will germinate more readily than the hulled, for the hull soaks up and holds large quantities of water. right against the coat of the seed, and the freezing and thawing of this water will sooner or later disintegrate the seed coat.

Another thing, hulled or unhulled seed that is harvested when seed is slightly greenish in color has a softer seed coat and will show a very high percentage of germination.

New seed sown on damp or wet soil within a week or two after seed is harvested will nearly all germinate. But hold this seed all winter and sow in the spring and not over 25 percent of the seed may germinate. Hold this same seed several years and the germination improves again, probably because the hardened seed coat softens with age.

[Mr. Foster is correct in regard to the hard coat of sweet clover. Numerous samples tested at Agricultural Experiment Stations show that the average sweet clover seed is so hard and impervious to water that only about 40 to 50 percent will germinate the first year. The process of soaking it in sulphuric acid, to remove the hard coat, is successful, but the majority of farmers will not use it on account of the care required in handling the acid.

A machine has recently been invented to scratch or "scarify" the seed so that moisture can penetrate this coat. We have been fortunate enough to secure one of these machines, and in numerous tests have found that this scarified seed germinates as high as 90 to 98 percent. Eight to 10 pounds, or even less, of this scarified seed will sow an acre and secure a good stand. Ordinary seed which has not been treated requires 15 to 20 pounds of the hulled or 20 to 25 pounds of the unhulled to insure a good stand the first season. With good hulled seed selling at $24 to $25 per hundred weight and unhulled at $16 to $18, the saving is worth while.

The increased germination caused by this scarifying will so encourage farmers to grow sweet clover that we predict a steady source of honey for the beekeepers throughout the country. The scarifying applies to the hulled seed only, as the hull must be removed before it is treated.-EDITOR.]

Montana A Developing Honey-Producing State

Prof. R. A. Cooley, State Entomologist and Professor of Entomology at the Montana Agricultural College, Bozeman, Mont., has a map of the State into which he has inserted a large number of black-headed pins, each pin representing the location of a beekeeper. There are close to 300 pins already inserted in the map, and if bee-culture develops as it did in the past few years, the supply of pins may run short.

Early Feeding for Stimulation

In April many will wish to feed up colonies, particularly weak ones, in the hope that the bees will build up more rapidly. There may be some cases (rare ones in my opinion) when early spring feeding pays, but if your colonies have abundance of food in the hives, are well protected and otherwise in a normal condition, my advice is to leave them alone until fruit bloom. This is for beginners; older beekeepers have their own ideas and can and will do as they think best. I do not believe that it pays to feed bees sugar syrup in early spring unless it is to avoid starvation, then I regard it a necessary evil.

European Foulbrood and Carniolans

Mr. Elwood's experience is interesting and valuable, coming from not only an extensive beekeeper, but one of our most successful. I am glad that he gives the Carniolans a boost. If I were sure of their being as resistant to European foulbrood as Mr. Elwood infers, I would be slow in forsaking my first love for them in favor of Italians. The latter have their good points, and so have the Carniolans, while both likewise have failings. Averaging them up, in my experience the grey bees score the most "points." The fact that Italians have been almost universally boosted as being best to resist European foulbrood has been my only rea

son for deciding to get rid of Carniolans and keep all Italians.

Picture Explanation

A word of explanation regarding that picture of one of my apiaries, shown on page 86 of the March American Bee Journal. Those are winter cases piled two deep that appear in the foreground. The apiary is large, over 250 colonies, and the hives can be seen in the distance as well as to the right and left in the picture. Owing to bees all around the yard it is difficult to get a view that will take in more than half of the apiary.

Big Losses Expected

Unless the last of March should be out of the ordinary, the past winter will go on record in Ontario as being the most pleasant in the memory of almost everybody. December was cold, much the coldest month of the winter, but since then we have had moderate weather with bright sunshine nearly every day; have had continuous sleighing since early December, and at this date (March 12) some wheels are going on the road for the first time.

