
the land of flowers, is sadly lacking
in this respect, and she could Sc cas-
lily be made one vast land OF flowers.
Flowers are my hobby. Flowers are
my religion, and although l am not
writing an article on them. cannot
help but make few remarks on this
line for the benefit of those who wish
TO be benefited.
l am So often asked will this and
that grow here? Can l raise lilacs
Or the SNOWFALL, etc? And to all this
say, you can in a way, but why not
plant what nature intended to do the
best in this section? Tender and
more tropical plants grow the fur
ther south you go, and the harder
ones the further north you go. In