UMASS/AMHERST 312066 0333 2698 ■f^t ¥'^ IM ;m^m DaDDDDnaDnnDnaDaDaDDDnnaDDnnDDDD n D 1 1l Is j§ 5 D D D •p ^^Vjf'v^w^ ^ D D '''^^^**^ D D □ D D D D D D D D UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS D D D D LIBRARY D D D D D D D D D D D D a D D D D D a D D D □ D D D n D D a D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D DDDaaaaaaDaaDaDanDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHimTS AMHERST, MASS. v/. /O EMEUEP AT THE POST-OFFICE, MEDINA, OHIO, AS SECOND-CLASS MATTER. GLEAISINGS IN BEE CULTURE. -A.XJ-V'E^E^XISEI^ElSr'rS. We rcquirs that every advertiser satisfy us of responsibility and intentioTi to do all that he agi-ees, and that his goods are really worth the price asked tor them. Rates for Adverliscments. All advertisements will be inserted at (he rate of 20 cents per line, Nonpareil space, each insertion. 13 lines. Nonpareil space make 1 inch. Discounts will be made as follows: On 10 lines and upward, 3 insertions, 5 per cent; 6 insertions, 10 per cent; 9 insertions, 15 per cent; 13 insertions, 20 per cent. Oa 50 lines (M column) and upward 1 insertion, 5 per cent; 3 insertions, 10 per cent; 6 insertions, 15 percent; 9 insertions, 20 per cent; 13 insertions, ~5 per cent. On 100 lines (whole column) and upward, 1 insertion, 10 per cent; 3 insertions, 15 per cent; 6 inser- tions, 20 per cent; 9 insertions, 35 per cent; 13 in- sertions, 33M per cent. On 200 lines (whole page) 1 insertion, 15 per cent; 3 insertions, 30 per cent; 6 insertions, 25 per cent; 9 insertions, 30 per cent; 13 insertions, 40 per cent. A. I. KOOT. Patent Foot and Steam Power Machinery. Complete outfits for Actual work-shop business. L'lthes lor Wood or Metal. Cireubir Saws, Scroll Saws, Formers, Mortisers, Tenoncrs, etc., etc. Machines on trial if desired. Descriptive Cata- logue and Price List Free. AV. F. it JOHN ISARNES, RocUl'ovd, AVin. Co., Illinois. No. 2009 Main St. lltfd DATING, ADDRESSING, BUSINESS, LETTER HEADS, ETC. No. 1. Address only, like No. 1, $1.50; with bu- siness card, like No. 3, fS.OO; with movable months and figures for dating, Uke No. 3, $3.00. Full outfit included— pads, ink, box, etc. Sent by mail postpaid. Without ink and pads, 50c less. Put your stamp on every card, letter, pa- per, book, or anything else that you may send out by mail or express and you will save you'r- No. 3. No.3. self and all who do business with you "a worlu of trouble." I know, you see. We have those suitable for Druggists, Grocery- men, Hardware Dealers, Dentists, &c.,&c. Send for Circular, A, I, KOOT, Medina, Ohio. HIVES & SECTIONS ! ■=— tJL We are now in better shape than ever to furnish Bee-Hives and Sections, having remodeled our ma- chinery, and got every thing in tiptop shape lor the coming season. We make a specialty of our *'BOSS" ONE-PIECE SECTION. Patented June 28th, 1881. We have not sold any rights to manufrtctiire, therefore we are the sole manufacturers of the United States. Send for Price List. JAS. FOKIVCKOUK A: CO. Watertown, Jeff. Co., AVis., Jan. 1, 1882. NOTICE — Some persons having infringed upon our Patent "One-Piece Section," we hereby give notice that we shall prosecute all manufactu- rers. We shall not molest bee-keepers for using those purchased before December 1, 1881, but here- by caution thera against buying any except those bearing our stamp. It has been reported by some that it is our intention only to prosecute bee-keep- ers for txsing those One-Piece Sections heretofore purchased; ihis is whollv untrue and false. JAMES rOBNCSOOK & CO. Watertown, Wis., Dec. 15, 1851. Must be experienced and reliable. No person using intoxicating liijuors, tobacco, 30 | 30 00 Xiee white ware, set of 15. 8 I Tablf-steels. old stvlp, and reliable. I 3 10 | .30 00 1 Shears, Solid Slccl BUid-s I 3 00 | 37 00 Niekel-l'lated. 3 I Silk handkerchief, size | 3 00 | 29 00 Of the new dotted jiattern; pretty anil jrood. FIFTY-CENT COUNTER. I Clips and Saucers | 4 00 1 35 GO With handles, set of i'<. I Tureens, soup, white granite, in. . | 4 50 ! 43 50 I Shears, 9 in., solid steel blades | | Nickel plated. Seventy-Five Cent Counter. I Flour can, 10 gallons I (i 00 | 55 00 Holds exactly one sack .it flour It is also excellent for can- died honey, as it has a stout slopinii- cover, and jiair of strong handles to lift it by. It will hold about 110 lbs. ONE- DOLLAR l OUNTEB, 45 i Clock, black, enameled iron I 9 25 | 90 00 Called "Wee-wag." Almost as pretty as black marble, and a good timer. B.^RBEI) FE.N'CE-WIRE Of STEEL. We can now furnish Hessenier-steel barbed fence-wire, p.aint- ed. the best in the market, at 10 cents per lb. ; and as it weighs only 1 lb. to the rod. it makes a cheap fence. One strand fas- tened on top of a board or rail fence, makes it stock proof. Galvanized wire, 11 e. Staples (steel) for same. 7 c. per lb. Pli- ers and wire shears, for cutting No. 9 wire, $1.2.i. A. I. ROOT, Medina, Oliio. KIND WORDS FROM OUR CUSTOMERS. The silver spoons came to hand in due time, and all who see them admire them. Fewark, Del., Nov. 'Zi, 1881. Geo. W. Simmons. Send me two more of the small dictionaries. Everybody who sees them wants one. M. W. Harrington. York Center, Iowa Co., la., Dec. 5, 1881. The Ifi-inch Gem planer I ordered of you is re- ceived, and is a very tine machine — flrst-class work- manship, and it works splendidly. J. D. GoODRicn. East Ilardwick, Vt., Dec. 5, 1881. The watch came last week all right; it is a marvel of beauty and cheapness, and a good timekeeper. Your kindness and fair dealing are highly appreciat- ed D. S. Tyler. Clio, Mich, Dec. 5, 1881. I was much pleased with the spring balance and comb-holder: and the little book on the microscope is just splendid, and is worth three times its cost to anv person who has a scientific taste. A. TiGQES. Marathon City, Wis., Nov. 11, 1881. Under this head will be inserted, free of charge, the names of all those having honey to sell, as well as those wanting to buy. Please mention how much, what kind, and prices, as far as pos- sible. As a general thing, I w ould not advise you to send your honey away to be sold on commission. If near home, where you can look after it, it is often a very good way. By all means, develop your home market. For 2.5 cents we can furnish little boards to hang up in your doorvara. with the words, "Honey for Sale, " neatly painted. If wanted by mail. 10 cents extra for postage. Boards saying ' ' Bees and Queens for Sale, ' ' same p -ice. CITT MARKETS. CcEVEtiAND.— Honey.— Our honey market is not q\iite 80 active now, but prices remain unchanged. We are selling best white comb in 1-lb. sections at 22; 3 111. at 30 @31; dark, 17 @. 18; ext., 11 c. in large, and 12 c. in smiiU packages. Il'o.r, 23 to 25. Lleveland, Dec. 21, 1881. A. C. Kendel. Cincinnati.— Hone.i/.— The market for extracted honey is as good as ever, and the supply keeps up well with the demand. Quotations are about the same as last — 8 @ 11 cts. per lb, on arrival. Choice comb honey brings 18 cts. on arrival, and sells in the jobbing way as high as 32. Wax, 18 (Sj 'ii on arrival, Cincinnati, Dec. 21, 1881. C, F. MUTn. Detroit.— Hojiei/. — But little honey is changing bands, dealers being mostly supplied. Good honey, in attractive shape, maintains its price at 30 (p], 23 c. Wax.— But little iu the market, and is worth from 30 @a5c. A. B. Weed. Detroit, Dec. 26, 188L Chicago.— Honry.— The market prices of honey and wax remain unchanged. Chicago, Dec. 21, 1881. A. H. Newman. One barrel of white-clover honey, weighing 335 lbs., for which I will take 10c. per lb.; honey is candied solid. No charge for barrel. Delivered on cars at Gettysburg, Pa. A. I. Weidner. Bigler, Adams Co., Pa., Dec. 16, 1881. T will sell 44')0 lbs. of choice sage honey, candied, in 80-lb. tins, in lots of 6 cans or more, delivered in any of the principal cities of the U. S., at 12 c. per lb. R. Wilkin. San Buenr.vcntura, Cal., Dec. 17, 1881. Inclosed And 13 cents, for which please send Part II. of Our Homes. I have Part I. almost by heart, and noAv I want all the Home Papers up to the time 1 commenced taking Gleanings. Burton L. Sage. New Haven, Conn., Aug. 37, 1881. Please accept thanks for favors during the past, season; for promptness in filling orders, mode of shipping, etc. My best wishes to you and all con- nected with the factory (Blue E.ves not forgotten). I hope to more than double my orders next season. Ashley, Pa., Aug. 8, 1881. Joel Heydt. My copies of Gleanings are nearly worn out, as they have been lent to bee keepers so much. Fred Timmerman. Fayette, Fayette Co., la., Oct. 31, 1881. [1 will always replace those worn out in such ser- vice, free, friend T.] The package came to hand, and I found it all nice. My bees have done finely this year. The queens that I r<>ceived of you last year are fine. I am proud of you as of any man living. I said that I had found the'right man in the right place. John Bays. Boxford, Dc'Kalb Co., Mo., Oct. 24. 1881. The 1.5-cent dictionary come to hand all right, and T declare it is quite a prize for themoney. I showed it to my teacher, and asked him what he thought it ought to be worth. He replied that he thought such a book would cost forty or fifty cents. Isabella Wier. South River, Anne Arundel Co., Md., Nov. 18, 1881. I send P. O. order for S.5.00 for five years' subscrip- tion and the premium stem-winder. I hope your subscription list will be large. Vou have saved the bee-keepers ten thousand dollars at least by your timely exposure of ****** * Thomas Byrne. Baton Rouge, La., Nov. 24, 1881. Inclosed find $4.18. Please send me Gleanings for 1883, and one of the improved Waterbury watches. The one I got of you last February keeps as correct time as anv watch I ever owned; in fact, gives me more pleasure than any watch I ever carried, for it needs no medicine to keep it going. J. S. Tadlock. Kingsbury, Guad. Co., Texas, Nov. 21, 1881. That watch you sent me for the small sum of ten dollars has puzzled the watch-dealers here. They have been trying to compete with your prices, but all have failed, and one of ray friends told them that he would let me send to a bee-man out in Ohio and get one. Therefore please send by first mall, on© ten-dollar American watch. Wm. DeWortb, Bordentown, N. J., Dec. 5, 1881. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. The reason T haven't sent these small amounts more promptly, is, it is so expensive, anrl I had con- cluded to wait till r made an order, as I do every year; but ( know this is wron?; and besides, friend Byrne predicts a fnilare, and we must not allow that. Keep up the Home Papers by all means, and tell our friend away up in Maine, if he don't want them to take his knife and cut them out. C. H. Dkane. Mortonsvllle, Ky., Dec. 5, 1881. Mas-nify)n^-j?las9 and postal of Oct. 21st received. Thanks for the beautiful little instrument. It is flue for so small a price. Mv 75c colony is doing: fliirly. They have taken in :?0 lbs. of honey since Wednesday. I am iofornted that if any want to buy cheap black bees in box hives, i hey can fr^t them about or near Itcynolds, White County, Indiana, at two dollars a stand, as many as one wants. My bees are all packed for winter but one, and it has a trood shed. Geo. L. Hollenbach. Noblesville, Hamilton Co., Ind., Oct. 21, 1881. I rec dvcd all the poods promptly, and in good order, but I don't see how in the world you can fur- nish articles for so small a price. Your pruning- shears - why, I could not get a pair like that for less than SI. 75 in the city of New York ! Your glass- cutters ai-e simply immense for that price. I had a few glasses to put in the greenhouse, which had to be cut to fit; and I tell you, tdey just worked splen- did You may expect another order shortly. Mean- while accept Thanks for promptness. Carlstadt, N. J., Nov. 15, 1881. Fr. Hoi.tke. THE 5-CENT SUNDAY-SCHOOL BOOKS. T have the Simdav-school books, entitled "The Giant-killer," "The Roby Family," "On the Way," "Ethel Linton," "Sheer Off." and "Silver Keys." and F would sav to those who have nr>t read them, be sure to get them when you are making your solec- tlons. If any one only knew the wholesome and in- teresting matter contained in these books, he would not, I think, hesitate to hand over the insignificant price and read them. J. P. Moore. Morgan, Pendleton Co., Ky., Nov. 28, 1881. A HINT for our YOUNG LADY READERS. I only echo the words of hundreds of others when I say that my apiary, without Gleanings, would be like a hen with her head qut off. It would merely flutter around for awhile and then die. And now a little about tobacco: I used to smoke a great deal; but a young lady took me in hand, and said that I must not smohe; result, no more smoke. Just give some of your lady friends the hint, and you will see what power they have over the young men. A. C. Miller. Barrington, Bristol Co., R. I., Dec. 6, 1831. I thought I would drop Gleanings this time (I have taken it 8 years); but when the last number came I felt I must continue the subscription an- other year. I have no bees, mine having gone where the sun " shineth ever," last winter, and I have not replenished my hives; but I think I will next spring. I can report only two stocks in this township that I know of, and it's almost Impossible to find buyers for the honeyyeton hand. But send me Gleanings; If I have no bees it does me so much good to read of others who do hare them ; and then the Home Pa- )»ers are a source of great pleasure and profit to me, if others do denounce them. T. J. Cook. Newpoint, Decatur Co., Ind., Dec. 7, 1881. The box of goods shipped to my address the 17th Is received, every thing in good condition. Almost every article was better than we expected — a wonder for the money — 50 to 75 per cent cheaper than the same could have been bought here. Why do you advertise the carpenter's level an " imitation rosewood," when it is good cherry, same as all lev- els, just as good aa rosewood; while to say " imita- tion," conveys the impression that it is soft wood, only painted, whi(^ would be a poor article even if it Imitated gold. I shall want another box of goods after awhile. S. C. Perry. Portland, Ionia Co., Mich., Nov. 25, 1881. [Why, you see, friend P., it was imitation rosewood at first, but the manufacturers improved them, and we had not got round to note it. Many thanks for your kind words.] HOW TO GET SUBSCRIBERS. I was so delighted with Gleanings. I had some copies in my pocket. When I saw a bee-keeper I offered him one to read, with an invitation to take a copy. In every instance they have done so. Wil- kinson did not know that he wanted it at the time I offered him the copy. I passed his residende yester- day, and asked him how he liked it. He came out to the road and said it was just what he wanted. He would not do without it; said his wife wanted him to take the ABC, but Gleanings was just what ho wanted. He never had any honey except what he took out of hives, L. movable frames. They are all in a hurry; want to begin with Nov. No. Send them along. Fred Timmerman. Fayette, Iowa, Nov. 1, 1881, Smoker No. 2, which you sent me in place of the one Uncle Sam put his foot on, came all right, and, as the girls say about a new hat, it Is "just nobby.' I think you arc very kind to s'->nd another smoker; but I do not feel just right to have you stand all the loss. I don't know which to do in return for your kindness — pay off the debt against your factory, or try to get you some new subscribers for your maga- zine. I think I will try the latter plan. How would it do to leave a spRce at the bottom of your labels for comb honey, to fill with pen or pencil the kind of honey thH case contained, also space for name and address of producer? P. W. Ricktmyer. Gilboa, Schoharie Co., N. Y., Nov. 23, 1881. [I think I would use a separate label for tho pur- pose you mfntion, friend R. — Your very kind words pay for all the damage, but we should be very glad of the subscribers.] What will be your lowest terms for Gleanings for five years and f)ne Waterbury watch, latest improved nickel case? We like Gleanings so well, and also the editor, that we want to secure it for the above time. It is a pleasure to deal with you; for if th^re are any mistakes, you are always ready to correct them if you were at fault. W. O. & G L. Beach. Quitman, Nodaway Co., Mo.. Nov. 19, 1881. [Many thanks for your very kind words, friend B.; and all that troubles me about them is, that 1 may not always deserve them.— As we are doing a great deal to introduce the Waterbury watches, the manu- facturers have given us an especial rate, where we use them as premiums, and this enables us to give a watch, free of postage, to everybody who sends us $5.00 for five subscriptions. It may be a club of five, or sent to five different addresses, if all are new.] On page 567, Nov. Gleanings, I notice an editorial headed, "A Big Swindle," in which you ask, "Now, who of you is it that has been selling us pure queens for hybrids?" I suppose I must confess that I am "guilty," for I see no chance to escape, as one of j'our customers, whose order I filled, wrote me that the queen (which I sold for hybrid) was pure. Speaking of her bees he called them " little beau- ties." I wrote him that I was glad to hear it, and of course did not ask for any thing extra. I did not know she was pure when I shipped her; I thought she was hybrid, but found out later that I was mis- taken. So it was with one or two more I shipped you for hybrids, and I thought. " Won't that fellow be tickled when he finds that his queen is a tested one instead ef a hybrid one? " I feel amply paid by so agreeably disappointing those fellows, if it was really I. I know I am the "chap" in at least one of the cases which I have stated. Can you not tell, friend Root, by going to your queen-books, the one from whom you got the "bogus" hybrid queens? Look, and let me know. square men. I wish to state that I fully approve of your idea of having a list of square men. I think it will be a great aid to all of the honest ones. I will leave it to you and my customers whether I deserve to be placed in that list or not. I have dealt with you very much, and you have trusted me whenever I asked you to send me goods, before I had paid for them, for which 1 hereby tender you many thanks. You can tell whether I have acted honestly with you or not. I have tried to follow the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do to you," in all my business transactions. I have tried to, in ev- ery instance, as I thought God would have me do, asking him to lead me; and, judging from the pile of letters before me to-night, I have not tried in vain. J. P. MOORK, Morgan, Pendleton Co., Ky., Nov. 4, 1881. GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUI\E. Devoted to Bees and Honey, and Home Interests. Vol. X. JAN. 1, 1882. No. 1. A. X. ROOT, Publisher and Propnetor, \ Medina, O. PuWished Monthly. TERMS: $1.00 PKR ANVUM, IK AT)VA!fCE: 2 Copies for $1.90: 8 for S2. 75; 5 for $4.00; 10 or more, 75 cts. each. Single Number, 10 otK ; Additions to cldba may be made at club rates. Above are all to hit sent to one post Established in 1873. [iZf^i^J'^^l^L't^^^'''''''^'''''''^'^''''''' NOTES FRom the: banner apiary. No. 26. MY UEPOKT FOR 1881. *lJ^iUlEND O. H. TOWNSEND would like to know Jpl ' how much those seven colonies, that I bought of him, helped me in queen-rearing'. Well, as our little girls say, they helped a "whole lot." Of the eleven colonies that I owned one j'car ago, only one colony remained alive last spring; and that was 80 weak that I united it with another colony that I bought. Although it was up-hill work getting started last spring, yet I did not become discour- aged. It was with difficulty that I obtained money with which to buy bees, while to And boos to buy, unless at exorbitant prices, was an equally ditlicult task. Every .swarm that I bought was in box hives, or else in movable-comb hives having frames that differed in size from mine; consequently, all had to be transferred. Finally, June 1st, I found myself the possessor of 18 colonics; all transferred, and in fair working order. The weather continued cold so late, that queen-rearing was not commenced until about a month later than usual. Although white clover was so abundant that some fields reminded one of a snow-drift, yet the weather was so cool that no surplus was stored until the latter part of June. White clover yielded fairly from about June 2l8t until about July 8th, when it was deserted for the bounteous, fragrant basswoods. A fair crop was obtained from basswood, but the yields from fall flowers was cut short by the drought. I have reared and sold 263 queens ; extracted 1100 lbs. of honey, and doubled the number of ray colo- nies. Estimating the colonies now on hand (~8) at 15.00 each, my profits have been only $15.43 per col- ony. In closing his report, friend I. U. Good fairly takes the words right out of my mouth; that is, they ex- press my feelings exacth). Please allow me to quote them: "I wish to thank the many kind friends who have sent me their orders for queens. If there is. one among you who is not sati-sfled, lot mc know, and I will try to satisfy you. I tell you it does mo good to receive such liind letters as some of you bee-keepers write." MR. ROOT didn't COME. How I did wish that I could go to the convention at Battle Creek I but circumstances were such that I could not attend. I could not help thinking, how- ever, that there was a slight possibility, about one chance in ten, that Mr. Boot (Novice) might swing around this way on his way home. Saturday even- ing, in hopes that he might come, I filled tho wood- box heaping full of wood, so that we could " sit up" and "talk" if he did come; and, as I started for Rogersville, I laughingly told Mrs. H. that I was go- ing to the train to meet Mr. Hoot. But no Mr. Boot alighted from the cars; and then I even went so far as to go through the cars to see if, by any possible chance, he might be on the train. I saw only one man that I thought could possibly be him, and while I was debating in my mind whether or not I had better speak to him, he up and squirted a small- sized deluge of tobacco-juice behind the stove. That settled it, and I left the car, went over to the 8 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. Jan. postofflce, and then went home with nothing for company but my own thoughts, and my pockets full of mail. W. Z. Hutchinson. Hogersville, Genesee Co., Mich. Friend 11., althougli I very often tell young bee-keepers to have fewer colonies, and take better care of them, I do not know but that it is sometimes well to advise them to have more colonies, and take better care of them ; and I do not know but that I should do so in your case. As you have 28 now, and will probably have pretty nearly all of them in the spring (?), i presume you will next sea- son show us that you can handle a larger number as profitably as you do a few.— I should have been very glad indeed to have passed the Sabbath witli you, friend II.; but I was urged to stay with quite a number of others in the same way, and some of them were veiy urgent too. When I got almost home, my own son got almost out of patience with me because I wouldn't stay with him, Here is what he wrote about it :— Dear Mother:- I heard that pa came through Ober- lin yesterday, and I was (Tc;/ much dis;ippointcd to think I did not know of it in time, so as to be at the depot. If I had, I should have endeavored to make him stay over Sunday; and I don't see why he didn't when he had such a good opportunity. But as he is one of those impatient home mortals, I think I can excuse him. Next time, I wish he would inform me a little in advance, for I think I could capture him. Mr. House sends his respects to all Medina friends, and told me to give pa a "free lecture" for not stopping in Oberlin, for he thinks he missed a good deal. Ernest. Oberlin, 0.,Dec. 11, 1881. Come to think of it, I believe this is the first time one of our ovvn children ever be- fore penned a word for Gleanings. Well, I knew my duty was at home. The great stack of letters that awaited me lay heavily on my shoulders. Just one illustration: Eriend Doolittle almost got cross, because one of the. clerks had charged him .^8.00 for 40U printed postal cards. The clerk said it was according to the list, which was true, but the list also said five hundred would be only $(i.OU. Shall I hire somebody to look after all these things ? I never yet knew of anybody who would look after things as well as the one to whom the things belonged. THE CYPRUS APIAKY. OUR FRIEND FR.\NK BENTON IN niS HOME ON CYPRUS ISLAND. fl^HE photograph the best and largest that could be obtained here, shows only a small part of the apiary, whose foreground is ciit otf, and which extends some distance to the right, and a part of which is the large iuclosure back of the house. The costumes of Greeks, Arabs, and Turks, with the group of camels, give to the view a decidedly Oriental air. The camels have just arrived from the interior of the island, and the attendants are busy removing their loads of clay cylinders — the native bee-hives. A Turkish woman belonging to the car- avan stands near. In the group at the loft is a priest of the Greek church, with a Greek citizen, and a Greek porter, the latter being about to start for the steamer land- ing, with a case of bees for shipment, while the two former are watching that '■'Amcrikanos" manipu- late a hive of bees. " But, can they be handled thus with so many people and animals abaut?" asks some one. Certainly they can, if one knows how to man- age them, and has u bit of patienc?. CYPIUOTE CLIMBING A TREE. Most of the hives shown in the picture are plain boxes, of about 3000 cubic inches capacity, designed to hold medium-sized colonies for queen-rearing — all queens being reared in full colonies. The whole apiary is devoted to this branch of bee culture, and of course movable combs are used exclusively, the loose-fitting Langstroth being employed to the ex- clusion of all other styles. The size, however, is 9 inches deep by 10 long outside. Twelve of these are placed in one story, but sometimes twelve more are put into a second story, placed above the other. But even on four of these combs, a queen with plenty of young bees and a good supply of honey will winter here. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. At the extreme left of the porch are some twenty clay cylinders piled up like drain-tiles. These are some of the bee-hives of the natives, and this shows exactly the manner in which their apiaries are ar- ranged—is, in fact, a model of a Cyprus apiary. The cylinders are made of clay, and burnt, and each is about a yard long and 9 or 10 inches in diameter, except each end, which is a little larger.* A stone disc is fitted into each end, and t he crevices, except an entrance-hole, filled with puddled clay. On the roof is another model (!) apiary, such as may be seen at many a Cypriote's home. The cylin- ders of this collection are made of cliy. into which short straw has been incorporated, and they have been merely dried in the sun. Inside they arc of about the same size as the others, but the walls arc from the back end, after the removal of the rear disc, and after t be bees have been driven forward with smoke. But brood and some dirt often get mixed with the combs taken out, which are then crushed, and the honey strained out; hence the quality is very poor; yet 13 cents per pound (14 pias- tres per oke) is the price which is commonly asked for it in the bazaars. It often happens that the poor bees find their winter-stores have been stolen fr^m them, and that, after a hard year's toil in the iiot, scorching hot, summer sun, they must starve in the cold. Surely, I hope there are nn Cypriotes in Amer- ica, and that all of the be.iutiful littlo workers I send over there will faro better than would have been the ease if they had lieen left to the not very tender mercies of Greek or Turkish Cypriotes. FRANK BENTON'S APIAUY, L.VRNACA, ISLAND OF CYPRUS, MEDITERRANEAN SEA. generally a little over twice as thick as those made of burnt clay, being quite two inches. Of course, they arc very heavj-, unwieldy thing?; yet (since there are few trees in Cyprus) these thick clay walls protect the combs from the sun even better than do the thinner burnt-clay ones. In winter, too, they keep the bees warmer. The diameter of these cylin- ders is greater at the rear end than in front, in order to facilitate the removal + of combs of honey; for from these, as well as from the other kind of hives, the natives take such an amount of honey as they think the bees can spare, by cutting the combs out *A palpable infringement (?) on our friend Merrybanks" pail bee-hive.— Ed. tMerrj'banks again, for a wonder. The house is one of those old rambling adobe and stone structures so characteristic of Cyprus. Its walls are two feet thick, floors of stone, and roofs of beaten clay six or eight Inches thick, and supported by great arches of massive masonry. Some Idea of Its size may be gained from the following facts: The front court is 60 by 100 feet, and is nearly in- closed on three sides by parts of the house, which contains l-t rooms. The front porch is 13 feet wide and 05 feet long. A hall at the right leads through the house 50 feet to the back court, which is about 30 feet by something over 60, and is inclosed by the house on two sides. When our little " prize queen," who first " piped " Sept. 5th, 1881, can trot from room to room, it will be 10 GLEANINGS IN J3EE CtJLTUUE. Jan. a task to hunt her up in this old mansion — our home in Cyprus. Frank Benton. Larnaca, Island of Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea. Many, many thanks, friend ]5enton. I do not know what you could have sent us that would have pleased us more than such a picture. Is it indeed you, away off there among those strange foreign surroundings V There are many here at home who think of you often, and our boy Ernest is planning to take a trip over to Cyprus when he gets through with his college course. You have not even told us a word about that native brother who is climbing that tree. Is he after Apis dorsata/ Kiss the little ''prize queen " for us all ; and may God grant she may some time see her hosts of friends in the fatherland, away off here in America I OLK BEE-HIVE, WlXn A PICTURE OF THE GENTLEMAN HIMSELF. ^D^ELOW please find draft of hive, and inclosed, a PO) photo of hive and of your humble servant. You sec I have the side cushion under my foot,--not that I have discarded it, liut that it is the foundation of my success. It is made so that it does not come to the bottom by H in.; not raised, as that would let the heat pass under the top cushion at the ends of the side cushion. ^■•>^^W^\'i»\\^\m^ I .^\^^ '^NX^XSiTs 3. x'^CwtS.I DIAGRAM OF THE INTERIOR OF THE HIVE. The lower story is 18J4xl814xlO, and the upper one 181/4x26x10, inside; coffee-sack, filled full of planer shavings, just- fills it full, but leaves the corners open so the fresh air can come in at the entrance, and pass under the side cushions, and up at the cor- ners of the top cushions, and out at the holes at the gable ends. By this plan the draft is not direct, and they can not smother, if the ciUranco should get closed up. I use your L. wide frame for surplus honey, at the side below, but mostly use a long wide frame (holding 8 sections) above, running parallel with brood-frames. The frames below are of a Elze to hold six 1-lb. sections. I find this is very handy, for I can get at the brood by just raising one wide frame above. The piece at the end of the long wide frame passes below the bottom piece 4 inches, so it will not kill bees in sotting it in the hive. I use the standard L. frame. Geo. W. Stites. Spring Station. Ind., Dec, 1881. Our friends will observe that this hive is arranged to combine the protection afforded by chaff hi\'es, with the ideas that have been brought out so strongly in regard to thorough upward ventilation ; that is, while he has protection from the frost, he also has almost the ventilation afforded by leaving the section boxes on all winter. His plan of having the frames in the upper story a third longer than those below, is the same as has been given with illustrations in some of our former volumes. In some respects this plan is very convenient ; but having two sizes of frames in the same hive, or apiary even, seems to be so objectionable that, so far as I can learn, it does nottind permanent favor. A NEW TlINNEl. FOR HANDLIiNG HONEY. no has not been bothered in trying to get lioney into a bottle, jug, or even fruit-jar V Well, a friend in an adjoining county has got up a very neat little implement for the house- hold, which wfc tigiire below: — THE COMBINED AD.TDSTABLE TUNNEL AND STRAINER. The engrav- ings explain the utensil so fully, I need hardly say a Avord of explanation. The large figure shows how it is used for a fruit- jar, or similar large-mouthed vessel. Well, for a small- mouthed vessel you just slip on the little cone seen below, and if you then wish the honey or other liquid strained, you just slip in the circular piece of perforated tin, and you have a strainer also. The whole is very neatly and strongly made, with a polished enameled handle, and yet the price is but little more than a good-sized tunnel. We can furnish them for 15 cents, or i:0 cents, where sent by mail. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 11 IMPROVIIVG OUR BEES BY CABEFUI. SELECTION IN BBKEDING. SOME FACTS FROM EXPERIENCE, BY FRIEND WILTSE. is]|HE experience of Mr. Doolitilc, as given in the Oct. No. of Gle.vninos, is so much at vari- ance with the known principles of breeding, and the results reached by crossing two or more races, that lam inclined to believe he has so ex- pressed himself, for the purpose of drawing others out on this subject. He says: "The first Italian queen I ever saw was introduced some time in July, and did not raise a drone that season; neither was there an Italian drone within 12 miles of her; yet none of her daughters ever produced a black bee. There were hundreds of queens raised from her during three years, yet none of them ever produced a black bee." Previously he tells of 60 queens, du- plicates of their mother, that raised no black bees, though thousands of black and hybrid drones were around, and-asserts that he raised them the past season. In this ease he does not tell any of the characteristics of these bees, and in the other he does not say who owned them, does not tell any of their chai-acteristics, does not in either case give their color; but gives references to what he has previously written for Gleanings. These numbers I did not have. In the Bcc-Keepers' Magazine, Vol. p. No. 7, he writes of " the first Italian queen that ever came into these parts;" he says: " Not a drone was raised from her that season. She was introduced in- to one black stock after another, until queens were obtained for the whole apiary. These queens mated with black drones. Not one of these queens ever produced a black bee. When the daughters of these queens came to produce bees, then it was that a part of the bees emerging from the cells were black. According to the rule of the three bands, the bees raised by the queens that mated black drones could not be told from the simon-pure." No owner is mentioned here; none of the characteristics of the bees are given. So much for the first and second grades produced by crossing the black bee with the Italian. Of the hybrids of the black bee and the Egyptian, he says: "It is said, that a cross of the black bee with the Egyptian, will, in three generations, produce a bee which no man can tell from the best Italian. If this is so, it is probably the starting-point of our Italians; but wh/ such breeding can so thoroughly fix the bands, that a queen mating with a common drone will not show such mating in her working progeny, is more than I can tell, but know such to be the fact." Does he mean that the first cross, and the grades resulting from such mating, are to be mated with the Egyptian bee? To judge from the context, I infer that such a result is reached by the first cross, when allowed to breed among themselves to the third generation. This is opposed in every respect to the testimony of those who have mated the black bee with other races of bees, and to all analogous testimony resulting from crossing other races of animals. Mr. W. F. Clark says, in the B. K. M., "I apprehend bee stock is ruled by the same laws that govern other stock." Martin Metcalf says, in the above-mentioned journal (see Vol. V., No. 11, p. 273:) "Our conclusions ai'e firmly established, that the same principles which are universally ap- plied to the development and perfection of a distinct type of horses, cattle, swine, sheep, or any other family of the animal kingdom, must be adopted and rigidly adhered to, if we hope to make any progress, or even maintain the characteristics we now possess." Like the queens referred to by Mr. Doolittle, some that I have raised, and that have mated with bhick drones when no Italian droneswere in this vicinity, have raised worker bees marked with three yellow bands exclusively; but in every case they wei-e of an irascible di>*position, and in all other respects re- sembled other hybrids: such queens we killed. We bred from the old pure queens, and such others as we infen-ed were pure, from the writings of those who said the most in the bee journals, killing such queens as had evidently mated with black drones; but, contrary to our own judgment, leaving some of their drones. We purchased pure queens, occasion- ally, to breed from; but could not, under this sys- tem, repress the lilack bee. We at length moved the hybrids, and some Italians three miles from home. They were allowed to breed inter sc, and they grew darker from year to year. Some became entirely black — queens, drones, and workers. Albinos were produced, and several stocks raised worker bees whose abdomens had a shortened and pinched ap- pearance. Had not the disease of last winter de- stroyed them, they would probably have developed into a sub-variety of black bees. Eight years ago we purchased some Lancashire and some Berkshire pigs — the former a white race, the latter nearly black. They were pedigreed stock. When crossed, the Lancashire in every case impart' ed to their ott'spriug their color; but their character- istics, and those of the Berkshire, wore nearly equal- ly blended. Increase of size, and vigor, resulted from the first cross. When this cross was mated with the Lancashire, the result was endless variety in form and color; they seemed to be breeding back- ward. We continued to breed grade after grade with the pure Lancashire, and not until the sixth or seventh cross had been made did any thing like uni- formity result, llesulting from the Imperfect blend- ing of the two races, a pig with its upper lip sepa- rated from the jaw-bone, several with five phalanges to the front feet, and one with six, were produced, and several with aborted mamraie. Those cases are not exactly parallel, pure blood having been always used with the hogs, and only when it happened so with the bees; yet from the similiarity of the results, 1 think we can safely draw the following conclusion: That an individual or race, though suflicienlly pre- potent to exert a controlling influence over a first cross, through the imperfect blending of the races, subsequently fails to exert the same influence. Pre- potency failing, the latent tendency to revert back to the color of the original species that exists in the Italiin, and is aroused into activity by crossing the races, augmented by inventation and fcetal circula- tion, produces the speedy obliteration of the yellow bands. Jerome AViltse. P. S. — Having photographs of two of those fcogs' feet, of which I wrote in the inclosed article, I send them to you us evidence of the results produced by mingling the blood of two races. J. W. Kulo, Neb., Dec, 1881. The photographs inclosed show very plain- ly a queer deformity of the feet, and indi- cate something wrong, without question. If I correctly understand friend W., he claims that the crossing of two races gives fresh vigor to the cross for only a few genera- tions, and that to reap the best results from 12 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. crossing tlie blacks with tlie Italians, we keep on importing fresli stock, and also pre- serve pure black bees to cross with them. If we do not wish to do this, keep both races separate. Am I correct V FROim 10 TO 71 COLONIES, I4ISS. OF HONEY. AND 1200 ANOTHER "STUNNING" REPORT. Spi WISH to give you some of the ups and downs of I bee-keeping — especially the downs. In this lo- " — ' eality we had the best honey season we have had for many years. We had the hottest and dryest season wc ever had. No rain from Juno 15th until Sept. l,")th. The hotter and dryer, the more honey seemiusrly. 8w>^et clover is king, as a honoy-produc- Ing plant. It blossomed until Nov. 14th this fall. I suppose mj' suoceas is due to the grand honey sea- eon, and plt^nty of old combs on hand, of which I had 1500 sheets. My loss lit;! winter was 163 out of 105 colonies. I bousrht 8 blacks, and commencf'd with 10 colonies — 8 fair and :J weak ones. I trans- ferred the 8 June 5th, and made my first division Juno 12th. I di\ide by moving a strong colony, and start a nucleus in its place with a full set of combs and a frame of eggs and brood in the center.* This season I subdivided each nucleus when the queens were ready to hatch, say from Vi to 11 days, by giving each a brood comb again. In this waj' I have increased from 10 to 71 colonics, which could be done only by dividing and subdividing. My hive i.s what I will call a systematized Langstroth, 14x14 and ll?a inches high, inside measure, holding 9 frames. Prom a number of iniclei, started between Juuo 13th and July 15th I have extracted 60 lbs. of finished honey, each from the upper story, in Sep- tember. Total honey crop for 1881, 1000 lbs. extracted, and 200 lbs. comb honey; bees all strong, and plenty of honey for the winter. I work on the tiering-up sys- tem. 1 took 40 full sheets of brood from my only surviv- ing colony of Italians, and yet it occupied 4 sto- ries, containing 36 frames and a case of sections. Again, the middle of September my 8 colonies of blacks v/ere not much behind this. Each occupied ;}6 frames, and had also furnished a great many brood frames. Quite a number of my nuclei occu- pied 36 frames. Again, in September also, each old colony gave me 60 lbs. honey, which van taken after it was all finished and capped. Tweh e hundred lbs. honey, and 100 lbs. wax from 10 colo lies in spring. From the time maple and fruit trees blossomed, say May 1st imtil Sept. 18th, we had a e jnstant flow of honey. Our principal honej -producing plants here are fruit-trees, white clover, basswool, sweet clo- ver, wild cucumber, and heart's-ease. After reading a great deal of bee literature, I have come to this simple conclusion: Like all scientific subjects, the more we know, the less we know — or the more we feel the necessity of knowing more. I have to differ with some of your correspondents on glass jars. I sell my honey in Mason's jars, quarts and pints, and also jelly-tumblers; quarts, 65 cts.; pints, 40; jelly-glasses, 25; so you see my honey nets me over 18 cts. per lb. I have sold up to date, $166 worth of honey. My object in increasing my bees was to save my comb. 1 have succeeded in saving 13o0 out of 1500 sheets. Now, how much more could I have accomplished had I received my 8 queens from H. A. Burch in June? My intention was to buy 25 queens this season; but Burch & Co. wiped me in the start, so 1 got none at all. Accord- ingly, the queen-dealers have lost on me the price of 15 to 20 queens. Now, if the rest of Burch's dupes have withheld their orders and money from honest dealers, what has been the total loss to deal- ers on account of H. A. Burch & Co.'s trickery? H. S. H-\CKMAN. Peru, La Salle Co., III., Dec. 12, 1881. AN A B € SCHOLAK'.S MANAGEMENT OF £>EES, AM) REPORT FOB 1881. *I wonld invite tlie attention of fiionil Hasty (see j). above— Ki), N March number of Gleanings I told you I had my bees down cellar— two box and two Sim- ' plicity. They were put into the cellar the mid- dle of November, and remained until the last Aveek In April (without any fly). I visited them often to see that they were quiet and happy, and free from dysentery, and took care not to disturb them in any way. In preparing them in the fall, to the box hives I did nothing, only left the empty surplus boxes on. In the Simplicities I removed the enamel cloth, and placed, instead, a chaff cushion thick enough to fill space in cover with a fourth-inch space across the opposite end from the entrance up by the cushion for ventilation. Then on the rabbet, on the outside of hive of the same end, I placed a piece of wood ?« square by ]i thick, tipped back against the miter, and let the cover rest on that, which gave a circulation of air through the hive. Temperature from 40 to 45". I could put all the dead bees in a pint dipper when I took them from the cellar, and I had no spring dwindle (and I will say right here, it was one of the hardest winters we ever had). I placed them on their summer stands about 10 o'clock a.m. on a very fine day (snow all gone). Then there was a fly in earnest. Now for summer report: I transferred one box hive to Simplicity; changed the other two over into new hives so as to be sure the queens were there, and every thing sweet and clean. After I got them to raising brood I made one colony qucenless, using the queen to form another colony, and using the queenless colony to raise queens; got three good cells on the very first frame I put in then ; after they were capped, I transferred two cells to separate frames of brood, and with these formed two other colonies, leaving one for the queenless colony. The other box hive I let swarm once, after which I used the bees from the box to prevent swarming, and to build up the others. This doubled my number. I stopped here. As I had no sale for bees, I did not wish to Increase further; got them Into shape for honey as fast as possible by taking from the strong to build up the weak, and had them in good work- ing order in time; but, lo and beholdl the honey did not come -that is, as fast as I expected, but rain, rain, rain, until the first week in August, and then they began to fill up; but it cut short, so I got only about 100 lbs., mostly in 1-lb. sections. How- ever, I am not discouraged a bit. They are jammed full of honey and bees; are all fixed warm, and have been in cellar since the 10th of November; so don't put me in Blasted Hopes yet. My bees built comb between the bottom of surplus frames and top of brood frames. What is the trouble? Do you use 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 13 honey-board on top of frames before putting on sur- plus frames? The space on my hives is nearly 14 inchbetwcn the frames. Will reducing' the space to 1 1 inch stop them? If so, how sh ill I do it? HOME PAPERS. Now, I wish to say a word about those Home read- ings. I know you have no idea of leaving them out. If I thought you did, I should hold up both hands, and use my tongue pretty freely too, to keep them in. I think this a very nice journal as it is, and if there isn't room for all, you must iucrease its pages or leave out some other matters of not so much profit. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Let us have the Home readings. Brother Koot, and my dollar shall be com- ing along to you every year to help you out, and all others whom I can get to subscribe. L. S. Smith. Cherryfleld, Washington Co., Me., Dec. H, 1881. The difficulty you mention, friend S., is one not very easily remedied . Reducing the space to i inch will usually answer, yet there are some stocks that will even then fill the space up solid with honey. If you scrape the top-bars and bottom-bars clean, and glease them with clean tallow, it will usual- ly prevent any further attachments, but it may hinder tlie bees some from going into the sections. With the case for the H-story hive, you can take out the sections, put them in a new case, and leave the case over the frames until the end of the season, if you choose, but you will then be unable to exam- ine the brood-combs during all this time. A good many let alone these attachments, and when they wish to pick out the filled sec- tions, break each wide frame loose, being careful to smoke the bees away, when they are replaced, that none may be killed. I am inclined to think the bees move right into new sections more readily when the latter plan is followed, than where they are pre- vented from bridging up the space as men- tioned. QUESTIONS FROM AN A B C SCHOLAR. ALSO A PRETTY GOOD REPORT FROM 4 COLONIES. ^p^DITOR GLEANINGS:- Permit me to ask a Jmi few more questions. CURING HONEY. How long does it take to cure honey? A good deal has already been written on this subject; but per- mit me to use a little space for remarks in this con- nection. During the white-clover season I took some of the best extracted honey, and, after allow- ing it to stand open a few days, I sealed it up to keep till fair time. I thought it splendid honey, and well ripeued too. I also kept specimens of all the kinds of honey, clear to the end of the season. Now, at this time the best 1 have is that last extracted from fall flowers. I allowed it to stand open a long time, and it has constantij' improved till now, and there is not aparticleof the "tang" (if that is the word; that we sometimes taste after eating honey. It is even better than the white-clover honey. I have ob- served all through the season that the longer the honey is left open, the better it is. Is this the gen- eral verdict? I believe the general testimony is, that ex- tracted honey improves by stantting open to the air, if protected from dust. Friend Ileddon said, at the convention, he placed his honey in stone crocks, and piled them ui) on each other, but so the air could circu- late through. The crocks, of course, will give it no taint or flavor, as barrels may do. It seems to me I would use tin cans, because they are so much lighter to handle. Well, if at any time he has an order for a barrel of honey, begets it from these crocks into the barrel in this way: He has a large tin can to set on the stove, that will hold, say, eight 2<)-lb. crocks. Water is poured around them, and brought gradually to a heat that will melt the honey ; it is then poured into the barrel, while hot. Two lots, melted in this way, make a barrel full. I believe as fine honey as I ever tasted had been standing a year "in open crocks, and was candied hard. GRANULATION OP HONEY. What principle in honey causes granulation? I noticed that the first honey I extracted was the last to granulate, and vice verm. This being the case, which will winter bees better, the early or late honey? If the former, then why extract from the brood-chamber at all? AVould the Queeii be driven out of it, and we be compelled to extr.-ict to give her room ? I believe the source from which the bees get the honey has much to do with granula- tion. Some will get solid very soon, while other samples will not. Honey that is gran- ulated in the combs, seems to be inconven- ient for the bees in winter, like grape sugar; but when the weather gets warm, they use it without trouble. Aside from this, I do not know that we have any reason to think granulation is any objection, although I be- lieve clover and linn honey is thought to winter bees rather better than late-gathered honey. CONTRACTED ENTRANCES AND DEAD BEES. One year ago I had i colonies of bees, my father 9. I took equal pains in preparing all for winter on their summer stands. During winter, my father failed to keep his entrances clear of dead bees; I kept mine clear, and once or twice, on warm, sunny days, I took every frame out, and cleaned the hives of dead bees, they voiding their faeces at the same time. I had the satisfaction of successfully winter- ing mine, my father losing all his. Our hives and bees were alike. What made the difference? FOUL BROOD. In speaking of dead bees, allow me to ask if they will induce foul brood to appear. Does this disease ever appear in the winter? And will it live through winter with a swarm of bees? Foul brood hurts only the brood, and it therefore can do harm only while brood is being raised. The germs of the disease stay in the combs over winter, and affect the Ijrood as soon as brood is raised again. It is claimed that dead bees and dead brood may generate foul brood where none has ex- isted. I am very loth to accept this; still, it may be so. We have never had a cell of foul brood in our apiary, and, in fact, I have never seen any in our State, so I may not be very good authority in the matter. See p. 16. FROM 1 TO 13 IN ONE SEASON. A man in this county increased 1 swarm to 12 in 1880; lost all but 1 last winter; said they were all good swarms. This year he increased again to 13. 14 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. RE.VRINQ DRONES. I have 3 or 3 hybrid swarms, and want to get full Italians. What proportion of queens should be de- voted to raising drones, to secure this result from a good queen to raise queens from? It will be a very good idea to raise as many pure drones as you can conveniently, if you have black drones near you, in abun- dance. TO SAVE A VALUABLE QUEEV WIIE^J THE BEES DIE OFF. Suppose you wish to save a queen in a colony that ■was dying off rapidly, how would you do it; i. c, In the winter or early spring? I have never had much success in keep- in.i? queens after the bees liad died off and left tliem, unless it was so late in the spring that I could introduce them into a nucleus of healthy bees made for them. If given young bees in an ordinary queen-cage, and fed on pui-e sugar and water, they may be kept a month or more. YEARLY REPORT. Had 4 colonics List spring; increased to 12. They gave 775 lbs. honey, mostly extracted. Extracted brought ISlaC; comb, 18c. per lb., netting $'.ty.70. Value of the 8 new swarms, you may place yourself; but S150 would not buy the product of my lour col- onies the past ye.ir, and all this from one who did not know a queen from a drone, May 15, 1833. ENCOURAGEMENT. Can it be possible that the author of that famous growlery article in last Gle.vnings, and other r-ien who write similar articles, ever glance at the " kind words" from the grand army of constantly increas- ing patrons of your noble business? If so, do they ever pause to think that they may be wrong and you right? It woulfi seem not. Surely such harsh grat- ing words can not fall gently upon the ear of one who is striving with all his might todo justice to the many who arr^iri part instrumental in building up a business for him, which of itself speaks the ver- dict rendered by the honest, grateful members of our bee-keeping fraternity. F. A. Palmer. McBrides, Montcalm Co., Mich., Dec. C, 1881. Yon are right, friend P.; the kind words do help me wonderfully to bear the harsh ones when they come. They do not come very often. I believe you have seen the most of them and the worst of them. COMB FOUNDATinN FOR BOXES. SECTION M FTER comb foundation had been in use but a _^\ year or two, it became apparent to some that ' the bees did not properly thin the base of the cells so as to make it practical for using in section boxes, as a hard ridge of wax (or "fishbone," as it was termed) in the center of each comb of honey was quite a serious objection, for consumers did not like to eat so much wax with their honey. At this time, fdn. running from G to 8 square feet to the pound was used for sections; and it was predicted that if such a course was persisted in, our honey markets would eventually be ruined. About this time the Armriccin Btz Journal lifted up its voice of waruiag, and bee coaventiouj resolved against Us use for comb honey, to such an extent that some of our large honey-producers began to study on the matter of making a very thin foundation. In due time, the Van Deusen flat-bottomed fdn. appeared before the public as a result, and we had fdn. so thin that it took from 10 to 1-1 square feet of it to make one pound. This seemed to be successful as far as the " fishbone " was concerned; but as the bees had to change the flat bottom into a lozenge- shaped base, it was soon discovered that it was not accepted as readily by the bees as fdn. with a natur- al-shaped septum. However, this was far ahead of any yet inuse, and thus it could be readilj' seen that we were gaining ground. To overcome this last diffi- culty, Mr. Vandervort succeeded in producing fdn. running from 10 to 12 square feet to the pound, with a lozenge-shaped base which was said to work equally as well as the Van Deusen, and having none of the objections urged against that. Thus wo find the N. E. Bee Convention in February, 188 1, giving the Vandervort the preference over all others on exhi- bition. At about this time, A. I. Root advertised in his price list vcrtj thin fdn. for comb honey, running at least 10 square feet to the pound, and the pros- pect looked quite flattering that comb foundation for section honey would prove a success, for " out of a m\iltitude of covmselors cometh wisdom." To see which was best, I concluded, last spring, to thor- oughly test the matter, and so procured fdn. from the following parties; namely: A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio; G.W.Stanley, Wyoming, N. Y.; I. G. Whit- ten, Genoa, N. Y. ; R. Van Deusen, Sprout Brook, N. Y., and Chas. Dadant & Son, Hamilton, III. That procured from A. T. Root was his own make, but proved to run ouly fi'/j square feet to the pound in- stead of "at least 10," as was advertised; and be- sides, it was made of dark, dirty wax. Perhaps friend Root will explain why he allowed such to bo sent out. T hat from Stanley was made on the Van- dervort machine; was very nice wax, and ran 11 feet to the pound. Mr. Whitten's was made on a Dunham machine, and was the nicest I have seen coming from a Dunham mill, as it ran WA feet to the pound, and was made of nice wa.x. Mr. Van Deusen's was the thin flat-bottomed, which is, I think, the prettiest fdn. to look at of any I have yet seen. Of Chas. Dadiint &Son, I had both the Root and Dunham. The Root ran about 7!» feet to the pound, and the Dutiham about 6. As to quality of ii'a.c, I will say, this last was the nicest of all. I filled 30 section boxes full within ?8 of an inch of the bottom, with each kind, and marked the name of the party producing the fdn. on each box. In due time these boxes were placed on the hives so that an equal number (six, one of each kind) was on each hive. These hives were examined at different times, and the result showed that the two kinds pro- duced by Dadant, and that by Stanley were worked upon about alike, and finished at nearly the same time. That produced by Root and Whitton was about a day later in being finished, while the Van Deusen was nearly three days behind the first- named. This was taking the average time of the 20 swarms which worked upon them. By this ex- periment we found that it did take lime for the bees to manipulate the flat-bottomed fdn. After all was off the hives, we were anxious to know which kind had the thinnest base, or, in other words, which was most free from the "fishbone" center so much talked of. Accordingly, I procured a very sensitive pair of scales, showing a variation of 54 ounce ac- 1882 GLEAl^INGS IN BEE CULTURE. 15 curatel.v, and upon these fixed a No. IG wire (being square at the end) so it stood perpendicularly. I now placed the section of honey on this wire, Ictiinjj: it down carefully till the square end touched the base, and then watched the scales till the wire passed through, noting down the number of ounces r-.sist- ance produced by the base of the fdn. on this wire. Each section was thus nubjocted to this trial in their different places, whcu the amount was posted up and an average made. When this was done, the same number of sections containing natural comb were subjected to the same test, and an average taken, which gave us this result: A. I. lloot's make showed the average pressure ofe?^ ounces; G. W. Stanley's make (Vaadervort) 4?4 ounces; 1. G. Whit- ten's (very ihin Dunham) bVi ounces; R. Van Deusen (flat-bottomed) 5 ounces; Chas. Dadant & Son (thin Root) oU ounces; Chas. Dadant & Son (thin Dunham) 6'/i ounces; natural comb, -t'/i ounces. Thus it will be seen that the Stanley (Vandervort) fdn. was even thinner than the natural comb, while the VanDeu- sen stood the next best in the list. These experi- ments were conducted carefully, to arrive at the truth of the matter as nearly as could bo done in one season with 20 section bo.\es of each kind. I am in no way interested in the sale of any kind of fdn., consequent!}' am not prejudiced in the least. One thing I wish to say about all fdn., which I have long believed to be so, but have had no chance to prove till the past season, which is this: At a time when honey is coming in moderately, say when a goad swarm is bringing in from 3 to 5 lbs. per daj' of ex- tracted honey, comb foundation is a success in the surplus arrangement; but at a time when honey comes In with a rush, the same swarm gathering from 12 to 20 lbs. a day, it does not pay the cost, for my bees will fill a bo.Y having a starter of natural comb, and finish it as quickly as they will one full of fdn. by the side of it. AIL through basswood the past season, when honey was coming in slowly, the fdn. was drawn out and finished before a bo.\ by it,^ side with a starter was half filled; but when the rush came from teasel and red clover, those with starters were filled fully as soon, as has been my experience for several years before. Thus I have given you my experience with foundation for surplus comb honey. If it does not agree with the experience of others, please use charity, and remember that local- ities make a difference in results. G. M. DOOLITTLE. Borodino, N. Y., Dee. 17, 1881. Friend D., I am certainly very much obliged for the result of your valuable ex- periments, even if you have given our fdn. for surplus honey apretty square left-handed recommend. Very likely it was fully de- served, for I did discover, one time last spring, that the hands in our wax-room were not making fdn according to the ad- vertisement. When taken to task about it, the reply was, that if we made it that thin, it would cost more than we ever got for it. I gave them to understand pretty clearly, that we were to do all we agreed to in print, and when there was a difficulty in the mat- ter, 1 was to be consulted. Since that time, I believe we have furnished clean wax for surplus boxes, and as thin as advertised. I am sorry the above experiments did not in- clude also samples of ihe dipprd fdn. With all deference to friend Doolittle, 1 would re- mind our readers, that he has, from the'com- mencement, pulled strongly against the use of fdn. Even when everybody else was sat- isfied, apparently, his experiments seemed to indicate it didn"t pay. The above is a pretty big concession in its favor, but it seems to me he is hanging back a little still. Will our friend excuse so much of a criti- cism V I would mention one more reason why our fdn. was not as thin as advertised. The advertisement was put in with the in- tention of using drone fur starters, and we can work drouedownto 10 feetto the pound, with little trouble. AVell, when some de- clared they wanted worker equally thin, we found it much more difficult, because of the greater number of side-walls. Will friend i). please tell us if lie experimented with drone fdn. also, and how it compared with the worker 'i . — ,„,^ , -a», BEE:-STI^GS AAD KHELMATISITI. .MOHR CONVINCING rACTS. ^f HAVE read in Gleanings, at different times in the past few years, reports of rheumxrism be- ing cured by bee-stings; some of those report- ing very positively that they were cured; others were not so positive: still others were certain that they were not benefited at all. I have a little ex- perience in the matter of iheumatism and bee- Ftlugs, which I will relate brielly, and let you and others judge for yourselves. I have been HtHictcd with rheumatism for at least 25 years, and of the wandering kind (as the darkey said, "hereto-day and gone yesterday to some other part.") I was with Sherman at the siege of Atlanta during the summer of 18(>-t, and during the autumn and winter following, on the march to the sea and through the Carolinas. I was, like the private soldier, exposed to all Ihe extremes of heat and cold, wet and dry — at times my clothing wet night and day for at least ten consecutive days, sleeping upon the cold wet ground, or exposed to the rays of a summer sun, with the temperature up to lu(i° in the shade, clad in a heavy woolen suit from head to foot, perspiring • like a man mowing. Strange to say, during all of that exposure I had not a particle of rheumatism for the space of about one year. On my return home to Medina county, Ohio, my old enemy (rheu- matism) returned also, and afllicted me summer and winter — not so badly in summer as winter (change- able weather fall and spiing is the most favorable season for the development of rheumatism), till the summer of 187(5. Since that time I have handled bees every season on a small scale for my own diver- sion, and have been stung almost every working day during the bee season up to the present time. Whilst I am handling bees, and am being stung, I have no rheumatism; but it returns in a few weeks afterward. Question (the same that Mrs. Harrison has asked): Will outdoor exercise and profuse per- spiration cure rheumatism? I am quite sure it will relieve, but not cure. Quite a number of articles have appeared in Gleanings on the curative effects of bees iu dropsy; and the publisher has raised the inquiry, if bees could not be used beneficially for the treatment of other diseases than rheumatism and dropsy. I say, yes. Apis is not a new remedy; it has been used successfully in a great many diseases for half a cen- tury or more by the homoeopaths. I have used it 16 GLEANINGS m BEE CULTUiiE. Jan. with good results for tbe past twelve years, and where It is indicated in any disease, it never dis- appoints. One more item, and I will relieve you. Mrs. L. Harrison said that she and medicine had fallen out many years since, and had never "kissed and made up;" and you falliato the wake, and express the de- sire that she may die Avithout being required to take much medicine. I say this: If the human race were well posted in the physical and hyg-ienic laws of life, there would be but little need of medicine. More, it is my firm conviction, and has been for many years, that there would be less morta'ity of the human race, without medication than there is with, as conducted at the present time. You may think the last assertion pretty strong for a man to make who depends upon the practice of medicnie for his support; but 1 have nothing to detract. It is my lirm conviction. Gr. F. Peckham, M. D. Elyria, Ohio. ^ I — '— liGCIlLER'S 600 1.BS. TO THE HIVE, AUAIIV. ALSO SOMETHING IN REGARD TO FOUL BROOD. fItlEND ROOT:— I have just read, with consid- erable interest, an article in Gleanings, — headed, "Lechler's 6C0 lbs. to the Hive," to which I would like to add a few notes from my own experience ; and more especially to the closing let- ter from G. W. Lechler himself. During the season of 187S I increased 4 colonies to 36, and took 1500 lbs. of honey without the use of either comb foundation, or empty combs; nor did they get half the attention they needed, and I am fully convinced that, had I given them my wliolc *une, with the aid of foundation, they would have done twice as well. And I know of another man who claimed to have increased from 6 to 40, and took two tons of honey. I think many bee-keepers make a mistake in keeping too many bees; that is, they keep more than they can properly attend to. As a general thing, the very best reports and largest yield from any one stock come from those having small apiaries. In order to attain to the best results, we must first have prolific queens, and must breed for honey-gathering qualities; and secondly, we must have our bees strong at the 7'i{jht time. Friend Wilkin hits a good point when he speaks of "the best management for tliat year." Bee-keeping here, ditfers widely from bee-keeping in the east. Our swarming season usually begins in the latter part of Maroh, and continues through the months of April and May, during which time there is but little surplus stored, the bees just gathering suflicient to keep them breeding nicely, and to keep the swarm- ing fever at its highest pitch. Now here comes in the fine point of management. All the increase we can make without detriment to the old colony, and have strong by the time the honey flow sets tn, is so much clear gain; but if we cripple the old stock, and do not get the new ones strong at the rUjlit time, we are so much the loser. And all this depends largely on the Aveather which is to eome, and of which we know but little. Very frequently, cold winds precede the honey flow, and carry off the bees as fast as they are produced, making it impossible to get them any stronger. A great many young queens are often lost in the same way. The past season was a very bad one to get queens fertilized; if they were not lost on their bridal tour, they would be killed by the bees on their return to the hive. Mr. Gallup doubled up his bees this year, but after- ward had to cut down the increase about one-half, on account of queen failures; and many others have had about the same experience, so you see we can tell better after the season is over what course we should have pursued in the spring. But I must pass on to Mr. Lechler's own letter, or I shall have no room for my special remarlss. He says, in speaking of foul brood, " A few years ago there were some apiaries that were bothered with it, and claimed they caught the disease from feeding diseased honey; but on investigation I find about the only apiaries affected were those where the own- ers practiced artificial swarming, and allowed the brood to get chilled." During the season of 1877— the dry year — I had in charge an apiary of 150 colonies (perhaps one to which Mr. Lechler refers); they did not gather suffi- cient stores for winter, and I fed them about 2000 lbs. of honey, procured in San Francisco. In a very few weeks after, I noticed the brood looked very peculiar. 1 examined it closely, and compared it with Quinby's description of foul brood, and found them to agree exactly. Chilled brood has no such smell as foul brood, neither does it decay to such rottenness as does foul brood. By closely following Quinby's directions, and yours in the A B C, we eradicated the disease the next season. But a neighboring bee-keeper, who fed similar honey, de- nied having foul brood, and said we got the disease by letting the brood get chilled; but the next sea- son, after making a big lot of honey (some so thin that it soured), he sold out very cheaply, the buyer getting more than he bargained for — /oul ?»roo{7 in aU its rotten^^css. This is a cure for foul brood, not published In books, and I know of several cases where it has been successful. Now, Mr. Editor, I should like to explode, with one blow, the idea that chilled brood can produce /on? brood. I piesume that you have had as much chilled brood in your apiary as any other man, and you have perpetually said that you never had a case of foul brood, and never saw one. If chilled brood could pro- duce foul brood, it would certainly follow in the wake of " spring dwindling;" but no such catastro- phe follows, as I know by experience. I have seen many a comb of dead brood cleaned out by the bees, without any bad results, but I have yet to see my first comb of foul brood cleaned out by the bees. And right here I would like to question Mr. Muth a little. He has stated somewhere in Gleanings, that he cured a case of foul brood, and a bad one at that, by the use of salicylic acid. Now, I would like to ask him how he happened to get that one case and no more; and if the bees really sucked up the I quid rottenness and packed it out of the hive. I do not like to doubt such authority as Mr. Muth, but it does seem strange that any man should get on'y one case of foul brood in his apiary, and that a had one, and not be able to account for it. Salicylic acid has no effect on the disease here, and I am inclined to think that those who report cures with soda baths and salicylic acid have the kind of foul brood that Mr. Lechler speaks of — chilled brood. R. ToucaTON. Santa Paula, Cal., Dec. 12, 1881. I quite agree with you, friend T., so far as my experience goes. I have had a great deal of brood chilled, and I have had it get 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 17 so as to smell badly too, but it never resulted in any thing like loiil brood at all ; still, it may have done so in other apiaries. The strong point against it to me is, that it seems to involve spontaneous generation. Did a stalk of corn ever grow without a seed V or, if you please, did any plant ever grow with- out a seed V I believe the l;«test researches declare that it did not. Heeds of weeds are all through the soil, and, like the seeds of the Simpson plant, will lie any number of jears and still germinate. Now, are seeds of foul brood all through all the bee-hives of our land y To use a phrase our young Canadi- ans have brought us, 1 should say, " / don' I think it.'''' Su^^nil^ §^p,avlf^^nt Every Kirl or boy, under 12 years of age, who writes a letter for this department will receive one of David Cook's excellent ficent Sunday-school books. Many of these books contain the same matter that vou lliid in Sunda3'-school books costincr from Sl.OOtoljIil.SO. f (g/r-fHRISTMAS GIFT!" Mr. Root:-I am going ll* to school now. I am 11 years old. I am one of the boys who said," Papa! the bees- wax!" I have a brother 13 years old (ho is sick), and one little brother 3 years old. His name is George Washington. His eyes are as blue as indigo. Pa takes Gleanings, and I like to read what the young folks say. Pa has got 33 hives of bees. They are doing well so far this winter^ You ought to see his hives, they look so pretty. Pa is building a new mill. My brother and I help him grind when not at school. John G. Stites. Spring Station, Ind., Dec. 19, 1881. And SO you are the boy who gave the alarm, are you, John V If 1 mistake not, we have a picture of your pa, right in this Glkanings. I am realglad your pa has got a mill. I had a mill once, and it ran by wind power ; but it would grind corn all night when I was asleep, which I don't be- lieve your mill will do, without anybody to tend it. Stand by your father. .Tohn, and help him to grind honest grists. My pa keeps bees. He has got 00 swarms. They are all in chaff hives but 6; he lost only one swarm last winter. We take Gleanings, and like it very much. I do not like to have the bees sting me. We have your picture, with your little girl on your lap. Is that the one you call " Blue Eyes"? Have you got any little girls with hlack eyes? My eyes are black. I have one brother and one sister; they have black eyes too. We all like to sing. I go to school, nearly one mile away. I will be 9 years old the 7th of January. I haven't any bees, but I have some nice rabbits. They have pink eyes. Bertha White. New London, Ohio, Dec. 9, 1881. I WILL TRY' TO WRITE A LETTER. I AM A LITTLE GIRL 7 YEARS OLD. I WILL SEND YOU A BLOCK OF PIECEWORK I SEWED. YOLT CAN SHOW IT TO YOUR LITTLE GIRL. HAS SHE GOT ANY DOLLS? I HAVE GOT THREE. ONE OF THEIR HEADS CAME OFF. I HOPE SANTA CLAUS WILL BRING MK A NEW HEAD FOR IT. MY PA'S NAME IS DAN., AND HIS BEES MAKE LOTS OF HONEY, AND I LIKE TO EAT IT. PA GIVES ME ALL I WANT TO EAT. New London, Ohio. DAISY WHITE. Yery well done indeed, girls. Yes, it is Blue Eyes wito sits on my lap in the picture. We have three girls at our house, but they have all got blue eyes. Now 1 am going to guess thai your father and mother butli Imvo black eyes. Haven't 1 guessed right ? Lit- tle Daisy's block is sewed beautifully. I took it down and showed it to Blue Eves and all the rest, and lliey all thought those nice tine stitches were wonderful fur a little girl only seven. There are quite a lot of dolls at our house, and, if I remember, some of them have got the same trick of going round without any heads, just like your doll. I know your father Dan. He is the man who dont have his bees die winters. My papa has .'M swarms of bees, and I helped him put 11 down cellar. I drew tliem on my sif d. Some of his bees died last winter, hut the imported one he got of you did not die. I am S years old. Marshall, Calhoun Co., Mich. Eddie M. Hcrd. "Well, that is a tiptop way to get bees down cellar, Eddie, and your letter and writing are very fair for an 8-year old boy. You must tell us about the bees when you help your pa take theni out. Here is an- other from a litile girl only 8 years old. I am a little girl eight years old. My father has 2- stocks of blaol' bees, but they make beautiful white honey. I am in the thiid book, aud am in division. I go to Sunday-school. I got a book lor 'a pii/e. I have two brothers and one sister. The baby's name is James Garfield. I like to read the Juvenile De- partment, and would like to see Blue Eyes. Catherine Chkisten.v. Westover, Purdy, Ont., Can., Dec. 1, 188L Thank you, friend Katy, if that is what they call you, and please give the baby a kiss for ine. If Blue Eyes could see all .her little friends, I suppose she would be so as- tonished she couldn't say a single word ; but she talks enough around home. She had the toothache the other night, aud had to sleep with her i»a. I am 11 years old. I study Fifth Reader, geoigra- pfay, grammar, Second and Third Part of arithmetic, spelling, and writing. I have two sisters and one brother. I do not like bees, for they sting. My pa keeps bees. I like to read Mcrrybanks and his neigh- bor. You said j'ou would send a book to the boy or girl who wrote for the department, under 12 years of age; now be sure to send the book to me. Hallie a. B.urd. Elm Grove, Ohio Co., West Va., Dec. 9, 1381. . Well, TIallie, that is a pretty good letter, even if it doesn't tell very much about bees. It seems I have succeeded in pleasing the little folks with my Merrybanks story, if I haven't anybody else, in Sunday-school work, we think the man or woman who can interest and instruct a class of juveniles will do for almost any other post in the school, so I will try not to be discouraged. Yoitr book has gone, Hallie, and we have got more than a wheelbarrow full of books to send to the boys and girls who write. Speaking of wheelbarrows reminds me that John is now l8 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. at work studying up one that he can sell for live cents on the front of his " hotel ; " and when he gets a lot made I will give you a picture of them. I am a girl ten years old. Grandpa keeps bees, and takes Gleanings, and I often read the children's letters, and I thoug:ht I would write too. Last win- ter, all of grandpa's bees died. There were 13 swarms- Last July, the 10th, there was a nice swarm came here and went into a hive, and went to work before we saw them. Grandpa did not want them in that hive, so he changed them into another one. Now they are at work nicely. He bovight 3 more swarms, and he has 4 to winter. Grandda sent oil to Mr. Burch for some bees, but they never came. I like bees' honey, but I don't like them much, for they sting me. I have a little brother who goes and sticks his Angers into the holes where they come out. He Is 5 years old. Luvan Gagek. White's Valley, Wayne Co., Pa., Dec. 7, 1881. Very well done, Luvan. You have given several quite important facts, and they are told, too, in quite a regular, orderly way. If all the grown-up people ever get too lazy to write any more letters, we might get up a very good bee journal by the children's writ- ings alone. We should probably get a good many wholesome truths that we don't get now. I am a little girl 11 years old. IMy brother takes Gleanings. 1 like to read about Mr. Merrybanks and his neighbor, it is so funny. My brother got a swarm of bees last spring. They swarmed four times; one swarm went off, and he sold one. He got stung twice, and ic swelled up so that he could not j see very well. 1 go to Sunday-school. 1 like to go very well. The teacher is our minister's wife. She | is very nice indeed. I study the Fifth Reader, spell- r ing, geography, arithmetic, history. My pa is a farmer; he keeps about 10 head of cattle; he built a silo last summer, and he is about to open it; but as he h»s not, I can not tell how it has kept. I like very much to read, so 1 thought I would write for the Juvenile Department. Lizzie D.Flint. Waterford, Oxford Co., Me., Dec. S, 1881. A^ery good, Lizzie, and 1 want particularly to know about that silo, l^lease tell us next time liow it turned out, won't you V nicer than any person could do it. When winter comes, my papa has to feed them sometimes. One day I went with papa among the bees to help him. I put a veil and a pair of gloves on, thinking they could not sting me. The first hive we went to were hybrids, and they were very cross. The next were Italians, and I thought they would be still crosser; but they were as quiet as could be. He took some honey out, and when the other bees smelled the fresh honey they began to rob, and I got two stings in one hand. 1 have been stung lots of times since, but I have never been among the bees since. I am now 12 years old. Mabel Nelson. AVyandott, Kan., Dec. T, 1881, Very good, Mabel, especially the part about making fdn. If all the little girls would tell how they help their papas do such things, it might explain a good many mat- ters to even our older readers, that we grown-up ones don't think of. At school the other day, my teacher, Miss Farr, gave us bees as a subject for a composition; and as 1 had a pretty good one, papa said 1 might send it to you. A COMPOSITION ON BEES. Bees are very busy little creatures, gathe ing honey in the summer, and eating up some in win- ter. My papa has 50 stands of bees; some hybrids and Some Italians. I often help him with the foun- dation for the bees. He has a machine for making foundation; he first melts the wax, and then dips a thin board in the can of wax two or three times, then cools it off in water. After he has enough sheeted he turns the crank of the machine, and I pull the wax through on the other side, and it is pressed all over in little squares; then he trims the edges, puts it in frames, and then puts it in the hive. The bees then work it out into cells, and fill them with honey, and seal it up, so that the honey can not run out ; and when it is taken out it is sealed Well, Mr. Root, I am a sister of Julia Bannon, who has been writing to you, so I thought I would write you a letter and get a nice little book too. I am 13 years old. My pa gave me a stand of bees two years ago, and they swarmed this summer, and that made me two stands of bees. Julia and I helped pa to pack the bees away in winter quarters last week. Wg are going to send and get a yellow queen from you for my bees in the spring, if we get them win- tered all right. I read Gleanings, and think ever so much of it. We have very nice and pleasant weather here yet. I go to school and study reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, grammar, spelling, and drawing. My teacher's name is Miss Coplin. I am a Sunday-school scholai-, and I get a nice book every Sunday. You will find inclosed 25 cents for c;irpenter's dividers. I nm going to make a present to my pa of it. Dellie Bannon. Archie, Venango Co., Pa., Nov. 3,1881. I am always glad to know all the sisters, Dellie; but you didn't tell us how much honey you got. I hope your pa will like his present. MKS. HARRISON TO THE CHILDREN. My dear young readers, we have now entered upon a new year. A merry Christmas and a happy New Year has echoed from ocean to ocean, and from pole to pole. We hope that you enjoyed the holi- days, and that old Santa Claus came down your chimneys with a load for every one of you. If he did not bring you what you wanted, do not destroy what you have, or treat your parents or friends un- kindly, for they may have denied themselves some comfort to get what they did. The two past seasons have been poor ones for honey, which means little rn^ney for bee-keepers; and every one, even boys and girls, should be ambi- tious to enter upon the new year free from debts of every kind, excepting the debt of gratitude which we owe to our kind heavenly Father for his watchful care over us in years past. And now, children, as we are entering upon this new year, let us all, each and every one, strive to lay aside every thing not in accordance with that good old Golden Rule,— " Do Unto othci-s as volt woitkl Tliat thev slioliki do to yotl; Wh.itc'er is liom-st, just, and good, With uU your iiiiuut pursue." Peoria, 111. Lucinda Harrison. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 19 W^IIY FRIEXn TOHNSON'^ BEES DIDN'T " PAY." iRIENl) IirTCIIINSOX makessoffOPcl a point in the followin ;, we copy it en- tire from the Bcc- Keepers'' Exchange: — My queen-reariug- nuclei were all unitcfl, every colony was ready tor winter, and I was in the shop "putting- things to rig-hts" when there came a rap at the door. Upon opening the door I found stand- ing there a gentleman past middle age; at the gate stood his horse and carriage. He introduced him- self as Mr. Johnson, of Forest, and said,— " I saw in the Tdcgntm your bee-keeping account for the year. I have kept bees several years, have tried to manage them upon the most approved plans; but, for some reason, I have never made any such profits as arc shown bv your account. I have driven over here purposely to see you and talk with you, and see if I could learn where I have made my mis- takes." '• I may not be able to point out your mistakes, but I should be glad to hear how you have managed your bees." "Well, now, see here: if you are not Loo busy, just get into my carriage, and in less than an hour 1 will set you down at my place; and then I wish you to criticise every bee-keeping arrangement that you sec." " fn the honey season it would be dilficult to grant such a request: but at present I can leave for an hour's ride and a lengthy bee-chat, without fpeling that my absence may cause a loss of several dollars." I stepped over to the house and told the "folks" that I should be gone two or three hours, over to Mr. Johnson's. When I came back to the gate, Mr. J. had the horse untied and turned around. 1 climbed into the conveyance, and we were off. How I did en- .ioy that ride! The forests were dressed in their gorgeous October robes: maples, with wide-spread- ing tops, standing alone in some field, would exhibit several colors — bright green, rod, yellow, and brown ; and, again, the eye would take in at a glance some distant piece of woods with its masses of chromatic coloring. I was roused from my reveries by the sight of several rows of brightly painted bee-iiives. The paint was put on in several different styles, and exhibited almost as many tints as the maples that I had just been admiring. " And so this is you>' apiary, is it. friend Johnson? and pray tell me what was the cost of those fancy iron handles that adorn the sides of your hives?" You ought to have seen the looks that he e-ave me. Evidently he thought it a strange question with which to " lead off," but he finally managed to say that they cost him five cents each. "Two handles on each hive? " said T. "Yes." "Ten cents for each hive. How manv hives have vou?" "Sixty." "Six dollars f.ir handles. There is where some of your profits went." "Yes: but it would be very inconvenient lifting hives with no handles." "Certainly; but slots cut with a wabbling saw in the sides of the hives would be just as (rood, and they could be made quicker than you could put on those handles." "But I have no saw as you have, with which to do such work." "Well, wooden handles, nailed on, would have been less expensive." "But they would not have looked so well." "Now see here, friend Johnson; if you are keep- ing bees for the fun of it, and have plenty of money to spare, you can indulge in fancy and expensive hives and fixtures, the same as some amateur poul- try-men hoxise their fancy chickens at an expense of ?5.00 per head; but if you arc in the business to make money, the cheaper your hives and imple- ments, provided they are durable and well adapted to the purpose for which they are designed, the greater will be .your pnilits. Bvthe way, what is that running down, or. rather, that has been run- ning down, upon that lumber pile?" "That, which has drained out of that box up there? Why, that must be beeswax. I set some cappings up there a month or two ago, for the bees to clean up, and the sun must have melted the wax." "That will make your beeswax crop a little short, this year." "Oh! I have so little wax that I don't bother with it." "How many colonics did you have last spring?" "Thirty." "Well, I started with eighteen. I saved all the odds and ends of comb when transferring, also the cappings, and how much wax do you suppose 1 had?" "Ten or twelve pounds, perhaps." " I had twenty-five pounds. Now, if you bad saved all of the (jappings and pieces of comb, and melted them up into wax, you would probably have had as much wax as I did, and there would have been $0.00 more to put with your profits. Saving beeswa.x is something like saving paper rags; it is just about as easy to save, by throwing the odds and ends into a box, as it is to throw them away. How much hon- ey did you have this year?" "About seven hundred pounds." "Comb, or extracted?" " Mostly extracted." "And you have only doubled the number of your stocks. You must have made some bad move." "Yes; and I can tell now what that bad move was; it was the selling of my queens early in the season." " What do you mean?" "Well, 1 thought I would try the Holy-Land bees, and so I bought a queen early in the spring, started a lot of queen-cells from the eggs, and then as the demand for queens was good, 1 sold nearly all my old queens, and furnished the queenless hives with queen-cell->. The bees destroyed some of the cells, some queens were lost, and those that, became fer- tile did not lay tintil they were more than two weeks old. I think, "taking it upon an aver.age, that nearly every hive was queenless three weeks, in the fore part of Juno." "That explains it. Even 'Blessed Bees,' that somewhat unfairly criticised book, could have told you better than tliat. You should have had your queens fertilized, and commence laying in nuclei, before disposing of your old queens. Whv did you get the Holy-Land bees; did you think of rearing queens for sale?" "Yes; I thought thoy were going to be all the 'rnge,' and that I had better secure them at once." " Do you hatch your queens in a lamp nursery?" "Yes; 1 have a nursery, but have never used it verv much. Come in the shop and see it." The nursery was made of galvanized iron, and was fastened inside of a tall box that was also made of galvanized iron. There were four drawers made of perforated tin and glass. These ilrawers were divid- ed into compartments, each compartment being furnished with a cunningly contrived door. These drawers and ditferent apartments were to enable the queen-breeder to hatch queens in separate apartments, as mentioned in "Bee Chat No. (i." " You have a nice nursery, friend Johnson, but there is no place in which to hang frames; your queen-cells all have to bo cut out, don't they?" " Yes." "Well, there is another question; how much did it cost?" " I had it made to order at a tin shop, and they charged me $24.50." "Twenty-foiu" dollars and fifty cents! Well, there are at least .$20.00 that might just as well have been placed upon the profit side of your bee-keeping ac- coinit. My nursery is simply a tin hive, with double walls, and a tinner made it for two dollars. It is placed in the top of a tall wooden box, and is heated by a tin non-explosive lamp. One trouble with you, friend Johnson, is that you have been getting too manj' expensive (and in some cases useless) im- provements. What you paid for your nursery would have nearly paid for a foot-power saw, and it would have been of more use to you than this lamp nursery has ever been. AVhat arc those hives piled up there back of the barn, as hich as a man can reach?" "Oh! those are the different kinds of hives that I have tried." "There are more than a hundred hives, and at least four different styles. How mucSi dead capital do you suppose is represented by that pile of hives? and, if I am not mistaken, there is another new style of hive there upon the work-bench." "Yes; but that one will take the same size frame that I am now using." " All right, then. I have had three different styles of hives in my apiary at the same time, but the.v all had the same kind of frame. Did you notice that hive standing near the path, by the gate?" "The one made of lath, with a shingle cover?" 