Contrary to what might be expected after such a favorable winter, the loss in bees here, in York county, will be the heaviest in years. Colonies seemed to hold together nicely until March 1, but since then many have broken clus

ner gives us the salient features in regard to beekeeping. We would only add for the more general reader that it is several hundred feet below sea level, has but about 3 inches of annual rainfall, and that from the crude but rich elements found there the inhabitants have built cities and towns of richness and beauty. Their fields grow almost all known crops in the greatest abundance. It is surrounded by the weird

ter and are going to perish before spring-many are nearly gone already. Today I examined two or three of these colonies that are in uproar, and as I expected, found combs of honey granulated solid and the bees chewing off the cappings trying to use the granulated stuff for food. I was afraid of this last fall and fed many colonies that had enough weight without any extra feeding, hoping that the syrup would tide them over until spring. In some cases the bees have eaten near enough to the top of the frames to get at this poor stuff, and they are now showing the effects in an unmistakable

manner. If a cleansing flight had come sooner, things might have been better, but I doubt if it would have helped a great deal, as poor stores will "do the trick" even if bees have an occasional flight, if the weather is severe between flights. As to the bees in the north yard wintering on aster honey, I have not yet been there.

I cannot say how conditions in Ontario will be generally, but I venture the guess that the loss will be the heaviest in years. This is a natural sequence, following a failure of the honey crop, especially when poor stores are in the hives for winter.

AN APIARY COVERED WITH ARROW WEED

but beautfully fascinating scenery of the Colorado desert. Here is the home of the noted novelist, Harold Bell Wright, whose most successful book, "Barbara Worth," is the story of the early reclamation work.

"Imperial county is located in the southeastern portion of California, and is perhaps the only county in the State where crops are entirely dependent on irrigation. Here all the water is taken from the Colorado river, nearly 500,000 acres being irrigated from this source. The country was a desert; the soil is silt deposited by the overflow of the Colorado. You may go for 30 miles east and west, or 60 north and south and not find a single pebble unless it were one that had been brought by

A. F. WAGNER IN FRONT OF HIS APIARY

the mountains east of San Diego. The county now contains 20,000 colonies. The product is practically all extracted honey, and the average crop is something near 100 to 200 pounds per colony. The actual surplus honey-flow lasts only about 60 days, although the climate is extremely warm and the colonies contain brood perhaps at all times of the year. All the yards are shaded. Almost all of the sheds are long enough

to cover from 100 to 200 colonies. They are built by placing two rows of posts parallel with a cross beam at the top, and over this seven or eight wires are stretched lengthwise, making the width about 10 or 12 feet. These wires are covered with arrow weed, a peculiar brush that grows on all overflow land to the height of 5 or 6 feet, perfectly straight, and contains thick leaves which make it ideal for shade.

"The honey is generally light amber, some seasons very light, other seasons darker. It compares favorably in color with the light amber honey produced in the coast counties. It is very mild in flavor, and must not be confounded with the dark strong honey produced in other parts of the State from alfalfa. In the early days, before the reclamation of the land, some honey was produced from wild hollyhock and another plant or shrub called 'grease brush,' which was very dark and with a strong flavor. With the reclaiming of the desert this has entirely disappeared.

"With the formation of the county the Board of Supervisors saw the necessity of the protection of the bee industry. We have always had an in

BEE-KEEPING

spector of apiaries, and the consequences are that the county is practically free of brood diseases. All bees are kept in standard movable frame hives. Several years ago to further safeguard the industry, the supervisors adopted an ordinance then in force in several other counties in southern California for the prevention of the shipment of bees from districts or counties where disease was known to exist, giving the inspector power to declare a quarantine if necessary. The danger of importing brood disease has practically been eliminated.

"Generally speaking, the crops are not very large, but the certainty of crops appeals to a person more than one year of large crops with an almost entire failure other years. Again it is perhaps more expensive to maintain an apiary in this county, owing to the fact that there is practically no waste land where apiaries can be located and rents are from $20 to $50 for each location. Also all colonies are assessed at $2.00 each. The Bard district in this county produces some mesquite honey which is of very good quality.

"A. F. WAGNER."

IN DIXIE

Failures

If success lay in the path of every one who entered beekeeping, ours I would soon be a crowded business. Removing and marketing honey is where many fail. Much of our honey granulates or candies. It should not be removed until the market is ready for it; then remove it, pack it, and ship it at once, and it will be consumed before it granulates and causes trouble, for the longer it is removed from the bees, the less fit it is for the market. This applies only to chunk and extracted honey. Comb honey in onepound sections should be removed and packed as soon as finished. We have warm weather suitable for removing and packing honey during the winter months.