20 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. "Yes; that is a chaff hive, but the materials for its constniotion cost only seventeen cents. I shall make twenty more of the same kind, next winter. If there is any thing nhout an apiary that I detest, it is a pile of discarded hives, 'traps and calamities.' that are g-ood for — l0 IT, AND HOW IT " PAYS." MERE is my report for 1881: I wont into winter quarters last fall with 40 colonies, and start- ' ed the season with 25, having lost 15, all wintered on summer stands. I had 13 of Nellis' chaff hives, and tried to winter 3 colonies in each, thinking to economize; but I lost heavily in that hive; the rest were in your own chaff hives, but I lost in those also. I doubled back to 20 on friend Doolittle's plan, as given in Gleanings, and ran them for extracted honej', with the intention of feeding it back to get box honey, as box honey sells better here than extracted; and in about 3 weeks, during July, I got 1700 lbs. of the nicest honey I ever saw. This honey was thrown out before it was capped over, " contrary to the teachings of the A B C," and put into large, new, waxed barrels holding 64 gallons each, with a cover to each, and a honey- gate in the bottom. I was told by several that I should never get them tilled. I began to think so myself; but when it came, it came with a rush; the bees were ready, and so was I. Colonies that had their top story emptied, we will say to-day, were full again in 3 days. Oh how they would work out foundation, wired at that, so you could scarcely see the wires ! Well, I increased to 40 again, and got them packed away for winter a little more carefully than I did last winter. Those I have In Nellis hives I have turned the frames half around, with only one colony in each, packed on all sides, some with chaff and some with cedar sawdust. I have left 31 on their summer stands, and put 9 in the cellar in Sim- plicity hives; they have been in now about 3 weeks. I try to keep the temperature at about 45". Some time about the middle of last month I noticed an unusual stir about one of my hybrid stocks, and on close examination I foupd 3 young queens on tho alighting-board dead. They were packed for winter, so I did not disturb them; pretty late queen-rearing, was it not? All my queens are reared under the swarming impulse; but whether they will be any better or not, if I am spared another year I am going to try to find out. FEEDING BACK; DOES IT PAY? I picked out 10 of my best stocks, and took away all their combs, except 3 or 4, and the?e were solid sheets of capped brood and honey. I then put in my broad frames of sections, using sometimes 10, filled with Vandervort fdu., iO sq. ft. to the pound. My feeder is Nellis' side feeder, holding about two quarts; this is screwed fast to a thin division-board, and pushed tight up against the broad frames; 3 holes in the division-board correspond with 3 others in the feeder, giving a good passageway for thel)ees; when all are in I shake the bees in front, and give the combs to other stocks to take care of. I now take about 40 lbs. of honey, heat it to 110°, add enough water to make it run thin, throw it into the ex- tractor, run it into a coffee-pot, and till up the feed- ers whenever they are empty; the sections were taken off as soon as completed, and I tell you they were beauties, especially so from some stocks; others would not till them so completely. I kept on until I had used up 1300 lbs., and found I had only 800 sections. They brought me 17c. each ; the extracted, 14c. ; so by my way of working it did not pay to feed back; and I tell you it is an awful job to feed back when you can not open a hive without robbers pitching in. I guess I won't ti-y it again. I had a party here go back on me on account of the fish- bone in the box honey. He was going to take 20 cases; do you think they neglected thinning the fdn. when theyjfound honey coming in so fast? 1 commenced bee-keeping in the spring of 1878, and up to the present time they have cost me over $800; but this year will bring the receipts above that ligure, besides mj' stock in hand. 1 do not de- vote my entire time to the business, otherwise I might do better; but you've got to creep before you can wa'k. OUR HOMES. In reading over the above, it brought up some vivid recollections of the past. Yes, friend Root, as far as I know, I have a father living; but the broad Atlantic separates us, and I can not very well visit him as often as you could yours. I have been in this country 10 years next February, and was here 5 years when I promised him I would return. I did so. He did know that I was coming, so when I met him in the garden, he did not know his own son. No, sir, he did not know me; but when I made myself known, the expression on his face I shall never for- get; joy intermingled with tears. I bad a splendid time; but parting again, that was the hardest, with chances of never seeing him again on this sphere; but I hope to see him again beyond. Whenever I get a letter from him he always says, ^^ Please write soon." Now, to own up, your loss has made me feel that he does not get a letter half often enough; but he shall get one of tener, through reading Our Homes. W. G. Saltford. Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Dec. 6, 1881. I think, friend S., it is as you say, that the rapid feeding had induced them to hustle the honey into the combs without waiting to thin out the fdn., just as they covered eggs 22 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. Jan. and larvae with syrup for neighbor II. I feel quite sure you will find a great part of that 400 lbs. stowed away in the brood- combs, from what experience I have had in a similar line. — Thanks for your kind con- cluding words ; and when you write your father, send him that Dec. No. with this one, and I will give you a couple of extra ones. 1^ I IB! REPORT FROITI OEORGE! GRIMIU. THE MAN VraO WINTERS HIS COLONIES BY TUE HUN- DREDS, AND NEVER HAS SPRING DWINDLING. fJlHOUGH my report is not a very brilliant one, yet I am well satisfied with my season's work. — ' About 200 per cent net on the capital invest- ed is not a bad gain. Last winter left me ;303 colo- nies; but though my loss was lo^s than 10 per cent, the remainder, after the ordeal they had passed through, could not all be in good condition. The de- mand for bees was so great and so urgent, that al- most before I knew it I had sold 2-18 of my best colo- nies. This left me but ll-i — and, of course, the poorest of the lot. The season opened up with the best prospects for a honey crop, and I began to wish that I had back the good strong colonies that I had -sold. Finding several parties not far distant, whom the past poor season and the truuhlc of last winter had entirely disgusted with the business, eager to sell out, I bought the weak, half-starved, and partly queenless remnant of their stocks at a bargain, and was enabled to face the new season with about 190 colonies; or, perhaps, I had better say, nuclei and colonies. Anticipating a good demand for bees next spring, and having a large number of hives and about 2000 combs on hand, I determined to increase as much as possible. I divided them up- into five apiaries. At home I started some 80 small nuclei to raise queens. Myself with one assistant did all the work. Nov. 19th to 2l3t, my bees were put into cel- lars—CIO colonies. Two were left outdoors. Nine- tenths were supplied with young queens during the season, and ail have a good supply of honey. Oct. Ist I returned from atrip to northern Dakota. Not a cell of brood was to be found in any of the hives. What feeding I did was done after that time. The colonies are, as a rule, of medium strength, and pre- sent a good appearance. I believe they will winter well. I increased by dividing; but, don't ask me how. There are too many ways, each adapted to its pecu- liar circumstances. It depends upon the time of the season; the flow of honey; your expectation as to its continuance; the strength of the colony; whether they are hauled to a different location; whether there are queens at hand to introduce; and, I suppose, often upon simple notion. And, though considering every thing, one is likely to make mis- takes or miscalculations for which he feels like kicking himself afterward. By the way, friend Koot, will you please tell me how j'ou manage your bees about Oct. 1st to 15th, or thereabouts, without using tobacco smoke, and protector too? When I got home from my northern trip I started as usual with my rotten-wood smoker to make examinations. My examinations were not very extended or very minute, and I suppose— upon cooler reflection, it was cowardly for me to run; but I didn't stop to consid- er at the time, I thought of Satan io the swine, and began to wonder if ho hadn't got into my bees. Or Is it because ray bees are so much crosser than those of other people? Yet they were so exceedingly gen- tle during the whole season that I thought I had discovered a new trait in their character. Then, I could handle them with no smoke; now, you could blow smoke, cinders, and hot air at them, and they would simply "go for you." But tobacco smoke will make them sensible (don't give them too much, or it will make them insensihlc). By using a little tobacco smoke they can be handled with ease at any season; and for the fall of the year I advise its use, notwithstanding any conscientious scruples some people (possibly friend Hoot is one of them) may have against the weed. But I tell you I have one colony upon which even tobacco smoke (unless h7j- eralhj given) has little effect. He is a terror to the hens at all seasons of the year — and to careless vis- itors too — a "simon-pure" hybrid. Vet I wish my 612 colonies were all like that hive. He gave mo 108 lbs. comb honey, and increased to seven, always raising his own queens, and the young swarms have now at least 00 lbs. of honey to spare. Nor was this in my best location. Does it pay? Well, I should say so! 200 good swarms can be bought for §1400. In a poorer year than this, an average surplus of 50 to 100 lbs. per hive, and an increase of 50 per cent, would not be extra- ordinarj'. The increase would easily pay for ex- penses, and 10,000 to 20,000 lbs. honey at 20c would he better than 4 per cent on TJ. S. bonds. Or take my case this year: 190 not good colonies; increase, 422; prospective loss during next winter, 10 per cent, or 61 colonies (but I am certain 5 per cent to 8 per cent will be the limit), leaves a balance of 3(51 in spring at $7.00 per colony is $2527, and honey $300, gives total gross gain, $2827. My expenses were between $500 and $600; leaves balance of at least $3227. If I esti- mate good colonies worth $7.00, my 190 were worth on an average not more than $5.00. It is not hard to do twice or three times as much with good colonics as with poor ones. I think we'll stick to the busi- ness a few years more, even though every winter should equal the last. Geohge Grimm. Jefferson, Wisconsin. Friend Grimm, I suspect the reason your bees are so cross at the dates you mention, is because they cease gathering honey at that time, 0(f)- hard tussle with stings comes in July, when the basswood ceases ; and at such times it does seem as if they were possessed of the very spirit of evil. The way we do is to use the mosquito-bar tents, and be very careful about leaving a drop of honey anywhere. After a few days thev get accustomed to it, go off to the corn-fields after pollen, and finally settle down to pretty fair behavior.— Now a word to the boys in regard to the bright visions friend Grimm shows up ou paper in regard to the profits of bee culture. It is all true, every word of it, and I am quite sure bees will do all he mentions, in almost any locali- ty ; but the sad part of it is, that the owners won't do all he mentions or implies in any locality. The average boy or man can not be intrusted with 2oO colonies of bees. I know you all think you can ; but you are no good judge of your own self. Look at some neighbor of yours who is a bee-keeper on a small scale, "or a man unused to handling much property of any kind, and think over 188a GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 23 in your own mind what the result would be it' he were to run in debt for 200 colonies. He would let them starve, swarm out and go to the woods, get the hives full and hang out in idleness, and possibly, too, because he had some other work on hand that would hardly bring him 50 cents a day, when with the bees he might realize several dollars a day. railing in this, he vrould swap them olf for some useless truck. What 1 mean is, that such would likely be the result with one who was not equal to' the responsibilities of such an apiary. It Avonld be like giving him a steamboat or train of cars to run. But if he should build up 200 colonies, little by little, without going into debt, the case would be far different. Friend Grimm would perhaps handle 1000 colonies safely. I might possibly 200 ; in fact, that is just what I am trying to do now. My friends, how many do you suppose God can safely intrust to your careV If I am not mistaken, he is testing vour trustworthiness in that respect just how. He that is faithful in few things shall be made ruler over manv things. ly scttllDg lu communities. Every kind of fi-uit, vegetable, or grain, that will grow anywhere on the face of the glol)0, will grow here to perfection. The most beautiful homes that can be imagined; roses in bloom the entire year; lemons from the blossom to the ripe fruit, in all stages of growth, at any sea- son of the year. There, Mr. Editor, if you will be kind enough to publish the above, it will save me a wonderful sight of repetition, and answer a great many questions. Santa Ana, Cal., Nov. 13, 1881. E. Gallup. QITESTIONS ABOUT CALIIOKMA ANSWERED IJY E. OALIAT. fUERE is but about two cents per pound differ- ence between the poorest quality of extracted — ■ honey and the very best, in the San Francisco market; and as we can raise the poorest quality every season, and on an average the best quality only every other season, I have come to the conclu- sion that there is more money made from the poor- est quality. I learn that the Chinese purchase con- i siderable quantities and ship to China, and two cents i in price is an item with them, and not quality. j At Downej- City is a good place to locate an apiars' ( for lowland honey, as the land is moist, with water | from 5 to 25 feet from the surface, it is too moist j for grapes for prolit. Splendid fields of alfalfa, which the bees work on when in bloom, are here. The products are corn, hogs, cattle, barley, English wal- nuts to perfection, apples, pears, peaches, etc., and mostly without irrigation. This alfalfa gives us about ten full ci'ops in theyear in this climate. I haA-e located my bee ranche on a stock range where thei'o is no fruit — only chickens, hogs, horses, cat- tle, and sheep, with several hundreds, perhaps thou- sands, of acres of swamp on one side, that is green, and produces llowers the entire year; close to the ocean, and no fear of miasma or unheathfulness. The willows commence to blossom in December, and continue until about the flrst of iMarch. It is 8 miles from Santa Ana, and 10 from the fruit ranche. Santa Ana, Tustin, and Orange, are situated about equal distances apart, in the form of a triangle (2^^ to 3 miles), and I am situated about centrally from the three ])laees. That is the lirst ranche. There are nine churches within three miles; I'ailroad, schools, and as good and enterprising, kind, neigh- borly a class of citizens as there is anywhere in the known world. Wo are Hi miles from the Santa Clara coal-mine, where coal is $5.00 per ton, and 10 miles from the steamboat landing (Newport harbor;) so we have the advantage of railroad and ocean for freight. Goods of most kinds are a trille higher than east; land from $20.00 to $1000 per acre; people from the Eastern States coming in by the carload, and usual- B££S «N A KAMPAGE. jjIIE following was sent by the writer, clipped from the Ilesscnger, Eussell- vilie, Ky. The " piece " explains it- self. I wrote the following f(ir Glcaninos in Bcc Culture, Medina, Ohio. That, as you know, is a land of Puri- tans and Quakers. Fearing that its publication there might compromise mo as a man of veracity with that interesting class of people, I thought it best to start it from nearer home, where we have a plenty of people of my own ilk. If you tbink it worthy of a place in your paper, please publish it, with this explanation as a caption. Since I have been a reader of Gleaninas, you have, under the above heading, given two accounts — one from Mrs. J. Hilton, and the other from Merrybanks— the first doubtless true, as it is written by a lady; but the other is apochryphal, name and aU. From these readings, as Mai-k Twain's Scmdwich story- teller, would say, your correspondents or readers know nothing at all about what a real and genuine rampage of bees means, and, consequently, have no true conception of such a situation. 1 shall here leave this noted story-teller, and adopt the words of the immortal liurns:— But this that I am gaun to tell. Which " once upon a time ' ' befell, Is just as true as the tleil's In Or Dublin City. A well-to-do farmer lived in Logan County — no matter in what part nor when — who had a son who had for a long time been in bad health. The Allo- pathies had failed to cure him, and he had been in- duced to try the botanic, or Thompsonianjjc/SKciSiOJi. So, one moriiing early he began the practice tiy taking a large dose of lobelia, which, it was said, op- erated finely more than once. He did not throw up his boots, but he never could tell just how sick he was. In the midst of an extreme paroxysm he heard a great noise, for which he could not account; and forgetting his sickness, and going to the door, he saw in the garden four horses, hitched to as many plows, running and kicking at a fearful rate. The drivers and others were trying to stop the horses, but in vain. The sick man seeing the imminent danger from the pointed steel of the plows, where men and horses were mixed up in such a hurley- burley, ordered all to leave the horses to themselves. Bees tilled the air as if a large swarm was on the wing, and they made war against every living thing that made its appearance. The negro plowman had got out;early tojplow a vegetable garden before going to the held. When called to their breakfast, they left their horses to graze on the blue grass of the walks, with a little black boy to mind them. Some days before this the bees had swarmed and settled on a lilac in the garden, where they had been hived, and the hive had not been removed. The boy said, •' The bay mare rooted the hive over with her nose," and here the melee began. It seemed that the other bees, and there were several hives, regarded it as a free tight, and pitched into it with a will; and one would have supposed, from the confusion, that, be- sides the horses, every turkey, chicken, dog, puppy, cat, kitten, pig, and person, black and white, near the premises, had received one or more stings, ex- cept such as kept closed doors. Von will say that this was much of a rampage in the bee line, and so it was; but 1 am not done yet. Three of the horses were hitched by only one trace each to his plow, and soon got loose, jumped the fence, and took to the woods. Not so with the mare that turned over the hive. She was hitched by both traces, and made two or three rounds iu the garden, 24 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. after the others had jumped out, before she would try the fence. She went over clear, but the plow hunsT ag-ainst the fence, which was a strong post and railing-. She jerked loose, however, and made for the stables. At this time the sick man's youngest brother, a boy about ten years old. was seen running in the same direction, fighting bees, and squalling at the top of his voif^e. He was called to open the gate for the marc. Instead of opening the stable-lot gate, he opened the yard-gate and the mare dashed in and made for the house. She parsed through the porch and entered the sick man's room. The first damage she did was to dash his bowl of lobelia be- hind the tire. She then i-an her head under the head of his ]>ed, and drew it nearly to the middle of the lloor. She kept up a continual kicking with both hind feet at once. Several of her kicks came very near to a new clock; .'ind to save the clock, the sick man forced her around. She then directed her heels to a large glass-door press, filled with glass and queenswaro. Two or three kicks demolished the doors, and the most of the contents of the press. She was then forced out, and jumpingthe yard fence she ran into a stable where she put her head under the trough and continued to kick for about aquarter of an hour. When the liees had cleared the field, which they did effectually, they returned to their homes, and all was calm except the stings they had intlicted. No lives were lost. The mare was the worst used of all. She was covered with whelks from her nose to her tail; but, after a few days, she took her place before the plow. The old gobbler was very badly used, and looked crest-fallen and shame-faced for some days, when by degrees he as- sumed his wonted self-importance, and, hoisting his feathers, went on gobbling as usual. Now, Mr. Editor, if any of your correspondents can beat this, and tell the truth as I have done (ex- cept perhaps in some minor details), let him do it, else let him hereafter hold his peace about bee ram- pages. I had almost forgotten to say, that the bee scrape proved a specific against the effects of lobelia. The sick man did not think of his lobelia for more than an hour afterward, and has not taken a dose of that drug from that day to this. He, however, got well, and attained the weight of 200 pounds, and he very often writes for his name,— T. N. L. As our friend lias onimitted to append a moral, I will suggest this: — Don't leave horses " nosing " around bee hives while you are getting breakfast. BEES AND GKAPES IN CALIFORNIA. BY the letters I receive, items from California must be interesting to many of your readers. The question has been repeatedly asked. Why not locate an apiary in the valley, where bees can gather forage the entire year? In the first place, the honey is inferior to mountain honey; and in the second place, bees destroy large quantities of fruit, such as figs, peaches, and grapes. I know one man here who kept his bees in the valley this season un- til the fruit began to ripen, and then moved them into the mountains. His product was about 100 lbs. to the hive in the valley, and 30 lbs. each in the mountain ^9'('50 lbs.), which he sold at from 7 to 8 cts., right at home. He had 70 or 75 stands. But there is considerable trouble and some expense in moving. Our grapes here are pi'obably as sweet, and per- haps sweeter, than in any other portion of the globe, and bees make sad havoc among them. It will not do to tell a California raisin-maker that bees will not injure grapes: he knows better, positively. WILD BEES IN CALIFORNIA. There are wild bees all through the valleys; but where it is thickly settled they are usually found and taken up. Still, new swarms are often found and hived in nail-kegs, old boXes, etc. They build on bushes, bunches of cactus, and in all conceivable places. I found another good swarm on a two-year- old peach-tree, and hived them the 3d of October. They were evidently intending to stay, as they had commenced raising brood. I expected to have to feed them, but they have kept right on building comb, storing honey, and raising brood. Bees are found on bushes here that evidently have been there two or three seasons. The thermometer ranges in our coldest weather at from 44° to 50° in the morning, to 78° at noon; occa- sionally it gets lower, but not often; and since I have been here (three years) we have averaged about five rainy days in the year. The most of our rains come in the night. One man found a swarm on a willow bush. The comb was about two feet long, horizontally, and one foot perpendicularlj' (0 sheets). You see, they built Langstroth style. It was an old swarm. I found one swarm in an owl's-nest in the ground; two in badger holes; three in squirrel holes (all in the ground), and 1 have not spent two hours hunting. I stumbled right on to them. Now, the above will explain why bees can be picked up all through the valley at from 50 cents to one dollar per stand. E. Gallup. Santa Ana, Cal., Nov. 14, 1881. COIWPARATIVE HARDINESS AND I.ON- OEVITV OF AVORKER BEES FROm DIFFERENT QUEENS. A NEW FIELD FOll INVESTIGATION. flKIEND ROOT : — I, too, have been experiment- ing with my bees. I am an A B C scholar with ■ three years' schooling; have studied Quinby, ABC, Prof. Cook, L. C. Root, Gleanings 3 years, A. B. J. do., and yet I have not seen the first word written in reference to the longer life of one queen's worker bees over another. Every one wants a pro- lific queen — one that will keep the hive full of brood. Doolittle says, " Have the brood so it comes out to the side-bars of the frames; even the cells bordering on the bars at both sides and top should have brood in them, and do not stop short of this. If you have queens that will not keep the hive filled with brood like this, replace them with those that will." That, of course, is just splendid, and what we all try to have. But suppose the life of those bees is from 15 to 35 days; it will take all the honey they can gather to rear the brood, without giving us any surplus. Right here is where my experiment comes in. From the tested queens received from you I chose one for queens; another for drone-rearing. Intro- duced them into No. 3 and 10,— two very strong black colonies,— the former for queens, the latter for drones. This spring, 1881, I commenced stimu- lating with flour candy. On examination, about the middle of Feb., 1 found them about of equal strength — rather the more black bees in No. 10; brood in two frames of each hive; gave a 1-lb. lump of flour candy on top of the frames, and returned the packing. March 8th, again opened the hives; found brood and eggs in 5 frames of No. 10; In No. 3, 4 frames not quite so well filled out with btood and eggs. Ten days later, the 18th, I overhauled them again. No. 10 had every available cell in the 6 frames filled with brood and eggs, while No, 3 had only 4 frames fairly filled, and a small patch in the 5th (both colonies were wintered on 6 Quinby standing frames). I be- gan to think that I had made a mistake, and that I 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 25 ought to have taken No. 10 for mj- quecn-mothcr. 1 gave No. 10 an empty comb, and closed up No. 3 as it was. April 1st I examined them again. The comb given to 10 was filled out to the wood on every side; the hive literally full of brood; l>ut it didn't seem to me there were bees enough for the amount of brood that had been hatched, while No. 3 was running over with bees, and at no time had more than two- thirds the amount of brood. Here, then, was a study; could No. 10 be more industrious, and have more workers in the field? I will wateh this thing a little closer. I find this entry in my diary, April 12th: "No. 3 hanging out as large as my head; no sign of crowd- ing in No. 10; No. 10 still ahead in amount of brood." There seemed to be more dead bees in front of 10 than there were around No. 3. The thought struck me, that perhaps the bees in No. 10 were less hardy than those of No. 3, and the cold showers and winds were killing them oil as fast as they were hatched; I'll give them a trial, and see which will stand con- finement the longer. I took two .")X5 section boxes, cut some old tough comb from a frame filled with honey and pollen, and filled my boxes, leaving a half-inch space at the bottom for the bees to pass around the comb. It was arranged the same as your section-box shipping-cage, only a tin door on one corner to put in my bees and rake out dead ones. 1 now caught 50 young bees from each hive, put them into the cages, and placed them on a table in the honey-house, a foot or so from the window, and waited results. The 4th morning I raked out 3 dead bees from No. 10; the 8th morning there were 13 dead from No. 10, while No. 3 had lost none yet. The lOth day I raked out the last bee in No. 10. No. 3 had lost but 11 bees; the remainder were as livelj', and, to all appearance, as fresh as ever. I turned them loose, and think niost of them made their way into some of the hives. Here, then, was the trouble; the bees in No, 10 were less hardy, and died with old age about as fast as the young bees hatched out to take their place; no wonder that they were not as strong in numbers as No. 3. I now took No. 3 for a standard, and tried the bees from 4 other colonies the same way, and in- variably found that the colonies that gave the best results in honey produced workers that were the longest-lived. Perhaps you will ask. What does all this amount toV It amounts to this much, anyway: It's not always from the most prolific queen that you get the best results in honey. H. A. March. Fldalgo, Whatcom Co., Wash. Ter., Nov. 2, 1881. We are very much obliged to you, friend M., for the details of your experiment, al- though 1 am a little inclined to think No. 10 had a touch of the modern spring dwindling; for where bees are affected with this, it is very hard indeed to make them stand con- finement any length of time. We have tried this in shipping bees in the spring, which had Avintered over, and even the young bees hatched in affected colonies. Be it as it may, it is an important point ; and if the bees from a certain queen will stand continement better than otliers, it is exactly these bees we want to send out with queens. AVe once had a hive of gentle Italians that could be put into a cage with any strange queen, and they would never molest her. Now, if we had a strain of bees that were so tenacious of life they would hold on to it, as a queen does, for instance, together with this other quality, do you not see whata grand thing it would beV ^ !■■ ^ WHAT I DIDN'T DO. -VND THE UNREAT^IZED POSSIBILITIES. f DIDN'T make fo-ty colonies out of one this sea- son; no, sir, I didn't. I got my mouth ma^o up ' for just that; and why I didn't succeed, I'll presently tell you. I wanted more bees " awfully," and was too spunky to buy 'em — if not too hard up — and having left one colony of those on Gallup frames that were in fair condition, and withal uf a very prolific strain of bees, I resolved to take some risks in pushing them to the very utmost. If I can make ten good strong nuclei of them by the last of June, thought I, why, then I can rise to twenty by the last of July, and double again and reach forty during August. During September I wish to build them up to proper strength to winter — feeding i hem lots of honey, and keeping it out of the way of the queens with the extractor, if such means should be necessary to prevent bnjod-rearing from coming to a halt. As I just remarked, the thing didn't go through according to programme. I got the ten col- onies in June very nicely, and also the twenty in July; but at about that point the wheels kind o' got fast in the mud: too many colonies would spend a whole month getting a laying queen. Early in Aug- ust a long pull of sickness, preventing me from making any more divisions, brought the scheme to a final stop. Had it not been for this I most likely would have made the forty nuclei. In spite of the queen-rearing mishaps, but would have had to unite some of them again probably. Some more might have been made well enough, as some of the colonies stored a little section honey, 17 lbs. in all. Also three colonies of queen-killers and cell-tearers that went to ruin while I was sick might have been saved. The highest point I reached was 21 colonies; have now 18 of them packed for winter; but one of theSe is in a ruinous condition from a drone-laying queen. I gave no brood or laying queens to this stock of which I demanded such large increase. A few queen- cells and virgin queens from outside stocks were given when more convenient, this being considered a trivial matter; in fact, I think that hardly any of these were used except in the contrary colonies that destroyed them. On three occasions I took brood from them to help outside stocks in need, but paid them for it again afterward. Empty combs and combs of honey were given without stint, as the col- onies that died last winti r left me more than I knew what to do with of the latter. Now, dear Novice, I want to pile upon your broad shoulders a good share of the blame of this failure, claiming that It was largely owing to HERESY IN OUR BEE-BIBLE. I want the sam expurgated, expunged, and ex- kioked-out right away. On page 26 of A B C (Arti- ficial Swarming) you teach us to have queen-cells built at stands where the queen and part of the bees have been carried away. If I mistake not, the same idea is encouraged in other places in A B C. By sttd experience I find that at such stands the unsealed queen-cells get notches torn out of them, and tho sealed ones get holes torn in them. Why, the bees which were carried away keep coming back dally for 2g GLE^^INGS m BEE CULTUKE. Jan. a week. Coming- fresh from a hive that has a queen, they of course resist the cell-buildiug elf orts of their comrades which were left (luecnless. I think it reasonable to infer that they also eat up the royal jelly, and tumble the royal larviv roughly about in the cells, although I did not watch close enough to catch them at it. After awhile the holes would be mended up, and things go on very much as if noth- ing had happened; but surely we can not rely on such ill-used young queens tvirniug out well. I had better success where the cells were built at a new stand, and the queen left behind at the old one. Of course, the desertion of the old bees is somewhat in- jurious, but not so bad as discord and violence. I feel confident that the better way is to take away the queen only, without mussing up the colony in any way, then to carry away all, or nearly all, the frames together when the cells are capped, then to divide into nuclei just before the tlrst queen hatches. If I had known this much last spring, and my health had not failed, I think I should have had my forty colonies all nicely in pack this \ery minute. I vote for the adoption of this plank in our bee platform: — For the rearing of good queens, it is necessary that the bees be unanimous in wishing for a queen; and there is no reliability in the result where bees not in sympathy with queen-rearing ctforts are coming in every hour. As to queens from too old larvir, they can be head- ed off by looking in just before the time for cells to be capped, and destroying any that are capped pre- maturely. A branch thought, suggested by my forty-colony experiment, is, that the possibilities of big yields of honey have not been fully worked up to yet. It would bo quite possible to have a colony to start with twice as strong as mine was; and in a favorable spring, dividing could be begun a month earlier than last spring. Thus 20 colonics, twice as strong as my ~0 were, could be made by the last of June in- stead of the last of July. In one month more it would not be unreasonable to expect them to begin to work in sections. Now it happens, sometimes, in this region of Ohio and Michigan, that the best run of honey in the year is late in the fall. With colonies started as above, 50 lbs. each would not be impossible, aggregating 1000 lbs. of comb honey as a year's fruit of one colony. Another thing I didn't do : I was going to re-queen most of the apiary with the progeny of my favorite queen. I chose the double-barreled method of rear- ing cells — putting a tight division-board in the middle of the colony, and continually shifting the queen from side to side. The partial failure of this plan I attribute to the same cause as the above — too many bees from the side which has the queen, going in on the side where cells should be built. Per- haps total failure would be nearer the correct word to use. I occupied the time of one of my precious colonies for the whole season, preventing them from making any surplus honey, and to-day I have to show for it only eleven colonies, queened with that family of queens. The proof just given, that 1000 lbs. is possible from one colony, will make the actual result of my bee- keeping this year look a little small. I think, how- ever, that I have done very well. I have just been looking at the record of the strength of my colonies last spring. May 0th was the lowest point. Four frames from the heart of a good colony in the height of the season would carry more bees than the strong- est one. Eleven of the 1" colonies were not over half as strong as this, several being mere wrecks, with not bees enough to fully cover one comb. Starting with these 1" colonies, two of them queen- less to boot, I, without buying a bee. Increased to 7'.i, and took 1070 lbs. of comb honey — enough to be thankful for, if not enough to brag about. E. E. Hasty. Richards, Lucas Co., (_)., Dec. 8, 18.S1. Many thanks, friend Hasty, for the partic- ulars of your experiment, "which certainly does you credit, tor it is one of the largest results ever reported, in the way of increase from a single colony in one season. If all those bees had been sold at the regular price of 32.00 per lb., it would have been, 1 imag- ine, a pretty large result in dollars and cents. — In regard to your criticism of the plan I have given in tlie A B C, I would say that it is intended, primarily, for the purpose of teaching beginners a plain and simple way of artiticial swarming, and not as a regular plan to be followed by the expert when he is trying to see how many stocks he can build up from one in a season. It is used only in increasing the number of colonies, and very seldom in the regular work of getting queen- cells by the quantity. — I have never no- ticed the trouule yoii mention with queen- I cells, but have sometimes, in introducing queens, had them balled by bees which I supposed had come in from the removed colony. — Thanks for kind ci'iticism. I pre- sume that you are well aware, that some stocks behave quite differently from others, under the same circumstances. CHERRIES, AND WIl^LOWS AS HOxNEV- 1»L.ANTS, ETC. ALSO SO.METniNO ABOUT VISITING OUU ESTABLISU- I MENT. fSEE in Chas. Kingsley's advertisement that he says, "The black Tartarian cherry is veril hardy." — ' T)iis is iiiit true; in fact, it is right the reverse. While it may be hardy iu Tennessee, it will not stand the winters above 40 ', and very often kills down to the ground at 38°. The advertisement might lead some one in the North to buy trees, and be disap- pointed. I know whereof I speak, as I have had them in my nursery, and had them winter-kill. I indorse nearly all Doolittle says about the willow; at least, it is true in my neighborhood. The pussy, or tassel willow, blossoms vory early, and I have seen each tassel entirely covered with bees. They never seem to carry off much pollen on their legs from it. and still they seem to be loaded. Golden willow is quite a honey-producing tree, but blossoms later, and I have never noticed the bees on them as much as the pussywillow. Gray, white, or fence willow, is about the same as the golden, while the pussy willow is low, bushy, almost a shrub in growth. The golden and gray willow grow to be large trees, especially the golden. We have in our town golden-willow trees 20 years old, 9 ft. in circumference. The gray willow will do to set 1 toot apart in low places for fence, and will stand cutting back to 5 and 6 feet in height; equal to Osage orange. Golden willow will not stand such severe treatment. We use it for ty- ing up nursery stock. It is tough, pliable, and grows in long slim withes. I have watched bees very close- ly on the golden willow (and we have lots of it), but 18S2 glea2?i:ngs i:n bee culture. have never npticed that they were much excited over it- . They can't hold a candle to the box elder (the willows, not the bees). It must be that the air around friend Doolittle is surcharged with honoj-, judging from the enormous yields he gets from his bees; in fact, every thing he touches or even writes about rains honey. I have (iU colonies packed for winter on summer stands. As I wintered my bees successfully last winter, I had thought to make a report, but have neglected it. I went a long way to see you last fall, friend Hoot, and spent quite a numl)cr of dollars, and I must say 1 was just a little disappointed in my visit. It was a rainy day, the ne.xt day after Garfield's funei-al, and everybody felt a little blue, and perhaps I had imag- ined you to be well, I don't know what -some- thing as my brother remarked when I introduced him to you: "Good morning, Mr. Koot: this yoimg man here has always swallowed whole everything you have written." Mayhap I have swallowed too much. However, 1 hope not. P. S.— The black Tartarian cherry is supposed to have come from one of the territories of Tartarj'. near the Sea of Japan. It is a seedling, and is prop- agated from the under branches, which sprout up thickly all around the tree, like the Alorcllos, and is a rather new one on that account. Kantoul, 111., Dee. S, 1881. II. M. Mormis. Friend M., there is sornetliina: in your closing remarks that nialces me feel very sad indeed. It is, that it is almost beyond my power to give my vast circle of friends the kind treatment and consideration I feel I ought to. To tell the truth, I did not know until this minute that you had ever paid us a call, and quite often some one writes about having made us a visit, whom I would have been very glad to have seen. Perhaps I can explain it to our mutual help. A great part of the season I am shaking hands with new friends almost every day of my life, and im- less the name is a very unusual one, although I know you by your letters, I can not recog- nize you by name. If you introduced your- self as Morris, it would hardly give me any more light than if you said Smith or -Jones"; but had you said, '' I am H. 31. Morris, of Bantoid, /H.," I should have recalled you at once, principally by the rather unusual name of your postotfice. We in the office almost always name you with your postoffices, or there would never be any chance of our un- derstanding each other. A man once came into the office and introduced himself as Newman. I shook hands with him, and talked quite a Avhile on bees, supposing him to be ^sewman of Norwalk, O. ; but when I found he was the editor of the ^1. IJ. ./., I had to shake hands over again and take a fresh start. I want to be courteous ; but it often pains me much to be obliged to tell some very good warm friend of mine (whom I have known for years through the letters), when he comes to me, that I can not remem- ber of ever having heard of such a person before. Xow let me advise: When you come here, come riglit up into the office ; we never have closed doors, so you need not knock, and the girls will, sorrie of them, be sharp enough to remember you, even if I am not, and they will make it plain to me what friend it is we are entertaining, and, may be, entertain you better than I can, especially when I am burdened with a load of cares, as is often the case.— May I suggest, that the black Tartarian cherry seems sometimes tolerably hardy, even as far north as we are, and that our young friend who advertises them may not be far out of the way. after all? A WOICU FOIC BLACK (WITH "BANDS" ON THEM) BEES. ALSO THE OTHER SIDK OF LAST WINTEK. M\S Others send in their report, I do so too. Our yW^ best flow of honey was in September from ' black heart. I had 4 colonies in spring, and took off 433!i lbs., an average of 105^4 lbs., and in- creased to 7. 1 bought 5 Italians in the spring, of Geo. Grimm, .Jefferson, Wis. The 5 gave me 517 lb?., and increased to 13. I used about 12 lbs. fdn. for starters, and I thinlc it pays to use them; an aver- age of over 100 lbs. I also had the care of 4 others, belonging to my brother. His gave 385 lbs., an av- erage of ill)! i, and increased to 13. The 13 gave 1323 lbs., all (-omb honey, an average of over 100 lbs., and increased to G3. .My only box hive last winter stood in an open shed, 1 foot from the ground, the bottom- board cracked so the bees went down through, and warped so they came out on the north side, and more so on the south side than they did at the regu- lar entrance on the east side, with three corn cobs under a timothy-chaff pillow as a honey box, with si.\ one-inch holes open down through. This gave me 139 lbs. and 2 swarms. The first new swarm gave 91 lbs. And you say transfer! While the box hives do as this does, I transfer by putting new swarms into sash hives. One hive gave 126' 2 lbs. and h swarms, the first swarm giving a big swarm Aug. 1st, and also on the ISth. The one that gave the most honey, 139 lbs., was a black; the one that increased most (5) was a l)lack; the one that gave the least honey, 75 lbs., was a black, and the one that swarmed the least (0), were blacks. From the above, you see the blacks did the best in honey, the best in swarm- ing; also the poorest in the same; both honej' and swarming. The blacks here are more or less band- ed by 1 heir own mixing. I bought the above 5 Ital- ians partly to introduce new blood. Limerick, 111., Nov. 21, 1881. E. Picicup. ■•-MM* clltivatiojV of blckavheat. S^UCKWHEAT is called the lazy man's crop, be- jfJQw cause, no matter how poor the cultivation, he is pretty sure to get something. But I find there is no crop that responds quicker to gnoil treat- ment. The cultivation of buckwheat for grain or honey is the same; but in selection of soil, and time of sowing, there is a material difference. To yield honey freelj', the soil must be strong enough to pro- duce a good crop of corn or potatoes. A field that, with good cultivation, would produce a fair crop of grain, nine times out of ten would not furnish a pound of honey. If I were sowing expressly for honey, I should proceed as follows: If the field to be sown were greensward, I would plow it as soon as the frost left the ground in the spring, and let it lie until about the first of June. At that time I would select some very warm day, and go over it several times with a two-horse cultivator. My reason for taking a warm day is, that I would be sure to kill all weeds and 28 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Jan. grass. If the field had been cropped the previous season, I would cross-plow In place of cultivating. Buckwheat is such a quick-growing- crop, the point is to get the soil loose and light as deep as the roots go, and also have the surface pulverized very fine for a seed-bed. The time for sowing with us is the tenth of June, but would vary according to locality. In average seasons the bees commence storing hon- ey 45 days after sowing; and as there should not be a break between basswood and buckwheat, it would be impossible to fix a date. The seed should be soaked 24 hours, and then rolled in plaster or quick- lime; this insures an even catch, and also gives the young plants a start. The quantity of seed for smooth ground would be half a bushel per acre; for rough and uneven ground, double the amount will be required. Most grain, where a small quanti- ty of seed is sown, will send up several stalks from each grain. Buckwheat sends up but one from this main stalk. Side branches are thrown out, on which the bulk of the crop is matured; and unless the sur- face of the ground is very smooth, the stalk can not be cut below the side branches. When more seed is used per acre, the branches are thrown out nearer the top of the stalk, and there is less trouble in har- vesting. In regard to soil : If I could have just what I want- ed, it would be a sandy loam. When grain is the only object, I would sow the fifteenth of July. I have had a good yield of grain when sown early; but on an average, my late sowing does much the better. H. T. Bishop. Chenango Bridge. N. Y., Dec., 1881. Thanks, friend B. ; bnt if I am correct, many of our farmers would object to your very rich soil, on the ground that the grain would all fall down in consequence. Yeiy likely you are right in saying that it mus't have a richer soil to produce honey largely, than for just grain alone. What do the rest of the friends say about the cultivation of buckwheat, especially for the honey V OUR BUSINESS. fjjHOSE who ey-produc think of entering our ranks as hon- jcers always inquire, " Which is the best hive to produce honey? how much can you get from a colony of bees annwally?" and a lot of questions like these. Were I out of the busi- ness, and contemplated going into it, I would ask myself, or some better posted man, or both, the fol- lowing: As it is a fact, that honey is bringing a good price now in our markets, do you think we can safe- ly figure on the perpetuation of this state of things? How many pounds of honey, taking the years to- gether, will an area of six or seven miles diameter yield? Can you tell me of a good unoccupied field? How many colonies of bees in proper hives, and properly managed, will I need to collect the amount you mention, getting the greatest proportion of sur- plus? How much capital do you think it will re- quire, to set up in business? About how much labor annually? The above are some of the primary questions that those who are destined to succted will ask. The man of tact will /eel at once that the possibilities, or even probabilities, of one or ten colonies of bees has but little bearing upon his future success as ahoney- produoer. Some have urged the purchase of a very few colonies at first, so as to let knowledge of the business grow along with the capital. In this course I have no faith. Why will not the same rea- soning and advice apply to carpentering, shoemak- Ing, doctoring, preaching, or the practice of law? I believe our business a hybrid, or cross between the trades and professions, and I believe that, wh^n the man who is going to succeed at it turns his mind to it he will be fit for little else; that it will be found a great waste of lime, to be tinkering along with a number of colonies unworthy of the time of the op- erator; also a slow and uncertain method of getting knowledge. Where is the producer of to-day who has grown up in this way, who has not in the past, or got to in the future, throw away hundreds of dol- lars in the many hives and other fixtures? I believe that in this business, as in all others, the specialist can produce the product the cheapest; that he will be forced to produce it as cheaply as he can, the same as has been the rule with other productions. That will put the business in the hands of special- ists; and I believe that there is great wisdom in let- ting it severely alone, unless you expect to become one. Those who do, will do best by serving a season or two as a student apprentice, with some one in whose success and methods they have confidence, getting as much for their services as they can agree upon. I know of a few eases of this kind, and they point strongly to the wisdom of the course. I commenced in I8t)!t, and the first thing I lost the capital I l)egan with; took a small start in connec- tion with fruit and vegetables, and crept slowly up- ward. Honey was high; and could I have traded the fruit and vegetable business off for practical knoidaluc of apiculture, I would have done much better. Though it is a fact, that the field of api- cultural knowledge was considerably smaller than it is to-day, it would have paid me handsomely, and saved me hundreds of dollars had I worked under Adam Grimm, or some such man, a year at least, even if T had got only my board. I know that, when the honey of the country is produced by a smaller number of well-posted men, who will buy only a fewjnecessitles that they can not more economically make, that the supply trade will be much less than as though the same amount of honey were produced by amateurs and persons of other callings, in a smaller way; and this proves the economy of spe- cialty. While the supply trade will no doubt be, even then, in advance of what it is to-day (so much more honey will be produced from fields now unoc- cupied), it will also be a more agreeable, staple trade, goods and prices being more uniform, dealers and purchasers better acquainted with each other, and our whole system running with less than half the friction and disappointment of to-daj-. All honest men, whatever may be their interest, who see it in this light, are anxious to herald the "good time coming." Jamks Heddon. Dowagiac, Mich., Dec. 12, 1881. If one undertakes the bee business because of the money he can make out of it. and for no other reason, I do not know but that I pretty nearly agree with friend Heddon ; but if I am correct, a great part of the readers of Gleanings have other reasons for keeping bees. The man who makes honey-pails by the hundred thousand can assuredly make them cheaper 1 han the one who makes them by the dozen ; and the man who raises and puts up honey by the ton, can (or at least ought to) furnish it at a less price than the 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 29 bee-keeper of a dozen colonies. For all that, it seems to me there are many good reasons why we should have small tinners and small bee-keepers. Often one may well be both ; for while his bees need no care in winter, it may be better for him to make tin p:»ils at 50 cents a day, than to leave home to engage in some other employment. With many of us, the work with our bees is recreation in the open air ; and although Ave should pay out more cash on them than we ever get back, it may be a gain after all, in better health. It is very likely true, that the great honey- producers do not patronize supply dealers very much, for the reason you give ; but, friend II., what is to be done with the world of ordinary people, who are not blessed with very much energy (or brains either, perhaps)? What about those who are e(]ual to the task of caring for only a dozen or 20 colonies V Is it not well for such to take a small start, and grow, even . though they never get up to great heights V Again : 1 have a very much valued friend who makes boots and shoes sometimes. lie also has a small farm ; and as he at one time w;is a printer, he dabbles occasionally in printing, stereotyping, elec- trotyping, etc. A few days ago I suggested to him, that although he did succeed with all these things, it could not pay him very much. Said he, ''Mr. Root, I do not always work for money. Sometimes I work for the plea- sure of it.'' If I am correct, he is not in debt, but has money enough to visit our great cities when he wishes, and see how the large factories do the things he has been working on there at home, and I know he enjoys seeing the world progress in these things, with a relish many of us can not im- derstand. Now. while I believe in him, and enjoy taking a look into his happy face, I also admire specialists. Since 1 met you at the convention, and heard you talk, friend II., I have had quite a longing to visit your apiaries; and I also want to visit George Grimm. I am sure it would do me good, and, mayhap, it might do Gleanings good. What do you think, friends V HONEY FROIVI CORN. BY ONE WHO IS THOROUOHLV AVAKED UP IN REGARD TO THE MATTER. BJpR. EDITOR:— We desire to provoke thoughf, [Jt|[ rather than convey iDformation. We would prefer to convey information, If we possess- ed the facts. " AVlll bees gather honey from corn ? " This is asked on page 595 of Gleanings. The an- swer given by "one," as friend Doolittle had it, is, " Yes, and lots of it, sometimes." Now, I do not be- lieve that honey is ever gathered from the tassel-s, or male organs of corn, or from the pollen producing organs of any plant. Honey, I regard as a sort of menstrua of the female organs of plants, designed by nature to entangle the pollen for impregnating purposes. In most plants these organs are in imme- diate proximity. The honey secreted by the pump- kin Is at the apex of the embryo pumpkin, and im- mediately under the pollen, etc. Now, corn is an exception to this general rule. The silk of the corn Is the natural loeation from which honey should flow. But, bees do not visit the silk, in this section of Iowa; and we have not been able to find our bees tonguing the corn-tassels. We do not say that bees do not find honey on corn-stalks or corn-tassels. We believe the old German saying, that •' in a good year, every bean-pole sweats honey; but in a bad one, no flower secretes any." The sapof plants varies in the quantitj' of susar secreted. Some years it is very sweet, and beetles act as "sugar -tree tappers," while bees gather in the sap, etc. " No admittance" seems to be tacked over many departments of Na- ture's laborator3', and we have not found out all we want to know about honey. Will the ABC class al- low me to sa.v, that when a plant secretes pollen in large quantities, it secrets honey in small quantities? Much pollen supersedes the necrssity of much honey. The reverse of this problem is also true— much hon- ey, little pollen. AVe think that, when bees come from the buckwheat fields heavily laden with pollen, it indicates a meager flow of honey. Small pellets and full sacks; large pellets and empty sacks. Hang this on the basswood-trees anyhow, and then tell us where else, and what you know about it. I offer $50 for one pound of honey from corn-tassels. Any one knowing his bees to be gathering honey from corn- tassels, will notify me by postal or dispatch. I will at once start for his place. If bees are not gather- ing honey from corn-tassels, he must pay my ex- penses. If the honey is produced from corn-tassels, I am to receive the pound, pay $.50, and my own ex- penses. Jesse Oren. La Porte City, Black Hawk Co., la., Dec. 13, 1881. Although I don't quite like friend Oren's way of bringing out facts, it may be that his letter Avill bring out what Ave do not know about corn from honey. Can not the parti- cles of honey in the tassel, if such there be, be found with the microscope ? It seems to me this Avould settle it. SPEAKING 1JNKINDI.Y OF THOSE WE KNO\*% fjIIE folloAving is from the American Bee _^ Journal of Nov. 9 : — WOULD IT BE AN HONEST TRANSACTION V I notice the following editorial remarks in Glean- ings for Oct., page 496:— " The Holy-Land bees ceit.ainly have some strong points of difference thiit promise well. AVe often send them out to fill orders, and 1 have never yet heard them called any thing else tkan nice Italians. The bees would please almost anvbod.v in appearance, and we have never had a complaint of their being cross, like .some of the Cyprians. ' ' Now, are we to understand by tho above that, should we order from Mr. Koot an Italian queen, he is to send us just what he chooses, and it is all right so long as we do not know the difference? Th.it is on a par with the dairyman who would ship a cus- tomer a tuh of olpomargiirine, and would console himself that the customer would not know the dif- ference between that and good butter. Kockland, N. Y. AV. Cairns. Whatever ails you, frieml C. V Can't you be kind o' half way civil and decent, even though you may be writing for the A. B. J.l I iiavent said a word about queena in any thing you have quoted — I only said bees. In ''our parts" we sell bees by the pound — bushels and bushels of them. Folks buy queens, and then we send some bees along Avith them, and the Holy-Land bees ore very pretty Italians. Do you suppose the bees sent with a queen are going to spoil her pu- rity V And, by the way, friends, is it just, kind, and civil, for a brother-editor to pub- lish such things about one you all knoAV aa you do me V so GLEANINGS IN BEE CUETLTRE. Jan. rroiii Different Fields. WINTER PASSAGES OVER THE COMBS. fIjIIE practice of giving winter passages over the combs is one of my hobbies about wintering- I have practiced it for the past three winters, and have not iost a colony when so prepared and chaff paclied. I formerly used corn cobs, the same as Mr. feihane did; but I have thrown them aside, and use now in their stead a new, clean, well-seasoned pine shingle, nine or ten inches wide, with a cleat one-half inch square on each end. I think it has some advantage over Mr. Hill's device, as illustrated in November Gleanings. It is easier made by per- sons not having the use of machinery. It prevents the fine dust from rattling through the burlap di- rectly among the bees, and I think retains the warmth of the cluster much better than burlap and chaff alone. The moisture will pass off at the sides of the shingle as well as if not there. I have exam- ined a number of colonics so arranged to-day, and find the bees clustered close up against the shingle in all of them. I consider the cleated shingle of equal value for cellar wintering. I winter half my bees in cellar; the other half outdoors packed in chaff; sofar with about equal success. To sum up with, if it wore :iot for the trouble, I would use a board similar to the old-fashioned honey-board, fit- ting close around the side of the hive, and glued on. with a half-inch space above the frames — the board to have from four to eight one-inch auger-holes, ac- cording to the strength of the colony; those to be covered with burlap, and the whole well protected with chaff. L. D. Gai.t.. Stedman, Chaut. Co., N. Y., Nov. 14, l^Sl. Why, irieuds, it looks almost as if we were going" to swing around to the original air space above the frames, invented by our good old friend Mr. Langstroth, pretty well toward 30 years ago. I have before spoken of the fact, that a nttmber of our neighbors who use the old-style Langstroth hives with honey-boards, winter, year after year, with but very few losses comparatively.' CANDY FEEDING IN WINTER NOT IN.JTJRIOUS. I see on p. 490 of Oct. Gleanings, that friend Hub- bard claims that the " honey-board, or substitute thereof," should not be loosened too late in the sea- son for the bees to wax all up tight again before cold weather; and that you agree with him. That, I will not question ; but I will give some facts on the subject, from the experience of the past winter. As above stated, the season of 1880 was very dry. There being no fall pasturage, I had to feed my bees for winter supply, which was done in October. Freezing weather set in the latter part of October, and con- tinued all winter with but few days during which snow would melt. Now for the facts: About the first of January I found that one colonj' was dead. They continued dying until I had last four — starved, as I supposed, by being unable to get to the honey in the outside frames. With the mercury standing below the freezing point, and the ground covered with snow, 1 opened every hive I had, and put in cakes of candy, made as you direct, on top of the frames. Thus I continued feeding those in the weakest condition, always, of course, selecting the warmest days. After giving the first candy I never lost a single colony, and succeeded in bringing my remaining 15 colonics through the winter in fair condition. I was away from home during the win- ter, teaching school, being at home only at intervals. I believe that, had I been at home where I could have watched them, that I should have lost none. Orleans, Ind., Nov. 5. 1881.' J. H. Heed. Since you mention it, friend K., I recall to mind tliat I have done the same thing, tlirough pretty severe winters too, and now I am inclined to think disturbance does harm only when the bees are confined to nat- ural stores, or stores not easily assimilated when they can not lly. If given pure sugar candy, disturbance in Avinter, or at any oth- er time, is not necessarily detrimental; if conlined to natural stores, and threatened with dysejitery, it may. as in your case, prove (juite the contrary. " OirT OF THE WOODS." Mr. Iiont, if you remember, you told us last spring- not to crow until we got out of the woods. I think I ha\ e got out now. Our honey is not all weighed yet, but I will crow about 1000 lbs., all comb honey, and j 48 good swarms of bees. This is my second summer { with bees. I worked in the tannery every day 10 I hours except Vi days with my bees. I have a wife, j and twin boys 10 years old. They would come to the 1 tannery to tell me when the bees swarmed; and I ! have one girl, 13 years old. I sent to H. Alley; got 3 queens, Hungarian, Cyprian, and Holy-Land. I in- troduced them all right, and raised two queens from the Cyprians. 1 like Gleanings (you can put me down for one year more), and I like jour advice; but I don't like those fault-tindiug letters that you sometimes receive. 1 ga^•e Mother Robins one swarm of bees the ITth of June; they made 75 lbs. of surplus honey. F. RouLO. Portvillc, Catt. Co., N. Y., Oct. 12, 1881. HO.NEY AT 25c. A PAILFUL. On page 570, Nov. No. of Gle.vnings, you say that I'/c-lb. tin pails of ext. honey sell readily for an even 25c. Is that the wholesale or retail price? If the latter, it is not enough; for no one can expect to re- 1 tail a large lot of honey. I can not get grocers to i handle a package of extracted honey for less than 10c. ; deducting this and price of pail, loaves 10c. for honey, label, and putting up. Ten cents for the gro- cer, I know, is too much; but what are we to do? Salem. O., Nov. 19, 1881. M. Frank Taber. Friend T., you will see, by the Honey Column, that extracted honey can be bought by the barrel at an average price of about yc. Well, call it 10, and your pails, by the hun- dred, 4c.; labels and putting up should not make all over 20c. Well, if your grocers -will not sell such pails of honey for a com- mission of 10 per cent, for just handing out the pails, you have an excellent locality to start a grocery. ELEVEN INCRliASED TO 20, AND 1100 LBS. OF HONEY. Here is my report for 1881: In the spring I had 11 colonies, mostly weak, and all in box hives; they are black bees, with just a trace of Italian blood. I transferred 4 into Simplicity hives. These 4 gave us no swarms, but they increased so as to fill three 1- story hives, and made GOO lbs. of surplus honey. The 1SS2 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 31 others all swarmed, and now I have 20. Fourteen are in Simplicity hives, and (> in box. I have taken, •in all, 1100 lbs. of honey - lOOO extracted, and 100 of comb. Just after basswood bloom they feathered a quantity of very thick dark honey which tasted more like mol:issos than honey. I think it must have been hgnc.v-dcw. I was s^irprised to And how large some swarms become when they have plenty of room; be- fore, I had always supposed they had room to do their best in box hives containing 200O cubic inches. I had one case of two queens in one hive. I acci- dentally killed one of them, and the bees very soon started queen-cells, but tore tliem down as soon as they were sealed up. Bees are now in the cellar. Rloomington, Minn., Nov. ™9, 1881. G. IT. Pond. WlLLOM'o .VM) lil.PE THISTLE AS HONE V-PLA NTS. I have been looking over A B C respecting bee- plants, or honey-producing plants. 'What have you to say on willows? I herewith send you some cut- tings of the Holy -Land willow, from Sunnysidc. They come into blossom early - the very first to make its appearance in this State, and they arc full of bees from morn to night when weather will per- mit bees to work them. You will see they already show signs of budding. It is the most valuable tady honey and pollen producing shrub I am acquainted with. I will send you specimens of full llowers this season. Now another thing 1 wish to correct you on: Blue thistle is no thistle, and docs not belong to that class. It is Bimujn (iixDuliniira, and is a perennial, and you will And a few plants with the willows. It is a great honey-producing plant, and remains in bloom to this date. Dee. 1, in sheltered positions. My bees are bringing pollen to-day, and 1 can Qnd noth- ing else in bf )om, and I see a few bees on this plant. C. H. Lake. Sunnysidc, Baltimore, Md., Dec. 1, 1S81. I did not mention willows amonp the : honey-producing plants, becan.se it did not i seem to me tliat anybody would set out any i plant so hard to eradicate, for honey alone, i I did not at that time know that our fence ' Avillows were honey-producing in some lo- i calities. In a recent back number we have ; been told something of the difficulty of erad- ! icating willows. It has also been nientioned ' that blue thistle is not a thistle ; but still, j some of our friends Avho '"got a going"! could not well stop ; and to keep peace in | the family I took blue-thistle seed out of the ' price list. i INTRODUCINr. BV .MAKING .4. NEW COLONY FROM j TWO OI.U ONES. Noticing in the Dec. No. of Gleanings, p. OOt, an article in which a method of "introducing" a new queen to a colony of bees without being obliged to hunt up the old one is described, the writer seems to leave a part of the problem unsolved, or at least does not carry his description far enough to cover all requirements of the case. He writes, " Opened No. 1, took out live frames heaviest with brood; brushed all the bees from them, put the frames of brood into an empty hive with queen caged on one of the combs; removed swarm No. ;J a rod or so from its old stand, when bees were tlying l)riskly; put cage containing queen and brood in the place from whence I removed No. 2." Now, from this transaction the influence seems to be that the bees which are absent from No. 2 at the time of the opera- 1 tion and removal of their hive, will, on returning to j their old stand, enter the nucleus placed there by the operator, as it occupies the place of their former home. But as there are bees in No. ;J at the time of I its removal, how will they conduct themselves on their return from their first trip to the fields, from I their new position ? It seems that the old bees, and, i in fact, all those properly belonging to No. 3, in j gathering, would invariably return to their old stand ; ■ leaving only the nurse bees, or those very young, I with the old queen in the old hive, at the new position, ' making the whole performance no more nor less I than the establishing of a new colony by lUoidina two others; viz., by supplying brood from one, and I bees from another the queen being furnished by the operator. If every thing would work favorably ; by the employment of such means, there seems to be I but little chance for objection to dvidino in this j way. The impression derived from the description seems to favor the idea that there would be no un- favorable result ; but, before attempting its practice, a further assurance seems necessary to establish a perfect confidence in the modus operandi. Has the method been practiced heretofore? If so, can we not have a few words of admonition through Glk.\n- iNGS, from the editor, or some of its numerous vet- eran bee-keeping correspondents? .Tas. F. Latham. Cumberland, Maine. Dec. 7, 1881. The method has been practiced to a con- siderable extent, when queens are to be in- troduced, and the number of stocks increas- ed at the same time. I know of no objec- tion, e.xcept the one friend Hasty alludes to in his article on page 25. The queen should be kept caged about 48 hours, or until bees from the old hive have pretty nearly stopped coming in. HOW far bees fly for honey. I find in Dec. No. of Gle.\nings, page 596, "'31 2 miles is as far as we have been able to find Italians working from their hives, when the first ones were brought to our county." Now, when the first Ital- ians were brought to this county (Monroe) they were found working on the flowers 7 miles from the near- est hives. Oi: this there can be no doubt, for it was before there couM have Ijeen any of them in the woods; and although I did not see them, yet I have the fact from the parties who did, and who are en- tirely reliable. As we may not soon again have an opportunity, at least so good a one, of testing the flight of bees for honey as we had when the Italians were introduced, I think it is well enough to record all the facts we can get on so interesting a subject. Hugh Marlin. Blooinington, Ind., Dec. 10, 1881. Very good, friend jSI., and thanks for the item. What has been the experience of others? out ok •■ UL.VSTEI) HOPICS" into "SMILERY." I believe I was in the wrong pew anyhow, don't you? Although I had been sick all winter, and lost all my 21 colonies of bees but one weak and queen- less stock, my )tope.-i were not blasted; 'twas only the bees; f!e TVho have Itlside Bee <;(i]tiire a Failunc. ESEND you three dollars for three subscribers. I thought I could get a club of five by this time, ' but I have failed. The bee-keepers in this sec- tion think bees are a perfect failure, and those who write for the paper tell too many big stories about the amount of honey they get from a stock of bees. 1 am not discouraged yet quite, if the honey don't pour in by the bairel. I ha\o twenty stands nicely tucked away in boxes, tilled with chaff', to try my luck again this winter. But there is one thing that I have got disgusted with; that is transferring and fixing up my neighbors' bees, and then they will let them stand and never look after them till something goes wrong, no odds how much I tell them how to look to them, then somebody is to blame. I love to work with the bees, and have worked and handled them for three years, and taken and read two bee journals, so 1 think I know something about them. T. M. Pearson. Tippecanoe City, O., Nov. 26, 1881. That is right, friend P.; tie not get dis- couraged, even if honey does not pour in by the barrel right away. God will send you the barrels full in his own good time, pro- viding you do not get weary in well doing, nor get out of patience with your neighbors. I wonder if they will feel hurt if they should see this. If both you and they have a Christ- ian spirit, they will not, assuredly ; but on the contrary it will do them good to be told of what they must know is their own short- comings. It just now occurs to me that this letter don't belong in Blasted Hopes after all. TOBACCO COLilIITIN. SN the first place, in regard to stopping Our Homes : I vote, " No, >ur streets, and suily grumblers at hfime? "Why is it that so many women are ladies in society, but fret- ful complainers at home? Why are so many boys and girls respectful to teachers and friends, and so seldom truly courttous to father and mother? Is it because we all forget so often, that the most etilcient way to save the community and w(uid to Christ is by doing our utmost to save those whom God has cspe- ciallj' committed to our care in our homes? Every man, every woman, every child, is a preacher. Each one preaches a daily sermon to the congregation of home. That scimon should have for its text, Luce; for its introduction. Luce; for its proposition, Luce; for its application. Love. Such a sermon needs no music of choir to impress its truth; no sounding bell beneath gilded dome need call worshipers to lis- ten. The first church which God ever planted was — a home. The church in which God's Son preached for thirty yt ars was home. The church to which Christ sent this first missionary amcng the Gada- renes was liome. The chuich in which jou and I preach with surer results than from pulpit cr pray- er-meeting or street, is home, home, home. If your life is pure from every stain, that Ecrnicu will tell; if it is impure, bitter, careless, or fietful, probably no amount of outside work will balance the evil of that daily sermon. This man went home. He went home clean, and, lastly, he went home reverent. "Tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee." Rever- ence was to be a mark of this change in his life. The lack of reverence is one of the great dangers to our nation. We sometimes attribute this lack of reverence to the inlluence of Young America; but, my friends, Old America is also to blame for it. Flippant disregard for those things which are held sacred by good men and women is ruinous to the young. It matters not what a man's belief may be, if he has any real interest in the purity of the young, he will treat with respect that which is held sacred by the virtuous. Any home which proves it- self a Christ ianizer must have its corner-stone laid in veneration. Anything that destroys this in the young, tends to ruin the home, and to overthrow one of the most potent forces for the civilization of the world. This poor restored demoniac told at bome the simple story of his healing and conver- sion. What was the result? Still keeping to the simple story of Christ's rt&toring power, with rev- erent love he published in all Dccapolis how great things the Lord had donefor him. The story spread. Other hearts felt its power. It found its way into other homes until, through that whole region, men marveled at the wonderful deliverance. All this the result of telling the simple storj' of one's own con- version, beginning with those of bis own home. My friends, is the religion of our Lord promoted by the inlluence of each Christian home in our com- munity? Is every Christian family .tn organized force for bringing Christ to other hearts? Is it pos- sible that Christ might say to some of us who, in mistaken zeal, are forgetting these duties, and fol- lowing him in more public places, "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee"? The only hope which I have that Christian work will be carried vn permanently in any commu- nity comes iu connection with Christian homes. Every Christian home has its family altar. What a power these are in the c immunity! It has its sym- pathies and sorrows. Il', as it seems to them — to get the most enjoyment out of lite, or secure a living. ]f we do the same in a better way, it is because we have superior ability or advantages of stune kind. Jesus said: " Let any one among you who is without sin, cast the first stone." That IS, first begin to enforce the law. Was it bad advice? If one without sin was found, would he not find more efficient means of overcoming the evil? Did not Jesus show a better way? That "the pray- ers of the righteous a\ail much, l>ut the prayers of the wicked are an abomination totheLurd," is prob- ably as true to-day as ever. Therefore, would it not be best to make an interior examination, and see if the Lord has prepared us for the work of reform. There can be no reform, unless it begins at home. Let this sink deep into your minds, my friends, and see if it is not truth; and if so, go to work in good earnest to reform the world; to save the young peo- ple; to save, as far as possible, the Magdalens, by first beginning to reform at home— to pray, to work, to live for the glory of God to be made manifest; again upon earth. If you do this, the churches will be full, not only of your children, but of the puriflcd and redeemed from these very dancc-housts that are a curse to-day. Oh for one j ure spiiit. One heaven-inspired heart. The love of God breathing in it, And forming of it a part! With this as a power and lever. The light of tlie world would increase, And the light of God's own wisdom Bring, to the soul- sick, peace. Give, O Lord! this blessing, And make us feel its power; For thy lov^ is all we need, To save in this dying hour. Bakersfleld, Cal., Nov. 28, 1881. I. B. RuMFOnD. SHALL. EDITORS BE HELD RESPONSI- BLE FOit THE CHARACTER OF THEIR ADVERTISEIUEINTS? SOME PKACTICAIi EXAMPLES IN THE M.iTTER. M S the excitement on this point lias sub- ,^^ sided a little, I presume it will be safe ~ to have a little friendly talk in regard to the matter. Last month I gave you the statement the ISunday- School 2 imcs makes weekly to its subscribers, and below is an extract from a bright spicy little sheet, the Philadelphia Farm Journal. If it is a free advertisement for them, they deserve it, and I would advise you all to send for a sample copy:— OUR BUSINESS METHOD. The Farm Journal offers no premiums, gives no chromos, puffs no swindles, inserts no humbug advertisements, and does not devote one half its space tn telling how good the other half is. It is published monthly, and is furnished to subscribers at 50 cents a year, postage prepaid, ca.sh in advance. At tlie ex- piration of the year the paper is stopped, unless renewed. F.\IR PLAY. We believe, through caref\il inquiry, that all advertisements in Ibis |i:ii)cr arc signed by tiustwdi'tjiy pei'sons, uiul to prove i-iui- lailh by works, wr will make gcpoil to sub.scribcrs any loss sustained by tni>liiig advcitiscrs who ]ivi,\v tn be dclibciate swindlers. 'Kngucs shall not ply their trade at Ihe expense of our leaders, wlio are our friends, througli the medium of these columns. Let this be understood by everybody now and hence- forth. In the above, they have expressed exactly what I wish and intend to do for my read- ers. If 1 am correct, I have never yet been entrapped into receiving the advertisement of any onewho wasa '' deliberate swindler." I did not expect, when I started out, to come off scot free, nor do I now; nor did I expect to be called upon to pay the debts of one of our number who should fail in busi- ness. The Sunday- School Times has again, it seems, been caieless, as you will see from the editorial below, taken from their issue of Dec. 17:— It is not an easy matter to keep such an oversight of the advertising columns of a paper as to guard ag;iinst the admission ot false statements intended ft) deceive the readers to their injury; but it is none the less a duty because a difficult one. The truer test of the .character and spirit of the managers of anj' religious paper is what they will consent to put into their columns if they are paid for it, rather than what they will put in without pay, or which they will pay to have put in. The advertising col- umns of a paper are thebest measure ot its purity and of its integrity. Yet the most cautious manag- ers are sometiiius deceived; and when they are, they ought to bear the loss. Those who rt ceiVe money for publishing false statements, rather than those who are misled t)y them, are the parties ti) make good the amount lost by the transaction. Here is a new illustration in our own experience. The adver- tisement of " Ozone," which has for a few weeks ap- peared in our advertising columns, was not admitted until after satisfactory correspondence concerning it with gentlemen in prominent olficial position in Cincinnati, to whom the advertisers referred. Those gentlemen certified tavorably. to the publisher, con- ceruiug the preserving qualities (jf ozone, and the good standing of those advertising it. But subse- quent perst)iial examination has'convinccd the put)- lisher that some of the declarations in the advertise- ment are unqualifiedly false, and that, however good ozone may be as a preset vcr, the statements of its CiuciDnati advertisers concerning it are not worthy of confidence. Gzone as now advertised can not keep their reputation from tainting. Although a city olfieiiil is treasurer of the concern, and other prominent gentlemen have allowed their names to be used as references, it is be.'ieved that no one of these would knowingly countenance the concern's deceptive statements. The advertisement has been shut out fi-om our columns, and we advise our read- ers to let the Prentiss Preserving Company alone. Moreover, if any subscribers to The Sunday-School Timex have been led to purchase sample packages by misstatements as to the profits of other parties through handling ozone, and are dissatisfied with the result, our publisher will, upon their applica- tion, refund to them the money they have paid out tor such packages. i^ow, friends, is it not a fact, that any pa- per taking such a position as that should be encouraged? Let us give them a rousing big club. I will at once send them an ad- vertisement, to do what I can. Now in re- gard to the ozone. See : — Mr. Root: —inclosed 1 send you an advertisement I cut from the iVestcni A — Kee KntomoloiO' — Blasted Hopes — Cartoon — Kditoiials flS Meads of (irain Sti lloiiey Coluiiin aS Humbugs and Swindles — Jnvenil KiiidW. I/.di.'s' l.uiU'li-K-om \iitc^i[\ii(HiUieries Uf|)orts Kueouraging Hiiiileiy — Tlie Urowlei-y — 1 Tobacco Column 9 partment fR from Customers Si lartmcnt — in — 87 INDEX OF nEADf5 OF GRAIN, NOTES AND QUERIES, AND OTHER SITOltT ARTICLES. Adult, of Wliite Sugar 8t Apiarv, llou^i-, A Successful. 99 AplarV, lb-Ill in tlic XX .Vpiarv in Sicily 77 .\|)is Uuisata 8ii Al.silvc Clover 61 Ticcs, can tbpvHear? 78 »cc:i, Taldng from a Tree. . . .81 Bees, Longevity of 82 Bees and Craiies S.'i Bees, Disturbing in Winter.. 85 Birds and Crapes 83 liroud-rcaring in Winter. ..82 Ho.\-I01ders 72 Burkwbcat fi7 Burcli Mattci-s 6:i Candied Honey in Jars 7i calilornia, Ca'llup's Items. .78 Cloxeis, H.isty's 03 Cell.irs ill Canada 83 line Report 80 Cm .80 KeeeiVCd... Uoolit ties .Neighbor 81 Drcnies, Color, etc 80 Dunning Folks 88 Dysentery 70 Facts from a Veteran 80 Foul Brood 71, 74 Frames, used either side up. .71 Frame, < )ctagonaI 80 Frame. The L 80 Great Honey Reports S3 Gum-trees 85 Harris' Report 82 (lO .02 !.S2.R."i Hives. Cllair. V. ( V|]i Hive, The Long-Id. -a XI Honey in Bcll-Gla.sscs 00 Hone.y from the Oak 82 Honey from Corn 85 Hothouse, Keeping Bees in.. 02 Hals. V. Blacks 70 Int. by Eating- thro' Candy.. 83 Merrybanks 89 Notes fiom Banner Apiary. . J>'} Plants for Bees 73 Pollen a Necessity! tii Propolis Daubers 85 Rape 83 Reversion, Heredity, etc 79 Kep't, Good, from HayhurBt.88 Scotland SO Skunk Cabbage 8t Spring Dwindling 00 Square Men 100 Stock, Large Increase of oo Stray Thoughts, etc 73 Siar'vatii>ii and Dyscnterj' 70 Shepard Swarining-lio-'C 78 S}i;>dc or Sunshuie 82 Shears. Foot-Power 97 Tools, New OO Ventilation, Upward 87 V. lidiiig Fxc. Dry 79 Wax. Melting by Steam 84 W.-i.x Sheets 82 Wlieeler's l^eport 83 What Women Did 87 Wintering I'roblem 75 w .A3XrTES33.-^«7«7".A.a^. -Address Vo.v DoRN, b20 South Ave., Omaha, Neb. A 2d GOOD GIKL, V.i to U years old, can have a per- maneut home. Address, with references, VON DOKN, 820 S. Avenue, Omaha, Neb. FOI^ SA^LEI BRONZE TURKEYS, or will exchnnpe f(n- Italian Bees or Queens. E. B. VINCENT. [Maple Lawn Apiary.] Suuraan, Ripley Co., Ind. A GREAT BARGAIN. T will sell 30 strong- he;il thy stocks of Italian and Hyljrid Bees, on th<3 Lang-stroth frame, in Simplicity Hives, toB-ether with all the fixtures for a (iiodeoi apiary. The whole, or in lots to suit. Complete list on application to W. G. S.\LTPOStD, 2d CI Delaitield St., Puughkeepbie, Dutchess Co., N. Y. FOR SALE, or exchanpfc for bees, an Excelsior Extractor; been used but two years, and used but very little. As good as new. MATTHEW DODD3. 3d Warsaw, Wyoming Co., N. Y. TMPORTED FERRETS FOR SALE.-For hunting J. rabbits and rats. Shipped by express an.vwhere. Safe arrival guaranteed. Price S>fi-00 per pair. W.ADDENBKOOK. 2 North Prairie, Waukesha Co., Wis. THE British Bee Journal. The British Bee Journal is now mailed to our ad- dress iu packages, each month. In order to dispose of them, we offer them at present at $1.00 per year, postage paid, beginning Jan., 18«2. Will guaratee safe arrival of every number. A. I. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. ii FOR THE MANCFACT0RE AND BALB OF Bee-keepers' Supplies AND V. D. NELLIS HIVES AND FRAMES. THE ALL -IN -ONE -PIECE SECTIONS, Made on a machine purchased from A. I. Root. Having purchased Mrs. Frances Dunham's whole outfit to manufacture foundation by steam power, I can furnish foundation in any quantity, and ia sheets as large as 14 inches wide and 7 feet long. ITALIAH BEES and QUEEITS. All bred from imported mothers of my own im- portation. Dollar queens in April, $1.25; In May, $1.10; in June and after, f 1.00. Tested queent from March IsttoJuly let, f 2.50; after. $3.00. Full colo- nies of Italian bees iu any quantity. Early -l-frame uurleus, with tested queens. $5.00. This is more ad- vantageous to those wishing bees by the pound. Send for illustrated catalogue for further particu- lars. Address Btiyoii Ooiila, IlberviUe Par., X^a. GI\EAT BAF^GAIN A BABE CHANGE I I offer for sale my supply business, consisting of one 10-horse boiler and engine, in perfect order; been used but little. Saw-tables, belting, shafting, pulleys, etc.; also one heavy wood saw-table, and one Steam-evaporator, for cider, jelly, or sorghum. Dunham fdn. machine, and other implements too numerous to mention. Business well established. Price $1000; or, 50 colonies of pure Italian Bees with same, for $1400. 2d HIRAM ROOF, Carson City, llicli. HIVES. HIVES. I am now prcpai'ed to manufacture HIVIU© A1VI> HECTIOjV boxes at wholesale and retail. Send for prices. E. W. LOWE, Sebewa, Ionia Co., Mich. Farm for Sale. Just outside the corporation of Ithaca, consisting of -tl acres; good strong soil, well adapted to garden- ing or farm cr ps. One of the best fruit farms in Tompkins county; 10 acres already in fruit. A good location for parents who would like to send their sons or daughters to Ithaca High School or Cornell University. Price $8,000. Half the purchase money may remain on mortgage. Also 34 swarms of bees in Simplicity hives. JOSEPH SINTON, Ithaca, N. Y. ^W^ATSTTJED, Steam-Engine, 4-borse, upright, in good condition. Write, stating particulars, and the lowest cash price, to JOHN DYSON, Coatesville, Chester Co., Penn. 5G GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. Names of responsible parties will be inserted in any of the following departments, at a uniform price of 30 cents each insertion, or $3,00 per year. $1.00 Queens. Names in8&)-ted in this department the firnt time with- out charge. After, 30c each insertion, or $3,00 per year. Those whose names appear below agree to furnish Italian Queens for $1,00 each, under the following conditions: No guarantee is to be assumed of purity, or anything of the kind, only that the queen be reared from a choice, pure mother, and had commenced to lay when thoy were shipped. They also agree to re- turn the money at any time whe-n customers become impatient of such delay as may be unavoidable. Bear in mind that he who sends the best queens, put up most neatly and most securely, will probably receive the most orders. Special rates for warranted and tested queens, furnished on application to any of the parties. Names with *, use an imported queen mother. If the queen arrives dead, notify us and we will send j^ou another. Probably none will be sent for $1.00 before July 1st, or after Nov. If want- ed sooner, or later, see rates in price list. *A. I. Boot, Medina, Ohio. *H. H. Brown, Light Street, Columbia Co., Pa. Itf *Paul L. Viallon, Bayou Goula, La. Itld *S. F. Newman, Norwalk, Huron Co., O. Itfd *Wm. Ballantine, Sago, Musk. Co.. O. Itfd C. H. Deaae, Sr., Mortonsvillo, Woodford Co., Ky. It Id *J. O. Facey, New Hamburg, Out., Can. 3-7 Hive Manufacturers. Who agree to make such hives, and at the prices named, as those described on our circular. A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. P. L. Viallon, Bayou Goula, Iberville Par., La. Itfd S. F. Newman, Norwnlk, Huron Co., O. Itfd J. F. Hart, Union Point. Greene Co., Ga. 4-3 M. S. West, Flint, Gen. Co., Mich. 3-7 C. OLM'S COMB FOUNDATION MACHINE. SEND FOB SAMPLE AND CIRCULAR. 5tfd C. OL.OT, Fond du Lac, Wis. TODE=»! Ij I S T JES 3Xr !_^ The new Dmnc S/y.sfem for Cumh Honeu- The N. A. B. K. A. savs it surpasses any thing of the kind, combining all the n<'cessary arrangements, simple and complete. One f n II set for .50 cts. Weijrht, 4 to .5 lbs. Sent tiy freight or express as you direct. SPud money bv P. O. mon^y-order to Versrnlles, Woodford Co., Ky., at my risk. Send for price U^t. Will send by mail, exact measurement of each piece of the Star Chaff Hive, and the new Deane Sj stem, for oO one-cent stamps. Dyn't fail to put your name and P. O. acidrCiiS. C. ll. T)RA?^E, 12-5d Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky. HEADQUARTERS FOR Early Italian & CysiD IJiGfiDS. Imported and home-bred; nuclei and full colo- nies. For quality and purity, mv stock of bees can not be excelled in the United States. I make a specialty of manufacturing the Dunham foundation. Try it. If yon wish to purchase Bnes or Supplies, send for mv new Circular, containing directions for introducing queens, remarks on the new races of Bees, &c. Ad'lress Itfd DR J. P. H. BROWN, Augusta, Ga. HIVES! HIVES! I am now prepared to manufacture bee-hives, whoL- sale and retail at the very lowest prices. Send one dollar, to get one of D. A. .T(mes' celebrated hives. Catalogue furnished on application. Otfd JOHN M. KINZIE, Doon, Out, Can. ESSEX PIGS A SPECIALTY! 75 to 100 Pedigree Pig's for delivery in June, six weeks to two months old. Write for prices. Also Brown Leghorn (prize winners) EGGS, @ $1 per doz., and B. B. R. G. Bantam Eggs for Hatching (imported), ((7i $1..50 per doz., in new baskets. Safe arrival guaranteed. C. \V. CANPIELiD, S-ld Alliens, Bradrord Co., Pa. MUTH'S HONEY EXTEACTOR, SCIU.VKE CiL.ASS HO^EV JAKS, TIN BUCKETS, BEE HIVES, HONEV SECTIONS, &c., &c. Apply to CHAS. F. MUTH, Cincinnati, O. P. S.— Send Stamp of 10c for "Practical Hints to Bee-keepers. Itfd READ fms7 FIFTY YEARS AN APIARL'iN. We are the oldest breeders of Italian Bees, and manufacturers of APIARIAN SUPPLIES in New England. Onr experience dates back to the first experiments of Mr. Langstroth in the movable-comb system. Send for our Price List of Bees, Queens, and Sup- plies, before making your purchases for 1S83. Address WM. W. CARV & SON, Itfd Colerain, Franklin Co., Mass. FOR SALE.— One Foot-power Saw (Barnes'), in good order; uswl but little. Write f near my own idea of doing busi- ness with our fellow-men. May God bless you and aid vou. K. M. Morbill. Plymouth, Ind , Jan. 3, 1883. The goods are'splendiJ for so small an amount of money. My little girl is delighted with her scissors and knives' and forks; she keops asking her papa, " Did Mr. Root send them?" My husband thinks his fdn. excellent; he says he would not take S3.00for the .50-cent plane you sent him, if he could not get another. We tako Gleanings, and we all like to read it. especiallv Our Homes and MerrvbanWs. Owego, N. Y., Dec. 28, 1881. Mrs. May Moss. The Waterbury is all right; it is the best time- piece I ever owned. I can not understand how they can be made for that amount of money. I must give you an idpaof the extent of my small apiary. I com- menced the winter with 22 stands, all in Root's chaflf hives, of mv own make. They are all Italians but 2, and they will be as soon as I can raise queens for them. No blacks for me. I raised 20 queens (Italian) last season; only two of that number proved to'be mismated E. P. Aldridge. Lectonia, Ohio, Dec, 1881. I was sitting enjoying myself flnelv over the con- tents of Dec. No. of Gleanings. When I came to the Growlery and read the "oration " of J. P. B., I must say (though I am sorry for it now) that I was quite spunky; but, after thinking a moment, I sat back and had a good laugh, just to see how he set up things in general, and A. I. Root in particular. Bet- ter laugh than be spunky, had I not? Well, if we did not have the bitter we should not appreciate the sweet, should we? Keep a " stiff upper lip." You have a host of friends. E. S. Brooks. Brooks, Marion Co., Ore., Dec, 1881. huru.vii for the "waterburys." One year ago the 12th of this month I received and started 11 Waterbury watches I ordered of you. The one I retained for mv own use is running as well as ever, as far as I can tell. During the past week I have been testing it with a $20.00 watch, and during that time the two watches did not vary more than a quarter of a minute. I consider the Waterbury watch a marvel of simplicity, accuracy, and cheap- ness. Three cheers and a "tiger" for the Waterbury watch. I, W. Detwiler. Moravia, Iowa. Jan. 21, 1883. 58 GliEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. The poods ordered of you Dec. 3d were received Jan. 3d in erood order, with freight charges amount- ing to $3.70— very reasonable on 55U lbs. I unpiieked them the 4th inst., and fouud every thing ordered all in r'>od shspe. 1 don't wonder that you have a large traile. sending out as nice goods as well packed, and as promptly as you do. Geo. F. Kpencer. Paysuu, 111., Jan. 5, 1882. The goods bought of you heretofore have been all very good for so small a price, and cveu more than I expected. fre than three who ob- jected. I will give their names if they wish T should. "When Our Homes was started, I supposed I should lose snbscribera by it; but of late, since it has transpired that thev are to be a source of income to me, I am in great danger of becoming proud, and forgetting how it was that I reached so many hearts. It is now, dear friends, while God seems to think fit to give me means and influence, that I need your prayers more than I ever did before, that my Savior may not only be a partner in business, but first in all things.] Under this head will be inserted, free of charge, the names of alt those having honey lo sell, as well as those wanting to buy. Please mention how much, what kind, and prices, as far as pos- sible. As a general thing, 1 would not advise you to send your toney away to be sold on commission. It near home, where you can looK after it, it Is often a very good way. By all means, develop your home market. For 25 cents we can furnish little boards to hang up In your dooryard, with the words, "Honey for Sale, " neatly painted. If wanted by mail, 10 cents extra for postage. Boaa-ds saying ' ' Bees and Queens lor Sale, ' ' same pi.'ioe. CITY MARKETS. Chicago.— Honey.— Since my last quotation, the market on extracted honey has strengthened, and I am now paying 8@10c on arrival. Comb honey is not as plentiful on the market, and inquiries for it are more frequent, as compared with last year. It sells on commission at 17®23c for choice white. lam paying 18@33cfor beeswax, cash on arrival. Chicago, Jan. 25, 1883. A. H. Newman. Detroit.— Hone;/.— Good comb honey is scarce and in fair demand, and is worth, about 30c. Bees- wax is worth from 30 to 22c. A. B. Weed. Detroit, Jan. 30, 18S3. Cleveland.— H(»ne.iy.— The honey market is quite active again on No. 1 white sections, which sell, ac- cording to looks and order, 30 to 33c for 1 lb., and 30 for best i lb. Buckwheat honey continues very dull at 17 to 18c. Extracted, II to 13c, rather slow. Bees- wax scaice; 23 to Sic. A. C. Kendel. Cleveland, O., Jan. 21, 1883. We have 4000 lbs. of choice white extracted honey in 50-lb. tin cans, for which we will take 12c per lb., cans thrown in. Delivered on board cars at Enou, Pa., or Voungstown,©. Wm. Barth & Bbo. Petersburg, Mahoning Co., O., Jan. 18, 1883. W.\NTED.— 1, 3, or 3 barrels extracted honey, for which 1 will pay 8c for dark, or 10c for light, delivered at my depot in Homer, Calhoun Co., Mich. Corres- pondence solicited. M. G. Hakes. Homer, Mich , Jan. 11, 1883. Receut Additions to the COUNTER ! Jit THREE-CE^JT COUPtiTER. 3 I Egg Cup, glass, a little beauty I 38 | 3 .TO 2 I Memorandum hooks, 64 paures, 2 for 5c | 20 | 1 50 3 I Paper of Pins, 3 sizes, a little smaller than 5c ones | 38 | 3 70 3 1 Screw caps, Hk inch, zinc, to solder on honey cans | 28 | 2 50 FIVS-CEP»3T COUWTER. 2 I Combs, pocket, folding, horn | 43 | 4 00 3 I Erasers, rubber, good | 38 | :^ .50 3 I Teething rings, pure rubber | 40 | 3 75 TEN-CENT COUNTER. GL.4SSWARE. I Berry diSh, 9x6;4, beautiful pattern.. | 90 | 8 50 I Lamp, on foot, no burner or chimney I 95 | 9 00 FIFTEEN-CENT COUNTER. i Magnet, horse shoe 3^/4 inches 1 1 40 1 13 50 Twenty-Five Cent Counter. 6 I Shears. 7 inch, nickel-plated. Solid steel blades. A wonder for 25c | 2 25 | 21 00 GLASSWARE. I Bread Plate, Snowflake. 11 in.; "A good mother makes a happy home" | 3 10 | 20 00 Thirty-Five Cent Counter. 3 I Pocket Compass, 2 in., nickel-plated | 3 00 I 28 00 With cover, a good reliable article: beautifully Imished. The same, with ling, no cover, same price. riPTY-CENT COUNTER. I Grindstones, Family, a little beauty, for such a small sum of money | 4 00 | 35 00 FOR $1.50. A Nickel Lever Clock. This is among clocks what the Waterbury is among watches. It runs in any position, and is an excellent timepiece; all are carefully tested and regulated here in our office. Requires no key, and is all cased in metal. With alarm, $2.00. By mail, 25c extra. A. L ROOT, MEDINA. OHIO. Supplies for the ApiaryT Purchase your Hives, Crates, and Sections, from where pine lumber can be bought cheap. Special attention given to large orders. 3d HIRAM ROOP, Carson City, Mich. Di. Fike, Eod9, SniiUur^, M Co., i. Breeder of those Beautiful Albino and Italian Queens and Bees which gave universal satisfaction last season. SencJ for Circular, 3-4d GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUI\E Devoted to Bees and Honey, and Home Interests. Tol. X. FEB. 1, 1882. No. 2. A. I. ROOT, Publislied Monthly. rUOllSher and FrOpnetOr,\ l rates. Above are all to be sent to one post- I 77'o/yTf 7t77*oZj/?/7 7*7/J 7^97"? OKKICE. Clubs to different postoffices, NOl Medina, O. J SLSVlLOvlSllt'd' Ho J.O i O. [ lkss than 90 cts. each. TERMS: Si. 00 Per ANNUM, IN ADVANCE ; I 2 Copies for $1.80; 3 for S2.76; h for .?1.00: 10 I or more, 75 cts. each. Slnple Number, 10 cts, ■( Additions to clubs may be made at club Above are all to be sent to one post- NOTES FROM THE RANNER APIARY. No. 37. PREFARE FOR ANOTDEU SEASON. nirgnr'AVE you decided yet upon a plan of opera- f^r^ tions, or management, for the coming sea- son? If you have decided, let me ask if, in making your decision, you took into consideration the honey resources of your locality; their charac- ter, duration, and reliability? did you consider your markets; their distance, character, etc ? did you consider your facilities for sending and receiving mail, express, and freight? yes, and did you consider yourself 7 Did you comprehend your own educa- tion or your ignorance, your abilities, or disibili- ties, your advantages or disadvantages, your ways, habits, methods, peculiarities, etc.? If you have considered all these, have read, re-read, and studied the plans and methods of the most successful api- arists, and have had two or three years of practical experience, there are good reasons for thinking that you have made a wise choice. And now if j'ou have decided, and know whether you are going to raise comb or extracted honey, or rear bees or queens for sale, and know exactly how you are go- ing to conduct some one of these branches of bee- culture, leave not a stone unturned to make your plan a success. Commence making preparations now. Get a paper and pencil, and take a complete inventory of your bee-keeping stock. Count every swarm, every empty hive, comb, and section box; every sheet of foundation, your honey-extractor, knife, Bmoker; In fact, cva-y thing. Then make a careful estimate of every thing you will need the coming season. Be sure to get enough of every thing, but don't be extravagant. If you are going to make your own hives, etc., get your lumber, nails, and paint, and go to work at them. The work of making and painting hives in a nice warm shop will be all the more pleasant, if the snow is flying out of dooi's. Do not forget to make a list of the articles that it will be necessary to order from some dealer in apiarian supplies; and, if it is possible to do so, these articles should bo ordered at once, and they should be sent all at one time by freight. Ordering in this manner not only saves all hurry and worry, but also heavy express charges. If mistakes are made there is plenty of time In which to rectify them. If you are going to raise comb honey, and you have children, perhaps they would enji^y putting together the section boxes and putting in the start- ers. As fast as they get the sections put together, let them pile them up in fantastic shapes: houses, cflstles, etc. By taking a little pains, work can often be made to seem like play to children. Perhaps some of this advice, about having every thing in readiness, may seem almost too simple to mention ; but I believe that the experience of sup- ply dealers will boar me out in saying, that not more than one-half of the bee-keepers order their sup- plies until they are ready to use them; while many wait until they actually have swarms hanging on the bushes. Do you say that you are going to wait and see Mo^ your bees "come through," before you buy any supplies? Well, that is the only reasonable excuse that I can see for your waiting. For this very rea-* son, I once waited until the first of May; then I sent (50 GLEANINGS IN JiEE CULTUIIE. Frv.. an order to a doaler who had a?.wnm been prompt, and It waH May ;iTth before tbe wroods came. Don't you Koc, almost every bee-keeper had done just ex- aetly as I did, and the orders eame down in Bueh a heiip upon t lie dealer, that it was some little time before the p(«)r man could " dig: out." J'iVen if you do lose Hoinu ol' your bees, isn't it better to keep supplies over one or even two j'ears, than to not have them on hand when they iire needed? The in- terest on $100 worth of Mupiilies would not be more than $10 a year, while one niiKht easily lose $100 by not havinjjr supplies on hand at the proper time. Ijast sensoii, riKlit In the liusswood-honey harvest, I hadawlisht attaek of dii)hlheria, and for a week eould "just crawl around;" but I hiid a great "stack" of hives tilled with empty combs all ready for use, and HO I "crawled" out and set, on theso upper stories full of comlis. As the result, not a pound of honey was lost for want of room In which to store It; l)ut IIN <;LA$S JAKS AND UULIi-fiil.ASISKS PJll E Apiary ; or, Jkcs, Bee-hives, and Bee (hdtiirc, IS the tille of ii book by Alfred — ' Neiglibour, of U\o, linn of Neijiliboiif & Sons, JjOiidon, EiiiJ^huul. The book is beautifully printed on line j)aper, and illus- trated with some very l\w enj^raAinj^s. The copperplate v)ictures of the queen, worker, and drone, iinished iu colors, is perhaps the liiaest work of any thinj.; UKide in the line anywhere on the face of the earth. The book contains over S5U pp., and, were it not for the recent inconvenient fashion of charg- iiig duties on books sent by mail, w^e might off(!r it at the same price as the A 15 C. As it is, we van not have it mailed to you for less than about i?].7.'3. Well, although tliis book is hardly up to the times as we do things here inAmerica, being i)ublished in 1878, it lias many good things in it; and among them is "a rather shallow circular glass dish, lilled with comb honey. The fol- lowing extracts are from pp. 2(jli— 2()4 : — UFAAjOhASiKS. Of tlie Stricter bell-form rounded at tlie top, we have three sizes:— Til conliiiii 1(1 lbs., 10 inclicM liik'li. 7 inches wide. 'I'o (■oiiliiiii 0 lliM., 7 inchi'.-* liiRh, •'iVv' inrhcH wido. To rdiiliiin :) Win., f) luilics liiuli, 4 inclios wide. These bell-Rlasses are used in the hives before de- scriited. The larRcst is fur Nutt's hivt;; the middle- sized is for our improved cottaRC hive; tlie smiill- est Riass isso very smtiil that it is not ()ften used, and we do not recommend it. Bees will Rencrally tut a mlddle-aizcd Rlass quite as soon as one so small as this. Th(! next flRures exhibit what are known ns " Tay- lor's Uiasses." They were introduced by Mr. Tay- lor, and arc recommended as preferable to deep narrow rIiisscs. The drawinR^ will show that they are straight at thi^ sides, flat jit the top, with a knol) abov(\ to take hohl by, throoRh which is a hulf-ineh openinRlo admit a ventilatiiiR tube. Tho larRor, to contain perhaps twenty pounds, is six inches deep and thir«(*en inches wide; the smaller, Ave inches de'p and nine »nd a half inches wide. The late Mr. .1. H. Payne, of Burv St. Edmunds, author of the " Uee-keeper's Guide." introduced an- other RlasH, called '• Payne's Glass," accordingly. It has a three-inch hole in the center, th(< purpose of which is to tempt bees to produce additional and larRor stores of honey. It is to bo used as follows: When a bell-Rlass (which must be smaller in diam- eter than Payne's) is half or (piite lillec), raise it, and l)lace Payne's jjlass over the holc^ of t\w stock hive, with the lilled Rlass on it, over the three-inch hole. The bees will l)rinR thiMr coml)s throuRh, and thus Mr. I'ayne found that they would store more honey than if tlu! b(>ll-Rlass were removed and another empty one i)ut in its place. Tho "Flat-topped Glass" is a super to be placed on tho hivo In a similar way to tlio bell glasses al- ready allud( for a short time over the flame of a candle); then apply one of the pieces of empty comb inside at the piirt warmed, takinir care, in fixing it, that the pitch or Inclination of the cells is upward — in fact, place the guide-c nit) in the same relative position that itic- cnpied in the hive or glass from which it was taken. There is some danger of making the glHSS too warm. which will cause the wax to melt and run dmvn the side, h-aviug an unsightly appearam^e onthcglas-t; but a little experience will eiiatile the operator to de- termine thedegieoof warmth sulticient to make the comb adhere without any of it being melted. It is hardly necessary to slate, that only the whitest combs ought to be used. A short time shoul 1 be sil- li) wed before changing the position of the glnss, so that it may coi 1 sulHeicntly to hold the omb in its place. Six or eight pieces may thus be fixed so that, when the glass is lilU d, it will present m st^r stiape, all the ci;mbs radiating f r( m the ^^s^f^ center. The annexed illustrii- /g?^^^31g;U tion shows the Hppearance of si y^^^>j^5>;;£2i^3| glass as worked by the tiees, in ^^^^/i^^^^^'^^^ which guide-combs were fixed in '■'•''^•~ — the manner described above. The drawing was taken from a glass of our own, filltd after be- ing thus furnishec. Tn the Old Museum at the Koyal Gardens, Kew, may be seen a Taylor's glass, presented by us, some of the comlis in which are elongated on the outside to the breadth of six inches. We believe that not only does a glass present a much handsomer appearance when thus worked — and will, on that account, most fully reward the trouble of fixing guide-comb — but that more honey is stored in the same space and in less time than if the glass be merely placed on the hive in a naked ccmdltion for the bees to follow their own course. This mode of fixing guide-comb does not solely ap- ply to the above-shaped glass, but is equally useful for all kinds of glasses, it is introduced in connec- tion with this glass because, from its having a flat top and no knob, the regularity is more clearly ap- parent. The working of bees in the bell-glasses illustrates how tractable their disposition reiilly is if only scope is allowed for the due exercise of their natural in- stinct. They have no secrets in their economy, and they do not shrink from our constant observation asthey daily pursue their simple policy of continuous thrift and persevering accumulation. Yet it is only owing to the labors of successive inventors that we ate now enabled to watch '• the very pulse of the ma- chine " of the bee commonwealth. Lonpr from the eye of man and face of day, Involved in darkness all their mstonis lay, Until a sase. "'ell versed in Nature's love, A genius foniicil :ill sc-ieiirc to exiiloie. Hives well euntiivcd in crystal fi-anics disposed, And there the busy citizens diseloseil. — MfRi'iiy's Vanikkk. Now, friends, I know we have tried bell- glasses, and discarded them ; and so far as producing honey in this shape, to be sent to distant points, is concerned, I do not believe we want to do it ; but could not a good many such be sold to advantage in your nearest town, and at a price, too, that "would pay V Tiering one glass above another is, without doubt, quite an advance over the old way ; and just imagine the si^ht of a pyramid of rot*nd glasses of honey like these, exliibited at some of our fairs ! It the glasses are pur- chased in nests, I do not believe they will prove to be very exi)ensive, and I will at once see about having some m;ide. AL.SIK,K fXiOVEK. SOME SEASOXAUtiE HINTS. ^ S I am often asked, " How do you raise alsike clover? when do you sow the secdV" etc., 1 ** thought f would answer through Gr,i:AMNOS. The time to sow depends on the season and the con- dition of the ground ynu wish to sow. I have sown it alj the way from the firstdf March to the 16th of May, with good rcsult.i. I have sown it with wheat in the fall, and received a good crop of honey tlic next September; but if the winter is not favorable, it is apt to winter kill. It is like other clover — if sown in the spring, the earlier you get it started the better. It will grow on any land that is well culti- vated and mellow. Does best on low, black, or sandy land; it does well on any land that will grow good red-top; it will bloom about one week earlier than white clover, and remain in bloom longer. It is the best honey plant I know of; will produce about two tons of very fine hay per acre; it is not as dusty as red clover. If mown early, about the first week in June, the second crop will yield honey all through July and part of August. The seed must be saved from the first crop; thrashed with a com- mon clover-huller with timothy sieves. If you are not very careful you will blow the seed out with the chafif. It will pay to run the chaff through a fan- ning-mill, rigged to clean timothy seed. Three or four pounds of seed are enough per acre; but if sown with oats or spring wheat, without any other grass seed, I sow 5 or 6 lbs. It is best not to sow timothy with it, if you wish to save the seed. Never harrow the ground after the seed is sown. The seed is so fine it buries it too deep. If timothy and alsike seed arc mixed they can bo separated by wind, or a wind blast. H. B. Harrington. Medina, Ohio, Jan. :J4, 1883. -l^^o^SB BEE-KEEPING VS. X HOT-HOUSE. m S there have been various experiments in this ^^ line, and as this is the season to try it, possi- — ^^^ bly my experience will help some in the de- velopment of a system of management by which bees can be imMahly manipulated during the winter months. I have succeeded in getting the bees to fly freely without darting against the glass, or worrying upon it, and also ii having them return readily to the hive. The room that I used last winter is 8x12, and Tfeet high at the sides, and the ceiling is slanting with the roof. It is lathed and plastered, and has, in the south slope of the roof and at one end, a largo skylight. These are the only windows. I placed a barrel on a box in a corner under the window, and a hive of bees on the barrel so that tho entrance at the top of the hive would come near the window. A stove and the door were in the opposite end of the r ora. I spread a sheet over the window to keep tho bees from darting against the glass. W^hitewashing the window inside would probubly do. Ikept the temperature at almut TO". The beea would sally forth in lai'tfc numbers, and every bee 6S GLEAJ^INGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. that had any business to live any louger returned to the hiveatnigrht. My object was to cure dysentery, which was caused, I think, by long confinement and suffoca- tion. They voided freely, and I think the cure would have been permanent if I could have left them there all the time; but I was obliged to carry one back to make room for others; and as the weather was very severe, the disease soon re- appeared. Oliver Foster. Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Jan. 22, 1S83. I hardly need say, friends, that when we get where we can build np colonies at plea- sure, regardless of the season of the year or the temperature outside, we are practically through with the troubles in wintering. Late experiments, and facts furnished, seem to point strongly to imperfect ventilation as the main cause of all our troubles ; and as the sub-earth plan enables us to bring in any amount of pure air, without having it cold either, we are pretty near success in that direction. Our friend George Grimm, on another page, seems to have a pretty clear head in regard to the need of pure air, no matter where bees are kept. A $25.00 BEE-HirE. SOMETHING THAT COMBINES THE ORNA&fENTAI. AVITH THE USEFUL. 'OT many days ago a gentleman of pleas- ing address was hunting the proprie- tor of the bee-hive establialnnent. If he was not disappointed in tfie looks of the man, I rather tliuik he waa somewhat in his manners, when he found him very averse to even stopping to examine into the merits of a hive gotten up to embrace all good things known about hives, and some not already known. However, as our friend seemed to be a man of means, and energy as well, he soon had the combined brains of the estab- lishment, including square and compass, pa- per, pencils, old bee-books, back volumes of bee journals, etc., all at his command. Mr. Gray drew squares and circles, and planned hexagons and other geometrical hgures, while your humble servant ransacked his books and brain. Soon the " edilice" began to take shai>e, and in a week or two, under his daily supervision, Mr. .St. John, of Wil- lougliby, O., had the pleasure of beholding the hive you see on next column, as the cre- ation of his own brain. The hive is a two-story one, and has ten frames above and ten below. Both stories are just alike, and yet the lower frames will lift out through the upper story, so you see the old chaff -Yiive problem is solved — after a fashion. The fashion is. in having frames of Sve different sizes, for the hive is hexago- nal in shape, inside as well as outside. If you will turn back to p. 306 of the June No., and look at that cheese-box bee-hive, you will see justhowthe frames hang. By draw- ing out one of the two central frames first, and moving it toward the middle, the top- bar passes through easily, and after this frame is out, it is very easy indeed to lift out the others, even if you do not take all out of the upper story. There are lli doors to the hive, each with a lock and key. In the winter time, each lit- tle closet, as it were, contains a chaff cush- ion ; and one is also put under that impos- ing cover, which is made of tin, after a sort of oriental pattern. Well, in the summer time each little closet contains 8 Simplicity sections. Over the sections, to keep the bees from building against the door, is a light of glass. Thus you see our friend can take visitors out on bis lawn, toward the close of the day, and, opening these twelve doors one after another, display to their as- tonished and admiring gaze bees working the snowy comb in every one of them. I told him that, if he had a good Italian queen, one equal to the task of filling those ten combs with brood, his hundred, or hundred and twenty-five 1-lb. sections would not be enough for all the bees to work in. At this he gave me a scathing lecture on the cruelty and inhumanity of taxing these little friends of ours to such an extent as to drain their very life blood out of them, in letting them make 200 lbs. to the hive, or even 100 lbs. I had to give n:> the task of trying to convince him it didn't " hurt 'em" to make two or three hundred pounds in a season, so you can try your hand with him if you choose. ST. John's hexagonal bke-hive. You will notice he has a space under the bottom-board, as well as at the sides and on top, and he claims this space is needed to give them plenty of pure air, and I am sure I do not know but that he is right. The bees go int othehiveby going first into this "cel- lar kitchen," and then crawling up through holes in the ceiling. I suppose the drones, or any other dissatisfied members of the hive, will always come down here to grum- ble, instead of standing around in the way, among the women foliis and children up- stairs. The cover is stoutly hinged, so it is a much easier matter to get at the contents than you might suppose. If you want to know any more about it, or want such a hive, write to friend St. John. 1882 GLEAii}i:NGS IK I3EE CULTUKE. 08 BVRCH inATTERS. MID. GLEANINGS:— I read with interest what Mr. I David E. Kose liad to say i n Nov. Gleanings ' in reference to H. A. Bur h & Co. I feel it a duty I owe to bce-kecpcrs, to g-i\e my experience in dealing with the above Arm. Last spring I ordered 10 live-frame nuclei of them, sending- thera $30.00. They acknowledged the receipt of order and money, saying thej' would ship the bees in a short time. I waited until into June, when I wrote them I was anxious to have no further delay, and unless they could All the order at once, to return the money. They replied they were filling orders as fast as pos- sible, and would reach mj' order in a few days. I waited a "good many days," and then wrote thera again to send the bees at once or return the money. After some 10 or 13 daj'S they replied they would ship in two or three days. But again they went back on their promise. I did not write them again until August, and then wrote them that, unless they shipped the bees at once, or returned the money, I should be under the necessity of taking steps to col- lect it. They replied, if 1 wt.uld receive the bees they would ship a*: once. I replied, "Send Ihem along;" but v.gain they went back on their word. About the first of October, I wrote them, if they would send me 6 good strong colonies I would settle the matter. They answered, if I would take 5 colo- nies they would "ship at once." I answered, "Send the bees along;" and, sure enough, in 3 or 4 days the bees arrived. But as soon as 1 lifted the bees I saw it was a rcgidar siviiidlc. I opened them, and the bees looked very well. But there could not have been more than from one to two pounds of bees to a hive. They M'erc in 8-frame Langstroth hives; but about one-half the combs were old and entirely emp- ty. I shall have to double them up and feed them, or they will starve. In July, 1880, I ordered a one-frame nucleus of A. I. Root. I put them into an old fashioned square Langstroth hive, and gave them 3 or -t old combs, and in the fall the hive was " chuck " full of bees and honey; so you can see, in all probnbility, what I have lost in not getting the 10 nuclei colonies as promised. Mr. Rose tells us, when be visited South Haven he counted 2t3 c donies in Mr. Bureh's yard, lie does not give the date, but says, " Mr. Burch was Shipping off bees, extracting honey, hiving swarms, etc." Can Mr. Rose tell why Burch & Co. could not find time to ship me my bees, or send me my mon- ey? I now have i full strong colonies from the one- frame nucleus bought of Mr. Root in 1880, and would not give any two of them for the five colonies sent by Burch & Co. I have waited for others to reply to D. E. Rose; but as none see fit to respond, I have. I consider it an outrcujc for Mr. Rose to attack the publishers of Gleanings and A. B. J. in the way he docs - men who for years have been noted for their honesty, uprightness, promptness, and fair dealing. F, L. Meurick. Kankakee, 111., Dee. 12, 18Sl. 1 thank you, friend ]\I., for so warmly tak- ing the part of the publishers ; but may I no1t ask of you a little charity for friend Burch ? Vou finally aorreed to take five col- onies, and he sent them. Now, even if they are not so strong in bees, nor so full ot stores as they might have been, shall we not call it settled? Lest some may complain that I have published your letters, and rejected theirs, I would explain that I want to pub- lish all cases in which Mr. Burch has done something toward a settlement, and thus narrow up the differences between himself and his customers. Is there not another ? DEVELOPING THE (LOVERS. 'viji') THINK it is long enough since I talked clover Pll to the renders of Gle.\nings, so that I can — ' venture to make another report without serious danger of boring them. This season, my third season in the clover e.xperimont, has been remarka- bly successful (oeariug in niind, of course, what slow work developing plants must secessarily be). I will speak concerning my ten samples, in rf'gular order. No. 1 is one of the most unprogressive of the whole lot; and I have decided to drop it, make a new No. 1 by dividing No. 3 into two samples. The old No. 1 was vtry much like No. 3, except that it was longer tubed, and less inclined to yield to treatment. The new No. 1 varies from the sample it sprung from by having a more abundant supply of honey in its tubes and by hnviiig tubes of greater diameter. No. 2 is one of the shortest tubed in my collection, and, being also one of the most variable ones, I value it nighly. Concerning this sample, as well as most of the others, 1 should say that their tubes were not this senson measured in August and September, when the best figures may be expected; press of work, and sickness, prevented. The best recorded tube length of this sample was in July, 1880— 30-hun- dredths of an inch. My impression is, that this 5'ear's seedlings, none of them, went quite so low as that. That is, in fact, within 2-hundredths of being short enough. The most interesting sport or variant occurring among this year's seedlings I have chosen as the founder of a new sample as mentioned above. No. 3 is dropped, and a promising seedling of No. 4 is constituted a new No. 3. The fact is, I got beat on No. 3. It was a white-flowered one, and I failed to get a Avhite-Howered seedling from it. Every young plant gave red flowers. No. 4 is also white flowered, and is my favorite sample of all. I didn't get beat on that, although I narrowly escaped failure. About 500 seedlings were raised and brought to bloom, and all were red but one. From that lucky one I had 36 seeds as my stock in trade to begin (his season's operations. Although I expected the third generation to be less obstinate than the second, I felt a little dubious. In due time 14 plants came to bloom as the result of this sowing, and four of them were white — 28 per cent. In place of one-fifth of one per cent the generation previous. I was happy. If any of you have had a sweet lady say yes to j-ou, after having said no a great many times, you know how it is yourselves. This is not all. Sample No. 4 had never previously been short tubed. It was rather longer than the average. It was its beauty and vigor that made me feel in my bones that I must conquer It. I supposed that I should have to wait till the preliminary difficulty of color was settled before I could shorten the tubes much. Well, it turns out that one of my four white seedlings has produced some of the shortest flower- tubes that 1 have obtained at all, only 24-hundredths long. Bully! Delightful! Why, I'm just "in clo- ver " ! Imagine mo tossing my hat, and hopping up and down. But, will there not be some little thorn 64 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. among the roses? Many seedlings of this sample have ordinary colored seed instead of white ones. Will my cho?cn plant be correct on this point? Seeds ripened, and they were white — good enough for one year. I have a fine pot of plants of the fourth generation; hut, as maybe imagined, could not got them large enough to bloom this year. I wished also to propagate from another one of the [our white seedlings, a very rank one with large heads and large Howcr-tuhes. It looked, in fact, as if sometime in past ages there had been an inter- marriage with Trifolium rcjM^ns, and this plant was just faintly remembering it. No..') had another surprise in store for me. The original plant was chosen for its elongated head, slightly resombllng the Italian clover; and the tubes at the top of the head would bo only half grown when those at the base were in full bloom. Ic oc- curred to me at the time, that a slight tendency to change to a raceme probably caused this unusual in- florescence; but I did not think that so radical a change cnuld be pushed to any great length in one man's lifetime. This season, No. 5 has convinced me that racemes of flowers, as unmistakable as those of the melilotus, can be developed on the common clover. What's the use? say you. Let me just tell j'ou. A clover-head is a tloral fortification, designed to protect the drops of honey from borers and nib- blers. Tho massing of the tubes in a head is one element of defense; and the length of the tubes is another. The collar in which Sir Clover's neckless head sits, like a boy's head driven down into his shoulders, completes the defense. Changing to a raceme is abandoning the fortification plan. The plan once abandoned, all three of the defensive schemes are likely to subside together. That is, develop a clover with racemes instead of heads, and the tubes will shorten down without any special ef- fort to make them do so. The flowers which sur- prised me this season were not only arranged in an elongated head as before, but there was a neck about an inch long between the collar and the head; and on this one inch were three or four solitary hairs, precisely as if an inch from a raceme had been put under the head. With the editor's permission I will give a diagram. hasty's development of the clovers. In Fig. 3, a a represent the stems of the small pair of leaves which support the collar; h is the unusual neck, or extension of rachis; and c c c the solitary flowers, but none were produced. There were but two heads of this character; and the flowers which were not solitary, few of them had seed; and of the few seed, only one came up. Other heads on the same plant, which were normal except at the tip. gave plenty of seed. I have constituted this sport a new sample as No. 11. As to Nos. ti and 7, 1 am delayed one year. Either I gathered no seed from them last season, or the seed was lost. I have some lute-sown plants, of this year's seed, to go on with next year. Of No. 8 and No. 10, several rows of nice seedlings were raised. They bloomed freely during the latter part of the summer, but — but — I shall have to wait till they bloom again next summer ere I tell you what progress they made. It is a big job to compare carefully several hundred seedlings, and decide which are the best ones; and poor I didn't get the time. The regular routine work with a sample, you understand, is to raise a great lot of plants; and then when they bloom, to examine, condemn, and pull up all but one. No. 9, if you chance to remember, is the one I have previously mentioned as likely to be the first to yield a satisfactory bee clover. This year it is jealous, or something — determined that No. 4, that "t'other dear charmer," shall not win me entirely away. In the first place, it has produced some very marked sports with yellow foliage, which I have adopted as No. 13. It has also done what it never did before- produced a seedling with flowers of the same beau- tiful tint as the original plant. Then it threw in a "tiger" by producing one nearly white, with just a slight tinge of the original color. Both these seed- lings are very short tubed. I think I shall insist on the color in future; experience with No. 4 indicat- ing that tube length can be shortened faster that way than by planting seed from plants with reverted colors. One of the wisest things I got off in my first clover article (Gleanings, Aug.,18T9) was, " If a hab- it of sporting and variation can be set up, the varia- tions we desire will be pretty sure to come, sooner or later." It is this consideration that makes me val- ue my yellow-leaved sample No. 13. Not that yellow leaves themselves are any improvement; but seeds of such a sport are likely to be more variable than others; and the next curious sport that turns up may be something valuable. E. E. Hasty. Richards, Lucas Co., O. , Jan., 1883. POIiliEN A NECESSITY FOR BROOD- REARING. M'UCH is being said of late in regard to pollen being detrimental for wintering bees; and ' out of this there seems to have grown the idea that pollen, although detrimental for winter- ing, is an absolute necessity for brood-rearing. Hence we find those words: "We are interested about pollen, because bees can not rear brood with- out either it or some substitute for it;" also, " They (the bees) had no pollen, and of course no brood- rearing could go on without it," and many other similar expressions. I have been waiting for some time to see if these statements would not call out something in Gleanings from the other side of the question; but as nobody seems to disagree, I hope I shall be excused for bringing forth a little proof, go- ing to show that a mistake has been made. First, I will give my own experiments, and then the state- ments of others to substantiate the same thing. Quite late in the fall of 1873 I ascertained that a farmer, living a mile or more from me, had two (third) swarms of bees which he was going to brim- stone the next day. I went to see him, and ascer- 1882 glea^Ij^gs in bee culture. 65 tained that he was willing any one should have the bees if he could have the honey. Accordingly the nci't day T wont and drove out the bees and put both swarms together, as the two would not make "more than one good swarm. I gave th''* ■ bees six frames of new clean comb, without poLou, and fed them ?:>.00 worth of coffee sugar made into a very thick syrup. As the weather was cool they sealed but lit- tle of it, and I hud some misgivings about their win- tering, as it was claimed by some that bees would get the dysentery if there were unsealed stores in the hive. In about two weeks they were placed in the cellar with the rest of the bees, having flown but once or twice after I brought them home; and as several severe frosts had occurred before this, no pollen was obtained, of course, as we never have pollen gathered here after the 20th of October. As this wa? an experimental colony, I began stimulnt- iug them in the fore part of March by occasionally rousing them up, causing them to fill themselves, and thus feed the queen. About the middle of March we had a fine day fjr bees to fly, and, being anxious to know how they were getting al mg, I set them out. They flew nicely, not even spotting the snow, as far as I could see; and after they had be- come somewhat quiet I opened the hive and found brood in two combs, each having a space as large as my hand tilled with eggs, lar-\ii?, and scaled brood. They were set back again in the cellar at night. About April 15th they were set out for good, and I shall always remember how pleased I was to see the white fuzzy fellows playing- at the entrance, and circling away in the warm sunshine, for they gave promise of "gain" at no distant day. That season they gave me two nice swarms, and I sold $30.80 worth of honey from them. I told the neigh- bor of my fortune, and explained to him how I had worked with them; but as he had kept bees in box hives for many year?, and was getting old, I could not persuade him to use the movable-frame hive. From other experiments, I have reason to believe boes can rear brood without pollen, but prefer to give some from other parties, as " in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be estab- lished." In the Bee-Kct]-)crs' Journal for October, 1870, E. Gallup, whose opinions I value very highly, gives a c. se where a swarm of bees were wintered " without a particle of pollen." He then goes on to tell how he began to stimulate his little swarm with their tbree small pieces of comb the first of February, and says: "The queen commenced breeding, and by the time the bees first Hew out in the spring, they had doubled their numbers." Thus here is proof "second" of many bees being reai-ed "without a particle of pollen." Next we find on page 2G5, of Bce-Kecpers' Magazine for ISS), these words from Prof. Hasbrouck : "They are certainly wrong who say that pollen is indispensable to the raising of young bees, .... because I have had, as an ex- periment, abundant brood raised by bees shut up on new combs, and fed on i-eflned-sugar syrup when they could not possibly get a grain of pollen from any source." As this comes from an apiarist of close observation, it can be relied on, and I will .lot it down as proof " third." Next we And C. J. llobin- son 8;iying, on page 201 of A. B. J. for 1881, " Pollen, if they have it, forms a useful condiment for both mature bees and larva3, but both can do without it." He then goes on to tell how pleuty of brood has been reared when the bees had nothing but sugar syi'up. As Mr. Robinson is perhaps the oldest bee-keeper in the United States, his words are entitled to some consideration more than would be given to those of little experience. Thus we have four persons testi- fying to the possibility of brood-rearing, to q.iite an extent at least, when the bees have no access to pollen. From many observations made during past years, I am of the opinion that the state of the surround- ings, such as warm and cool weather, plenty of honej" being secreted in the flowers, or no honey at all; a desire to keep up a rapidly diminishing colony, or a perfectly healthy one, has more to do with brood-rearing than plenty of pollen. That the " scramble " for pollen in early spring e.xciies brood- rearing, no one will deny, while pollen may come in quite as freely the fore part of October, and no brood-rearing at all be the result. Much depends upon whether the bees desire bi'ood or not. If they do, they will rear it without pollen, so our experience proves. If they don't desire brood, a hive full of pollen has no effect upon them. Any thing exciting to activity has a tendency toward brood-rearing; while that tending to quietude gives a reverse re- sult. G. M. DOOIilTTLE. Borodino, N. Y., Jan. IV, 1882. Very likely we have carried the matter a little too far, I'liend D., and perhaps bees can get along after a fashion, for a spell at least, without pollen, just as you or I might live quite a while on pure sugar if we could not get any thing else. It is also possible, I suppose, or at least we will try to think so, that we are entirely wrong, and bees can raise brood just as well without pollen as Avith. You made your experiment almost ten years ago ; and is it not possible there was a little pollen in those combs, which you did not notice V Our bees gather pollen, to a limited extent, after frosts, and some seasons even into November. The cases cited by Gallup and Robinson do not seem to me to be by any means as direct as the one cited by Prof. Hasbrouck ; and even that does not compare with my experiments in the matter, with which friend l).,if not the most of the rest of you, are perfectly fa- miliar. I kept several colonies in a green- house for four or five months, and during this time produced brood, and then prevent- ed its production, many different times, by tlour feeding, and then withdrawing the flour feed. Brood would be raised a little time after the pollen was exhausted from the hives ; but after it ceased, no amount of su- gar feediu": would start it up again until meal was also given. After this I tried in early spring to get brood reared in stocks that had exhausted their pollen, and failed. After giving the same, stock a comb well tilled with pollen, whole sheets of brood sprung into existence at once, while the pol- len disappeared so quickly as to be astonish- ing. It should be borne in mind, that we have a locality where pollen is never ob- tained in such excess as to be a hindrance, as in some places in York State. The idea, that pollen might be the cause of dysentery, I suggested in Gleanings several years ago. It is much easier to write articles on the subject than to go to the expense of ex- perimenting in a greenhouse ; but for all that, I think accounts of recent experiments GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. Feb. in the matter will help us more than long articles ou the subject. SOME NEW TOOL.S, FROM A rraEND IN iUSSISSIPPI. ^p^ E PORTS from this neighborhood are not very M^'?\j] jubilant. Many bee-keepers have lost stocks ^' in midsummer, with only the unsatisfactory reason -moths — to give a^ explanation. I sold down to eight last year, and have had six swarms, one of which took to the woods while I was visiting the sick. However, a volunteer colony came to my apiary from the woods a few days afterward, so I am even. Have taken only about 400 lbs. surplus section honey, part of it goldenrod, that smells so unpleasantly I can hardly tolerate it on the table. I am now Italianizing, and it is amusing to see Mrs, M., who has always been afraid of bees, forgetting her fear in the ardor of queen-hunting, and plung- ing her Angers among the workers to secure a speci- men of black royalty. She is alwa3's first to see the queen. SEPARATING THE UPPER FRAMBS FROM THE LOWER. I began this letter especially to describe to you two new tools (new to me) for the apiary. You know how troublesome it is to avoid doing mischief wiien the bottom-bar of a frame becomes fastened to the top-bar of the one beneath it. To separate them I use a prying chisel like this: RIGHT-ANGLEP CHISEL AND SCRAPER. It is made of a piece of iron ?8 of an inch thick, Js wide, and 13 in. long, with the edge at a quite sharp, and the distance from a to h only ?« of an inch. Let the inner angle bo quite square. Slip the bit a gent- ly down between the combs near one end-bar, with the sharp edge next to the " stuck " frame. Insert the sharp edge between the bottom-bar and the top- bar, to which it is stuck; swing the lever over to- ward the center of the frame, and, presto! that end of the frame is bound to rise without disturbing the frame below it. Repeat the performance at the oth- er end of the frame, and it is ready to be lifted out. The other implement is even more handy than this. Do all your frames hang plumb? Mine miss it sometimes, and the bottom-bars get stuck fast to each other. Then, too, my bees will propolizo sec- tion boxes to tha separators. Take a piece of J4-inch iron rod 14 inches long. On one end put a handle, and on the other weld a lozenge of steel, beveled to a sharp edge on one face, making a tool like this: TOOL FOR SEPARATING FRAMES STUCK AT THE BOTTOM. Insert the flat blade between the adhering sur- faces, give the handle a twist, and " there you are." Then the blade is such a nice comb-plow to clear the tops of frames for mats or upper stories. Just put the point, bevel side down, on one end of space be- tween frames; slide it along to the other end, and pick up your shaving of wax. I have used these tools all summer, and have often thought of sending you a description, but disliked to add to your over- grown correspondence. The fraternity have done so much to lighten each other's burdens, that emu- lation to contribute my mite prevails. Try the tools, and you will like them. Being neither in Blasted Hopes nor the Smilery, I am yours dubiously,— H. A. Moody, M. D. Longtown, Panola Co., Miss., Nov. 4, 18S1. Thanks, friend M.; but may I suggest, that both tools be combined in one, say by having the latter on the opposite end of the former tool containing the right-angled chis- el? I have sometimes experienced the diffi- culty jou mention, of getting out the first frame from an ujjper story ; b^ut by holding the lower frame down with a thin strip of wood (say a comb-guide for instance), I have always got one out readily, and after that it was easy to get out the others. If the upper story is to be taken off, loosen all the upper combs that are attached to the lower ones, and then it will come off quietly. In putting it back, be sure to drive the bees from the tops of the lower combs before replacing, to avoid killing any. SPRING DWINDI.ING. WITH SOME OTHER MATTERS FROM FRIEND TOWNLBV. Sl'^END ROOT: -la referring to the past in re- JeN' lation to bees, we are apt to forget that, until within the last eighteen or twenty years, we knew but very little about what was taking place in the "bee world" outside of our own immediate vi- cinity. We are apt to forget that wo had no such valuable works on bee-keeping as those of the hon- ored "Fathers in Israel," Mr. Langstroth, and the much-lamented Mr. Quinby. AVe are apt to forget that, previous to 18S6,* we had no bee periodicals making us their weekly and monthly visits, filled with the rich, ripe experience of thorough, practical apiarists from nearly all parts of the civilized world. We are apt to forget that, previous to the publica- tion of these works and periodicals, a large percent- age of the bees in the United States might have been lost from some cause, or causes, without our knowl- edge. In Gleaning.^, Vol. IX., No. 3, page 68, you are asked, by friend Doolittle, why bees did not spring dwindle prior to 1870. Now, I think a more pertinent question would be, "Did not bees spring dwindle prior to 1870?" As evidence that they did not, he refers to a few bees kept in his locality pre- vious to 1870, without loss from this cause; and yet there might have been thousands of colonies lost by it in other parts of the United States without his knowledge. Why, we have now, in 1883, bee-keepers who have never had, and perhaps have never known, a case of what you, friend Root, understand as spring dwindling; viz., a gradual loss (it may be slow or fast) of both the old and young bees in a hive during the spring months, except as they have learned it through the bee jour — periodicals. My first case of spring dwindling was in the spring of 1843, The winter had been very severe, com- mencing about the 17th of November, and continuing cold, no weather warm enough for bees to fly until the first week in April, My second loss from this cause was about 1860, I then lost 8 out of 14 colonies. *The American Ree Journal was first published In 1801. It was soon discontinued; but its publication was again resumed hy Samuel Wagner in 1866. 1882 GLEANI2^GS IN BEE CULTURE. 6'7 They were in box hives, and were wintered out- doors, on their summer stands, without protection. TEMPERATUKE OP CELLARS FOR WINTERING BEES. Between the years 1861 and 1870 I wintered a few colonies of bees in a bin in one corner of my grana- ry. They were in box hives, and when they were put in, the hives were inverted. For four or five winters the bin was nearly full cf hives. The heat from the bees kept the temperature in the bin above the freezing-point during the coldest weather; when it was too warm outside to freeze, the bees in the bin would be all over the outside of the hives; and when it was warm enough outside for them to tly, they would hang on the underside of the boards, covering the bin in clusters as large as a half-bushel basket. During the seven or eight winters that I kept them there I did not lose a colony or queen, and tbey wintered with but a trifling loss of bees. I have never attempted to winter bees in a cellar; but after my success in wintering them in this warm bin I would like to ask the readers of Gleanings who have had experience in wintering bees in cellars, why they find it neccssary to keep the temperature of the cellar down to from .'-5 to 45 degrees (Mr. Ax- tel, I think, says from 35 to 3S degrees), while, from my " standpoint," I can see no real benefit resulting from keeping the cellar so cool. I think I can see how it might be the cause of serious loss by condens- ing the moisture thrown otf by the cluster of bees on the outside combs; making the honey thin, wa- tery, and, as I think, poisonous to bees, producing dysentery, and its twin, spring dwindling; unless the hives were made sn small (by taking out part of the combs and using a division-board) that the bees would fill the entire space, and with their own heat expel all moisture from the hive. Jackson, Mich. J. H. Townlev. I believe it has been shown, in past vol- umes, that bees have always died, more or less, the way they do now ; but as there were no large apiaries In years back as there are now, it made less of a sensation when a man lost all he had . If I am correct, plenty of fresh air is more essential in cellar winter- ing, than any precise temperature. Good results have been obtained all the way from 30 to 5U-, and bad results have been obtained from the same temperature, with bad air or bad food. BUCKW^HEAT. ITS CULTIVATION AND VALUE. ^jJ5^UCKWHEAT is a crop which costs but little, jW)^j) either for manure, labor, or seed, and it is a very convenient crop wherewith to occupy land that could not be planted with any spring crop in proper season, on account of the hurry of spring work, unfavorable weather, or want of help. Be- sides, the grain can always be readily marketed, and at prices generally much more i-emunerative than those of the corn crop, when the extra labor of cultivating the latter is taken into consideration. It has been remarked, that buckwheat "favors slack husbandry, being proverbially the lazy man's crop." This may be true to some extent, as fair crops are sometimes grown on quite Inferior or worn soils, and with but very little preparation. In f»ct, the opinion appears to prevail among many farmers, that this crop will do well on land hastily and imper- fectly plowed, at any time when most convenient, and put in in a slovenly, ship-shod manner, without the oi-dinary care and labor bestowed on other and perhaps less important crops. It deserves good cul- tivation, however, and I think my btc-keeping friends will find that the increased yield will amply repay for all extra labor performed. My own practice is to plow as soon as possible aft- er corn-planting — usuallj' about June first— and then harrow occasionally to get the land clean and fine by sowing time. This is very important in dry seasons, the mellow surface retaining the moisture, as was clearly proven during the extreme drought of last summer, where yields treated in this way came up finely and produced air crops, while neigh- boring fields, turned over just before sowing, scarce- ly sprouted at all, and the crop was an entire fail- ure. Buckwheat thrives well on a wide range of soils, and will give a tolerable crop, in some cases, $ on fields which would scarcely produce any thing- else of much value. If manure is to be applied, it is best put on the previous year; yet fair crops maj' be grown on very light and quite inferior soils with- out manure. Bringing the soil into fine tilth, and rolling the land after sowing the seed, especially on light, dry soils, will improve the growth of the crop, and increase the average product. It is a cleansing crop, of the nature of a fallow, subduing or choking out troublesome weeds. Instances have come un- der our observation where dock, sorrel, charlock, and even quack-grass and Canada thistle, have been pretty well subdued by crops of buckwheat,. One reason why this crop kills out or subdues weeds and grass is, that the land for growing it is plowed and harrowed in midsummer, by which process the roots of the weeds and grass are exposed to the scorching rays of the sun; and then, after the seed is sown, it grows so rapidly that it gets the start of all other vegetation, overshadowing and smothering every thing that springs up. Besides furnishing food fur man, buckwheat is an excellent food for almost all domestic animals, and has been highly recommended by experienced farm- ers for feeding purposes. It is also valuable for bee pasturage, being in blossom at a season when honey- producing plants are scarce — not so much on ae. count of the quality of its honey, but for the fact that it keeps the bees breeding late in the season, putting them in better condition for successful win- tering. I have sometimes thought, that being near to a considerable area of this crop, has had much to do with my success in wintering, when others, in less fortunate localities, have lost heavily. Buckwheat may be sown from the middle of June to the middle of July in latitude north of forty de- grees. It runs the risk of being injured by early frost, if sown much after the ith of July. It is usu- ally cut with the cradle, and, to avoid loss of grain by shelling when very ripe, it may be cut when damp, as in the morning or at evening. Being slow to dry out, it should never be slacked or mowed away in large quantities together. A better way is to thrash it as it is drawn in, on a dry warm day. The average yield is from fifteen to thirty bushels per acre. Under favorable circumstances, and in favorable seasons, from thirty to forty-five, and even fifty bushels, have been obtained. L. M. Bogehs. Oneida Valley, Madison Co., N. Y., Dec. 15, 1881. GLEANINGS IN 13EE CULTUKE. Feb. Every priil or liov, under 12 years of ng:e, who writes a letter for this dcpartmeiit will receive one of David Cook's excellent 5-cent Sunday-?chool books. Manv of these hooks contain the same matter'that you find in Sunday-school hooks costing from Sl.M to $1.50. miifY little friends, some of the older ones MjK have been saying hard things about **' — ' us. They say we take up too much room, and tell the same thing over again. / think they had "better look to home" on that last matter a little ; and about the oth- er, I fear we are a little at fault. Now I wall tell you: Yon write short letters, and try to have them different from any of the other little letters; and Avhen they are too long, or tell something somebody else has already told, I will cross out some. In fact, I do not know but I shall have to do this with a good many of the older ones too, or we shall never have room to hear from you all. How do you like this, for instance? — I shall write you a short letter, as other little girls have done. I am 10. Pa has six stands of: bees, his own; some others on shares. He bought 3 Italian queens from you in the summer, and introduced them, and they did well. Blanciie Gilmor. Jackson, Jackson Co., O., Jan., 1883. I am a boy 11 years old. I have two miles to go to school, and a dreadful muddy road. I do not get to go to Sabbath-school very often, because it is so far. Pa has fixed his bees for wintering, by leaving the upper story on and filling it with forest leaves. This is the third year pa has taken Gleaninos. DlLLWORTH COUDON. Clinton, Henry Co., Mo., Dec. 29, 1881. Papa has been keeping bees for 27 years, and had very good luck until last winter, when he saved onl/ 13 out of 1.30. Papa wrote you a Jetter last month. I like the counter store and Our Homes very much. Papa has the picture of Blue Eyes. Mamma sa3-s she likes Gleanings as well as Ariliuv's Magazine. Hugh White, Jr. Broad Run Station, Va., Dee. 27, 1881. I am a little girl too. I am 13 years old, but I am not very large. My pa has bees too; he had 4 stands last spring, but he has 13 now. He got 31 gallons of honey last year. 1 help pa look at them sometimes. I hardly ever get stung unless they get in my hair. I like to hold the smoker, so I can smoke them away when they got m^td. They call me Babe, but my name is Nancy Emily. Nancy E. Chapman. Smoky Valley, Carter Co., Ky., Jan. 9, 1883. My pa keeps bees too. We lost 5 out of 50 last winter. We got 1000 lbs. extracted, and 1300 lbs. of comb houey. We sold the extracted at 10 to 15 cts.; comb, 15 to 23 cts. per lb. We now have the Italian, Cyprian, and Holy-Land bees; 78 good stocks. We sold 20 stocks. We take Gleanings, and I read some of it; and when I can read better, then I want to read all of it. I go to school. We have a mile to go. This is the second winter that I have been to school. I am crippled in my legs, and can not walk very well . I am 10 years old, Joseph Yoder, Middiobury, Elkhart Co., Tnd., Dec. 24, 1881. I am a girl 13 years old. I have one hive of bees; they are Italians. They made about 36 lbs. of honey this year. My father has 13 hives of bees. He has taken Gleanings three years, and can't do without it. I want to get one of your 75-cent telephones. I want it to reach three-quarters of a mile. Please let me know if 75 cents and postage will be enough for a telephone that length. Mary J. Hanson. Lockridge, Iowa., Jan. 13, 1883. No: it would cost 50 c. for the telephone, and about $4.00 for the wire, Mary. Pa has 3 hives of bees this winter. He had only two io the spring, and one hive of bees died. I like the bees' honey very well, but I do not like the bees, for they sting me. Pa has the bees put on the south side of the house, and has them packed around with chatf, leaving only enough room to give them air. I have only two brothers and two sisters going to school now, and I have to stay homo to help pa work. lam 11 years tlJ. George E. Husband. Zimmerman, Oat., Can., Jan. .3, 1883. My pa has kept boos for about 13 years, and he gave me a colony of Italian bees, and I sold honey amount- ing to about $14.00 the first jear. The colony swarmed twice, but both swarms died the following winter; but since then I have had bad luck. The old colony died also, the next year. My pa gave me another colony that died too; then he gave me an- other that is living. I am 11 years old. Freddie Green. Independence, O , Jan. 3, 1GS3. I think your pa must be pretty clever, Freddie. I am a little boy 10 years old. I go to school at Guilderland Center. I read in the Fourth Reader, I have a little brother 3 years old. I live with my uncle. He keeps bees. He had 25 last spring, and now he has got 48, and he took 1600 lbs. comb honey in sections. He winters his bees in the cellar. He takes Gleanings, and has got one of your A B C books. I like to look at the picture of your build- ing. 1 would like to be there. When I get older I am going to be a bee-keeper too. Newton J. Ferguson. Guilderland Center, Albany Co., N. Y., Dec, 1881. I have been reading " Mr. Merrybanks and His Neighbor," and am very well pleased with it. I think John was a smart boy. I would like to go to his " hotel." Pa's bees all died last winter; then he got some more, but he did not get them until after the honey and swarming time. He got little square pans, made out of tin, and put them in the tops of the hives, and filled them with syrup and sugar, and the bees carried it down and put it into the combs. This fall ho made one end of the old bee-house into a new house; it has an 8-inch wall; it has two walls filled with sawdust. He thinks the bees are doing very well now. I would like to see Blue Eyes. Florence J. Marlin. Bloomington, Monroe Co., Ind., Jan. 13, 1883. My father takes Gleanings, and likes it very much. lam 11 j'ears old, and last summer 1 hived 3 swarms of bees. One of them father hived three times, and they did not stay. But one Saturday aft- ernoon, while he was at the city, they came out again, and I hived them, and that time they stayed. The best part of Gleanings, I think, is the Juvenile 1862 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 69 Department, and Merrybanks and his Neighbor. My father got a Waterbury watch in connection with Glf.aninGS, and he said that if I would go through my practical arithmetic this winter ho would give it to me, and I am trying hard to get it. John B. Rogers. Grand Rapids, Mich., Jan. 9, 1882, Stick to the arithmetic, John. I THOUGHT I WOULD PRINT A FEW LINES TO YOD. I AM A LITTLE BOY SIX YEARS OLD. I GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, BUT I HAVE NOT GONE THESE LAST FEW DAYS, AS I HAVE BEENT SrCK WITH THE CHICKEN -TOX. MY FATHER HAS 38 HIVES OF BEES, AND I AM NOT A BIT AFRAID OF THEM. I GOT FIVE CENTS FOR EVERY SWARM I SAW THIS SUMMER, AND I HELPED MY FATHER TO EXTRACT; BUT OUR BEES ARE NOW PACKED IN A CHAFF BIN, AND THEY ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. MY FATHER TAKES THE A. B. J, THE ABC, AND GLEANINGS. ALFRED RUSSELL. MILL BROOK, ONT., CANADA, NOV. 21, 1881. Well done, Alfred ! Here is your book, I like my book very well. I like to read it better than any book I ever saw, I think the "Giant- Killer" a good storj'. That picture of pa and the bee-hive was nice, but ma says he is better look- ing than the picture. I send you 5 cents for a book for Eddie (my elder brother), as he is too old to write for one. I think that was a funny mill you had, to grind all night by itself. Our mill runs by steam, and it would not do much if there was no one to at- tend to it. Pa is out looking at his bees, and Georgie Is at the window calling him. Georgie can eat more honey than any person I ever saw. It saved his life once, I think honey a good medicine, but I don't like bee-stings, John G. Spites. Spring Station, Ind., Jan. n, 1882. Tell your ma, John, that she and my wife think exactly alike — about their 'husbands, I will sooTL b? 11 }o rs ol . I like to read the Utters .rom the young people, but I -. o not like t > work with bees, for they sting me awfully, and I have no rheumatism to cure. I goto school ti mamma at home. I study astronomy, geography, history, arithmetic, dictionary, trammar, reading, and writing. And then 1 help to cook with mamma. I can make excellent bread and coffee, and can kill a chickon, clean it, and fry it, or make it into a pie as nicely as any one. Besides, I can make preserves and jelly. I have two sisters and one brothnr, and he is fond of helping about the bees. We all go t Sunday-school, and every three months we get one of David Cook's books as a prize, I wish you alia happy new year, Lem Faw. Plantersville, Texas, Dec. 13, 1881, Pretty good, Lem, and I think your mother must be a rare teacher, not only in " astron- omy," but in some things closer to our homes. Are yon sure you could make a chicken-pie for me, if 1 should some day pop into your house to see your bees and pay you a visit V I am a little girl 11 years old. I have 4 sisters and 4 brothers. My eldest sister is married, and has left home. We live 3 miles from the city, on a farm; but we attended Sunday-school this summer at our district schoolhouse, which has just closed for the season, and myself and sister were rewarded by our teacher with a present for Christmas, Our house is surrounded on the north and west by a thick grove of timber; to the south and east is our farm land. On a sloping ground on the south side of the grove, father keeps his bees. He has 10 in the cellar, ana 8 out in the apiary, packed in tenement hives, and chaff cushions on top; those in cellar have cushions also. I like to help him work with the bees be:tcr than to wash dishes. I like the Italians better than the blacks. The blacks do not keep the niolh out of their hives. Father took about 4U0 lbs. of honey last summer; about half of it was nice comb houej*. We are all so fond of Gleanings, I do not know that wo could keep bees without it. We have kept bees only two years now. Lizzie Bkickseii. Decorah, Iowa, Dec. 20, 1881, I am 11 years oil. My father has got 5 hives of bses; they did not carry upany honey fortwo j'ears. My brother has two hives. He has been feeding them. I have a brother Herman, who had a hive, and it did not lay up any honey, and he forgot to feed them, and they died. My brother put straw around his hive. He has been feeding his bees syrup, made of sugar and water, by putting it into a can and putting a cloth over it, and turning it up- side-down in the upper part of the hive, where they could carry it down into the combs. He has not been feeding it for a week or two. I want to get a swarm as soon as I can. I had a swarm once, but they died. Father had a swarm of bees go off, and my brother, about 12 years old, followed them to a tree, and sawed off the limb, and carried them home on his shoulder, and all the people turned out of the road, for they were afraid of getting stung; but they did not sting my brother. Once there was a swarm alighted in a tree near by, and we did not see them, and they started to go off; but my father took the looking-glass and fetched them down to a little tree, and my brother sawed off the limb. Some of them fell off to the ground, and my brother picked them up and they did not sting him, and hived them. I go to church. Clarence Green. Independence, O., Jan, 7,1882. I am only 7 years old, but I thought I would see if I could print you a little letter for Gleanings. I can't write, but I can print a little. Well, I will tell you about my papa's bees. He had 20 stands last year, and he has 52 now; he didn't get much honey. His bees are all yellow. I help him work with them sometimes. Papa was at your home about six weeks ago; he said he didn't get to talk to j'ou but a min- ute, because your father was dying. H- has just been reading in your paper about your father's death. I am glad my father isn't dead. He said your boys and girls were good to him when he was there; he said he never saw your little Blue Eyes, but he saw hi(j Blue Ej-es (Bess). My eyes are not blue, but my little sister Anna's are. Theyareblueas a bluebird. Papa says you like little girls who go to Sunday-school. Well, I live within 50 steps of the church, and I go to Sundaj^-school every Sunday. Well, Christmas is over, and I have got a lot of pres- ents. We are going to have a Christmas-tree to- night, and I will get some more presents. Papa says you don't like men who use tobacco, and you give them presents to quit. You won't have to give my papa presents, for he don't use the nasty stuff, nor drink whisky either; but he won't go to Sunday- school with us all the time. He would rather watch the bees. Well, Mr, Root, this letter is so long I am 7U GLEAJvflNGS IN ^EE CULTURE. Feb. afraid you won't like it. If it is too long-, throw it away. Papa told me how to spell the big words. Posey ville, Ind., Dec.2fi, 18«1. Vioi.a Right. Well, that is a real gooa let'er, Viola, and I think more of your papa than I ever did before, since I have found out he has a little girl who tries to be good. I do love little girls (and boys too) who go to Sunday-school. 1 am very glad indeed to know that your papa won't have to have a smoker to get him to stop using tobacco ; but I do wish he Avould go to Sunday-school every Sabbath. I know the bees would look prettier to him after he got home. You tell him to try it, and see if it is not so. It was very i ight and honest of you, Viola, to tell us that you could not spell all those l)ig words without your papa's help. May God bless both you and your pa ! ALSO SOME GOOD EARNEST WORDS ON VENTILA- TION. ^p^i LEANINGS and its able editor obtain, without lfc» me, abundantly the well-merited praise; my ^^-'-' tribute is to its contributors for their efforts to promote the science and solve the mysteries of bee-keeping-; and none, I believe, deserve more credit for their work than Mr. Ileddon. His lessons, based on practical experience, have been unexcep- tionally good, and, I believe, correct, while his new and sometimes surprising theories have at least been productive of much investigation. Unwilling though we may be to believe them, it is harder to dii-prove them. His latest theory, that the consump- tion of bee-bread will cause dysentery, I am inclined to believe, but not without a qualification. For my part, I think we commit au error when we seek for anyone cause as the basis of this disease. Disease in the human race does not in all cases necessarily originate from the same source. If foul brood among bees may result, and does result, from vari- ous causes, may not dysentery? It may result from the consumption of fermenting honey; it may re- sult from the consumption of bee- bread, or it may result from too long confinement, even though fed on healthful honey alone. If, "in our common ignor- ance, all have a right to guess," I shall guess that dysentery results from these and other causes. And it is more than a guess,— I believe it. Assume any one, and there will be instances that it can not cover. There is, however, one element of importance that has generally been ovei'looked in the consideration of this question. It is the condition of the air sur- rounding the bees; and it is its effect on the food of the bees, be that honey or bee-bread, or on the bees themselves, or both, that most frequently leads to the disease. If bacteria are the result of the de- composition or fermentation of the honey or honey- moistened bee-bread, and if the bacteria theory is that dj'sentery is caused by the consumption of this decomposed or fermented matter containing bac- teria, then I am a "bacteriaite." It is settled to the satisfaction of many, that the consumption of fer- menting honey during long confinement will cause dysentery, and in the same way decomposing bee- bread may cause it. Wintering bees in a damp, poorly ventilated cellar, unless every other condi- tion was very favorable, has always produced the disease, especially durmg long conflnement; while in well-ventilated cellars, where the temperature, and even the atmosphere, is partly under control, bees in the poorest condition as to honey have win- tered well, and when in good condition never failed to. In the fall of 1880, my bees had probably as poor honey to winter on as bees ever had. Four large cider-mills, within a radius of one mile, supplied them with juice till late in the fall. I had witnessed the result of cider diet some half-dozen years ago, the loss of the greater part of an apiary, and my forebodings were not of the pleasantest kind. Still, my loss was small for that winter — less than 10 per cent. The reason was that my cellar was at all times supplied with pure air. Even in the coldest weather, when nil ventilators except the chimney had to be closed, I would let in pure air from a heated room adjoining. Thus the thin unsealed honey would thicken and ripen rather by evapora- tion,than sour. This year again I feared, but for the last time, and never again will I trouble to remove unsealed honey by extracting, or fear late feeding. I fed to the very day when they were removed from the ccUa'-, and the weather had been damp and rainy for six weeks; still to-day, January 19tb, every one of my 610 colonies is in nice condition, and the air in the cellar apparently pure enough for a sleep- ing room. Yesterday it was two months since they were put in. The temperature has ranged from 43 to 46 in one cellar, and from 47 to 50 in another. Of the third I kept ni> record. And as to outdoor win- tering, the theory of the influence of the atmos- phere on the food holds equally good. It is the moisture generated by the bees by invisible perspi- ration, as well as the natural moisture contained in the air, that often causes visible fermentation of the honey. If it is not true that the condition of the atmosphere cuts a figure as a cause of dysen- tery, then let us discard our moisture absorbents in the shape of chaff cushions, and do away with up- ward ventilation and cellar ventilation. Pure air ns necessary to sustain life. Why not that of bees as well as that of man and beast? Pure, healthful food is also necessary to sustain life,but im- pure air will corrupt the best food, and unhealthful food will destroy, not nourish, life. Now, I do not know whether bee-bread is the natural food of a mature bee or not, nor do I know whether they ever taste it except to feed the larvas; but I do know that good honey is its natural food; and feed- ing on impure or fermenting honey will, in my opinion, as surely cause disease and death to the bee, unless counteracted, as unwholesome food will to man. Though I am convinced that I am right in this, I can not deny that I think it more than likely that the manipulation, and consumption, it such there be, of bee-bread in breeding durmg conflnement, will also cause the dysentery; and again, I am con- vinced that healthful honey under other adverse circumstances will do the same. A variable tem- perature and long conflnement is all that is neces- sary. I may bo wrong -~ bee-bread may be the only cause, or something else may be; but while we are in ig- norance of the cause, and can not remove it, let us do as prudence dictates — use such means to prevent its appearance as have so far proved most effectual: Good colonies, good honey, good air, and an even temperature, trusting meanwhile that some one will soon win fame by unraveling the mystery. Jefferson, Wis., Jan. 19, 1883. Geo. Grimm. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 71 fraihes that tan be used either SIDE UP. SOME INOENIOUS METHODS FOR MxVKINO SUCH FRAMES. SN some of our former volumes it was sug- <;ested that the bees could be made to — ' fill every frame clear, down, and build the combs tight to the bottom-bar, by i)lac- ing the frame upside-down a few days, dur- ing a yield of honey. It is true, a few cau- tious ones tried to make out that it would injure the brood by so doing ; but others, of larger experience in transferring from vari- ous kinds of hives, soon dispelled that no- tion. With ordinary hives it is a rather dif- ficult matter to put suspended frames bot- tom-bar upward ; but in the chaff hive we can do this in the upper story without trou- ble, and this is the way I often get fractured combs mended, by fastening the comb back in place, close up to the top-bar, and then letting it remain resting on one of the lower frames, in an inverted position. Well, our friend below has a very ingenious plan of making frames so they can be inverted at any time, and still hang on the rabbet either side up. FrknrlRoot:—A.t the convention recently held in Battle Creek, Mich., L. C. Whiting read a p;iper about the coming hive with revorsilile frsmea, etc., originated by VanDeupen, of Sprout Brook, N. T. It may interest some to know that, a year ago, I made frames reversible, and have experienced the bene- fits enumerated in his paper. I inclose to you bj' mail my method of doing it, and, as you see, it can be applied to any frame with comb in, if desired. I have my material cut for frames for n<»xt year, and all are to use the raetal arm. I use the L. frame with wires; for the support in the center, I use a strip ?i wide, of picture-back stuff — and by its use secure openings by its side through the cards for winter passages. I have always pressed the wires into the wax by the use of an " excavator" (every- body will know what that is, if they have ever bee» to a dentist), bending the point to an angle of 45 de- grees, and on that foot cutting a slot to ride on the wire. Tour button-hook arrangement is the same. One great advantage of the reversible frame is to secure the comb well drawn out, and attached to both top and bottom bar. I will suggest, that with my frame there is little chance for the bees to stick them down — a metal arm resting on a metal rabbet. Again, it will al- ways hang perpendicularly, there being but one place of contact; and if desirable to raise the frames from the bottom-board for winter, It is easily done by placing blocks under the lower arm. I send you one end of the frame. Itt BUKUKSS' DEVICE FOR A REVERSinLE FRAME. By turning one arm under the bottom-bar, the other is secured /i.rcrt for hanging on the rabbet, and vice verm. Weather is fine; bees are flying to-day, and every few days so far. I am wintering 58 colonics. They were in line order when put into winter quarters, and are on summer stands, in double-walled hives, the inner walls made of plaster Vi inch thick, and filled between with shavings or fine chips. My hive, like your chaff hive, is to remain the same summer and winter. Of course, it is " the best hive made." None for sale. And now I wish you a merry Christmas, and suc- cess in all your und( rtakings. In regard to the frame, if it looks foolish to you, throw it away and say nothing about it. I am not sensitive, but 1 like the frame that I can tarn over. F. W. Burgess. Huntington, Long Island, Dec., 18S1. The above idea is extremely ingenious, but I can not quite agree with our friend in say- ing it will cause tlie frame to hang straight down. Supporting frames by a single nail or wire is quite an old device, and the mat- ter has been discussed several times in our back volumes. Sliould the bees store more honey or pollen in one side of the comb than the (Sther, it hangs any thing but straight, and sometimes causes 'much trouble. Any comb that swinsfs on pivots, as it were, must have some kind of a stop at the bottom. If the Iwttom is free, we want two arms at the top, and the further apart these are, the tru- er the frame hangs. Now, although frames can be reversed, and with the effect of get- ting the combs built clear down to the bot- tom-bar. shall we ever need to reverse them more, after we once get them so built V If not, why should we go to much expense just for this one occasion V You can, if you de- sire, set all your frames bottom up, on the bottom-board of the Simplicity hive, and then slip the hive over them. If the bot- toms are not spaced true, fasten them by wedges, and after about three days, or even less, during a honey yield, they will be done, and can ever afterward *•' stand on their feet." In other words, just turn your hive upside down a few days, to make the bees finish the bottoms of their combs. FOUL. BROOD. DOES IT EVER OUIGINATB FROM CHILt^ED BROOD? ^^[^RIEND ROOT:— A bee-keeper living near Ncav- j«pl hall, Los Angeles Co., say.s that foul brood is '^^ not heard of lately, but that a few years back there were apiaries that were botkered with it. He was correct in that assertion ; but when he says that the claim, that diseased honej' being fed to bees was not the cause of the first appearance of foul brood in Ventura Co., he is decidedly "off." I claim to be the bee-keeper who imported the disease to this county, but disclaim any " honor" — on the contra- ry, it was a sad misfortune. It was brought about by a dry season, the particulars of which I gave to the Los Angeles Bee-Keepers' Association in 18T8, and which was copied by the -.4mcnc((u Be« Journal and many leading agricultural papers, to which arti- cle I refer Mr. Lechier. His further remarks, about foul brood boing only in apiaries where artificial swarming was practiced, are not verified in any par- ticular case that his been reported to the Ventura Bee-Keepers' Association. I have consulted all the parties who made the claim, that diseased honey was the direct cause of the appearance of the disease, and none of them, so far as I can ascertain, have ever met Mr. Lccbler at 72 GLEANINGS IN BEE CtJLTUllE. EEii. for a number of years, he will find good bee-keepers who use all sizes and shapes of hives, and who man- age bees In all the different ways imaginable, and successfully too. He will also find some who man- age bees in his ideal way, who are not successful. With all these dififerent styles of hives, and ditferent ways of managing bees before us, should we not have a broad charity for all? J. G. Corey. Santa Paula, Cal., Dec. 31, 1881. Yes, we should all excercise charity, friend C. ; and while I am about it I would say, that I talked with Prof. Cook recently, while he was with us at our Farmers' Institute, iu Medina, and he said that it is utterly im- possible that foul brood should originate from chilled brood, or brood that died from a natural cause. ■!» IQI ^ — FKOITI THE BOX-ELDERS. tT had been some time since we had paid our friend a visit at the Box-Elders; and so one ' bright starlight evening, just before Christmas, we gave him a call. As we entered tho sitting-room we found Mr. Duster seated at a table covered with books, magazines, newspapers, etc., while on the other side sat his wife busily engaged in some mys- teries of female handiwork. (Ghosts, and these fe- male mysteries, never appeal-, except at ni(jM, So says Mr. Duster.) At one end of the room was a bay- window filled with plants. A strong and thrifty ivy had been trained up on cither side of the window, and so along the upper sides of throe walls of the room — its trailing, droopmg branches, over and down among the pictui-es hanging on the wall, gave a pleasant elfcct; while over all, the mellow light of a lamp suspended from the ceiling iia the center of the room revealed every object distinctly. As we seated ourself, the revelation came to us why Mr. Duster was not seen down town evenings. He had what every man in ordinary circumstances can and should have, and good sense to know and ap- preciate too — a home. Home ! I can hardlj' leave this subject, as the very word fills my mind with so many pleasant recollections and scenes of the past; but I must pass on, SutBce it, Mr. Duster neither chews nor smokes tobacco, and he would as soon think of coming into this room with his face and hands unwashed, his clothes befouled by the worst smell invented, as to come with a tobacco-pipe stick- ing in one side of his mouth, and a tobacco-cud in the other, into the presence of that woman sitting just across the table yonder, who, by the by, is the same one who sang out to Mr. Duster to " hold the fort " at the time the bees chased him into that little out- house. (See Gleanings, Feb., 1881.) " Yes, I put my bees into the cellar nearly a month ago," said Mr. Duster, in answer to an inquiry of ours, " and I hardly know, although the weather has been very mild, whether it would have been better to have left them out until now or not. My practice has been to leave them out as long as I could in the fall, and keep them in the cellar as late as possible in the spring, and then not encourage breeding, to any extent, until settled warm weather comes. "MY OPINION upon this matter is, the quieter the bees are kept, from the time they are put into the cellar until the Weather is pretty steadily warm, the better. Instead of stimulating our bees into activity for early breed- ing, I think the reverse process should be our studj'. We should hear loss of spring diseases and spring disasters; and when wc open our hives we should not be met with an ' abomination of smells,' but rather with sweetness, brightness of comb, and neat- ness generally." " What can you say about DYSENTERY, and what has been your experience with it?" "My bees have had it at times, off and on, but I have never lost a swarm by that disease, that I can recollect. I have no particular theory in regard to it. I think there are many things or conditions that will develop it; and now for some hard facts." Just here Mr. Duster stopped short. I looked up and saw him gazing at the fire, completely absorbed. Soon a smile came creeping out of each corner of his mouth, spreading over his chin, and then mount- ing up to his eyes until you could hardly see them; the wrinkles on his forehead moved and lifted; his very ears seemed to jerk up and down in sympathy. It came at last, and such a laugh! "You will excuse my rudeness," said Mr. Duster, " when I tell you I was thinking of Ileddon's (hobby) horse named ' Bacteria.' You see, he don't ride it himself, exactly: he's too sharp for that; so he put a fellow on by the name of ' Guess,' a sort of Yankee production, I reckon. Already two or three writers have stepped out to take a whack at that horse and rider. I can almost see the grin on Htddon's face; he has got them in just the position of ' heads, I win ; tails, you lose.' Let me see," said Mr. Duster, re- suming; " I was going to give a few cold facts. " I have told you before how I prepare my bees for winter by using straw mats on top, and sometimes at the sides of the frames, and then filling the upper story with the fine, soft, silky leaves of the box- elder, taking as much pains in packing for the cellar as many do for outdoor wintering. I get warmth and cvoi temperature. See? no dysentery. I never dis- turb my bees to give them a lly in winter. I'll keep still if they will. See? quiet; no dysentery. Now and then there is a stock that gets uneasy; I watch for them, for I know that, if not stopped at once, I have a case of dysentery, more or less severe, on my hands. I go into my cellar, and listen. I believe I can tell by the peculiar whine of a bee if it has the belly-ache," said Mr. Duster drily. " Nine times out of ten I have succeeded in quiet- ing them by giving water at the entrance on a sponge, nf oficc, before they get much disturbed. I reason, that it was water they wanted, and if Ihey did not get it they would gorge themselves, and then have dysentery. I do not suppose that water, or, rather, the want of it, is the only cause of this trou- ble, as I have said before; but I am strongly in- clined to think, that in ftrst-c'ass ceUars this uneasi- ness can be stopped in this way. if adopted soon enough. I recommended it to a gentleman last win- ter, whose bees had got uneasy, ana had commenced spottmg their hives. He tried it with success. The cimclusion I come to is prettymuch like Quinby's:— warmth, proper surroundings, and quiet. Get qui- et, and you'll have no dysentery." As I was about to leave, Mr. Duster said, in con- clusion: "There are exceptions to all rules: I lay nothing down as positive. We must use our best judgment in this as in any other matter or business, making use of facts as they come to us. If I have had any success with bees, it has been by following these two conditions;— For wintering safely, even 1882 GLEANINGS IN EEE CULTUKE. 