At this time (March 10) we have lots of colonies with almost their entire last season's crop still on. The honey is as good as, if not better than it ever was. The market has not been ready for it, and when it is it will be removed, and not before, even if some is left to go on in the new crop. This is better in two ways, for the bees are in the very best shape under these supers of honey.

Beekeeping in Florida

Owing to the climate and possibilities of development in Dixie, much has been said concerning it as a bee and honey country. As a rule, opinions of it are far from right. Bees gather little or no honey through the months of December, January and February, for

even this climatically favored country has its seasons when natural vegetation rests. Trees and almost all kinds of forest plants stop growing and shed their leaves. Naturally the bees rest also.

Vegetables of almost all kinds grow and flourish wonderfully during this time, and cultivated trees such as the citrus fruits also grow if fertilized, etc.,

but they do not bloom until the regular blooming period comes. Of course, as the spring opens so does beekeeping, which makes the season earlier than in the central and northern part of our country, and naturally it closes later. Then, too, the sources of honey vary.

Our industry has put on a great growth here of late, since we have come down to more reasonable expectations and have risen higher in the knowledge of our business.

The Caucasian Bee

Editor Root of Gleanings in Bee Culture, under editorials for March 1, has this to say about Caucasians: "The question whether or not they swarm to excess should not be given too much consideration. The real question after all is, are they money makers?" This is the question in a nut shell. But are they? I will answer "yes, so far as they have been adopted." There have been some few limited experiments that would not substantiate me in this.

While many beekeepers have made a great success since they adopted the Italian bees, there have been many miserable failures also with them. With me the Italians would not breed up, and the old bees carried over from the previous season rapidly disappeared, and colonies were greatly reduced in strength. In this condition they consumed stores at a time when they should have been making a living.

The Caucasians were gaining in strength every day when the Italians were barely holding their own. When the main flow came they built up some and stored a little honey in the broodchamber, but long before the next flow they were again reduced in numbers. On the other hand, the Caucasian predominated, multiplying fast in number of colonies by artificial increase, and at the same time producing large crops of honey each season, which gave my business a good backing and kept it

going, when I would otherwise have failed.

In the most favored locations in Florida I have hundreds of colonies of pure Italian bees, but I am frank to admit they have never given me such returns as do Caucasians, and general results are very unsatisfactory, and as

early as possible we will replace them with Caucasians. It takes an expert apiarist to care for 200 colonies of Italian bees, feeding them and building up. But one man can take care of 600 colonies of Caucasian bees, for they are strong and heavy, and stay together during the harvest.

little. They spoke so fast! Wife had been kindly provided with an interpreter and cicerone, Mrs. Bazzano, a lady who spoke French and English, as well as Italian, and who volunteered to stay with her during the entire day. She very kindly accompanied us wherever we went.

One of the apiarists assured me that the famous May disease (paralysis) was

Ancona, a seaport on the Adriatic, is one of the oldest cities of Italy, having been founded some 400 years before the Christian era. It is located in a pretty valley as well as on the hills on both sides. The old part of the city is on a very steep hillside, with narrow streets, paved with cobblestones. the modern part is very pretty, and the streets are wide. The vicinity is beautiful; there are so many fine residences, and the country is so well cultivated that it seems a fairy land

But

Our first visit was to the offices of the Italian Apiarian Federation, of which our young friend Mr. Cotini is manager. So we will give you an introduction into this organization.

The federation was established in 1904 with 72 members. Its purpose was to handle and sell the honey of the beekeepers. For a few years its shares of stock were of only $2.00 each. In 1909 they increased the stock price to $10, payable $1.00 each year. They had, at the end of the year 1913, 590 members, and handled $682,000 worth of honey. They have large producers among their members. One of those whom I m t was said to own over 1000 colonies of bees. This is a very large number for a country as thickly populated as Italy. They supply their members with tin boxes similar to our 60

pound cans, but holding 50 kilos or 110 pounds each. The cost of these packages is a trifle over 3 francs, or 60 cents each. Some honey is exported into Germany, Belgium, France, Austria and Switzerland.

This association publishes a maga zine or "bulletin," entitled "L'Apicol tura Italiana," with an experienced apiarist at its head, Dr Colantoni. The main styles of movable frame hives used by the members are the "Marchigiana," a deep frame hive, and the Dadant. As in the other countries visited by us, extracted honey is the principal crop.