73 their apiaries, nor in either our County or District Bee-Keepers' Association meetings, where all these points have been fully reported and discussed. In conclusion I would say, that if our bee-keeping friend would visit his bee-lveeping neighbors, read all the bee literature he can find, and continue to keep bees temperature, warmth (com fort) and quiet. For hon- ey, large stocks, with as little swarming as possible." Although I have given a description of Mr. Dus- ter's cellar elsewhere, I think the fact that, for a large number of years, he has not lost a swarm by disease, is a sufficient excuse for my doing so again, It is about 23 ft. wide by 28 long and 7 deep: cement- ed bottom and sides, and is frost-ptoof. There is a wide gangway with double doors leading into it from the outside, also a door from the sitting-room abov^e. In this room (see description at the commencement of this article) is a hard-coal stove, burning duy and night, to warm the rooms above. This, in my opin- ion, has a great deal to do in modifying the condi- tions of the cellar to the wants of the bees, and mak- ing it a first-class one. R. H. Mellen. Amboy-on-Tnlet, 111., Jan. 3, 1883. Friend JSI., Mr. Duster may be right about it, but I should hardly prescribe water for the kind ot " ache " he speaks of ; neverthe- less, he may be right. It only corroborates friend Simpson's experiment, given in our back volumes, of the bees that wintered so well under the wet and dripping straw, and friend Boonibrower, who wrote "Chapter I.," in the Sept. No., and has never as yet given us Chapter JI., which we have been so patiently waiting for. RAISING PLAf.TS KXPRESSLTT FOR RRKS. SOMETHING ABOUT THE SIMPSON PLAKTS AND AL- SIKE CLOVER. fRIEND ROOT:— I believe I promised to report J on the success or failure of the honey-plant ' seeds I got of you in the spring cf 1880; and as reports are in order, here goes. First, Spider plant. From some cause the seed failed to germinate in the hot-bed. The Simpson seemed to all grow. I transplanted 500 plants from the hot-bed, in rows 4 ft. apart, plants 3 ft. in rows, and by the first of August they were G and 7 ft. high, and well covered with bloom. I could see the honej' in the little pitcher-shaped blossom, but not a bee on them, although there was a steady stream of bees flying over them from morning till night, visiting the Alsike clover in my wheat-fleld. My wife com- menced to laugh at me about my wonderful honey- plant, and the neighbors, as they would drop in for a call, would ask, " What are those tall weedy-look- ing things that you have there?" I was ashamed to call them honey-plants and not a bee on them, so I concluded I would pull them up some dark night, and throw them on the beach at high water, and let them go out with the tide, and thus bo rid of them. One morning, two or three days later, my wife came running down where I was working in the garden, and said, " Come quickly and see the Simpsons 1 " I made a rush for the honey-patch, and such a sight! They had found It, surely enough. There were thou- sands of blossoms, and there appeared to be two or three bees to each blossom, pushing and crowding for the nectar, and such a humming and roaring one would think they were on a flrst-rate robbing expe- dition. I call the Simpsons a decided success; nine weeks of steady work for the bees, when nearly all other bloom is dried up. I am satisfied that an acre of plants, as thrifty as those in my garden, would produce from 400 to 500 lbs. of honey, and I think a long way ahead of goldcnrod or aster honey. The catnip — well, that is good for white-faced bumble- bees. Hoarhound. the bees worked some on it ; sun- flower, not a bee touched it; melilot clover failed to grow (think the seed was old). ALSIICE CLDVER. I put the C lbs. on 1?4 acres of wheat; sowed it on a light fall of snow in February, and think I struclc a '* bonanza" when I tried Alsike. It didn't make much of a show vnitil about the middle of June, when it "commenced to climb." July 30th I cut three small bundles in full bloom that measured 3 ft. 4 in. tall, and which I sent to the postoffices in my vicini- ty, to show 1 he new clover. The result was, every farmer in the neighborhood came to sec the famous clcjver growing, and of course all wanted seed. I let the wheat stand as long as I dared to, in order to ripen as much of the clover seed as possible, then cradled and bound it with the wheat, and thrashed it by hand, in order to save the chaff. I sold the chaff, 3 sacks, for $1.00, and had 20 lbs. of clean seed in the fanning-mill; and, what is better, there are 10 acres sown within reach of my bees, and they seem to pre- fer it to white clover, and I can see no difference in the honey. Now, this year, 1881, the clover was simply "im- mense." It commenced to bloom by the middle of May, and from that time till the 13th of July it was one continuous hum of Italians. J then cut one acre of it for hay. The lowest estimate was 3;4 tons per acre, and up to i'/i. The ?i of an acre I cut for seed, thrashed it by hand, and sold $S3.50 worth of seed, and have 15 lbs. left for my own use. I think I can safely say, that Alsike clover and the Simpson hon- ey-plant are a success here on Puget Sound. H. A. March. Fidalgo, Whatcom Co., Wash. Ter., Dec, 1831. Friend M., I do not think it was because the bees did not hnd the Simpson plants, but because they were too busy on something else to notice it. After the other forage failed, then all hands turned in for the sweet water in the little pitchers of the Simpson plant. While basswood yields, our oees never look at the Simpsons here ; but just before and just after, it is roaring as you de- scribe. STRAV THOUGHTS ON BEES-NESS. WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE, WHO SHALL DECIDE? ^jifT is somewhat amusing to read in the different j>| pages of Gleanings the varied experience of — ' the different bee-keepers, scattered as they are all over this broad land, from Maine to California, and from New Orleans to some place in Canada. One builds a chaff hive, his bees winter splendidly; he naturally thinks he has found a bonanza ; another builds a cellar, his bees come out in spring in a thriving condition; he immediately proclaims to the world that cellar wintering is the only correct prin- ciple. Another winter comes; my chaff-hive friend finds nearly all his stocks dead, while those of hia neighbor in cellar come out all right. Hurrah for cellar 1 Another winter comes, and he of the chaflf 74 GLl3ANiNGS IN BEE CULTURE. EeU. is this time victorious, while those in the cellars are "gone up," and you find him in the predicament of our friend in May No. of Glkanings for 1S81, " This Apiary for Sale." One advocates chaff cushions, division-boards, blanketing bees during winter; others advocate " letting vhem sit on their summer stands," and all seem to ad%'0cate their way as the best. One man says you must take your bees out for a fly during a warm day in winter; another saj-s, "The less you disturb them during winter, the better," etc., until your poor bewildered novice in bee-keeping, halting between the dozen or more opinions, finds himself in the position of the traveler who inquired which road he should take to reach a certain town to which he desired to go, and was told that it did not make any difference which one he took, for before he got half way through he would wish he had taken the other one. So it is with us. It makes no difference which way we winter our bees; in the spring we will wish we had taken the other way. One man informs us that, in order to make bee- keeping pay, you must accustom your bees to fre- quent handling; another says, "If you want honey you must disturb your bees as little ns possible." These different kinds of advice are given till the poor victim, after trying each one in a vain endeav- or to ffot some profit out of his bees-ness, gets his hopes blasted, and, discouraged and sick at heart, he gets in the shape of ray friend mentioned above, or else he gets mad and kicks the bee business high- er than a kite, which I never do. If I had, perhaps I would have fewer losses. A. M'. Willmartii. Embarrass, Waupaca Co., Wis., Dec. 34, 1881. I admit, friend W., that there is consider- able truth in what you say; but, after all, there is another and brighter side to the "bees-ness." If you will look back over the reports of the past year, you will lind that a great many are succeeding, and suc- ceeding splendidly too, even though many of them be but beginners who have been guid- ed solely by the journals you seem to think so inefticient as jicuides. Your points are good, and we witliout question need, most of us, to be careful about rushing to conclu- sions; but, while we get from lOU to 500 lbs. to a colony, and reports of over 100 lbs. are coming from almost all localities, need we be very much disheartened? FRIEND MUTH TELLS VS ABOUT FOUL BROOD. ALSO SOMETHINQ ABOUT CANDIED HONEY. fT does not often happen" that I can write an arti- cle on bee culture; not because the subject has lost interest, but because other business pre- vents. I have occasionally no time to read a bee journal for weeks. This time, however, I looked over your January No. of Gleanings, on receipt of It, and think that a reply is necessary to several re- marks from different friends, in regard to foul brood. The remarks of friend Touchton, of California, p. 16, show that he is, perhaps, like myself, too busy to read our bee journals regularly, or he would not say that I stated to have had one hive of bees infected with foul brood. I have had a hundred hives or more infected with the malignant foul brood, which origin nated, however, from one hive purchased of a party in Kentucky eight years ago. I have burned up per- haps 10 or 1.") hives, colonies and combs. All the rest I have cured. Every season, almost, I have made a statement of my experience in that line at our year- ly meeting, or in one or the other of the bee jour- nals, in order to draw attention to the importance of the subject. I will mail to-day to friend Touch- ton a copy of my "Practical Hints," which will ac- quaint him with a sure cure for foul brood. But the treatment requires promptness, and a thorough di-'infection of every thing that comes in contact with the diseased colony. Interested friends must look up former statements, as I can not afford to give details just now. As no beginner, making his lirst attempt, should expect to meet with the success of an experienced hand, he should not altogether contradict a theory based on experience. I do not here reflect on friend Touchton; but I can cure with salicylic acid a colony of bees affected with the worst kind of foul brood, and with the first attempt, and I am not afraid to prove it. Friend Jones may suggest a plan, and I will satisfy him. I would, be- fore this, have satisfied him at his own apiary, had my business permitted a trip to Canada. Brother Savage and I used the starving process when the disease made its first appearance in our apiaries, and I am certain that he wiU tell Brother Jones, as I do, that it is an insufficient remedy. Brother Dun- can had no foul brood, if turning the bees on to fdn. remedied the disease. Such, at least, is my experi- ence. The friend you mentioned on page 48, sent me by mail a piece of comb containing unmistakable signs of the malignant foul brood, and I so told him. This piece of comb, placed within i-each of bees, would infect with the disease the hive of every visiting bee; and if exposed, in spring or fall, when honey is scarce, would infect, eventually, every apiary In the neighborhood, visiting bees carrying the fungus home with them on their legs or feet. But if j'ou, friend Koot,have seen no foul braod yet in your api- ary, our friend mentioned above must look for oth- er quarters as to the origin of his case. CANDIED HONEY IN JARS. I have to say that, in years gone by, I have taken great pains to keep my friends supplied with the liquid honej'. As their customers objected to gran- ulation, we kept exchanging, whenever and wher- ever it was desirable. My own retail customers would object to granulation, and we therefore kept our shelves filled with liquid honey all the time. It was not a small nor a pleasant job to constantly re- liquify, re-label, and re-box lots of honey, and often the same lot several times. But that time is past. Our customers, and dealers as well as customers, are posted. They know now that pure honey will gran- ulate, and that it will granulate just as surely as it is pure. No exchanging of granulated honey has been necessary for the last two years, and you can see our shelves filled with honey, granulated just as solid as can be expected of the pure article. It is amusing and interesting to notice the change of opinion; as, viz., we have four shelves in the store, one above the other. The lower one is filled with half-pound tumblers; the second one with 1-lb. jars, and the third one with 2-lb. jars, all granulated sol- id. On the upj^er shelf stood 3-lb. jars, recently liq- uified (from the barrel). A customer was asking for a 3-lb jar of honey a day or two ago. A young man was about to get down a jar, when our friend no- issi; GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 75 ticed the granulated honey below, and purchased 3 two-pound jars of it, because he liked it hcst! Such never happened a few years ago It shows that the common sense of our people soou learns to discrimi- nate. I venture the prediction, that in the near fu- ture, adulterators will turn their attention to the matter how to best granulate their vile stuff. Cincinnati, O., Jan. 7, 18HJ. Chahles F. Muth. THE WIKTERINfi PROB1.EHI, ETC. ALSO SO.METHINO ABOUT "THAT WONDER," THREE- BANDED HYBRIDS. N article in Oct. No., liy G. M. Doolittlo, on the subject, " Queens whose Daughters all Pro- **=" ducc Three-banded Workers," no matter whether mated with a bhick or an Italian drone, seems to be a stimner to Mr. Jerome Wiltso. On reading Mr. D.'s article on the subject, I found noth- ing to surprise me, as I have often had queens whose daughters would never produce black bees, no mat- ter what kind of a drone they had met. Being about the first to introduce the Italian bee into this State, I had good opportunities for observation. 1 have had Italian queens mate with black drones whose progeny, to ninety-nine observers out of a hundred, would appear pure; but I could detect an occasional bee that had a slightly suspicious look when no honey was in their sacks, and also by some suspicious actions on the part of the colony. And, indeed, the fact of part of the progeny of any queen showing ihefourtli band is pretty good evidence, to me, of impure blood. Now, while speaking of Mr. Wiltse I want to say he has written the best article yet produced on that most important subject, — UPWARD A'ENTILATION. As long as some succeed in wintering their bees where no upward ventilation is provided, just so long will we have advocates pro and con. I have just read an article in the Bcc-Kccpcrs' Gu de, by F. H. Miner, of which the following Is a quotation: "Upward ventilation is condemned by instinct; at variance with facts, and a denial of the wisdom and goi.dness of the Deity." Well, let's see if that's all true. A few weeks since, 1 was riding out through the country, buying stock; and as I have made it a point to stop at all the places where 1 saw bee-hives on the premises, and subject the owner to a series of questions as to manner of preparing bees for winter, I got much useful information, and hope to benefit myself and others by it. I need scarcely say, the majority of the hives seen were beeless. One man had 5 last fall, and all lived, coming in strong in spring, and here is just the shape they vrere in all last winter, and are still in: hives all box, of ordinary size; lialf- inch hloclig under each corner ; four and six inch holes open into surplus chamber, some chambers having empty boxes in them, and some no boxes; one with door to surplus chamber gone entirely. Here was upward ventilation with a vengeance. Another man had one colony which swarmed on the 28th of May— remarkably early for such a sea- son. Hive, Langstroth, ten frames, 8 inches deep; honey-board having si.x I'^-inch holes, three front holes covered with an empty honey-box having cor- responding b les, and three holes open into cap, which was not very tight. Entrance about full wi(l'l) n( ] ivf, '; inch wide, left open all the time. Wintered outdoors without care, and no feeding at that. Now, if these facts do not prove friend Miner's theory "bad medicine," I could cite plenty of simi- lar cases to prove that upper ventilation is not con- trary to reason, instinct, etc. Wo bee-keepers who have prepared our bees for winter with such care, packing them with quilts and cushions, closing off all upward ventilation, and losing nearly all our bees, and starting again by purchasing bees in box hives from "fogy " bee-keepers who have winterod summer stands unprotected, and upward ventilated, will do well to drop theorizing, and take a few prac- tical lessons. I do not wish to be understood as cLiiming that there is no virtue in giving protection for winter; but I do claim, that if bees are packed with a view of saving the consumption of honey, and putting the colony into the best possible shape to withstand the most severe, lorg-protracted, cold winters, there must be means provided for thorough upward ventilation, in order that the material used for such protection will beat all times perfectly free from moisture. REPORTS FOR THE SEASOK. Some friends have handed in reports of such large yields of honey as to surprise the natives. I have suspected this is brought abou, often, by talking all the hor.cy, and tken resorting to feeding the bees for win'er surplus. Mr. G. M. Doolittle once said, a brood dep rlment two-thirds the size of that of the Quinby hive would give better results in surplus honey, and that he uses a brood department no larger than will be fully occupied by average queens; and since all this brood department will, in the honey season, be filled with brood, the bees must stoe all their honey in the surplus boxes. Now, all of this is true enough, for it is plain, that, with such a small brood-nest, all the honey will be put in boxes, or combs above, to be extracted; and by this system nearly every pound of honey produced may be ar- rayed in a report for the seas n, and paraded be'ore the public forthe p :rpose, often, of making believe I am the. great bee-man in the successful manage- ment of bees. But, the honey season gone and all the honey taken away, what arc the bees to do for winter supplies? Colonies so managed are not self- supporting, and in the end are no more profit to the owner, if as much so, as when they have brood department large enough for storing sulHcient honey for winter supplies besides the space occupied for brooi. Were I beginning bee-keeping, and wished to use a hive that would be at all times, in all kinds of sea- sons, self-sustaining, I would use a hive containing ten f;ames, same in every particular as the L. frame, only la depth, which would be two inches deeper. Such a frame would bo perfection, in my opinion; and with ton such frames, not much tink- ering would be needed, as there would always be plenty of stores and bees in such hivei; and what honey they do make in boxes (and which would be as much as would be in any other hive) could be taken with safety, since the brood department would contain ample winter stores. John A. Buchanan. Holliday's Cove, W. Va., Jan. 9,1882. I entirely agree with you about upper ventilation, friend B.,and pretty nearly, too, on your last point; only 1 would suggest, that, if the bee-keeper makes money witnhis 76 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. bees year after year, we have hardly a right to find fault, even if he does make them i)ut all the honey into the sections. Bees have a great many times wintered hotter on stores of pure sugar than on natural stores, or, to put it even stronger, they have wintered on sugar, while all that had tlieir own stores, in place of sugar, died. In view of this, would it not be best to have a brood-cliamher so small that all the honey go into the sections? Of course, there would be a great many, who, with such hives, would get all the hon- ey, and then neglect the feeding part, or at least put it off until it was too late. If friend Doolittle would get along without the losses he sustains in wintering, so almost invaribly, we should have still more faith in his peculiar plan of managing. It will be- remembered, our friend George Grimm fed his bees last full rather late ; now we want to know if he comes out next spring with his usual good — guess " success " will be a better word to vise than "luck." ITALIANS VERSUS KL \CKS FOR WORK- ING CO.IIB FOIJNOAXIOIV. EN looking over Gt^eanings I have not as yet seen the subject discussed, which race of bees is the best one to draw out fdn., the Itab'ans or blaclis. I have had a little experience in the matter. I placed 6 sheets in a colony of Italians in the month of June, and in just 10 hours it was all manufactured into beautiful comb. The fdn. was made on the lioot machine. This result pleased me so much that I made upmy mind to always use, in the future, fdn. in all of my young swarms of bees for the brood-nest. Well, I gave my Italians to my wife's mother, as she wished to get some bees very much, to get a start. Well, after a while I got somewhat lonesome, not haviug any of the little pets, so I bought some of the black bees by the pound — 3 colonies of blacks, and one hybrid. I tried full sheets of fdn. in each one of those colonies, expect- ing the same results as with the Italians, but I was sadly disappointed; for instead of nice comb, as be- fore, I found, upon examination, that they never drew out the fdn. at all, but built their comb right on it, leaving the fdn. as thick as ever it was in the center of the comb. This fdn. was advertised in Gleanings to be made on the Dunham machine. I purchased the same from Mr. R. Hyde, of AMerly, Wis. Some of this was very nice and light colored, and some was dark, the same running 6 sheets to the pound, the same as that tried by the Italians. Now, the question is this: Is it more natural for the Italians to draw out fdn. than it is for the blacks? Thei-e is one thing I am quite suie of; that is, the Italians are better honey-gatherers than the blacks, and are hardier also, and are more gentle, which makes three strong points in favor of the Italians. I wish to say right here, that I am not interested in any way in any fdn. machine, but suppose there is perhaps some difference in them. G. Phillips. Komeo, Marathon Co., Wis., Jan., 1883. I hardly think, friend P., your experi- ment, though a valuable one, settles the question. It settles one point, however, that, while, some stocks of bees thin out the bases of the cells, others only build new comb on the fdn. furnished them, and this very point is what caused many unkind words when fdn. lir.st came into use. I am inclined to think it was the difference in the season, and perhaps yield of honey in your case, friend P. Had you taken the same fdn., and put it into hives of both races of bees, at the same time, the case would have been far more correct. Have others had any similar experience with the two races of bees ? STARVATION AND DYSENTERY. BY .JAMES HEDDON. ppj^iHE wintering problem is now not only in our j\[ minds, but on our hands. Some of our folks have noticed signs and symptoms that cause them to think that starvation is a cause, or the cause of the disease. Some of us seem to be a little ol> soure as to what is meant by causes and effects. Some of our writers insist that there is every evi- dunce that dysentery among bees is the effect of varied and numerous causes. I am among those who believe that so general and regular an effect as this dysentery has one direct cause. No doubt it is aid- ed by other indirect causes that work upon this cause rather than the effect direct. To illustrate: What is the cause of diphtheria? Answer: Bacteria. But one says, "Catching cold;" another, "Cold weather;" and another, " Being exposed to the pres- ence of those sick with it," etc. These last-named conditions aggravate it, or, as indirect influences, greatly assist the direct cause; yet, literally speaking, they, with their indirect in- fiuences, are not worthy of the title of " the cause." I wish to state two pi-opositions that are generally conceded by our leading thinkers, that, if borne in mind by us, will aid us materially in unraveling this, as well as other knotty problems in our sci- ence. First, so far"as the mind can conceive, every cause must {of necessity) produce an effect: every effect must become the cause as to some other effect, and so on without end. Consequently, a flrst cause or last effect is unthinkable. Second, I notice that some of our writers speak as though all that is natural tends toward success (as viewed from our standpoint); that the true instinct of the being never led it astray from its best inter- ests, or chance of survival. In all our debates, let us remember that such are false premises; that instinct is lower than reason, and that both fail totally In many instances, and that we must not be led into errors because some- times the weaker sister. Instinct, directs aright where reason fails. Nature, with her wide-spread arms, embraces all of which the mind can conceive— fail- ure, as well as success. Sickness and death are as jiatitra? as health and life. When wo say, "That is not natural," we use the term in its narrow sense (really a misconstrued sense), and it will not do so to use it when bringing it to bear upon reason, and in- stinct in their higher relations to each other and things. From the first proposition, we see that, If heat produces the bacteria that ripens and destroys fruit, we might say, " Heat destroys fruit;" " the sun destroys fruit;" "nature destroys fruit," and so on; and in one sense it would be true; but what 1882 gleani:ngs in bee culture. the chemist wishes to know is, what is the last ef- fect next to the destruction, that we may properly call the direct cause of that iiestruction? He searched, as only the scientilic .search, and he found a living: germ, so small it puzzled him to tell whether of animal or vegetable life.* Now that he had dis- covered the direct cause, he said, "I have further discovered that a degree of heat that boils water, will destroy this form of life; and now, if you wish to keep fruit all through the jear, boil it, and, while hot, exclude the air, and you destroy the bacteria, and your object is accomplished." A knowledge of the cause nearest the effect is the one of most worth to us. When I put up my bees for winter, I felt sure that all had plenty of honey. Yesterday I found a colony starved. I am of the opinion, that they were slowly and quietly robbed, after we left the apiary for the winter. I think there is more of this kind of rob- bing going on unnoticed than we know of or believe in, generally. But the point T wish to make is, that not one speck of dysentery was to be sceu. Careful examination showed great scarcity of pollen in the combs. Had there been plentj' of pollen, my opin- ion is, that the bees would, as a last resorr, have taken to eating it, and then one might have seen signs of dysentery, and said, "Starvation is the cause." I get a great many private letters from ex- perienced apiarists who do not write for publication, stating that their observation of the disease has con- vinced them of the truth of "the Pollen theory." Others believe, as stated by Messrs. Jones. Harring- ton, and others, that fermentation of the honey, be- fore and after gathering, is the cause; others, that the fermentation of the pollen is the cause. Mr. Jones dwelt to some extent on dampness being the cause (through its fermenting influence on the hon- ey or pollen, or both, I presume he meant), while Mr. Harrington, of your county, stated that a cer- tain plant produces fermented honey that froths in the nectary, and, when gathered by the bees, "pro- duces dysentery every time." Charles Dadant holds to the idea, that fermenting honey is the greatest cause, if I understand him correctly. As all fer- mentation (whether of pollen, honey, or anything else) is bacteria, all these men agree with that theo- ry. It may be that liacterious honey, or pollen either, produces the disease, and that inert vegeta- ble matter, if taken into their systems in any con- siderable cuantities, is also a cause. An over- amount may be taken from the pollen-cells under certain circumstances, or during certain seasons; or in all seasons, in some localities, in some varieties of blossoms, the nectar may contain sufBcient quan- tities of floating pollen to produce the disease, where the bees are, from cold, forced to partake of large quantities of honey, without the opportunity of cur- ing the disease as fast as it presents itself, by fre- quent chances to void the accumulations. If it turns out that this disease has two cavises or more, I believe that one cause will be found to be the main cause; and if bacteria is that cause, then, whether it exists in the pollen or honey, or both, the golden rule for winter will be, " Keep your colo- nies dry." Mr. Delia Torre say?, "Keep your pollen dry;" but perhaps that does not cover quite enough ground. Dadant, Harrington, and others, would saj', "No; keep your lirmey dry." Dampness (with a moderate * It i^ now (lecidfd to be vegetable. degree of warmth) is necessary to the development of bacteria. I think we are going to get at the true cause ere long. Let us resolve now to improve all the opportunities for careful observations that the next f(nir months present to us. I have thrown out my honest opinions, forced upon me by my observa- tion and reasoning; and surel3', if they are of no aid to any one they can not hurt the feelings or op- portunities of any good or intelligent bee-keeper. Dowagiac, Mich., Jan. 7, 1SS3. - 9»™— AN APIAIKY IN SICIIiY. ALSO SOMETIIIXG ABOUT PnEMIU.MS FOR SUB- SCKXHERS. MANN, Palermo, Sicily, Italy, has just Q been sent out by mo to establish an apiary " -" ~" among the orange groves of Sicily. It is a purelj' commercial speculation by a mercantile gentleman, and so far is an outcome of Gleanings; will probably, within a year or two, be the largest apiary in Europe; intended to be run for extracted honey only. T could have had the above three cop- ies sent to myself, and other two copies to make up a Waterbury- watch club. I shfill likely have other names soon. But I cannot get over the meanness of the thing. You must either have made a great mistake in giving that offer, or you get your watches uncommonly cheap, or yoii are doing an injustice to all other subscribers. Anyhow, I want one of those watches mailed to me, and charged against me in the regular manner. After I see how the thing works, I may get a dnzcn or two for sale. Wm. IIaitt. Beecroft, Bl.iirgowrie, Scotland, Dec. 20, 1881. I am truly glad to hear you are to be the director of such an important enterprise, good friend Raitt ; but I am a little sur- prised to liud you have not a little more charity for your old friends over on this side of the water. Listen a minute, and see if I can not throw some light on the watch and subscriber business : It takes a good sum of money to advertise a journal to get it going. I think I have paid out as high as $500 iir a single year to get GlexVnixgs before the people, when my whole receipts for it were not over ?2000. Well, after paying this large sum to newspapers, I decided it best to give it to my bee-friend subscribers, to induce them to show the journal around to their neighbors who kept bees. That they might afford to take time to do this, and do it well, J gave them 2-5 cents out of the dol- lar for the service. This worked very well, until subscription agents, noticing this mar- gin, sent around to all my old subscribers, and offered Gleanings for 85 cents, or such a matter, which broke down the established price of SI. 00, and defeated my plan. To correct this, we were obliged to raise the price to 90 cents, and this cut off our bee friends again. Well, the Watevbury watch- factory started, and they were very anxious to get their watches into the hands of the people, exactly as 1 am anxious to get Glean- ings into the hands of the people. They found out how Gleanings had made its way, even off into foreignlands, and into the hands of good kind people like yourself. AVell, they too decided that, instead of 78 GLEAN^INGS IN BEE CULTUEE. Feb. spendin,Q: great sums of money in newspaper advertising, tliey would ratlier give llie watcli at a very low price to some one who would and could make known tlieir good qualities, as I have done. And this would enable me to pay handsomely the friends Avho work among their neighbors for the up- building of our journal. Therefore I give a watch to everybody who sends me live new subscril^ers at a dollar each. You may say those who subscribe for live years don't ex- tend our subscription list. Perhaps not ; but in our business I am using borrowed capital, more or less, on v/hicli I pay some- times as high as 8 per cent. Five dollars in advance would be equal to the use of that whole amount for 2i years. If you will figure it u]) at compound interest, you will see that I get club price for the journal, and pay for the watch too, making a mutual saving to both our subscribers and myself, over the plan of sul^scribing every year. I might add, that the five-year plan was origi- nated by one of the friends, and was not of my own getting up at all. Now, friend R., is there any thing^wrong in employing our bee-meu to introduce Gleanings, "in place of ne\vspa))er advertising agents, who neither know nor care about bees or their owners? •m *»» «i^ CAN BEES HEAR, ETC.? SOME GOOD IDEAS ON THE MATTER. IRIEND ROOT:— Will you allow me to make a comment on an article in Gr-EANINQS some ^■^ months ago about bees being dull in eight, and deaf? The following is from the Lihrary of Uni- i^ersal Knowledge: "Bees, like other hymenopterous insects, are extremely well provided with organs of sight, and evidently possess that sense in very great perfection. la the front of the head they have two large eyes, the surface of each consisting of many hexagonal plates, which perhaps may not unaptly be likened to the object-glasses of so many tele- scopes; and the faculty which these insects certain- ly possess, of returning in a direct line to their hive or nest, from the utmost distances of their wander- ings, has been, with greatest probability, ascribed to their power of sight. But besides these large eyes, they have, like the rest of the hymenopterous order, three small eyes on the very top of their heads, which are supposed to be intended to give a defensive vision upward from the cups of flowers. They are evidently, however, possessed of organs which enable them to guide their movements in the dark as well as in the light — at least in the nest or hive; and this power is generally ascribed to the antenna3 which are sometimes supposed to bo not merelj' delicate organs of touch, but organs of hear- ing, or of some special sense unknown to us. It is certain, that the social bees have some means of communicating with each other by means of their antenuie; and that they avail themselves of these organs, both for the ordinary operations of the af- fairs of the hive, and for recognition of each other. There can be no doubt that bees possess, in a very high degree, the sense of smell; and their posses- sion of the sense of taste and hearing is almost equally unquestionable." Geo. L. King. Berlin Center, Mahoning Co., O., Jan. 5, 1883. AN IMPUOVEITIENT ON THE SHEPARD SWAKMING-BOX. ^J^RIEND S., as you remember, puts a pole f^ through the center, and then the box must be carried up the tree, if the bees are high, and this makes its use somewhat inconvenient. With my improvement, the bees may be removed while standing on the ground, and a ladder is not needed. Make the swarming-box according to f .lend Shepard's description; viz., 8x8x16, and then, instead of putting a hole through it, use a frame made as follows: Take two pieces of some light and Arm wood, St inches long, 3 inches wide, and I inch thick; also two pieces II inches long and 3 wide, and mortise the ends of the one Into the ends of the 34- inch pieces, and the other 9 inches from this toward the center. In the middle of the end-piece cut a square hole in the center for the pole (which will keep it from turning), and bore a hole in the second. SHEPAHD-JONKS SWAKMING-BOX. Then fasten the swarming-box with two screws or small bolts at the other end of the frame (which will allow it to turn freely), about 6 inches from the top of the box. You can now raise this box as you please, and it will always be in the position needed in order to receive the bees when they are shaken down with another pole, to which a hook has been attached. It is a very convenient arrangement, es- pecially for the lady bee-keepers. Rev. L. S. Jones. Sonora, Muskingum Co., O., Dee. U, 1881. Very good, friend J. ; but as I understand the matter, the Shepard swarming-box need not be kept right side up. Our bees will at once crawl right up into the holes in the box, and cluster inside, no matter which side up it is presented to the clustering swarm, and we therefore need never think of climbing trees when we have a pole long enough to reach them. What has been the experience of others in regard to swarming- boxes V CAIilFORMA ITEMS BV GAIiliUP. f HAVE just been on a trip to Ventura county, visiting the bee-keepers in that vicinitj'. I had not seen my bees since last June, and I found them in splendid condition; have sold out to Mr. James Mclntyre, a young gentleman from Ontario, Canada, who is bound to try bee-kf-eping in Califor- nia. Bees are in far better condition in Ventura county than they are in Los Angeles county, with but very few exceptions, so far as I know. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Given, of Hoopeston, III. He is stopping in Los Angeles City among the orange 1882 •GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 79 groves, and his friends will he pleased to learn that his health is Improving. The bee-keepers in Ven- tura county wiscl.v, J think, adopted a universal frame for the entire countj', and nearly every bee- keeper vies with his neighbor in keeping up with the improvements of the ase, while in Los Angeles county, as a rule they are far behind. They have all kinds of sized frames, and in many instances two or more sizes in the same apiary, and many of them take no care to Italianize or improve their bees whatever. Foul brood exists in the county to quite an extent. Taken all together, it is not an loviting field for a careful and interested eastern bee-keeper to visit; at all events, hi^ first impressions are not of a very favorable nature. Thea we have had no rain to amount to any thing in this part of the State, and that makes the bee-keepers blue, blue. Some are hauling their bees down into the valleys, and some are letting them starve where 1 hey are, and some few have kept their liees in such a condition that they are all right for any emergency. Good for them! That corroborates what I have before said, that bees can be kept in such a rondition that they will be self-supporting, even in our poorest seasons. Now, don't say that Gallup has sold his bees because he got frightened; not by any means. I have sold them, rather than to move them nearly a hundred miles. Mr. Mclntyre wanted to purchase, and I wanted to sell; therefore we are both well suited. DO BEES EVER VOID THEIR EXCREMENT IN A DRY STATE? I had a copy of the Uin-al Ncw-Ynrl;er of Dec. 31st, given to me by a friend. On page 370, Prof. A. J. Cook says: "I have never found any support for the theory of the late Mr. Quinby, that bees excrete a dry powder in winter." Somewhere away back, I think in the A. B. J., I corroborated that statement of Mr. Quinby's; and now for the facts: In Lower Canada, 6.5 miles north of Vermont, where I first commenced bee-keeping, bees went into winter quar'ers frequently as early as the 1,5th of October, and were confined to their hives consfanthi until the 15th of April, fully six months. The weather would be cold and dry continually. Sometimes we had a January thaw, and a regular Canada thaw used to be, in old times, a fall of about two feet :"f snow. The weather was constantly cold and dry, and the thermometer sometimes 40° below zero. Our bees were wintered on their summer stands, and I have frequently seen them, on their first llight, not even speck the snow. It was the mild open winters that gave us trouble in wintering, with dysentery. In the cold dry winters the comb capping^ and dry powdery excrement would lie an inch hiah on the bottom-board, between each range of comb, in the spring. The bees would be small and very active at any time in winter, and never have their abdomens enlarged or distended with fiecal matter as they do in Michigan. Ohio, or other mild climates. So you readily see, Mr. Editor, that Mr. Quinby's theory has support. Whether that support is worth anything is for your readers to determine. I always found more or less brood in good strong stocks after the middle of January. OALLUP'S IDEAS ON POLLEN. Old stocks that contained lots of pollen wintered i'variabl ■ the best in our c^ld winters. Youn? stocks with newcomb, and but little pollen, if they wintered at all, came through weak. Now 1 am not contradicting the theory that pollen causes dysen- tery in a mild climat?. T have stated facts. E. Gallop. Santa Ana, Los .\ngeles Co., Cal., Jan. 9, 1SS2. We see, friend Gallup, that you think Mr. Quinby was right, but I don't hardly see that you have proved it. I have often noticed these piles of dust, but I never could be quite satisfied that it was excrement that composed part of this dust. A part of it is capping; some, clippings from old brown combs and cocoons, with other dirt that drops dovvu. Very likely a considerable part of it is dry excrement, but it has never been proven to my satisfaction. Did any one ever witness excrement passing from a bee, in the form of dry powder V I confess I should much prefer to have them adopt that way of doing, if I may be excused. REVEKSIOX, VARIATION, HEREDITY, ETC. ME. KOOT:— You ask If you are right in draw- ing the conclusion, that I claim that the ' crossing of two races gives fresh vigor to the cross for only a few generations, and that, to reach the best results from crossing the black bee with the Italian, we must keep on importing fresh stock, and also preserve pure black bees to cross with. If we do not wish to do this, keep both races separate. The increase in size and vigor is not apparent aft- er one or two crosses have been made; but, on the other hand, we have decrease in size, and diversity in form and color, for several generations, until the tv;o races have become blended, if bred inter sc; or, if crossed continuously with blood of the same race, until the blood of the pure animal predominates sutKciently to produce uniformitj-. The probable cause of this is the latent tendency to revert back to the original type race, which, being doubled by uniting two races, predominates over all other ten- dencies. The tedious process of arriving, in most cases, at nothing better, if as good, as we had at first, should lead to extreme caution in crossing dif- ferent races. The attainment of some desirable end, not likely to be reached by continuous breeding of one race, such as the lengthening: of the tongue of the honej'-bee, for instance, is most likely to be reached by variation, produced by crossing several races; and, once reached, can be permanently fixed by in-and-in breeding. Animals have a won- derful power of transmitting peculiarities of charac- ter and form to their offspring. I once purchased a heifer that had the habit of resting her head upon stumps and logs for several minutes at a time. This habit, so trifling and peculiar, was transmitted to her offspring for several generations. In-and-ia breeding would doubtless have fixed this character- istic permanently. To arrive at uniformity in color, form, and dispo- sition, in-and-in breeding is resorted to by the most skillful breeders of stock in the countrj-. An animal once mated to another not of the same race, is re- jected as not fit to breed from, because rendered im- pure by inoculating and fetal circulation. Great skill, and refinement of judgment, are used in mat- ing the animals, that the desired results maybe reached. To overcome the bad effects of in-and-in breeding, they resort to the following process: 80 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUIIE. Feb. They divide their herds, and by change of food and surrounding conditions, and different treatment, constitutional changes arc produced, obviating the necessity of adding blood of a different strain to maintain constitutional vigor. Mingling the blood of members of the same race, not of the same char- acteristics, results in injury o"" the same kind, though less in degree, as results from mingling the blood of two races; viz., diversity in color, disposi- tion, and form. In-and-in breeding docs not gener- ate disease; it augments the good and bad qualities inherent in a race, and those inheriting undersirablo qualities, should be removed. In a state of nature, such animals arc removed by natural selection, and distinct races are formed by in-and-in breeding ex- clusively; therefore it is not necessary to import bees from a distant country to maintain constitu- tional vigor. The utter impossibility of keeping a race of bees pure, when bees of another race are in proximity, is known to all apiarians. Many who have carefully tested the Dzierzon Theory, observing the results ■with unbiased minds, have been forced to conclude that, however true it may be in theory, it is false in practice. Acting upon this conclusion, and reason- ing from analogy, let them adopt, as a guide, the rules that govern the conscientious stock-breeder; let them obtain queens of known purity, and pos- sessed of all the desirable qualities common to the race; let them continue to introduce blood of the same strain, th« nearer akin the better, if raised un- der dissimilar conditions of climate and surround- ings; let them breed from their best stocks, in-and- in, if possessed of superior excellence, and remove such as are inferior, and they will not see their api- aries hopelessly stocked with hybrids, nor deterior- ating in quality, but improving from day to day, as long as the sytem is continued. DISSEMINATION OF ERROR; THE DZIERZON THEORY. I have for years looked upon the dissemination and inculcation of the "Dzierzon Theory," by the bee journals, as approaching closely to criminality, and as justifiable only upon the ground of constitu- tional inadaptability to see the truth. When I wrote touching the subject, that part of the article would be suppressed or misunderstood. I drew the conclusion, that people sometimes form their opin- ions to agree with their moneyed interests, and that they will defend them with more pertinacity than any thing else. This does not hold true with stock- breeders. They have, from time out of mind, incul- cated the doctrine of inoculation and foetal circula- tion ; and the great Darwin has collected a summary of facts, to show their truth. Why should not the apiarian be as familiar with these truths as others? If the queen-breeder insists that the " Dzierzon The- ory " holds true in practice, and the duped purchaser knows by experience that it does not, but remains silent on the subject, fearing that some one will be offended if the truth is told, the credulous still con- tinuing to mingle the blood of the different races unwittingly, until the tainted blood is extensively disseminated, the task of eradicating it will become hopeless; and he who allows the error to prevail by default, will be as guilty as he who is actuated by mercenary motives. Jerome Wiltse. Falls City, Nebraska. A little more charity, friend W. The Dzierzon Theory has stood so long and so well, and has been so fully corroborated by the experience of many candid and careful observers, I think we editors are justified in feeling a little suspicious of one who runs full tilt against it. Especially is this the case since beginners so invariably say they don't believe it because it is "against reason," etc., only to take it all back wlien they get a little older. Of course, friend ^V., we can not put you Avith this class. AV' hen an old and scarred (V) veteran says he don't believe the Dzierzon Theory, he certainly ought to be entitled to a hearing. I presume friend Jones, on his islands, can pretty easily test the matter beyond mistake. Friend -Tones, will you please stand up and tell us what you know from practical experience, about drones from queens impurely mated? Here is a fact for you: We have a cat at our house, that springs up and turns the door-knobs with her paws. His mother has always done the same thing, yet the kitten was taken away before it was old enough to learn any thing, and never commenced the trick tintil well along in years. Does not his memory extend back, as'it were, to events in his mother's life, before he Avas born? DRONES ; COLOIE, ETC. SOME HINTS FROM FRIEND ALT.,EY IN REGARD TO QUEEN-REARING. MI AT influence has I'ne drone upon the projj eny of youngqucens'.' ur.in other word3,does the color of the male bee have any thing to do with the worker or royal progeny? I judge, by some remarks made by the editor in a late number of Gleanings, that he would say no. Myexperience with the Italians causes me to say yes. In selecting the colony for drones to fertilize my^'oung queens, I am careful to get one that has a queen that pro- duces beautifully colored drones. While all queens fertilized by well-marked drones do not produce all handsome queens and worker bees, they should be nevertheless selected with that purpose in view, provided one desires to keep up his stock to its high- est standard of purity, as this desirable quality can not be maintained by helter-skelter breeding. I have never made it a practice to use the drones from more than one hive at any one time. When I do this, and use the eggs from only one particular queen to raise queens from, then I know what I am sending out for queens. 1 find, so far as I have ob- served, that the peculiar characteristic of the male generally shows itself in the offspring of all animal life. I have had something to do with the raising of swine, pigeons, and fowls. Last year I raised a fine lot of pigs; the mother of them was as black as a coal, and the father was solid white. Out of a litter of eleven pigs, 9 were solid white, and 2 were black and white. In pigeons, I find that tlie young fe- males are marked like the male bird, and the young males like the mother. My experience is, that if a dark queen is fertilized by a yellow drone, her royal progeny will be quite handsome, while the drones from such a queen will bo quite dark. Hence the importance of selecting handsome drones for queen- rearing. Our young queen-raisers should bear this in mind, and make a note of it. Friend Root made this remark to a correspondent who inquired about 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. SI this very thing : " Never mind about the color of the drone;" we must mind about the color of the drones, or our pure and beautiful Italian bees will soon run out. I took the precaution last fall to test several queens for drones to use the coming season; have always made it a point not to lot the drones from any hive in my yard fertilize my young queens. I keep only those stocks at home, however, that I want to use for this purpose. All my queens are raised In one yard, but not fertilized in one yard by any means. Last season I ran 4 queen-yards, and fou'.d it a job of no small dimensions, to make all run right and keep them supplied with drones of the right stamp. There is one poi.t suorgostcd in the abovr, that I will not touch upon. Probably some of your sharp readers will pick it up, and that will open up this subject still further. During all my experience, I think I never had a queen that would produce handsome queens and drones too. How have other dealers found this? I have raised thousands of queens from one mother, and not 100 drones. Those that I did raise were poorly marked. I do not breed " in and in," and would not use the drones from the queen I am rais- ing queens from, even should they bo very handsome. Henry Alley. Wenham, Eisex Co., Mass., Jan. 4, 1882. If 5'ou will excuse me, frieud Alley, it was only in regard to testing the purity of queens that I said, " Pay no attention to the color of the drones." And, by the way, suppose we can get nicer-marked bees by having hand- some drones ; all we shall accomplish is col- or, which is of small moment compared with honey-gathering qualities ; and I really don't tnow just now how we are going to tell good drones from lazy ones. They are mostly all lazy in " our parts.'' We can have them raised from queens whose bees are extra Avorkers, it is true ; and will not this be more desirable th an color V TAKING BEES OUT OF A TREE, ETC. A NOVEL PLAN FOK DOING IT. fAM going to tell you a little about my bee-keep- ing. In 1880 I found 2 swarms in the woods. I ~" was afraid to cut the tree, for fear of getting in trouble; so I climbed it and sounded it in order to find out how far it was hollow. I stopped vip the hole in the morning early, so as to get them all, then took a two-inch auger, and bored a hole at the upper end of the hollow of the tree. Then I took a pin, about 8 inches long, made it to fit the hole, and then drove it in the hole, and made an inch hole through this pin, so as to make a passage for the bees to come out. I took a light bo.T, about a foot square, bored a hole in it with a two-inch auger, made an air-hole in the box to allow them air; bored another hole about the bottom of the hollow, then blew in smoke. The smoke crowded them to the top, and they went into it. One of them was up 30 feet. I took a line and drew the tools up with it. After the bees were in the box I lowered them down, then slabbed out a piece, and took out the honey and comb; took them home, hived them, and increased them to 4 that summer. When I put them into win- ter quarters there were 2 good ones and 2 poor ones; the latter had their hive half filled with comb and honey, but they wintered safely, without any divi- sion-board or protection. I winter my bees in the cellar; prefer it to out- door wintering. In 1881 I increased those 4 to 13 natural swarms; sold about $10.00 worth of honey, and used it for the table all through the summer. The i;i are in fair condition. If they come through safe I will allow them to swarm once only. The dol- lar queen I purchased of you is a good layer. She has her hive full of bees from top to bottom. She is the best layer in the lot, but not as large as some of my black queens. They are pure Italians, accord- ing to the descriptions of the ABC. We are very thankful for the good you have done us, and wish you great success. If you ever come around hero, come and see us. Paul Schlaqel. Victor, Wright Co., Minn., Jan. 16, 1882. Yery good, friend S, 8o far as I know, your plan for drumming the bees out of a tree, through a hollow pin, into a box, is new. DOOIilTTliE'S NEIGHBOR. INTRODUCTION, BY THE GENTLEMAN HIMSELF. M\ S I am an entire stranger to you and yours, 1 J^^ think I may, with profit, use the above cap- ' tion. I was 28 years old yesterday; have been a farmer for the last eight years, and for the last four kept bees in a small way. I have at present 12 full stocks and 2 nuclei which I am trying as an ex- periment to winter on four frames. My bees are all in the cellar. The first year, I bought 3 colonies. I let them do about as they chose, my people telling me if I did not stop handling them I would spoil them. Well, they increased to 9, and made me about 50 lbs. in sections, of the nicest basswood honey. But the winter carried me back below where I started. The dysentery killed all but one queen and about a quart of bees. Then how I did go for G. M. Doolittle and N. N. Betsinger with quest ions I By the way, my place is but 3 or 3i 2 miles from Mr. D., and he has always helped me all he could, as I believe he does every one. Well, Mr. Doolittle gave me queen-cells from his very best queen, the one that gave him the largest yield. By using my old comb, I built up to four fair stocks, all having queens as above mentioned, and three out of the four mated all right. This time I put my bees in the cellar, and let them alone until soft maple was in blossom, and lost none. I believe they were stronger in spring than in fall. The next summer I increased to 6, and made considerable box honey, all the while keeping up my study with Mr. Doolittle. Last winter I lost one and doubled back to four, and made $17.50 per colony, counting my increase (8 stocks) at $4.00 per colony; my two nu- cleus stocks I won't call any thing, I guess, though they man winter. I did not double them, partly be- cause each had a pure queen. But I guess this is sufficient for an introduction. C. M. GOODSPEED. Thorn Hill, Onondaga Co., N. Y., Jan., 1883. GLEANINGS IN liEE CULTUKE. Feb. From Different Fields. HONEY FROM THE OAK. iCilr' NOTICE that you would like to sec or know something- of live oak, or the honey it bears. Well, in the first place, live oak would not grow in your part of the country, fur it is an evergreen tree, and at present in its glory, dark green, and Oyster Creek bottom, its native soil, it looks beauti- ful. Abr)ut the little oak-balls that have the honey: I think they come on the leaf on almost all oaks, but I believe that only live-oak balls have honey. The balls are all dry now, but I will send you some next year, and also some acorns. But said tree is of slow growth; size, from a whipstock to 2-t feet in circum- ference; maybe more have balls on, but I have seen only the above. Weather is warm ; bees are work- ing on mustard and peach-blossoms. J. W. Ross. Velasco, Brazoria Co., Texas, Dec. 12, 1881. profitable colonies were those that had the largest number of slick-headed bees. These old veterans are the glory of any apiary. E. T. Foglb. Hartsville, Ind., Jan. 7, I8S2. AVAX SHEETS, OR SHEET WAX. The next demand is going to be for beeswax in the sheet— fdn. in the flat. It i-s compact, solid, cheap freights, and safe transportation. Please state at what price you can furnish sheets of 10 and 7 square feet to the pound, boxed on cars at Medina. Please state price of wax and of sheeting, scparate'.y. We may get wax at less rates than you do, and prefer to supply the wax. Jas. Reddon. Dowagiac, Cass Co., Mich., Jan i, 1881. I should say, about 3^- cts. for sheets 7 sq. ft. per lb., and -j cts. for 10 ft. per lb., or, as a general rule, i as many cents per lb. as there are sq. ft. to the pound in the wax sheets. It will be observed, that our selling price for wax is 27 c, although we pay only from 21 to 2o. I have left this margin be- cause the wax, as it usually comes to us, is much of it not only unlit to sheet, but unfit to sell. 1 might return or refuse to pay for dirty wax ; but as either course makes hard feelings we have put the price low, and then when we get a choice lot the owner never feels bad when we pay him a little more than we advertise. Those who buy wax of us seldom like to take such as comes from the market without being selected. The prices given include boxing, but not pai>er between the sheets. If it sliould break by shipping or handling in cold weather, I should not want to be held responsible. COMPARATIVE LONGEVITY OF WORKER UEES, AGAI>f. We think that friend March has given us some facts in regard to the longevity of bees that can not be well over-estimated, and I would just say, in sup- port of his theory, that our attention was called to this fact in 1878, by 2 colonics in our apiary, stand- ing side by side. Queens were relatively prolific alike, yet one gave 30 lbs. and 1 colony; the other, 300 lbs., and also 1 colony. The one that gave 300 lbs. surplus had an unusunl number of old bald- headed veterans going out to the fields. They were the remark of all beekeepers who saw them. In that fall, twc-thirds of our honey came from that strain of bees, although they number but one-third of our colonies. Again, this fall of 1881 our most DOWN TO NOTHING, AND UP AGAIN. I send you ray first report. I commenced bee- keeping when I was lit years of age, in 1878. In the fall of 1880 I had 112 swarms of bees. 1 had very bad luck with them, and also moved from Ohio up here to Michigan very late in the fal.. I came out last spring without a live bee. I had good luck in find- ing a man here who had 10 swarms in old box hives, .5 of them very weak. I bouaht one small swarm, and engaged all the increase of the rest. From them I now have tO swarms, and have taken from them 2000 lbs. of honey. The small swarm that I bought first gave me 3 swarms increase, and from it and its increase I took 355 lbs. of honey. The buck- wheat flow was almost a failure from drought. My bees are all packed in chaff. Jay N. Harris. St. Louis, Gratiot Co., Mich., Jan. 6, 1882. CHAFF HIVES VS. CELLARS. I guess I must tell you something about bees in this section. The past summer was a splendid one for bees. Those wintered in chaff hives have done well, though last winter was the coldest ever known in this countr3'. The mercury stood for nearly a week at a time 30° below zero. I had 20 out in the chaff' hives, and 18 in the cellar; lost none in the chaff; think I lost 7 that were wintered in the cellar after they were taken out. So you see I shall go in for the chaff. We arc ha\ iiig very warm weather, and lots of i-ain. O. R. Munson. Meredith, Delaware Co., N. Y., Dec. 29, 1881. IN THE SUN OR IN THE SHADE FOR WINTER. Mrs. D. A. Donnelley, on pnge 33, Jan. Gleanings, asks this question, and you, friend Root, ask for the experience of others. That strikes me I hare it. I kept bees for four years under a shed in two rows, one row on south side facing south, and the one in the north side facing north, whei-e the sun shined on them only a little whilt^ in the morning, and I no- ticed every winter that bees died worse on the north side than on the south. They spring-dwindled worse; they never gathered as much honey, nor built up as fast in summer, and finally, last wlnt«r, they were all dead before the south-siders thought about dying. Give me sunshine in "'mine. ' Allendale, 111., Jan. 9, 1882. J. Copeland. raising BROOD IN WINTEH, ETC. Oar bees are wintering well so far. One colony is breeding a little. AVent into winter in 1880 with 14; came out with same number, but (j quccnless; 5of them from unknown cause. One was killed by a stray virgin queen. They made about 250 lbs. comb honey, and increased to 20 colonics, with stores enough to winter. Wo have only three basswood- trees within the flight of our bees. The clovers are our main hope for honey; fall pasturage not very good. Nov. 8, 1881, a small colony of Llack bees came herG from somewhere, and clustered on the garden fence. I got them into a box, and put them in with a queenlcss colony that was nearly gone, having been queenlcss since J»ne 151 h. I tried four times to get them to raise a queen, but they got lost every time. They are all right now, if there are 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. 83 only bees enough to keep from freezing. They are the ones that are breeding now; but I don't know just how much brood they have. Green R. SntRER. Adamsville, Musk'm Co., O., Dec. 151, 1881. Keep them raising brood, friend S., by giving tbem candy made of granulated su- gar, and it may prove the best stock yon have. Although brood-rearing ia winter seems sometimes to make trouble, it is by no means always the case, as many reports in our l)ack volumes show. RAPE AS A HONEV-PLANT. The pound of rape seed I got of you came up very well. The weather was too dry for it to do as well as it might have done. I got from 15 to 20 lbs. of seed from the one pound. The bees were very busy on it while it was in bloom. AVhat will you pay per pound for seed? JonN C. Bowman. North Lima, Mahoning Co., O., Dec. 20, 1881. We are glad to know that some of the rape seed we sent out last season grew. We are going to make our greenhouse tell us this season all about all the seeds we sell, so as to take no more such risks. The winter rape, mentioned in former num- bers, is, at this date, looking beautifully rank and green, and we have great hopes now that we can raise winter rape here Avith- out trouble. At present, we could pay about 5 cts. per lb. for good clean fresh seed deliv- ered here. CELLARS vs. OUTDOOR -WINTERINO IN CANADA. Bees did well in this vicinity, this season. Several apiarians wintered in cellars and bee-houses with but about five per cent loss. Those who wintered outdoors lost an average of 90 per cent. Above- mentioned cellars and houses are so constructed that an even temperature of 40 to 48^ F. can be main- tained, and have a complete change of air, free from malarial dampness, every six to nine hours. The honey flow lasted about six weeks, with best bass- wood flow known in many years. The increase is about an average of 100 per cent, with about an av- erage of 100 lbs. of honey to the original stock, which, from fair to good prices, helped to balance losses of last winter. Bees are principally put away in cellars and houses for the present winter, and so far are doing well. As the new j'ear is with- in about three hours "drive," we will wish you and your many readers a very happy new year. J. E. Frith. Burgessville, Ont., Can., Dec. 31, 1881. BEES AND GRAPES. SEE P. 'A~, NOV. NO. The bees do not injure the grapes, but they are a nuisance. It is often an inconvenience to have the fruit-rooms closed, and the grape-packers have to work almost in a swarm of bees. I think they are very patient to say as little as they do. Brocton, N. Y., Jan. 5, 1S32. M. Simons. Thanks, my friend. In such a case as you mention, I would by all means furnish wire cloth to cover the windows, and put it on too. It is a comparatively easy matter to keep the bees out of any kind of a covered structure, such as a cider-mill, or fruit-house of any kind, by the i>se of wire cloth. I be- lieve the best establishments of the kind do use wire cloth to keep the tlies out, to say nothing of the bees. Who would want flies and fly-specks around fruit, or on the pack- ages containing fruit to be sent to market V In regard to bees on the fruit while on the vines, the following from the American Acj- rkidtiirist for Jan. would seem to imply that bees are certainly not the only enemy the grape-grower has to contend with : — Birds and Grapes.— C. Lauppc, Champaign Co., Ohio, has much trouble with the birds, which des- troy his grapes. The robin, the cat-bird, and the jay, do much mischief; but the oriole is the worst enemy, as it cuts a hole in the berry to get at the juice, and one will soon injure all the fruit on the vine, while the others take the whole berry and soon get their lill. Mr. L. has had the best success in the use of small steel traps, which he baits with some blue variety, such as the I^■es. He does not care to catch the birds, as the snapping of the trap scares them away. Though Mr. L has upward of 70 varie- ties, ho says, it coulined to a single variety, it would be the Concord. Well, do you not think it likely that the bees would be accused of mischief, if they should happen to follow after the work of the birds, as described above? TELLING OF GRE.\T HONEY YIELDS, ETC. I see in the Jan. No. of Gleanings, page .33, Juno, La Porte, Iowa, says if he had a large yield of honey he would be afraid to tell of it. I don't see why he should be. I think one need not be afraid to tell the truth. I wish friend Juno had been in my apiary this summer, and seen me take off the boxes of hon- ey, and my wife and daughter carrying them into the house. Perhaps ho would have been as aston- ished as an old fogy visitor I had one daj- was when I took from the hives 54 boxes of 2 lbs. each, and 30 boxes of 1 lb. each, and extracted from one hive 120 lbs. Still, I think no one was more astonished at my crop than myself, and I too sometimes wondered if it didn't "rain honey." H. Newhaus. Burlington, Wis., Jan. 10, 1882. You are right, I think, friend N.; for those who have read our journals do know that honey comes at times almost as if it rained down. Again, we are all on such friendly terms here in the journal, that I believe few. if any, are so uncharitable as to doubt what another communicates, without some very good reason . INTRODUCING QUEENS BY LETTING THE BEES EAT THROUGH THE CANDY. I bought 2 queens of you last summer. I have felt ever since that I ought to tell you how I introduced the first one. It had candy; no water in cage; bees clean and lively. Instead of taking out frames, spiking on combs to have them gnawed through, and the same to get the cage out again, I just slip the tin back enough to show a part of the candy in the hole; turn it down on the top of the frames, and let the bees work through the candy. The second queen, with bottles of water, was a little daubed. F. Graves. Onarga, Iroqouis Co., 111., Jan. 2, 1882. MY REPORT l-'OR 1881. Commenced the season with 28 swarms, 20 good and 8 light ; increased to 70, and took 1500 lbs. honey — 1150 lbs. comb, the rest extracted. Lost last win- ter 130 swarms, nicely packed with chaff, on summer stands. The 28 saved were in the cellar from about Nov. 1.5, 1880, to April 20, 1881. Chaff packing on summer stands will do in an ope winter like the 84 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Eeb. presu?ht thf little thing, And how was that for ' high'? " By this time the doctor had studied up— " What makes the sled love Mary soV " They cried in accents wild; But not a " feller" answered them, Though every "feller" smiled. Of course, they had a big laugh ; but when Tom came to produce his they laughed still harder. Here is what he had written, and it was pretty well Avritten too ; for Tom, with all his faults, had much skill that way : — Mary had a little sled; I tell you, it was " boss;" 'T was lots of fun to see it run As fast as any " hoss." Right here their merriment was interrupt- ed by Mrs. Merrybanks, who excused her- self "by saying that a kettle full of maple candy Avas all ready to be pulled, and '' would the men folks be so kind as to come and pull it? " At the same time, she gave the doctor a pleasant smile, and told him he was espe- cially Avanted, as doctors are ahvays expect- ed to know better than anybody else hOAV every thing should be done, '' ex officio.'''' "Can't Ave help too, '■ex officio^?'''' said Mary. This occasioned another big laugh, to think tliat Mary had unconsciously said a pretty smart thing ; and even if her father did chide her a little about being forward, Mrs. M. took her part so pleasantly that she did not feel very sorry. " Oh ! please, ma, can't I go over after John's mother, ' ex officio ' ? " As permission AA^as granted, we Avill ex- plain, Avhile he is gone, how maple candy is made. About .5 lbs. of maple sugar is put into an iron kettle, with perhaps a pint of hot water. When melted, a piece of butter is stirred in, about the size of a hickory-nut. It is now boiled sloAvly, until done, which can be ascertained by dropping a little into cold Avater. When it snaps like brittle glass, it is ready to pull. If not cooked enough, it will be too soft to handle Avhen done ; if too much it Avill be burnt. Good dry hard can- dy is the golden mean betAveen these tvA^o ex- tremes. To cool, it Avas poured into large dripping-pans, perhaps i inch deep in each pan, and the pans were then set out in the snoAV. Of course, the pans were previously buttered. As soon as the candy began to cool it AA\as picked up from the edges, and rolled over into the center, and this process kept up until the Avhole could be taken up like a roll of dough. It was then pulled un- til white. If it got too hard to pull, it was taken near the stove ; if too soft, in the air before an open door. Each one of the party Avas given a piece to pull, and now quite a strife sprung up. to see whose Avould be Avhit- est. Of course, the men expected, by their superior strength ("ex otlicio," John said), to be far ahead ; but to their great surprise, John's meek little mother was ahead of them all, and Mrs. M. next. After it was pulled out into long slender threads, these were snipped off Avith shears, just right to go into Mary's little doll cradle ; and almost before they knew it, John had a " wagon-load of maple candy," labeled " ONLY 15 CTS." At this point Tom fairly boiled over with joy. " Wliy, John, you just get up a lot of these, and I Avill print some bronzed labels for them, and AA'e Avill have out some posters, and advertise them all over the country, and the week before Christmas you Avill sell mill- ions and millions of them." " Yes, sir, 'ee," says John, forgetting for the time hoAV many ciphers there are in the arithmetic in a million ; " but Avhere can Ave buy the sugar?" "Oh! Uncle Billy lias got a big lot of it, for I heard him say he Avould never sell it, if he couldn't get more than 9c. per lb. for it ; and next spring you and I Avill rent a sugar- bush and make our OAvn sugar, and—" 92 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. Keally, friends, I would like to tell you more what tliey ])lanned ; but I have only room to say, they went into it, and I don't believe any boys ever had a happier Christ- mas week. Tliey hired Mr. M. to work for them with his tools, at a dollar a day, and Mrs. Jones made the candy ; Mary nnd'Fred- die nailed up the vehicles and cradles, and pasted the labels on, and at !) o'clock tlie day before Christmas they counted up their money and found they had taken in for tin- ware and all (you see they sold candy by the pailful as well as wagonful), $19.45, besides having quite a little sugar and other stock on hand, all paid for. Tom sold out his in- terest to John for $10.00, so John was sole proprieter. Next month I will tell you how Tom bronzed labels, and what the temper- ance hotel did in the month of January. Truly tlie sad and dilapidated home of John Jones was beginning to blossom as the rose, even in the winter, and the way in which it got to be the favorite gathering-place of the people of Onionville, luider the kind guid- ance of friend Merrybanks (was it really Merrybanks,or the Lord Jesus Christ whom he loved to serve?) would not inaptly re- mind one of our opening text. TOBACCO COIiUMN. AND VE SHALL, KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FBEE. IP AM a niUive of Gcrmrinj'; landed on the Amcri- ijl can shores in 1830, and never had an hour's les- son in English; but my occupation as colpor- teur brought me in contact with all classes of peo- ple, to learn to read and write. I first heard of you as a scientific bee-keeper and journalist through Farm aiid Firfsi'rte advertising columns. I sent for a specimen copy of Gleanings, as 1 was interested in bee culture, which you sent promptly. Every thing else I lilied; but I thought you had stepped rather out of your place in your Tobacco Column. You know the Germans arc great ■consumers of to- bacco, and 1 have used it in all its forms, chewing not extensivelj'. You must not think hard of my countrymen in this respect, when j ou see them even on the street with a pipe in their mouth as long as themselves, for sll classes, high and low, use it, even the preacher in his study. But since reading your Tobacco Column, I have thought the matter over conscientiously, between me and my God, and am enabled to see the word of God in a now light on this subject; that it is sinful and wicked for any man to defile his body with this filthy weed, which destroys the constitution of the strongest man, madders his brain, and disqualifies kis thinking powers, unfits him for good judgment, and, what is worse than all, defiles the body, which the apostle calls a " temple of the Holy Spirit," and the Spirit of God can surely not dwell in a temple built largely of tobacco. In order to worship God acceptably, and to offer up sacrifices pleasing in his sight, the vessels in use must be clean, pure, and holy; and how a man can pray to God, and sing bis praises with a chew of tobacco in his mouth, I am unable to see now. S:me one may think 1 am saying too much when I say that it is sinful and wicked to use tobacco. Well, I will then say, it is a naughty, bad habit, and the Bible tells that all naughtit.ess is sin; and the apostle exhorts us to do away with all naughtiness and fiithlness of the flesh. God roriuired ancient Israel even to wa?h their clothes before approach- ing him in wo. ship. Could they have presented their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord, with a chew or cigar or pipe in their mouth? This puts one in mind of the story of a missionary in S^iotland, who asked at a farmer's house for a night's lodging. On being refused, he said to the host that he must not forget to entertain strangers, for thus many hid, unawares, enter- tained anirtls. Tho farmer said, on looking into his face, "That may all be; but you a c surely no angel." " How do you know?" asked tho mission- ary. "Because," s:iid tho furmer, "angels don't chew tobacco," seeing his beard all saturated with the juice of the filthy weed. It is said by a man of understanding, that the food we partake of, the nat-iro we partake of; and this being the case, no wonder Dr. Adam Clarke used the expression on one occasion, "If you want to bring a pleasing sacrifice to the Devil, take a pig, stuff it with tobacco, roast it, and your offering will be complete;" and no wonder the cannibals never will kill a man to cat his fiesh if he has used tobacco. Now, friend Hoot, having come to see and under- stand these facts, I have solemnly pledged myself never, never, to use the filthy weed; and more than that, the investigation of this has led me into tem- perance in all things; and by the help of God I shall henceforth keep my body under subjection; cat wholesome food, and drink pure and wholesome drink; and don't think, friend Root, I do or say this because I want a bee-smoU r. No; but I tell you before God, I mean what I s:iy. Stephen Roese. Maiden Rock, Wis., Jan. 7, 188:?. I do have charity for your countrymen, my good friend, and I can take them by the hand despite their long pipes; but at the same time I can but earnestly pray they may be delivered ere long from the bondage of the habit. As I read your letter, friend R., I felt the answer to the prayer was coming, and that, too, chiefly through the labors of their own number, even such as you. To be frank, even when most hopeful I have never had the faith to believe that my poor words in the Tobacco Column Avould ever have raised up such a one as you. May the Lord be praised ! A young friend of mine promises to quit the use of tobacco. He has been in tho habit of smoking and chewing, about four years. He seems to think it will help him to make a public announcement of his promise. He says he will " smoke his last cigar" on the last day of this year, and if he ever breaks his promise he will send you word. His name is Joseph Wood, age IT, late from England, and at pres- ent is employed on our farm. He says you need not send a smoker. W.m. L. Stiles. Austin, Tex., Dec. 30, 1881. May the Lord bless both you and our young friend, friend D. Tell him that he will do us the more good, because he has voluntari- ly come out and desired to be numbered with those clean in body and clean in heart, and we know he will hold out, the Lord helping him. 1SS2 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 93 fwr f CMi#. Great peace have they which love thy law.— Psalm 119:1«5. iSffT was Sabbath ruorning,and as the weather was getting: cold I had put on my over- coat preparatory to goicg out on my Sabbath's work. I pxished my hand absent- ly down into one of the pockets, and brought up some little cards. On one of them was the text above. The cards Avere probably some I had used the winter before over in our little mission S.ibbath-school that I tnld you of last winter. Why, what a beautiful text tliat is! snid I. and I began wondering that I had never before noticed the singular power that lay in its mild statement and promise. Surely no one but David ever put so much simple grandeur into so few words. As I thought of it, it began to come out sharp and clear, like a new engraving in our printing-press, when we tirst begin to work with it. These bright texts are a wonderful comfort and joy to me, and this one, this Sabbath morning, seemed a new bright to- ken from the kind Father above, of his great love to me. Not simply peace alone, but '■'• r/rcat peace'' was the promise. And to whomV under what conditions? Just sim- ply " to those — who love — thy law." Was ever any thing more beautiful '? And it was not a promise: it was a reality, for it says, "/mrethey." I almost trembled at the joy that came pouring in, when I reflected that I did indeed ?oi-c that law. Once I fretted and chafed under it, and felt it a fetter ; but now, thank God, it was a pleasure and a privilege to obey those laws, for I loved Ilim who, in such great wisdom, framed them. Perhaps not quite all the time did my voice and actions show that I loved them, and this was likely the key to the fact that I did not have, all the time, that great peace, either. Before night I met a friend who was in trouble. I listened to the circumstances, and ventured a word of hopefulness and consolation ; but it seemed a difficult matter to quiet the troubled spirit. While I was trying to think of something from Scripture that would cover the case and show this friend where she stood, I again absently pushed my hand far down into my coat- pocket. It touched these cards again, and I gladly drew them forth and held up this briglit little gem. It covered tlie ground, and as its great truth in all its powerseemed to answer and embrace all I had been vainly trying to say, 1 felt like thanking God again for my bright new treasure, this text. Ilave I ever told you how these texts and hymns come to me, and grow and enlarge as I con- tsmplate them, until they seem like little nuggets of gold ? Why, I often see and feel, when I tirst get a sight of them, that they are to prove new and bright friends, like ministering angels, when I get toknowthem more. Well, my friend did venture to sug- gest something, to the effect that she inigJit have " great peace," if folks would only let her alone. "■ But," said I, " it don't matter what folks do ; they are not even mentioned in the con- ditions at all. AVhy, all the people on earth, and Satan with them, can not rob you of, nor prevent your having, that great peace, if you simply love that law." I knew my words were true ; but when I reflected, that I often forgot them myself, I felt like asking God to help me not only to remember them, but to be sure I put them in practice. I have told you that Ernest is going to school in Oberlin. Well, his cousin George, the one who is such an enthusiast on the microscope and electricity, is also at school with liim. Witliin the last few weeks George has been converted, and, to theastonisliment of almost everybody, has thrown oil: his usu- al diffidence, so much so as to stand up bold- ly for the cause of Christ before men. The two boys came home from college for a vaca- tion during the holidays, and almost my first thought was, when I welcomed George, a fear that I might, in some way, before the vacation was ended, check or chill this new- born spirit of love and good will for every- body. I knew he had had a pretty good opinion of me, and I shuddered to have him find out, tliat, after all, I was but — clay. George is a printer, and, true to his usual habits of industry, he very soon went right into the printing-office, and resumed his place among his old shopmates, even during ins vacation. Well, one day toward the close of the year, when a multitude of cares seemed to center all together on my poor bald head, I fear I must have got into one of my old uncharitable moods. Come to think of it, I am not sure they are so very old aft- er all; but I wish they were. You know we always print the month on our postal cards, so the clerks have only to put in the figures indicating the day of the month. It was about the 28th of December, and of course we did not want a great many to last until the new year; but the clerks were out, and some more must be printed ; but George was using the job press to print some honey- labels in red ink, and he thought he could not stop to wash up the press and rollers, when I, perhaps pretty peremptorily, told him not to wash the press at all, but to print; the cards with red ink. Then came a dis- cussion as to how many should be printed to last until the new year. It was getting pret- ty close on to the hour when I am obliged to have the mail read, ready for the office ; and the reviewing of the work of so many clerks, correcting mistakes and misapprehensions, is quite apt to get me into a fretful mood be- fore it is all off. At such times I very often decide pretty hastily in giving orders; and often, too, it is better to decide some way, and get the wheels of business moving along, than to spend too much time in dallying over matters that are really of no great im- portance. I reiisoned thus: that it would be better to print a few postals into Janua- ry, rather than waste time in trying to de- cide just how many would be likely to be used in three or four days. With my fingers stuck between the postal cards and letters, to keep those read from those that were not, I asked George about how many blank cards he had all together. Others were waiting for answers to their questions, and 94 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Feb. mail time was nearinf? ; and without waiting for a very detinite answer I directed tliat all should be printed December, reasoning that, if you got postals in Januaiy, marked De- cember, you would all know at once how it should be, and it would do no harm. Well, the book-keeper is one of those pref.ise little bodies (as of course all book -keepers should be), and she could not think of having things go out in that shapp, even if 1 had so decided it. Worried as I was, this some- what offended my dignity, and it looked to me then as if it was my privilege to have things as I chose in my own business, even if it was not just as other ])eople do things. Did you ever hear of the farmer who had been' greatly troubled to get a hired man who would do exactly as he Avas bid ? Well, I suspect he must liave been one of these touchy i)eople who are always afraid their rights are going to be encroached upon. At any rate, he decOared he would never hire another man until he had given a decisive test. Well, an applicant soon came for a place. " I am hard to suit," said our friend. •• Do you think you can please meV " '' I should like to try, sir." " And will yon do exactly as I say. wheth- er you know all my reasons or not? " '' Try me and see." "Very good. Here; take this saw. and saw oft the wagon-tongue." The man did as he was bid, and soon came back with the saw in one hand and the wagon-tongue in the other. "All right," said his employer; " I think you will suit me. Now take the wagon to the shop and get a new tongue in it, and we will go to work." You see, I had got it into my head I was like the man who had the wagon, and that it was necessary for me to let the hands know, by a bold stroke, that I was " boss," and that I would be obeyed. Accordingly, in spite of the protests of the book-keeper, I declared they should all be printed December. " Why, Uncle Ame," says George, "there are almost a thousand." Of course, it would not do for me now to give way, after all I had said — or at least I thought so, and so I told him, "It doesn't make any difference ; 'print them all Decem- ber.'' After this, with a happy consciousness of having set ray foot down, and given all to understand that when 1 spoke 1 was to be obeyed, I went over to my type-writer and sat down to read my mail. I read the neatly written lines, but, for some reason or other, I did not understand them. Just then it oc- curred to me that my face was hot and flushed, and also that if one of you, my friends, should have called just then, it would have been a hard matter for me to have extended my hand with a pleasant smile of welcome. Then remorse began to creep up, even though the old pride did for a little time hold it at bay. May God help me ! I have been angry! Oh that terrible stinging conscience, from which there is no escape ! Ts there no loop- hole, and no way of escape, but to beg par- don (igaia frorti those from whom I had hoped never to be obliged to ask forgiveness any more in that way ? It seemed for a while as if even God would not hear my ])rayers again. Jlelentless time pushed on, and the niail must be read. In fact, I had not even time for an apology, it" I a\ anted to make one. A little comfort soon came, in the line of my father's text, " He knovveth our frame, he remembereth that we are but dust." I ki'.ew God would forgive me, but J felt I was crippled in my power for intiuencing others, at least for a time ; and oh how 1 did resolve to be more careful ! I wanted to be alone, and so I pushed back behind my type-writer into a sort of closet, or clothes-press, with my unhappy thoughts and — letters and pos- tal cards. God did hear, though, and, in spite of my poor weak sinfalness, gave me even there a glimpse of: his wondrous kind- ness and love that made me more ashamed of myself than ever. To explain it, I shall have to go back to the events of the morn- ing. I had been apprised that on tliis day, at about 10 o'clock in the morning, I should be wanted to testify, as an expert in bee cul- ture, in regard to the case with which you are nearly all familiar, of the bees and grapes of the two friends Krock and Klasen. The two opi)osing lawyers called, with a no- tary, to take down my evidence. The law- yer for friend Krock (the grape-man) was a stranger; and as I felt instinctively that he was employed to make out a case against us bee-folks, a prejudice was inclined to spring up. I fought against it, however; and when I was put under oath, I menially asked God to help me to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the tinih. I felt a little pained at his wary distrust, as I felt it, when I lirst saw him, and I longed to have liim know I was a friend to grape-men as well as our own folks, and wistied peace and good will to triumph, no matter who was the loser in the end. When I gave st)me facts that helped his side, whicli I might not have been expected to give, I was pleased to see him apparently soften toward me. I felt he was becoming" disarmed, and the man was com- ing out; and before we got through I felt quite an interest in his soul's salvrition. One point struck me forcibly. I was telling him we have those among our ranks who keep large apiaries, and acres of grapes too; and thai, therefore, bees and grapes can not be so very antagonistic. " Oh, yes ! '' said he ; " where a man owns both, I grant you he will get along, for no man emarrels intJi himself."" "Well, then," said 1, "if that be true, when we can get mankind so that everybody loves his neighbor as himself, all difliculties will be at an end, and we shall have the mil- lennium, shall we not? " He assented ; and although no one said there would then be no furtlier use for the profession of lawyers, I presume all felt it. We did not get througli by noon ; and as the time came for our noon sprvice, I asked all three to come out and sit down with us. All declined, except the one of whom I have been speaking. I had no time for prepara- tion, and so I took up the thought that I have just alluded to. If every man loved his neighbor as himself, peace on earth would 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 95 be established. I spoke of the long and ex- pensive quarrel between our two friends Krock and Klasen, and prayed quite ear- nestly that God would touch their liearts, and make them conscious of their folly, that the case might end at once, before it had be- come a worse precedent than it was now, for the bee and grape men of our land. I knew that, if the prayer were answered, it would throw our friend the lawyer out of a case ; but I somehow felt as if he was with me in heart in it. I remember thinking at the time, that I seldom conlined my brief peti- tions so closely to one single point as I had that day. As I stopped abruptly, almost, I had a sort of feeling, as I often do at such times, that the prayer was acceptable. As my work for the forenoon had been all inter- rupted, many cares pressed me after dinner ; and "When engrossed in t!iem, I forgot all about the noon prayer. Well, as I sat there by the window in tlie closet, this new lawyer came up. *' Well, Mr. Koot, your prayer is answered." '' What prayer? " said I, flunking only of my sad downfall of the last half-hour. '' Why, do you not remember what you prayed for this noon? Krock and Klasen have telegraphed for us to drop the case just where it is, and come home. The telegram came in just as w^e w^ere going up to dinner." God had heard and answered, once more ; and this time he had honored my poor peti- tion by making the matter plain to the sight of men, wdiile I had dishonored my Savior almost at the same hour, by letting my fool- ish, w^eak pride, persuade me that I might not have the honor I deserved. I tried to say a few words to my new friend that might help him to put his trust in God ; but the awful inconsistency of such a course before the book-keeper, who v.as busily at work hard by, stopped the words in my throat. I must lirst ask her pardon. Before I could do so, however, a little note was pushed to- ward me. In her nice clear handwriting, even if it was on a scrap of paper, were, as nearly as I can remember, these w^ords : " Please, Mr. Boot, reconsider your decision about those postals ; it will make us so much trouble to mark them out and write them over." Womanlike, sJie was not conquered, even if she was silenced ; and, book-keeper- like, she could not think of letting a '• Jan." card go out marked " Dec." I was not afraid then to say 1 was sorry ; but I felt sad, and told her so, to think 1 had been led into such foolishness. I hated to go to Cieorge and acknowledge my weakness ; but w-hen I told him after all that he might print them January, he looked up smili)igly and said he " did print them January long ago." My plans for impressing them with a sense of my importance had all gone to naught, for none had obeyed, and none had been si- lenced. They did riglit. They are both earnest, faithful Christians, and they paid me a greater compliment by doing as they did, than by doing otherwise. They recog- nized that a bad spirit had given that order, and not I ; and in believing that my better self would soon come uppermost, and ap- prove of the course they took, they paid me a compliment. Not I, but Jesus, my Savior, shall reign. Is it not unwise and dangerous for one like myself to thus openly encourage disobedience? It might be, if my trust were not in God. In other words, I have no fear that a single hand in my employ will ever disobey, very far, orders that I give him in my usual calm spirit. Several days had passed since the above, and I was one evening in the office having something of a talk with the boys, a few of them, including George and Ernest. I had not said any thing to George about the mat- ter of the ]>ostals, only to tell him I was glad he changed the dates", even though I direct- ed otherwise. I had a sort of hope that he did not see I lost my — balance that day, and that, therefore, tlie less said about it the better. Did you ever remark, that a drunk- en man is always sure he was not so bad that anybody could have noticed any thing differ- ent? Well, I have a sort of theory that sin is about the same in all its phases. The sin- ner always thinks it was not so bad that anybody noticed it. Once in a while, how- ever, we have a Christian friend brave enough and kind enough to tell us the plain truth. Well, George was just such a brave and kind friend to me. If any thing in life should ever come up to persuade me that George is not a good friend of mine, I shall try to look back at that evening, and tell the tempter to get behind me, for I know better. Ernest had been gently chiding me for branching out in business so much, and I was telling the boys that I did it, mainly that needy ones might have work, and in "tlie end, as I hoped, souls be brought to Christ. George here, with some apology, asked if he might take the liberty of making a suggestion in regard to the latter matter. I knew what w^as coming, instinctively ; but I was very gkul he had decided to broach the subject. lie then reminded me of the occurrence. '' And so I showed it in my face, did I, George, that I was vexed? " '• Why, to be sure, you did ; anybody could see it." " I am very sorry indeed. I was really not aware of it until I had spoken as I did." '' I presume I should not have done so, but I told them in the composing-room what you said, and they had a laugh over it, and quot- ed your • GREAT BEACE.' " There you have it, my friends. I was not one bit displeased to hear that George had told them, in the other room, how I had fall- en, nor do I feel hard toward the boys for quoting '* great peace." when he who had talked it so vehemently had fallen, and shown he was •• but dust," after all. George did not tell me any more, but my mind in- stantly reverted to one in that office to whom I once talked and recommended skepticism. When I was converted, I tried to take it back ; but there has always been a sort of feeling that he thought he would wait, and watch me a while, and see how I would " pan out " in the new life. I do not know, but I can imagine it was he who said '-great peace." I know he did not mean to be un- kind nor unfriendly, for I am sure you would lind him a most warm friend and champion of mine, if any real danger threatened, and this is why I have felt so keenly the justice 96 GLEANmaS IN BEE CULTUEE. Feb, of this reproof. Do yoii see how we who profess to be followers of Jesus are watched and weighed? I am glad it is so. We ought to be watched and weighed, for this is one of our greatest safeguards against falling. Shall we then fear to proclaim his name? Whosoever therefore shall be ashameil of inc and of my wurdfi, in this aflnlterous and sinful senera- tion, of him shall also the Son of man be ashiimed, when he cometh in the {?lory of his Father with the holy angels.— Mark 8:;58. Do you not see, now, that it takes some courage to be a Christian? And shall we back out, and stop by the way, because of the lions that may be found near our path? Not a bit of it. 1 shall talk '■'• great peace," I hope, as long as 1 live; and, with the help of the Lord, I hope to live it, even in busi- ness, better than i have done. Some of you may say, " But, hasn't a man a right to — have his" wagon-tongue sawed off, if he has a mind to? It is his wagon, and if the man gets his pay, whose business is it? " My reply would be, that no one who pro- fesses to be a Christian has any right to be guilty of any such proceedings. Whenever you contemplate any such action, you are, like Christian and Hopeful, out of the strait and narrow path that leads to the celestial city. Ernest had not got through with me, it seems, for he commenced again, that 1 liad too many cares, and too much business. George followed him up; and in the talk that ensued," it appeared that my fretful, un- charitable, and impatient moods were inva- riably between three and four o'clock p.m., at just the hour when I am accustomed to gather up the business of the day, and pass it through my brain, before it goes into the mail-bags. 1 was at fault for getting out of patience; but in truth, I had been lighting against fearful odds that had not been taken into account. One may be able to read let- ters more rapidly than Jiis brain can stand it to handle the business. Brains, like mus- cles, will stand about so much, and no more. I was a little proud, too, perhaps, of the amount of busineirS I could handle, and this was another obstacle in the way of the " great peace." Here were a couple of mere boys, only starting in college as it were, yet who, having the love of the Lord in their young hearts, were teaching me great lessons. My letters were to be read at different times through the day, instead of letting them all run into a single hour, and I was to study in different ways to husband the powers God has given me, as well as to try harder, with Jesus' help, to " suffer long, and be kind." Now, I know there are those among you, my readers, who are often overworked in the same way. There are times when it is next to impossible, on account of mental fa- tigue, to call forth the kind smile you would gladly give if you could. INIay God help you! And just a word more : Think gently, suf- fer long, and be kind to those whom you know are suffering from ill health or over- work. When you see a cloud of care upon the brow of a loved one, lift it ; make it a study to be able to disarm vexation; and when you, with God's help, have learned to soothe one, and bring him into his right mind, while in the chains of passion, you are on the way to realize the promise, — And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the tirnmment; and they that turn many to right- eousness, as the stars for ever and ever. — Dan. 12: 3. And you can then also say with David,— Groat peace have they which love thy law. FriC?Kli?oo(;— In reading the Home Papers in the January number of Gleanings, some thoughts were suggested by Mr. I. B. Rumford's article, on the duty of studying, that wo may know and obey the laws which the Creator has stamped on our physical and mental natures. He very pertinently asks, in speaking of the ef- forts of the Moral lloform Association in behalf of the degraded, " Will it not be best —yes, imperative- ly necessary- to look well to the cause, and go to the root of the matter?" Now, I hold that the cause of all the misery and unhappiness in the world results from the violation of laws which the Creator has wisely framed for our welfare and happiness. He has not given us intui- tive knowledge of these laws, nor has he proclaimed them in his revealed word; but he has endowed us with powers of observation and rctlection, through which we may learn what he has instituted in regard to us. ]f we neglect to use these powers in making ourselves familiar with the Creator's laws as they affect ourselves, we must inevitably sulTer; for they arc immutable and unbending in their operation. Man, ignorant and uncivilized, has suffered count- less miseries from which we of the present day are delivered. But it is only because we know more of God's laws than our ancestors. And if there is mis- ery and unhappiness in the worl i to-day, it is be- cause we are still ignorant of what will assuredly some day be known, or selflshly disobedient where knowledge is already abundant. Within a stone's throw of me to-night there lies a drunken mother, so helplessly besotted that another has to put her nursing babe to her breast. It is scarcely live months since this babe was born, and it was during a drunken spree like the present that it first saw the light. The husband is a man of good capacity, who would have a home of his own to-day, but for an unfortunate iuheritance which has been handed down to him from his father. The latter has been in the habit all his life long of going on periodical sprees. Between the sprees he would be strictly temperate. But about twice a year the slumbering taite for strong drink would arouse, and lead him away like a slave, refusing to be satis- fled till absolute physical prostration, and a system saturated with alcohol, caused the very sight of liquor to create a loathing. The son has inherited this peculiarity of constitution. He rises from his sprees penitent, and thoroughly disgusted with him- self on account of his weakness and folly; and I have known him to swear with his hand on the Bible, that not another drop of liquor should ever pass his lips again. But before six months have gone by, some peculiar temptation,— the banter of a com- panion, or the excitement of some festive occasion, — will arouse the demon slumbering within him, and he will be led away, a helpless slave, bound with the chains of his inherited desire. His wife is a weak woman, who inherits her taste for strong drink from her mother. They have three little boj'S besides the 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 97 prepared to offer a plan for securing such an end; but it is very clearly important that something should be done in this dircciion. FOOT-POAVEK SHEARS, FOR CUTTINO TIN, PASTEBOAI^M, THIN WOOD, ETC. SOMETniXG ABOUT A HANDY TOOFi FOR A BEK- KEEPEI!. fjIIE machine we illustrate below was in- tended originally for cutting sheet iron — ■ and tin ; but we found them so handy for a great variety of purposes, that we have had them for years in the different rooms of our factory. As they are all made of iron, and the bed-plate, or table, planed perfectly true and level with the different gauges, it affords great facility for cutting peffectly square, and with great accuracy. As it cuts paper as nicely as any paper-cutter, wlien not more than, say, 1^4 sheets are cut at once, it is really superior to most paper-cutters for any thing like the money. For several years Gleanix(;s was trimmed on one of these machines, and it did it quite as well, and al- most as fast, as the cutter we use now, cost- ing several Inuidred dollars. Amateur print- ers will lind thein very handy for trimming circulars, cutting cards, paper, etc. infant before alluded to. Will it be strange if these. children shall grow up to be common drunkards? Will it be strange if this inborn desire for strong drink should lead thom to the felon's cell, or bring them to an old age of pauperism and misery? Conceived in inebriety, born in inebriety, and suckled at the breast of an inebriate mother! What a terrible legacy is this for a parent to leave a child I And yet, ii is a legacy wliicb, eight times out of ten. will cling to that child, and produce its legitimate fruits as long as he may live. This I conceive to l)c the root of the matter. Men are what they are, not so much by instruction and training, as by what they have inherited from their parents. Let our reformatorj' institutions and as- sociations bear this fact in mind; and while they battle with the evil which is present, let them not forget its fertile source, but let them proclaim through the highways and the liyways of the land the immutable laws of the Creator, which place within the power of parents such a controlling in- tluonce over the destinies of their unborn children. James McNeill. Hudson, N. Y., Jan. iU, 1883. L can not forbear giving here an extract from Doctor Kellogg"s excellent book. Flam Facts, as it lias such a direct bearing on the subject friend M. has so vividly and power- fuhy brought up before us. >See what our nation has to battle with: — A SOURCE OF CRIME. -THE "JUKE" FAMILY. Who can tell how many of the liars, thieves, drunk- ards, murderers, and prostitutes of our day are less responsible for their crimes against themselves, against society, and against heaven. thHu those wtio were instrumental in bringmg them into the world? Almost every village has its boy "who was born drunk," a staggering, simpering, idiotic repre- sentative of a droaken father, beastly intoxicated at the very moment when he should have beeu most sober. An interesting study of this question has recently been made by Mr. Dugdale, a member of the Prison Association of the State of New York. Wnen visit- ing the various jails of the State, he found in one six persons detained for crimes of vari(jus character, between all of whom there was a family relation. Upon further inquiry, he found that of the same family there were twenty-nine relatives in the vi- cinity, seventeen of whom were criminals. Still further investigation developed the following facts: Within seventy-tive years, a family of 130IJ persons have sprung from five sisters, several of whom were illegitimate, and three of whom were known to be unchaste, and who married men whose father was an idle, thriftless hunter, .a hard drinker, and licentious. Of this family, the history of but 7i9 was traced. Of these, the facts set forth in the following in- complete summary were found to be truer- Paupers 280 Years of pauperism, •. 798 Criminals, ■ MO Years of infamy 750 Thieves 60 Murderers, 7 Prostitutes and adulteresses, 165 Illegitimate children, 91 No. of persons contaminated by syphilitic disease 480 Cost to the State in various ways 81,308,000 Without doubt a complete summary would make this showing still more app-.illing, since of the TU9 whose histories were traced, it was in many in- stances impossible to determine whether the indi- viduals were guilty of crime or unchasiity or not, even where there were grounds for suspicion. Such oases were not included in the summary. No amount of argument on this question could be so conclusive as are these simple facts concerning the "Juke" family. It is certainly high time that our Ipgislators began to awaken to this sub.iect, and consider whether it would be an unprcjfitalj'.e ex- periment to make some attempt to prevent the mul- tiplication of criminals in this manner. We are not 22-INCn FOOT-POWER f-QUARIXG SHEARS. You will observe by the cut, that there are sliding gauges, both on the back and front. Other gauges make it easy to cut wood, met- al, card, or paper, into any size or shape, bound by straight lines. Tin can be cut into squares or strips, l)y air expert, faster than you could well count the pieces. Thin wood is also easily cut, and we use one constantly in the wax-room for boxing fdn. As we use mostly thin basswood, we cut it across the grain readily, where the thickness is from i to i inch ; and with the grain, we can quick- ly shear olT even ^ stuff'. Nail the pieces on your box, letting the stuff extend over; take it on the shears, and clip off closely clear around : now linish witii one of our cheap planes, and yon have a neat job, done in a twinkling. "With a lot of tliin basswood, such as you can have made at any shingle 98 GLEAKINGS IK BEE CULTURE. Feb. machine, you can make light packing? boxes with this machine with wonderful facility. Tne one figured above cuts a length of 22 inches, and we have obtained a special rate from the makers, so we can furnish them to bee-keepers for an even §1U.00. ClEAMfflOS m BEE OUlTtlRE* EBITOK AND FUELISHEH, MEDINA, O. TERMS: $1.C0 PEK YEAK, POST-I»AI». FOR CLUBBTNG RATES, SEE FIRST PAGE OF READING MATTER. 3VEE333I2M"--a., ^^SSIO. 1, XOOS. And the Lord shall grnide thee continually, and sat- isfy thy soul.— Isaiah 58: 11. We have recently sent friend Abbott, of the Brit- ish Bee Journal, sixty thousand one-piece sections. Ox page 37, January number, last line of friend Morris' letter, read "nuisance" instead of "new ones." Will friend D. A. McCord ask Mr. Langstroth his experience in regard to pollen being necessary for brood-rearing? We don't want lona articles from anybody. Bear in mind, there aic a great many we want to hear something from every month. The time of holding the meeting of the Bee-keep- ers' Convention at Jamestown, Pa., has been post- poned one week, and will take place Feb. 8 and 9. Reports from working bees are always in order; but, dear friends, I do not believe it is profitable to have so much theory as we have been having lately. Friend Abbott has just us another large order, and in it is one item of 100 of our 50-ccnt cold-blast smokers, which seems to imply they find favor across the water. It has been said that those who constantly dwell on the faults of others, are invariably smarting un- der guilty consciences. One who is trying to do right is generally pretty busy at home. If there are any better oranges in the world than the Rusty Floridas that friend Froscher, of Pilatka, Fla., is supplying our lunch room with, it has never been our fortune to find them. Wc have just opened two barrels of luscious ones. We have about two dozen of the old-style Water- bury watches on hand, that we will sell for 50 cents less than the new solid nickel ones. They are regu- lated by carrying, like the rest, but the cases are only nickel plated. Who will take them? The Apiary Register, from the A. B. J. office, is very neatly gottenup, and strongly boundin leather; but I fear our friends will think fl.50 pretty high for a small book with the "reading" all the same on each paare, and the pages unnumbered. We have just added quite a quantity of new type to our job-work department in printing, and our friend "M." is anxious that I should let you know about it. Labels, circulars, price lists, etc., printed on short notice. Estimates furnished on application. Friend Hayhurst says, ia his postal-card circu- lar, "Bon' t send any affidavit, nor return any dead bees; but simply Sfly they are dead, and briefly give circumstances." To which I would add, "Don't ev- er, at any time, be in haste to think you have been cheated." We have made a very decided improvement in our rubber-plate machines, by using a hard quality of rubber. The fdn. often drops from these plates of itself. We are now about to test dipping plates for plain sheets made of rubber. The quality of rubber required, to stand heat, is worth about $1.00 per lb. Dr. Kellogg's doctor book, men tioned last month, is called "■Home Hand-Book of Health," and the other is "■Plain Facts for Old and Young," instead of as I had it. The books are much more expensive than I supposed when I wrote; and it seems to me the lat- ter one especially should be published in a cheaper form, for the benefit of the masses. Address Dr. Kellogg, Battle Creek, Mich., for prices. the one-piece sections. Before us is a copy of a patent granted in 1874, to H. W. Hutchins, East Livermore, Maine, for a plan of making boxes of one piece of wood, precisely like the Forncrook sections, even to the V-shaped groove, dovetailing in the ends, and all. The draw- ing makes it so plain, it is difficult to conceive that Forncrook's was not copied from it. jDSTas we go to press, "John" is all excited over some pic-plant roots that Mr. Merrybanks has per- mitted him to set in his greenhouse. He set the roots in tubs made by cutting old barrels in two, filling in with the best manure and woods dirt he could fliid, and the enormous growth they are mak- iog— whew! If the men over at the now sawmill don't get supplied with nice flve-cent pies, sweet- ened with maple 8.:gar, won't it be funny? You can just see the chimney of the new sawmill in the telephone picture. To-day is the 28th of January, and we have 3639 subscribers, and about 200 swarms of bees. The bees are in good order. I know that, because they had a little fly yesterday, and we overhauled a few of the weaker ones. Hill's device seems to an- swer excellently for lotting the bees pass from one comb to another, to get at their stores. I presume the 3030 subscribers are all in good order too, for they seem to be quite lively, from the amount of business they are sending us from every part of the civilized world. destitute colonies in FEBRUARY. Small cikes of candy, laid right on the frames, over the cluster, seems to be the simplest way of feeding any colonies that may be in danger of starv- ation. If broken into pieces about the size of wal- nuts, they will warm them up more readily. I would not feed candy containing flour for at least another monih yet. So long as there is danger of more se- vere weather, I would not start brood-rearing. Of course, this is for Northern localities. Where bees can fly a little nearly every day, you can crowd brood by feeding aU you choose. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 99 QUEENGESS COLONIES IN WINTER. Don't worry if you have a few colonics quecnlcss. We have four or five such, nnd they are wintering just as well as any, so far; and if it is desirable to prevent brood-rearing, the iibscncc of a queen will probably be just as effective as the absence of pol- len. Friend Viallon, or somebody else down that way, will have young queens ready lor us in April; and who knows but that they will be all the better for having no queen until April? I should not be at all surprised, from the experience I have had in such matters. A BEE PAPER IN CALIFORNIA. It is coming, friends, and I think it a pretty good Idea, if they have some one to direct it who is not afraid of work, and, so far as I know, friend Lever- ing seems to be the man. See:— Please mention in your Feb. No., if you oan, that tlii.-; State is to have a bee paper, "The California Aiiicultinisl ;" tluit it will be out by the Ut of Feb., and publi.--hecl at lliisi'Uy anil Los Angeles, with N. Levering as editor. Subscription price $1.00 per year. Cal. Api. Pub. Co. Oalilaticl, Cal., Jan. 20, 1S82. 1 confess, friends, I would much rather see the name of some good square man, in the place of "Cal- ifornia Apieultural Pub. Co." In regard to the Square List, it has occurred tome that candidates for this list had better be pro- pounded a month ahead; and if no objection is raised, they then go in. Also, as it may not be al- ways possible to settle according to everybody's de- mands, why not have difficult cases settled by ar- bitration? Any party who refuses to submit to ar- bitration, I suppose would have to be called a "heathen," and passed by as unworthy of count. You may say this is getting a little complicated; but there is great need of something of the kind, as many of you well know. TDE BLIZZARD. The morning of the Slth it was 3^ below zero here. I am told that, in some parts of York State, it was 40°. Here is what Doolittle says:— This is the coldest morning we have had here at Borodino since I have kept bees. The rneicuiT stands at 26 deg-i'ees be- low zero as I write. At such times I can not help but feel that a good cellar, keiit at a uniform temperature of 4.5 degiees, is the best plan for bees during winter. G. M. Doolittle. Borodino, N. Y., Jan. 24, 1882. And here. Alley:— Whew ! 20 degrees below zero here . Coldest ever known . Wenhani, .Mass., Jan. 21, 1SS2. Now, I don't feel so sure we want cellars, in our locality, especially if it turns round as quickly as it did here; for in 'H hours, or a little more, we had mud again. THE PRESENT CONDITION OF AFFAinS AT THE PATENT OFFICE. The following is an extract from the Humbug De- partment of the American Ar/yiculturitit for Febru- ary:— A few years ago we asked the then Commissioner of Patents whj' an inventor could not do business directly with the office. He replied that, while he would give an inventor every facility in so doing, he would not advise the attempt, as (lie Patent Laws, which he had no hand in making, were so intricate, and in such confusion, as to reciuire an expert to avoid mistakes which might invalidate a patent. Well, friends, if such was the case a few years ago, is it any thing strange if, at the present time, one getsapatent onanything,if heonly pays the money, no matter how many times it has been patented be- fore? going to renew in a club," it is a pretty hard matter for us. If we send it without pay, of course we must charge it; and then when the club agent sends in the name, how are we to know that the charge should be balanced on the ledger? Again, you say, "Keep my name on your list, and don't let Glean- ings stop. I will remit in a few days." Well, when you remit, a great many of you don't say a word about this little transaction, but just say, "Here is your dollar for Gleanings;" and the consequence is, you get two copies— one paid for, and the other charged to your account. We have had several quite respectable little fights (we try to have no oth- er kind with our patrons) from misunderstandings growing out of just this one thing. Now, won't you try to help us? A SUCCESSFUL HOUSE APIARY. Mr. J. p. Needles, Alanthus Grove, Mo., has re- cently paid us a visit, and, among other things, I learned he had a house apiary which he has had in constant use since before the time ours was built. He uses it only for comb honey, and never lifts out the combs, nor opens the hives at all, except to take the honey off, and as he does this only after the bees are driven out of the boxes by cold weather, he never has any bees out in the house. The honey, while there over the hives, is safe from moths, thieves, and all other enemies, and it Is never moved until he wants to take it to market. I pre- sume he gives each colony all the boxes they can possibly fill, at the commencemeat of the season; for, in fact, he saj's he sometimes piles them almost up to the ceiling. In this way he would get a better ripened quality of honey, but it would not be so clean and white to the eye. We always like to accommodate; but when some friend say?, " Send us Gleanings right along, I am I THINK, friends, I shall have to give you a little chapter on alarm clocks, as so many are complain- ing their clocks don't alarm when they are set. The trouble is, you forget that the alarm is dependent on the position of the hour-hand of your time-piece; if you move the hour-hand to set the clock after it has run down, your alarm is out of tune. HOW TO 8ET the ALARM CLOCK CORRECTLY. Wind the alarm a little, and then move the clock forward by the minute-hand, until the alarm sounds. Now let go of the minute-hand, afid place the hour- hand exactly over the time you wish to get up, say half-past five in the morning. You see the alarm has just sounded, and it is half-past five by the hour- hand. Therefore it will ahvays sound at half-past five until the hour-hand is again moved independ- ently. Wind up your clock, and set It by the min- ute-hand as usual. Now don't wind your alarm dur- ing the day, or it will sound in the afternoon at half- past five; but wind it in the evening, before j-ou re- tire. Suppose some one should say, "Potatoes can not be raised for 2.') cents a bushel. I can demonstrate itbyflgiu-es. If anybody offers them at that price, he is damaging the community, for they can not be good." Would not somebody soon say, " Whj-, friend, what means this singular vehemence? Have you a spite against anybody who does raise them at that price? Very likely you can not afford to do it; but how do you know what others can do? See, here are carloads of them going off, and those who have used them for j'cars do not find them ma- terially different from those they have at other 100 GLEANINGS INTiEE CULTUiiE. Fjsb. times paid a dollar for"? Is not the case some- what parallel with the "essays" we have had against dollar queens? No one expects dollar queens are all to be used for breeding purposes (any more than that all Cuttle and horses shall he so used), for the greater part of them are used for the production of honey. If I am not mistaken, the greatest crops of honey on record have come from our dollar queens, reared from imported mothers. On page 5SU of our December number, a daughter of a dollir queen gave 316 lbs. comb honey, and oOt extracted, in twen- ty-four days. What do lijng, uncharitable " har- angues" (excuse me) amount to, compared to great reports like these? CIRCUIilRS, ETC., RECEIVED. SQUARE MEN. 5gj^-5feE like your proposition to start a "Square WM Men's" column; but while such a course on -^ -' your part would be of unquestionable ad- vantage to all dealers whose dealings will bear the light of daj', and to consumers, it presents some ob- stacles, the chief of which is the danger of doing in- justice, either to an honest dealer by leaving him out of the list, or to consumers and all concerned, by putting in dealers of questionable reputation. In order to bo just to all, it will be necessary to proper- ly define the meaning of square men. Our ideal of a square man, and which we endeavor to live up to, is one who will keep the rjoMcn rule, " do to others as he would that they should do unto him." Suppose you should offer to insert one month, free, an ad- vertisement offering to make every thing square with dissatisfied customers. For our part, we would be glad to re.'pond with something like the follow- ing: NOTICE! We do not know that we have a single dissatisfied customer; but if we have, such will confer a favor by writing us kindly, and we will do our best to render satisfaction. Why is it that some sny that the world is hard to please? We have not found it so. E. A. Tno.MAS & Co. Colerain, Mass., Jan. 14, 1882. Friend Tliomas. I tbank you for your sug- gestions, as well as those written by others on this matter, and it is to me another evidence of God's loving kindness over all of us who are trying to do right, for good is assuredly beginning to shine out of it all. One who bad not worked hard for a good name would hardly dare come out and take the bold stand you and several others have done. May the J.ord bless you, and give you pa- tience to bold out in the task you have un- dertaken. How will this do V — Department for those who wish to be corisidered SQUARE MEN. Names will be inserted in this Department free of charge the first time. After that, lOo. each insertion, or $1.00 per year. Wg whose names appear below do not know that we have a single dissatisfied customer; but if we have, such will cimfor a favor by writing us kindly, and we will do our best to render satisfaction. Paul Viallon, Bayou Goula, Iberville Par., La.; I. li. Good, Napp:inee, Elkhart Co., Ind.; Otto Kli'inow, opn. Fort Wayne, Detroit, Mich. E. M. Hayhurst, Kansas City, Jackson Co., Mo. ; E. A. Thomas & Co., Colerain, Mass. Friend llavhnrst frivc?: m .a very neat little price list on a pos- t il r:iril, an 1 duriny; ISX'! is prepaid 1 to replace all doUai' queens that ttirn out liylirid^. IC;uisa-; i.'il.v. Mo. W. \V. Cuy iV SciTi, ( 'iilcraini-. :\I,i.ss., send us a 1-page circular and prioe list of \>vi-^ :\ni\ supplies. A very |>vi'tty little (jueen circular from .1. T Wilson, Mor- tonsvillc, Ky.,' telling to which State in the Union he sent queens l:\^t vi-ar. W. S. ('auilieu, Pleasant Hdl, S. C, a price list of Italian bees and (luoi'us, imr pimc, 5 x 15. Jas. FornrruoU- ,v Co , Itlpag'c list of apiarian supplies, bees, etc. Watcitown. Wis. A very pretty I'i-paLte circular from Mrs. Lizzie K. Cotton, of West Ubrhaiu, JIc. This circular contains muclt that is valua- ble; but I fear it rather exaKK'erates the profits that a new hand misht cxiicct from a swarm of boes. Mrs. C lays almost too much stress on " ln-r liivc," as it seems to me; still, I have no doubt but tlcit til-cat ii-siilts maybe obtained by her plan of very libi'ral b.'cdiiiK bcloic t\ic honey I'rop appears. c' (i ]>ii-kiiisoii, South Oxford. X. Y, sends us a 1-page cir- cular and ]uicc list of bees and hives. We have .just i)rinted circulars and price lists for the follow- ing parties: - J. F. Hart, I'nion Point, Go.., an 8 page catalogue of bee sup- plies, copiously illustrated. .T. M. Kinzic. Doou, Out , Canada, a 4 page list of hives, etc. Von Horn, omalia, Xeb, a 4-page list of apiarian supplies, il- lustrated. A. W. Cheney, Ivanawha Falls, W. Va , a 12 page list, illus., of the Kanawha Apiaries. Dclos Staples, West Sebewa, Mich., a 4page circular and de- scriptive piice list of the Willow Ridge fruit farm. T- C Crilly, (iiatlon, O., .a 12-page list of bees and queens. fi ^I. Doolittlc's r;-page list is very comprehensive, giving a list of papers for which he is agent, some rvui in number, and also a catalogue of bees and queens. Altliough friend Doolittlo is so prominent as an apiarian, one is ;it a loss to say, after i-eading his catalogue, whether he is not deservedly as much so as a horticulturist ; for his cuts of strawberries .and potatoes, and descri)ition of small fiuit, make one's "mouth water." Borodino, X. Y. Rubber or plaster machines, warranted, $3 75 to ST.dO. THIN FDN. machlnerv comolete, by mail. $2.,50. See OLIVER FOSTER'S free samples and price list. Mt. V^ernon, Lian Co., I )wa. 3d NORTHERN-GROWN SEEDS. PLANTS, VINES, ETC,, of first hands, at growers' prices, grown at my seed farm, fruit gardens, and apiary, east side Saratoga Lake. Address, JOHN H. MYERS. Box 106i, Saratoga Springs, N. Y. T*vo young men to work with bees, and in the nurs- ery. Will paywages, wiih a chance lo learn the busi- ness. S. I. FREEBORN, 2d Ithaca, Richland Co., Wis. At Kansas City, Mo.^ I breed PURE ITALIAN BEES for sale. I warrant my dollar queens to be purely mated, and guarantee safe arrival. I will try to givo perfect satisfactiun. Please send for list to E. M. HAYHURST, 2-3d P. O. Bo.x 1131. 1S82. TWELFTH YE-VR. 1882. Tested Queens in April and May, - - - $3 50 " " in June and after, - - - 2.00 Untested Queens in April and May, - - 1.25 " " in June and after, - - LOO Bv the % doz , 5 per cent olf above prices. By the dozen. 10 per cent off above prices. Also, Syrian and Cyprian Queens (bred in separate apiaries), at same price. Sent by mail, and safe arrival guaran- teed. Address W. P. HENDERSON, 2-5d Murf reesboro, Ruth. Co., Tean. FOR SALE CHEAP.— Foot-power buzz-saw. Pure Plvmouth Rock fowls and eggs for hatching during the season. Orange cane-seed, the kind bees work on. Also seed potatoes. For prices, address N. J. ISRAEL, 2-3d Beallsville Monroe Co., Ohio. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 101 Langstroth and SIMFLIOITT HIVES ! New and perfect maehinei-y for turning- out first- class work. Send $1.00 and set a 2-story Lansrstroth Hive, with -i^ixlV^ dovetailed boxes, with all fixtures complete, in riat. with roof top. All my hives are made of select dry white pine. To anyone getting: 1000 dovetailed Sections I wiU send a niaohine with which a child 14 years old can put together 1400 of my boxes in one day; a deduction of 10 per cent olf on large orders. Send for Price List. Be sure to state whether or not you now have my 1881 Price List. For reference. Farmers' National Bank, or Nve P1.1W Co. S. 1>. BCJKIili, Union City, Branch Co., Mich. 2d BJ;^ XJS^IE To send a postal card for our illustrated catalogue of Before pnrchasiujr elsewhere. It contains illustra- tions and descriptions of every thing new and de- sirable in an apiary, AT THE LOWEST PRICES. Italian, Cyprian, and Holv-Land Queens and Bees. J. C. & H. P. SAYLES, 2-Td Hartford, Washington Co., Wis. FOE SALE AT A BARGAIN. A planing-mill and foundry, with a well- stab- lished supply trade. Will take bees for first pay- ment. A. B. WEED, 2 No. 75 Baag Street, Detroit, Mich. WANTED! Every reader of Gleanings to send at once for a copy of my new Illustrated Circular of Bee-keepers' Supplies. It may pay to see it before ordering. 2-7d BXSXSSWAX VTANTHJ}. J. V. CALDWELL, Cambridge, Henry Co., 111. BEES and QUEEUS. HvbridQiip'^ns, fl.OO; Italian Tested Queens, before May 20, S2.')0: after. S2.00 ITntested Italian, C.vp- rian. H<'h -Land, and queens where the three races are kept (laving). .¥1.00; per half-dcz. $.').r)0; per doz., SIO.OO. Bees. $1.00 per pound: 2 (L.) frame nuclei, $1.50; 3(L.)franie nucleus, ^2.00; colony of Italian bees in 10 (L ) frame hives, $7.00; (add price of oueens to nucleus and colonies); 3 or more colonies, 10 per cent discount. Special discount on large or- ders, and after July 1st. Guarantee safe delivery to your post or express otHce. Root's Extractor, ARC Book, Cook's Manual, and Bee-keepers' Supplies I'urnishedat Root's prices. OTTO KLEINOW. 2tfd Opposite Fort Wayne, Detroit, Mich. X3cbX*X3r Xt£k.lia.XL C^iXGGXLiS ! ONLY THE BEST. FROM W, J. ELLISON, STATESBURG, SUMTER CO., S. C. Tested queens in April, May, and June,. " " in July, - . - Dollar queens in April, May, and June, ■ " " in .luly - - - - Bees by the pound in May, - - - 2-.5d 2.00 1.2.5 1.00 1.50 1 OOO Consult your own interest, and send i. O O ^ for my new Circular and Price List of Colonies. Nuclei, and Queens. 3-Td Address S. D. McLEAN, Columbia, Tenn. G. M. DOOLITTLE Says STANLEY'S VANDERVORT FOUNDATION for sectiotis is even thinner than natural cnmh, and is the very best fdn. made. See Gleanings for Jan., pages 14 and 15, and A. B. J. for Jan. 3. Wo also make high-walled Vandarvort fdn. for brood-cham- ber, to fit any size frame. Send for samples and prices, or send $10.00 for 20 lbs., 10 sq. ft. per lb., to 2-4d G. W. STANLEY & BRO., Wyoming, - Wyoming Co., - New York. !^S"25 cents per lb. in trade for good yellow bees- wax, delivered here. I Brother Bee-keepers, if you want the most perfect surplus arrangement for obtaining Surplus Comb Honey, send for my new Twit) Clamp; it is simple, cheap, and handy. It keeps the sections clean and neat from propolis. I will send a perfect clamp, filled with the most beautiful sections in the world, all ready to set upon the hive, for $1.00. By this sample you can get the idea, and make them to fit upon any hive. Send to F. BOOMHOWER. 2d Gallupville, Scho.Co., N. Y. IMPORTED QUEENS. In April, 11 francs in Gold. May and June. ... 10 " " " July and August. - . . g i. »i u September and October, - . 7 " " •' Queens which die in transit will be replaced only if sent back in a letter. 1-fid CHARLES BIANCONCINI & CO., Bologna, Italy. CtFOUHDATIONIjO WHOLESALE -AND- RETAIL. Dealers in Bee Supplies will do well to send for our wholesale prices of foundation. We now have the most extensive manufactorj^ of foundation in the country. We send to all parts of the U. S. We make all standard styles, and our wax is nowhere to be equaled for cleanliness, purity, and beauty. Ex- tra thin and bright for sections. All shapes and all sizes. Samples free on rciiuest. CHAS. DADADTT 6l SON, Itfd HAMILTON, HANCOCK CO., ILL. 1882. QUEENS ! 1882. I am now booking orders for war- ''■* ranted Italian Queens; each, $1.00; six. $5 00. Tested, after June, $1..50. Cyprians, unwarranted, $1.00; six, $5.0). Send for circular giving de- scription and recommendations from P. M. and county oiHcers. Money- Order oflice, Versailles, Ky. Itfd jr. T. WILXoiV, Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky. I. R. GOOD, Nappanee, Elkhart Co., Indiana, Makes a specialty of rearing Holy " Land Queens. All queens bred from D. A. Jones's imported queens. Dollar queens before June 20th, $1.25 each; after that date, single queen, $1.00; six queens for $5.00; twelve or more, 75 cts. each. Tested queens, $2.50 each. Italian queens, raised in Holy-Land apiaries, same price. Bees by the pound, and nucleus and full colony, as per A. I. Root's price list. l-9d 102 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUllE. Fei?, 3 Bees lor Sale! I will sell and ship from the 15th of April till the 20th of May next, 300 oolonies of bees at the following prices: SINGLE COLONIES, EACH, $7 50 2 to 5 " . .' . . 7 00 5 to 10 " " ..-...- (J 75 10 or more " " 0 £0 PURE ITALIANS, 50 CENTS PER COLONY MORE. It is unnecessary to siiy any thing: concerning the quality of my bees, inasmuch as thf^y have always f?iven universal satisfaction. As to their strength in numbers of bees, and extent to brood, I will only say that they arc as strong as atiy that I have at the season of the year that they are shipped. The queen must be healthy and prolific, and this year will, in nine c;ises out of ten, bo of last year's breeding, since nearly all of my 613 colonies that I wintered in last fall had been supplied with young queens during the season. They will have sullicient honey to carry them through to white-clover blossom; often they have much more. I use the eight-framo Langstroth hive, with portico. They are caiuted white; arc in neat, trim- looking shape, and have all straight combs. I might here insert letters testimonial sufficient, but I tru.t that my guaranty, that every colony I ship will give satisfaction, is sufficient in any case. Inasmuch as I have shipped several thousand colonics during the lust four or five years with never a grumbling report. I will further guarantee safe arrival at the last express station. No order is booked unless accompa- nied by the cash. When booked it will be filled la its proper turn. Notice will be givon as to the time of shipment, and, shortly before shipment, the exact date. No discount from the above prices will bo given under any circumstances to anyone; and correspondence for that purpose will bo useless. I shall, bow- ever, be glad to answer any other questions in regard to bees and their management. Money may be sent by Chicago, Mihvaukee, or New York Dr»ft, Money Order, or llcgi^tcrcd Letter. Respectfully yours. THE OEIGINAL PATEMT BINGHAES BEE SMOKEB AND Bingham & Hetherinqton Send a card for testimonials, or half- dozoii rates, to • BINGHAM & llETHERiHGTON, ABBONIA, MICH. For reliable information regarding climate, re- sources, and the general industries, subscribe for the SEMI - TEOPIC C ALIFOHNIA I An illustrated monthly, devoted to Agriculture, Horticulture, Viticolturo. ApicuUure. the home, and fireside. The KEPBESENTATIVB JOUENAL of the S0UTHE5H PACIFIC COAST. Subscription east of the Rocky Mountains, $1.00: sample copv, three 3-cent stamps. Address COLEiMAN & DICKEY, 2-4 Los Angeles, Cal. eiVEN'S FOUNDATION PBESS. GIVEN'S MACHINE FOK WmiJYG FBAMES. The only invention to make foundation in wired frames. Circulars and samples free. D. S. GIVEN & CO., l-3d Hoopestou, Vermillion Co., 111. , LEWIS' IMPHOVEO ONE-PIECE SECTION. Objection has been made for the list two years, by Heddon and otbi Bees and drape Bees, llandliiif,' in Winter. ..l.'.l Bees, rninanap:e;ib)e l.'iC. Bees, E.\e of ni Healtli VM Bees. Noisy. Hi; Bees' Tongues, Measuring.. i:i:i Bee-dress, Mrs. Harrison's. .ia:i Beemen as a Class i:ri Bee-tree, Cutting A 119 Boomhower's Lettei's. ..117, 130 Box-Elders 12S Box Hives Behind 140 Box Honey, Keeping IK Castles in Air l.'!2 Cellar Wintering IMi Chaff Hives 140 Corrections ". lU Cyprians, etc 132 D.ampness, To avoid 1.17 Deane's System 129 I Te.\ Diarrhoea KiS ~ Extra- pure Queens lix Fdn. , Taber's Views I.i9 Kdn., Machines for 1^9 Fdn. , Drawing out ]:« P'ranie- piercer. Chapman's. 137 Freeborn's Report 126 Gluing Machine 114 (ircgorv 's Report 140 Heredity, Problem of 112 Honev from I'.asswood 127 Honey from Thistles 127 Honev from Corn 123 Honey. Whitening. 134 Hoop iron Fianie 130 florsemiiit 140 Horse pciwers. Home-made. 141 llvbrid's I-'.s^av on Bees 139 lunn's All Worlvi .124 Mailiu's Letter 116 Merrvb.-mks 141 Neulians' Tps and Downs 12.i l'llir-l< anil T.iet 13S I'ollen, W'int without i:!n I'oplar-trees. Planting 134 l,)ueens. Dollar , 135 Queens Reared out of Se.a'n l.!9 See's, 1-piece. 7 years ago. ..140 Sex of Queen's Eggs 12') Silo and Ensilage 122 Survival of the Fittest 141 Spring;- Dwindling 115 Square :\lcn 136.140 ,S\v'g box. Shepard's i:tt Telephones 140 Texas Letter I'JO , Good tor 135 Tool-box, llvalfs 120 Trip to .lellerso]!. Wis 1'27 Ventilator-;. Necessity of 135 Water for Bees in Winter. . .1.30 Whoppers, etc 137 Wide Frames. Sub f»r 1-29 Wintering on Sugar 133 Wint. two in a Hive 138 ALSIKE CLOVER SRED.— Prime now s^od, 22c per lb. ; 5 lb3. for $1.00, F. L. W RIG HT, 3d Piaiiinekl, Mich. /CHEAPEST Pr-ACE FOR COLONIES.- Italian V_y Bees, S'^.Sil; Nuclei, Queens, Extractors, and Bee Books, see Feb. Gleanings. Address OTTO K LEI NOW. 3tfd Opposite Fort Wayne, Detroit, Mich. /^■^OMB FOUNDATION MACHINES, from $1.00 to \J $4:00. DIpping-Rox, $3.50. Fnundation, 85 to 40c per lb. No .siipg'tng' or breaking' down with the dipped fdn. Having moved m,v apiary, all wishing to address me will do so at Townhouse, Smvth Co . Va. JOHN FAKIS. 3 ANOTHEH MEW IDEA ! Foundation all rcad.y for business. Every sheet wired and bound around with a light wooden rim rcad.v to adjust instantly into .your frame. No ad- vance in prices. Small sample for tic. I shall also breed Choice Italian and Holy-Land Queens, prac- ticing a new stimulative process. Write now for prices and particulars to JOHN H. MARTIN. 3-2d Hartford, N. Y. HOLT-LAD -A. 3Nr X3> CYPRIAN QUEENS. Tested Holy-LRnd Queens, in March and April, $.'5.00. Selected, $7.50. ALL BRED FROM MOTHERS IMPORTED BY D. A. JO.VES. Cyprians at the same price. Reared in separate apiaries. H. B. HAKRrNGTO>r, 3 Medina, Ohio, Recent Additions to tlie COUNTER STORE. „ THREE-CENT COUNTER. Postage. J [Pr.of 10, of 100 6 I Tumbler for !i lb. honey, tin top | 2!» | 2 85 3 I MiiplesugarcrtUes, first run, extra nice, | 20 | I 75 2|('halk lines, cotton, good | 20|l-80 2 I Fishing-lines, cotton, good i 21 I 2 10 I Ink, gi>nd blick ink., p^r bottle | 25 | 3 25 3 I Pans, oblong, for m>iking 1-lb. bricks of bee candy or maple sugar 1 33 1 2 75 FIVE-CENT COUNTER. 0 i Gem p.iiis, 3 in a frame | 48 | -l 50 I Glass tumblers, 1 pt., strong and well linished [ 45 | -t 00 TEN-CENT COUNTER- 6 I Baking powders, friend Muth's, and a splendid article ' | 80 | 7 50 n ' Gem pans.i! lu a frame ( 95 | 9 00 3 I Pocket oilers | 90 [ 8 50 3 i Spectacle case, tin, just right for our 10-eent speetaoUs | 85 | 8 00 18 I Soap. Frank Siddall's Celebrated, wash- esolotbcs without b')iling and without injury | 90 | 8 ,50 Twenty-Five Cent Counter. 12 I Hummer, tempered steel, claw, small size, adze eve, splendid for the money | 3 .52 | 25 00 1 Wooden bowls. 17 inches 1 2 25 I 21 00 Thirty-Five Cent Counter. 6 I Pocket wrench, nickel-plated, a very il.sef ul tool I 3 00 27 50 SEVENTY-nVE CENT COUNTER. 10 I Life of Gartieli). from Canal Boy to President, .\lger** | 6 85 | 67 00 10 I Walks and Wonts of Jesus** 1 5 50 | 50 00 This book cont.iins, in ver.y Large type, all the words spoken by Jesus, as nearly in fheii- proper orkr 1..^ The new Deane System for Comb Honey. The N. A. B. K. A. says it surpasses any thing- of the Icind. combining all the necessary arrangements, simple emd complete. One full set for 50 cts. Weight, 4 to 5 lbs. Sent by freight or express as ynu direct. Send money bv P. O. money-order to Versailles, Woodford Co., Ky., at my risk. Send for price list. Will send by mail, exact "measurement of each piece of the Star Chatf Hive, and the new Deane System, for 30 one-cent stamps. Don't fail to put your name and P. O. address. C. H. DEANE, 12-5d Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky. 1882. QUEENS ! 1882. I am now booking orders for war- ranted Italian Queens; each, $1.00; six, $5 00. Tested, after June, $1.50. Cvprians, unwarranted, $1.00; six, $5.01. Send for circular giving de- scription and recommendations from P. M. and county officers. Money- Order office, Versailles, Ky. Itfd J. T. WlliSOiV, Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky. IN THE FRONT RANK of Queen-Breeders. Our handsome 34-page Illustratecl Catalogue of four races of BEES, QUEENS, and BEE-KEEP- ERS'SUPPLIES for 1883 is now ready. Secure a copy before you purchase elsewhere. Address E. A. THOMAS & CO. (Successors to E. A. Thomas), 2-7d Coleraiae, Franklin Co., Mass. 20 SWARMS OF BEES FOR SALE! I will sell, and deliver to Louisville express office from 1 to 30 swarms of Italian and hybrid bees at the following prices : In 10-f ramo 3-st()ry Langstroth hives, each $10.00; in 8-franie 1-story L. hives, each $7.50. Pure Italians, $1.00 per colony more. They have all straight worker combs, young queens, and are as strong as any that I have at the time of ship- ment. I will guarantee safe arrival to your express office, and am determined to give satisfaction. No order tilled unless accompanied by the cash. No discount on the above prices. Address A. SCHNEIDER. 3 4d Cor. 26th & Market Sts., Louisville, Ky. Dodgers Bee - Feeder TAKSS THE CAKE ! Hundreds using it; universal satisfaction. Sample by mail, 30e; per dozen, by express, $3.i 0. Price list oif Bee-keepers' Supplies, and Small-Fruit Plants, free to all who send. Address U. E. DODGE, 3d Fredonia, N. Y. GIVEN'S FOUNDATION PRESS. GIVEN'S MACHINE FOE ^]'IRI^^G FRAMES. The only invention to make foundation in wired frames. Circulars and samples free. l-3d S. GIVEN & CO., Hoopeston, Vermillion Co., III. Honey-Bearing Trees Look! Look! For 35 cents, I will send by mail, postpaid, to any part of the United States, either of the following (can use 3c and 3e stamps): 20 Pussy-Willow cuttings, the earliest blossoming of honey-trees (except box-elder), yielding pollen largely. 20 Golden Willow cutting?, yields both honey and pollen, and is tougher than hemp twine for tying. 35 Gray, or fence willow: will grow on low, wet ground, and can be headed back into a good fence; also yields honey plentifully. Put in deep, and ground well mulched, 90 per cent of these cut- tings will ft)rm roots. 10 Catiilpa Spociosa. Nice trees. Better than bass- wood for honey; a very quick grower, and the wood positively will not rot. 13 Turner R ispberry. Best honey-plant in U. S., and bearing abundant crops of the finest fruit. 13 Gregg, largest black-cap, keeps the bees busy. 10 Rox-Elders; nice little trees. 5 Russian Mulberry; fine fruit-trees. Catalpa seed, 30c por 75 seeds. Osage hedge-plants, boxed on car, by freight, $3 50 per 1000. For cata- logues of small fruit and nursery stock, send to 3d H. M. Morris, Rantoul, 111. Evergreen Sugar-Corn Seed, at $3. .50 per bushel. Seamless Sacks, 3.5c. Germination guaranteed. 3d J. A. WARD, Madisonville, H am. Co., O. FOR SALE! I have a few more stocks of Hyhrid Bees that I will sell cheap; also 13 Nellis Chaff Hives, and 16 Novice Chaff Hives. Now is your time, if .vou want a bargain. Bees will be shipped in lO-frame Sim- plicity Hive complete. . Address W. G. SALTFORD, 61 Delafleld St., 3d Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., N. Y. -AwKrTEX>.-'«7S7"-A.38:. -Address Von Dorn, 820 South Ave., Omaha, Neb. W 110 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. We h'^ve rpccived from D. A. Jones a quantity of his perforfitcd zinc, for the exclusion of drones and queens. Duties and freia-hts cost so mueh wo can nmbs, and, notwithstanding- ad- vances, by buying in half-ton lots we are enabled to erivt' a decline in prices as follows: For less than 1 lb., 2c per oz ; for 1 lb. or more, 25c; for unl.r.iken coils, as thov come from the factory, weighing from 5 to 10 lbs, 2ac per lb. Friknd Boomhower sends \is a piece of a section, with a very pretty labnl on it. The latter is made with a rubber stamp. The matter on it is something like this:- a* 0 T^ 0 © 0 CUMB HONEY, ^ p FllO.I! THE py © GaUiipville, Schn. C;)., N. Y. 0 H _ F. BOOMHOWEE. PEOP. p^ R » ©©OQ00O0QOO0QS0O00G0 • Wc can furnish such for $2 50, postpaid. BASSWOOD-TKEES; HOW SHALIj WE GET THEM? Tfterr is quite a call for b-isswood-trees, and no- body is at present a'lvertising th^m. [ h-ive a iittle bit of a secn^t for those who want somclhing to do, and it is that basswood shoots, if cut tip into single- bud pieces, and properly started, will grow almost as well as currant and willow. I am trying to get time to have it tried in our greenhouse, and have just been thinking of getting buds from such trees as I know produce lots of honey, so as to get an ex- tra variety. Mr. Merrybanks thinks he can raise maple-trees in the same way, from the " old s^veet tree." We shall see. Will those who can furnish small bass wood-trees please advertise them? You need not write me about them, because it will be by far the simplest way to deal direct with those who wish to purchase. Get some basswood shoots, and start them in boxes in the window, or near the stove. If the basswoods are not near you, we can furnish the buds for 25 cents per hundred, postpaid. CIKCUIiARS, ETC., RECEIVED. Otto Sohulz & H. Guhler. of Buckow, Pi-ussia, send us a very nice 20-yinse price list of supplies for the apiary, as used In Ger- many. The list also contains a lithoerraphed card witli pictures of implements for the apiai-y. presenting quite a contrast with those used here; also a calendar for 1882 on the back. This list is so pretty, that probaljly few will be thrown away .7. A. Hopkins, Soutli Oxford, N.Y., sends out an 8-papre list, 8x3'/^ inches, of supplies for the apiary. It is well t^ottcn up. (t. W. Stanley, Wyoming:. N. Y., sends out a neatl-pago cir- cular, with samples' of the Vandei-vort fdn. One of the brightest tittle circulars of IB pages comes from our friend Viallon. Bayou Goula, La. We make the following ex- tract in regard to Simplicity hi\-es. from p. 7: " Having had no demand for L. hives for the last two seasons. I discard them from this catalogue ; while it may have been the best and sim- plest hive at one time, it is fast being superseded by the Root's Sim]3licity, and the Vandeusen-Nellis Simplicity hives, which are, in fact, nothing else but an improved L. hive, giving all the facilities of manipulation.' ' Narmore & Wood, North Lansing. Mich., send a price list of hives, sections, etc.. printed on card, 5}4^-fH- J.I. Johnson, Palmyra. N. Y. .sends out his 4-page spring cata- logue of small fruits, and price list of bees. Dougherty & McKee, Indianapolis, Ind., dealers in bee-keep- ers' supplies, have sent us an 8-page illustrated price list of their wares . Friend Olm, Fond du Lac. Wis., sends us samples of beautiful fdn. with high side walls and thin bases: also prices of mills for making the same, down to 40, 2,i, 15, and 10 dollars for 12, 9, 6, and 4 inch, respectively. The California Apiculturist makes a very creditable appear- ance for the tirst nuiuber. Tei-nis $1.00 a year. A very pretty 32-page catalogue from A. H . Newman, 972 W . Madison St., Chicago, 111., fully illustrated with modern imple- ments. Dr. Nugent, Strathroy. Ont . Can . is fully up to the times with his tasty 20-page pi-ice list of things pertaining to the bee business. S. D. Buell, ITnion City, Mich., has issued a 12-page list of Sim- plicity and L. hives, sections, etc. A very pretty circular of fdn. mills, from Mrs. Frances Dun- ham. Mrs. Dunham, by her increasing business, demonstrates woman's capabilities in nice machinery as well as bees. J. O. Facey. New Hamburg, Out,, Can,, sends a 4-page list of bees and apiarian supplies. X very pretty circulair from W.P. Henderson, Murfreesboro, Tenn.. with a long string of kind words from his pleased cus- tomers. Dr. ^V. R. Howard. Kingston, Texas, sends .a nicely printed 4- Iiage list of ai)iarian supplies. It is literally filled with cuts — a good feature. F. A. Snell, Milledgeville, 111., issiies a 16-page list of hives, exti-a(-tors, bees, etc. Illustrated. Friend Snell makes the "Eclipse " hive. Cheirograph circulars are becoming quite common. Friend Duff, of Flat Kidge, O.. sends us one .5x4. one page, which looks decidedly ' ' gay. " It is a price list of queens, It.alian and Cyp- linn. Fnllowin;r this is one from friend Oliver Foster. Mt. Ver- non, liiwa. relative to rubber machines for molding fdn. G 11. Lewis, Watertown, Wis., sends out a 16 -page price list, map fold, of ajiiarian goods. B. Davidson, Vxbridge, Ont.7issuos an S page list of hivos, sec- tions, etc, I. R. Good, Nappanee, Ind., is out with a postal circular of bees and queens. J. H. Robertson, Pevvamo, Mich., sends out a 4-page price list of bees, with a picture of his .apiary on first page. L. C. McFatridge, Carroll, Ind. , a postal circular of bees and qtieens. J L. Bowers, Berryville, Va., sends us a pretty 4-page list of ajjiarian goods. Among those issued from our Job Department during Februa- ry we note the circular and price list of E. T Flanagan, Belle- ville. 111., 12 pages, illustrated, size of this journal. A 4-page list for J. A. Osborne, liantoul. Ill .dealer in bees, queens, and Cotswold sheep. A 4 page list of bees and queens for George W. Baker, Lewisvilie. ind. A price list of grapevines and small fruit. torF. L. Wright, Plaintield. Mich. J. P. Moore, ^viorsan, Ky., a 4-page list of Italian queens, of which friend M. makes a specialty. Underthis head will be inserted, free of charge, tne names or all those h.iving honey to sell, as well as those wanting to buy. Please mention how much, what kind, and prices, as far as pos- sible. As a general thing, I would not advise you to send vour honey away to be sold on commission. If near home, where you can look after it. it is often a very good way. By all me.ins, develop your home market. For 2o cents we can furnish little boards to hang up in your dooryard, with the words, "Honey for Sale, ' ' neatly painted. 1 f wanted by m.ail. 10 cents extra for postage. Boaids saying ' ' Bees and Queens for Sale, ' ' same P'ice. CITY MARKETS. Chicago.— Ho)!ey.— There are no changes in the quotations ou either wax or honey in th s market since my last rep irt. The market is fully supplied, and sales are much slower. I f^uote: Comb honey, 17@22 c. ; ext.. S(«ili( c. Wax, 18(a),22 c. Chicago, Feb. 22, 1882. A. H. NawMAN. Cincinnati.— Hone;/ —The retail demand for ex- tracted honey in small packages is fair, but only an occ.isional barrel is sold for m^nufaciuring purpos- es. It brings 7(5sll c. on arrival. Demand for comb honey is only in a retail wa.y, and only choice white is salable, it would bring 20 c. on arrival. Beeswax brings 18(i$-'2 c. on arrival. The demand exceeds the offei ings. C. F. Muth. Cincinnati, Feb. 21, 1882. Cleveland.— Honey. —The honey market contin- ues very steady, particularl.y for white clover and basswood; 1-lb. sections take the preference, but we are enabled to get 2I@22 c. for both 1 and 2 lbs. It is almost impossible to sell buckwheat honey. Ext. in small packages sells at 12 c.; large, lie. IT'a.c very scarce— 22®25 c. A. C. Kendel. Cleveland, Feb. 20, 1882. Detroit.— Honey— The honey market is very dull. The demand is light, and but little is coming in. Nothing but what is first-class will sell. Prices are unsteady, and range from 16 to 18c. Detroit, Mich., Feb. 24, 1882. A. B. Weed. New York.- Hone?/.- We quote best comb honey, put up in 2 lb. sections, at 18@20c; fair grade of white, 1.5@ilTc; mixed and dark grades, 12@13c; large boxes, 2c per lb. less than above prices; best white extracted in firkins. 10@llc; best dark do., ,7@8c. Be swax, prime quality, 'S-Wiylijc. We have no comb honey in 1-lb. sections; therefore we do not quote them. H. K. & F. B. Thurber & Co. New York, Feb. 23, 1882. I have between 1300 and 1400 lbs. of honey in kegs, for which I will take 10c for basswood, and 11 for pure clover, delivered on board cars at Farley. No charge for kegs. Samples sent, If wanted. 1 guar- antee purity, and quality to he good. J AS, ScoTT, Farley, Ohio. GLEANINGS E CULTURE. to Bees and Honey, and Home Interests. Vol. X. MARCH 1, 1882. No. a. A. Z. ROOT, j I Publisher and Proprietor Medina, O. j Published Monthly. r TERMS: Si. 00 Ter ANNUM, IN ADVANCE; I 2 Copies for $1. 90; .S for $2. 75; 5 for %l. 00; 10 ] or more, 75 cts. each. Singrle Number, 10 cts. Additions to clubs may be made at club rates. Above are all to be sent to one post- Established in ISYSMllf^i.^^'^^J',^^'''''''''''''''^''''''''''-' NOTES FROM THE BANNER APIARY. NO. 28. OUR BUSINESS- SHALL WE COMMENCE " LITTLE OR BIG"? f If^RIEND HEDDON, I was much pleased in read- ing your article in January Gleanings. I agree, with you, that, after a man has learned bee-keeping, and intends to make it a business for life, it is foolish for him to fritter away his time with a few colonies; hut in regard to the manner in which he shall gain a knowledge of bee-keeping, I don't agree with you, and yet I do. The serving as an apprentice may be all right in some cases; in others, it may not, as a method of management that is successful in one locality may boa failure in an- other. An apprentice who came from a distance to learn of friend Rtddon, might be disappointed upon putting into practice, at his own home, a method that was successful in Southern Michigan. But even if this were the best way of learning bee cul- ture, ,iust think how few persons can leave home convenient Ij', and become apprentices; while bj' the aid of books, bee-papers that contain the ex- periences of the best apiarists, and a few colonies of bees, the theory, principles, and practice of bee- keeping can be easily learned at one's own home. THE "SQUARE LIST." I can subscribe to the declaration with which the "square" listisheaded; yet there is somcttiing repug- nant tome about thp whole business— this advertis- ing, in this manner, one's honesty and good name. Public opinion says, that the physician must not advertise his wonderful skill; it says, "Let his works speak for themselves;" and J say, let a man's works, or dealings, speak for themselves. Di^aler after dealer has advertised to " guarantee satisfac- tion;" but, judging from the manner in which some of them deal, it must have been unto themselves, and not unto their customers, that they guaranteed satisfaction. A bee-keeper once said to me, " When a man advertises, or boasts of his honesty, I think it advisable not to trust him too far." Please don't think that I am casting reflections uponthose whose names have already appeared in the square list — far from it: T consider them the squarest of square dealers. Perhaps, though, if I had lost a good round sum through the dishonesty or negligence of some " scaly" dealer, 1 might feel differently about this matter. BEES WINTERING SPLENDIDLY. For the first time since November, my bees had a " fly" yesterday. I carried all, except two colonies, out of the cellar; allowed them to fly, and then re- turned them to the cellar. I did not give two colo- nics a "fly," as I wish to see if they will stand it without a "fly " until next May. There were scarcely any dead bees under the hives, and all my bees are wintering splendidly. I say "all;" but about those 10 colonies that are buried in clamps — well, I will tell you more about them next spring, after I dig them out. W. Z. Hutchinson. Kogersville, Genesee Co., Mich. I think you mistake a little, friend H., in tlie matter of square men. Those who enter the list simply promise to make good any dilierences before commencing another sea- son's business. Well, tliere are quite a num- ber of our advertisers whom we would be 112 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. Mak. very glad to have say to the friends they were ready to settle up old scores, and make thing-s satisfactory. You may say there are some who can not doit. Jii that case, should they be allowed to run the risk of defrauding more V Is it boasting, to say, '• Friends, if there is any thing in my past deal not right, I stand ready to make itso"V To be sure, not. Will anybody put his name thus before the public who is not square V He may one month ; but the minute his name comes out I should be notiiied if he did not live up to this public offer. That is why I suggested they be propounded one month ahead. See : — In regard to the Square Men's Column, I wish to say, that I also liked your proposition, but did not sec how it was to be managed justly to all, until E. A. Thomas & Co. explained it. I can most heartily indorse all they say. Please consider me an appli- cant for a permanent position in the Square Men's Column, and accept my thanlvs for placing me there on the start. You have said a great many kind words lor me, friend Root, but this last compliment exceeds them all. If there is one thing that I take solid comfort in, it is the feeling that, so far as 1 know, none of my customers have reason to com- plain. E. M. Hayhubst. Kansas City, Mo., Feb, 6, 1883. And here is another : — To advertise Viallon and Hayhurst, with whom I have dealt, as square men, seems to me ridiculous, because I know that, like yourself, they will do more than is required, to satisfy their customers; but every year brings new men forward, and to them your indorsement will be of value. L. M. Shumaker. North Danville, Va., Feb. 6, 1883. Many thanks, friend S., for putting my poor self in with friends Viallon and ilay- hurst ; but if you will reflect, I think you will think of reasons why I can not stand there. These two friends have fought for the place they occupy, and there is a great and strong desire on the part of many of our younger members, to stand by their side. Good is coming out of all these troubles, and perhaps a greater good than even the most sanguine of us dream of. V THE PROBIiEM OF HEKEDITY. TH3 DZIERZON THEOKY; THOSE THREE - BANDED HYBRIDS; SEVERAL RACES MERGED INTO ONE; CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE CAUSE INSECT RACES TO VARY IN COLOR; BEES IN AMERICA; THE EASTERN RACES, ETC. Mt. EDWARD CORI, who is more extreme in WW bis views on the Dzierzon Theory than I am, ' says: " I think the effects of impure fertili- zation more pronounced and perceptible in the drone progeny than in the worker progeny." A. F. Brown says: " We erred in breeding from drones where the queens have met with hybrid or black drones. Dzierzon or no Dzierzon, for such we have no use." Martin Metcalf speaks of the Dzierzon Theory as the bogus theory of the books; and Mr. J. E. Pond invites the fraternity to set him right if he has made a mistake in concluding that it is false. Undoubtedly, all who run full tilt against this theory should be suspected by the editors — suspected of having tested it, and of having found it false in practice. The truth sometimes prevails in the long run; but, as my views differ from those of the work- ing majority, lest I become a recognized sinner, I forbear to press the subject further. Let us have the whole truth on this important subject, friend Root, by all means; we have been groping in the dark too long already for the interest of the bee- keeping class. THOSE THREE-BANDED HYBRIDS. Most people know that animals sometimes breed after themselves; but most people do not know what Mr. Doolittle asserts that he does know, in the fol- lowing quotation ; and herein consists the stunner observed by Mr. John A. Buchanan, who, mistaking the shadow for the substance, adds his testimony to prove the first-mentioned fact. Mr. Doolittle said (see October Gleanings), '• I claim the Italian bee is only a 'thoroughbred,' and not a tixed race of bees. It is said that a cross of the black bee with the Egyptian will, in three generations, produce a bee which no man can tell from the best Italian. If this is so, it is probably the starting-point of our Italians; but why such breeding can so thoroughly fix the bands that a queen, mating with a common drone, will not show such mating in her working progenj', is more than I can tell, but know such to be the fact." Mr. Doolittle, then, has found two races of bees (if the report can be relied on), whose offspring of the third generation can not be told from the best Italian! This he considers the start- ing-point of our Italians. This breeding has so fixed the bands, that a queen mating with a common drone will not show such mating in her working progeny; this he knows to be a fact; and yet he claims that the Italian bee is only a thoroughbred, and not a fixed race. Nearly 20C0 years have passed since two races of bees have been known to exist in Italy; and what can be accomplished in three crosses of their probable progenitors, is not yet accom- plished in their progeny in that country. This sur- passes the credulity of ordinary men. several RACES MERGED INTO ONE. In the early part of this century, in the Miami Valley, Ohio, the bristly swine of that section of country were improved by crossing them with the Russia, the Byfleld, and the Bedford breeds of swine. In 1816, four China hogs were imported, and bred with the before-mentioned hybrids. From 1835 to 1841 the blood of the Berkshire hog was freely added; and in 1838, some Irish graziers were im- ported and bred with them. By judicious selection from among these mongrels, a race of fixed character- istics, called the "Poland-China" hog, was formed in about half a century. Here seven lines of de- scent converge to form one race. This race varies in color from a light-colored hog with small black spots to those nearly black, as would be expected of a race made up of the descendants of animals of vari- ous colors. Color is not, then, necessarily, a dis- tinctive characteristic of a race. CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE CAUSE INSECT RACES TO VARY IN COLOR. Two species of the hawk moth. Sphinx quinque- maculatus, which is a northern species, the larva of which is known as the potato worm, and another, whose larva is known as the tobacco worm, meet in Maryland. They are nearly alike in all their states. The potato worm is there distinguished from the to* 1882 GLEAI^INGS IN BEE CULTURE. 113 bacco worm by the bluish color of the anal horn on its tall, and by a few minor distinctions. Here, this horn has assumed the reddish color of the horn of the tobacco worm. There, as here, the potato worm, which is of a ffreenish-yellow color in the summer, becomes nearly black late in the fall. Some speci- mens hatch out yellow late in the year. In this case, color is not to be relied on in determining the mem- bers of the race, and the influences of temperature and climate are strongly marked. BEES IN AMERICA, AND THE EASTERN RACES. Previous to the introduction of the Italian bee, the bees of this section of country, in some cases, had well-defined yellow bands; in Arkansas the yellow color prevailed to a greater extent than here; in New Mexico they were of a lighter color still; at the North they remained dark. On the eastern conti- nent, similar conditions have produced results sim- ilar to those produced here. Many queen-breeders have observed the change of color produced upon the occupant of a queen-cell by exposure to cold; and the same result maj' be expected by exposing other brood. Diversity of color in a race of bees, then, is in line with diversity in color in other races of insects, and a result due to the same causes. As in the case of the Poland-China hog, diversity of color in progenitors will produce diversity of color in the resulting race, unless the surrounding con- ditions are such as to produce a counteracting in- fluence. It is evident, if the yellow bee has been produced at the South, and the black bee has been produced at the North, that there must be an inter- mediate point, or section of country, in which the two influences are about equal. Here, a race inter- mediate between the Southern and Northern races would be likely to develope, or the two races would overlap each other, and uniformity in color would not be produced by natural selection. Virgil wrote before the time of Christ, and then two races of bees were known in Italy. One was spangled with gold, which is_ the better race, and one looked hideously ugly. Italy was then the intermediate ground on which the two races met, and, overlapping each other, mingled together. Knowing, at that early day, that the yellow bee was to be preferred, the natives would naturally practice selection in a rude way, and the yellow race would gradually prevail over the dark one. The influences of climate and temperature not existing in that country, the change would have to be produced by selection alone, and this could not be done until the two races had become hopelessly blended. We should expect from such results just what we have got; namely, a race of bees, uniform in character- istics, though varying in color from the lighter to the darker race; yet, when removed to where cli- matic influences have their full effect, capable of rapidly assuming the color of the race whose blood has entered most freely into their composition. In view of these facts, is it reasonable to doubt that the Italian bee is a fixed race? In 1874, Mr. H. A.King had four Italian queens that were dark enough to pass for black queens. Their workers were as yellow as any he ever saw — all alike, and tapering in form, and the drones were better than the average. He raised quite light queens from them; this he could not understand, he said; and, also, that all queens raised in this country are lighter than those imported. Mr. King's experience here given agrees with the experience of others who have used dark-colored queens from Italy, and is the best evidence to show that the Italian bee is a fixed race. Where climatic influences do not favor uniformity in color, they follow the same rule that governs the Poland-China hog; but when removed to where it has its full force, the tendency is to at once assume the color of the progenitor whose blood has entered into their makeup the most freely. They have descended from thesarae parents, and have the same distinctive qualities in common, which they transmit to their offspring with cer- tainty. This is as much as can be said of any other class of animals; they are, therefore, a race. Rulo, Neb., Feb., 188:2. Jerome Wiltse. Many thanks, friend W., for your able pa- per, and the important facts you have fur- nished us. I have often wondered just how our Poland-China pigs and other improved races came about, and you have given some very important light on the matter. In re- gard to the Dzierzon Theory, I would sim- ply ask our friends who can, to get some after-swarms from a locality where no Ital- ians can be found, and bring them into a large Italian apiary. These virgin black queens will be pretty sure to meet Italian drones, and will produce mixed workers — some black, some three-banded, and some one or two banded (begging friend Doolittle's pardon). Now, if you can tind among the whole a drone showing a single mark of Ital- ian, you will do sometning 1 have not been able to do.— I have several times had it re- ported there were yellow bees in localities where Italians had never been. All speci- mens showed bees with a yellow fur, or down, as described in the A B C, but none showing the faintest yellow in the horny scale, as do the Italians. If you will excuse me, friend W.,I must still be a little incred- ulous about any thing like Italian blood be- ing found in America before their importa- tion. KEEPING BOX HONEY. AN ARTICLE OF MUCH VALUE. M S there are some bee-keepers who fail to keep J^^_ their honey in a good marketable condition, ' I will try to give my experience, and hope it will be of help to those who fail in this respect. When I began keeping bees in movable-frame hives, it was advised to store honey in a good, dry, well- ventilated cellar, if one was handy. I had such a one; and as the honey was taken off it was placed on a table, or rack, in the cellar. Almost as soon as it was stored there, it would begin to turn watery, and sweat. I did not know what caused it, and so did not remove it until shipment in the fall. I had about 8000 lbs., and I think that I lost at least five cents on every pound; or, in other words, $150, by not knowing how to keep my honey in shape so that it would bring a good price. At about this time I saw it advised to keep it in a warm upper room; and as I was about to build a bee cellar, I concluded to add an upper story, and partition it into two rooms, the one facing the south, with a large win- dow on the south side, allowing the sun to shine di- rectly in, to be used as a honey-room, I kept the window and door shut as much as pos- sible, which made it very warm and close. For two 114 GLEANINGS IN i3EE CULl^URE. Mak. years I stored it in this room, and the honey was more watery, if possible, than ever. At last, upon the advice of a friend, I covered the south window opening in the honey-room, and also the one at the north end of the building-, directly opposite, with wire cloth. A large opening- was made in the door between the rooms, which was covered with the same material. In this way I provide for a free cir- culation of pure air every sunshiny daj-, directly through the room in and around the honej'. Damp, rainy days and nights, the windows are kept closed. Since fixing the windows and door in this way I have had no trouble until the approach of cold weather, when a stove helps to maintain the desired temperature; even then I do not neglect ventila- tion. One thing more: Since I have kept my honey in this way I have not had to burn sulphur to kill worms, for none have halched. N. F. Cask. Glendale, Lewis Co., N. Y., Feb. 13, 1883. MANIJM'S MACHINK FOR GLUING SEC- TIONS. ESPECtALLY FOR "FOLKS" WHO THINK THE DOVE- TAILED AND ALL-IN-ONE-PIECE NOT STOUT ENOUGH. fN compliance with your request, I will give you a brief description of the machine. As you see — ' by the cut, it somewhat resembles a harness- maker's stitching-hnrsc. Having once worked at the harness business is doubtless the cause of my adopting this easy form fur these machines. They arc made of well-seasoned ]ia d wood (maple and birch), e.\cept the seats, which are made of soft wood. The mwchines are put togither with screws or bolts; they can thus be easily and quickly put together or taken apart. There is nothing about them liable to get out of order, or to wear out, ex- cept that the wooden spring may, after a time, lose its elasticity. To remedy this it may be turned over, which will make it as good as ever. MACHINE FOR GLUING SECTIONS. The little table under the slide A is movable, and can be adjusted to accommodate any size section. The plunger, to which the glue-pad is attached, is automatic, making a plunge into the glue at every downward motion of the treadle; and by simply touching one of the dovetailed ends to the pad, suf- ficient glue will adhere to the section to make a strongjoint. These machines are very simple, and easy to operate. It is fun for boys to operate them. A smart 12-year-old boy can put together from 1200 to 20C0 sections per day, with one of these machines. The fdn. press, B, is a simple piece of wood, which, when in operation, takes the place of the slide A. It has a metal gauge which plays in a groove in the lower end of tlio press. The fdn. is placed up to this gauge; and when the press is brought down, the gauge is forced up out of the way; and as the press rises again, the gauge is forced back by two springs. Thiii press I have recently invented, therefore I have never put it to actual use; but I feel confident that it will work. However, as I charge nothing ex- tra for it, no one will suffer any loss if it should prove worthless. A. E. Manum. Bristol, Vt., Feb. 13, 1882. CORRECTIONS. fN our last number we were particularly unlucky as to mistakes. Tlie first six — ' lines on p. 73 should be at the top of p. 72, Tliey were at tirst carried over from p. 7J, and accidentally misplaced. ]3y drawing a mark around these lines, it will make the articles of friends Mellen and Corey read far more intelligibly, llasty's article on clover, pp. (jo, (j4, is also defeciive. In the fourth line above the cut, read ''solitary Jfoit-ers " instead of hairs. Fig. 1 is a section of a clo- ver-head, and not an exterior view. Fig. 2 is '' a section of clover No. 5 changing to a raceme." In the third line under the cut, read, "and ccc the solitary tlowers. Iwas greatly desirous of getting seed from the solita- ry Jlowers, but none were produced." The eleven words in italics were omitted. On the same page, (14, tenth line from top, read, '• heads and large tlower-tubes. [This I con- stituted a new No. o, that number being now vacant. I oiuitted to mention that the best plant was of medium growth, small heads, and slender flower - tubes.]" The words in brackets were omitted, tlie com- positor's eye jumping from one "• flower - tube "to the same word further on. These mistakes are humiliating and aggravati)ig ; the more so, as we take great pains with our typography. Friend Hasty himself, in tell- ing us or these errors, pays us the following beautiful (though perhaps hardly deserved) compliment: — What now has befallen the vigilant proof-reader of Gleanings, that my last article should be hashed up in such awtul style? Kight here, before I I'age and pitch any more, perhaps 1 had better perform a neg- lected duty. 1 want to thanli the proof-reader of Gleanings, whoever he may be, for the comfortable feelings I have so often had when folding up an arti- cle for that journal. " That, at Iccst, won't be mur- dered by inches in getting through the press," I have mentally said. Now it so hiippens that I have suf- lered a good deal at the hands of printers — gram- mar knocked into a cocked hat; spelling calculated to make Webster turn over in his grave; absurd substitutions' t one word for another; exasperating "outs," to make one think the writer's wits had ta- ken a sudden vacation, etc. : but Gi..eanings has been a haven of rest to me. The editor gets fre- quent compliments and thanks; will the proof-reader this time accept most hearty ones from me? For the future, we can only promise more care with our articles ; and to make up for having occupied so much valuable space with an account of our blunders, we will give our readers four extra pages in the April number. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 115 SPRING DWINDLING. JAMES HEDDON. ^N discussing this subject, I must do so from my l| own standpoint. I must mean, by "spring — ' dwindling," that phenomenon we have here to which I have attached that name. Our bees come out in spring alive, and strong in numhcrs, and ap- parently, to the casual observer, " all right." They have already, or immediately commence to breed. The necessary cares of breeding decimate their numbers at a fearful rate. The old bees drop off so much faster than the young ones come forth, that the colony "dwindles" down to a mere handful, which handful never gets to be larger (especially if the "spring" is replete with wintery reactions), and finally the brood dies for lack of protection, and the "jig is up." Of these symptoms which 1 term "spring dwind- ling," I will make some positive statements. 1. I have never known these effects to take place after successful wintering. 3. I never knew a colony to dwindle (that had a fertile queen) where the workers were not diseased. 3. T feel confident that the name of that disease is dysentery. For the first few years of my observations, I knew of no other way to look for symptoms of dysentery except outside of the anatomy of the bees. I soon learned, however, that there were always unmistak- able evidences of the disease ivithin the bodies of them, whenever it existed. My eye soon leal'nod to detect it at a glance. I found no trouble in spotting the fated hives that were liable to "dwindle" out. But I also found, by observing with other bee-keep- ers, that the symptoms were almost universally overlooked. In friend Townley's article, on page 66 of your last issue, he says his first case happened after a "very severe winter;" and the next, after a winter whose severity he does not mention, the bees "stood out unprotected." All of that sounds true to my experience. T.et us suppose, for the argu- ment's sake, that pollen-eating is the cause of dys- entery. During cold weather, when the bees can not as well change positions in the hive, they, after eating all the honey in their immediate vicinity, naturally make the mistake of using that other kind of food, which is adapted only to every-day flights. Thus severe or protracted cold, or both, tend to pnllen-eating, and the natural results, dys- entery and brooding, as soon as the weather gets warmer. If this action takes place early in winter, and opportunities for voiding are cut off, dysentery will show all over the frames, hive, and sometimes the bees, in dead or living forms, on or before the time of the spring opening. But if, on the other hand, the action occurs nearer spring, or is of less severity, the bees, whose instinct is not to void in the hives, will hold all the fa?cal matter within their bodies, the same becoming diseased; and the mo- ment voiding and its consequent and coincident activity take place, these diseased bodies succumb very readily. As the bees are on the wing mainly when they give out, all we see is a sort of an " all goneness " in the hives. I do not claim to know what is the cause or causes of dysentery. I do claim to know that most of the causes attributed to it are not the causes here. I claim to believe that the consumption of bee-bread by the older bees, at improper times, is the cause. I may be mistaken, but I shall give it up only when evidences force me to. If such a time comes, then I shall be again entirely lost in the fog in regard to the problem. I have no doubt but that the disease, and its consequent death, has been present, more or less, whenever and wherever bees have been. But just ?io!(' (counting back about 15 years) I think the disease and its cause, pollen, has been more preva- lent than formerly. Forests contain honey and spring pnllcu. When they are cut away, their nat- ural successors, weeds, contain honey and fall pollen. Some weeks ago I tried an cxpcrintent. I had four colonies almost perfectly destitute of stores. These four colonies were In my cellar. When they had gone as far as I dared risk their stores' exhaustion, I proceeded to feed three of them two 2-lb. bricks each, of granulated-sngar candy, pure. The fourth one I gave one brick of pure candy, and one of about three-fourths sugar and one-fourth flour. All four colonies procerded to cover the two bricks in each hive. In abnut three weeks the colony with the brick of flour-mixed candy was dead, with as radical a case of dysentery as I have seen within five years. The bricks, frames, and even the bees themselves, are terribly daubed with their excre- tions. Not one sign of the disease is to be seen in any of the other 30 colonies in that cellar. I have left every thing just as it stood, and shall do so till spring, because I wish to show it to as many wit- ne>;ses as possible, and because I know the disease is neither contagious nor infectious. I found, a few days ago, one colony dead, and nnother sick with it, among the ovitdoor-packed colonies. I scrutinized the conditions closely. In the dead one I found them as fallows: From some cause, overlooked in fall, the colony was reduced to a mere handful, so small they were capable of making but little heat. The hive being thickly packed, they felt the sun's rays but little, if any. They had eaten the honey from their immediate cluster, and then eaten bee- bread, and died upon it, and that, too, before it was time to begin brood-rearing. The other hive had ample numbers, but had evidently eaten a combined diet of honey and bee-bread, which were both handy to them, and showed late signs of use. This colony still lives; but unless they reform, they are " goners." They have had their fly, but now the "dwindle" is next. Our colonies were, as a rule, very light witb bee-bread. These were exceptions. All flew lively four days ago. Those In the cellar have been con- fined since Thanksgiving, and I shall keep them there till I can set them out to stay, say March 20th to April 1st, when they will have had the ordinary length of confinement, and the same temperature as though the winter had been of last year's sort. I do this to put to test the problem in one of its branches. I have no fears as to the result. Most of my outdoor experiments will prove only partial, owing to the mildness of the winter; still, they show something. More anon. Dowaglac, Mich., Feb. 9, 1883. Thanks for the experiment, friend H. We have before had reports similar, and I have also seen something of it, in feeding Hour candy to weak colonies, during cool April weather ; but in all these cases, if I am cor- rect, the excrement was of a whitish color, instead of the usual brown, or dark yellow- something the color of pollen itself. Was it 116 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. so in the case you mention V If so, does it not seem to indicate that the pollen or flour passes from them in a raw, or undigested state y Here is a fact furnished this minute by another friend : — poltjEn from sawdust. My bees are all right yet so far, packed on sum- mer stands. They were carrying' pollen on the 6th Inst., from sawdust, which I had been hauling in my bee-yard. They had got so thick on the pile of saw- dust, from noon until about 4 o'clock, that I could not unload any more until toward evening. E. J. C. Troxell. Fort Seneca, Seneca Co., O., Feb. 9, 188i. There is nothing especially new in the above, for we have had the same thing re- ported before; but does this sawdust they gathered so freely harm them V I think it does not, for some of the best seasons I re- member were those when the bees worked ravenously on the sawdust. Eriend II. may say, this craving for sawdust sliowed them to be destitute of pollen, and perhaps it does. FRIIilND MARTIN'S liETTEK. NOISY BEES. WJpAVING occasion to visit a friend, who keeps }'\[f^^ bees, I found him in a downright stew about the musical propensities of a few swarms of his Italians. This friend had about one hundred swarms of bees in his cellar, the most of them blacks. That race of bees were all quiet, while his Italian.^ would every now and then act as though they were holding a grand politicni meeting, with bands of music and procession. Many get out up- on the cellar bottom, and in the spring they were in excellent condition — to dwindle, and did dwindle. I have had just such bees, and we can trace them to a certain strain we obtained from a noted breeder. My friend condemned all Italians, as being hard to winter; but I think it is only certain strains, and especially of the light-colored beauties. RICH IN STORES. Another point in wintering is to have your swarms rich la stores. We have a neighbor who uses box hives, and each swarm has probably 40 lbs. of honey. These swarms are wintered in a warm cellar, and hang out in clusters upon the outside of the hives; but being black bees, they do not leave the hive; and, in fact, are as contented as we would suppose a man would who has a good bank account. Those bees know they have something to " fall back on;" still, they would probably winter just as well upon 25 lbs., for bees in a cellar consume but little honey. During the first month of the present winter, our bees, or those we weighed, consumed but 1 lb. each. DAMPNESS. Many complain about damp cellars and moldy combs. We would say to such, if your combs mold, put in more ventilators. With thorough ventila- tion, the dampness will be a blessing instead of a curse. Many bee-keepers having dry cellars pro- vide water for their bees in proper receptacles. COLOR. While many are advocating leather-colored Ital- ians, the general purchaser will take nothing but your lighest-colored and handsomest Italians when- ever we sell swarms. We have to sell for color, or the customer is dissalisflcd. It is the same with queens: they must be very yellow, and beauties. ONE-POUND SECTIONS. The recent action of the N. E. N. Y. Association in relation to the proper size for section boxes, is much like the "pope's bull against the comet." If the market demands pound sections, and they sell better, why not leave the bee-keeper free to use what size he desires? I thirk the pound section has been upon the market too long to be now withdrawn- It is safe to say, that over half of the crop of comb honey for the coming year will be stored in one- pound sections; furthermore, as far as I have read the proceedings, I should call it a comb-honey asso- ciation. The production and sale of extracted hon- ey has not received the attention it should. Hartford, N. Y., Feb. 10, 1883. J. H. Martin. €EL>IiAR ^VUNTERINO, ETC ^Jj^Y 5 years' experience in wintering bees has P/?[| brought me to the conclusion, that, where ' there is a dark, dry collar, free of frost, and which can be controlled as to ventilating,' I would prefer cellar wintering every time. It saves in honey; it saves the hives, and especially the covers; it prevents bees starving on one side of the hives while there is plenty of honey on the other; it pre- vents the outside bees of the cluster becoming chilled and dropping down, to die in a short time during cold weather. If the hives are amply venti- lated, it prevents having moldy combs; it prevents the frost from settling on the combs; it makes the bee-keeper feel happy to see them comfortable when an icy north wind blows outside; it enables him to look at his pets any time he feels like it; it saves money, because he can do without chaff hives, which are very expensive and cumbersome, because every house has, or ought to have, a cellar anyhow; and if it is not well ventilated it can be made so at lit- tle expense; it enables the bee-keeper to have his bees surrounded by almost the same temperature, sudden changes being so injurious to animal life; It prevents a colony of bees from getting destroyed by the cover leaking unexpectedly; it keeps the thieves from carrying the hives off when you think they belong to you, as you worked hard for the pos- session of them. As it would make my letter too long to give my experiments during the 5 years, I will simply give you a description of THE CEI-bAR, in which I have not lost a hive of bees yet, except two by starvation. It is virtually on the north-east corner of two cross streets, underneath the store. The noise above does not seem to bother the bees; there is a Are kept constantly in the store, except at night. The cellar is 50x21 ft. inside: it is imbedded entirely in sand; is 8 feet deep under the joists; it is walled out with a 20-inch limestone wall, white- washed all around and above, and paved with pressed brick; for VENTILATION, it has 2 openings in the pavement, 2x3 feet, pro- tected with wrought-iron grates, one on the south side, or fro: t, and 3 on the west side; these open- ings can be shut up on the inside by windows swung on hinges; with these I can control the temperature by keeping a thermometer in the cellar; on the east Bide of the cellar are holes along the top of the wall, 1882 GLEANINGS IK BEE CULTURE. 