After a short meeting of beekeepers, we gathered into the small public park and a photograph of those present was taken. Then came a banquet at our hotel. After the banquet automobiles were brought forward for a visit to beekeepers. Dr. Colantoni, the editor of the journal, has his home and apiary some 7 or 8 miles in the country. It was a beautiful ride, among olive trees, fig trees, and other warm country products. The sainfoin is here also, one of the principal honey re

sources.

At Dr. Colantoni's we met more beekeepers. But most of them spoke only Italian, and though I made strenuous efforts to understand t em, I succeeded

PROF. ATTILIO COTINI, Manager of the Beekeepers' Federation

present in his vicinity most of the time, and that he had some instances of it in his apiary at that time, Sept. 12. We looked among Dr. Colantoni's bees, and found a few apparently crippled in front of the hives. He asserted that these were diseased. Yet they had none of the usual symptoms, distended abdomen and hairless appearance. Here as elsewhere, the May disease was charged to inferior or moldy pollen, though a few believed it due to

certain kinds of blossoms. This cannot be the case, since it exists in all sorts of countries with entirely different flora.

The homes of well-to-do country people are scattered on the hill tops and make beautiful sights, as most of them are real castles. On our return from the Colantoni home we stopped at the country place of Dr. Marchetti, one of the leading beekeepers. I have never seen a more delightful country place; hidden among the trees, well shaded and surrounded with blooming gardens.

Later we visited the apiary of Mr. Cotini, at his summer home. This is on the bluff overlooking the Adriatic, and in full view of the city. They had extracted the honey a few days before, but the crop was on again, and considable fresh honey showed in the supers. Here I saw an insect I had never yet seen, the death's-head moth (Acherontia atropos or Sphinx atropos), which many European writers mention as making great depredations in hives of bees. This one was dead, inside of the entrance of a colony. I noticed it as I walked in front of the hives and became so eager to get it that I forgot my usual prudence. I picked up a little stick and poked into the entrance to secure the moth. I did secure it, but angered the bees and got several stings for the first time since my arrival in Italy. Unluckily it had been so badly damaged by the bees in their efforts to get rid of its carcass that it was of little value for a picture. So I offer our readers the copy of a woodcut borrowed from the ancient work of Hamet, giving the moth at its natural size.

Until then, I could hardly believe that death's-head moths would be brave enough to enter a hive of bees to feed on its honey. But this was evidence which I could not gainsay. It appears that this moth fears the stings but little, and enters weak colonies to gorge upon their stores. Hamet says they can take as much as 60 gramms (2 ounces); rather an overdose! This one had entered at some point where the entrance was high and had evidently been unable to find the same spot to escape in time to avoid the angry bees. Some writers claim that the bees reduce the entrances of their hives with propolis, when they are too large, in fear of this moth. We did not notice any such work. But I do be

DR. CESARE COLANTONI, Editor of L'Apicoltura Italiana

lieve that the bees reduce an entrance whenever it is located where it gives too much ventilation, above the broodchamber for instance.

They do this in all countries, moth or no moth. The death's-head moth is one of the largest moths known. The Dictionnaire Larousse describes its largest specimens as measuring 13 centimeters (5 inches), across the wings, from tip to tip. So the cut we reproduce is not too large. Its larva feeds on potato vines, cow peas, lettuce, etc. The moth itself was credited, even by educated people and priests, in the middle ages, with eadly power. This was due to the death's-head picture so conspicuous on its corslet. It exists mainly in southern Europe and Africa. It is unknown in the United States.

To complete the information which I have secured concerning this extraordinary insect let me quote a passage from L'Apicoltore of March last. Dis

cussing a statement made in Gleanings in Bee Culture regarding cats which were accused of eating bees, the editor wrote:

"In our apiary the cats give an active chase to the death's-head moths who are in the habit of entering the hives to steal honey from them at night, These are stupid and slow moving insects which allow themselves to be readily caught."

From the Cotini country home, we had a very fine view of Ancona and the bay. We also visited the home of his tenant, an Italian "contadino." It was comfortable but exceedingly rustic.

On the second day, we had dinner at the home of Mr. Cotini, in company with himself, his beautiful young wife, her younger sister, and Mrs. Bazzano, already mentioned. We were so kindly received that we will never forget the hospitality displayed.

Later we began a search for the