117 connecting- with the outer air by passing under- neath a building (feed store) having grates in the wall along the east sido of this building, and in this way creating a gentle draft overhead in the cellar, if wanted; if not, they can be shut ofT also. The back, or north side of the cellar, is ventilated by holes connecting with openings imderncath and around the dining-room, where there is a stove also; this ventilation makes me think and feel that when the outer air is overcharged with dampness that the air in the cellar is not nearly as damp as it is nut- side. Now, in the north-east corner is A CELLAR ATITHIN THE CELLAH. about 14x20 ft., originally partitioned off up to the .ioists lor my wife to keep her preserves, etc., in, with a glass door and window in it: and as it was rather large for the purpose, my wife gave mo per- mission to use it to put the bees in. By putting a curtain on the glass door and window I can make it as dark as I want it without shutting the air out, as it comes in from under the feed store, and connects from between the joists, above the partition, with the main cellar. There is not a particle of damp- ness on the floor, and the drj' dust can be found thereon when we neglect to sweep it off. In the summer we have to shutotf ventilation, and sprinkle the floor pretty often to keep it cool and cellar-like. After all, and with a cellar like this, don't let me be understood that I am ready to shout Eureka! as I have cases of dysenterj*, without being fatal, in this very cellar; but I think I brought it about by experimenting with different ways of preparing the bees for the cellar. It is a small study of itself; but I think the time is not far off when cellar wintering vs. outdoor will be what the Langstroth frame vs. the other frames is to-day; viz., it will bo adopted by the majoi'ity of the bee-keepers as soon as the requirements to success are known. I have also tried my hand at outdoor wintering; but as my let- ter is too long already, I will close and promise to give you further particulars in the future, if you think they can be of anj' benefit to the bee-keeping fraternity. I can not but admire the similarity with which friend Geo. Grimm and myself prepare our bees for winter. A. Scheidxer. Louisville, Ky., Feb. U, ]SS2. DO BEKS VOID THEIR EXCKEMENT IIV A DR¥ STATE ? OBSERVATIONS OF A NOVICE. JUNE 28, 1880, I put a very small swarm of black bees into a new hive, filled with new frames. An old bee-keeper remarked to me, on my in- forming him of the fact, that it would be useless for me to attempt to winter them, as they would not gather honey enough to support themselves un- til the next spring. My answer was, that I should try and see what I could do with them. After they had built comb in several of the frames, and com- menced brood-rearing, I began feeding them, and continued to do so, moderately, until cold weather. On preparing them for winter, I found they had not increased much in numbers, and were apparently deficient in stores. After removing all the empty frames, and those containing comb without honej-, I put a frame filled with granulated-sugar cand.v by the side of the cluster, closed up the space with the division-board, packed them in chaff, and left them. They ceased flying about the 10th of Nov., and did not fly again until the 7th of March. At that time there A^as about a dozen dead bees on the bottom- bt)ard, covered with cappings niix''d with a flue dust-like powder, of a dark-graj' color, nearly hhiek. My opportunitj' for observation was good, as I re- moved the bottom-hoard, then under the hive, and replaced it with a clean one; the moisture in the hive having dripped from the frame of candy, and formed a sticky mass on the bottom-board. I feared the bees might get daubed and killed by it. April Tth thej' commenced flying regularly, and on open- ing the hive I found the same dark-colored powder, mixed with particles of cappings, and a few dead bees. This dust, cappings, etc., after a transient ex- amination, [ brushed olf, lea\ ing the liottom as bright and clean as when it was put under in March previous. What was the du^t? It dues not appear that it could have been composed entirely of cap- pings. as the particles of wax were distinctly per- ceptible—coarse, of a yellowish color, and more in quantity than the other matter. No foundation was used in forming the combs; and when exam- ined in spring they were as clean and transparent as when left the fall before. Nor does it iippear probable that they had been cleaned, thus eaily, by the bees, preparatory to ct>mmencing their sum- mer's work. The frames were covered with a thick quilt, made from factory chjtb, inclosiriar a thick- ness of batting, which was snugly propolized down, not evfn permitting "upward ventilation," — the cmptj- space at the side of the frames serving the purpose. The bees, though not in large numbers, were perfectly healthy, and, with the aid of fdn., increased rapidly, so that, by the first of June, they had filled 14 frames with broid and honey, and made a good display of comb, with some honey in 2-1: one- pound sections over the frames — a fair beginning for this climate. J. F. Latft.a.m. Cumberland, Maine, Feb., ISS.:. FKIE^JD EOOMHOAVER'S IDEAS ON ^VINTERING. WILL BEES BREED IN A CELLAR WHEN THE TEM- PERATURE IS KEPT AT ib° AND UNDEIiV r N one of your back numbers I think that George Grimm made the statement, that bees will not rear brood in the cellar when the temperature is kept at 15°. If Mr. Grimm did not make the above statement, some one else did, for I have read it in one of your back numbers. Now, friend Root, what is your experience in this case':? I want you to tell just exactly what you know about it. To-day is the 11th of February. The sun is shining brightly. I have just carried out two colonies of bees from the cellar — one black colony, and one pure Italian. The first one carried out is a colony that was made late last fall by uniting two not very strong nuclei of old bees. One of the nuclei had a drone-laying queen from the middle of August un- til the day that they were united, which was about the last of Oct., and of course the bees were of good age. At the time they were united, a black queen was given them, and November 2Tth they were car- ried into the cellar. To-day this colony is strong with bees, and has, by actual measurement, about 12,t00 cells of brood, from the egfi to the hatching bee; young bees were crawling out by the dozen, 118 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. while I was examining: them. The other colony, Italian, have 3 frames of brood in all stages, with lots of young bees crawling- out, and plenty pf bees that look as if they had been out two or three weeks. The temperature in my cellai- has not reached over 45°, and has been down as low as the freezing-point for only a day or so. The outside doors had no pro- tection, and one could look right outdoors through the crack around the casing, and the temperature outside was 20° below zero; but the most of the time the temperature will average 44°. The bees in the cellars are very quiet — not a sound can be heard. No bees are dropping upon the cellar bot- tom, and very few under the hives. Their bodies are but slightly distended, and their excrement is in a dry and healthy state. Some say that rearing brood in the cellar causes uneasiness and dysentery, and spring dwindling; but if this be so, others must have different bees from mine. I have never as yet had a case of spring dwindling, nor any dysentery. My bees rear brood nearly all winter; never get un- easy, and always come out strong in spring. My experience is, that, to have bees winter successfully without loss, and come out strong in spring, with- out spring dwindling, they must be wintered in such a shape that they will rear brood from the last of December. Where bees can do this, and do it right, my friends, you have the secret of successful win- tering. Such is my experience and opinion. Frank Boomhower. Gallupville, Scho. Co., N. Y., Feb. 11, 1883. If you will excuse the liberty, friend B., I would suggest that your success has been at least partially accidental. You know there are many localities in which spring dwin- dling seems unknown, and there are many who, after having boasted for years they had never seen any thing of the kind, have afterward had the conceit (this is the word tJipy used in telling about it) taken out of them, by most grievous l()sses. I shouldn't be surprised if even George Grimm should meet with heavy losses some time ; but his excellent cellars and management may be proof against it. If you continue to winter with open cracks through that cellar-door, I shall be surprised if you do not meet with losses. I believe it is well known, that bees sometimes rear brood all winter; but it is equally well known, that they at other times do not start brood until they are set out of doors, in March or April ; and, if I am cor- rect, these latter are not as apt to " spring dwindle." EXTRA-PURE QUEENS. DOOLITTLE ANSWERS QUESTIONS. eN page 579, Dec. Gleanings, friend Hutchin- son asks questions, and says, " Now, friend ■ Doolittle, about those extra-pure queens. I have read the references that you gave in regard to the matter, but not one of them mentions a queen whose daughters did not produce one or two band- ed bees, or hybrids. The daughter of each won- derful queen produced no black bees, but nothing is said as to whether they produced hybrids. Like friend Hoot, I have seen queens whose daughters produced no black bees, but I have yet to see the queen whose daughters produce no one or two banded bees, if they had mated with a black drone." Now I wish to speak of this last sentence first, for the reason that friend Root and others used to tell us that, if a pure Italian queen mated with a black drone, a part of such queen's progeny would be black, and a part Italian. This was the doctrine preached by nearly every queen-breeder ten years ago, and I believed it was true till that '■'■wonderful" queen came from H. A. King, then of Nevada, Ohio. She was introduced into a colony the latter part of July, 1870, when there was not another Italian bee within 25 miles of here. From this queen there was not reared a single drone that season, so of course all the 40 queens reared must have mated with black drones, as a consequence. Not one of these 40 queens ever produced a black bee, and thus I was forced to give up the black-bee theory in regard to hybrids. It seems to me that friend H. has made quite a concession on friend Root's part by making him say that he (Root) has had queens mating black drones that never produced a black bee. As this discussion has drawn out others, to show that plen- ty of such queens do exist, we have gained one point at least, by proving that our queen-breeders of ten years ago were mistaken in their assertions. Next, friend H. asks, " Now come right out fair and square, friend D., and tell us if you have a queen whose daughters produce no one or two banded bees, even if they have mated with black drones; and also how you can tell what drones they have mated with." Again I answer the last question first, by pointing you to the above 40 queens. Now to the first question: I claim that there is no such thing as a one or two banded bee, and I expect that this discussion will draw out enough on that part of the question to again prove me correct, and that all this talk of one and two banded bees of the past was a mistake, as well as the black-bee part has been. If you will turn to page 371, A. B. J. for 1881, you will find friend Demaree says, "that the meanest hybrids will show the third band in splotches." Again, on page 395, .1. jB. J., I say, "I have yet to see the bee that shows yellow on any band that does not show it on all three; so it will be seen, as none of these 40 queens produced a black bee, they certainly must have produced all three- banded bees, which they certainly did." Now, ladies and gentlemen, get your hybrid bees, and place them on a window, as A. I. Root tells you how to do in his ABC, when testing bees for purity, and see if you don't agree that, if a bee shows yellow on any of the bands, she will show it on all three, in about the same proportion as the best yellow bee shows hers; that is, if little yellow is on the first segment next the thorax, still less will be on the second, and still less on the third; yet there will be yellow on all three if any is found on the first. Don't be hasty, and write till you have taken your ABC and ap- plied the test as there given. Now, if you bear me out in my experiments, it will be seen that there is no such thing as a pure Italian bee, for those 40 queens referred to above produced what would be called by all parties, pure Italians; yet every one of them was necessarily fertilized by a black drone. Now having demolished this citadel of purity, let us cease this wrangle of words about the same, and breed bees for honey rather than purity. If bees showing the three distinct golden bands are the bees producing the best results in honey, let us breed in that direction; if those bees showing but slight traces of yellow on the three bands (or dark Italians, 18S2 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUIIE. 119 if you please to call them so) are the ones which pro- duce the most surplus, let us breed in that direction, keeping an ej-e to the best at all times. The reason why I have kept so close to those 40 queens is, that there could be no doubt that they mated with black drones. While I believe many such queens have mated with black drones since then, it would not be so easy to prove that they did so. In my next I will answer more of friend H.'s ques- tions, and perhaps questions from others. G. M. DOOtilTTLE. Borodino, N. Y., Feb. 11, 1882. Why, friend D., it takes only a little stretch of the imagination, from yonr stand- Eoint, to say that all our bees are either pure lacks or three-banded ; there ain't any such things as hybrids any more. Hereafter, when a man complains that his queen pro- duces only hybrids, we will tell him that.if her bees have any bands at all, they have three; see what Doolittle says on page 118. I know there is some truth in what you say, for a mixture of two races produces all sorts of sports, as it were, and so we often have bees that have three yellow bands, but with bands that are narrow, or notched, showing the mixture of black ; and, if you will excuse me, I think you got hold of this kind. Take robbing bees that have got the fur all worn off, and you can see the dividing line be- tween the black and yellow very plainly. The ARC says the color is in the horny scale. Well, take these horny scales and wash them in alcohol ; cut out sections, and paste them on glass slips under a microscope of moderate power, and I think all our readers can agree that hybrids have yellow only on one band, or only on two bands. About ten years ago it iveis suggest- ed that we adopt, for a test, that none of the workers of the daughter of a tested queen should show any black bees. This was de- cided to be a mistake, however, almost im- mediately ; for reports came right away to show that, while some queens impurely mat- ed showed evenly marked hybrids, others produced part full-blooded blacks, and part full-blooded Italians. Please, friend D.,do not be in too great haste to criticise the brotherhood. ladk^' f ^^ar'%^»l. HOW A LADY FIXES STARVED BEES. WANT to tell you some of my experience with my bees this winter. The weather has been so rainy or cold, that bees have not flown much ; but one day being a little more pleasant, I saw all flying but one colony. I opened the hive, raised the cushion and peeped in, and saw them clustered on an empty comb, and apparently lifeless; but on a close examination 1 saw them move a little. I took a few to the house and warmed them; thej' soon got lively, and I then went back to the stand, removed the cushion and division-boards, took them to the house, set the boards before the grate in the sitting- room, and put the cushion in the oven of the cook stove. While they were heating I made a batch of candy, then sprinkled them with sweetened water, while the candy was cooling; then took the cushion, boards, and candy, to the hive, huddled the boards as closely as possible to the almost dead bees ; turned the warm candy over them, and the hot cushion on top of the candy, then left them to their fate. In a few days, or as soon as the weather would permit, I examined them again; found them lively, and in good condition, and but few dead bees on the bot- tom-board, comparatively speaking. I winter on summer stands. Lizzie McConnell. Ripley, O., Feb. 8. 1882. A LETTER FROM GEORGIA. We use a Hi-story hive, all of them exactly alike, for the convenience of hanging the frames. My husband is a carpenter, and he makes all of our hives. He dresses all the lumber nicely, and they are very pretty when finished. It takes lo3 pieces to complete a hive, including the pieces for frames. They look like little houses. The first swarm we had last season made us 90 lbs. of the prettiest white comb honey, besides filling the lower story, and they are full now. I looked at them last week, and every frame was filled and sealed in the upper story, and in the lower story the side frames don't seem to have been touched yet. All of ours are in good condition now, weighing from 75 to 100 lbs. each. Friend Root, I am in feeble heal( h, and am not able to do much work. I thought I would subscribe to your school as an A B C scholar, if you would accept me. I think I can earn my living by attending to our bees. I have learned to transfer them. CUTTING A BEE-TREK. We found a bee-tree nearly on top of the moun- tain, about a mile from home. My husband, togeth- er with three or four of our neighbors, and two or three negroes, went after them; carried a hive, smoker, and one thing and another that we thought we should need, but never thought of any thing to fasten the comb in the frames with. The bees were in a large pine-tree. They worked in at a knot-hole about 15 feet from the ground. The men cut the tree down, and blocked out a piece 3 feet long and 6 or 8 inches wide. Their combs were 3 feet long, with the brood in the middle. I never saw such sheets of comb in my life. We laid them down on the log, on the bottom-board of the hive, and cut around the frames, laying them on the comb. I happened to have my knitting-basket with me, and with a ball of knitting-thread fastened the comb in the frames. We filled all the frames, putting in the comb that had the most brood and honej', and then there were two large buckets and a pan full left. We thought we would cut the thread from around the frames, and take it out when they had time to seal the comb in the frames; but they thanked us — they could wait on themselves; for the third day after we hived them I was walking out among the bees, and in looking at them I saw five or six coming out in a line, pulling at something, I could not tell what, when, on going up closer, I saw it was the thread they had cut, and were pulling out. We examined them then, and found that they had cut them all off and carried them out except two or three pieces, so we left them to finish the job themselves. There was a fine swarm of them, so they are full to the top. I shall begin the season with 12 colonies, if nothing happens to them, and will try to go by your direc- tions; and if you will accept of it, I will report to you how I succeed. We get from 1212 to 15 cts. for honey. 120 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. ■When you start around to see your ABC class, I want you to call on us too. I think wo could show you some curiosities on the mountains. Tliore arc some of the prettioiit roclcs, some diamond-pidnted, and any size or ehapeyou wish to see. On the ttip of some of tlie^e peaks you cnn see for miles around, as fnr as the eye can reach. Tliere are also l.-irore springs of cool clear water in the caves, and at the foot of s^mo of them. The people who live near the mountains have the best of health, as a general thing-. It is a splendid place for cattle-raising-. You must come the first of the summer, if you want the best honey we ha%'e, and huckleberry pies. The mountains are covered with them. Our bees gather the best honey from hucklelierry. I will send you a sample of silk. I raise mv own sewing-silk. You can present it to some of your daushters. Mary A. Sistrunk. White Sulphur Springs, Mer. Co., Ga., Feb. 6, 1883. Many thanks for your kind lett t, my friend. I mnst confess T slionld veiy much like to raakeyoii a visit in yottr pretty moun- tain home. If huckleberry pies }?row all over the nioiuitain, I shall come down there sure, when George and Ernest ^et home to relieve me from my post, for F am great on pies. We have some huckleberry - bushes planted down by the pond now, and we hope to have five-cent huckleberry pies in our lunch-room one of these days. — Many thanks for the samples of silk : they are beautiful. I presume you know how dearly I love to see new industries started — something to keep this great army of boys and girls busy, all over our land. LETTKR FROin TEXAS. now I -MAN.VGED THE BEES THAT GAVE 520 LBS. OP HONEY IN 24 DAYS. SN the first place, they were a verj' strong colony, early in spring. They wanted to swarm the last ■ — ' of March; kept them from it by giving- room, and cutting out every queen-cell they started. The 4th of April I put on a second story, filled with fdn., lifting two of the brood-frames from below, and placed them in top story; replaced the bottom with fdn. ; the queen showed a tendency to lay in the up- per stories, and desert the bottom altogether. When she filled all the combs above, I would drop them down to the bottom story, and so on. April 10th I set on a third story; the queentookto itat once,and I worked them as before. April 30th Iput on fourth story, and the queen acted same way; broke for the upper, or top story, and remained in the third and fourth stories quite awhile, not laying in the bottom ones at all. I kept the brood down until every frame in the hive was partly filled with brood. At about the time the brood all hatched out we were blessed with a " fearful " flow of honey. During the 24 days in which they gathered the .520 lbs., the queen came down to the bottom story, and laid only in 4 or 5 frames. The bees stored honey so fast she had no chance to lay. At about this time we were getting behind with the extractor, and several times they had the three upper stories sealed up solid; and to keep them at work, I took 24 full frames of ho::cy out of the three top ones, and set them away in the honey- house in empty boxes, and left two full frames in each story, and refilled with fdn. In a short time the whole hive was solid again, and by thistim3 I had extracted out of the first, and .iust lifted out full frames and set in empty finished comlis. With the two set of combs we kept them at work, oecasion.i Uy saving a pretty white frame for comb honey. The above is, ;is near as I can remem- ber, the way we managed them. ■■ E. J. Atchley. Lancaster, Dallas Co., Texas, Feb. 13, 1882. ANOTHKR TOOL-BOX, WITH MtNUTE DIRECTIONS FOR MAKtXG. TyjrNCLOSED you will find a sketch of my combined i\' comb-holder, queen-stand, work-box, etc. I will "^ give the size of each piece, and you can make one if you wish to. Fig. 1, A, 29xl0x;i in.; B, two pieces of Ja lumber, 12i8 in. wide, 13 high, with a rab- bet Ix^u at the top, for the ends of the frames; C, C, two pieces ISlixliix'^a in. B ire a hole I's inch in di- ameter in each piece, ■"„ in. from the end. Put a IKi-in. screw in one piece, 2;'8 in. from the end which has the i'a-in. hole in it. Let the screw project about % in.; D, WlixHix'^i in.; bore a li-ia. hole in the center; E, 23.xlJ4x 'a. Bore a ?4-in. hole in the cen- ter. F, tool-box cover, two pieces 5^xl3J4x-''a in. G, covers to comb-holder; two pieces, 20V4xTx'/2 in. H, side of tool-box; two pieces, 13i8x6i8 in. S, hinges to the covers of the comb-hclder, Sx^'sX^s in. M, is a bolt 3 in. long, ^i inch in diameter. D, is a bar with two short pieces of wood rabbeted and nailed on each end of the bar. The bar will hold two combs. It turns on a pivot at M. HY.VTT'S COMBINED WORK-BOX AND COMB-HOLDEK. The covers to comb-holder and tool-boxes should have Yi in. slant. The latch, X, Fig. 1; B, Fig. 3. is 4x1 in. It holds the handle, as shown in Fig. 1, when it is to be used as a queen-stand. The tool-boxes are 12iaX4?.£xO inches inside, which is just right for Simplicity cold-blast smoker. The tool-boxes will hold veil, smoker, fuel for smoker, gloves, queen-cages, tacks, screw-driver, scissors, knife, 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 121 etc. The strip V, Fig-. 1, is 13i.i.\;lx?8 inches. Tliore must be 7i in. between the bar D, and the bar E, to make room for the fingers, when using- E as a han- dle. When the handle is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the covers are on th'^ comb-holder., the apiarist can use the comb-holder to sit on. O. H. riYATT. Farragut, Fremont Co., Iowa. Jan. 24, 18S2. Every sii'I or lioy, iiiulor 12 yoai's of asre, who writes a letter for this (lep.ivtiiieiit will reeeive one of David Cook's excellent Ji-cent Sunday-sehuol linnks. Many of these hooks c-entain the same mattei- that you lind iii Suuday-seliool books eostiuir from $1.00 to Si. 50. fjHIS is my first attempt to write for a paper. 1 know yon will not expect much from a boy ■ ' 12 j'eais old. Papa calls nip his boe-man, and I assist him all I can. I am thankful that I have a pa to help and to love. But I have no mother to love. I read in Gle.vnings of the death of your pa. How sorry I am for you, as I know you must have loved him as I do mine! I forgot to say that pa has 75 colonics of bees, all of them In nice painted hives, and they look nice. STONEWAtrt, J. Opp. Helena, Phillips Co., Ark., Jan. 7, 1882. Pa keeps bees. 1 am but six years old. This is my first letter. I would like a book. Mary E. Baer. Vanwert, Ohio, Feb. 5, 1882. I am eight, and have never written a letter, but pa read the children's letters, in Gleanings, so I thought I would write. Henry W. Baer. Vanwert, Ohio, Feb. 5, 1882. I am nine years of age. My pa has bees; some at home, and I don't know how many away from home. ESTA Williams. Vanceburg, Lewis Co , Ky., Feb., 1882. I am 11. My brother-in-law has 4 stands of bees; he is trying different ways of wintering. He bought new queens, but all of them r:id not get much honey last summer on account of the dry weather. NOHMAN HINEBAUGH. New Paris, Ind., Feb. o, 1883. I am a girl 8 years old. I have a sister 6 years old. Her name is Susie, but we call her Stubbie. Pa says we will have to call her Sue. Pa has kept bees 7 years. He has 13 swarms now. We go to school, Susie and I, but not to Sunday-school; it is too* far off. This is my first letter. Cora King. Baraboo, Wis., Jan. 10, 18S2. My pa was a soldier in the Third Iowa; lost his limb at Jackson, Miss. Pa has 23 swarms of bees. I hope they will winter well. He put 18 down cellar, and left five in chaff hives. He lost a good many last winter, but likes the business so well that he does not get discouraged. Thomas E. Stocks. Nashua, Iowa, Feb. 3, 1S83. My pa is a bee-man, and he has 46 stands of bees. He got a ton of extracted honey in 4 weeks this fall; but I don't help him work with the bees as some little folks do, but I like to eat the honey. I like to read the letters the little folks write. I have three brothers and one sister. I am 10 years old, and go to school. Chablev Baldwin. Stewardson, TU , Jan. G, 1883. My age is 7. My pa takes Gleanings, and keeps bees. He put 99 swarms into the cellar last fall. I go to school; had the mumps last week, and had to stay at home. Edith A. Morts. Mohawk, Herkimer Co., N. Y., Feb. 5, 1883. I am ten. My pa has bees, and ma is afraid of them. I like honey, and eat it when I get a chance; but last year the bees did not make much. Pa has lots of empty hives, but only 12 with bees in. Circleville, O., Jan., 1882. Charlie Rife. I am a boy of 10. We keep bees. Pa and my brother C. together have 25 stands. If this letter is too long, cut some off, and throw it away; but please don't forget the book. Hay Phillips. West Chester, Butler Co., O., Feb. 6, 1882. It would have been pretty long, friend Raj^, but you see I crossed out some that was not particularly about bees, or of much general interest. You see, if we hear from all we shall have to be rather brief. I am nine. I li-ve in Michigan. We used to live in Ohio, and when we came here we came through Medina, and we saw your bees; but I did not know they were yours until we were past; and if we ever go back again I am going to watch for them, if I think of it. Papa and mamma and my sisters and brother used to live in Medina. My sister takes Gleanings, and if she gets some bees you may hear from me again. Bertie Bachtel. Napoleon, Jackson Co., Mich., Jan. 30, 1882. My pa keeps bees, and he got 50 lbs. of honey from a new swarm, and he has 5 Italians, 4 blacks, and one hybrid. One hybrid swarm went away. I helped pa fix his bees for winter. I have two brothers and two sisters. 1 go to day-school and Sunday-school. I am 11 j-ears old. Please send me a book out of that wheelbarrow full. William Job Church. Waterford, Ont., Can., Jan. 5, 188J. And that we will, friend Job. If letters like that don't make us fly around lively, I don't know what will. lam eight. Papa keeps 9 hives of bees, and we have lots of honey. We have it on pancakes every morning. My little brother Willie don't like to have mamma steam it when it begins to candy, because he says he likes the little " hummocks " in it. When I was a little boy about three years old I threw a stone into some bees hanging on the outside of the hive, and one stung me on the knee, and I have not bothered them since. My Waterbury watch, which papa got from you, and gave me Christmas, I think is very nice. Horrie Hickok. Bethel, FairlielJ Co., Conn., Jan. 10, 1882. I am five years old. Papa has bees, and one of them is mine. I like bees, but I don't like jackets. Last summer a yellow-jacket stung me on the lip, and I tell you it made me hop. Papa killed them all. Do j'ou think it is a sin to kill jackets? I go to Sun- day-school when it don't rain, or is not too cold. I live in Williamsport, Lycoming Co., Penn., and my name is Lee Hoffman. Papa told me how to spell the hard words. It isn't wicked to kill "jackets," or others of God's creatures, when they are doing harm ; but it is wicked to kill them need- lessly. I think, on the whole, I wouldn't kill them. Quite a bright little letter, Lee. 122 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. Mar. Pa keeps bees. He has 20 stands. They are all in Langstroth hives. He does not like that kind of hive very well. He was out to see you last sum- mer, but I suppose you do not remember him now. I should like very well to see Blue Eyes. We have your picture with her sitting on your lap. I like the little bees, but do not like them to sting mo very well. I have no bees, but have some nice little birds. I have 0 Canary birds. I like to hear them sing. I was 11 years old the 4th day of January. Clara E. Grdbb. Key, Belmont Co., O., Jan. 11, 1882. TflAT SILO, AND THE ENSILAGE. As you wished to hear more about the silo, I will try to tell you more about it. The ensilage has come out nice and good, and the cattle like it very much. The size of the silo is 21'^ feet long, 14 feet deep, and 13'/4 feet wide. Father thinks it is a great thing for the fiirmers. He thinks the silo will hold from 75 to 100 tons. Lizzie D. Flint. Waterford, O.vford Co., Me., Feb. 3, 1883. Thanks, Lizzie. I wouldn't wonder if some t)f us older ones are as much pleased about it as the cows and children are. I am a boy 8 years old. My papa keeps bees, and he has 13 swarms in chaff hives. He does not lose them in the winter time. Summer before last he had 3.5 swarms in Michigan. I had two. I did not i get much honey. I have got 4 now. Last summer papa look one up to grandpa's, and they made 80 lbs. of honey. Papa has bought 4 queens of you. He takes Gleanings, and I like to hear him read it. My papa was transferring a swarm of bees, and I went out with him, and some bees went for me, and Iran through the corn toward the road, "hollering" with all my might. I got stung on ray nose. The next morning, one of my eyes was swelled shut. 1 did not go near the bees again in a long while. I have a little curly-headed brother five years old, and a little sister two years old. She has blue eyes, just like your little girl. Percy Bebryman, Geneva, N. Y., Jan. .5, 1883. I am a boy 7 years old. My papa takes Glean- ings. I go to school. I got the prize for spelling'. I got 44 head-marks. My pa has some bees, but they do not do much good. I like to read what the young folks say in Gleanings. I have two brothers and two sisters. We all have blue eyes. George Smith. Halsey, Linn Co., Oregon, Jan. 23, 1883. I like to read about Mr. Merrybanks and his neigh- bor. Papa keeps bees, but they don't do much good, as this is not a very good country for them. I have three brothers and one sister. The baby is a month old. I would like to see the picture of your Blue Eyes. I am 11 years old, and my name is Halsey, Ore., Jan. 23, 1883. Kate Smith. Now, George and Kate, I think you will have to tell your father to brush up and do a little better with those bees, if he is going to have two children who write for the papers, because, you see, they might tell about it. I wish you M'ould send me that blue-eyed baby ; I am sure we need him at our house more than you do. I am seven years old. I go to school now nearly every week day, and also to Sunday-school. Papa had one hive of bees, and he got some more in the country, where farmers were going to kill them. He put one in with his Italians, two in with my brother Lee's, and six with mine. There is now over a peck in each hive. Papa got a queen for Lee's hive from you, and after she was in about a month the bees took a notion not to have her, and they carried her out three times before they killed her. She had one foot off. The bees are now packed in double hives with five inches of straw all around them. I had a little sister 3 years and 3 months old that died last August, and our home is not so pleasant as it was. Harry Hoffman. Williamsport, Pa., Nov. 23, 1881. Now, it is really too bad, Harry, that your letter got passed by since way back last fall ; but you can now write and tell us how the hives did, with a peck of bees in each. If your pa gave them all feed enough, I pre- sume they are all rousing big colonies by this time. May God bless you in that lone- ly home, since the dear little sister is gone. SONG OF THE BEES. I am a worker-bee; Come, fly away with me. \ 1 must work so busily. All through the day. My honey-sac I fill From the sages on the hill; And I work with right good will. Come away! Come away. Once I builr up waxen walls, Onci I carried pi)llen-balls, Fed the larvae, capped them o'er. Jelly made and cleaned the floor. Buzz! buzz! This the song I sing. Honey for my hive, and for my foes a sting. Buzz! buzz! I've no more time to give; 1 must work; for six short weeks is all I have to live. I am a jolly drone. No trouble have I known; I am lazy, I must own. Yes, I'm a shirk. No honey do I bring. So I never need a sting. But my cheerful song I sing, "Never work! Never work!" On a warm and sunny day, I go out to take a play. Sport awhile, then rest and dream, Or fly off to find a queen. Buzz! buzz! This the song I sing. Honey for myself, but for my foes no sting. Buzz! buzz! I've no more time to give; • I must play; for six short weeks is all I have to live. I am a queen, you see. Full-blood Italian bee. And three yellow bands on me, Brightly do shine. A thousand eggs I lay. Every warm and pleasant day. In the merry month of May, If the honey is fine. When the spring days come out warm. Then I go cut with a swarm. Leave my oldest daughter home. With young worker bees and drone. Buzz! buzz! This the song 1 sing, "Fresh eggs for my hive; for royal foes a sting." Buzz! buzz! I've no more time to give; I must work; for three short years is aU I have to live. C, M. Drake, Santa Paula, Cal. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 123 HONEY FROM CORN. A "CLINCHER" FROM GALLUP. f N reply to Jesse Oren, on pap:e 29, Jan. No., I will say that, one season in Iowa, my bees gathered honey very freely from corn, and I mentioned the fact at the time In the A. B. J. They gathered large quantities of pollen from the tassels, but the honey was gathered from the silk. The silk fairly glistened with sweet — so much so that you could taste it with your tongue, and also see it with the naked eye. I succeeded in getting four kegs of l.'iO lbs. each, almost clear corn honey; and when it granulated it was the coarsest-grained honey that I ever saw. It was quite yellow, and had a peculiar taste. I could detect somewhat the flavor of corn Bilk. Never, in all my experience before or since, have I seen bees work so freely on corn as they did that season. The atmosphere was quite humid and hot, night and day, during said How of honey. I introduced the first Italian bees into Mitchell Co., Iowa, and in the fall an old bee-hunter found them at work on a field of buckwheat, just 6 miles west of my place, and lined them to my apiary. He had never seen any Italians before, and did not know that there were any in the country. He had to line them 3 miles through heavy timber, and ho was about two days and a half about it; but he stuck to it like a good one, for he thought he was going to make a fortune by finding a new race of bees. You ought to have seen the change in his coutenance when he found them in my hives, and I told him that I had kept them all summer, and got the queens from Wisconsin, and put them into black swarms. He wanted to know how I managed to kill off all the blacks, and raise Italians in their place. He said that he never had followed black bees over 3'/^ miles. E. Gallup. Santa Ana, Cal., Jan. 10, 18S2. Now we have got it, sure enough, and right from our old friend Gallup too. Bees do get honey from corn, and it comes from the silk. I confess this is a new idea to me, for I never saw a bee notice the silk, that 1 know of. Who can report, during the com- ing season, bees working on the silk of cornV MRS. 1.UCINDA HARRISON AND HER ASSISTAINT IN THE APIARY. SOME KIND WORDS AND SUGGESTIONS ON ETY OF TOPICS. fflpJiHE December number of Gleanings failed to PI appear, and it upset us " intirely." We kept musmg over our loss, and forgot to sew but- tons on our partner's shirts, bunted our spectacles when we had them on, etc. After we had notified you, and it was mailed the second time, it came, aft- er we had received the January number. CONVENTIONS. What attraction had Battle Creek over Lexington? Had you cut down all that "power of bushes" around your ranch that need shaking so often? Wc intend to have revenge, and with that end in view shall 'lectioneer to have the "reunion" meet at Medina, O., in 18?3; and if youthen find " handker- chiefs" wrapped around "stove-lifters," and "Our Homes " on "sad-irons," and "plaid shawls" pinned around "bell jack-screws," you may know "who's been there." Can't you let us have your prayer-meeting room to convene in? When the time came for your ap- pointment we could adjourn, or turn it into a prayer- meeting, with Brother Johnson, of Kentucky, as a leader. We could all feed together at the lunch counter, and wouldn't it be cozy and sociable? And you could — turn an honest penny. HONEY FROM CORN. About the middle of last August I was visiting a venerable and intelligent bee-keeper of Passumpsic, Vermont. He remarked, that his bees were then gathering honey from sweet corn. I remained dur- ing the month of August in St. Johnsbury, Vt., and noticed particularly the blossoming of the corn. My attention was directed to it by its blooming so late, and the tassel appeared thicker, being covered with more bloom, and continued out longer than at my home in Central Illinois. When we have hot nights, we say, " It is good corn weather;" the bloom comes to perfection quickly, and dries up much sooner than in a damp, cool climate. We should not be too positive, with reference to the value of honey-producing plants, for they most assuredly vary, according to soil and climate. We wrote at one time a description of the R')cky-Mountain bee- plant {Clcomc integtifoUa), as we know it here. A bee-keeper of Denver, Col., reprimanded us for not giving it justice; judging from his description, and other accounts of it, we infer that, in its h bitat, it blooms much larger, and produces more honey than in this locality, owing, no doubt, to difference 'n soil and climate. MRS. HAKRISON'S BEE-DRESS. Here we are, dressed cap-a-pia for work in the apiary. There is one thing lacking in the picture, which we wear when bees arc very cross, and we did not put it on; for if we had, you could not have 124 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. MAR. seen how the cape is made. AVe put on a linen sack, or a gent's vest is buttoned on, and we then have a perfect head-g-ear, as no bees can gain access by creeping under the cape or around the arms. Our assistant will wear a long-sleeved apron, fastened around the bottom of the hat, and, if bee3 are very cross, wear leggins or a long skirt. The hat is made of green wire gauze, such as screens are made of; the top of pasteboard, and bottom of calico. In making, we are careful to leave no wires to stick our hands or head when \9e put it on. We first roll up a hem; and if the wires stick through, hammer it upon a flatiron. When all sticking wires are disposed uf, it is bound top and bottom, joined at the back, the top and cape sewed on. At the bottom of the cape is a wide hem, through which a string is run ; under one arm is left open, and the other is joined with a string, thus forming an arm-hole. We put our arm through this hole, slip on the hat, and tie it at the open side. When we are stooping over a hive, the wire cloth rests upon the back of the head; and, to prevent bees stinging through there, a postal card is sewed on the under side. Our hands are covered with buckskin gloves, which have deming sewed on to the gauntlets, kept in place by elastic. The apron has capacious pockets, which are always handy for a screw-driver, handkerchief, etc. We never succeeded very well with a veil. If we only wanted to walk around the apiary, it was al' right; but when we worked, getting in all sorts of positions, it was sure to get close to our face or neck, and stings were the result. We see by your letters, children, that you almost all say, that you would like bees better if they "didn't sting." For our part, we like bees that can fight their own battles; they have driven off thiev- ish boys from our apiary several times, when they were trying to steal honey, and they protect our fruit and vineyard better than a dog. Before the busy time comes for work in the apiary, rig up a hat and gloves, so you will be of use there. If you are afraid all the time, you are of no account to work with bees. The expense is trifling — the gauze for the little girl's hat cost only ten cents, and atop was cut from a paper box. Mrs. L. Harrison. Peoria, 111., Jan., 1883. By all means, bring the convention here, Mrs. H., and you can have the ''prayer- meeting-room," "lunch-room," or any other room, to do what you please with. I would suggest, however, that you might be disap- pointed to find the former room so filled up with bee-hive frames, section boxes, etc., that you cotild hardly see the speaker. How- ever, you shall have the court-house free of charge, and it is but a short walk from the factory. The lunch-room shall be free to everybody who comes to the convention ; and if we do not give you a very imposing bill of fare, we will give you all the honey you may consume (California mountain-sage includ- ed), with hot cakes and coffee to match. The ladies shall have lodging also, free, as long as they choose to stay ; and as the time is a long way ahead, perhaps we maybe able to study up a place for the gentlemen also, free of expense to them. By all means, have Brother Johnson come, to ask a blessing at the table, and assist in various other ways. —May God bless you, Mrs, H., and the little girl by your side, whom you have forgotten to tell us about. Has she ever written for our Juvenile Department? MORE ABOUT LAYING AVORKERS. ALSO A PLAN B'OR GETTING GOOD QUEEN-CELLS. eN page 603, D. A. McCord speaks of a laying worker and a laying queen living har- ■ moniously in the same hive, and you ask if the queen or bees were not of the Holj'- Land race. With me, such a case is not unusual with the Italians, where they have been queenless for some time. It has been demonstrated to my own satisfaction, (1) that laying workers will often be produced while unsealed larvse and qaeen-cells exist in the hive, if the colony has been long queenless. (2) That some- times a great many laying workers will occupy the same hive in harmony. (3) That it is not always diflS- cult to Introduce a laying queen to such a hive; and (4) that when the queen gets a firm foothold, her in- ferior substitutes disappear or stop laying. During the past season I had l;iying workers appear in 5 or 6 nuclei, each of which was always supplied with either a queen or a queen-cell, and almost always with eithereggsor unsealed larvae; but I think that, generally, several queens had failed in succession. Into these hives several virgin queens from the lamp nursery were introduced successfully, without re- moving the laying workers, which afterward dis- appeared. It has been my practice to have my queen-cells built in strong and prosperous colonies, as follows:— I deprive a good colony of its queen and young brood, and give it plenty of sealed brood, and the eggs from the imported queen. As soon as the queen- cells are fairly started over the hatching larvae, they are given to another strong colony, with brood in all staqoi (the queen of course having been removed) where the cells are completed. After this colony has finished two or three batches of cells, their brood is all ceiled, and they are given eggs from which to start cells for a fresh hive. Al- though this system requires intense watchfulness, I think it comes nearer than any other to nature's plan. But, to the point bearing upon laying workers. After a colony has finished two or three batches of cells, and started several other batches, I have 5 or 6 times found eggs from workers about the time the last brood was hatching. After the workers began to lay, but few if any cells were started, although a large number were promptly started before. Upon introducing queens to these hives, they were gener- ally accepted. In one hive the queen held her own for 3 or 4 weeks, and then disappeared. In another, after the queen had been laying several days, I picked from a single comb (drone) ten workers that 1 found in the act of laying, within two or three minutes' time. There was no trouble in that hive afterward. In another, queen and workers laid to- gether for several weeks. The latter Increased in power until nearly all the brood (several cards) and one-half the population were drones. I gave them 2 or 3 cards of young brood, and very soon the ground around was covered with dead drones black and white. I knew this queen to be an extra good one, and wanted to test her " sand." She did splen- 1S82 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 125 didly afterward. The quickest way to get rid of lay- ing workers is to shake the bees into a pile 10 rods from the stand, returning the hive supplied with unsealed brood, and a queen or queen-cell. All the bees that can fly will return, but not the laying workers. Another way: If there are many young bees that would be lost by the above method, give them an unsealed queen-cell, and plentj' of eggs and larvte. Oliver Foster. Mt. Vernon, Linn Co., la., Dec. 19, 1881. THE IPS AND DOIUNS OF THE MAN ^VHO GOT 565 LBS. IN ONE \^EAR FKOM A NUCXEUS. ALSO SOMETHING ABOUT CELLAR AVINTERING — WIN- TERING A COLONY ON IV2 LBS. OF HONEY. ¥0U say, in Deo. No. of Gleanings, page 59V, that you have no doubt that I have been — ' through discouragements and troubles like many of the rest. Yes, that is so. I have had many ups and downs in the few years I have kept bees, and I will tell you about it. I commenced bee-keep- ing in 18T6, with one swarm, which I increased by dividing to 3. It was a poor season here that year. I put them in the cellar in November, and in Febru- ary I took them out. In March we had terribly cold weather, and a big snowstorm, so I lost 3 of my 3 colonies. In January, 1877, I ordered the A. B. J., and Magazine, the first bee papers I ever read, and in May, Gleanings. From this I learned a better way of artificial swarming. In the fall of that year I had 18 colonies in good condition for winter, and they all came out of the cellar in the spring, as bright as a new dollar. From these 18 colonies in 1878 I increased to 45, and took considerable honey. I am sorry I did not weigh them in the fall and spring, and keep a record of the honey; now I al- ways weigh the bees when I put them in the cellar, and again when I talie them out in the spring. Nov. 7, 1878, 1 put them in the cellar; March 23, 1879, 1 took them out. They were as bright and nice as the spring before. They wore in the cellar 135 days. One colony consumed only 4 lbs. ; 3, iVz lbs. ; 4, 5 lbs. ; 2, 51/2 lbs.; 14, 6 lbs.; 3, ^M lbs.; 1, 13 lbs., and the rest 7 and 8 lbs., making an average of 6 8-9 lbs. I sold some colonies, and increased them during the sum- mer to 101, and had a very good crop of honey. Put them in the cellar Nov. 4, 1879, and took them out the latter part of March and fore part of April, 1880. They were in the cellar about 148 days. One colony consumed 1^2 lbs.; 4, 3U lbs.; 4, 4 lbs.; 15, 4!4 lbs.; 8, 5 lbs.; 14, 5'/4 lbs.; 13, 6 lbs.; 4, 6/2 lbs.; 1. 10'^ lbs.; the rest, 7 and 8 lbs.; average amount consumed, 5 8-15 lbs. Then I had the first spring dwindling. I sold some colonies, and increased to 88. I had only about 600 lbs. honej% nearly all fall honey, as white clover was a failure. Nov. 13, 1880, I put them in the cellar, and April 16, 1881, took them out. They were in the cellar 155 days. One colony consumed 5 lbs.; 3,6 lbs.; 2, 614 lbs.; 3, 7 lbs.; 1, 13U. lbs.; 1, 13 lbs.; 1, 13^2 lbs.; 1, 15 lbs.; 1, 16'/2 lbs.; the rest from 8 to 12 lbs., averaging 9 4-5 lbs. per colony. I had 33 dead colonies; the remaining .55 I doubled up, so I had 25 colonies in not very good condition, and 10 nuclei of 1 and 3 frames for queen-rearing. From these 25 colonies I obtained 6037 lbs. of honey, of which 3107 lbs. was extracted, and 2920 lbs. comb. and increased to 93 colonies. I sold some colonies, and now have 83 in the cellar, and 4 colonies on sum- mer stands packed in hay. I will report next spring how I succeeded in win- tering them. So far they are all right. H. Newhaus. Burlington, Wis., Jan. 30, 1883. Thanks for the figures, friend X. It seems to me your colony must have been a very small one, that consumed only li lbs. in 148 days — rather a nucleus, was it not V I once wintered a small colony that I should think hardly consumed more than that ; but as I did not weigh them, I can not say exactly. I dare say, that those that used so little stores came out in better health than if they had used four times as much. AVhat a sav- ing it would be if we knew enough to win- ter a pint of bees and a queen everii time, and thus save the large amounts of I'loney con- sumed by a heavy colony ! With our pres- ent light, we could easily make the pint into a rousing colony before winter, and may be get a crop of honey besides. Where is Hos- mer now-a-days V THE SEX OF EGGS OF A QUEEN. SOME THOUGHTS AND FACTS FROM A FRIEND OVER THE WATER. WN the columns of the British Bee J(mrnal, and Jl also in Gleanings, I occasionally find opinions advanced on the above subject, which seem barely to harmonize with entomological facts; and if my judgment serves me correctly, Prof. Cook, in his Manual, advances the theory, that the sex of eggs is determined, if not by the will of the queen-bee, at least by the amount of abdominal pressure to which she is subjected in depositing cgfis in different-sized cells, whilst others, with a semi-claim to the appella- tion of naturalist, support the idea that the will of the insect in controlling the amount of sperm to each, is supreme in this matter of sex. I am not, however, aware that any definite conclusion has been arrived at, through demonstrative evidence; and a few details of observations, taken in a small apiary in the center of Montrose, Scotland, during last season, may assist your readers in forming an opinion thereon. During the first days of August, four out of five hives were prepared and sent to the heather above Fasque — a distance of over 14 miles ; and some time after their despatch, the remaining hive, which was a stock hive in movable frame, from which a top swarm hart been taken, was discovered to be queen- less. The brood being all sealed, it was necessary to obtain a square inch of worker comb filled with eggs, from a hive at Ilossie Gardens, a distance of over a mile. This was attached to comb with a small piece of wire, and two queen-cells were speedily raised thereon. After a few days, all the ova disappeared from the small piece of comb; and in about a week from the time of giving eggs, a number of drone- cells were filled with the whitish substance common to larva? at this stage. Here the thought suggested itself, that the queen had been overlooked in previ- ous examinations. But then, why these two queen- cells? And on a still more careful scrutiny, and comparison of the number of cells in previously mentioned square with the larvse in drone-cells, a i^6 GLEaMNGS IK BEE CtlLTURE. Mar. harmony was obvious, and thus the previous disap- pearance of eggs was accounted for. It was now perfectly clear, that the all-wise Creator had en- dowed this insect with a forethought and power, probably unexampled in the animal kingdom. They knew that they wanted a queen, and prepared their cells accordingly. They also seemed to know that, without a male to mate that virgin queen, their colony would become extinct; hence they trans- ferred these eggs from worker to drone cells, to prevent such a fatality. The result was, iu the month of October they had a queen performing all the duties pertaining to her position, and several drones were then flying. One more corroboration was noted. In one hive, a queen was observed dropping eggs, not in cells, but on the top of the comb, whilst a number of bees were, with the utmost order and eagerness, watch- ing and picking up the eggs, and placing them in cells. In this case, could the queen instruct the bees where each egg was to be deposited, if her will regulated the sex, or did they instinctively know the proper cell for each egg? It could scarcely be. The only warrantable and logical conclusion is, that the ova of a fertilized queen-bee, in a sense differing from that of a virgin queen, or even a fertile work- er, belongs to neither sex, being for the time neutral, having its future sex determined by the cell In which It is placed, and the treatment to which it is subjected by the bees. K. Edward. Montrose, Scotland, Dec. 5, 1881. I think, my friend, yon are in error ; for eggs have been repeatedly cut out of a work- er comb, and transferred to drone-cells, and vice versa; but, so far as I know, all experi- ments have resulted in showing conclusively that it made no difference where the egg was placed,— it produced the same insect it would if it had not been moved. Moreover, micro- scopical experiments, detailed in that valua- ble little book, the Dzierzon Theory, show pretty conclusively that the egg producing the worker or queen is fertilized, while that producing the drone is not. You found the eggs gone which you gave them, and other eggs in drone comb, and these latter pro- duced drones ; but for all that, I do not think the bees moved them tliere. The eggs in drone-cells were probably the eggs of fertile workers ; and these fertile worker drones, I should say, could not have produced the drone that fertilized your queen. First, these drones could not well be old enough ; and secondly, it is a matter of great doubt whethei- eggs from fertile workers ever pro- duce drones equal to the task of fertiliza- tion. The fact you furnish, in regard to the bees taking eggs from a queen, and placing them in cells, is an important one; for, if I am correct, we have never had proof of this in print before — only conjectures that it might be so. Whether, in such a case, the bees would know from the looks of the egg which kind of cell it belonged in, or whether the queen called out to thpm, as they carried the eggs away, the name of the sex, is a pretty deep question ; but I am inclined to doubt whether the bees have the ability to judge, further than to call all eggs drones they find in drone-cells, until the larvae are hatched. I also doubt the queen having sufficient intelligence to communicate any knowledge of this kind to the bees. When a queen has too few bees to care for her eggs, she frequently exudes them, and the bees apparently eat them up. If they put them into cells, it seems to me a very unnat- ural proceeding, and I should be rather in doubt that they hatched out into either drones or workers. Did you, friend E., note whether these eggs produced perfect bees or drones? It has been suggested, that caged queens sometimes furnish eggs for the bees to put around into cells ; but I believe you are the first one, friend E., who has seen it done. K. I. FRGKBORN'S REPORT. 350 COLONIES IN WINTER QUARTERS A YEAR AGO, AND WHAT THEY DID. BOUr a year ago I reported having 350 swarms in winter quarters. Since then I have said not a word (in Gleanings I mean), though I have said several that might have been heard around here, especially when handling hybrids and Cypri- ans. Well, had I not been ashamed to make a re- port last spring, it would have been about 146 with live queens the first of May — 100 of them the weak- est lot ever owned by a discouraged bee-keeper; about 40 that I had in a location where they wintered fairly well, were the salt that seasoned the whole mess, and served as a reserve corps to draw on for bees and brood to restock my empty combs and make a passably fair report out of what seemed in spring a very doubtful chance. The spring, or sum- mer, rather, as we had no spring (only winter fol- lowed by summer), was all that a bee-keeper could ask for, as May was bright and balmy, and the nights warm ; that enabled many a handful of bees to build up into good strong stocks that in a more unfavora- ble season would have been lost by brood chilling. In May I had an opportunity of buying 19 swarms of blacks in box hives; this made 165 to start with; and as I had them in five places I debated whether to get them together in one or two lots, and run for honey, or Increase them up to the original number again; buthavmg so much comb on hand, and not liking to have the name of being out of bees, I con- cluded to increase them again. So I kept them scat- tered; and when dividing and making swarms I moved all the young ones to a new location, which prevented their returning to the old hive, which they will do more or less when not moved, and they work nearly or quite as well as natural swarm? of the same strength. I had thought in spring, if I could increase aa many as I have lost, it wouJd be about all I could reasonably expect, without much of a honey crop; but after getting bees in my 350 hives again, I thought if they could do more than fill up they should have all the comb they could fill, and I kept them supplied according to strength and location; using, on some of the strongest, from 16 to 34 Gallup frames. The season was in many respects remarkable, es- pecially for heat and moisture. White clover was almost a total failure, as we got no pure clover honey, though there was sufBcient of It to keep them Increasing. Well, to be ready for basswood and later flowers, we had too much rain during bass- wood for a large yield, the amount from this source 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 127 being about 8000 lbs., and of later flowers 9500, mak- ing 17,500 lbs. of extracted, and increase 200 swarms; and while many have reported doing much better than this, I am satisfied with the result, as I did bet- ter than r expected, which ought to satisfy any one. We watched only one lot regularly, but depended on controlling swarming by cropping all old queens, and cutting out cells, and taking brood from the strongest; and yet we are not positive of losing but three swarms. We have one lot ten miles from home; another seven. Having them so far away, and moving all young swarms, kept three of us so busy through June and July that we had but little time to go fishing or play ball. In regard to the wintering problem: I see that many think they have solved it, and in their particu- lar location they probably have; but should they try some other, it might be they would modify some- what their present views, as, in my opinion, loca- tion has much to do with success or loss in winter- ing, and that the wintering depends upon the sum- mer's gathering; otherwise, how shall we account for one lot wintering well and another dying under the same treatment a short distance awaj'? It is possible that, by takiug all natural stores away, and feeding sugar, they might all be wintered in a season when they would die on natural stores; but as we can hardly tell when disaster is coming, and as it is a big job to take the honey from them and feed a large lot, I have so far taken the chances of their wintering on their own stores. I take no stock in the theory that we must have them breed late in winter, for I have known them to winter well without feeding, when all honey sources had failed in August. I have 103 swarms, chaff packed, outdoors, and 250 in cellars. They seem to be doing fairly so far, both out and in. Those out were carrying water in the warm part of the day on several days during Novem- ber and December. S.I.Freeborn. Ithaca, Wis., Jan., 1883. HONEY FROM BASSWOOD, AND HONEY FKOM THISTLES. fjiHOUGH my report is not very brilliant, and per- haps, also, a little out of season, I will try to let you know what I have been doing the past summer. When the honey season began in real earnest, I found that I had only 30 colonies out of 39 that were strong enough to make a start in the box- es. At the close of the basswood flow of honey I took off 3130 lbs. of nice white comb honey, an average of 71 lbs. per colony, and double increase. They would swarm and swarm; no amount of boxing would control them. I have douliled up and sold down to 66, which I am wintering in Langstroth hives on their summer stands. THISTLES AS A HONEY-PLANT. Now, f'-iend Root, allow me a little space to tell the readers of Gleanings who have possession of land where our common thistle grows, not to destroy them, for they are a good honey-plant in just the right time. In looking over my bees after the sur- plus arrangements were removed,! found plenty of brood, but very litf.e honey. Some time near the last of July I noticed that the bees were coming in heavily laden with honey. " Hallo !" says I to mjself, "Mr. Root need not 'kick up such a dust' about one red-clover queen; why, my whole apiary is of that stamp. I must real- ly go and see that large clover field." I put my smoker away, and before many minutes I was standing in a field of red. Imagine my sur- prise to see very few bees. I started home, greatly disappointed. As I got about half way home my silence was broken by a loud humming of bees pass- ing overhead. They led me to a large thistle patch where I found them so many in number that they were crowding, it seemed, to see how many could get one flower. I beat a hasty retreat homeward, well pleased with my two hours' ramble, and with a strong resolution that I would destroy no more thistles. Day by day they gathered their sweet treasures, and at the end of one month the combs were bulged out with a beautiful golden-colored honey. T. C. Chilly. Grafton, Lorain Co , O., Jan 30, 1883. I liaven't a doubt of what you say, friend C. ; but if you go to recommending thistles, some of the friends wouldn't sleep nights. You see, it Avould seed the land of your neighbors ; and as the common thistle grows a second year, it would be even worse than the much-abused, but comparatively inno- cent, blue thistle we had such a time about a year or more ago. I have seen bees get quite a little honey from thistles some sea- sons, but I hardly think it is a very common occurrence. A TRIP TO JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN. BY ONE OF THE "BLASTED HOPERS." CHAPTEK I. ^fit^'A'i' 1, 1881, I had but 13 colonies of bees and 3 |l/)(|l very weak nuclei in my bee-yard, where from ' 60 to 100 colonies usually stand. They looked so lonesome, and I felt so blue after my losses, that I determined to buy more if pos.ible. After corres- ponding with several having bees to sell, and finding their ^prices too high for my pocket-book, I deter- minedon a trip to Jefferson, the home of theGrimras and many other quite extensive bee-keepers. For the want of a better conveyance, I proposed bring- ing them home in the lumber wagon. Under the box, rubber springs were improvised by cutting up old rubber boots and shoes, and in the box was placed hiird and tough brushwood upon which boards were laid so that the hives would be level. An hour be- fore sunrise. May 30, 1 was on the road leading north- westward, and, rough and stony though it was, I was intending to do the 30 miles by noon. The morning was pleasant. The team needed no urging, and my spirits rose as I thought that perhaps to-morrow I might be returning with 30 colonies of nice yellow bees to work on the yellow blossoms of the dandeli- ons with which the roadsides were nearly covered. White clover, too, had also begun to show its small pink and white flowers, on which I saw many bees before arriving at Jefferson. As I passed through a small village, two or three men were seen giving their horses water at the town pump. I, too, drew rein and saluted them with a good-morning, which was pleasantly returned, after which they were asked of the prospect for buying bees in that locality. One of them laughed as he remarked, that nearly every one had gone out of the bee business, and, pointing to a house near by, said, "A bee-raan lives there, but he has only one weak swarm left from the forty he had in the fall, and he is a sample of all." 128 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. I drove on; and as I did so, noticed that there was plenty of bass wood-trees in the woods, and many basswood logs lay by the sawmill, ready to bo made into boards and scantling. The fences by the road- side, too, were nearly hidden from sight by the rank growth of grapevines, sumac, and crabapple-trees, the latter of which were then in full bloom, giving forth their strong but delightful perfume. White clover was abundant also, so it must be a fine coun- try for bees. When within about four miles of Jef- ferson, my eyes were gladdened by the sight of a bee-yard, if yard it could be called, for they were in the open lot, and all in one long straight row— 40 of them, and all Langstroth hives, and painted white. Of course. I called. The proprietor, a German, like nearly all his neighbors, was very busy putting on upper stories filled with empty combs, from which he proposed extracting the honey when it came. He had a small honey-house near the bees, on the hill- side. Under the bouse was his stone-walled cellar, where he wintered his bees with the greatest suc- cess. "But," said he, "I take great care of them. If they are too warm, 1 open the door and window^ nights; and if too cold, I warm them with a fire," He showed me the cellar, but it is not nearly so nice as mine, where the bees nearly all died. His bees were nearly all Italians, and very strong, I judged, by the number passing in and out. He said they were then working on the white clover and dandeli- ons. He could not be persuaded to sell any, so I drove on. J. L. Wolfenden. Adams, Walworth Co., Wis., Jan. 30, 1883. HOW TO BUILiD UP AN APIARY. AND ALSO HOW TO ITALIANIZE. ijnjp COMMENCED in the spring of 1880 with one Ji([ swarm of black bees; increased by natural swarming to three, but got no surplus honey. I wintered all; but two came out strong in the spring, and one weak. The weak one was t^ie old swarm, but I soon built them up strong in the spring by feeding candy, as given in the ABC, and I have taken 250 lbs. extracted honey, and increased to ten by natural swarming. One first swarm filled their hive, containing 13 Gallup frames, in just ten days, with comb honey and eggs, and gave me 40 lbs. sur- plus honey. The hive they came from was a two- story one, with 34 frames in, and the queen filled them all with eggs, and I tell you there were a few bees around when they swarmed. Buckwheat did not amount to much with us, on account of dry weather; the bees stored surplus only about four days from it. HOW I INTRODUCED MY ITALIAN QUEEN. I got her of you ; and as it was the first one I ever introduced, I took out all the frames of brood, except- ing one with a few bees and the queen, and put them into a nucleus hive. The next day the queen came, and I caged her on the single frame of brood left in the hive for 6 hours; I then lifted the cage, and let her out. The second day she commenced to lay, and 1 took out the brood combs and filled the hive with them, after the honey had been extracted. I then fed them up till the combs were filled and capped. I now have a rousing swarm of Italians. I wish to Italianize in the spring, and this is the way I am go- ing to do it: I have 9 colonies of black bees, and I shall make 9 nuclei, giving them each a capped queen-cell; when the cell hatches I shall build them up strong as fast as I can, at the expense of the nine old swarms. I expect, by the time I get the nuclei built up to strong swarms, the old ones will be pret- ty weak. I will then remove their queens and intro- duce laymg Italians in their stead. By doing this way, I expect to get the nuclei built up strong soon enough to gather surplus honey. I think I can do it, as I shall have the services of two queens to build up with. Do you think my plan will work, friend Root? C. E. Larrabee. Horton, Jackson Co., Mich., Dec. 19, 1881. I think your plan a very good one for Ital- ianizing, friend L., providing you start the nine nuclei, say some time in April or May. If you keep on with the zeal you show now, I expect to see you have a rousing apiary ere long. FROin THIi: BOX-ELDERS. FEW evenings since, as we were about to call on Mr. Duster, when nearing his residence we ^^^^^ heard music, both instrumental and vocal. The sitting-room was lighted up brightly, and through one of the windows which came down to the floor, over which was a partially drawn curtain, we saw the daughter seated at the piano — the father in his easy-chair, and, with instrument accompanying, they were making the whole house vocal with song, while the wife and mother sat by contentedly listening. This scene was just such a one as can and should be found in every farmhouse in our land, if we will but cultivate a taste for music. There is nothing so rest- ful, after the toils and perplexities of the day; noth- ing that so " heals and humanizes our distempered natures," and makes our homes lovely and lovable, as music. As we stood looking at this scene for a few mo- ments, it seemed almost rudeness to do so; while, upon the other hand, we felt it nearly a sacrilege to disturb them. Mr. Duster appeared rather tardily in answer to our summons, and, by waj' of apology, said,— " We had got into the heavy part of our perfor- mance, and as there were only two of uSto carry the four parts, it took our whole attention and efforts to do so!" I looked at him somewhat amazed, that two per- sons could sustain four parts in music, when he re- sumed by saying,— " You see, my daughter played the instrument, and sung; that's two parts, while I whistled a little tenor, and now and then whined a little falsetto for alto, and then came down on the bass for all I had left — ' singing ourselves away to everlasting bliss," you see." We found Mr. Duster in a very happy frame of mind; and why should he not be? Soon our conver- » sation led us to our favorite topic — bee CULTURE. "I see," said Mr. Duster, " that almost all who ad- vertise queens for salei-ecommond them as being of an improved strain — telling how smart they are at the egg-laying business; how industrious and spry their progeny are, getting up early, and going to bed late; crying when night comes when no bee can work, not even the improved sort; great, good- natured, good-looking fellows (?) that 'never, no, scarcely ever,' sting, etc., etc. " Now, do not understand me as ridiculing the claims of these parties, for I believe in the 1882 glea:nings in bee cultuke. 129 IMPROVED BEE, and I believe, too, we have been iuiproving them for the last ten years; and so I say, let them advertise and give us the good points they claim. No^one ex- pects they would advertise that they had got the old ' black boss bee ' of 10 or 15 years ago. They would be looked upon as about on a par with the fish-monger who went on the street to sell fish, cry- ing, ' Stinking codfish for sale! who'll buy?' So Isay, cry up the good points you think you have devel- oped, and in this way stimulate others to greater efforts in the good work." I saw that Mr. Duster was in right-down earnest in his belief in this matter, so I suggested that per- haps he had got an improved strain of bees. As he did not respond at once, we looked at him and saw that he was regarding us in a kind of a quizzical, doubtful way, with one eye partly closed, and the other drawing a bead on us across the bridge of his nose. "Yes, yes!" he broke out, "I've just that. My bees strain every winter to get through, and they make it, too, by jim-i-ny!" "Tut, tut!" interposed his wife, across the table. "Well, well; leave off the two last words if you like," said Mr. D. ; " but it is the truth, all the same. Some of these fellows who winter their bees out- doors will tumble to my racket in the way of winter- ing, one of these days, and don't you forget it!" After going thus far out of the way to give his friends on outdoor wintering a " whack," as he called it, he returned to the improvement question again. "You don't suppose that, after improving the short-horns that we bought of Johnny Bull until he, Johnny, is glad to come over and pay us a good round price for oui- improved short-horns; you don't suppose, after improving our breed of horses " (and here Mr. Duster arose and struck an attitude) "until we have been able to send across the waters such samples as Foxhall and Iroquois, that cleaned out the whole ' caboodle ' of 'em; you don't suppose that we have improved the little Jersej's until they are a far better breed in most respects than those first im- ported, and we, after doing all this, can't improve our bees!" Here Mr. Duster dropped into his chair with a long- drawn-out "pish," that seemed to let out all the wind there was in him. He, however, soon rallied, by saying, in conclusion,— "Look at what has been done in the improvement of ourpoultry. Breeds that we imported thirty years ago can now hardly be recognized as the same, so great has been the change for the better. The hen- fever and bee-fever, I wish to remark, are very much alike. I will not diagnose them to prove it, but will simply say, that I have had both, and am myself a living monument of thirty years' standing to the fact! It will take time, some money, and a good deal of patience, to bring this matter about; but it's as sure to come as that the future is before us." R. H. Mellen. Amboy-on-Inlet, 111., Feb. 4, 1882. Friend M., please tell Mr. Duster, next time you see him, that our friend Merry- banks has several projects in hand that he would like his opinion on, and one is, wheth- er he don't think the " improved bee " would get along faster if bred in his pail bee-hive, rhey are so much more comfortable, clus- tered together in a round ball, as it were, and then in the springtime the sun warms up the pail so readily, and dries out all dampness. FRIE:ND DEAIVE'S SYSTEM OF WORK- ING SECTIONS FOR COlttB HONEY. A SUBSTITUTE FOR WIDE FRAMES AND CRATES, FOR SECTIONS. 1 i?T does not usually take a bee-man very I'lt long to learn the advantages of simplici- ty and fewness of parts in his appliances for the ai)iary ; and the great favor wlilch the Simplicity hive has obtained is probably owing to its being composed of just two simple parts, bodies and covers. Almost every beginner suggests that a flat board, cleated, would do just as well as a bottom- board made just like a cover; but he soon learns that the advantage of having bottoms and covers exactly alike, and always inter- changeable, more than pays for the extra ex- pense. Since our system of gauges, so that Simplicity hives made by one man always fit exactly those made by any other man, have become known, it is now quite common to have single orders for a hundred or more hives. Well, the one-piece section did a great deal in the same way toward simplify- ing. When there were two or more separate pieces to form a section, somebody was eve- ry little while getting too many tops and bottoms, or too few sides, or, as often hap- pened when we had sent them all right, he counted wrongly, and imagined he had not got what he should have, which made more trouble, if possible, than the other. Well, not only are all such troubles over, but the one-piece section can be put up ever so much faster than the other ; even if a nailed sec- tion is wanted, they can be put up faster, for it is a very much easier job to nail it nicely, when every part is held firmly in place while the nails are driven. Well, the wide frames to hold sections are still made of three different pieces, and the crate that sets over the frames, even the simplest in form, is made of quite a number of pieces. Now, friend Deane proposes to make two simple pieces of wood make pret- ty nearly the whole of both. Below I give you a cut of the pieces as he uses them. THE PIECES OP WOOD FORMING THE DEANE SEC- TION-HOLDERS. The smallest piece is 11x4^x7-32. The oth- er is 17ixl#x7-82. You will observe, the for- mer is just the width of an ordinary section in its widest part, and the latter just the width in the narrowest part. The latter is, in fact, only the bottom-bar to an ordinary wide frame. Xow, -in- stead of notching them together as friend Deane does, I would put them together in the usual way of dovetiiliiig, so: If made to drive together hard, they will make a much tirmer joint, and yet they can be easily bent back a little, when lifting out the sections. If separators are to be used, they are tacked to these short pieces. I 130 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. would suggest, that the prices for these sticks be about $3.25 per thousand, for the small ones, neatly planed, and about double the amount for the large ones. This will make the four-box case, which it really is, just $15. OU per thousand. We will now let friend Deane tell how he uses these little cases : — In answer to tho many calls for information in re- gard to the new Dcane system for comb honcj', I have taken this opportunity to arise and explain throug'h your valuable journal. CASE ILLUbTKATIISG FRIEND DEANE'S SYSTEM. The arrang-ement, as shown above, is composed of seven wide cases, holding four 'i}ixV.i, sections each, and clamped together by means of two thin boards, one on each side of the cases. It will be noticed that there is a wire passing- around the screws in ends of the boards, and that this wire has 3 small wire loops around it ; now, by pushing these small loops toward the screws, every thing is made so tight that the wires sing like fiddle-strings. Tighten the wires at e.ach end of the cases in the same manner, and you can then handle the cases like a solid box. By bringing the small loops to the center, every thing is made loose, and any one case can be lifted out without trouble. Place strips lii wide by li inch thick all around the hive, and right on top of the brood-frames, and then set this case right down on the strips. Make all tight by means of these strips, so no heat or bee can pass up from below, ex- cept into the sections. When the bees g:et well to work and you want to tier up, just raise the whole combination, and place an empty one under it; but be very careful to get the cases exactly over each other so the bees can pass from one to the other. The cases have no top-bar, and when they are trussed up the sections are firm and solid, being the same width the cases are. When used without sep- arators, the whole thing can be sent to market just as it comes from the hive, simply by placing thick paper on bottom and top, and screwing a couple of strips across the top and bottom and into the sides. This arrangement of the new Deane system I use on Simplicity and Star chaff hives, and it leaves about % of an inch to spare on the sides of the Simplicity, so you can use the regular body to slip over it, or it can be used on any 10-frame Laugstroth hive, or the principle can be applied to any movable-comb hive. THE HOOP-IRON WIDE FRAME. This device is made of hoop iron, and will hold two of the above cases, as can be seen by the cut. Its use is to suspend the cases on each side of the brood-chamber, and when the bees get well to work in them, raise them to the upper story and put emp- ty ones in their places. When the cases are used tvithout separators, you must use a perforated metal division-board on the sides of the cases in the body of the hive. You can nail separators on the cases, if you wish; but in that case they would not do to send to market, as tke cost would be too great. Trusting this system may prove of great value to the readers of Gleanings, I remain,— C. H. Deane. Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky., Dec. 38, 1881. Now, as we have considered the advan- tages, it maybe well, before going into it too strongly, to look at the other side. The plan for drawing up the frames by sliding the wires, is an old device, and, I believe, was discarded, as being too mucli bother, and also too frail. Those who have had experi- ence in shipping, Ifnow how quickly such devices are torn into bits ; and even when handled in the apiary, by ordinary help, I fear they would be ail the while ''• tumbling to pieces." The case costs just about the same as our combined shipping-case, and does not have the observing-glass on each side, either. Two objections present them- selves to the hoop-iron frame. The one sent us weighs nearly * lb., and, at the usual price, 6 cents per lb. for hoop iron, the iron alone costs more than we sell complete wide frames for by the thousand. The other ob- jection is the bottom-bar extending right through between the upper and lower tier of sections, separating them i inch further than with the usual way. This latter objection may be, perhaps, done away with ; but at present I hardly know how. Now, after all this, I still think friend Deane has made a start in the right way, and that his system will doubtless be adopted by many, and probably greatly improved during the com- ing season. l»^ATER FOR BEES IN \*INTER. FRIEND BOOMHOWER ONCE MORE. CHAPTER II. fN my letter to you which was published in Sept. No., I stated that my bees were supplied with wa- — ' ter during their confinement in winter, and that I thought it was the main point of my success in wintering, and that I would give my method of sup- plying them with water while in the cellar. As soon as Sept. Gleanings was sent out, I began to receive postals and letters from bee-keepers from all over the country, far and near, requesting me to give them my plan of supplying bees with water, and my method of getting 286 lbs. of white honey from one colony of bees. As I was at the time in Vermont, running one of A. E. Manum's apiaries and queen- yards, and also at the same time giving almost daily instruction by mail to my family in New York State concerning the management of my apiary and affairs there, it was beyond my ability to find time to write to Gleanings, giving methods and plans. And al- so after friend Doolittle thought that I was casting shadows upon our old pioneer bee-keepers, I thought that I would not write any more letters to Gleanings or any other paper pertaining to bee culture. But I guess friend D. thought perhaps I V^ 6^ /p^Jti^^ 1882 / GLEANINGS IN BEE^^ULTUKE. was hitting him a little, for I think I have heard that he does not winter his bees very well, and so wanted my shadows to hit Langstroth and Quinby; but, friend D., such was not mj- intention. But, to re- turn to the water question. From my first experiment and first winter in wintering bees, I can't tell exactly how it came about, but I got the idea In my head, that bees need water in winter, for 1 remember, when a small lad, of seeing my brother-in-law's bees go for water when first carried out in spring, and I guess from this I first got the idea of water for bees while in the cellar or winter rcpositorj-; and as my experience grows, this idea becomes more and more established and confirmed within myself. One day last spring I received a visit from a gen- tleman living in the southern part of the town who keeps bees. He had about 40 colonies in his cellar. He related to me that he had taken extra pains to have his cellar very dry, and free from dampness. I asked him how his bees were wintering. Retold me that for some time they had been very uneasy, and one daj', as he was in the cellar, the idea came to him that perhaps Ihey needed more under ventilation; and as there was nothing handy to put under the hives, he took potatoes; and as his hives were all box hives, and very heavy with hor.cy, the potatoes were somewhat smashed, and the juice from them collected in a little puddle of water. The next day he was again looking at his bees, and every hive that had potatoes under, the bees had collected down and sucked up every particle of moisture that could be obtained from the smashed potatoes. He asked me what I thought made them so eager for the juice from these potatoes. My friends, what do yuu think about it? Does this not look as if those bees were very thirsty? I think it does. One more point, and then I will drop the water question for the present. About a mile and a half from me is located a bee-keeper by the name of E. Haverly. He has, for wintering his bees, a house partly set in a bank of dry soil. He has it well ven- tilated, and the air inside, when the bees are in, is very dry — so much so that every thing is fairly dusty; 90 colonies of bees were put in last fall; in the middle of the winter the bees began to get very uneasy, and began to crawl out and drop upon the floor in such numbers that it began to look quite se- rious. About the first of March, if 1 recollect right, in the morning of a promising, sunshiny day he seat word for me to come and help him carry out his bees to give them a fly. I went and helped him do so; and upon looking at quite a number of colonies that were nearly destitute of bees, I found lots of dead and apparently starved brood. All had plenty of honey. What Was the cause? I think it was this: That the bees had begun to rear brood, and were in want of some moisture; and as all surroundings were as dry as a powder-house, none could be had, and the bees became uneasy and discouraged, and had left the hives, and dropped upon the floor. Out of the lot, he managed to save about 40; and the most of these were so weak that it took until late in the summer before they could rally so as to be of any use. I believe that Mr. H. has provided water for them this winter, and that his bees are wintei- ing well. HOW I SUPPLY MY BEES WITH WATEU IN WINTER. As my bees are carried into the cellar, and set in place where they are to remain through the winter, each hive is raised up from the bottom-board about l-i of an inch, by means of four little blocks of wood. / After each and every hive is in place; the covering, ->^ or honey-board, is taken off; then I cover over the — top of the hive with common cotton cloth, or cheap factory; then I lay the honey-board tisbtdown ftpojj ^/ this cloth. After a few days, the moisture fr©H»^^e colony will draw through the cloth, and collect in little clear drops upon the under side of honey-board ; and often little drops, like very small peas, will be on the upper side of the cloth, or between the cloth and honey-board. The bees can help themselves to this water at any time, without any inconvenience, or leaving the cluster, as it is only li, of an inch from the top of frames to the under side of honey-board, and the bees generally cluster over the tops of the frames; so you see that water is always within their reach. When too much moisture collects upon the under side of honey-board, I turn it over, and so keep doing through the entire winter. This water 1 have often collected and tasted. I find it to be as clear and pure to the taste as good spring water. Some colonies gave much more moisture than oth- ers. The fewer the bees, the more moisture is giv- en. The cloths never get wet or damp, but are al- ways dry. I never give any upper ventilation. It don't agree with me or the bees. I never have any moldy combs in spring, nor do I carry out any dead colonies, and but few dead bees upon the bottom- boards. I have 25 colonies under ground, covered up tight with from six inches to one foot of earth , with no ventilation (wcept what can pass through the ground packed tightly over them. In the spring I will report how they come out. HOW 1 GOT 286 LBS. OF HONEY FROM ONE COLONY. The reason that I got this amount of comb honey in such a very short space of time was this: The col- ony had good care, lots of bees, did not waste their time swarming, or preparing to swarm, for the rea- son that they had no queen in the hive, nor material to rear one from, and that they had perfect surplus arrangements. As this was only an experiment, I will not yet give to the public how I managed this way of preventing swarming; but so far it has worked well, and the two colonies that I experiment- ed with gave the largestyields of honey of any in the yard. I wish to say, through Gleanings, that whoever wrote to me for information concerning what I have written in this chapter, and did not get an answer, will please excuse me for so doing, as I was then overrun with work, care, and anxiety. In Chapter III. I will tdl you how I stir up my bees in winter, and whether it harms them or not, and also something about buckwheat and its culti- vation, and melilot clover. Frank Boomhower. Gallupville, Scho. Co., N. Y., Feb., 1882. It would seem from the many facts in this direction, that bees do need a little water oc- casionally, when wintered in the cellar ; but I really do not see, friend B., that your plan of giving it to them is materially different from that of a good many others. You sim- ply stop most of the upward ventilation, and take the chances of the condensation fur- nishing just enough and no more. I think this would be greatly dependent upon the temperature and dryness of the cellar.— Your plan of getting an extra crop of comb honey by making the colony queenless at just the right time, is essentially the same as the oue 132 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. suggested by some of our York State bee- keepers. If I am right, it works sometimes, and at others it don't. Did you not have fertile workers, and hordes of these useless drones, as a result of keeping them queen- less, with no means of rearing a queen V CYPRIANS, ETC. HOW THEY WINTER. ^ip HAVE been experimenting- with bees, and read- Jl ing up bee literature for a few years, but have had no honey. Commenced with blacli bees, but the moths crippled them, and the robbers cleaned me out last spring. Last June I bought two nuclei of Cyprians, of three combs each, one in a Lang- stroth and the other in what is called here a Mitchell hive; filled both with frames furnished with fdn. In an incredibly short time both hives were filled with bees and honey, and they commenced storing a surplus, when the dt-ought closed their labors in that direction. I left them, for the winter, on their sum- mer stands, setting up a few boards, to break off the north and west winds. The Langstroth had its honey-boxes on, and the other a super, -with three frames, the ones immediately below them being un- covered. 1 was careful not to disturb these upper arrangements Hfter the close of the propolis season, as the bees would not then be able to shut off up- ward ventilation. Remembering Mr. Langstroth's experience, I provided them with a large amount of downward ventilation, the Langstroth having an en- trance of ?i of an inch, the width of the hive, and the other 7 by % inches. Yesterday they cleaned out their hives, and are very busy to-day cleaning each other off. There were but few dead bees in the Langstroth, and about three times as many in the other. Both hives feel about as heavy as they did in the fall. The Cyprians are certainly great honey-githerers, and their courage and pluck are simply wonderful. I no longer fear either moth or robbers. While very carefully handled, they are as gentle as kittens; but upon the slightest false move they boil out and " pitch in." Smoke is of little account, as they make no provision for retreat, ever ready "to die" upon the wound, and leave the sting behind. I think they are just the bees to keep for storing honey in boxes or glasses above, and, for this purpose, I will change all my hives to Langstroth. This will require but little handling of them; and while my sheep are lying in the shade in the heat of the day, I can hive the swarms that come out — if they will let me. I want some of those " flat-topped glasses," repre- sented on pagcBlof Gleanings, when you get them; and, also, with them a pair of gloves, which latter, surely, is admissible in handling, ever so little, these spunky little yellow jackets. In former years this was a " land of honey," and may be again. C. S. Callihan. Jem, Clark Co., Mo., Ftb. 6, 1882. And this reminds me, friend C, that the strongest colony in our apiary is the Holy- Land one we have mentioned. They are al- most the only ones that are wintering on natural stores, just because they had abund- ance of stores without any sugar feeding. Well, as a matter of course they spot their hive, while the others do not ; but for all that, they are still the strongest colony in the apiary. With 200 all like this one, I almost feel as if I could supply the market with bees by the pound, without buying any, even if friend Burch does not come forward and help at all this season.— So, friend C, you are expecting to avoid the stings by using large glasses and gloves. I presume you will let the glasses stand on the hives until the frosty weather has driven the bees all out of them, and then you can quietly march off with your spoil. To do this, you will need to set your bell-glass on a thin bottom of wood, having only one opening in the center. When it is to be lifted off, just revolve the glass around this center, and it will come loose quietly, and can be raised without irritating their "majesties." i\. house apiary would be beautiful for this work, and it would then be a splendid place to show to visitors. I have submitted the glasses to two glass-factories for prices. CASTliES IN THE AIK, ETC. planning your work for the coming season. ^P|n N reading Banner Apiary Notes in Feb. No. of ^M Gleanings, I see that there was some one else besides myself going after that " forty- colony " craze. Somehow it makes me think that I have something on my mind which seeks an outlet in Gleanings. On turning to my note-book I find the following under the head of specialties:— "Select six best colonies, and make three divisions of the same. No. 1 to be run f..r comb honey, as that is the oldest method of obtaiuing honey from bees. No. 3, for extracted hone;, the next step in order after comb honey. No. 3 for that ' bonanza,' eighty colonies from the two, although I do not expect to get much above one-fourth of that number, which will be doing very well, if I could realize six dollars apiece for the twenty in the fall, providing expenses were not too heavy. If I were in the queen business I should have a No. i. As it is, I shall leave that to W. Z. Hutchinson or some one else." Now for No. 3, as reviewed from notes. HOW to increase to the greatest number op GOOD colonies POSSIBLE. I will speak of only one colony, as an illustration. Keep the colony together until the hive seems a little crowded; then remove three frames with ad- hering bees, two of sealed brood, one of eggs; place them together with one empty comb, in an empty hive on a new stand. If there does not seem to be bees enough at No. 2, shake one or two frames in front of it (a good many bees will return to the old stand, so be sure to have enough); leave queen at No. 1, and fill vacancy with empty combs or fdn. Now give to No. 3 a queen-cell about ready to hatch (these queen-cells I shall take from other colonies, for the reason that, if I were running enough colonies on the principle of "make as many as you can," one colony would furnish queen-cells for a number of new ones); let them remain in this state until No. 3 has a laying queen: then add 3 more frames of brood and bees from No. 1 ; this would give to each, seven frames of brood and honey. Fill space in each hive as before. In a few days the same can be gone over with, working on both No. 1 and No. 3, which should be kept about equal in strength; and 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. i;^3 so on through the whole season. By the above method the laying queens are always kept in a full colony, where they can do the most good. "In union there is strength; in division, weakness." One queen in a strong colony will produce more eggs than two queens in two weak ones. TAKING NOTES. Perhaps my method of reading bee .iournals will be new to some. On sitting down to read a bee paper I do not try to take it all in at one mouthful, but "bite" off what I can "chew." With pencil and note-book in hand 1 commence reading; when I find anything that I want to remember, I put it down under the heading it belongs to. Headings read something as follows: Wintering; Hints on handling bees for comb hpnty; Uniting colonies; Introducing queens; Work to be done this winter, etc. I find after pursuing this course for a short time, I have a complete A B C, or bee dictionary. Very often the note gives only the No., page, and heading of the article in reference. If every be- ginner would adopt the above plan, he would save to himself a large amount of anxiety and worry, be- sides a great many blunders and losses, and, if I am not mistaken, a good many of Mr. Root's postal cards, to say nothing of the time consumed in writ- ing them. SEPARATORS TO BE USED BETWEEN BROOD-COMBS. I do not remember of ever seeing the above men- tioned. If any one has used them, will he please state with what success? I have had a great deal of trouble in getting foundation drawn out evenly, when hung by the side of an empty comb —the bees bulging the latter so much that it prevented getting a perfect comb from the sheet of fdn. ; also necessi- tating the trimming of the bulged comb. I presume others have had the same trouble. Now, it occurs to my mind that, to use a separator of thin wood about three inches wide, hung between the two, would make every comb as smooth and neat as sec- tion-box honey. To make the separator, get out pieces the right width, and one inch shorter than the hive it is to be used in. Clasp the ends with folded tin, one end of which has been clipped and turned back to form the projection, and you have it. When finished, it should hang about half an inch be- low the mat covering the frames. L. D. Gale. Stedman, Chaut. Co., N. Y., Feb. 9, 1883. Your plan of increase, friend G., is exact- ly the one I pursued in increasing 11 to 48 in a single season. At present I do not know of any better way, including, of course, the aid of empty couibs, or fdn., and the lamp nursery for hatching the queens. — Professor Cook, at the convention, suggested. a similar way of taking notes, and I think it is by all means to be commended. You will observe that GLKANiNGshas broad margins, and the paper will admit of writing nicely and plain- ly on it, with ink. — You will lind, in the first volume of the American Bee Journal, exact- ly your plan for getting straight combs, giv- en by Mr. Langstroth, with illustrations, over 20 years ago. lie used sheets of both tin and wood. Notwithstanding this, the Patent-Office afterward granted a patent on tin separators for getting straight combs. The plan was abandoned, because it took up so much room in the heart of the brood-nest, and because the bees would often swarm out and desert such hives. WINTERING ON SUGAR. ABSENCE OF POLLEN, ETC. JANUARY' 23d the mercury fell as low as 13 ° below zero. It gradually got warmer up to tho 27th, on which day it was 60° in the shade at noon, and the bees had a regular jubilee. I made an examination of all my colonies; laid out the packing, which is rye straw and lawn-mower clip- pings, etc., and let the sun dry out all the moisture; looked to see if there were any dead bees on tho bottom-board, and see if they had enough stores, etc. Well, Ifound them in good shape. Two-thii'ds of them were fed last fall on thick coffee A sugar syrup; and they did not have a grain of pollen, so far as I know. When I looked at them they did not have any brood either; neither did those that had pollen. Those that were fed on sugar were some I got in the country, and saved from being brim- stoned. I put several of them (seven in one in- stance) into one hive on full sheets of foundation. I mean to test the point, whether it is possible to rear brood without pollen. My hive is similar to the Doolittle, so arranged that I can pack five inches ail around the brood-chamber. MEASURING BEES' TONGUES. Will you or Prof. Cook tell us the best way to measure the length of the worker's tongue? Why should we not try to breed a race of bees that can get the nectar from the most thrifty red clover? I think that, with the required skill and energy, this can be accomplished. In the matter of DRAWING OUT FOUNDATION, it has been my experience that the black bees are ahead. Last fall I had a colony of Italians that I feared were not strong enough for winter, as they covered but four Gallup frames. I turned in a col- ony of blacks with them, and put three full frames of foundation in the center. Two days after, I found nearly all the blacks on the foundation, draw- ing it out in nice shape, and but few Italians among them. The latter were lounging around in a sort of lazy way on the other combs. According to my notion, the SHEPARD SWARMING-BOX is far superior to the improvement of Rev. Mr. Jones (see page 78). Tho "improvement" has too many places for limbs, etc., to catch on; and if I got the bees in it, I would be afraid a stray limb would tip it up, and throw them all out again before I got them to the ground. J. S. Hoffman. Williamsport, Pa., Feb. 6, 1883. At the convention, Professor Cook had a queen-cage which he said was the one used in measuring bees' tongues. You can doubt- less get one from him on application .—The matter of taking bees that are to be brim- stoned, and wintering them on sugar and fdn., is quite an important one. Let us see to it, that no more bees are brimstoned in this fair land of ours.— Is it not possible that your black bees were young ones, and the Italians old, that made the difference you mention? I am inclined to think we shall find there is no great difference in the two races in working fdn., only that certain stocks will go at it with much more vigor than others. The extra energy of the Ital- ians would seem to make them go ahead, as a rule, I believe. 134 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. From Different Fields. as AM thinklnj? of moving to Southern Dakota in the spring, and if 1 go I should like to take my — '^ bees alcng with mo. I have three colonies in chaflf hives, which I got from yon, and I wish to know the best way to arrange them for shipping 5.0 miles by railroad. Will there be danger of combs breaking down? and if so, how can I prevent them from doing so? W. Platts. Davenport, Iowa, Jan. 23, 1882. If yon aflhere strictly to the following, friend P., I think you will get your bees through safely: 1. Move them when the weather is moderate, when the combs will be in the best condition for shipping, and the least danger of the bees being injured by heat or cold. 2. Leave only 9 combs in the lower story of chafi hive; space them even- ly, and fasten them securely, by placing sticks between the ends of the frames from top to bottom, making the last one wedge tight: nail a piece across the top of the frames at each end. 3. Fasten wire cloth over the entrance and top of the hive, giving the bees the upperstory to play in. It would be well to go on the same train, and look after them a little. PLANTING POPLAR-TREES. A great many of your readers have waste land that is uncultivated, and is doing them no good, while they could, with but little cost, plant it in pop- lar, and within a few years the land, for the timber alone, would be greatly enhanced in value, to say nothing of the vast amount of honey it would yield. There are trees near me not over eight years old that are fully 10 inches in diameter, and have been blooming 4 years. With these considerations, to- gether with the fact that the trees can be bought at $1.00 per 100, 1 think the subject worthy of your call- ing attention to it. Chas. Kingsley. Greeneville, Tenn., Jan., 1882. handling bees in winter, etc. Can you tell me if bees need attention? Does looking into the hive at any time do them injury or benefit, when all seem quietly asleep this cold win- ter weather? In other words, what is to be done tor bees this month and next? I wish some bee journal as good as Gleanings would tell the A B C class what to do each month, or a synopsis of what may be done each month. It would satisfy some very much. L. C. Donnelly. Vaimont, Col., Jan. 17, 1882. While I am not sure that it harms bees to remove the cushions and take a look at them in cold weather, I would rather advise that the hives be not touched, when the weather is too cold for them to tly.— I have often thought of monthly directions ; but you see Gleanings goes all over the world, and the directions for you would not do at all for our friends in the South, to say nothing of those the other side of the equator. Even if it did, much of it would be a repetition of the A B C, or of former years. Nevertheless, I will try what can be done. wanted — a process for making dark honey LIGHT. I find, in selling, that white honey will sell twice as quick as dark, and at a far better price, even if the dark is better in flavor and quality. I consider it, therefori', of great importance to bee-keepers to find a way by which they can convert their dark ex- tracted honey into white. It seems to me that sci- entific men, thoroughly posted, might find an easy, practical way (that is, practical to the bee-keeper) to convert the dark honey into white, without des- troying the flavor or any of the good qualities, if a sufficient inducement were offered to them. Now, I think you should discuss this question in your jour- nal; and if you can find 99 bee-keepers who are willing to offer $5.03 each as a premium to any man who invents such a practical way as above stated, let them pay the $3.00 into your hands and I will send mine, with the understanding that you offer the $i0C so received as a premium to any man who will fill the bill, subject to your decision, that the process wanted is practical for the use of common bee-keepers, that it is simple, and that the honey passing through this process will become as white as basswood, without losing any of its flavor or any of its good qualities. Chas. H. Gkote. Mauston, Juneau Co., Wis., Dec. 20, 1881. Thanks, friend G.; but I hope you will excuse me for being a little incredulous as to the possibility of any such process, with- out adding any thing to the honey that would subject us to the charge of adultera- tion. Also, if I am right, dark honey usual- ly has a flavor rather inferior to our light clover, basswood, and sa:?3 honey. house apiaries. Five years ago I visited your place, and took my first lesson in bee business. You then had a house apiary full, or nearly so, of bees. I would like to know if it was a success, and whether you have one or more. HOW TO GET bees FROM WIDE FRAMES, IN TAKING OUT SECTION HONEY. Take a box 2 feet high, and long enough to hold 20 or more frames, they to be half an inch apart. Make the box wide enough so the frames will just hang in the top; then take any metal dish, put in fire and rotten wood, enough to make a good smoke; set this in the box, and you are ready to take out honey by the wholesale. Bees are driven from the frames at once, and you can keep one man busy carrying hon- ey. No trouble with bees clustering on, and uncap- ping the honey; no danger from robbers, as your hive will not be open long enough for them to get a start. L. U. Todd. Vermillion, Erie Co., O., Jan. 28, 188). Our house apiary is now vacated, friend T. ; but we propose to stock it up again as soon as we can get bees enough ahead to spare. It is not as pleasant working with bees in it, as in the open air, and our bees, you know, are all pretty thoroughly worked. — If your box were carried right beside the hive, I can readily see that it would be a pretty good thing, for the bees would have but little time to uncap the sections while you were lifting out the frames full, and placing them in the "smoky box." Many thanks for the suggestion. 1882 GLEAlTtNGS IK BEE CULTURE. 135 MAKING THE BEES BUILD OVER THE TIN BAR, IN THE WIRED FRAMES. In putting foundation into wired frames, I tried the experiment of cutting each sheet into two equal parts, and then lapping one half on one side the tin center-bar, and the other half on the opposite side the bar. B.vthis means 1 induced the bees to build the frame full the whole length, and, not to leave a space over the bar. This is but little moVe work; takes no more foundation, and makes a much nicer- looking comb, than by putting all on one side the bar. I tried it with six frames, and found them all well filled out. The idea is new to me, although it may not be new in itself. If considered of value, let the friends know of it in Gleanings. I like, if I have any thing I think good, to let the world know it. J. E. Pond, Jr. North Attleboro\ Bristol Co., Mass., Feb. 2, 1883. Thanks, friend P., for the idea. When honey is coming in briskly, we have no trou- ble in getting the bees to cover the tin bars completely ; but at other times they do build out the fdn. on the side where it covers tlie bar, and leave the other. Your plan will fix it nicely. And, by the way, you have start- ed another and very important matter. Rub- ber plates, to till a frame complete, are pret- ty heavy to handle, and rather expensive. One to make a half L. frame full, would be quite pretty to handle, and could be worked perhaps enough more rapidly, besides the smaller expense. I will at once see to get- ting some out for a half L. frame. The query may come in here, Why have the tin bar V I would have it, my friends, because it enables us to make a frame very much lighter, and, as a matter of course, with a much greater area inside for honey-cells. Our wired frames are made of such light strips of pine, that we are enabled to dis- pense with a great amoiuit of heavy wood that has heretofore encumbered the very heart of the bee-hive. dollar queens. As complaints are continually made by parties in- terested, doubtless, in keeping up high prices, against the dollar-queen business, perhaps a few words in reply will be permitted from a buyer and producer of queens who does not sell any. A few years ago, in the National Convention, a speaker, deploring the degeneracy sure to result from the low price of queens, asked what would become of our herds of choice cattle and sheep, if bulls and rams were of- fered for a dollar! The reply was, that if bulls and rams could be pioduced for one dollar, they would sell at that, or nearly that price. Now, if such parties would but retlect, they would see that an untested queen can be sold much cheaper than one kept till its progeny appears; also, that some men have a greater aptitude for such a pursuit than others, and can therefore produce good queens much more cheaply than others. So long as careful breeders are content to furnish untested queens at one dol- lar, or even less, and claim that they can make more monej' at that than in honey production, who should complain? It is true, that careless, shiftless men may sell queens not properly reared; but may not that be done at three dollars, and more to the injury of the buyer, than by him who sells at one dollar? That good queens may be reared for one dollar, is now beyond question. The public, by patronizing those who do the best, can regulate this matter in a far more satisfactory way than by trying to create a monopoly. J. W. Porter. Charlottesville, Va., Feb. 4, 1882. good for TEXAS. There arc some stocks kept here, but mostly in old cross- stick hives; but the yield of honey is good. One old-style bee-keeper has sold 4000 lbs. of honey this last season (1881), from 125 stands. In February, 18S1, I bought 0 hives — 4 in Simplicity frame hives, and two in cross-stick; transferred the latter, and increased, by natural swarming, to 17 hives; used an extractor, and obtained 500 lbs. of honey; sold at IJVic; sold all the hives for $40.00 (their first cost was $18.00), and bought Italians to stock up with this year. I think the investment paid me 100 per cent. My bees are gathering some pollen now — the first about a week ago. West Falls, Texas, Jan. 28, 1882. S. A. Elam. bee-men AS A CLASS. In all conscience, there has been enough said in the Burch matters. One well-authenticated case of such treatment as Mr. Merrick narrates in the last number ought to stamp any dealer as unworthy of confidence. I think every business man will say that. No professions in the column for "square men" can relieve a man from a stain of dishonor. A man is either honest or dishonest. Every man can tell which class he belongs to, if he will give the time for study. To be sure, it is human to err, and it is divine to forgive. Few just, right-thinking men, would refuse to pardon an error or forgive a wrong, if that error or wrong be acknowledged, and forgive- ness asked. What excuse van there be for such con- duct? A man may be embarrassed, but he need not be dishonest in consequence; and what else is any one who receives and appropriates money to his own use which belongs to another, which was intrusted to him for a specific purpose? The bee-keeping fra- ternity will compare favorably, so far as my varied experience goes, with any other for probity and lib- erality. The sooner we are freed from impostors entirely, the better it will be all around. J. W. Porter. Charlottesville, Albemarle Co., Va., Feb. 4, 1882. necessity of ventilators for CHAFF HIVES, ETC. Last fall I went to work and made chaflf cushions, and packed my ten colonies of bees all down snug for a long winter, overlooking entirely any escape for dampness, supposing the chatt' in those cushions would absorb all moisture that might arise from the breath of the bees. To-day I went to my library and stood for a moment to choose some book of interest. I finally took up the little red cover, A B C of Bee Culture. As I intend to make all chaff hives in the spring, my attention was drawn to that subject on page 97, " How to make the gable ends." No sooner had I read this than I said to Mrs. B., " I must see to my bees," and that I had just been reading in A B C we must not omit ventilation in chaff hives. I threw the book down on the table, and as the day was very mild I went to work at once. I found the nice new cotton chaff cushions rotten — not only the cloth, but the chaff too, which looked more like manure than chaff. One or two were all right. I soon took off the miserable wet stuff, replacing it with fine hay, as I had no chaff. I may not have done right; but this I know, it is fresh and dry; the bees arc all booming, and look as slick and clean as in June. 136 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURIE. Mar. Now, had you not put that clause into the book, it is not liliely I should have attended to the bees until April. I regard it as a timely warning-. I am in- tensely interested in the little workers. They have done well for me. From every dollar I have invest- ed thus far, I have received fovr in return. My best hive made me 106 lbs. in the 1-lb. sections last sea- son, which I sold at 30 cts. per lb. I paid only $4.00 for the colony in the spring. In the fall I gave 68 lbs. of honey for four good strong colonies, and each as much as one could lift. Thus far they are winter- ing well — no dead bees of any consequence in any of the hives. C. S. Burke. Albion, N. Y., Feb. 6, 1883. HOW TO KEEP SQUARE. Place me along with the " square men," every time. Why! I expect to live eternalhj with that class of persons. Here is one way I have been trying to keep square with every one for two years past: Up- on receiving an order from a customer, I " book " his order upon his envelope, and leave his money, postal order, or draft, with his letter in the envelope, until his order is filled. If I can not fill the order at once, he is informed; and if he wants his money back, it is returned as he sent it, postpaid. I have no right to use it until the order is filled. This saves getting a new order, and prevents bankruptcy (?). QUESTION. I should like to ask Mr. George Grimm how he controlled natural swarming in his five apiaries, with one assistant. I am thinking of estab.ishlug a new apiary this spring. AT HOME. While we were reading in Mr. Frank Benton's article about his "little prize queen" that came to his " home in Cyprus," Sept. 5th, my dear wife looked up with glistening eyes and said, " That was the same day that our little Victor was born "—a bright, ruddy little " king-bee," or bee king, as he might have become. But, Mr. Root, we hope some day to know why it was best that the angels should come and take him home just as our hopes had be- come almost unbounded. Oliver Foster. Mt, Vernon, Iowa, Feb. 7, 1882. excrement op the bees in health. One bright sunny forenoon in Feb.. 1880, my hive of bees (blacks) were taking a flight, after having been confined for a long time. I was perched on our grape-arbor at the time, about 15 ft. from the ground, trimming the vines. A bee alighted on one of the slats of the arbor, not two feet distant from the tip of my nose, passed its excrement, and flew off again. The excrement, which, I judge, was over % inch long, looked, in shape, like that of a dog (on a small scale, of course); as the bee was voiding it, the end broke off and rolled from the slat, which is fastened to the arbor slantingly; the remaining piece of excrement also rolled from the slat, when the bee had finished. At that time I was only a be- ginner; and although I watched the proceedings closely, I did not know that this was something about which there was any uncertainty. F. Hahman, Jr. Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 9, 1883. BEES in a greenhouse. Do I understand that friend Merrybanks, In Feb. Gleanings, had more than one hive in one apart- ment? Is there no danger of bees getting in wrong hive or fighting? I shall put two hives in my green- house the 1st of March, for an experiment. What temperature should the house be so that they can work fdn. inside the hive? It was an open winter here, until about the middle of January. Now the hives are completely buried in show. All right Jan. S6th. Two nights in January the thermometer went down to 35° below zero, but they came through it. Chas. O. Meloon. Portsmouth, N. H., Feb. 7, 1883. Your humble servant had three colonies in a greenhouse, or under glass, and all re- turned to their own hives just as well as they do outside in the summer. Let the temperature run up until they begin to fly pretty freely, and then hold it there. Give plenty of fresh air, and they will, after they get a little used to the surroundings, work all right. WINTERING without POLLEN. Bees are apparently wintering all right in Root chaff hives. No good free flight since Dec. 18th. Those without pollen keep the quietest, and have the fewest dead bees, and this was our experience last winter. We have several stocks without pol- len; and if these are the strongest, when we get clear "out of the woods," then good-by pollen for wintering, as far as our bees are concerned. Last winter, one stock which we put up with but very little pollen never showed a live bee at the entrance, from some time in Nov. till the 19th day of March (when they had a good purifying flight), sent out a good strong swarm on the 37th day of May, which, so far as we could learn, was the earliest swarm in the county. G. W. Jones. West Bend, Wash. Co., Wis., Feb. 6, 1883. A swArm that wouldn't be "bossed." I sometimes get "bee on the brain." As there is no rush of honey or swarming [cold, and 10 to 13 in. of snow], I wish j'ou or some apiarian to look over the following, and see if any one has had like tor- ment or experience. June 15th, large swarm is- sued; did not cluster, and went back; I supposed the queen was lost. On the 34:th, out again; re- turned as before. July 6th, alighted on a cherry- tree; very cross; used water freely; went in hive nice; in about an hour they commenced coming out slowly, and going back until all were at their old home. On the 10th, out again; hived them; they did not stay; about one-half went back, and the oth- ers clustered again; put them in hive, and about half of them came out and made an effort to leave; the queen and part of the bees remained in the hive, and the most of the others went to the old hive. On the 13th, I put them in hive; went back as usual; 15th, hived them; came out, and alighted again; hived again; came out, and struck for the moun- tain, and I was glad of it, as they were mean, small, cross hybrids. I have had bees for 55 years, and was always "boss" until this swarm got ahead of me. I never had many; 89 is the highest at any one time. Thos. G. Williams. Shartlesville, Berks Co , Pa. Why, friend W., yours is the old-fashioned way of managing, it seems to me. I have had colonies try to act the same way, but I soon cured them by dividing them up small, and making them rear queens, or do some- thing else useful. I believe putting colonies 1882 GLEAKIKGS IK BEE CULTUKE. 137 back is not a very profitable way of doing, in any case. If they stay, they seldom work much ; and, if I am not mistaken, it is gen- erally thought better to humor them enough to give them a new place to work. If a col- ony goes out, and then comes back to the old hive, 1 would take it as an indication they were dissatisfied, and I would divide them at once. Give the discontented bees a new hive, with a comb of unsealed brood, and just as soon as you can see queen-cells start- ed on it, give them a queen, and then, if you like, give them all the brood from the old colony. You see, you can by this means make a good colony of Italians out of " the meanest hybrids "' you ever had in your api- ary. Never let a colony waste its time as you did, in any such "foolishness."' The bees you mention might have stored nearly, and may be quite, a hundred pounds of hon- ey, while they were engaged in swarming out those eight times. " WHOPPERS," ETC. I had almost made up my miud not to take your journal. You would say, "Why not?" Well, be- cause some report such— such— such— "whoppers," that I think I am nowhere in the business. But for all that, you will find inclosed one dollar for Glean- ings. Send it on. I like to read big things. A little about my experience with bees: In the spring of 1879 I bought two swarms. In the fall I had live, wintered in the cellar. In the spring, they were all dead. I then bought three in the spring of 1880; that summer two swarms wont to parts unknown. One I lost by transferring, which left mo six. Last spring found me with 4 — one so weak it gave but little surplus. The three, by artificial and natural swarming, increased to ten. I have now 11 that I call good, and had about 260 lbs. of cap honey. I winter them on their summer stands, in dry-goods boxes, packed in chaff. I am waiting for spring. Jacob Snkll. Prey's Busli, Mont. Co., N. Y., Jan. 9, 1883. Now, friend B., you must keep right on, and presently you yourself will have a '' whopper " to report, and then you will feel better, you know. chapman's machine for piercing frames for WIRES. Having, the past two seasons, demonstrated the superiority of wired frames over the unwired, I have come to the conclusion to use no other kind. Since the adoption of very fine tinned wire (No. 30 is the best), we have no more of the trouble of brood being killed where the wire passes through the comb. But if the wire is not in the center of the frame, and, consequently, of the comb, then we have trouble; hence the importance of having the holes pierced exactly in the center of the top and bottom bars. With those who, like you, have steam power, it is cheapest and best to pierce the holes before the bars are ripped out; but as the majority of bee-keepers have not the facilities you enjoy, and as the labor of piercing the frames by hand is con- siderable, as well as very slow, which is quite an item, and as it is almost impossible to punch the holes correctly, I think I am doing the brotherhood a favor in calling their attention to the " bar- piercer" invented by F. B. Chapman, and described by him in Oct. No. of Gleanings, 1881, page 479. After piercing by hand over 2000 bars, each having six holes, I concluded there must be some better way to do it; and remembering the description giv- en above, I asked friend C. to make me one of his piercers, as I confess I was not (without one to work from as a guide) equal to the job. He did so, and I have found it all and even more than he claims for it. It is simple, effective, practical, accurate (which is one of its best features), and easily manipulated. A boy of ten years can work it with ease. I pierced over 600 bars with it in one hour, without fatigue. It can bo arranged to fit any frame, to pierce any number of holes desired, at one operation. Frames can be pierced after they are put together, though it is better to pierce the holes first. I could say much more in its favor, but you "don't want long articles." I do, however, advise all who make or use wired frames, to get or make one of Chapman's bar-piercers, and I am sure you will thank me for calling your attention to it. E. T. Flanagan. Belleville, III., Feb. 1, 1883. DAMPNESS; HOW TO BANISH IT FROM BEE-Hn'ES, OR anywhere else, IN A "TWINKLING." I proceed to give my plan for wintering bees. If strictly followed, I would be willing to pay all losses. In the first place, make bricks of common red clay, two inches thick, and just long and deep enough to fill the hive, and use them instead of division- boards. Of course, the bricks must be burned like those for building purposes. Now make bricks, of the proper length to cover brood-frames; these bricks must be slightly arched in the center, to al- low the bees to pass over the frames; now have your hives so constructed that you can remove the bottom-board. Place your hive on a floor of hard brick; that is, not directly on the ground— say on rocks or wood, and have your bees surrounded with hard brick, and I guarantee that no moisture can ever be in the hive, for each one of these bricks will absorb nearly a quart of water, without showing the least signs of moisture. I learned this idea from putting hard bricks in large bulks of wheat, or damp corn, to save the trouble of sunning. Now, if any of the friends don't believe this, just put a few hard bricks in damp wheat, and see if it don't absorb all the water very quickly. This will never be patented, for it originated with me, and I shall not charge any thing for it. I give it to bee-keepers and wheat-growers, hoping thereby to be of some benefit to my race, and nothing more. Atlanta, Ga.. Jan. 23, i883. A. S. Smith. Friend S, T feel more sure you have given us something of great value for many gener- al purposes, than I do that it is just the thing for bees. You know Ave have had several articles of late, strongly favoring the idea that bees need water in winter. I am sure it Avould effectually do away with the dampness ; but I do not know how long it would take the bricks to get saturated, so they would have to be dried out. Take a piece of porous sandstone, during a hot dry spell, and by pouring on water slowly from a pitcher, you will find the stone will take up almost its own weight of water. Bricks slackly burned would be comparatively warm to the bees, and would take up an enormous amount of water, without question* 138 GLEANIKGS IN BEE CULTUEE. Mar. WHAT 36 WEAK COLONIES DID. I started in the spring with 3t very weak swarms. I had old combs to supply 15 or 20 new swarms. I ended up in the fall with 88 swarms; sold 5, put 83 Into winter quarters in fair condition, not over- stocked with bees, but, I think, with plenty of honey. I sold 1500 lbs. of comb honey, and from 15 double hives I extracted 1000 lbs., making in all the yield of 2500 lbs. of honey. My extracted honey I put in one and two lb. jars; sold at home market for 16 and SO cts. per lb. wholesale; retailed at 20 and 25 cts. Dr. John Maxson. Whitewater, Walworth Co., Wis., Feb. 1, 1882. DIARRHCEA, OR DYSENTERY — WHICH ? I notice in several of our bee journals a dis- cussion of the dysentery question. I have looked in vain for a characteristic symptom of dysentery. While it may be true, that a "rose by any other name would smell as sweet," yet dysentery and diarrhoea are different diseases. The first is a spe- cific disease, and has a specific cause; and If we may judge by analogy with the human species, must have an atmospheric or bacterian cause. Diarrhcea may be caused by over-distention, improper food, poor ventilation, exhaustion from starvation, un- natural food, etc. Would it not simplify this dis- cussion, in attempting to find out the cause and remedy of this disease that is decimating our apiar- ies, by calling it diarrhoea, and then looking for the cause in some improper food or condition of the bee? We can readily understand how over - distention, moisture, fermented honey, or bee-bread, or their being compelled to live on bee-bread, might produce diarrhcea; but we are not ready to adopt the " clc iiouobacterian theory," that the above-named causes must generate bacteria, and thus be a cause of dys- entery — at least until the microscope demonstrates that the disease is dysentery. I make these re- marks in aid of the diagnosis and cause of the disease. Give us the cause, and the remedy will be found. W. R. S. Clark, M. D. Bluffton, Ind., Feb. 6, 1882. A good point, friend C. ; and the idea of it, as I see it, is whether the bees have some- thing like the smallpox that is catching, and might be cured by vaccination (?), or wheth- er it is something like the troubles we have in the summer, when we have been impru- dent in eating green stuff and the like. I would suggest, that, as it seems pretty well conceded now that a healthy person is much less liable to take even contagious diseases, our treatment of the bees would be pretty much the same in either case; viz., to keep them in the best health possible by having many bees, much pure food, and pure air. BEES AND GRAPES. We publish the following by request : — At the annual meeting of the North-Eastern Bee- Keepers' Association, the question of bees punctur- inggrapes was brought up. This is important among bee-iieepers. and it is one over which legal difficul- ties have often been threatened. It was the unani- mous opinion of all present, that honey-bees never, under any circumstances, puncture tiie skin of a grape. Tests have been repeatedly made, and in no case has any bee evpr been known to toucti a grape that was not punctured. Black ants are the ene- mies of the grapes. Two bills were introduced in the •"'alifornia Legislature to do away with all bees on this account. A CMreful examination, and an ex- tended debate, proved that there was not a single case of bees puncturing grapes. The society placed itself on record on the matter by adopting the fol- lowing resolution: — Rksolved. After due investigation of well-known and numer- ous cases, the Convention unanimously asserts, that the honey- bee never punctures the skins of perfect grapes or any other fruits; but that the sucking of juices from fruits is only from tliat which has been punctured by other insects, birds, or natu- ral causes. By Okder of Committee. The above may be true ; yet I am inclined to think bees are of more "annoyance to the grape-growers, sometimes, than one would gather from it. When cross-examined in the recent Krock and Klasen case, I was asked to mention substances that bees could bite through. I mentioned cloth, stout ma- nilla paper, etc. And why not the skin of the grape also V was the next question. Be- cause bees get through cloth and paper by pulling out one minute fiber at a time ; whereas the grape-skin is smooth, and pre- sents no fiber at all. A bee's mandibles would slide and slip over the smooth grape- skin in spite of any thing he could do. My impression is, his only chance with a per- fectly sound grape would be to make a start- ing-point right at the stem. If he could get the least taste of the juice there he would probably be able to insert his tongue where the juice came out, and he would then soon make way with the whole berry. WINTERING TWO COLONIES IN ONE HIVE. I put away 42 swarms last fall. I looked through a few of them to-day, and do not find any brood yet; 26 of them are on summer stands, and the rest in cellar. I think those in cellar are doing best. I be- lieve I shall put some more in cellar yet. My bees are in the Mitchell hive — 2 swarms in one hive, with division-board in the middle. I do not like that way of wintering. When they Hy out they are apt to crowd one end, and leave the other with not enough. I got a tested queen from J. B. Haines, Bedford, and have Italianized all my stocks from her, so you see I am all ready for queen-raising. As far as pure drones are concerned, those in my own apiary are Italians, as are most of the bees in this neighborhood. I guess my queen is one of Doolittle's kind, for all the queens that I raised early enough to be tested pro- duced all three-banded workers. James Forbes. Macedonia, Summit Co., O , Fob. 6, 1882. I believe yours has been pretty nearly the general experience, sooner or later, in regard to wintering two colonies in one hive, friend F. One hive for each colony or nucleus seems to be the linal decision. PLUCK AND TACT. I have 31 colonies, all on summer stands in mova- ble-frame hives (Langstroth). Some of my neighbors are watching my bee-keeping with considerable in- terest. They like the old way best, and call modern bee-keeping fooling or tinkering with bees. As we have had two such poor honey seasons, no surplus at all hardly, they begin to think thev are about as well off as I am; but they miss it badly, as some of them (in fact nearly all), 2 or 3 years ago had three times as many bees as I had, and now it is just the reverse, only more so. Some have only a lot of old gums to show. The first good honey season we have, I'll "bet" I'll make them open their eyes, for I think I know my "biz," and have got the pluck and tact to put the bees through. J. W. Lamb. Prllsville, Verm. Co., 111., Jan. 28, 1882. Friend L., if were you I would make 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 139 them open their eyes during a poor season. Raise queens, and bees by the pound. This Avill pay for the feed yon may have to buy. "JIANV MEN OF MANY MINDS." How much per hundred do you charge for drilling- holes in L. Irames to receive wires? Have tried several kinds of fdn., including Given and flat-bot- tom wired, and it has all proved to be a delusion and a snare. I want to try hand-wired next. • M. Frank Taber. Salem, Ohio, Jan. 30, 1882. Why, what a fellow yon are, friend T. ! Fdn. '• a delusion and a snare "? The above illustrates how differently we look at things, if notiiing more, and sliould, I think, help us to have more charity for each other. 1 would just like to come to your house in ''honey time," and show you what I could do with either the Given, ilat-bottomed, or. In fact, any other fdn. on the market, that I know of.— We consider it worth about :i5 cts. per hundred frames to drill the holes, with the gang of drills we have for the purpose. QUEENS REARED OUT OF SEASON, ETC. I must say, that I feel very much encouraged. My bees, 26 colonies, to-day, Feb. 8, arc flying briskly, and are bringing in great loads of pollen. I have just finished examining them, and find they are in fine condition. 1 have brood in every colon j'; 7 had spread their brood on 5 frames; 9 on 4; 5 on 3, and 5 nuclei that were packed on two frames, each had a good-sized batch of capped brood on each frame. Some of the queens that are la the nuclei were reared in September, and saved on account of their fine points. Now, friend Hoot, what are such queens worth? I sec that some queen-breeders claim that queens reared out of season are not as good as when reared in the swarming-iime. Why are they not? I have one in my apiary that was reared between the 3d and 25th of September, 1877, and she is as good, or superior, to any I have that were reared in April or May, the swarming months in this latitude. Now, if cueens reared in September produce worker bees that live as long, and gather as much honey as queens reared in April or May, why not rear our queens later in the season, so as not to disturb our bees at a time when they should be storing large quantities of honey? W. S. Cauthen. Pleasant Hill, Lan. Co., S. C, Feb. 8, 1882. I do not know what such queens are worth, friend C. ; but I will give you ^±00 apiece for a dozen such that produce pure Italians. Or 1 will give $1.25 for all dollar queens any of the friends in Florida or elsewhere can deliver to me alive this month. We have been sending out queens already, and a good many of our colonies are queenJess. A KIND WORD FOR GEORGE QRIM.M. As per promise, I will now report my last year's success wiih bees. But first I will say, that J. & I. Crowfoot lost all of their bees except thirty swarms in the years 1880 and 1881, of which I took three, and bought of George Grimm 22 and Increased the 25 to over 200, of which nearly all are now alive and strong, with plenty of honey to carry them through. I am wintering on summer stands, and shall never, hereafter, winter otherwise. If it were not looking too pauch like advertising for Mr. Grimm, I would say that he has got his bees bred up for business, and not for looks. I was at his place twice last spring, and I see that he inherits the principles of his father; that is, give every man what he pays for. I got from the 25 swarms about 3000 lbs. of ex- tracted honey. I. S. Crowfoot. Hartford, Wis., Feb. 14, 1882. THE HONEY-BEES. Of all the insects which God in his wisdom has created, there is none that is so industrious, and use- ful to man, as the honey-bee. From early morning, imtil late at night, they are busy bringing sweets from the flowers, with which to enrich their stores; and when night with her sable robes comes on, they do not, like us, cast aside their labors, and lie down idle, to sleep away the hours of darkness, but, rather, they work all the night, and place in order what they have accumulated through the day. What an example they place before us! We never were created to live a life of idleness, and the honey-bee was given us as an example of industry, which we should do well to imitate. Like the honey-bee, our lives are short at best; and if, like them, we strive to improve each shining moment, we shall in the end reap a most liberal harvest. By furnish- ing them with our improvements in hives, frames, boxes, and the like, we aid them in carrying on their work with more system and expedition; and in the fall, when they are obliged to rest from their labor, and we take from them their store, we are proud of them; and if the little things had ears, they would hear some good words of praise and commendation for their energy and zeal, throughout their season of work. So is it with us. God gives us just such improvements to aid us throughout our lives, by furnishing us with the means whereby wg may im- prove our minds, and duties for us to perform, which, if we suffer to remain undone, will cause us to fall far below the honey-bee in the estimation of our great Master. If misfortune comes, and our bees suffer from it, and we meet with losses which greatly impoverish us, do not let us despair, and place curses upon our little helpers, but assist them to build up their forces and give them a new start, trusting and feeling that it is all for the best, that God gives us all these trials and disappointments for our especial good. Let us ever be as diligent and persevering in all our efforts as these little workers. Long live the honey-bee ! Hybrid. Bees are wintering well here, and prospects are good, for strong colonies at least. To commence the season with, we shall start with about 150 or 200 colonics, and shall try the real merits of the Italians pretty thoroughly, as we shall have a fine lot of early queens to breed from. Last winter we lost 85 out of 89 colonies, and the 4 that were left were very weak; outlast night we saw some hives with eight spaces crowded with bees. We have just received a letter from a man from whom we bought a large amount, saying that his 135 swarms are all living, and in fine condition. G. W. Stanley & Bro. Wyoming, N. Y., Feb. 17, 1882. BEES IN A GREENHOUSE. Bees commenced bringing in pollen, Jan. 3, and are now bringing in some honey, which is enabling them to build rapidly up. About Jan. 15th I put a very fair colony of bees on foundation only, inside our greenhouse, and so arranged them that they 140 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. could fly only on the outside. I kept no fire, there- fore they were sheltered only from the cold winds and the sun's rays. 1 commenced feeding- boncy, and in about 15 days was enabled to take away two frames two-thirds filled with brood, leaving- two others partly filled, and now they arc "booming" as if it were the month of April. Thos. Balcomh. Luling-, Caldwell Co., Texas, Feb. 11, 1882. LOSSES THE PAST WINTER. Pa has had quite a loss with his bees this winter. I would like to tell you all about it, but I haven't any room. S. E. Gregohy. Crooked Lake, Wy. Co., Pa., Fob. 18, 1883. Why, I supposed every one's bees were alive this spring, for I thinlc this is the first bad report we have had, unless, indeed, it is Neighbor H., who has lost about halt' a doz- en that gathered enough without any feed- ing. All the sugar-fed bees are all right. He fed one, however, on maple sugar, con- trary to iriy advice, and that one died. It will do very well to feed maple sugar after the bees can fly freely. .V very ince grade of maple sugar would do to feed them, I pre- sume, even in winter. My bees in the yard had a Hy Feb. 14 and 15. They came out very strong-. The snow, the fences, and the clothes that hung in the >-ard were spotted with yellow spots. I looked at them, and the frames looked all clean, except in one hive, and that was be- smeared a little on one frame. Do you call this dysentery? and is it usual for this time of year? Do you think I shall be troubled very much with this? Do you think I shall winter them through in this condition? B.E.Andrews. Brooklyn, N. Y., Feb. 17, ies3. It is dysentery ; but you M'ill probably have no trouble with those having clean frames. If the one that daubed the frames does not get better, I would give them some lumps of pure granulated-sugar candy. TELEPHONES FOR BEES SWARMING. Our telephone is sort of three cornered; has three ends,— one at the house, one at the shop, and one at the barn. At either point I can hear the bees when they strike the wire; can hear a call to dinner while sitting at my desk in the office, and, in fact, have heard the hens cackle in the barn from the shop; so j^ou see we know when to go after the egg-s. It is a triangle, with a single wire running from each point, making 35 ft. from house to shop; CO ft. from house to barn, and 80 feet from shop to barn. The house is brick, and I could not well cut a hole through, so I just raised the window about live inches and put a board in the opening ; where the wire passes through the board is a one-inch hole, covered with soft sheep leather; the wire through the leather is in the cen- ter of the hole, so the cold air and the bees are kept out. I think friend Gallup is needlessly alarmed about the bees killing themselves on the wire. I have watched them, and all I have seen strike have been rising from the hives, and it merely turns them from their course a little. I have not seen one fall to the ground. SQUARE MEN. As to that list of " square men," if you will drop the word "square" and put j^wmpt in its place, and also leave out "we do not kaowof a single customer who is not satisfied," 1 think it would just fit me. Although I do not know of one of my customers who is not satisfied, I dn know that money will not satisfy some when there has been a delay, or goods not just as expected; and then if that clause were out, friend Hoot might have his name in the list. BEES ON THE MAPLES IN FEBRUARY. An hour ago I visited some soft-maple trees in this neighborhood, and the bees were working on the open hlossrms, making a noise as if on a basswood- tree in time of the honey-How. How is that for win- ter? Bees flying from every hive that had bees in last fall when they were fixed for winter. James A. Nelson. Wyandott, Kansas, Feb. 13, 1883. & aj u^me^f^. BOx-nivE neighbors in the rear. Sfiij"i HAVE 18 swarms of bees in the cellar in good I'll condition at this date— 12 of them 'n your l'/2- — ' story hives, and the rest will be next May if wo live until that time, I took 350 lbs. surplus honey last year; my neighbors ket p bees in box hives, and did not get any. Amasa Holcomb. Soulhwick, Hampden Co., Mass., Feb. 8, 1883. Bees carried in pollen to-daj-. What does it mean? Will not bees and bluebirds get fooled yet this sea- son? S. H. Moss. Colchester, McDonough Co., Ill , Feb. 15, 1883. ONE-PIECE SFCTION. I made and used one-pi- le sections more than seven years ago, similar to those now in use, except the ends were glued and tacked together. J. L. WoLCOTT. Bloomington, 111., Feb. 17, 1883. MULTUM IN PARVO. I got 10,309 lbs. of honey from 73 stands and their increase, 25 stands; 07 in all; 2341 lbs. of it comb honey. P. LouCKS. Kingsbury, Fresno Co., Cat, Jan. 24, 1882. [Well done, friend L., even for California.] CHAFF niVES. I have at present 18 colonies of bees, all in good shape; 13 in your chaff hives, and the rest in cellar. I prefer the chaff hive to any thing I have seen. I have been keeping bees for over three years. I have the first swarm to lose yet. Joseph Ball. Chillicothe, Wapello Co., la., Feb , 18S3. HORSEMINT. Our last season's success encourages us to push forward next season, and the ide;i is, to be in time, ft is as warm as spring here; grass is green, and I notice our great honcj'-plant, horsemint, is already coming in abundance, 3 or 3 inches high. Wc arc going to do our part, by the help of God. Hallettsville, Tex., Dec. 13, 1881. Dk. J. E. Lay. Send Gleanings as usual to Olmsted, as my wife lives there and tends to the bees. I go home every Saturday and Sunday. I sold my extracted honey, 450 lbs., at 17!/2 cts. M. R. Kuehne. Cairo, III., Feb. 3, 1883. [Friend K., give my respects to your wife, and tell her we should be glad to hear from her in the La- dies' Department.] 1882 gletvnings in bee culture. 141 SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. I unitetl two stocks— a stronger whose queen I had removed two or three dajs before, and a weaker one with a 3'ellow queen. I gave them decisive handling, to take the "fight" out ot them; but the stronger killed every bee of the weaker, except the queen, which they saved alive to be their own queen. John FOTnERiNGHAM. St. Mary's, Out., Can., Nov. 2."), 1881. HO.ME-MADE HORSE-POWERS. I have made a horse-power according to direc- tions given by M. H. Hunt (p. 487, Oct., 1881), and it works " bully." My wheel is 15 feet in diameter. I use a chain. Friend Hunt says it is hard on la horse. Well, just put in two, one on each side, and a " small boy" to dri\e, and things will hum, "you bet." If you want to amuse the chillren, just remove the chain, set them on the rim, and whirl it. It makes a splendid " living Dutchman." F. W. Stevens. Moore's Hill, Dearborn Co., Ind., Jan. 10, 188;J. I have a letter inclosing a small amount of money, signed Edson Hains, but not a sign to tell where it came from; even the po'^tmaster forgot to ink his stamp. Date of letter, Dec. 7, 1881. Another dated Feb. 5, 1882, with mone?, and signed L. Bock with, Berlin, but doesn't say where Berlin is. Both claim to have seen ad. in Gleanings. Will you please call attention to this in your next issue? No reply necessary. C. H. Deane. Mortons ville, Ky., Feb. 13, 188i. [We have a man by this name at Berlin, Wisconsin.] AN AfOLOGV; SEE P. -iS, .IAN. NO , AND 83, FEB. NO. No, friend Neuhaus; if I had such a large yield, I should not be ashamed to tell of it. 1 was perhaps a little hasty; but when I hear of such big yields, it fairly takes my breath away. Now, I have always thought that if I could get 100 lbs. of surplus, and a swarm from one colony, I was doing nicely; indeed, if I could average that, I would be satisfied. At any rate, I offer you my hand in apologj', and doubt not but that you will take it, owing to the gentlemanly manner in which you answered. Jong. La Porte, Iowa, Feb. 13, 1883. MB. ^TIKKKYBANKS AND HIS NEIGH- BOR. I have been yoving, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed beg- ging bread.— Psalm 37:2."). M FT EU Chnstraas. things seemed rather j^^ dull, and Mr. Jones, for the first time ' in many weeks, found it hard to tind some work to do. The roads were bad, and every oi)ening to earn even 2-5 cents a day seemed to have been closed, for no one got out away from home. All that the surround- ing farmers had to do, they did themselves ; and there were so many oifering to work at the sawmill, at whatever price the owner would give them, during the winter months, there seemed no kind of a chance there. To tell the whole truth, he began to feel a great longing for his )tipe during these dull days, ami Satan kept whi.speiingthere could not be any thing so very wrong in a simple matter like this, until he was in very gieat danger indeed of getting back into his old ways. lie did very wisely indeed in telling his wife all about it. I hardly think he would have done this had it not been for a very warm friendship that had recently si)rung up be- tween the two. I dare say, some of the friends may smile at the idea of a friendship springing up between man and wife; but, if 1 mistake not, there may be others who know something what a friendship of this kind is. Young folks often form friendships (if you will excuse the word) before marriage; but they do not then know each other as they do after a few years of acquaintance amid the sometimes monotonous duties of home life. Well, the great friendship between John's father and mother commenced about the time they formed a habit of kneeling in prayer together the last thing at night,' and asking God for all they felt they needed. After both voices had been lifted up to God, each felt a new trust and confidence in the other ; and it was after such an exercise that he ventured to tell her he feared he was los- ing trust in God a little, and also felt a long- ing for his old tobacco. The little Bible soon supplied the text at the head of our chapter, and her bright woman's faith and trust soon made him feel ashamed of any such feelings. They were all regular in at- tendance at all Sunday services, and no Sab- bath passed without something being con- tributed to the cause of God's work. The utmost economy was practiced in all their expenditures, and so she felt she had a right to plead with her Savior, on the strength of the promises in his holy word. She was but a small, weak, feeble woman ; but her faith in Liod was bright, and she knew their pray- ers would be heard. She didn't know, how- ever, after all, and I presume never dreamed, of the way in which God would use those prayers, nor of the cares and trials that would come through the answer to them. Sometimes God sees lit to answer our pray- ers so quickly that we are fairly startled. At other times it may be years before it would be best for us to have them answered, or even safe for us. This one came very quickly. " Mr. Jones, 1 want you to help me right away, this morning.'' It was ITncle Billy, and he seemed in a great hurry as he stood in the door on that stinging cold morning. The husband and wife exchanged glances. " All right, sir; what tools shall I bring?"" " Bring all the tools you used in cutting that under-drain in the rock."' '' But. isn"t it pretty " Here he stopped abruptly, because of a look of pain in his wife's face, as she shook her head at him. "• What is it, my man? out with it ! " '•I beg pardon. Uncle Billy; I was just going to ask if it wasn't pretty cold for such work ; but I Mant to take it back, and to say that I will gladly go anywhere, and do any thing you bid me, to earn an honest liv- ing."' '• Spoken like a man, Mr. Jones. Here is my hand on it, and you just stick to that and we will be friends."' Do you see how nearly he came to reject- ing the answer to their prayers, when it was 142 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. brought to his very door ? Uncle Billy was a man who did not stop long to coax one who was afraid of frost or cold weather. The work was over on tlie hill near their home. Mr. Jones did as he was bid, and asked no further questions. J^efore night, rough blocks of stone were got out, and in rough sheds, hastily built of boards, masons were getting ready to cut them into shape. Mr. Jones was called on in a good many ways at once ; and because the business was new to him, he got some very unkind, harsh words; but he remembered the prayer of the night before, and also the kind words of Uncle Billy, and he someway felt sure Uncle Billy would interfere if the abuse went too far. For his part, he decided to do the best he knew how, quietly, and trust — yes, trust God to take care of him. Many surmises were made as to what Uncle Billy wanted of such stone ; but to all inquiries he only replied he thought they "might come handy some day;" but the question was. Why should he take such a sudden notion to commence such work, right in the middle of winter? As they were gathering up the tools at night, he said,— " Mr. Jones, you have had it a little hard to-day; but alter the men know you, and you know them, I guess it will be all right." That was all, but it did him a great deal of good. As the weather moderated so the stone could be handled and worked, the new stone- quarry began to be quite a busy place ; and as most of the hands from both the quarry and sawmill passed the little house beside the watering-trough, going to and from their meals, quite a little trade started up in tin cups, pails, honey, maple-sugar candy, etc. While John was at school, his mother was obliged to sell the things; and, to make it more convenient for her, John and his father arranged a kind of stand each side of their front door, for the utensils, so they would be in sight from the road. This stand was such as you sometimes see for flower-pots,— a sort of steps, as it were, one above the other. Besides the 2o-cent pails for honey, John had made some i-lb. pails, to be sold full of honey, for only a dime. These he made one Saturday ; and as they seemed just right for a lunch, the workmen who carried their dinners took them off in no time. While Mr. Merry banks was one day wait- ing in the tity, he came across a stock of small jelly tumblers, holding just about ^ lb. of honey. By purchasing the lot, he got them for 2-1 cents per dozen. John soon made tin caps for these, at a cost of i cent, and there they had a glass package for honey, that could be sold at a profit for 3 cents. The whole neighborhood made a run on them, until every family had one or more of these pretty little tumblers ; and after that they allowed 3 cents each for all that were returned. Well, friend M. also found in the city some little tin pie-plates, 0 inches across, that he got so John could sell them for 3 cents, and a larger size for 5 cents. John's mother was an adept in making pies, and it was not very long before a brisk trade had started up on 5-cent pies, and this paved the way for some beautiful light gems, to go with the honey, that the workmen always found smoking hot, just at dinner time, at the house beside the spring. Two gems and a dish of honey were only 5 cents. Did I tell you they had a line crop of beautiful white beans, where that old slop-hole once used to be V Well, they did ; and as there had been no good offer for them, they had not been sold. Well, altogether they some way contrived to fix up some most tempting- looking little tin dishes of baked beans, each one having a tiny piece of nice pork in it, that just captivated the quarry-workers ; and when hot coffee (for only 3c) was put on the little bills of fare that Tom printed, the workmen, almost in a body, decided to have dinner down at the " Temperance Hotel," instead of either carrying tlieir dinners or going to town. When they got tired of beans and pork, Mrs. Jones gave them " hulled corn " in such good-sized dishes, and so daintily cooked and served, that some of her customers told her she would lose money in furnishing a dish like that for 5 cents. After some talk on the matter, the man told her he had quite a family, and they had hard work to make both ends meet. He had told his wife he could get a good dinner of corn and beans for 10 cents, and they could not understand how it could be done. Mrs. J. told liim, smilingly, to buy a bushel each of corn, beans, and wheat, and she would show him how to cook them so that 10 cents would come pretty near paying for the ma- terials for his whole family. Just here friend Mtrrybanks came in, with samples of maple sugar and molasses that he had been making during the month of February. "• Surely," said Mrs. J., " this is honey." " No, it isn't honey. Taste it." A small glass dish of it was given to all present, and the exclamations of surprise and pleasure were satisfying. Each one de- clared it was the most beautifully flavored sweet that had ever passed their lips. The sugar cakes were about as white as cream, and had this same wonderfully fine flavor, reminding one of buds and blossoms, and possibly of their earlier days, away back in the woods on the old farm . " Now," said our friend, " I have long had the idea, that as much or more progress is possible in making maple sugar and syrup, as in getting nice honey, and a nice price for it. This cost me a good deal, it is true ; but I just wish to leave these samples here, and let your customers taste of them. The syrup you are to sell the same as you do honey, which will be about SI. 50 per gallon, and these little two-ounce cakes, for 5 cents, which will come to about 40 cents ]ier lb., you are to have one-third for selling.'' I need hardly say, that, even in that com- munity, both sold readily, whilethe ordinary dark sugar and syrup sold slow, at usual prices. It was Saturday, toward evening, after a mild day, very near the first of March. They had stoijped work at the quarry early, as they usually did Saturday, and, at John's urgent request, his father and mother were 1882 GLEANIKGS IN BEE CULTURE. 143 going over to the sugar-camp. Mrs. M. was to go too, and the children were fairly boil- ing over with fun and merriment, as only good school children can " boil over." It was an unusually pleasant day for the sea- son, and even the mosquitoes were buzzing about. As Mr. M. had a pretty fair road- way made down to the woods, their walk was a very pleasant one. Before they got fairly into the woods, they heard some one singing. It was our old friend ; and as they stopped a moment to listen, they recognized the familiar words, '' Only an armor- bearer," that he was in the habit of singing through the telephone. "Mother, mother!" said John, "don't you see ? He has all of his sap-pails cov- ered with wooden covers, so there can't a bit of rain water, or a leaf or bug get into the sap ; and don't you see some of the cov- ers are painted white and some red V Well, now just look here !" At this, John approached a tree, and lifted the cover, showing that one side was white and the other red. " Look, mother ; when he has emptied a pail, he turns it the other side up ; see ? and you see he knows just how many pails he has emptied, and he can't skip any. Isn't it funny V" "And just see, too, mother," said Mary, " he has these little short sap-spiles that go right through the side of the pail, so not a particle of sap can spatter over or get blown away by the wind." " Yes," said Freddie, " and the spiles are made of double tin, and then dipped in tin all over, so it can't rust anywhere, and make the sn gar and molasses black. See here!" and Freddie took one out of his pocket like this: — MR. MERRYUANKS' SAP-SPILE. They had now got near the boiling-house ; and as pails were scarce, a few tin pans were used, where they could be emptied often. One small tree had only a 5-cent pail hung to the spout, and Freddie volun- teered the information that this was his tree, and that it would run a pail full in just an hour, a spell in the forenoon. His moth- er suggested he should pass the sap around ; but he replied they would take the dipper and go down to the "old sweet tree,'' for there was one tree sweeter than any other in the woods. I told you once before how nicely friend M. kept his sap-pails and all his tinware. The sap from this tree was relished and praised by all, after their rather long walk. By this time they were near friend M., who was gathering sap on a sort of sled, cr stoneboat, carrying a clean tin can, covered so no sap could slop over. They noticed his pony was trained to go over a particular path, and that he made him go on, or stop, by simply talking to him, very much as he would talk to a person. In fact, the pony looked and acted as if a part of the su^ar- camp belonged to his horseship, and as if he was proud to have visitors admire it; and I don't know but that such was the case; for, in truth, he had helped to make almost every thing about it. "Opa!" said Freddie, "mayn't I show them how he likes sap V" Permission was granted, and the pony plainly showed, by pawing and nodding his head, that he knew that sap is good as well as anybody. Shall I show you how friend M. empties the sap, without lifting the pail at all V THE WAY Mil. MERRY'BANKS EMPTIES HIS SAP-PAILS. I really can't show you the painted cover to the pail, for Freddie has got it, very busily explaining to Mary how it is made of three thin boards, with the grain crossed to pre- vent warping. The middle one is a little larger than the two outside ones, and this makes it ht down into the pail so the wind can not blow the covers off. These covers can be made very cheaply at a cheese-box factory. " Listen !" said some one. All stood per- fectly still. The most apparent sound was a musical tinkling, produced by the sap dropping into the pails, all over the woods. Some of the pails had just been emptied, and the drops striking on the tin bottom, made a comparatively loud note, while the dull thud and bubbling sound of those nearly full combined to make a pleasant music. As it echoed through the woods, more than one heart in that little company was raised in thankfulness to God. But John inter- rupted,— " Hark ! I hear bees ; I know I do." There was a twinkle in friend M.'s eye as he suggested, " Don't you think you imagine it, John ? Perhaps you have got • bee on the brain,' and that is what makes the buzz- ing." "iSTo, sir," said John, Avith vehemence; " I know I hear bees." At this he started off ; and as he looked behind a large maple- 144 GLEAJ^INGS IN BEE CULTURE. MAR. tree but a little distance off, he fairly danced and shonted for joy. He didn't shake any thing off the table this time, for he stood on solid ground. Of course, the rest were soon on the spot, and this is what they saw : — 3IK. MERRYUANKS' COMIUISJED BEE-niVE, \ SAP-PAIL, AND 3IAPLE-SUGAR j EVAPORATOR. Sure enough, there was the pail bee-hive that had stood in the greenhouse, but they had been built up so that two pails instead of one were required to hold thera all. The sap was conducted on to the comb ; and as it dripped down through, the bees ordinarily took it all up; but during the best part of the day, if it was quite a favorable one, it would come too fast for them, and drip into the upright pail below. This pail was fur- nished with a full set of combs, also, so that the sap dropped into these combs, and could be taken up by the bees at their pleasure. The colony was so strong that the bees clus- tered, during warm weather, clear down into this third pail also, so you see they were well prepared to take all the sap a large tree would furnish. You will observe he has here in this case used pails, without even removing the bales. " Why, husband, why did you not tell me of this before V" " Well, 1 did not know how it would work, for one thing ; and for another, I thought you could see it better than I could tell it ; do you not V" " Why, Mr. M.," said John's mother, " you do not mean to say that nice syrup and sugar came from this bee-hive V" *•' No, it did not ; it was made in the pan I will show you presently. I expect to get ' How dotli the littlo busy bee improve each shining hour! TOM'S PICTURE. nicer maple syrup from this hive than any thing that has been seen yet." Just here Tom, the doctor's boy, came with some labels he liad been printing for John's lu-cent pails of honey. John thought he would like some kind of a picture on the labels, and Tom thought he could engrave it. Here is a picture of the sample label he showed them, and the words he had printed under it. Of course, there was a big laugh all round at '"Tom's picture;"' and after they had laughed, they went up and had some warm sugar. If l" should tell you how they got some snow, and made wax, and all that sort of thing, I am afraid it would make you feel l)ad because you were not there too ; so I think I won't say any thing about it. 1 de- clare, I shall have to put off telling about Tom's printing-i)ress, and the way he made bronzed labels, until next month. I'ertaiiiiiig: to 33ce Ciiltai'c. Wu respei'tfullv solicit the aid of our friends in conducting this dcpartinciil. and would consider it a favor to have them send us all cirrnhiis that liave a deceiitivc ajipearanee. The rreatest care will be at all times maintained to prevent injustice being done any one. ^3j^ ARTIES here are selling a hive constructed f\r^ Similarly to the Simplicity hive, with perma- ~ nent bottom-board, movable lid, division (or adjustable) boards. They correspond in size, shape, frames, and entrance, to the Simp. hive. These par- ties are representing- them as "Mitchell's patent." The question we desire answered is. Has Mitchell such a hive patented, or is Ibis bogus? Please ans- wer at once, as a suit is pending- to enforce payment of claimed right for use of said hive. Cornelia, Mo., Feb. 1, 188:2. John J. Hollar. Our older readers will hardly need a word of caution, after hearing " Mitchell " men- tioned in the matter ; and we can briefly say to the new ones, that Mitchell has almost monopolized this department for the past four or live years. Of late, we had heard so little from him we hoped he was getting an honest living somewhere ; but it seems that he needs to be taught, a few times more, that " the way of the transgressor is hard." "Who is Kirk Kidder? He sold to a man up the French Broad River, in North Carolina, near Mar- shall Co., a right to make and sell his hives, he, Kid- der, to fill orders, I believe, for hives in Hat at cer- tain prices, etc., from somewhere in Kentucky. Kidder got a note for foCOO for it, and one J. J. Gurlycr discounted it, and the man claims that he has been unable to hear any thing from Kidder since. ] understand that Kidder was through here about a .vear ago, doing that kind of business. I live at Chattanooga, Tenn., and like this countrj' much better than Ohio. It is a very healthful countr.v; pure water and climate; fine fruit, etc. Big Creek, Tenn., Feb. 1, 1883. B. O. Everett. J.,etters of similar import, that have ap- peared in back volumes, it seems to me, point out pretty clearly who Kirk Kidder is, or, rather, what he is'not, friend E. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 145 §m ihiim- And whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, shall find It.— Matt. 30:25. M LADY once came from quite a dis- J^^ taiice, to work with us in the apiary, ' to learn bee culture. She was to as- sist in the apiary, enough to pay for the knowledge she obtained, so that she had the freedom of the ai>iary, with few or no re- strictions. She also "had entire charge of perhaps lialf a dozen liives. After a few weeks, it was mentioned to me that the boys who worked in the apiary were not always as accommodating and respectful to lier as they should be. I felt sad to hear this, and remonstrated with the boys. It seems this did not entirely cure it, for the same friend mentioned the matter to me again, and asked me if I did not think it too bad that she, a stranger, and a lady of culture, sliould be so used. I assented ; "but as I had been watching things a little, I. could not but feel that the trouble was a little, at least, on both sides. As I did not like to say this, I was silent. After a little rellection, I replied in substance as follows :— ''My friend, you are a lady; you have taught school, and had experience with boys and men, and people in general. You know the world pretty well, as we generally lind it. Well, keeping this in view, suppose you were to go out among the men in the fields, for the purpose of studying up some branch in agriculture; or, if you choose, suppose you, a stranger, were to" come into a factory like ours, or go out among a lot of boys like ours, would you not expect,— nay, are you not sure,— you could win their respect and friendship, and kind treatment V She looked up with a sort of smile, and replied, — "Why, yes, I think I could; in fact, it seems to me I almost /yiiow I could." I knew she could too; and, my friends, dare I say I know you could V I ask this question, because it is in regard to winning your way in the world by just; this same spirit I have been talking about, that I wisli to speak. Well, when this matter is presented to one in trouble with somebody, or with the world (it amounts to the same thing, for the world is made up of people of whicli you and I are a vmit), the hrst reply is, that they are willing to accept any thing in the bounds of reason, and you might quote tome that forbearance sometimes ceases to be a virtue. My friends, 1 suppose there are cases where forbearance ceases to be a virtue ; but these cases come so rarely in your life and mine, I should advise i)ractically counting them out. There is a kind of gambling by throwing dice, where a gold watch is given to the one who throws ten dice so that each one of the ten has six spots up. The proprietor says, and says truthfully, that it is possible to do this and get the watch ; and thousands of young men have wasted their time and money in trying to throw ''No. 60;" but I have never yet heard of one who did it. The keeper knows by experience that his watch is just about as safe on Xo. 00 as in his pock- et. A mathematician Avill work out for you, by the rule of chances, that, if you throw dice day after day, say for a year, you would not be likely to hit No. GO. Well, I should say the times when forbearance ceases to be a virtue will be about as rare, especially if you wish to lay claim to being a Christian. Are there any quarrels in your neighbor- hood V did you ever know two Christian people who couldn't agree V May be you have in your life had a chance, once or twice, to listen to the account of it from both sides. If it is an old feud, each one has been doing ever so much for tlie other for years past, in a most self-sacriticing way. in cases of such great number tliat it would make quite a book to tell it all; and even then, ever so much would have to be left out. When you hear one man's story you say, at intervals," Why, is it possible V Who would ever have thought that possible, of neighbor A? It is really monstrous!" But when you go over to talk with neighbor A about it, and hear his side, you are tempted to use the same expression. Well, where is truth and where is justice V Is the world really so bad ? No, the world is not so bad as tliese tvi'o friends have perhaps, in a sense, hon- estly made it out to be. They are both in the power of Satan, and their own sins are greatly lessened, in their eyes, while the sins of their opponent are magnified and distort- ed to a fearful extent. If you get into a quarrel you will do just the same way. I know, for I have tried it. There are two remedies for such a state of things, that sug- gest themselves to me. The first is to recog- nize that you are sick, and unable to reason intelligently and reasonably in the matter, and put the whole case into the hands of some disinterested friend, and demonstrate that you have a little good sense left, by do- ing exactly as he directs. Jesus pointed out the way in the r)th chapter of Matthew. If you are a (/hristian, or even a reasonable man. you will show it by cheerfully submit- ting to such a case, ratller than by going to law, and, may be, getting some one who is not a Christian to settle these differences for you. Jesus said, " They that be whole, need not a physician." If you are in trouble with any one, you are sick, in Satan's toils. The second way is not to have any trouble with anybody, t do not mean by this that you are to give way to everybody in every thing, and go crippled through the world, but, on the contrary, I mean you should tight your way. step by step and inch by inch, to the attainment of every thing good and noble in the universe. There may seem a contradiction here, but I think there is not. Instead of fighting your neighbors, you are to fight against the temptations of your own heart. If you whip in the latter, you will whip the neighbors, in the best sense of whipping them. You will win them. When you can whip out the evil in your own. heart as fast as it springs up, and go through the world thus, transacting all kinds of business with all kinds of people, you will not only win neighbors, but towns and cities, nations and continents ; yea, the whole world shall you liave for your inheritance. Is that a pretty large promise V See : — 146 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. MAlt. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.— Matt. 5:5. And — Ask of me, and I shall givo thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.— Psalm 3:8. Since I have given you quotations from the Bible for the same thing, I fear you will say you knew all about that before, and so let it lose its force ; but I pray you, friends, believe me when I say you do not know all^ about it ; or at least you have not proved it" by actual experience. Satan is wily. You may be a professing Christian, and you may think your life is very good ; but for'all that, you may be a great stumblingblock to all about you. Some years ago I attended a conference meeting where all seemed harmony and peace and good will, until some difficulty arose in regard to parliamentary rules. It seemed to come from a minister from a neighboring town, who was not quite satis- lied. After a considerable waste of time, a brother suggested they should sing a hymn, with a view of having it break the protitless discussion, and restore a better feeling; but no sooner was it started than he jumped to his feet, and declared he would not be" sung down'' by anybody. Do you think, friends, such a spirit will be likely to rise in the world, or to win souls to the Christian religion ? As he would not be sung down, the whole audience wisely, as I think, gave the tloor, and alloAved him to talk as long ashe wished. I was quite young in Christian matters then ; but at the noon intermission I approached him and ventured to suggest he had not shown the spirit of the Master. "Oh! yes, to be sure," said he; "any thing in the bounds of reason; but when people make asses of themselves, it is a dif- ferent matter." Now, it might have been quite pat to the purpose to have told him who I thought was making an ass of himself; and I confess I relish as hugely as any of you that way of speaking plain and apparent truths ; but by so doing I should have lost all possible hope of doing him any good at all. He stuck out for his rights, and would not submit, or be taught of any one, because he was old and wise. He was, in fact, old, wise, and learn- ed ; but for all that, he had not learned to be as little children ; and before the afternoon's exercises were half through, he got mad again, (I guess I have used the right word, haven't Ir*) and gathered up his books, over- coat, and manuscript, and swept out of the room without even delivering the address as- signed to him on the printed programme. As he got down the stone steps of the church, he ran against one of our prominent lawyers, who made no profession of religion, and, stirred up as he was, he commenced detail- ing to him his grievances, and appealed to him to know if he wasn't right. The law- yer, in a mild, gentlemanly, and, I guess, Christian -like way, declined passing any opinion, saying that if we Christians got into quarrels in our church matters, he really did not know how he could help us any. Boys, how much do you suppose this inci- dent did to help the cause of religion? Eve- rybody who heard it would almost at once decide in favor of the lawyer, and (I shudder while I think of it) in favor of skepticism rather than the churches. Yet this poor man, minister though he was, was so blind- ed by Satan he could not see his awful in- 'consistency. One of my great objections to attending bee conventions was because this kind of wrangling and waste of time is so apt to be the case. Do you not see how much we need the spirit that 'would prompt us to come to help, not to stand up for our own personal rights? In the language of our text, if we would be of use, we need to lose our lives for the good of the people. The two neighbors \v\\o were quarreling, needed to get rid of selfishness ; and Christ, in his teachings, recognizes so fully the importance of this, and the great probability that we will err, even the best of us, in this same matter of selfishness, that he says, when we are struck on one cheek, turn the other also, and get struck a second time rather than return evil for evil ; and, also, if we are sued at law, and lose clear down to our coat, let the cloak go also, rather than disagree with a neigh- bor. Well, we sometimes make ourselves miserable by worrying about matters that are not blows, nor coats and cloaks either. ^Ye get a notion in our heads that we have done a great deal for the world, and that it has done but little for us. and we brood over it until we are actually incapable of seeing the truth as it really is, and so we go through life blinded by selfishness, as it were. What shall we do? Some will say, I know, we should ask the Holy Spir- it to enlighten us, and we shall then see ourselves as we really are. I grant this, pi'oviding the prayer is supplemented with strong, earnest, willing work. The man who prays, and at the same time gets up from his knees thinking he is liberal, and all the rest of the world selfish, will not profit very much by his prayers, if I am correct. God gives wisdom, but it comes only through hard and searching labor, Moses, with all his great wisdom, and nearness to God, would have made the blunder of wearing himself out had he not listened to and heeded the voice of his father-in-law .lethro. The great lesson we have to learn, is that we are hu- man and selfish still. We want to so learn this that it will be " rooted and grounded " in us ; and as we recognize we are selfish, just in proportion shall we see the good qualities of others, and so shall be ready to have love and charity for all. We want to be just. We say we do, and I guess we are honest in it, as a general thing. Well, how shall we manage to be just, when we are so prone to selfishness? By accept- ing it as a fact that we are, have been, and always shall be, selfish ; and, therefore, de- ciding to give more to the world, constantly, than it seems to us we ought to. To be sure we are not taking more from the world than we give back, make it a point to do kind services to everybody, at every opportunity ; and after that is all done, just " fiing in " a lot more of kind services, so as to be posi- tive y sure we have given a full equivalent 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 147 in this uncertain and Imrd-to-compute com- modity, of the common courtesies of life. In other words, '' Do good and lend, hoping for notliing again." When I was only a boy, "out lecturing," as I have told you about, somebody ]n\t the idea into my head that I wanted a watch. The man who suggested the idea, strangely enough had one for sale, and I bought k in about live minutes, giving him all the money 1 had, and promising the rest out of the next evening's I'eceipts. When I got home to my boarding-place, they laughed at me for paying .?14.0u for a brass watch. " Why," said my landlord, " I will sell you my watch for llO.OO. and it is solid sil- ver. 'See there! I would take it right back." I took it back, and asked for the money so I could buy the silver one. "A silver one I why, I will sell you a silver one tor only eight dollars. It is the celebrated ' Quartier ' make ; see V I closed the bargain at once, and in great glee took my silver watch, that cost only ■iJS.OO, to my boarding-place. When I showed it, they laughed at me more, and the land- lord said, in a bantering way, — " Why, my young friend, they sell ' Quar- tier ■ watches in New York for S2. 50 a biixhel ; and if a man is dissatisfied then, they just put in a couple of shovels fnll free of charge." Although I used to believe then pretty much all that was told me, I don"t think I quite believed all that ; but I have often thought of the expression ; and, my friends, it just now occurs to me tliat, in serving the world, we want to cultivate a disposition to do just about that. Give good measure, in courtesy and politeness, and then just put in " a couple of shovels full " extra, to counter- act seltishness. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good meas- ure, pressed down, and shaken tog-ether, and run- ning over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that \e mete withal It shall be measured to you again.— Lukk 6:3S. When at the Centennial, we stayed over Sunday ; and in my eagerness to attend as many of the Sabbath-schools as possible, some of the guests of the hotel laughed at my enthusiasm. One in particular said he used to be a great Sunday-school worker, but he found the people all so ready to ^ i ide a willing horse to death," that it' broke down hi^health, and he was obliged to give it all up. It was all very well for one who had not been "through the mill," but that 1 would get wiser after a while. Thank God, I haven't yet got any wiser; and, thank God, I know, too, that the man's words were false. It isn't so. Such speeches and such thoughts are only one of Satan's subter- fuges. When you hear any one make any such speech as that, you can set him down as a very selfish if not a very wicked man. Whien a Christian says or thinks such things, he or she is assuredly off the track, and is in great danger of being led entirely away. It is true, you may have to labor some little time before the world comes to know and recognize you, and you may have to be pa- tient and kind with your neighbors and as- sociates for some little time before they un- derstand and realize that you are really a true and sincere friend; but if you persist- ently watch and pray for opportunities of doing them kind'.iesses, you will in due time reap a bountiful harvest. You are not responsible for the whole world ; you are responsible only for yourself and your own heart; and while you can not change the world, you can change yourself, which really amounts to the same thing. Two men were talking about their wives, and one said he would leally like to hear his wife scold, just for the fun of it. " Do you really want to hear her scold V " said the otlier. '■ Yes, I do." " Well, you just draw her a load of crook- ed firewood ; for nothing in the world makes my wife scold so badly as does crooked hre- wood." Our friend went to the woods, and selected all the crooked sticks he could find, until he had made out a load, and very quietly put them in the usual place, and awaited results. Days ])assed ; but not a word was said, un- til tinally one day she spoke : — '' Husband," said she, " our wood is near- ly out, and if you should happen to have any more like that last lot, I vvould mucli prefer it, because it tits around the pots and kettles so nicely.'' Do you not see? One woman was looking for troubles in every thing that turned up a little different from usual, while the other was always looking at the bright side of every thing, and turning every little item to some good advantage. You, my friends, are to turn the crooked sticks, the crooked men, the crooked troubles, and all else in life to some good purpose, and try to hnd the good there is in them all. A letter has just been put into my hands that explains so well what I mean, I will give it to you :— I want to tell you how much good the Home Papers have done mo. It was through their influence that I gave up using tobacco, swearing, and a great many other careless ways that I had got into; but still I did not join the church; I thought that I could be a I Christian without doing so. I went on in my own I way till a short time ago, when I experienced my i first real disappointment which made me so miser- able, and enabled me to see my own weakness so plainly that I determined to trust in my own strength no longer, but to put my trust in Christ for every thing. So I joined the church, and tried to do what I could to help the work along. It was not long be- fore I found out that it required a great deal of prayer to live in any way consistent. Often I have come in at night, alter work, feeling down-hearted and discouraged, because 1 had been trying all day to keep my temper, and failed, sometimes think- ing it was no use trying to be a Christian, and often wishing that I had never joined the church at all. One night I came in from work in one of those moods, and I thought I would try your plan of pray- ing about it. I accordingly went into mj' room, and down on my knees, and prayed. I had been praying some time when I thought of the Homes. I went to the pile and picked up one at random (I did not know hich one it was, for it was dark). I brought it to the light, and read it. It was the one in which yoa describe your visit to the minister, and the 148 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. Mar. trouble about swine, and the demons, etc. I can not tell you how that number (May, 1879,) of the Homes encouraged me; It made me happy again. I have often been unhappy since, and I have gone to the same source in the same way, and have got rid of my unhappiness. Not only that, but I have felt twice the amount of energy about my work — so much so that I have looked around to see what I could do to make things better around home, and havefoundmyself down cellar, sorting out the rot- ten apples from the good. May God bless " Our Homes"! E. Grainger. Deer Park, Ont., Can., Feb. 20, 1883. And may God bless you, my young friend and fellow-traveler ; and may he be praised, that these same Home Papers have had a hand in the work of pointing you to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. I am the more thankful for your letter just now, and its closing words, be- cause my wife has been criticising neighbor Jones in the Menybanks story. She said that she feared even religion, although it should do so, did not often give a man ener- gy to work, as well as strength to resist temptation. Now you have struck the point exactly, where you say it gives you energy to go to work, even to going, down into the cellar to sort the rotten apples. I wonder how many there are whose eye rests on these words, who need just this very kind of ener- gy. If you are faithful with the rotten ap- ples, God will certainly give you something more to do, when they are finished. One of my most constant prayers is for energy and zeal in distasteful duties. Now just a word in closing. Some of the friends have wished me to take more room in this department to discuss Christianity and infidelity. Is it worth while to use val- uable space for such a purpose? Through the influence of my monthly Home chap- ters to you, the young friend who has just written has given up tobacco and swearing, and is growing happy in good, steady, hon- est work. He has been won, as I have tried to tell you this month, you must win your way among men. With the love of God in his heart he will win others, and they in turn others still. Do discussions ever bear such fruitV Will it not be better to discuss in our hearts the evil we find there continu- ally, and fight it out on bended knee before God, as did he? If we do this, we shall be able to win souls and to rule nations. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation ; and up- hold me with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be con- verted unto thee.— Psalm 51: 10—10. He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. — Revelation 3:26. Every nation on the face of the globe is now open to the teachings of the gospel, and never before since the world began was hea- thenism so rapidly giving way to the en- lightening influence of theJBible. My friend, is your lamp trimmed and burning? Are you ready and willing to lose your life, for the sake of that glorious and heavenly awak- ening? FL.OUK CANBY IN WINTER NOT NECESSARILY DETRIMENTAL. MY hives are frame hives, something like the Langstroth. I winter in cellar, and remove ' the cap on top of brood-chamber. I use two boards crosswise of the hives, and when 1 put the bees in the cellar I spread these boards apart so that the bees can come on top of the hive any time. This leaves a good draft, and keeps the combs dry. I al- ways spread the combs in the center of the brood- chamber, so that the bees can cluster together and keep warm. I hardly ever lose any bees, unless they starve to death. One year ago last fall I was not at home; did not get home until it was too late to feed, and my bees were very light. Some did not have any honey at all. But 1 put them all in the cellar — 37 swarms. I put the light swarms so that I could feed them. I fed sugar and maple molasses and candy, but they would crawl all over the hive and die; 5 swarms died, and I thought that I should lose them all. I will tell you how I saved the best. I took 10 lbs. of white sugar, and put it in a tin pail; set the pail in hot water until the sugar melted in good shape. When melted, let cool a little, and put in 1 lb. of wheat flour. I took thin burlap and put inside of the frame ; made two or three holes in the center for the bees to crawl thi-ough. Now I spread on the sugar and flour. When hot, it will stick to the burlap; but when -cool, I put it in the hives. The bees will do better on this than honey. I did not lose any more bees, and those that I fed sugar did better than those that had lots of honey. They swarmed the first, and made the most honey. I call it Brown's feeder. I shall feed all of my bees this spring in that way. I have 53 colonics in cellar, all in good shape. I had a swarm given me 1 ist 0-;tober, if I would give back the honey. I took them home and fed them sugar. I put three frames of sugar, two frames of empty comb, and they went to work, and are as good a swarm as I have got. My feeder is not pat- ented. I think that is the best way to feed sugar. You can put it into the hive any time, cold weather or warm. When you melt the sugar, do not put water in it. G. S. Brown. Salisbury, Addison Co., Vt., Feb. 20, 1883. When reading friend Ileddon's article on p. 115, it occurred to me that if flour candy did kill his bees, it does not always kill them for other folks. A few years ago I built up a late natural swarm on this flour candy in frames, and I showed the bees to Professor Cook, when he paid us a visit the last of De- cember, and we saw plenty of brood in all stages. The queen was fertilized in Octo- ber ; but the next spring, when a customer paid for the best colony in my apiary, he se- lected this one. We have had many other similar reports. Friend Brown, who gives the above plan for putting the candy into the frames, has, I think, by his sheet of burlap, done away with the objection I have men- tioned to frames of flour candy. The bur- lap, you see, will prevent the bees from building a comb, when the candy is all taken. Many thanks, friend Brown. By melting in water as you suggest, I presume we can mix the flour and sugar, witnout the addition of 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUKE. 149 any water, and thus get a candy not burned in the least, but of always the same consis- tency. Did not friend Heddon burn his candy just a littleV COJVIB FOUNDATION, AND WHERE IT STANDS AT THE PRESENT TIITIE. ALSO SOMETHING IN REGARD TO RECENT IMPROVE- MENTS IN ITS MANUFACTURE. -HEN the bees build comb, we see such a multitude of them, with (to our eyes) a multitude of different notions in their different little heads, it seems impos- sible that any thing good or regular should come of it. "Well, in looking back over the years since I first told you comb fdn. should be made on rolls, it seems to me we bee-keep- ers have been behaving much like the bees. There have been a multitude of notions, and many things have been taken up, and then dropped again, for years, it may be, until somebody came along and took up the same old thing, and, lo and behold ! after brush- ing off the dust and cobwebs of age, and adding a few very simple touches, it is ex- actly the thing after all. AVhen I first told you, after a couple of months of work, that sheets of wax would come out of rolls as we wanted it to, what a breeze there was ! Our first experiment was with quite light walls, for we wanted it like natural comb ; but be- fore we had rolled out many hundred pounds, I got the idea into my head that we should give the bees wax enough to make the whole of the comb, and proposed to put it in heavy walls they could work down. At just this stage our friend Perrine came along with his patent, as you know ; and before he took the mill away, I told him my plan. He so far fell in with it, that JSIr. Washburn worked the mill over by his directions. The fdn. produced was almost exactly like that now called Dunham fdn., as we can show by samples of the work we have yet. The walls are nigh, and the tops of them level, almost like the top of a board ; and, in fact, the sheets came out of the mill almost like a board out of a planing-machine. The mania, however, that soon sprung up, to have as many square feet from a pound of wax as possible, induced Perrine to have his mill worked over, and induced us, also, to make our subsequent mills with the light narrow wall. Before discarding the heavy wall, I did try it in hives ; but, unfortunately, I used bleached white Avax for the experiment, and it was so hard, in that April weather, that the bees could not handle it. You know white wax was all the talk then. Well, as mills were necessarily very high then, as Mr. Washburn is a mechanic who commands high wages, others commenced to make mills. It was found, about this time, that our fdn., although it worked nice- ly In cool weather, stretched and bulged badly in the heat of July and August. I oe- lieve Mrs. Dunham was about the first to make mills after us, and, for some reason, she commenced to make the original thick wall. It was soon found that, with yellow wax and hot weather this worked all right ; and, still more, the heavy walls held the sheet up from stretching and sagging. She did not try to make a great many square feet to the pound, but rather to make a good stout comb that would stand hot weather. As her mills were nice, and low in price, they have obtained, I am glad to say, a great sale. Now another nice little point comes in here: In trying to get fdn. as thin as possi- ble, we made sheets without any side walls at all ; and as the bees worked these into nice comb honey, it was thought to be a great saving. In using such for brood- combs, however, it was found some colonies of bees took hold of them very reluctantly ; and, in fact, some bees were so poorly post- ed as to what was going on in the world, they would not touch them at all. They couldn't see the point, until they had learned, at least, unless some kind of a side wall was given them. We found this out by the dipped fdn., which gave a sheet with walls on one side, and not the other. The bees worked one side, and left the other plain. To get them to take right hold quick, we must have a good fair wall, and it wants to be soft wax, and not compressed. The base of the cell may be as hard as yon please, providing it is as thin as natural comb. Bees handle the walls with compar- ative ease, because they can get their " thumb and linger " each side of the wall, and pull it up, as a potter pulls up the clay in turning a crock. The only way they have of making the bottom thin, is by scraping them down, which is necessarily a very slow operation. Now another point: When we commenced making dies for the rubber plates last sea- son, we decided, of course, on the heavy walls. We made a nice sheet from our best mill, but could not get a plaster cast to come off without breaking. The walls were too high, and too straight up. Vve must make a new mill, to get a single sheet of wax for these molds, or we must buy a sheet of some one who had a mill producing a sheet that would ''lift" from plaster. A sample, re- ceived from friend Dadant, we found would lift. We sent to him for some whole sheets, and from these our rubber plates are modeled. Now, the very point that makes the Dunham fdn. lift from the plates, while ours would not, also makes it come out of the rolls, and, I think, very likely keeps it from sagging in the hives. What is this point? I think I can make it plain to you by a diagram from the ABC book. B A Our fdn., and, indeed, all that is made that I know of, except the Dunham, is made after the natural comb, as at B. Mrs. Dun- ham, while making the bottom of the cell as we all do, makes the wall to these cells 150 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE, Mar. something like A. It would seem that she uses a round punch in making the walls. This is much easier to do than to use one producing ahexagonal wall ; and a mechanic incnpable of making a pair of rolls like 13 might easily make one like A. Isn't it fun- ny y A comparatively rude machine, pro- ducing an unnatural cell, seems, at the present date, to be really better for our pur- pose tlian the laborious" ones we have been all these years working at I No disrespect intended to our friend Mrs. Dunham here, but, on the contrary, we owe her a vote of thanks, not only for the excellent mills and fdn. she has given to tlie world, but for showing, too, that women are capable of ranking side by side with the benefactors of our race in the mechanical world. There is one thing, however, against which 1 would like to protest a little. It is the following- note, from her new circular : — CAUTION. Havinpf obtained letters patent No. 2ifi,00!1 for Dunham Foun- dation Machine, making comb foundiitinu witli liase of cells of natural shape .and siile walls brought U|i to foiin an even sur- face, also on the foundation made on said machine, 1 hereby give notice to all parties infringing my riglits either by manu- facturing said machines or found.atiori, as well as to all parties purchasing machines as above other than those of my manu- laeturc, th.at I am prepared to protect my rights, and shall prosecute all infringements to the full extent of the law. In regard to the round cells: "WhenPer- rine took our first mill away, he said the man he had hired, Weiss, had made a small mill with rolls of bniss, and that the cells were first drilled with a hollow drill. He tried to get a patent on this, and failed. The Given press is a very rapid means of putting fdn. in wired frames, but it can not at present be very well worked on metal- cornered frames, if I am correct, and there- fore we do not use it. I am inclined to think, too, that it is difficult to make the sheets of fdn. as thin as we do with our rolls, and to have it go clear up to the wood of the frames as we use it. The fdn. is much like the Dunham, and may be made exactly like it. The rubber plates work nicely now, but we do not get as full a wall with them as by the rolls, neither can we get as thin a base ; but the bees Avork the sott wax more readily than any rolled fdn. Samples of the fdn. made by them will be sent free on applica- tion* The rubber plates are mounted by placing them in frames like an ordinary slate-frame. Small screws are put part way into the rubber, at intervals of perhaps two Indies. The whole is then backed with plas- ter of Paris, being carefnl, of course, that the plates are in contact at every cell. When dry and firm, they are hinged together and worked like the plaster plates. To make starters, pour on so little wax that, when the plates are closed, it does not come to the outside ; then pile up a lot of these irregular sheets, and cut up in the usual way. To make whole sheets, you must cover the en- tire lower plate, and close quickly. Trim off the surplus wax around the edges, and your sheet is ready to lift out. Of course, the plates are dipped in water to cool them. The water must be warm, or the sheet will break. The time occupied in trimming off the surplus is the great drawback. If some way coula be devised for pouring in just enough wax for the sheet, and no more, and having it quickly distributed over the plate, it would then be the most rapid process known, and there would be no hindrance in making it right in wired frames. We can furnish a machine for starters, just right to fill a 1-lb. section, for :?2.00; and if it does not please, you can return it for what it cost. PRESENT PRICES OF FDN. MACHINES. Below are the prices of the different ma- chines now in the market : — rimiham. Root. Ctlm. Vanderv't. 14-inch mill. 1 60 00 I'^-inch mill. 1 cn no fio no 40 no 4.-) 00 flinch mill. 40 (1(1 30 00 25 00 :» 00 fi-inch mill. 25 00 20 no I.') 00 25 00 4-inch mill. 16 00 10 00 1 It will be seen from the above, that friend Olm is the only one who has enterprise enough to dare make a fdn. mill for SiO.UO. We have samples of the fdn. his mills make, and they are very nice, having a side wall that comes clear up level. Below we pre- sent an engraving of one of his mills. THE OLM FOUNDATION-MILL. We have ordered one of the $10.00 mills, and also one of Mrs. Dunham's 12-inch nick- el rolls. I presume they are only nickel- plated for only ?10.00 additional, although her price list does not say so. Now, friends, we will furnish either the Dunham mills or Olm mills at their prices, or we will furnish you our own. To show you that we do not "mean our own mills shall be behind any in the world, we will send samples of all "kinds of fdn., free to any ad- di'ess. Here are some seasonable hints in regard to dipping plain sheets, that we take from the Feb. No. of the Bee-Keepers'^ Magemne: DIRECTIONS FOR DIPPING. Make your dipping tank 4.\13 inches nnd 3 feet deep; .«et it into a larger one with water between to regulate the temperature. Melt your wax in an- other boiler (a corriMion wash boiler will do), have water in to prevent burning the wax, dip into the de«'p tank as fast as the wax is melted. Make 4 or 5 thin boards of seasoned basswood the e.vaot width when dry, you want your sheets. Nail cleats on top to prevent warping, and make a handle. Flavethera thoroughl.y water-soaked before using; the boards will swell as much as the sheets will shrink. Wet the boards before dipping, but shake off all the water you can. Put the board in the wax as deep as the length you want your sheet, repeat as soon as the wax stoi)s dropping, dip 3 times for brood foundation and once for boxes, hold the board pcrfectU) jjluml) while cooling; as soon as the wax stops dropping alter the last dip, set it one side and take another board. By the time you have dipped four thJ in., and every dipping makes 6 narrow sheets. THE COLOR OF WAX FOR FOUNDATION. Now a word in regard to the color of wax: It is well known. 1 believe, that very dark wax is just as good for brood-combs as any thing else; but for all that, some will com"- plain, unless all the fdn. is of a bright yel- low. To lix this all pleasantly, Ave will, in the future, furnish fdn. for brood-combs, made of the darkest wax, for from ;> to o cts. per lb. less than our regular list prices. Jf you want to take advantage of this offer, give us a little time ahe ul ; for we do not al- ways have dark wax on hand. If you want to see samples of the nicest fdn. for all pur- poses, including the extra-thin tlat-bottomed, send for our free box of samples. Just as we close our forms, comes the fol- lowing in regard to the rubber plates : — After having tried the rubber plates thoroughly, I pronounce them a success, inasmuch as they make good fdn. that runs 4 ft. to the lb., and that answers my purp.ise fully. It took me about two days to learn to make full-sized sheets that would not crack. Getting the wax the right temperature is the main point, it should be just melted, and no more — about 120° is the right temperature; if hotter, itwill stick. The water should be about bO^orVO". lean not do good work to slap the plates together, but succeed best to exert mi e\'en pressure on the middle of the upper plHte. keeping the hand on till ready to open the plates. If the pressure is removed sooner, it ad- mits the air, and causes the sheet to crack. This was the point that gave me more trouble than all the rest. The plates must be kept wet all the time. I use a Common clothes brush, and brush off all the surplus water before applying the wax. I find it easier to get sheets of an even thickness if the holes in the fountain are made smaller in the middle than at the ends, as some wax runs off at the ends. 1 can not do a very large day's work at it yet. but consider 3Jlbs. a fair dav's work. C. B. Thwing. Hamilton, Mo., Feb. 22, 1882. GlEAWmCS m BEE CULTURE. EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, MEDINA, O. TERniS: $1.C0 PER YEAR, POST-PAID. FOR CLUBBING RATES, SEE FIRST PAGE OF READING MATTER. IVTESXDXlN'.if^, 3VE ^^IFl. X, 1882. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.— Psalm 4ii: 1—3. We are told Mr. Burch's residence has been de- stroyed by Arc, but that it was fully insured. The Kawas Bee-Keeper is a very fair little journal, for only 60 cts. a year; but the print is poor, and so far it has been rather slow in getting out on time. A GREAT amount of matter I should have been glad to have printed is again left out for want of room, and much of it has now become unseasonable, unless some special need should call it up again. If you wish to deal with some one who always has every thing right, every time, and never makes a mis- take, don't send to us. If however, being always ready to make good every error, the minute it is dis- covered, will do, send along your orders, and we will be glad to serve you. We have 4072 subscribers, and 196 colonies of bees. Don't you think we have a right to be happy? Only two colonies are lost up to date, and one of them swarmed out. We have already sold a number of queens this spring, and united, but as 6 of the above are still queenless, we are ready for some queens from the South. The Elwood & Co., who advertised in last No., it seems have left Starkville, N. Y., without filling or- ders. As I have advertised and sold their ink pow- ders for some time, with quite general satisfaction, we had no reason to suspect any thing wrong. If all who seiit them money without any return will notify us by postal card, we will fill the order from here. The British Bec-Kecpcr's Guide-Bnok, by Thomas W. Cowan, second edition, is at hand; and as it dis- cusses and illustrates- improvements clear up to Nov., ISSl, it will prove quite an addition to our bee libraries, in this country as well as England. The price is given as " one shilling and sixpence," and I presume we could get it so as to be sold for about half a dollar. That bees do in health void their excrement in the form of a comparatively dry powder, is, I should think, fully proven by the reports that have been sent in. The statements made have called to mind facts from my own experience, enough to satisfy me, unless something more be brought forward to the contrary, that Mr. Quinby was right in his posi- tion. Doubtless some of our friends think those who have reported have been needlessly definite; but I think it won't hurt us, if we succeed in having the controverted point settled. A PAMPHLET on foul brood, by Albert A. Konke, of Youngstown, O., is on our table. It treats prin- cipally of the salicylic-acid remedy, and I should judge friend K. to be well capable of handling this remedy in a truly scientitic way. The price, 25 cents, I should object to, for 1000 such pamphlets could easily be printed for $20.00. A 23-cent book ought to contain all that is valuable that has ever appeared on the subject. Besides the high price of the pam- phlet, the winding-up seems to result in an adver- tisement of a $5.00 " medicine-chest " for the cure of foul brood. Isn't this a little out of the spirit of modern bee culture? Conventions.— A meeting of the bee-keppers of New .lersev will be held at New Brunswick, March 15, 18.S2.— The (^hamplain Valley Bee-Keepers' Asso- ciation at Middlebury, Vt.,Mav II.— The Texas State Bee-Keepers' Association at McKinney, Collin Co., April 35, 1882. 152 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mar. |TALiaN^]^BlESXaND)CQUEEH$ Full colonies, 2, 3, and 4 frame nuclei. Tested Queens, in May, $;^.00: in June, $2.50; July, Auprust, and September, $3.00. Untested queens, in June and July, $1.00; Aug., !tOc: Sept., 7.5c. All queens will be reared from imported and home-bred queens. Please send for list to GE( ). W. BAKEK, 3-9d Lewisville, Henry Co., Ind. G. M. DOOLITTLE Says STANLEY'S VANDERVORT FOUNDATION for sections is even thinner than natural comb, and is the very best fdn. made. See Gleanings for Jan., pages 14 and 15, and A. B. J. for Jan. 3. We also make higrh-walled Vandervort fdn. for brood-cham- ber, to tit any size frame. Send for samples and prices, or send $10.00 for 20 lbs., 10 sq. ft. per lb., to 3-4d G. W. STANLEY & BRO., Wyoming, - Wyoming Co., - New York. 1^^25 cents per lb. in trade for good yellow bees- wax, delivered here. WARRANTED ITALIAIT (JUEEITS Mv queens are all bred from Imported mothers. Send for circular free. L. C. McFATRIDGE, 3 Carroll, Carroll Co., Indiana. lOO Colonies of* ITALIAN BEES FOR SALEJN SIMPLICITY HIVES I ALBINO, CYPRIAN, AND ITALIAN QUEENS ; ROOT, VANDERVORT, DUNHAM, and GIVEN FOUNDATION FOR SALE, with everything need- ed for a first-class apiary. Send for a circular, to 3-2d E. T. FLANAGAN, Box 819, Belleville, Rose Hill, Apiary. St. Clair Co., Illinois. IMPORTED QUEENS. In April, 11 francs in Gold. May and June, - - - 10 " " " July and August, - - - g »» i» ^ September and October, - - 1 " " " Queens which die in transit will be replaced only if sent back In a letter. ■ l-6d CHARLES BIANCONCINI & CO., Bologna, Italy. To send a postal card for our illustrated catalogue of Before purchasing elsewhere. It contains illustra- tions and descriptions of every thing new and de- sirable in an apiary, AT THE LOWEST PRICES. Italian, Cyprian, and Holv-Land Queens and Bees. J. C. & H. P. SAYLES. 2-7d Hartford, Washington Co., Wis. Albino and Italian Queens and Bees, and Supplies for 1882. IIeadquakteks for the Albino Bees. If you have any taste for beauty, desire pleasure in working, and want Inrge yields of honey, buy the Albinos, for they are the "coming bee." In order to meet the demand for queens, 1 have increased my stock, and will be able to furnish several hun- dred per month after May 1. Also furnish hives. Novice's extraotor, and apiarian supplies in general. Send for price list. S- VALENTINE. 3-.5d Double Pipe Creek, Carroll Co., Md. Italian Bees & Queens AT BEDUCED BATES. Send for price list and be convinced. Address 3-5 T. C. CRILLY, GilAFTON, - - LORAIN CO., - - OHIO. I. R. GOOD, Nappanee, Elkhart Co., Indiana, Makes a specialty of rearing Holy - Land Queens. All queens bred from D. A. Jones's imported queens. Dollar queens before June iOth, $1.25 each; after that date, single queen, $1.00; six queens for $.5.00; twelve or more, 75 cts. each. Tested queens, $3.50 each. Italian queens, raised in Holy-Land apiaries, same price. Bees by the pound, and nucleus and full colony, as per A. I. Root's price list. l-9d LaDistTfltli Hiffis ^ Sfictlois. I i ti LEWIS' IMPROVED ONE-PIECE SECTION. Price $4.53 per 1000; any size to 6x6. No. 1. first quality dovetailed sections, any size to 6x6, $1.50. No. i, second quality dovetailed sections, any size to 6x6, $3..50. No. 3 is planed smoothly one side, same as No. 1, but lumber is not ii-< clean and white. Lewis' one-piece boxes of white basswood, all sizes, very low. No charge for boxing or crating sections. Send for new price list. C B. LEWIS, 3d WATERTOWN, JEFF. CO., WIS. Raspberries and Strawberries A SPECIALTY. The celebrated Ohio Raspberry; Sharpless and Crescent Seedling Strawberry. Any one wishing to save money will do well to send for descriptive cir- cular, free. Address J. IftVIN JOHNSON, 34d Brookside Nurseries, Palmyra, N. Y. DIPPEH-GOURD SEED! Tj^'RIENDS! Why not jai-ic your Dippers? Cheap- JD er and better than "John's .5-cent cups." All sizes, from 1 pt. to 1 gal. Straight handles, from 1 foot to 3 feet in length. True Seed, 6c. per packet; i pks., 30c., postpaid. Send stamps. Address 3 S. P. YODER, ViSTUL.i, Indian.4. HIVES AND SECTION BOXES, wide L. frames, tin separators, brood frames with metal corners. All kinds of hives; chair hives with movable upper story. Send for price list. A. B. M ILLER & SON, 3.5d Wakarusa, Elkhart Co., Ind. Italian, Cyprian, and Holy-l.and Queens, Bred from the A. D. .Tones importation; also VAN- DERVORT COMB FOUNDATION, made on the same mills that made the fdn. that took the pri^.e at the Northeastern Bee-keepers' Association at Utica in 1881 and 1883, over the Van Deusen, Flat-Bottom, and thin Dunham, for surplus boxes; also the thick over all kinds for brood-chamber. I. L. SCO FIELD. 3-8d Chenango Bridge, Broome Co., N. Y. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. 153 Dovetailed Sections ! Before June 1st, 414x4'.!, at $4.50 per 1000; r-iViXr,':,, $5.00 per 1000. Sample of either, by mail, for a 3-ct. stamp. Italian queens, and bees by the pound at A. I. Root's prices, with packages Included. Two- comb nucleus, with Galhip size frames, after June 1st, $2.00; with 4 combs, in full-sized hive, complete, $4.50. Add price of queen you want. Full colonies, with tested queens. May and June, $9.00 each. It will pay you to try our bees I HIVES! Material in the flat, for%.any common single-walled hive, with bottom, frames, and 7-inch cover, aiid crate with full set of sections, in Iota of 10 or more, $1.10 each; 30 cts. each less, without crate and sections. Place your orders early. First come, first served! Satisfaction guaranteed. Send money at ray risk by p. O. money order, registered letter, or draft on New Tork or Chicago, to No circulars. O. H. TOWNSEND, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Mich. TESXI]Vi:03SriA.ILS: I have the bees on summer stands, and I will say for you that I never saw a finer lot of bees. B. S. Underhill. "Williamson, Wayne Co., N. Y., Sept. 10, 1881. Last May I sent $7.5.00 to friend Townsend, of Hub- bardston, Mich., for bees. They came the first week in June, and the hives were full; each hive contain- ing 13 combs, with brood in 8 combs. If friend T. does as well by every one, he deserves to be patron- ized. W. z. Hutchinson. Rogersville, Mich., July 1, 1881. ITaken from August G'.eaninys, 1881.] Hubhardston, Mich., Feb. 13, 1882. TO WHOM IT May concern :-We, the under- signed, citizens of Hubbardston, Mieh., take pleasure in recommending O. H. Townsend, of Kal- amazoo, formerly of this place, to the favorable con- sideration of boe-kecpers and others, believing him to be reliable and straightforward in his dealings. A. V. Phister, Postmaster. J. J. Robins, M. D., Drusrgist. O. C. Townsend & Co., Bankers. W. J. Tabor, Grocer. 3d 1882. TWELFTH YEAR. 1882. Italian Queens ! Tested Queens in April and May, - - - $2 50 " " in June and after, ... 3.00 Untested Queens in April and May, - - 1.25 " " in June and after, - - 1.00 B.v the M doz , 5 per cent off above prices. By the dozen, 10 per cent oflf above prices. Also, Syrian and Cyprian Queens (bred in separate apiaries), at same price. Sent by mail, and safe arrival guaran- teed. Address W. P. HEi^DERSON, 2-od Murfrcesboro, Ruth. Co., Tenn. HEADQUARTERS FOR Early Itallai & CfBriai iJiifiBiis. Imported and home-bred; nuclei and full colo- nies. For quality and purity, my stock of bees can not be excelled in the United States. I make a specialty of manufacturing the Dunham foundation. Try it. If you wish to purchase Bees or Supplies, send for my new Circular, containing directions for introducing queens, remarks on the new races of Bees, &c. Address Itfd DR. J. P. H. BROWN, Augusta, Ga. At Kansas City, Mo., I breed PURE ITALIAN BEES for sale. I warrant my dollar queens to be purely mated, and guarantee safe arrival. I will try to give perfect satisfaction. Please send for list to E. M. HAYHURST, 2-3d P. o. Box 1131. THE LIGHTNING DOVETAIL This is a machine for gluing dovetailed sections; 1500 are put together in a day by one man. It is SIMPLE, DURABLE, AND CHEAP. White-Poplar Sec- tions a specialty. Illustrated circular free. Address A. £. MANU^, Bristol, Add. Co., Vt. 3-4d A BARGAIN! If you wish to purchase Italian bees and queens early in the spring, and wish a bargain, you should send for my new price lists, sent free on application. Address W. S. CAUTHEN, 3d Pleasant Hill, Lan. Co., S. C. 50 SWARMS OF BEES FOR SALE ! For terms, inquire of 3d H. NEUHAUS, Burlington, Wis. B3E3X3 - X^:E3£2X^£3X=LS, Save your money and do your own printing with Rubber type and stamps. Circulars free. 3d Address A. H. DUFF, Flat Ridqe, - - Guernsey Co., - - Ohio. "I 000 Consult your own interest, and send 100^ for my new Circular and Price List of Colonies, Nuclei, and Queens. 2-7d Address S. D. McLEAN, Columbia, Tenn. HEADQUARTERS for the GOLDEN ITALIANS and the ORIGINAL ALBINO BEES and QUEENS. Send for circular. J. M. C. TAYLOR, 3d Lewistown, Frederick Co., Md. FOR SALE.— Bees, Full Colonies, or Nuclei. Ad- dress H. B.4^BBER, Adrian, Lenawee Co., Mich. WANTED.— A situation in an apiary, to work with bees, for wages, with a chance to learn the business. Address J. A. KEPLER, 3 Mt. Pleasant Mills, Snyder Co., Pa. FOR Dunham and Root foundation, equal to any made in the U. S., and other apiarian supplies, address V^ON DURN, 820 South Ave., Omaha, Neb. Wax wanted. 3-6d BEE-KEEPERS! Send $1.00 for the "Excelsior cold-blast Smoker." The latest and the best. By mail postpaid. W. C. R. KEMP, 3-4d Orleans, Orange Co., Indiana. T3EES AND QUEENS FROM MY APIARIES. QUEENS AND NUCLEI IN SEASON. 3d Circular on application. J. H. ROBERTSON, PEWAMO, lONlA CO., MiCH. D.A.fike,Bod9,SniitIi%M.Co.,Ud. Breeder of those Beautiful Albino and Italian Queens and Bees which gave universal satisfaction last season. Send for Circular. 3-4d 154 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Mail YES, SIR! The Orlfflnal Binnrham invented antl patented thetirst practicnl lit'llows bee smoker, and it BINGHAM Patented, 1878. i RoQ ^mnLor '''"^'*^ ^'^ previous maizes Dec OlllUnCi rrom the niarK-et at rmce. T. P. Biug-ham&O.J.Hetb- ei inffton invented and pat- ented ttie tifst improved uncappina--knife. Over 25.000 of our ."smo- kers and knives have heen sold to the best bee-keep- era in Europe and Ameri- ca, and used from one to five years without a com- plaint or one returned. "The.varethe best," so all disinterested bee - keepers say. Our patents cover all bellows smokers that will liurn sound stove wood, or do not g'o out. If you buy our implements lirjit you ^ will have to buy no others. Haniled to I Customer. | Larere Bineham Smoker (wide shield) 2'/3 inch SI 50 Extra Bitig-ham Smoker (wide shield) 3 inch 1 25 Plain Rnigham Smoker. 3 inch 1 00 Little Wonder Hing-hum Smoker li'i in 50c Bing-ham & Hetheriogton Honey- Knife. 2 inch 1 25 By Mail. I'ostpaid. $1 1 50 1 25 65c 1 40 To sell again, apply for dozen or half-dozen rates. Address T. F. BhVGHAM, P. M., or BINGHAM & HBTHEUINGTON. 3d ABRONIA, MICH. Bee-Keepebs' [xchjngE The M^RCH No. of the ''EXCHANGE" contains a full offl(aal report of the metting ot the North- Eastern Bee-Keeper's Association, held at Unca, N. Y.. .Ian. 25. 26, 27. The discussions and essays treat on the most vital points of apiculture; are by able and successful bee-keepers, and should be pe- rused by every profrressive beekeeper in the land. This one number is worth the subscription pric^ for a whole year. Single copies lOc each, or .'J months on trial for25e; fi months, 50c: one year, fl.OO. Address HOU€K A: PKKT, 3d Caimjolisirie, !V. A'. 75 Imhm Italian Nuclei For Sale I have 75 four-frame Italian nuclei, all last August queens, from Root's imported queen; $3.00 each. Safe arrival guaranteed. RICH'D CADLE, 3-4d Shawneetowu, Gallatin Co., 111. PRINTED, 100 Envelopes. 100 Letter-heads, 100 Business Cards, postpaid, $2.00. Fine Chromo Floral Cards, 15c per 25; 25c per .50. Hand Bouquet, Cat and Gold Motto, 2,5c per 25; 40c per 50. All kinds of job work neatly executed. Send for Price List and "Circular of thoroughbred Land and Water Fowls. Fancy Poultr.v a specialt.y. If your hens don't lav, 'eed Imperial Egg Fof>d. Trial package by mail, 50c and $1.00. J. T. FLETCHER, 3tfd West Monterey, Clarion Co., Pa. 'SistrrJ.-y X'tA.llftxi Q-u.eexi.si ! ONLY THE BEST. FROM W. J. ELLISON, STATESBUR&, SUMTER CO,. S, C. Tested queens in April, May, and June, - " " In July, - - - - Dollar queens in April, May, and June, - - " " in July Bees by the pound in May, 2-5d $2..50 2.00 1.25 1.00 1.50 NOTES FOR 32 parjes mantMi/. 3tJc. per year. Present circulation over 6000 monthly. ^VUat Others Say : "The ' Notes' have been a srreat help to my- self and family— wo use them daily. 1 do most] earnestly recommend them, and shall be glad to do whatever I can to further their circulation." -E. w. Bliss. '■•'■Notes for Bible Study' are upon the whole the best aiid cheapest help for the study of S. S. Lesson and the Bible as a whole that I know of." | —(Rev.) Geo. F. Pentkcost, D. D. •'After trying the 'Notes' for one month, my I S. S. teachers are unanimous in favor of their adoption, and now send for 100 additional copies | for 1882."— (Rev.) E. D. CAMPBELL. " I herewith send you the names of 42 subscrib- ers for 1882— hope to" send more soon. The ladies' pra.ver-meeting of our church uses the * 'Topics' I for each week with much profit. The daily notes are very helpful, to say nothing of all the other | readings and helps, which are most excellent." —Mrs. Henky Baucock. S. R. BRIGGS, Willard Tract Depository, Shaftesbury Hall, Toronto, Canada. MOLDED COMB FDN. has advantages over all other. M.v new machines make it very perfect. Thin fdn., warranted 10 to II ft. per lb. See free samples, and price list of fdn. molds. Bees and Queens. OLIVER FOSTER, 3d Mt. Vernon, Linn Co., Iowa. END FOR ILLUSTRATED CIRCULAR OF CHAFF AND SIMPLICITY BEE-HIVES. SMOKERS, COMB FOUNDATION, QUEENS, BOOKS, ETC., ETC. Ms. c. & jTp. watts, W't LUMBER CITY, ' ^CLEARFIELD CO., PA. t. 3-lld. SECTIONS & HIVES AVe make a specialty of our "Boss" One-Piece Sections. Patented June 28, 1881. We have not sold any right to manufacture, therefore we cau- tion the public against buying any One-Piece Sec- tions not bearing our stamp. Se d for new price list. JAMES FORNCROOK & CO. Watertown, Jeff. Co., Wis., March 1, 1882. Every reader of Gle.vninos to send at once for a copy of my new Illustrated Circular of Bee-keepers' Supplies. It may pay to see it before ordering. 2-7a J. V. CALDWELL, Cambridge, Henry Co., Bl, 188^ GLEANINGS liJ BEE CULTURE. 159 Contents of this Number. INDEX OF DEPARTMENTS. " Square List"' . 15ee Botany Bee Entomology Blasted Hopei Juvenilo Department 188 IvindWords fi'om CustomerslGl i Ladies' Department 187 ^_ 1 Lunch-R.om — Cartoon — ! Notes and Queries 196 Editorials 204 Reports Encouraging 200 Headsof Grain 191 Sniileo" — Honev Column l!ll The Growlei-y — Hiuu bugs and Stt-indles — 1 Tobacco Column 19« INDEX OF HEADS OF GRAIN, NOTES AND QUERIES, AND OTHER SHORT ARTICLES. Good, on Given Fdn ITfl Heddon's Letter ■. 178 Honey from Onk 182 HiineV-housi': Plan tor 196 HoufVfn.iii Cora 175,196 Horsemint Houoy 192 Int., by new luind 191 .Tones on Stealing 176 Jones ' s System 183 Linden 186 Melometer, Hasty 's 177 Morr^banks 197 MilkV, C . C .'s Letter Ili7 Nuclei, Two in one Hive 2(10 Pollen, diff. Colors 192 Queens, Introducing 184 Robbers, Managing 191 Sections, To put on 170 Separators 187 Shingles lor bee teed 18S Sparrow, Chirping 185 Stehle's Visit 18:! Starters, Fastening 167 Starting new bee journals . .20.5 Starters Size of 1(17 Suggestion. Bold 195 Sufphur 186 Swann-eatcher, Best 193 Swanning-box, "New 193 Trans, in New Way 194 Tiip to .Tetterson 173 Vf ntilation 168 \entilation. Upward 186 Wint. without Polluu 19.) Women as Bee-keepei's 187 Workers, Fertile 167 lOLT-LAND uA. 3Nr 33 .Vpi>ai-y, Shop-roof 193 Apiary, Flat River 194 Banner Apiary 165 Beach's Experience 191 Bees, Length of Flight 181 Bees, Bare-headed 167 Bees in Sicily 191 Bees, Handling ill Winter.. .171 Kees. To JIake 192 Bees by the Pound 19.") Bees, \Vater for 176, 192 Bee-Tree 17.) Bee-book, An Old 191 Basswood 186 Blue-thistle Honev 193 Box-Eldei-s 176 Buckwheat 172 Carroll's Letter 167 Catalpa 181 Cellars 187 Chaff Hives 196 Circulars Received 164 Combs Outside 183 Dallas' Report 194 Deane System 195 Doolittle 168 Dzieraon Theorj- 185, 187 Kggs, Sex of 173 Enti-ances, Fixing 193 Extractors 175 Feeder, Kendel's 174 Feeding in open air 196 Florida 194,196 Flour Candv in Jan 195 Foul Brood' 169 Grimm's Letter 166 GTFRM QUEENS. Tested Holy-Land Queens, in March and AprH, $5.00. Selected, $7.50. ALL BRED FROM MOTHERS IMPORTED BY D. A. JONES. Cyprians at the same price. Reared in separate apiaries, H. B. HARRINGTON. 3 Medina, Ohio. 20 SWARMS OF BEES FOR SALE! I will sell, and deliver to Louisville express office from ] to 20 swarms of Italian and hybrid bees at the following prices : In 10-f rame 2-story Langstrot h hives, each «10 00; in 8-framc 1-story L. hives, each $7.50. Pure Italians, f 1.00 per colony more. Thoy have all straight worker combs, .youn^ queens, and are as strong as any that 1 have at the time of ship- ment. I will guarantee safe arrival to your express ottico, and am determined to give satisfaction. No order filled unless accompanied by the cash. No discount on the above prices. Address A. SCHNEIDER, 34d Cor. 2flth & Market Sts., Louisville, Ky. HEADQUARTSRS FOB. EARLY ITALIAN AND CYPRIAN BEES Two, three, and four frame nuclei and tested queens a specialty; rousing fuil stocks and bees for sale by the pound. Basswood trees of all sizes at a bargain. Safe arrival and satisfaction guaranteed. Send for circular. A. W. CHENEY, 4d Kanawha Falls. W. Va. Cash for Beeswax! Will pay 21e per lb. cash, or 23c in trade for any quantity of good, fair, average beeswax, delivered at our R. R. station. The same will be sold to those who wish to purchase, at 27c per lb. A. I. ROOT, Medina, Ohio. P. S.— Unless you put your name on the hox, and tell how much you have sent, I can not hold myself responsible for mistakes. It will not pay as a gen- eral thing to send wax by Express. A. I. Root. ABIOTHER NEW tOEA ! Foundation all ready for business. Every sheet wired and bound around with a light wooden rim ready to ad.iust instantly into yc)ur frame. No ad- vance in prices. Small samnle for tic. I shall also I breed Choice Italian and Holy-Laud Queens, prac- ticing a new stimulative process. Write now for prices and particulars to JOHN H. MARTIN, ^ 3.2d Hartford, N. X. ITbee-keeper wanted. Must be experienced and reliable. No person using intoxicating liquors, tobacco, or cigars, need apply. A married man preferred. Must be iudus- trioiis. Address DR. ISAAC EDWARDS, 13tfd Omaha, Nebraska. Applies for the Apiary. Purchase your Hives, Crates, and Sections, from j where pine lumber can be bought cheap. Special ; attention given to large orders. ' 2-7d HIRAM ROOP, Carson City, Mich. Til! OldLst Dec Paper in America— £:stablished in ISOL iMERIGAN BEE JOURNAL, rublisUcd WEEK.I..Y, at S3.00 a year. 'I'ho first .and third numbers of each month, Sl.OO ayear. The tirst number of each month, SO cents a year. THOMAS G. NEWMAX, Editor and Proprietor, W?* West Madison Street, Chtcaeo, 111. MAHER & 6R0SH, 34 N. Monroe St., TOLEDO, OHIO. NEW KNIFE.-3-blade; Stag or Ebony Handle; long blade, as carefully made as a razor. Price, postpaid, $1. All our goods haud-forged from razor steel, and replaced FREE if soft or flawy. Our Farmer's Extra strong 2« blade 75c; medium, 2-blade, ' 50c: 1-blade, 25c; extra strong 1- blade, 50c. Hunt- ing knife f1. La- dies fine 2-blade. .50c; Gents' 3-blade $1. Bu teller Knife, 6 in. blade, 50 cts. 49-page list sent free. 160 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUIlE. AfiiiL Names of responsible parties will be inserted in any of the following departments, at a uniform price of 20 cents each insertion,"or 13,00 per year. $1.00 Queens. I^ames in»&rled in this department the nrat time with- out charge. Aften; 20e each insertion, or $2,00 per year. Those whose names appear below agree to furnish Italian queens for $1,00 each, under the following conditions: No guarantee is to be assumed of purity, or anytliingof the kind, only that the queen be reared from a choice, pure mother, and had commenced to lay when they were shipped. They also agree to re- turn the money at any time when customers become impatient of such delay as may be unavoidable. Bear in mind that he who sends the best queens, put up most neatly and most securely, will probably receive the most orders. Special rates for warranted and tested queens, furnished on application to any of the parties. Names with *, use an imported queen mother. If the queen arrives dead, notify us and we will send you another. Probably none will be sent for $1.00 before July 1st, or after Nov. If want- ed sooner, or later, see rates in price list. *A. I. Root, Medina, Ohio. *H. H. Brown, Light Street, Columbia Co., Pa. *Paul L. Viallon, Bayou Goula, Ln. *S. F. Newman, Norwalk, Huron Co., O. *Wm. Ballantine, Sago, Musk. Co.. O. C. H. Deane, Sr., Mortonsville, Woodford Co., *.T. O. Facer, New Hamburg, Ont., Can. *D. A. McCord, Oxford, Butler Co., O. *(;. C. Vaughn, Columbia, Maurv Co., Tenn. *J. P. Sterritt, Sheakleyvilie, Mercer Co., Pa. *Otto Kleinow, opp. FortWavne, Detroit, Mich. Mrs. B. H. Lowe, Hawkinsville, Pulaski Co., G *C. B. Curtis, Selraa, Dnllas Cii, Linn Co., Iowa. 3tfd D. A. Pike. Bo.x 19, Smithsburg, Wash. Co., Md. 3-5 Rev. J. S. Woodburn, Livermore, Westm'd Co., Pa. 3-8 J. H. Myers, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Co., N. Y. 3tfd Byron Walker, Capac, St. Clair Co., Mich. 3tfd J. A. Osborne, Rantpul, Champ, Co.j lU. 3tfd Chas. D. Duvali, Spencerville, Mont. Co., Md. 3tfd J. O. Fncey, New Hamburg, Ont., Canada. 3-7 J. T. Wilson, Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky. 3tfd THE FOLLOWING ARE IN THIS MONTH FOR THE FIRST TIME. C. W. Phelps, Tioe-a Centre, Tioga Co., N. Y. 4tfd O. H. T<)Ckp(jrt, La Fourche Par., La. 4tfd S. P. Yoder, Vistula, Elkhart Co., Ind. 4 S. D. Biiell, Union City, Branch Co., Mich. 4tfd R. Stehlo, Marietta, Wash. Co., O. 4tfd Bright Bro's, Mazeppa, Wabasha Co., Minn. 4tfd T. C. Crilly, Grafton, Lorain Co., O. 4tfd S. C. Perry, Portland, Ionia Co., Mich. 4tfd Bees by the Pound. Those whose names appear below agree to furnish bees by the pound, and at the prices given in our circular. R. Stehle, Marietta, Wash. Co., O. 4tfd S. C. Perry, Portland, Ionia Co., Mich. 4tfd ITiOR CHOICE QUEENS, and for bees by the lb., Jj or in any other shape, address S.C.PERRY, Portland, Ionia Co., Mich. 4d. WARRANTED ITALIAN QUEENS A SPECIALTY. All who expect to buy queens this season, Z)C sure to send for my circular. My queens gave perfect satisfaction last year. Warranted Italian queens, Itred from choice imported mothers, in Mav, $1.25; six, $tj.00; twelve, $11.0u. Holy-Land and Cyprian queens, crossed with Italians, at the same price. Tested Italian queens, $3.00. CHAS. D. DUVALL, 4d Spencerville, Mont. Co., Md. Bisswo@d or Linden Trees ! One foot and under, $2.00 per 100; bv mail, .$3.00; 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 tt. high, lor 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 cents each, respectively. Special rates by the 100 or luOO. Dan- delion plants, 50c per dozen by mail, GEO. E. HILTON. 4d Fremont Center, Newaygo Co., Mich. APICULTURAL if The oidy bee journal published on the Pacific coast is the Illustrated monthly CALIFORNIA APICULTURIST. It is devoted to the interests of the Apiarists of tke (ioklcn West, and is an able exponent of the Bee-Keeping Industry everywhere, and is ed- ited and published by practical bee-keepers. IN SHORT, it is brivht, spicy, and reliable; the infor- mation contained being interesting to apiarists the world over. $1.00 a year; 3 mos., 25c. Sample copy free. Get one tiefore you forget. Address, 4 AFICULTUR .\L PUB. CO., Oakland, CaL WANTED^ A hee-hrccdcr of experience. One who can come well recommended; must be competent to take charge of an extensive breeding apiary of 500 hives. Must be sober and industrious. To such a one, a flrst-elass opportunity is offered. Also, an appren- tice in bee culture. Address C.H.LAKE, 4d P. O. Box 815. Baltimore, Md. 10 one-story Langstroth hives, with brood- frames; "s-inch cap, each 88 15 two-story, nearly new, 8-inch cap; brood- frames below, and narrow or broad above, painted inside, and 3 coats outside, each ... $1 13 4 colonies Italian bees in 10-franie Langstroth hives 7 00 1 Everett extractor (cost $12.00) 8 00 tjo new chaff division-boards (a la Root) each.. . 13 Tin separators, heavy, per 100 1 00 4d A. FAHNESTOCK, Toi-EDO, OHIO. 1 1882 GLEAKIKGS IN BEE CtJLTUEE. 161 \V Motberwcirt PCt'd,~ of the crop of 1881. A. I. Root, Medina, Medina Co., O. D GET JUST WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Bees bv the pound, April, f;:.00; May, SI. 50; Hy- brid Queens, S^l.Oil; pure Itnliuns, $:!.U0. Stores and oonibs, 1.5 cts. per lb. No charge for pacltage. Frames either L., or l();/».xlt;;.4. Safe arrival at last express office guaranteed. Will sell bees without queens. J..7.KISEK, •t-5d East Dos Moines, Polk Co., Iowa. HIVEsTnD SECllW BOXES, wide L. frames, tin separators, brood frames with metal corners. All kinds of hives; chaff hives with movable upper story. Send for price list. A. B. MILLER k SON, i!-3d Wakarusa, Elkhart Co., Ind. Italian, Cj'prlan, and Holy-Iiand Queens, Bred from the D, A. .Tones importation; also VAN- DEKVORT COMB FOUNDATION, made on the same mills that made the fdn. that took the pri7e at the Northeastern Bee-keepers' Association at Utica in 1^81 and 1883, over the ^'an Deuseu, Flat-Bottom, and thin Dunham, for surplus boxes; also the thick over all kinds for brooJ-chamber. I. L. SCOFIELD. li-8d Chenango Bridge, Broome Co., N. Y. FliAT - BOTTOM COMB FOUN- dation.— High side-walls, i to 14 square feet to the lb. Circular and samples free. J. VAN DEUSKN & SONS, Sole Manufacturers, •itfd Sprout Brook, Mont. Co., N. Y. lOO Colonies of ITALIAN BEES FOR SALE IN SIMPLICITY HIVES ! ALBINO, CYPRIAN, AND ITALIAN QUEENS; ROOT, VANDERVORT, DUNHAM, and GIVEN F0U.NDAT10N FOR SALE, with everything need- ed for a first-class apiary. Send for a circular, to 3-2d E. T. FLANAGAN, Box 81!i. Belleville, Rose Hill Api.iry. St. Clair Co., Illinois. |tahah)^e11sj[Mi^QUeenS Full colonies, 3, 3, and 4 frame nuclei. Tested Queens, in May, $;<.00; in June, $3.50; July, August, and September, $3.00. L'ntested queens, in June and July, *1.00;. Aug., 90c: Sept., 75e. All queens will be reared from imported and home-bred queens. Please send for list to GEO. W. BAKER, 3-9 Lewisville, Henry Co., Ind. Ms. SEND FOR ILLUSTRATED CIRCULAR OF CHAFF AND SIMPLICITY BEEHIVES. SMOKERS, COMB FOUNDATION, QUEENS, BOOKS, ETC., ETC. C. cf- JTP. WATTS, LUMBER CITY, CLEARFIELD CO., PA. 3-lld. WANTED! Every reader of Gleanings to send at once for a copy of my new Illustrated Circular of Bce-keeperB' Supplies. It may pay to see it before ordering. 2-7d BUESWAS; WAZITTED. J. V. CALDWELL, Cambridge, Heury Co., 111. ITALIAN Bees 3By tlxo DE=»o-u.ixca. in April and until the l')th of May, $1.00 per pound. After May 15th, 80c per lb. in lots of 5 Ib-j., and 75c in larger lots. Express charges are very little more on 5 lbs. than less. Dollar queens at $1.00 after May 1st. Hybrid queen with lbs. of bees, in April, $1.00. Satis- faction guaranteed. G. W. GATES. 4^5d Bart left, Tenn. PRINTED, 100 Envelopes. 100 Letter-heads, 100 Business Cards, postpaid, $3.00 Fine Chromo Floral Cards, 15c per 25; 35e per .50. Hand Bouquet, Cat and Gold Motto, 35c per 35; 40c per 50. AH kinds of .iob work neatly executed. Send for Price List and Circular of thoroughbred Land and Water Fowls. Fancy Poultry a specialty. If your hens don't lav, 'eed Imperial Egg Food. Trial package by mail, 50c and $1.00. J. T. FLETCHER, 3-4 West Monterey, Clarion Co., Pa. C. OLM'S COMB FOUNDATION MCHINE. SEND FOR SAMPLE AND CIRCULAR. 4-6 C. OIjM, Fond du Lac, Wis. 1882. QUEENS ! 1882. I am now booking orders for war- '''* ranted Italian Queens; each, $1.00; six, $5 00. Tested, after June, $1.. 50. Cvprians. unwarranted, $1.00; six, $5.00. Send for circtilar giving de- scription and recommendations from P. M. arid county officers. Money- Order office, Versailles, Kv. Itfrt J. T. WILSOIV, Mortonsville, Woodford Co., Ky. IN THE FRONT RANK of Queen-Breeders. Our handsome 24-page Illii.stratetl Catalogue of four races of BEES, QUEENS, and BEE-KEEP- ERS' SUPPLIES for 1883 Is now readj'. Secure a copy before you purchase elsewhere. Address E. A. THOMAS & CO. (Successors to E. A. Thomas), 3-7d Coleraine, Franklin Co., Mass. SMALL FARM AND APIARY FOR SALE CHEAP. Property worth about $1,500. For particulars, address J. B. COLTON, Waverly, Bremer Co., Iowa. BY SENDING YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS on postal card I will send you my 16 page circular of Italian. Cyprian, and Holj'-Land Bees, Queens, and Apiarian Supplies, etc. H. H. BROWN, 4tfd Light Street, Col. Co., Pa. . ||IA| PI I Three frames brood and honey, 1 NUULCI i lb. bees, 1 untested Italian queen, shipped in my S. hive, $4.00; with 3 lbs. of bees, $5.00; for each additional pound, add $1..50. All orders received in April tiiied in May in rotation, or money returned. 4d H. BARBER, Adrian, Len. Co., Mich. KIND WORDS FROM OUR CUSTOMERS. Please send Gleaninus. I don't think my bees would work without it. Dr. G. A. Deming. Amboy, Lee Co., 111., Jan. P, 1883. The ABC that 1 purchased of you is the nicest book I ever saw. John Ellinc.er. Hopkins Station, Allegan Co., Mich., Jan. 4, 1883. Frank isgrowingfflster,and walks straighter Since he has the Waterhury. It does fluely. Beallsville, O., Feb. 13, 1883. N. J. Israel. The magnifying glass bought of you some timo ago is a very nice article for the money, and I am well pleased with it. W. S. Cobb. Woodston, N. J„Feb. 10, 1883. l62 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. April The goods canic all right. Every thing you sent was nice and cheap. You will have to enlarge your factory, or quit selling so low. Many thanks. Glasgow, Ky., Feb. 1«, 1H82. M. Winniger. That watch you sent me was duly received, and is a heauty. I was offered $3.50 for it, but refused; you see that would leave me Gleanings 4 years for 50 cents. J.B.Wise. Nappanec, Ind., Jan. 16, 1882. The lO-cent 2+-lb. spring balance T got from you proved, by fair test, as you recommended them; they are a cheap and good article. James H. Goouloe. Calvert Citj', Ky., Jan. 1(5, 18><2. The goods you sent came all right. The watch is just " boss." It keeps time first rate so far. I was disappointed in getting so many sections for the amount. J as. J. Church. Waterford, Ont., March 6, 1S83. Don't give up the Hotne Papers. Your every-day experiences and trials and t-hortcomings are worth more to me than long sermons on theology. F. A. Rlake. Rochdale, Worcester Co., Mass., Feb. 20, 1882. The Waterbury watch that I ordered of you came to hand all right. I am much pleased with it. It keeps better time than half of the $10.00 watches about this place. E.T.Anthony. Normandy, Tenu., March 11, 1882. I received the watch you sent me by mail, in due time. To say that I am much pleased with it, does U'lt express my appreciation of it; it keeps excellent time. How you can afford to give them away as you do, " muddles" me. W. J. Stewart. Seaford, Del!, Jan. 14, 1883. We can truly say, that Gleanings has been the bpst advertising medium we have yet iried. Since the Jan. number came out we have had hundreds of calls for samples, and our order-book shows a long- list of orders from those who want their fdu. and other goods in time for the season's work. G. W. SrANLEY & Bno. Wyoming, N. Y., Feb. 17, 1882. When I wrote to you I was in a great hurry, and I did not tell you how to send the hive; in fact, after I sent the letter it came to me that I did not write the town I five in. It does seem to me you must be a Christian man or you could not be ^o calm when you have such letters written to you. for I know you have a great number. Henry D. Ainsworth. Westboro, Mass., Feb. C, 1882. WORTH ITS weight IN GOLD. I agree with you about the "Christian's Secret of a Happy Life," and would love to order ten copies, but we have just come to a uew country, and are trying to get a start. Mrs. W. L. Helm. Ocala, Fia., Jan. 3, 1882. Goods received all satisfactory, especially the A B C book, in which I am much interested. Mrs. B. says that she can not get me interested in any other reading, t am now wintering 3U swarms; but if I had had the book last summer I should have had them in better shape than they are. Ellington, N. Y., Feb. 11, ISSi. O. P. Barber. The ABC received, and I have just finished an at- tentive examination of your most valuable work on bee culture, and can not wonder, after a careful reading,thatit is meeting so large a sale. The world is greatly indebted to you for presenting in such an attractive form the amount of useful information you have collected within its pages. Tom M. Hardwick. Strickler, Ark., Feb. 11, 1S83. THE FIVE-CENT NIPPERS. The .5-cent nippers give perfect, satisfaction. I can cut lead with them, and have cut brass and cop- per wire too. And those other tools you sent me were worth twice what they cost me. I have 4 hives of b^es, and li6 lbs. of box honpy, and 80 lbs. of ex- tracted. The latter brought me 10 cents, and the comb 13 cents. L. F. Williams. Bast Berkshire, N. Y., Feb. 3S; 1883. The Waterbury watch is just at hand. Accept my sincere thanks. How in the world can the Water- bury Co. afford to sell such a beauty of a watch to you so that you can afford to give it as a premium for 0)i7.i/ five subscribers? Do they work for noth- ing and board themselves? As 1 already have two watches, I intend making my cousin the happiest boy in town by giving him the Waterbury. Again, please accept my thanks. W. S. Boyd. Hamilton, O., March 14, 1882. THE re-CENT telephone. Telephone up and works well; but that No. 25 cop- per wire j'ou sent is too small — it won't stand pull- ing. Fortunately, there was enough of the large to reach. C. B. Thwing. Hamilton, Mo., Feb. 4, 1S81. [We know it, friend T., and we will replace the copper wire by the annealed brass wire we use now, to you or any others who h^d the copper, if they will mention it.] HOW friend w. came to be pleased "all over." As I examined the various articles,! was pleased " all over;" but you have made a very bad mistake; you have sent what I did not order; namely, two watches instead of c?i ". One came by mall a few days after my order was sent; the other was packed in the box with the other goods; but I sold one the vcrj' first time I showed it and said it was for sale. S. M. Wallacjs. Cassville, Harrison Co., O., Feb. 7, 1883. The clock "Fairy Queen" goes beaulifuUy. The makers of this clock have aptly named it, and it is very beautf ul Indeed. I bouarht it mostly on account of the alarm attachment: wife and I are both sleepy- headed, especially in the morning, and our sitting- room clock generally failed to awaken us, away otf up stairs in our bed room. The "Fairy Queen" alarm is just right; it awakens Mrs. Taylor, and — and — Jeaues me asleep along with the baby "black eyes," who is not much of a baby either, as he is nearly 2 years old. R. C. Taylor. Wilmington, N. C, Feb. 17, 1883. The third and last Waterbury watch sent by you to lill my order (the two former not giving satisfac- tion, having been injured in the mails) was received safe and sound, and it keeps excellent time. It was wound up as soon as received, and has not stopped one minute since. I confess that I was somewhat disappointed after receiving the second watch, and not being able to start it; and had it not been for the implicit confidence that I placed in your word, coupled with your fair dealings with me in the past, you most certainly would have received an article for the Growlerv. J. D. Brands. Delaware Station, Warren Co., N. J., Feb. 6, 1882. The goods have arrived in good condition, and are entirely satisfactory. I like to see good workman- ship: and when it is furnished at so low a price as the 3401b. scales and the3.5-cent dividers, it gives me still greater pleasure. Bees are wintering finely in their chaff' hives. The winter has been mild so far. My neighbor who lost two-thirds last winter, has protected his bees this; but 1 presume by the time we have another cold winter he will have forgotten his losses and lost his zeal. " Our Homes," Part II., has done me much good, and has been read and praised by the rest ot the family. I pray for you dai y. C. B. Thwing. Hamilton, Caldwell Co., Mo., Jan. 28, 1882. My time was out in Dec, and although but a short time has elapsed since I read its interesting pages, I can feel a sad and lonely feeling "stealing " over me because I have not had the opportunity of pe- rusing this month's Gleanings. Our little "pets", are now placed within their little beds, being sur- rounded by dry wheat chaff, which keeps them warm and healthy. Oh how it fills the apiarist with enthusiasm, to know that his industrious little " friends " are safely housed amid the cold and storms of winter! and when summer comes, what a joy he feels as the myriads of little " fellows," from early morn to eventide, endeavor to repay Dim for his little trouble in preparing for them a beautiful home in which to live, and plentiful covering under which to sleep during the severe winter. E. J. HiNSHAW. Lynn, Randolph Co., Ind., Jan. 24, 1883. 1882 gleani:ngs in bee culture. Ifi? What made you stop the journal? You oug-ht to know that I could not keep house without it. 1 will send you that $1.00 in due time, you know I will, don't you? Try me and see if 1 ara not as good as mv word. W. W. Rowley. Eau Galle, Dunn Co., Wis.. Jan. 2.5, 18S2. [And you oupht to know, t'riei'il K ,that we could not very well know you wanted ii kept gning, unless .vou said so; but now since you have said so, we know, of course, you want it, and that you will send the money just as you say. Just imagine us going with a hop, skip, and a jump, to put your name down for the whole of 188:i. Shall we not put it for live years, and not have any more trouble? You know you will have a watch, then, too.] SHIPPING FllAMES OF WIRED FOUNDATION TO TEX.\S, ETC. The goods ordered of you, and shipped Jan. 9th, arrived Feb. 20th; so you see the good in ordering in due time. All came safe, and in splendid order, even to the frames of wired fdn. The freight to Schulenburg was $11 30. I do not know that that is too much for .590 lbs. Bees are fine and strong, full of brood; the fruit-trees are in bloom, with many other kinds of flowers. Our "flxin's" here are in good trim. Every thin^ will be ready by May Ist, which is the beginning of our great harvest. The " Square List " is a happy idea — good! Dr. J. E. Lay. Hallcttsville, Texas, Feb. 24, 1882. I thnnk you for the Home department of Glean- INOS (Feb. No. especially). You touched upon the secret trial of many a hi ime the world does not al- ways know of; but it nevertheless blights the little good we might do in more waysthan one, sometimes by causing us to hang our heads in contrition at the prayer-meeting, when we ought to be testifying to the goodness of God. Satan knows our weak points; he knows how to help us hide our lights under a bushel. You are not the only one who speaks and acts unadvisedly sometimes. I thought of things in my own life. Husband sat silent for some time. I looked up after a while, to see him brush away a tear. Oh the good we all might do, • While the days are going by ! But the seeds of good we sow, Both in shade and shine shall grow. While the days are going by. Sakah J. W. AXTELL. Koseville, 111., Feb. 28, 1883. We are glad that George and Ernest recognize a wider meaning to the law that gives "great peace." We are sure you do not intend to disregard the laws of health, by the indulgence of appetite or passion; but when the poor tired nerves are wound up daily to their highest tension, there must be a rebellion. Nothing but a miracle can save you from disease ot death. Can any one do his best work for saving souls by continual overwork? Is it not better to take needful rest, trusting in Providence for the event? I believe in enthusiasm and hard work, and rejoice greatly in the work you are doing; but the Bible says, " A merciful man is merciful to his beast." So, then, let us be merciful to our own physical natures, that we may the better glorify God. Prudence K. Sinton. Ithaca, N. Y., Feb. 7, 1882. OUIt HO.MES. I had thought that I would not have my son sub- scribe for Gleanings this year, but your Home Papers have been of so much benefit to me, I do not think I wt>uld be doing right to not renew. Actually, if I were one of those very few who have a dislike to every thing you i>ublish not tending toward bee culture, 1 ci'rtaiiily would not let any one know I did nut h'lve that so much-desired "love at home," by requpstiug the discontinuauce of your Home talks. Those who do not like the tone of Our Homes, surely must be of a sour, fretful, fault- finding nature — the very ones, of all others, who snould be benefited. A man may not be a Christian — reject every good, holy thought — but how necessary, how much more pleasant it is to cherish love at home! Therefore goon in your good work. You may not succeed in making all your subscribers Christians; but honesty and morality will be imparted and in- culcated, and love for the dear ones at home cher- ished. I know I am a better man from reading your home talks, and I pray God to continue this growth in grace until I am a perfect man. Snyder, Ark., Feb , 1883. - B. A. Bethune. Bro. Root, for so T shall venture to call you now, please find inclosed one dollar to renew subscription for Gleanings, 1882. Of cjurse, it's worth the mon- ey to me, and a great deal more. Please accept my thanks for the kind words in Our Homes. The more faith we have in God, the more we have in our fel- low-man; we can trust them further, leaving the results in the hands of Him who has said, " All things shall work together for good to them that love the Lord." I have 48 stands of bees, mostly blacks, in my cellar, two outside, packed. Made about 15 cwt. of honey last year; have never Inst any bees of any account by wintering yet. If I have my usual luck this year, it will be bees or farming — which? Wishing you success in your business af- fairs, also in your labor of love, I remain vours truly,— Wm. Cox. Viroqua, Vernon Co.. Wis., Dec. .30, 1881. [Thanks, friend C; and I would call especial at- tention to your point of faith in our fellow-men. One who sees only the worst side of his fellow-men is pretty surely wicked himself.] For the last two years I have been a careful reader of Gleanings. There is much in it 1 admire and appreciate, and also a good deal that a "canny Sci>t" would hesitate to pronounce upon. Your Home Papers I am very much interested in, and from many parts of them 1 can not but say that I derive profit as well as pleasure; and although there are many statements in them which a reticent dis- position would shrink from making, still, having made them, their very declaration bars the way to returning, knowing that a previous weakness (wickedness If you will) will be watched for with a keen eye by a spiritual enemy. Your readiness as a writer, I admire, and the tact with which you tone down strife is exemplary, and what I should wish to imitate. And I often think it is impossible for you, with your multifarious labors, to give the requisite thought to every subject requiring your attention, and much must be decided by j'ou without premedi- tation. K. Edwabd. Montrose, Scotland, Dec. 5, 1881. CIRCULARS, ETC., RECEIVED. Bright Bros., Mazeppa, Minn., issue a 2C-pRge price li.-it of iipiaii:in jcoods. It is nithei- strantre that a catalogue so nicely in'inted as tliis is, and Irum .-uili cntevpiisiiijjr nun, should contain bad spflliiifr and typo^raiiliical errors. It is surpassed ill this I'ospect, however, lj.y one from friend Colvin, Dalton, Pa. , dealer in liives, bees, etc. From W. J. Pettitt, Dover, England, we have re- ceived a Ifipase list of hives .as made and used in that city. It is almost bewildering to see the complications of tlie English hive and bee-house. They remind one of the latest improved burglar-proof bank-safes 'of this country —that is, in the pic- ture One l)ee-house, Cwl ft. 2 inches, and fi ft luider roof, iron toj), is iiriced at over STO.iK) Jlr. Pcttitt's liees fret their honey from the )iit,'li and inaccessible rucks of Dover cliffs. He has ablaut Wt hives. 3Ir P. is doing a Jiobli' work in developing the honey industry of Kngland, and his catalogue reflects great ciedit on his ehdeavois. Before US is" Gray's How Plants Behave. How they Move, C'limli, Employ Insects to AVork for them." It is a beauti- ful l)Ook. linely illiistrated, and the pictures of the blos.soms ot the Simii^on lioncv-plant (ligwort) are so real as to make one almost smile. Although the book does not contain a great amount of matter lor the money, it is .an e.xcellent one for be- ginners in botany, or those interested in the matter of pollen and honey, and their relation to botany. We can furnish it tor 50 cents, or 5,") by mail. A very neat circular on smokers and honey-knives comes from otir enterprising friends Bingham & Hetherington, Abronia, Mich. J. R. Landes. Albion, Ohio, sends us a nice 4-page price list of poultry and apiarian su]ip!ies. C. H. Lake, Baltimore, Md , has just sent us a 60- nage catalogue of aiiiarian supplies, and an illustrated list of lioney-iilanls, ruch as poplar, I'ape, .\lsike clover, melilot, and many others. The whole work is full of cuts, and forms a valu- able addition to our stock of pHce lists. From John H. M.vors, Saratoga Spiii^'. N. Y., a descriptive list of garden, field, and flower seetfaHBUlbs, tubei's, etc., llesides bees and Simplicit.y hives. ♦?■ Friend DuU's circular, mentioned last month, was iirint<'d with a nibl)ci- st;cin)i, .■md not with the clicirograph. We nave .ju-^t rccL*i\'ed fi-oin liiin hi^ business carti. printed im a pos- tal, with one of these stamps, vitilet ink. The impression is nearlj', it not quite, as good as type — being, in fact, as much like it as an electrotype iilatc. He also sends other specimens. Friend Muth's little book, containing some ver.v practic.U hints, from a practical bee and honey man, is before us. Such ,1 little liook.froiu one old in e.\pei"ience, is almost like a. visit fioni him. H. M. Morris. Rantoul, 111., sends a postal circular of lioney-plonts and trees, raspbenies, etc. 164 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. Aprii. A 28-pagre price list of Italian, Cyprian, Holj-Land, and Albino bees, I'lom E. A. Tliomas & Co., Coleraine, ilass., is before us. C. D. Duvall, Ppencerville, Md., issues an 8-page price list of the standard varieties of bees. ,T. M. Brooks c& Bros., Columbus, Ind., send us a 2- Icaf priee list of queens, colonies, bee supplifs, etc. .7. W. Calder, Williamstown, Ont., sends out a 4- pa(;e list of apiarian supplies, etc. We mi^ht almost say thfi neatest circular of the reason, typographically, is one from .1.1*. AS. C. Watts. Lum- ber City, Pa. We copy from pag'e 3 as follows: " Altlionyh 'he pr.ictice of paekinj; bees in chaff, straw, and other materi.il^ is very old, and even years ago hives were made willi tluulile walls, or at least a p.artial provision for a siurouiiiliTiit lininH' of yonuMJrotectivc material, yet it is Imt comi>:uati\ cly n< lutly (hat the subject in all its bearings has been bronulit t.i the no- tice of the bee-keeping public. Kor the aceom)ili?;liini>iit of this end we are indebted to. perhajis mure than any otlic-r, A. I. Uoot, editor of Ci.k.vnings i.v Mke (Ti.TUitE. About the year ISTM hi- contrived and put into th^iroiii^h test the now famoiis Chulf liivc. .Since then it has been subjected to the most riyid trial and most SCI utiuizintre.Namination; and so well has it passed its probationnr.v terra that it is to-day substantiall.v unchanifcd from what it was when first introduced, while its po|iularit.v is so preat, and its advantaf:es so important, as to indicate aimost a revolution in bee ctilture. ' ' From our own press we note a 4-pagre list of queens .•vnd bees, foundation, and machinery to make it, from tilivcr Foster, Mt. Vernon, la. We have also just printed for G. F. Williams, New Philadelphia, O., a l-page list of bees, queens, hives, etc. Under this heaets. each. Single Number, lOots, < Additions to clubs m.iy be iu:ule at cluli rates. Above are all to be sent to one !( ]?Iediiia« O. \EstaUish6d in 1 87 S.[illl'^Ji''^.'L^''''''''' '•'''''"'''''''''''''' NOTES FROM THE BAIVNER APIARY. NO. 29. LET US PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH. ^ BOUT the first of March we had several warm days, and the bees flew merrily. I presume many of you know what sweet music the bees make upon these early spring flights. How I was tempted to open one of the clamps and let the bees fly; that is, if they were capable of flight! I pre- sume I should have dug out some of the buried bees; but I had just written an article for the Countr\i Gentleman, advising bee-keepers not to be deceived by these chance spring days, but to keep their bees in winter quarters (unless it was to carry Ihem out for a flight, if they became uneasy) until warm weather had really come to stay. I believe in practicing what I preach, and the advice that I had given others kept ringing in my ears until I decided not to open a clamp until at least April 1st. DID THEY WANT WATER? One of the two colonies that have been confined in the cellar without a flight since the middle of Nov., became uneasy; and as I could not carry it out without disturbing the other long-confined colony, I carried them both out. This colony that became uneasy was one that had nothing but pure sugar stores; can it be that the sugar syrup did not fur- nish them enough water, and it was for this that they were begging? The colony that had natural stores, and had remained in the cellar the same length of time, was very quiet, and it was some little time before the bees roused up enough to fly; but after they once made a start, they flew lively. THE CONVENTION AT DETROIT. A few weeks ago I received a postal that read something as fallows:— Fi'iend H.: -If you will come down to mv iiljico, I will take "onventiun that will be held M. H. Hunt. care of vou , and take you to the April nth. .Tt Detroit. Bell Blanch, 'WayneCo., Mich. I have decided to accept this very kind invitation. I shall write no essay, and shall deliver no address, but shall go with my heart full of love for my broth- er bee-keepers, and my head full of — curiosity and inquisitiveness. I hope to meet a number of bee- keepers, and to have a good visit —just about such a time as folks have at a family reunion. EXTnA-PTTRE QUEENS VS. BEES FOR HONEY. Until friend Daolittle has finished his "say " about those extra-pure queens, I shall make no reply, un- less it is to say, that I felt like grasping his hand and saying "amen" when I read the following; "If bees showing the three distinct golden bands are the bees producing the best results in honey, let us breed in that direction ; if those showing but slight traces of 3'ellow on the three bands (or dark Ital- ians, if you please to call them so) are the ones which produce the most surplus, let us breed in that direction, keeping an eye to the best at all times." MAKING A FOOT-POWER BCZZSAW. Last fall I traded my foot-pnwcr saw for eight col- onies of bees; they have, so far, wintered all right ; and I am now very pleasantly engaged in making another saw, upon a somewhat' ditferent style from my old one. I shall use eight-inch saws, and when it is finished I will tell how it is made, and how it suits me. ATTENDING FAIRS; HINTS WANTED. Two years ago, after making an apiarian exhibit 166 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTUEE. April at our county fair, I felt somewhat disgusted with exhibits and fairs; but the rather liberal premiums offered bj- our State Agricultural Society have in- duced me to think quite favorably of making an ex- hibit at our State Fair next fall. And now I should be pleased to receive hints from every one who has made an apiarian exhibit at a fair. Friend Uoot, I shall want a set of those glass jars, or bell-glasses. W. Z. Hutchinson. Rogersville, Genesee Co., Mich. A 1% OR» IN FAVOK OF CHAFF MlVIiS, FROM A CELLAR TRIEND. ^ HAVE all along been advocating cellar wintcr- Jl iug, nor do I wish to change now. Cellar win- tering has thus far undoubtedly been the most successful method practiced, taking mild and severe winters together. But there are disadvantages con- nected with it that challenge our attention. How to winter well in the fullest sense of the word, is a problem that has by no means been satisfactorily solved. Though my success has given me much contidenct^, and leads mo occasionally to boast that wintering has.no dread for me, still I am not by any means satisfied. True, I am not afraid of losing a large number of colonies by cellar wintering during any winter; but that does not change the fact, that a fair proportion of my colonies is greatly reduced in bees every spring. "All is not gold that glitters," with me as well as with every one else. Uniformly successful, as most men would call it, t am myself far from satisfied. I want my bees strnna at all times of the season; and before I quit the business, I have faith that I shall succ ecd. I do not expect to lose many this winter, and, from present appear- ances, my loss up to May 1st will presumably not ex- ceed 4 to 5 per cent, if that many. But I know that, as every year, there will be a great many so re- duced that they will not be strong enough to work for surplus till half the honey season is over. It is a loss of one-half the profits of the business, and must be remedied. Experiments and observations have convinced me that chaff hives and cellars must com- bine, in a climate like this, to give full success. There is no use denying the fact, that single-walled hives won't do for our falls and springs, however satisfactory in summer, or in the cellar. Bees quit breeding too early, and resume too late. With me, bees ought every year to breed one month later than they do, and you can not get them to do it in thin unprotected hives. And they should breed earlier in the spring, uninterrupted by sudden cold «nap8. On the other hand, we can not as yet claim, with any degree of certainty, that we have a safe outdoor protection for tho winter. The ordinary chaff hive is insufficient during protracted cold weather. Again, we do not want to curry a great number of chaff hives into a cellar, and take them out again every fine day. Many good days would be missed, to say nothing of the labor involved. The only way to solve the problem to the satisfaction of any reasonable man, is to discover a plan that oom- biues the advantages of both cellar and outdoor win- tering. Bees must have access to the open air eccry fine day, and have at all times a moderate, uniform temperature in the hive. How can we do it? I am free to confess, I don't know; but, like the rest of mankind, I have more ideas than actual practice or experience. 1 am now getting up a hive with a5- iiich space, filled with chaff and the like, on all sides. If that is insufficient, I'll try 10 or 15 inches. I have tried putting horse manure, known for its heating qualities, all around a hive this winter, and that is the strongest colony I have. But this is an easy one, and the next winter it may not be successful. Mois- turfe absorbents over the top may not prove suffi- cient, and a circulation of air may be found neces- sary. Why not provide absorbents and ventilators, and inclose our hives with horse manure well mixed with hay? The entrance can be open at all times, and the inside of the hives ought certainly to be« warm enough. There is no way, I am convinced, that will insure us against all loss, or even partial less, at all times; but, taking every thing into con- sideration, cellar wintering is by no means the acme of perfection, and some plan of outdoor wintering will, sooner or later, eclipse it. It is time that we bend every nerve to the task that includes every ele- ment of success in our profession — that of discover- ing how to '■'keep your colonies strong." If it takes a ten -dollar hive, feeding, chaff, ventilators, horse manure, or a brick wall, we'll have to get it, sooner or later; fori am certain that only those that can " keep their colonies strong " will make any money out of the business after a few years. Jefferson, Wis., March 17, 1882. Geo. Grimm. Now, friend Grimm, I am most agreeably surprised by the above ; for the fact that you so strongly indorsed cellar wintering, and condemned chaff, has troubled me and stumbled me not a little. Almost on your account alone I was very near deciding to build a nice large bee-cellar; and it is be- cause bees suffer in the spring months so much for lack of protection, that I have laid so much stress on chaff hives. For years I have gone over all you mention, over and over again, and many times have I thought we had at last obtained the long- sought desideratum. If you do not, others will recollect my horse-manure experiments, and the many plans of house apiaries after- ward. I agree with you, that it is powerful colonies we need in April, for the great re- sults that we might make. It may have been Doolittle who said, if our colonies were as strong during fruit-blossoms as at bass- wood time, they might, for aught we know, get nearly as much honey from the fruit- bloom. How shall we get them as strong in May as they are in JulyV It can be done with a greenhouse, but it would be rather expensive. I have often longed for an open cave, in the side of a dry bank, such as friend Boomhower describes in this number ; and if I knew just how to keep it from being damp in cold weather, and have it warm up as soon as the outdoor air does in warm weather, I verily believe I should start to do it at once. Who among the friends has an open cave on his premises, where water will not freeze, and where bees could fly out at pleasure, when it is warm enough? Friend Grimm, when you solve the problem I will come and see you ; and when I solve it, ycu must come and see me. I presume neither of us run any gre^t risk 0» such a bargain. 1882 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 167 SOME POETRY AND— PROSE. FROM THE LONE-STAU APIARY. J?u<'kwht>at cake! 'tis of thee, ,\nil the little honev-bee, Tlmt I wouklsin;;: Thoii that with pork art fried, Tlicii Imlti rill on one side, With IioiMiiiint honev thick applied. Thou luscious thing: i^] TOP, Amos' wait until "Eliza" or "Lou" brings ^^ those delicious cakes smoking hot from the ' — stove over yonder in the corner of the lunch- room, before you wallop them all over in honey; or perhaps you prefer the Early-Amber sorghum 'lasses or Buffalo grape-sugar syrup. Well, I declare it is too bad; we bee-folks down here never quarrel over our sugar-barrel, for we get the pure article right from the mills; but if jou could step into my gar- den and see my 100 pear-trees in bloom, and bees by the hive full swarming over them, loading them- selves with the sweet nectar, you would be con- strained to exclaim. What a lovely country! The whole earth is one vast sea of bloom, and the bees are making good time of the opportunity. CYPUIANS, THE I.ONG-SOUGOT APIS AMEUICANA, There under that ornamental peach-tree is the three-frame nucleus that passed through the win- ter of 1880-'8l safe and sound, whose queen was raised in November, and mated the Cth of Decem- ber, now 16 months old. Raise the top and peep in, and you will flud 8 full frames of brood, and two others with eggs in them. I have taken two frames from them, and they have replaced them in the last few days, and have eggs in them. I have gone through all the colonie's, and I And the Cyprians are ahead. If you remember, I got a Cyprian queen from you in August, 1880, and this is her daughter. Last spring I divided the old Cyprian colony, and again and again, making four colonies; four frames melted down in July, and in September I took out four frames for queen-rearing, and I now have these hives all full. I got 131 lbs. of honey from the old colony, and lost about 30 lbs. by melting down. I find them better workers than the Italian*, but not so gentle, for they are rather nervous while being handled, but not more so than hybrids or blacks. I do not want a better bee. But there is one trait about them that I can not appreciate: the young lady bees delight in a little flirtation with the gentle- man bees before they settle down to a married life. FEUTILE WORKEIIS, SO CALLED. The bee-books tell us something about fertile workers (so-called) being such a pest ; and it is pure laziness in the apiarian to have them in his hives, and that it is useless to try to introduce a queen or queen-cell where one is. This has not been my ex- perience, for they have given me no trouble what- ever. I have seen several times last year a fertile worker (?) laying eggs and a virgin queen a few days old crawling about on the same comb. I watched one of these hives closely for 19 days, and this same diminutive drone-layer kept sticking eggs here and there until the queen began laying, and perhaps longer. I have often introduced queen-cells where I knew fertile workers (so called) were, and never had one destroyed, I had two hives last week with fertile workers, and they have raised them a queen now in a capped-over cell, from eggs given them. One of these hives had several queen-cups started with six to ten eggs in each, with cells built out and capped over drone larv£E, and I had no trouble to get them to build cells over worker larvre. I had a nucleus last year in the same tix, and I gave them a cell, and they raised a good queen. Again, I have found fertile workers, and seen thorn laying (drone- layers) in a hive that had a good fertile queen, and I believe it is a common thing for these drone-laying workers to be in hives where there are good fertile queens. B. F. Carroll. Dresden, Texas, March, 188~'. Friend C, it isn't Eliza, or J^ou either, who makes the hot cakes to go with the ma- ple molasses : in fact, I am afraid they have ahiiost forgotten how. ISI either is there any "corner" to the lunch-room (especially at 12 o'clock at noon), for it is hut a corner it- self. We have heeii considering the matter of a comhined dining and reading room, and, in fact, we have, at our noon service, asked God to help us in bringing it about. — I can pretty nearly agree with you in regard to fertile workers, only I should say it was your lauded Cyprians that had brought in the fashion of a laying worker in the hive with a laying queen. 1 never heard of it when we had only Italians. SEVERAL ITEMS FROM FRIEND C. C. MILLER. BARE-HEADED BEES. « LL old bee-keepers have probably had frequent cases of young bees, nearly ready to hatch, ~^^^ remaining uncapped. It has been said that it was all right; that they hatched out as well as anj-. It may be all right, but I am getting suspi- cious. I can remember more than one instance where the colony was poor, either at the time or shortly after, apparently from no other reason but a poor queen, and no amount of fussing could bring them up to strong working order. I may have had good colonies acting in the same way, as my atten- tion has only lately been directed to the matter; but I am inclined to the opifiion, that when the heads of the young bees are bare it is a sign the head of the queen should come off. Will others report if they have known any case similar, in which the colony continued afterward a strong working colony? SIZE OF STARTERS. For the purpose of shipping, it maybe well enough to have small starters: but for home use I can not be satisfied with any thing but a full section of fda. For the i^ixi^i sections I prefer stai-tcrs SViXo^ inches; and as there is a standard size of sheets for Langstroth brood-frames, so I think there should be a standard size of sheets that will cut into starters 3'2x3?.t, if the majority should agree upon this as the best size. If I am not much mistaken, a section full of foundation will bo finished sooner than one part full, and thus more honey be obtained when the flush comes. FASTENING STARTERS. I have had some trouble with foundation dropping: out of sections just at the most annoying time when honey is coming in with a rush, and every minute counts; and I suppose others who use full-size starters are not entirely free from this trouble. Where they have been fastened with Parker's fdn. fastener, I have found it to occur either where the starter was put in too cold or where too big a "bite" was taken by the fastener. I have been putting: In 168 GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE, April several thousand starters in sections with my own hand?, and apprehend less difliculty the coming season. I formeriy supposed that 1 could not well put in starters in cold weather; but I now prefer winter. Perhaps 1 had bettor tell you just how I do it. I do the work in the liitchcn. The fastener is screwed tight to a board which is clamped tight to a table, the fast6uer being close to the edge of the board nearest me, the length of the fastener run- uiug- parallel with the board, and the handle at the rig:ht side. The taljle without the board would be as well, f)rbett<='r, only I don't want to drive screws in the tal>le. Just beyond the fastener I put a pile of, say, .51) starters, and at the left of the pile stands ii hot tlat-iron, such as the women-folks use for iron- ing, while another iron stands on the stove ready to replace this one when it gets cold. Seated on a seat 6 inches higher than an ordinary chair (I put a chair on a hive cover), I am ready for work. The edge of the starter next the llat-iron is heated so that it is quite soft; I care little Itow soft, so that none of the starters are actually melted. This soft edge is the one, of course, to be mashed down by the fastener, and the object is to get iis small a "bite" as possi- ble, only no that a little of the wax is actually mashed the whole width of the starter. The ordi- nary direction is to put the foundation under ^i inch, which I think quite too much. Instead of "turning the piece of foundation up against the end of the lever," as usually directed, 1 leave it lying Hat till I pick up the section; and on turning the section ri>;ht side up, the foundation will, by its own weight, bo found hanging right every time without any attention. VENTILATION. The opinion seems to be rapidly gaining ground, that for cellar wintering one very important point is to have the cellar well ventilated. A few years ago I was in the habit of putting a fire in the cellar when the bees became uneasy, under the impres- sion that they were too cold. A fire kindled in the evening would raise the thermometer a little, and in the morning I would flr.d the bees perfectly quiet, but, to my surprise, the thermometer just as low as the previous morning. I suspect that the ventila- tion of the cellar was hastened by the fire, and that thcinllowof fresh air, more than any thing else, cuieled the bees. Latterly I have left the window at one side of the cellar, and the door at the other side, open a great many nights, especially toward spring. Oil first opening the cellar at night, if it is pretty warm the bees make a good deal of noise; but by morning ail is quiet, and often the bright rays of the sun shine directly on the hives through the window, without disturbing them. To-day, March 13, the door and window have been open all day, till the present time, after one o'clock. Since writing the last sentence I have gone down and closed the door, leaving the window open. Scarcely a bee was stirring, although the sun has been shining brightly all day. When I opened the door this morning, the temperature in the cellar wag U° ; outside, 16". Now it is 43^ in the cellar, and 4i° outside. If there had been any wind, the cellar would have clianged more. This matter of ventila- tion needs a great deal of ventilation, for very few understand the Importance of it, either for their bees or themselves. A year ago I was in a manu- facturing establishment whose proprietor takes a deep interest in the welfare of his emplojes. In his ofDce he and his clerks were suffering for want of that cheapest of all luxuries, good fresh air; and on his attention bslng called to it, a reform was inaug- urated, or at least meditated; but if I am a good guesser, I'll venture the assertion that £o-day they are breathing air in which a hog would pine and a sheep would die. C. C. Miller. Marengo, 111!, March 13, 1883. It lias been mjMinpression, tliat all bees let their children go " bare-headed " in the hot months of the year, friend M. ; but I shall be very glad to be corrected, if I am wrong. Your suggestions in regard to put- ting in sections are most opportune and val- uable. I know sheets filling the section are much better, for I proved it in the house apiary years ago, to my full satisfaction ; but how is it possible for lis to rig hives ready for use, and ship them thus? The only way we can do it is to fasten the fdn. in the sec- tion clear around; and even then, I am afraid the severe handling the hives get will often break it out. This may not, however, prove to be the case. You see, we can not wire the sheets for comb honey.— In regard to the ventilation, in part of your letter, friend ^I., yon are all right, unless it be in presuming no attention has been paid to your instructiona given at that noon session. The problem of getting ventilation in our office, and not give the clerks dangerous colds, is one that has not yet been fully solved ; but I think we ate getting on. Sis- ter Axtell gives us some strong facts, in the Ladies' Department, in regard to the im- portance of ventilating cellars ; and I hope a good many who don't keep their bees in cel- lars will make a stir as soon as this number is out. My wife is often troubled with sleep- lessness. A few months ago she made the astounding discovery, that she always went to sleep without trouble, when a window was up on each side of the room, so that a draft of air could pass right through. Many a night has she declared some one must have put one of those windows down, for sleep wouldn't come. She was always right. A badly ventilated church will give her a nerv- ous twitching in the hands and feet; but with plenty of fresh air, it is gone at once. Do not these facts, coupled with those given by Mrs. A.'